31
2009
My Mets Wish For The Trade Deadline
An article by 
Today is one of the biggest days of the regular baseball season for baseball junkies like me; the trade deadline. I always enjoyed this time of the season because it had that hot stove feel to it. But now, with the advent of social networking sites like Twitter, I have a non-stop stream of information and unfortunately misinformation too depending on your take of it.
I used to enjoy sifting through all these little nuggets of rumors and speculation that usually run rampant in the days leading up to the 4:00 PM deadline, but it’s gotten quite overwhelming in the last two years. I really don’t mind the rumors that have some tinge of truth attached to them, but sometimes things can get very silly.
We had a catcher get the day off this week after a night game, and suddenly the prevailing wisdom means that they are on the verge of being traded. A minor league player gets pulled out of the lineup because he has stomach cramps, and the internet is abuzz with more trade rumors. A team demotes a player without announcing a corresponding move and all of a sudden it means that they opened up a spot for a big trade acquisition. Believe it or not, the examples I cited are real and all were centered around our New York Mets.
I don’t mind grasping my teeth into a trade rumor from Jon Heyman or Ken Rosenthal or Joel Sherman, but these days everyone seems to be an expert. <sigh>
I credit Andrew Vazzano of The ‘Ropolitans for this pre-blog rant He had an interesting post this morning that really goes to the heart of the matter and further explains why more and more baseball fans are getting turned off by the rampant speculation. But then, my friend tells me last night, how he loves all of it and doesn’t mind knowing that half of what he reads is BS. So I’m like whatever dude. I guess it comes down to the old adage, to each his own.
* * * * * * * * * * *
As for my Mets, here we are at this critical point in time, and we have yet to fully understand what our role is today. That of sellers or buyers. Omar Minaya has maintained all along that the Mets were buyers, but so far all we’ve see is a couple of “alleged” rejections for Roy Halladay and Victor Martinez. Some may say it’s bogus, but Omar himself said yesterday that he has already turned down trades for big players, so who really knows.
All I can really tell you is what I believe the Mets should do.
To begin, we can’t give up on this season. We must forge ahead even if the odds are dramatically against us. I refuse to waive a white flag and surrender.
To those of you who want to stand pat, and I know it’s most of my commenters, please don’t tell me that one player or one trade can’t help the Mets or make a difference. I’ve already seen the difference one player can make when we got Francoeur, and he was just supposed to be a project at best.
My biggest concern is this incredible infatuation everyone has with our Class-A and Class-AA prospects. They are prospects and not even great ones at that. We have nobody leading their respective leagues in homers or RBI’s or ERA or Wins. That’s not to say that leading the league is a barometer for success, just an observation. Our top prospects are still suspect and considered projects at this point. I keep hearing that Omar refuses to mortgage the future. What future? Getting Roy Halladay improves our future, not deadens it.
What exactly are we protecting? Our farm system hasn’t produced a Mets 20 game winner since Frank Viola last did it in 1990, and he was traded for. You have to go all the way back to Dwight Gooden for a homegrown 20 game winner. We haven’t produced an outfielder who could give us a 30 homerun season in two decades.
The Mets seriously need to add a solid top of the rotation starter to pair with Santana for the rest of this season and for 2010. Giving up a few prospects so that we can achieve that is a small price to pay. The Blue Jays say that they’ve decided to keep Halladay, but I don’t believe that for one second.
The Mets could also use a big bat who can play leftfield and first base. I don’t want to hear about all of this Dan Murphy mumbo jumbo. Murphy is destined to be a designated hitter and has little power. Injuries to others is the only reason Murphy continues to keep a spot on a major league roster. Last time I checked, he ranked 29 among all 30 starting first basemen.
I have written extensively about him before, and I still believe that Mark Teahen of the Royals, would be a fine addition for this team. It looks like the Cubs are closing in on him, but it’s not too late for the Mets to intervene.
Most of the prospects Minaya wants to hang on to, are years away from contributing to the Mets, if they even make it at all. So few of them actually ever do.
My trade deadline wish list, is short and oh so sweet. Get Mark Teahen and Roy Halladay on this team, and we’ll have another World Series title we can all treasure.
Lets not waste the opportunity we have before us. We have a chance to be the miracle Mets once again. Waiting for the walking wounded to return is not a plan that helps this team right now. We have just 61 games left to play. The season is winding down fast, and the Mets need to intervene now and give Jerry Manuel the weapons to continue this fight and see it through to the end.
About the Author: Joe DeCaro
Went to my first Mets game, a Mayors Trophy game at Shea, in '73. We beat the Yankees 8-4 and I was hooked. I marched in two Banner Day parades, and before the Grand Slam single, there was the "Hendu Can Do" grand slam - I was there. I've collected Mets memorabilia all my life and started Mets Merized Online to feed my addiction.
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I’m not convinced that Halladay could help this team this season. But having him for a full season in 2010 still makes him a worthwhile trade target. I also like Mark teahen and about 3-4 years ago, he was considered among the best prospects in baseball. I like both these trades because it improves us dramtically for 2010. Teahen can take over for delgado at 1b and is a solid bat that continues to improve. I think it’s too late for the mets to make the playoffs this season. There are seven teams in front of us for the wild card. That is alot to overcome.
This season is over Joe, stop dreaming. Omar Minaya killed us both on and off the field. Just because we had a mini winning streak, it doesn’t mean crap. It’s the same bad team with no fundamentals as Angel Pagan showed last night. By the way, say hello to your new everyday leftfielder. The Mets will have you believe that he’s so much more than a fourth outfielder before all is said and done. This team has not spent one red cent on offense since the Madoff story broke, Sheffield dont count because the Tigers are footing the bill for him. There will be no trades today, only excuses. As for the first part of your post, there are certain Mets sites that are absolute joke You would think it was a bunch of kids running them but sad to say they are all adults. It’s all about getting hits. Do we really need blog posts that simply tell us about their facebooks and twitters? Who gives a shit? These are my top five worst blog posts I see on Mets sites.
1. Check out this great story ANOTHER Mets site wrote followed by the complete text of another bloggers hard work.
2. Mets links, link dumps, morning links, LINKS, LINKS, LINKS! Just another excuse to get more hits. It’s like they think they are the only geniuses that know how to use an RSS feed or google reader or surf the web or use sport spyder. Geez, how original, did you write that post all by yourself?
3. Lineups!!! WTF! As if anybody actually goes anywhere else but mets.com to see the lineups, or if you must, a beat writers blog. This site was actually getting on my nerves with those lineup posts, but at least you’ve seen the light and got rid of them. This year has been the worst because of the injuries because most of the lineups are then followed by a sentence that reads “what a bad lineup”, “Murph is batting cleanup, really?”, “Why is Castillo batting 8th?”, “Reyes playing short, the other Reyes”. I want to gouge my eyes out because they hurt so bad when I read such filth.
4. BREAKING NEWS – Mets cut Elmer Dessens! – These bloggers know who they are and they should be ashamed. There is one site that really drives me nuts because they have breaking news posts 3-4 times a week this season.
5. Live blogging with Twitter – argahhhgghh!! The worst ones!!! Who cares about your effin exploits? Unless you’re name is Megan Fox, I couldn’t care less what you are eating for lunch, and how clean the bathrooms are at citifield. Just because you write a blog, it doesn’t make you an effin celebrity.
Just like the season was over in 1973 when they were 10.5 games out on August 31, 1973…….
Pagan has been a breath of fresh air to this team and you’re going to talk about fundamentals. He tried a very aggressive move and failed. I think we’d be pretty damn better off if he does become the everyday left fielder.
I’m not saying we’re going to magically take off and win this, nor will a trade today change that either, but geez, who pee’d in your cheerios this morning.
I agree. The mets will not be going anywhere this season. Beltran possibly out for 2010, I mean seriously what are we getting from him when he returns, reyes said he will return at 80% too. Billy wagner? What the hell is he supposed to do? he cant pitch every 5 days and win games…
The mets have no starting pitcher, and while the 5 winning streak was nice, they are not going anywhere this season.
Somebody has some definite anger issues. I just read that the Phillies are still going hard after Halladay and they still have what the Blue Jays want in Happ and Drabek. If they do get him, the Mets 2010 season will be over before it begins. Halladay, Lee, Hamels, Myers, Moyer
The Phillies already made their deal, I dont believe for one moment that they are still going after Halladay. Where did they get all this money all of a sudden? The clock is ticking and still nothing with just 3 hours to go. I cant believe how hard we are hanging on to these prospects!!! For a minor league system that is 60 games below .500 and three teams that are the worst in their league, we sure seem to have a ton of untouchable prospects.
We can all draw up wonderful wish lists. The only problem is none of it is going to happen. Do we really think Omar is even trying? He has one of the greatest do-nothing jobs in the world. High pay for no results. How do I get in one on a joyride like that?