15
2012
Dickey Wins, Wants To Stay… Now Keep Him.
An article by 
THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING R.A. DICKEY
R.A. Dickey won the Cy Young Award last night, and emphatically reiterated his desire to remain with the Mets. That’s a good sign, and I have the feeling Dickey won’t hold out for the last dollar.
He realizes the Mets gave him what probably was his last opportunity and there is a sense of loyalty. On the flip side, he realizes this will be his last chance at a pay-day.
“I love the Mets,” Dickey said last night. “And that hasn’t changed from the first opportunity I got against the Washington Nationals in 2010. There’s a part of me that really wants to be loyal to that.”
It is imperative the Mets re-sign Dickey for three reasons: 1) what he gives them on the field, 2) what he gives the organization and means to the fan base off the field, and 3) the perception it gives other potential free agents.
It is clear what he gives the team on and off the field, but signing him sends the significant message to other free agents that the Mets aren’t fooling around and their rebuilding is in a significant stage.
Dickey wants to be a part of that process.
“I think [Sandy Alderson] has a great plan for the future of the New York Mets,” Dickey said. “I’m sure it’s going to require a little vision, I’m sure it’s going to require a lot of hard work. But anything worth having – that’s what’s required. I’m on board, and I want to be part of the solution here.”
The feeling is mutual with Dickey and the public. New York gives him opportunities he otherwise wouldn’t have in other markets. That works in the Mets’ favor.
“I love the fan base, my family loves being a New York Met, being in New York and all the stuff it has to offer outside of baseball,” he said. “It’s given me the platform to do things that far transcend the game. Whether it’s pouring myself into a charity I am really passionate about, or writing a memoir that I feel like needed to be written. All these things, I don’t know if I could’ve done them if it weren’t for New York and being a New York Met.
“I am aware of that, and I am appreciative of that. Because of that, I like being a Met, and I wouldn’t mind finishing my career as a Met.”
In a reality check mentioned for the benefit of the Wilpons, “wouldn’t mind finishing my career as a Met,” is not the same thing as willing to sign at any price.
Dickey will cost some significant money, and the Mets must decide if he’s worth it. That decision would be a no-brainer if Dickey had previous seasons like 2012, but he hasn’t. The knuckleball puts less strain on the arm, so he theoretically will be able to pitch into his 40′s. But, they must also gamble he isn’t a one-year wonder.
Thoughts from Joe D.
John, I totally disagree with you on Dickey being a one year wonder. In three seasons since 2010 when Omar Minaya signed him off the scrap heap, Dickey has posted ERAs of 2.84, 3.28 and 2.73. His incredible walk rates have never budged, and he has a 1.15 WHIP in 93 starts for the Mets.
I have always believed that R.A. Dickey should be kept, and that David Wright should be the one who is dealt because at the numbers it will take to sign him it could end up being one of the worst contracts in team history – more than the Bay, Perez, Castillo and K-Rod deals COMBINED. Do we really want to go there? Wright will be 31 when the new extension kicks in.
That said, I have contended all along that Alderson will sign Wright and trade Dickey. And everything I’ve heard and read since taking that stance when the season ended, is pointing exactly in that direction.
Dickey would be the perfect mentor for guys like Wheeler and Harvey. They both could use someone who can teach them the importance of throwing strikes and not allowing so many bases on balls. Dickey wouldn’t just be the staff ace, it would be like having a second pitching coach on the team.
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.
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It is imperative the Mets re-sign Dickey for three reasons: 1) what he gives them on the field, 2) what he gives the organization and means to the fan base off the field, and 3) the perception it gives other potential free agents”
And all that will transalte to a 4th place team AGAIN…. you’ve got to be kidding me here with that… What he can give us is a boatload of prospects or maybe a top notch prospect that can help us for years to come.. We’re going NOWHERE with him or david wirght on the roster in 2013, why the need to overpaid for both of them so we can be tied up in salary yet again? I see wright/dickey situation becoming the next Santana/Bay situation again if the mets sign both of them.. Wright will become bay with more years and more money, and dickey, as well liked as he is will become the santana, liked but can’t pitch.. TRADE THEM BOTH! Sell high for once please.. Everyone knows we’re in rebuilding mode, tell the fans 201 is our year and go with whatever we got in 2013 to try and see where we can upgrade going forward, don’t pay those 2 to have one more year of mediocrity just to apeace the fanbase who still not showing for games because we know that 4th place is the best we can do
Is it possible that you can INCREASE RA’s trade value by resigning him to a sensible contract?
We all know that aint happening with David…which is why i am for trading him…
David is not going to sign a 4 year 40 mil deal…
If DW resigns …he is going to be an albatross…Reyes will look like a steal compared to him…
thats not the case with RA…
you can sign RA to a sensible 3 or 4 year deal and get more back later…
and this decision has to be made relatively soon…
any team that trades for RA or DW in calendar year 2013 wont be able to get a draft pick back from offering arbitration…
this makes a 2013 trade of either one to result in LESS prospects coming back to us
if these guys dont get traded now, they are not getting traded
I would imagine at this point in his career and watching what just happened in Miami, he’s gonna request a no-trade clause. I wonder what impact all over baseball that Marlins disaster will have on this year’s FA contracts?
Not an immediate impact, but I can imagine the union addressing this in the next CBA. The Marlins essentially gamed the system and torpedoed all of those guys chances at hitting 10/5.
I can agree Alex but it’s all about the return and the price of the contracts. That’s why it’s so difficult to matter of fact say that there is a best way to go at this point. We are unsure the level of prospect they could obtain or even at this point the official contract offers.
damaja, point is, all we’ll be with them on 2013 is a 4th place team.. How apeace will the fans be when they see the salary of both of them increase to then be a 4th place team again with both of them probably declining again and again and again?? TRADE THEM BOTH now that we have the chance and fans know that the rebuilding mode is full on.. But knowing SA i sense a whole offseason of nothing and then come up big for mets fans in extending both these guys and declare the offseason a success… and of course, his apologist will start a kumbaya song of how great he is by saying he had a good day and THIS.
Reality is, get as many prospect or major league ready talent for BOTH of them NOW while their value is up, hell, call the angels and see if trumbo and callaspo for them does the trick.. Quite frankly bring in as much as you can for both, with Harvey, Wheeler and Ike davis the new york mets will have a very bright future ahead of them and THE CORE will certainly salute sandy alderson and admit that his plan was cashenesque from the get go..
Do you think you get more back from RA being a 1 year rental or RA on a sensible contract?
Forget DW…no such thing as a sensible contract with him. You gotta trade him now for a top SS, move Murph to 3B, move Tejada to 2B…
For all those crying about the lack of power…stop acting like David Wright was Albert Pujols…and DW or not, we looking at 4th place in 2013 anyway
this is all about 2014-2015 and beyond
Eventually Flores takes over 3B, we trade Murph when he approaches his 3rd year of arb…
By some stroke of luck hopefully we resign Ike NOW to a team friendly deal and eat up some free-agent years…
Like I said JDD, what makes you think that RA would sign a reasonable deal with the Mets at 38 years old without a no-trade clause.
The Braves and Rangers are reportedly talking about moving SS Simmons plus others for SB Olt and others. If you feel comfortable trading Wright within the division, there’s your young SS for Wright.
Check that 3B Olt
Braves are reportedly the ones who nixed that trade.
That’s funny because when I advocated trading Reyes for the same reasons back in 2008 I was getting slaughtered on Metsblog. And again last season, I got the same wrath. My reasoning for trading both of these guys were different. I chose Reyes in 08 because he had the most return value out of him Beltran and Wright and it was obvious that the group was not winning. As for Dickey he has the most return but I am looking at it more of since they won’t increase payroll, why keep him around, get something back.
Trading reyes would’ve been stupid… and only if you knew you were not signing reyes last season then they should’ve traded him.. problem is i think that was their plan all along, but it got derailed when reyes got hurt mid july and was not eligable to be traded. but hey, we got a compesation draft pick for him so….
I just don’t get why trading Reyes would be stupid but trading Wright and Dickey is correct? It seems like we ALL want it both ways.
Salty has a point, there were many who said blow the whole thing up after 2008 and especially after the injuries and poor performance of 2009. Were they maybe right? Hindsight though.
Salty has a point, there were many who said blow the whole thing up after 2008 and especially after the injuries and poor performance of 2009.
I was one of them. Then when it didn’t happen after 08 it should’ve happened after 2009 but it really couldn’t have since everybody except Wright went down with long term injuries but again after 2010 I thought Sandy should’ve blown it up the day he walked in but he tried to sell to the fanbase that they can compete even though most could see they really couldn’t.
Now it seems a little too late to be blowing it up. They have a staff in place that can compete they just need to add 2 OFer’s a Catcher and then upgrade 2B. I think the pen can be upgraded from within and a few arms from outside. That can all be addressed over the next 2 offseasons and inseason. It doesn’t have to all be addressed this year. That said I wouldn’t go more than 5 years for Wright and 3 for Dickey.
I know we are dealing with hindsight, but why would it be stupid if you take emotions out of it. Delgado, Wright, Beltran and Reyes were not getting the job done. Based on contracts at the time Wright and Reyes were the most marketable. Why I chose Reyes over Wright was leg issues from early in his career and also understanding that his playing style has less longevity than another player that doesn’t base his game on speed. If that core wasn’t getting it done, shipping Reyes could of helped re-shape the dynamic of the team and changed their approach. And again I was getting killed for this opinion, hind-sight 20-20
Actually, the correct move would’ve been to resign Reyes + Wright in 2008 to a contract that ends when they both hit their age 33 seasons
Reyes in 2008 was 25 years old. Sign him to a 9 year 100 mil deal
Wright in 2008 was 26. Sign him to a 8 year 100 mil deal
the annual avg would’ve been lower than what they are getting paid now
with 2009-2010-2011-2012 already done and over with….you would still have your core locked up for 5 more years at a sensible rate. Neither would be making even near 13 mil per season
2013-2014-2015-2016-2017 – Reyes and Wright COMBINED would’ve gone for 25 mil
Wait too long and now Reyes and Wright combined go for 45-48 mil
As kids we had basebal idols, Willie, Mickey and the Duke. Times have changed. It is a rare to have one player for his entire career. Moneyball is not the end all. Certainly appeasing the fans and PR does not translate into wins. Two model franchises are the Braves and Cards who both know when to say “No”. That is say”No” to the player who is demanding too much. You know who they are. Both trade for a prospects and develop them. Both sign selective middle of the pack FA to supplement their team. Yes Cards signed Holiday and Braves signed signed Tim Hudson. There is a prudent way and the two others, appease the fans and stingy Moneyball. Let’s compete each year the prudent way.
Who said this which I paraphrase: Don’t tell me Omar Minya.
“If you listen to and appease the fans then you will be stting with them in the stands.”
I agree. Three year extension at 45 M would be is a fair deal. In the last year if needed , I would love to see Dickey as our closer ala Hoyt Wilhem a knuckle ball out standing pitcher who transitioned from starter to closer later in his career. In a more conventional sense Dmoltz and Brett Myers transitioned to closer from starter. However I would still listen to offers which would have to blow us away. If so I would reluctantly trade R.A.
As for DW without protection he is too streaky to count on the entire season. DW’s time in his long slumps batting in the 3 hole are brutal. Yes he has unbelievable hotstreaks and should have won the gold glove this year. An eight year commitment is too long. Four years at 80 M is the top I would go with an extension. A team option at 20 M for the 5th year is no risk.
at the numbers it will take to sign him it could end up being one of the worst contracts in team history – more than the Bay, Perez, Castillo and K-Rod deals COMBINED. Do we really want to go there?
Wow! That would be insane when you put it that way,
What ever happened to the fun of the game?
The conversation about the benefits of R.A. not remaining a Met totally ignores the missing piece that we call spirit. He is a unique individual that warms the heart of all of us and for once many would like to see this front office make a move simply because it is the right thing to do rather than what it appears it can do on paper.
Good deeds from the heart can do a lot more in terms of business and competition than decisions made from one’s intellect.
The problem with keeping dickey and letting wright go is that RA has said that he wants to see what happens with wright before he decides to re-sign with the mets. He all but said they are a package deal. Part of SAs pitch to keep him must have been his assurance that david was staying.
All fans should care about is winning. Nothing else.
If we were a contending team, you keep Dickey. We aren’t even close to contender.The correct move is to sell high. Keep your sentimentality at the door or you will be rooting for 75-win teams for the next decade.
Matt M. well said.
matt, how close were the orioles and A’s to being contenders one year ago? starting pitching rules. just ask the world champs 2 of the last 3 years.
SIGN HIM!!!! 3 YEARS, 33 MILLION…..