Sep
19
2012

The Reality Is The Mets Don’t Have Much To Trade

An article by John Delcos

GM Sandy Alderson said the Mets were more likely to build via the trade route than by making a big splash in the free-agent market.

Amidst the Ike Davis flap, one must wonder what pieces the Mets have to trade.

When you read between the lines from what Alderson has said, everybody is fair game outside of Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler.

There might be more arms down below the Mets would find untouchable, and Jenrry Mejia probably isn’t one of them any more.

Let’s examine several of the higher profile Mets as to their trade worthiness:

DAVID WRIGHT: He’s the one that always comes up first, but it appears the Mets will make a play to keep him. He’s their biggest position-player talent, but his contractual situation would make it difficult to move him. Most teams wouldn’t want to pay Wright’s 2013 salary as a rental without having the opportunity to sign him to an extension first. Trading him in the offseason is highly doubtful, but a team with a lot of resources could do something next year at the trade deadline. Signing Wright to the long-term deal he deserves would be pricey and those are difficult to unload. The situation with the Dodgers was a stroke of luck for the Red Sox.

R.A. DICKEY: Dickey is one reason I’m still watching the season. Outside of the young prospects, he’s their most valuable pitching chip. He has a movable contract, and even a contract extension would probably be palatable to another team. Even if Dickey wins the Cy Young Award – now appearing doubtful – there’s the specter of the knuckleball and finding a catcher who can handle the devilish pitch. Despite Dickey’s success, too many people in baseball would shy away at such a pitcher. You don’t have to look any further than Tony La Russa’s decision at the All-Star Game to realize there’s prejudice against the pitch.

JOHAN SANTANA: The Mets’ best hope here is if he makes a full recovery and pitches lights out in the first half. Then you might find a taker for the remaining $12 million or so remaining. Even that’s a lot and there’s always the fear of him breaking down again. The Mets got all they could from Santana before he broke down and would be foolish to think they could get anything more in a trade. His value to the team is to come back strong as he did this year in the first half and pitch them into contention for a wild card.

JON NIESE: He’s young, left-handed with a strong arm and affordable. What’s not to like? He’s the type of pitching talent teams are built around. Yes, he would bring something in return, but the Mets covet him and would be crazy to trade him.

JASON BAY: He’s been injured, non-productive and has a ridiculous amount of money still due. He’s not going anywhere.

All this makes Davis the most tradable.

About the Author: John Delcos

I am an active member of the BBWAA and have covered Major League Baseball in several capacities for over 20 years, including ten in New York working the Mets' and Yankees' beat. I covered the Baltimore Orioles for eight years and the Cleveland Indians before that. I currently serve as an editor and senior staff writer for Mets Merized Online. Follow me on Twitter @jdelcos.

7 Comments + Add Comment

Metsie September 19, 2012 at 2:34 pm

Is that a reality JD or merely the excuse we have come up with to be happy with what has gone on the last two years or (worse) as excuses to finish the job of punishing all the guys who made 2006-2008 special but not getting the job done?

I can see lots of guys to trade in our system the issue is people only seem to be interested in getting someone else’s bread and butter or trade someone good for all those MAYBE top prospects instead!

And if thats all your looking to get then NO we don’t have a lot of trade fodder laying around other than Wright and Dickey!

Not even Santana is going to get you much right now!

But we do have a bunch of kids that could be traded to folks who have infield holes, need a 1B and a bunch of Pitchers who may never break into our rotation but could be solid #3 and #4 starters to teams like Colorado who have a hard time even putting together a 5 man rotation!

They might trade a young CF for a Mejia or Familia and all that guy we get has to do is hit .250 and he is an improvment on what we have now!
Joey D. September 19, 2012 at 2:49 pm

I thought Sandy said he has some young starters from Brooklyn who could now be used as negotiating chips?

At this point I say keep those young Cyclones because now we have nothing else to hope for other than faith in the prospects. We rid ourselves of everyone else.
USMF September 19, 2012 at 2:52 pm

Why does one bad start, and his first MLB start mean that Mejia is now a POC?

I’m sure a lot of guys on our team are attractive in trades, but trading them wouldn’t improve the team and only create holes…look the the Pagan trade…that’s how I see most potential trades happening.
- stick September 19, 2012 at 3:03 pm
  
  not that he isn’t good. just that you can’t consider him an untouchable.
  - USMF September 19, 2012 at 3:05 pm
    
    My bad
this is stupid September 19, 2012 at 4:02 pm

rafael montero, michael fulmer, domingo tapia, tyler pill, logan verrett, darin gorski, jack leathersick, gabe ynoa, luis mateo, rainy lara, hansel robles, eric goeedel, jake degrom. There’s tons of pitching in the minors to trade away.
Rich from Lake Como September 19, 2012 at 5:00 pm

Only the Mets would plant a story denigrating a potential trade chip. What a bunch of morons.

NL East Standings

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB
Braves	23	18	.561	-
Nationals	23	19	.548	0.5
Phillies	20	23	.465	4.0
Mets	16	24	.400	6.5
Marlins	11	31	.262	12.5

Last updated: 05/18/2013

MMO Mets Chat

Need Tickets To The Mets Game?

Check Out These Great MLB Links!

For wholesale prices on New York Mets gifts and equipment, check these stores out!
Mets Autograph Signings
Mets Fan Apparel
Mets Autographed Baseballs
Baseball Card Supplies
Baseball Equipment

For the best seats and lowest MLB ticket prices, go to PurchaseSeats.com. Get your Mets Tickets now and follow them on the road with Yankees Tickets, Phillies Tickets, Nationals Tickets and Braves Tickets!