4
2011
Should The Mets Sign C.J. Wilson Instead Of Jose Reyes?
An article by 
Looking over the stats, the Mets had one of the better offensive clubs in the National League, but also put together just about the worst pitching staff. With everyone speculating every which way to acquire pitching while re-signing Jose Reyes, I say: If the Mets really need pitching THAT badly -which they do-, why not let Reyes walk and sign C.J. Wilson instead?
The Mets managed to finish sixth in the National League in runs scored with 718 in 2011. To put that figure into perspective, the Phillies scored 713 runs this year. The Amazin’s led the league in walks and were second only to the Cardinals in AVG, OBP and hits. They managed to do this without Ike Davis, and missing Wright and Beltran for half the year. Now with a healthy Ike Davis and David Wright, a full year out of Lucas Duda, and the fences being brought in, the need for a batter doesn’t seem like the most pressing concern.
On the other side of things, the Mets pitching left much to be desired. They finished 13th in the NL in ERA, gave up the second most hits and tied for the third highest batting average against at .265. You could make the argument that the Mets did not have Santana in 2011 and went without K-Rod after he was traded to the Brewers, but the fact is you have no idea what you are going to get out of Santana, and the Amazin’s are going to need a bonafide ace. Now with just that on the market, and about $20 million of payroll going to be used to chase Reyes, why not use that money instead to go after Wilson. The pitching is clearly in most need of improvement, so why not make that the number one priority instead?
Sandy Alderson should follow what Ruben Amaro Jr. did in the 2010 offseason - namely making an illegitimate run at Jayson Werth to pursue Cliff Lee – with Reyes and Wilson. If it worked for the Phillies, why can’t it work for Alderson and the Mets?
It would be a hard pill for the fanbase to swallow to see the sparkplug of the Mets go to another team, but if you look at the situation from a non-sentimental perspective, you will see that adding a top-tier hurler is more paramount than an injury-proned shortstop.
On one thing to note, if the Mets were to sign Wilson, they would not have to give up their first round pick since they are in the first half of the draft. So if they let Reyes go and sign Wilson, they would likely have two first round picks and two sandwich picks (assuming Capuano signs elsewhere). If they just re-sign Reyes, they will have one first round, and probably one sandwich, so inking Wilson makes sense for the Mets in multiple ways.
So to answer the original question, I say yes, they should sign Wilson and let Reyes go. A hard move to make, but a move that is best for the organization now and down the road.
About the Author: Clayton Collier
Clayton, a Long Island native and die-hard Mets fan, started writing online about three years ago. He is currently a Journalism major with a minor in Broadcasting at Seton Hall University. Although very disappointed with the current state of the team, Clayton remains hopeful that the young prospects in the farm system will bring the Mets back to a respected franchise in baseball once again. Besides writing for MMO, Clayton is also a staff member at 89.5 WSOU, Seton Hall's modern active rock radio station. You can contact Clayton by following him on Twitter: @Clayton_Collier or E-mailing him at MaybeNextYearMets@yahoo.com
30 Comments + Add Comment
Recent Comments
- El Sid: on Mets and Braves Suspended After Eight Tied 5-5, Will Resume Play Saturday: I wanted to thank the umpires for...
- Poconos: on If Zack Wheeler Is In, Then Who’s Out?: Boy, you sure seem like a prick... And...
- Josh: on Mets and Braves Suspended After Eight Tied 5-5, Will Resume Play Saturday: Parnell and Murphy should not be bullying...
- BadBadLeroyBrown: on Mets and Braves Suspended After Eight Tied 5-5, Will Resume Play Saturday: Im talking about how Bobby Parnell, Murphy...
- Joe D: on Mets and Braves Suspended After Eight Tied 5-5, Will Resume Play Saturday: What the heck are you talking about?...
Need Tickets To The Mets Game?
Check Out These Great MLB Links!
Photographs From Gordon Donovan
5394 Fans Follow Us On Twitter!
1269 Fans Like Us On Facebook!
2341 Fans Read Our Feed!
1702 Fans Subscribe via Daily Email!
clayton, cliff lee is about 3x better than CJ Wilson imo, secondly, you mention how the mets need pitching, but you want the mets to go after wilson and let the most productive threat offensively walk?? are you serious?? reyes along can win you games in so many different ways, no offense to wilson but he can’t. yes he’s a good pitcher, and mind you, i want the mets to go after him, but no by losing reyes. now, if is somebody like cain on a trade for wright, then yes. but if this team loses reyes, mark down a 90+ losses for this team for years to come.
Mark down 90 losses if Reyes is gone, however we can’t count on 90 wins if he is here.
reyes along can win you games in so many different ways, no offense to wilson but he can’t.
Umm we only won 77 games dude and Reyes still makes dumb mistakes in the field and on the bases. Only Pagan is a more stupid Met than Reyes but it’s very close. Seven years and no title with this so called great player.
CJ Wilson alone won 31 games in last two seasons with a .678 winning percentage. What is Reyes winning percentage btw?
Oh and I should mention his team went into the playoffs two years straight EVEN after they lost Cliff Lee to the Phillie and CJ Wilson became the ace and pitched like one!
i love to prove guys like you wrong, is so easy, first of all, in 8 years the mets havw won 538 games and lost 496, that’s a a 520 percentage. wilson is 31 years old, and has 7 major league season under his belt, you know what’s his career total in wins? 43!! 43 wins by the age of 31!!!! by the way, CJ wilson has no title either!! again, i like wilson and will make this team better, but that is as stupid as it gets, he’s 43-35, and before the last 2 years his record was 12-20. so please STFU with that. reyes makes the mets better, ask your boy david wright. and btw, did you see how much of an ace wilson looked on game 1 of the playoffs?? Child please!!
I know most Mets fans only know the Mets and not much else about the rest of the teams or players. Let me educate you because obviously you need some. Wilson was converted from a reliever to starter last season. In two seasons as a starter he is 31-15 in 62 starts. Please understand the difference between starting and relieving. And if your going to base two tremendous seasons by Wilson on one play off game then obviously you are a mental midget.
fair enough. you are complaining about reyes career yet only portraying wilson’s last 2, be consistant my friend, if you’re going by this year, ask your self, who would you rather have? a 31 year old pitcher with 43 career victories, or jose reyes the 2011 NL Batting champion who can make EVERYONE in the lineup better. again, ask david wright
If that were true, why didnt he make David Wright better? Why didnt he make Jason Bay better? Or Josh Thole? Or Angel Pagan? You cant say he made rookies better because they are rookies. Is there one hitter you can name that he supposedly made them better?
Lets try a different angle.
What do the Mets need more right now offense or pitching?
do you realize the mets blew 24 games this year? and yes, the mets need more pitching as of now, but includes the bullpen as well, not only SP, but bullpen help as well. yes wilson will be an upgrade in the SP, but will you be willing to pay him 17 or 18 million a year based on 2 good season?? and i am one who rarely worry about the money and i like wilson, but i rather try to get someone like lackey and have boston pay his salary to some degree and try to fix him in exchange for wilson and pay him all that money and have him flame out. i mean, didn’t pelfrey won 15 games 2 years ago??
real quick, what good is a pitcher with good ERA if his record is 13-16 because his team doesn’t score runs??? that’s basically what you are asking for in having wilson and not reyes.
and btw, you don’t think he’s made wright better?????
read this: http://metsmerizedonline.com/2011/02/david-wright-jose-reyes-makes-me-a-better-player.html
also, wright with reyes in the lineup avg 106 rbi’s per season.
without 72 rbi’s per season. YOU do the math
CJ Wilson’s team is in their 2nd consecutive year in the playoffs, where is Reyes and his team? So how are you proving the guy wrong? Is that not factual, are the Rangers in the playoffs? Are the Mets?
Stop telling people to STFU when you are embarrassed and just because someone doesn’t kiss the buttock of Reyes does not make them a David Wright boy – man are you obsessed.
JOE, SORRY; BUT THAT COMMENMT IS BENEATH YOU.
IN THE NONSENSICAL DEPT. IT’S NEARLY LEGENSDARY IN CONTENT. FOR THAT MATTER IF U SWAPED WILSON FOR PELFREY AS TO THEIR RESPECTIVE 2011 SEASONS IS TEXAS STILL IN THE PLAYOFFS? YES
ARE THE METS STILL OUT OF THEM? STILL YES. THEREFORE WILSON IS NOT THE DIFFERNTIAL YOUR SUPPOSITION PROPOSES.
BTW WILSON WON 9G MORE THAN PELF SUBTRACT THEM FRONM TX 10G LEAD STILL IN, YES?
ADD THEM TO NYM, STILL OUT. HOWEVER, TAKE REYES OUT OF FLUSHING ENTIRELY FOR 2011 & U DO LIKELY IMPROVE SOMWHERE, IN DRAFT POSITION AS THE RECORD DROPS TO LAST PLACE IN THE DIVISION & QUITE POSSIBLY THE LEAGUE.
Murphy is the dumbest player next to Pagan, not Reyes
There are only maybe 3 free agent starting pitchers I would look at. Wilson, Wainright and Wang.
Can we afford them and would they sign with us?
Wainright isn’t a free agent.
Adam Wainwright (30) – $10MM vesting option for ’12, $12MM for ’13
I was going by the list in Metsmerized website for 2012 free agents
I GUESS MY FIRAST, GUT, RESPONSE IS; ARE U NUTS? PRIMARILY BECAUSE CJ WHOMEVER IS IN A SIMILAR POSITION TO SO MANY OTHER “FLOPS” WE REWARDED FOR SUDDEN “MID-TEENS” GREATNESS ONLY OLDER @ 31 YRS OLD. WILSON BY NO MEANS OR CONSIDERATION IS AN ELITE ANYTHING AND HAVEN’T WE BEEN TOO SHORTSIGHTED IN PITCHING REPEAEDLY, AS WE ALL TOO SOON REWARDED PEREZ,MAINE, PELFREY ALL “TEENIES” MAXING OUT @ 15Ws EACH FOR A SINGLE SEASON, WILSON STRIKES ME MORE AS A FLAVOR de JOUR WITH HIS SUCCESSIVE 15 & 16 W SEASONS ON A CHAMPIONSHIP CALIBER TEAM. AS A SP HIS POTENTIAL IS LIKELY MAXED @ HIS PRESENT LEVEL OF 16 VICTORIES OVER 33,34GS WHILE REYES IS A PREMERE LEADOFF HITTER LIKEWLY TO CONTRIBUTE IN TWICE AS MANY VICTORIES THAN ANY SP IS TO HAVE GAMES PLAYED IN. AS MOST EXPERTS DEFINE A BALLPLAYER’S PRIME PRODUCTIVITY PERIOD AS THE 5 YRS BETWEEN 28 & 32 REYES @ 28 THIS SEASON MOST LIKELY IS JUST BEGINNING TO FULFILL THE POTENTIAL HE WAS ALWAYS UNFAIRLY DEMEANED FOR NOT REACHING SOONER. TO CONSIDER SHUNNING HIM AT THIS POINT OF FRUITION IN FAVOR OF A SP RECENTLY(2Y) REMOVED FROM BULLPEN BANISHMENT ALREADY HALFWAY BURNED THROUGH HIS “BEST TO BE EXPECTED YEARS” IS A FOOLS CONSIDERATION. AS 4 OF WILSON’S 7 MLB SEASONS WERE SPENT IN RELIEF, HIS CAREER NUMBERS ARE USELESSLY NON INDICATIVE. AS WE’VE ALREADY SUNK TOO BIG A PERCENT(22%) OF OUR ESTRIMATED FULL PAYROLL(110M) IN AN INVISIBLE ACE TO CONSIDER FURTHER OVER INVESTMENT WHEN SUCH PROMISING PITCHING UPGRADES ARE RIPENING ON THE FARM FOR ’13/’14 AS YOUNG PITCHING REQUIRES NURTURING & PATIENCE ALONG WITH THE MOST RUN SUPPORT POSSIBLE THE NEED TO PATIENTLY RETAIN OUR MOST NEEDED CURRENT BEST PLAYERS(REYES & WRIGHT) WHILE WE AWAIT THE ARRIVAL OF OUR NUTURED NEW ROTATION PROVIDING ECONOMICAL RELIEF AS THE ROTATIONAL EXPENSE DROPS FROM IT’S PRESENT LEVEL OF APPROX 33M FOR THE 2012 SEASON TO APPROXIMATELY 2.5M FOR 2013/14 WITH ALL 5 POTENTIALLY BEING @ MINIMUM WAGE LEVEL POTENTIALLY PROVIDING MUCH MORE COMPETITIVE/CONTENDING LEVEL QUALITY PERODUCTION.
I WOULD SIMPLY ASK IF, WITHOUT REYES & WITH WILSON, DOES OUR POTENTIAL IMPROVE OR DEGRADE FROM ’11 TO ’12? I’D ANSWER, DEGRADATION!
The Mets most pressing pitching need is bullpen help. While Wilson would help the rotation, he is 31, only has 43 career wins, and is unlikely to be worth the kind of money he will command on the F/A market. Secondly, he is rumored to be interested in playing near home, which is California: enter the Angels who can and almost certainly would outbid the Mets for Wilson. The thing is, both Reyes and Wilson come with risks: Reyes with his penchant for leg injuries and generally below average on base skills and Wilson with his age and the unknown of how he would handle NYC. Reyes is likely to get offers well over $100 million and Wilson could easily exceed $85-90 million for 6 years. Pick your poison here, which would you rather gamlbe on? IMO, I’d rather go for the known quantity which is Reyes.
I think the question should be Wilson over Pelfrey. But then we would have 3 lefties in rotation with Santana, Wilson, Niese.
Theoretically, that shuts down half the power hitters in the league.
As long as Pelfrey does not come back we are ahead.
“Sandy Alderson should follow what Ruben Amaro Jr. did in the 2010 offseason – namely making an illegitimate run at Jayson Werth to pursue Cliff Lee – with Reyes and Wilson. If it worked for the Phillies, why can’t it work for Alderson and the Mets?”
1) Reyes is significantly better than Werth
2) Lee was considered significantly better than Wilson
3) the Phillies did this under everyone’s nose
4) The Phillies were in “win now” mode due to an aging roster with big contracts and the Mets aren’t
I think we have enough middling pitchers around here. If we are going to sign anyone it should be someone who is at minimum a solid #2 with the chance of reaching Ace status!
Yu Darvish and Reyes
2 points on your post, which was a good one.
1 – Why can’t they get Reyes and CJ. I know it’s probably not possible, but if it means taking the payroll from 105-ish up to 120-ish, is there really that much difference at that point? What’s 10 to 15 million between friends.
2 – If I could choose between the 2 of them, with much love and respect to Reyes, I’d push to get CJ as well. It allows you to bring a solid Lefty to top of the Rotation, sliding Santana back into the 2nd spot or farther back in the rotation. It puts a veteran presence in the rotation. It makes Pelfrey expendable.
The lineup will certainly not be as good as with Reyes gone, but with Tejada looking like he’s ready to step up, with a glut of decent players at 2B and an offense that was very good this past year, the loss of Reyes vs. the addition of CJ would, in my humble opinion, be a net gain.
By far, the dumbest idea you’ve had to date. Take a brief vacation!
Thanks for the feedback!
I’m scratching my head on this. C.J. Wilson? How much would the Mets pay Wilson? Seriously, if the Mets let Reyes go, Citi Field would be more empty in 2012.
We should be able to do both. We still play in NY right?