12
2012
MMO Fan Shot: Should the Mets trade for Alfonso Soriano?
An article by 
Not too long ago, the answer to that question would be easy. A resounding “NO!”. Too much money, too old, bad attitude, lousy fielder and he is a strikeout waiting to happen. Physical prowess be damned, he just has too much baggage. Then again, not too long ago, I would have scoffed at the idea of signing Derrek Lee<you could probably link to your post about Lee here> to the team. My, how things have changed.
At the very least, it should be considered. I’ll admit, I am very conflicted about the idea. There is a lot to consider (disclaimer: These are all hypothetical, pie in the sky type stuff. I’m just laying out some possible scenarios.)
Pros:
- He addresses a major weakness on the team. Power. As I write this the Mets are 11th in slugging and 13th in home runs. The fact that they were 4th (and presently 6th) in runs scored in the NL was a minor miracle. They took advantage of that crazy high team OBP with some timely hitting and small ball. The problem is, small ball doesn’t win long term. You need real power in the heart of the line up and the guys the Mets expected to supply that have failed miserably so far (although, Duda looks like he’s on track now). Unless Ike Davis starts on a 30 home run pace tomorrow, they need to bring in someone from the outside. And if we start seeing some real power in the lineup and the Mets start plating more runs earlier in games, we’ll have less bullpen inspired agita. A healthy Soriano is good for 25-30 HR (he already has 12) and a .500 slugging.
- He’d be relatively cheap. Since taking over the Cubs, Theo Epstein has been trying to get rid of all the long term big money deals. He traded away Carlos Zambrano along with $15.5 million of the money guaranteed to Big Z to the Marlins for essentially a warm body. His age and health questions would also drive the asking price down. If the Cubs eat half the money owed on Soriano and take Bay straight up, I’d jump on that. If they ate almost all of it and took a B prospect, I’d be open to it.
- He’s right handed. After David Wright, our next best right handed hitter is Scott Hairston. That is bad on a lot of levels. Also, while Wright has seen a boost in overall production this year, he’s not a 30 home run type hitter. Alfonso is. And, you don’t have to worry about his splits because his numbers stay consistent throughout. We need someone to break up our parade of lefties because all it takes is one LOOGY to kill our offense.
Cons:
- His attitude problems. It is no secret that he wore out his welcome on 3 different teams. And this was while he was a legit 30/30 player. Granted, there hasn’t been a lot of noise about him specifically, but that could simply be that a prima donna is not that interesting a story when Carlos Zambrano’s drama is playing out on the same train wreck of a team. Do we really want a guy like him on a team that is built around guys hustling and putting their bodies on the line? What happens if he snubs Terry Collins or he loafs on a fly ball?
- His defense is still lousy. Yes, so far this season, he has a 1.000 fielding percentage. But that is going to change. Also, he plays in a smaller park. Playing Citi Field is far different from playing Wrigley. The Mets are already weak on defense. Do they need to risk becoming weaker? For all his trouble at the plate, Jason Bay has played a solid left field. At the very least, he’s exceeded expectations there.
- His contract is huge. The rumors are that Epstein is willing to eat a big chunk of his remaining money, but no one has an exact number. He is signed through 2014 at $18 million per year. That means he is still owed over $40 million. Zambrano only had 1 guranteed year left at $19 million. That is a huge difference. Epstein probably won’t eat $40 million just to open up a roster spot. He’s going to want some actual talent coming back. The 2 ½ year commitment will assuage that somewhat, but it is still a lot of money.
- He is old and has health problems. This is kind of a double edge sword. He is 36 this year and hasn’t played 150 games since 2006. It is a given that he is going to have some kind of surgery on his knee after the season. He said outright that at the very least, it will be exploratory. There is a real chance it will be full on arthroscopic. This is the same knee that had season ending surgery in 2009. He’d be lucky to give a team 130 games a year after that. This will drive the asking price down for sure, but you are still getting an old and injured player.
Those I think are the major arguments. The cons outnumber the pros, but I think each individual pro outweighs each individual con. So, it is probably a wash. I think the deciding factor will be if Alderson truly believes this team can compete right now. And I don’t mean win 88 games, scratch their way to a Wild Card spot, and get bounced immediately. A move like this isn’t to try making the playoffs. A move like this is about gunning for the World Series. It is very much a win now move. Alfonso Soriano isn’t going to help a team of young guys win 2 or 3 years from now. He’s going to put a winning team over the top this year.
This Fan Shot was submitted by MMO reader, Donal. Have something you want to say about the Mets? Share your opinions with over ten-thousand Mets fans who read this site daily. Send your Fan Shot to GetMetsmerized@aol.com. Or ask about being a regular contributor, and share your opinions with an engaging community that loves to debate.
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God, no.
Are you nuts? HELL NO.
Donal, ummm… Why would you want soriano if even you admitted the cons outweight the pros? Lol.. I mean, it would not be a bad idea to have him but i doubt theo will just give him away and eat the contract.. i don’t see small market sandy adding more payroll on a 36 year old OF no matter how relative cheap he’d be.. IMHO they should try dekker and see what happens..
Actually, I said the cons outnumber the pros, but each individual pro holds more weight than each con.
Yeah, but still, you gotta put the front office in question when it comes to desicion like this, you also have to ask, that if the cubs trade him for bay how much money will be involved in this trade, i don’t think sandy (or mets fans) can or will put up with bay any longer imagine soriano who will be here longer than him.. Riots at city for life!
BTW, is this your first post? congrats on it if so..
No, I had another one just before Opening Day.
I know Soriano’s attitude will wear thin on many people, but if he hits 15 HR in the second half this year, it will buy a little patience.
The reality is if this team is truly going to contend this year, they need some power from somewhere and they need it soon.
Well, we will see where we stand after this week, usually teams don’t start being sellers in june, July is more of a make or break month for a lot of teams, and i don’t think there’s teams selling or buying as of yet because this season has been so up and down for all teams, and no team is like really running away with the division that there’s still chance for pretty much every team to make the playoffs (2 WC this year)
Ya, but if we’re going to be buyers, I don’t want to “make the playoffs”. I want to win. I want a true World Series run. Otherwise, we’re wasting money and/or prospects.
Uhhh… Then why the need to go after soriano?? you want power to contend for a playoff spot, but it’s not like he’ll get you over the hump, wil myers is on fire in KC, maybe we go after francour and move duda to LF, Put Bay and Francour in RF. No?
So, move Duda out of the position we’re trying to get him to learn so we can move Bay to a position he doesn’t play and platoon him with an inconsistent right hand power hitter?
Was that the gist of what you suggested?
Take a vote of the Mets starting pitchers: “Do you want Soriano playing when you’re pitching?”
The results will unanimously answer this MMO Fan Shot.
Then have some fun by checking with our front office. That will really seal the deal.
(P.S. It’s not Christmas in June.)
Take a poll and ask Met pitchers if they want your boy “brick hands” Murphy starting at 2B. He leads the league in errors for 2B. He is also the only player in MLB with at least 250 at bats and ZERO homers! As for Soriano… “NO WAY!
Metsr1 — The guy from the dark lagoon surfaces to spew his hate, You were as quiet as a church mouse for a long time. How does one spell opportunist schmoe?
I’ve posted my hate for him for some time now including shout outs to you, but of course you’d have have to remove your rose colored glasses and “I’m with 28″ thongs to respond. Your boy stinks and you can’t get over you man crush long enough to see it.
.965! Great fielding percentage…for a little leaguer! Tied for the most errors in MLB among qualifiers. Don’t make me look up his UZR. I’ll prep his Met hall of fame plaque to be placed next to Franco’s. Maybe you can be his presenter.
NO, NO, NO. I wanted to take a chance on trading Zambrano for Pelfrey during winter, but I would never take Soriano at this stage. Someone like Torrie Hunter makes more sense if available.
Soriano or Bay, Soriano or Bay, Soriano or Bay. For some reason I keep coming up with the same answer, Soriano. But I see we have a lot of Bay lovers on this site. lol
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
You said: If the Cubs eat half the money owed on Soriano and take Bay straight up, I’d jump on that. If they ate almost all of it and took a B prospect, I’d be open to it.
In this scenario, the answer is an obvious yes. I’d do that in a heartbeat.
Well presented argument.
Wow….no thank you.
He can room with Valdespin
I like the thought process. Just not Soriano at this point (then again, if he could still play 2B…)
Any other players to insert instead into the scenario?
Getting rid of Bay is of course a plus all by itself.
I personally don’t see a move like this happening at all, but I think the only way it COULD happen is if Bay was off the team and off the books. I don’t see the Mets agreeing to have 2 veteran OF’s on the books who are both overpaid.
If you tell me the Mets are in the market for a corner OF and you want him to be a righty bat (logical), I’d personally rather see them check in on Josh Willingham or Michael Cuddyer.
I think both could be had and both would be signed through the same years as Soriano, except they’d cost you less. In fact Willingham is signed for half as much.
But in the grand scheme of things, I do not see this team adding multi-year payroll through trades.
Go after a Cubs has been? He’s becoming more and more Sammy Sosa-esque. Whatever cheap thrill he might provide with a round-tripper here and there, he will also offer up expensive frustrations owing to horrendous fielding.
Please just cut Bay already, or trade him for a Bullpen golfcart. Maybe our pen guys are too winded by the time they get to the mound.
I rather live with Hairston. He gives you more and cost way less.
The Cubs would have to eat $39 million for me to want him on the Mets.
Not in a ,million years! Why would Sandy Alderson bring in an aging one dimensional guy who would disrupt a good clubhouse, hit another 25 meaningless homers that still won’t get us to the playoffs? Too many if’s for this team despite the hustling, no quit attitude that T.C. has instilled
Met fans need to be happy with the progress we are making and the future that is just around the corner. No more hoping that everything goes our way and that we get all the breaks on;y to be disappointed!
We are stuck with Jason Bay as of now. At least he plays hard and gives us defense while being a good clubhouse guy!
The Chicago Cubs fired hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo today. Epstein said that the OBP going down 5 consecutive years was “not acceptable.”
Just thought I’d also mention that Theo Epstien met with reporters before game and said Cubs are ready to start moving players to improve the organization’s future.
Rudy Jaramillo is considered to be the best hitting coach in the game, maybe if the Cubs got guys that could hit and get on base those numbers wouldn’t be declining for 5 straight years.
At this point i don’t care who it is, because we need, WE NEED SOMEONE WHO CAN HIT< GOT IT. Becasuse right now we have no power, and the mets brass is to thanks for that. So, now Mets brass can you get it now. I'm tired of you poeple saying it's about money, well stop your bull and do something now, come on sandy, prove to us you care, since the wilpons really want money for themselves.
Are you insane? It’s bad enough to have Jason Bay’s deadweight and salary.Why not look to move Bay to say Boston(he did play well for them) and look for a better prospect to play left.(like Kirk Nieuwenhuis).The problem with the Mets is still the same as last year. The bullpen and defense.Why isn’t Terry Collins DHing Daniel Murphy and using hie best defensive players out there? It’s demoralizing for a pitcher to have to get 5 or 6 outs in one inning.At this rate Murphy will have over 30 errors at second base.If ever there was DH Murphy fits the bill.Teams win with defense up the middle.This team will get better.But the Mets will always be about pitching not the offense. Let’s see if Ike comes around to protect David’s bat at the four spot.