Last week, Bart Hubbuch of the NY Post told me that the Mets are not looking to block the arrival of first base prospect Ike Davis because they view him as an All Star first baseman waiting in the wings. Judging by what we’ve seen and heard from several scouts and MLB executives, maybe the hype on Davis is somewhat justified. I sincerely hope it is, although I personally would like to see Davis continue his hot hitting in Buffalo before I will start heaping praise on him. It seems that AAA has been the place where all Mets prospects and phenoms go to die.
I also have been told by someone who is very familiar with the San Diego Padres thinking, that Adrian Gonzalez will not be traded and that somehow the Padres will find a way to get some sort of extension done with him.
The Brewers have repeatedly said that Prince Fielder is not on the block and that he never has been regardless of what the rumor mongers have put out.
So now that we’ve cleared the clutter a little bit, and have an understanding that the Mets’ plant to anoint Ike Davis as their first baseman in 2011, lets reconsider the plan at first base for the 2010 season.
We are faced with three options.
Stick with Daniel Murphy as the everyday first baseman for one more season.
Find a right handed hitting first baseman to platoon with Daniel Murphy. (The Mets have already warmed up to this idea.)
Sign a full time first baseman off the free agent heap that includes Adam La Roche and Nick Johnson.
Re-sign first baseman Carlos Delgado to an incentive laden deal.
See anything you like?
My Thoughts…
I am still not convinced that Daniel Murphy can takeover as the everyday first baseman, especially if the Mets don’t sign a big homerun bat for leftfield.
I’m not entirely opposed to finding a right handed platoon partner , but the good ones still view themselves as everyday players, which leave the likes of Rich Aurilia and Kevin Millar as the best options that won’t break the bank. Troy Glaus is also available, but he would be far more costly.
When you look at Nick Johnson and Adam La Roche head to head, the former Brave seems like the better fit and the one with more power, but with Ike Davis waiting in the wings, would either of them settle for anything less than a 3 or 4-year deal?
As much as it irks me to say it, Carlos Delgado seems like the most logical choice. Of all the options, Delgado would easilyy out-homer and out-slug any of them over the course of a full season. The risk you take though, is whether or not you’ll get a full season out of Delgado. But it’s because of that risk that you could probably get him for a base salary of $5 million dollars, and he most likely would sign a one-year deal.
Your thoughts?
I would rather have Vlad Guerrero for 1 year then Holliday for 5-7 yrs at 18 mil per.
Everyone is forgetting that part of the Mets moving on include moving Delgado out of the picture and letting Beltran, David and Jose become the clubhouse leader which is hard with Delgado imposing his will on the younger players. If for no other reason than this I would not bring Carlos back. Let Davis get his 400-500 at bats in AAA, maybe surround him with some decent players in Buffalo and then lets see what 2011 brings. Let Murphy play with a RH platoon player and please do not bring Carlos and his un-healthy body back. IMO
Vladimir turns 35 in February, best case, lasts for 1 – 2 more years; Holliday turns 30 in January. But, my absolute fantasy for LF is to trade for Crawford. i doubt we’ll do that.
Anyway, i can feel it in my bones, the Burrell rumor is legit…makes warped Met sense. We trade Castillo for ‘somebody’.
Now i hope we sign Figgins…and import a lot of pitching.
I would take Vlad for 2 yrs as opposed to Holliday for 7 yrs. But again, the mets need to sell tickets, the guy that can do it out of all those guys is Roy Halliday, that one i would wait out and actually see how that plays out, i want to see Toronto trade him to the Red Sox or yankees, i just don’t believe it, if the Yankees and red sox don’t trade for him then i think the mets have a shot at getting him. But if the Mets can’t trade castillo to get an OF and they can get a Halliday or lackey for a big pitcher, then I would sign Guerrero for a 1-2 year deal at 8 mil a year.