Nov
11
2012

Mets Are Shopping Dickey, But Not Wright

Danny Knobler of CBS Sports says while no new Mets contract is close to happening with David Wright, there’s still said to be some optimism that a deal with their best player will eventually happen.

No trade talks involving Wright are on the horizon, and the Mets will instead continue to talk to Wright and his representatives exclusively. There’s always been a feeling something will get done with Wright, and while talks are taking much longer than expected or predicted, that hasn’t changed.

The same can’t be said for star pitcher R.A. Dickey. While the Mets also aren’t ruling out a new contract for Dickey, they have begun to explore the trade market. There’s some logic to dealing Dickey in that he’s 37, the Mets aren’t likely contenders in 2013 and his value is never going to be higher as a likely Cy Young winner.

Knobler isn’t the only one reporting similar events taking place at the GM Meetings in California, there have been several different reports that the Mets have been actively shopping Dickey and having dialog about him with other teams. On the flip-side, there have been no such reports surrounding Wright. Instead we learned today that Sandy Alderson flew to Virginia to meet personally with Wright to discuss a longterm deal. The Mets GM said that a plan to visit Dickey last month had been scrapped.

Regarding Wright, Alderson remained tight-lipped saying: “Conversations are ongoing. Other than that, I really can’t say much. One of the things that we have done is we have agreed with David’s representatives that there not be a great deal of discussion publicly about where we are. So in deference to that understanding with the other side, I respectfully decline to comment.”

When told there seems to be an urgency now that wasn’t there with Jose Reyes, the Mets GM said: “There’s much more engagement. Let’s put it that way.”

Wallace Mathews of ESPN New York, added even more support to the feeling that Dickey could be gone and that Wright will be signed to a longterm deal. After predicting that Dickey will win the Cy Young Award, Alderson then added: “It would be a little unusual to trade a Cy Young winner, but I can remember a time when we traded for the leading hitter in the National League at the time, so it happens.”

When the season ended, we reported on two leaks from Andy Martino and Mike Puma that said Wright would get an extension very quickly and another that he would be signed before the end of the World Series. Alderson unwittingly admitted to fueling those rumors and added: “Maybe it was a little bit unrealistic on my part to think that we get something done,” he said. “But I think it was important for me to emphasize that we were going to get going early, in order to avoid any speculation about a Jose Reyes-type approach to this. So in that sense it was probably a good idea to emphasize speed but unrealistic to expect that this was all going to be concluded quickly.”

Finally, when asked about how he expected to fill so many needs without adding anything significant via free agency as he asserted earlier, Alderson talked about dealing from the team’s strength; starting pitching. In addition to citing Dickey, he mentioned both Jon Niese and Dillon Gee as well.

So there you have it. There’s a lot to digest here, but my thinking all along has been that David Wright will get a longterm, second-generation contract, the kind that goes against Alderson’s DNA, and that Dickey was definitely a goner. Dickey’s comments last night baffled me. But now I think I see what’s happening here. Dickey may be under the impression that extension talks are progressing, but clearly the front office are on a completely different trajectory.

After digesting all of the events and comments made in the last 24  hours, I’m quite comfortable with what I’ve been speculating all along since the season ended…

1. David Wright will get an extension that combined with his option will total over $140 million dollars through 2020… This goes against Alderson’s grain, but he will give the people what they want.

2. R.A. Dickey will be traded for a package that will include either a starting catcher or a starting center fielder, or both…

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About the Author: Joe DeCaro

I'm a lifelong Mets fan who loves writing and talking about the Amazins' 24/7. From the Miracle in 1969 to the magic of 1986, and even the near misses in '73 and '00, I've experienced it all - the highs and the lows. I started Mets Merized Online in 2005 to feed my addiction. Follow me on Twitter @metsmerized.

80 Comments + Add Comment

  • Hi Joe,

    It is sad that it has come to the point that we have to trade a possible Cy Young Award winner following a year in which we had no interest in re-signing the national league batting champion. Putting aside the financial situation (that was not caused by the team’s payroll) from a baseball perspective we didn’t have to be in such the bad shape as we find ourselves in now.

    Despite the talks between David’s agent and the Mets, we have to also remember any agreement depends upon David sharing the same optimistic outlook about the future as R.A. stated the other day – which also includes his memory of how the past two seasons started out and the front office’s responsibilities in how they ended.

    • Batting Champ? He wasnt Wade Boggs with a career .330 BA. Lets not forget that Reyes had a 50 point drop in his BA this year, right around his career average.

      He was a good player but dont make him out to be more than he was or is.

      • Hi Task,

        Who is comparing Reyes to anybody?

        Just stating the fact that this year we might trade our first Cy Young Award winner since Doc and that last year we didn’t attempt to re-sign our first ever batting champion and that the team eliminating itself of its better players (not just Dickey and Reyes) and not adding any good ones in return says a lot about where it’s priorities are.

  • As a Loyal Mets Fan, I’m sick and tired of watching the Mets Owner slowly destroy this Team. The most obvious process that the Mets Owner should focus on would be to invest in their organizations’ infrastructure. While we understand that they lost millions with the “Madoff Fiasco” they should get out of their plastic bubble, wake up & come to the realization that investing in their players, especially pitching & getting the team to “At Least” reach Pennant Contention would bring in much more revenue to make up for the “Madoff Loss” than their current plan of cutting back on quality players, raising ticket prices & putting up more eyesore billboards around CitiField. The current plan of “Cheapening” the NY Mets Team is increasingly turning off Loyal Fans, otherwise known as the NY Mets Organizations’ “Revenue Base”. Think: With a turned off “Revenue Base”, Their Will Be “No Revenue”. Push come to shove, sell the team to new, interested owner(s) who will invest in the Team & Players. “A Winning Team” Drives Revenue!

  • This is a mistake… This guy is not a franchise player and he’ll get paid like a franchise player to be the jason bay of the team for years to come. I am not sure how a team that it’s obviously rebuilding can go ahead and sign this guy long term specially since his best years are way behind him and his notoriously second half decline are a huge concern. The guy was a good player when reyes, beltran and delgado were the main pieces for the team, they’re gone, no reason to keep this guy around when he has no ability to make anyone better ala pujols, arod or miguel cabrera, guys who can really carry a team on their shoulders. Trade him NOW that his value is up before we regret this move. Not sure how more unpopular sandy can be, apeacing the fan base to sign this guy is yet another set back for the franchise. Just because he’s the best player NOW doesn’t mean he’s a franchise player, by June next year Ike (I didn’t go to the minors and still hit over 30 HR) Davis will be the best player on the team, Build around HIM. It’s time we move on 100% from those choke artists that were part of the 2005-2008 teams, we got rid of the best 2 the past 2 years, finish the job with this guy by doing him a favor and trading him. If cashen was the GM he’d do it, because within 2 years, our team was gonna be better and he knew it. Signing DW to a long term will once again strap us financially while having a subpar 3rd baseman making a lot of money and little production, TRADE him now while his value is up..

    • Do you think if you repeat the same garbage day after day, multiple times a day people will actually take you serious?

      Now you posted your daily DW hate thread, now go on to the next thread and make up lies about things people never posted or said and run with that one………..we know its coming.

      SO predicable………..

      So they extended JP, talking about extending DW, you hate everything this team, FO office does, so if they lock this in, will this mean you’ll actually go away for a few years, or will you just spend the next few years saying the same thing again and again?

      • I take exception with some of what Alex says but on this one I agree with him 100%. While I believe fully the Wilpons will open the checkbook and pay Wright his money, I think it is an overall mistake. The guy simply is not worth it and will become an albatross before that contract is up.

        Wright is a .300/20/90-100 guy. That is what he gives you. He is consistent enough about it so that you can pencil it in before the beginning of the year. It is obvious he isnt a .350 hitter like H1 nor is he a .250 hitter like in H2. Nevertheless, he ultimately got to his numbers.

        The decision to sign Wright is more than a baseball decision. Yet, Wright is not going to put one more fan in the seats this year. Sure, him going will cost them attendance in the short term. But if they get back multiple players who can help them, that is a better deal. The Mets had 4 4th place finishes with David Wright. I have a feeling they can finish 4th without him.

        There are numerous examples of teams trading their top players to add more talent.

        The Rangers moving Texiera netted pieces instrumental in getting them to 2 WS.
        The Cowboys traded Herschel Walker for what became the core of their 3 Superbowl victories.
        The Tigers netted a few pieces in the Grnaderson deal which were involved in their WS run this year.

        The list goes on. Emotions need to be kept out of it. The odds of Wright performing at a high level at 35, 36, 37 isnt that great. Not post steroids. He may defy the odds but the odds state the Mets are better off getting a couple pieces back.

        • I don’t disagree with much of this but as I said in another response the key is the return as well as Flores. If what they get back fails at all then you have also basically ruined Ike Davis as well. You have to get truly impact players back and be sure that Flores can play 3B and is near ready. Having an IF in 2014 of Murphy and V-Spin when we are supposed to be competitive will be a disaster.

        • I have no problem with someone forming an argument for trading Wright. I also believe that there are very few people that should be untouchable and that includes and especially means Wright. If the team can get something worthwhile in return he’s as good as gone or should be

          I take exception with this guy saying the same thing every day, equating DW to garbage while he’s broken almost every team record. I take exception reading his comments that completely take what someone says and twisting it to his agenda and even better preaching that everyone can have their own opinion, but he really means as long as it aligns with his and his “core” whatever the hell that is. Once you disagree he stops reading what is actually being said and forms his own imaginary ending. He is a child and along with a few of his buddies is what ruins sites like this.

          • This! ^^^^ is so accurate.

    • Sigh…………Bro, wait in line.. People like you get no comment back from me. the only reason i am replying back to you is because i wanna tell you how sorry i feel for you, if you don’t like me posting the truth about your idol #5 then go to metsblog, where a person cannot say anything negative about he FO nor DW. in here we all have different opinions and we can express them all out. try to understand that for 2 years the mets have been a laughinstock of a franchise under sandy and co, and your boy is arguably the most overrated player in NY history whether you like it or not is reality. Now, go ahead and reply if you like but i won’t engage with people who are new here and haven’t put time in like the rest of us have,,

      • Not really sure how a player with most of his team’s franchise records is also the most overrated in the team’s history.

      • Ask kranepool and i am sure he’d tell you… If anything it shows the lack of continuity with players in this franchise when a POS like kranepool was our hits leader…

        • While he wasn’t a superstar, why the angst towards a lifelong Met?

        • IT’s not angst, this is not different than you calling the shoutbox Fuming Pile…

          • LOL, really? You actually believe there is no difference in calling Krane a POS and calling out something that was bringing down the site the same thing? OK buddy. Anyway you can take the shoutbox issue to Joe. I obviously am not in charge of what he puts up or takes down.

          • Lucky you he doesn’t do that.. If i own a site, and an arrogant a______ like you comes in and call a part of it Fuming Pile you’d be out of it faster than you can say desert.. I don’t need to take the issue with him, we all saw your comment towards it, then after trashing you went to your deserted site and created one just like it.. Pathetic 101..

            • LOL, poor Alex. That’s all I can think of when you type stuff like this. Maybe that is why all these years I even respond to you. I ultimately feel sorry for your general disposition and opaqueness.

            • You respond to me because you need to have the last word no matter what… Most of the times your ego doesn’t allow you to just move on.. You gotta be right even though you’re completely wrong, and it’s your way or the highway when it comes to having an opinion… You’re an _______ and you’ve proven that many times.. Since the MB days back in 2007.

              • LOL, I love these last word fights. So lets see you responded to me here not only to get the last word but to also make it look foolish for the person to respond to you in your attempt to get the last word.

                Again, I just feel sorry for you.

                • Yes we know you never fail to get in on them!

                  Whch is why your involved in more 200 Commen threads than I am despite your accusation of me being the reason.

              • Really? You feel sorry for me??? Don’t.. i am doing pretty well, now, let’s see.. You create a blog, noone goes there, then you come here 24/7, copy and paste the design of this blog to make yours look like this one while continuously trashing parts of the site and LOL whenever one of your desert group would come here to insult the owner, ohhh, and consider by many an arrogant _______ who is just sad and mad that his site is a desert spot with the same 7 people since it was created… Yeah, and you feel sorry for me? Word of advice, should’ve sold the rights to the site when you had the chance..

                • Thanks for proving my point Alex.

                • You are welcome….

      • Listen bra, I could care less if you reply to me or not. You said three times in one comment you were not, yet you went ahead and did it anyhow, you responded with your typical crap. Calling you out for your obvious hatred of DW does not make him my golden boy, no matter how many times you say it.

        You keep saying without Reyes, Delgado and Beltran he couldn’t carry the team? Carry what team? There was no team to carry are you that dense? Championship teams are not carried by one guy alone, or haven’t you ever seen a game other than a Mets game? Whatever your problem is with DW get over it, or shut up, the majority of fans with half a brain know he’s far better than you think he is, no one is pouring his HOF plaque, but you talk like he’s as another David Newhan.

        This team currently sucks, but you repeating the same thing every day is old really man, and like it or not, take your own advise people are entitled to their own opinions and when those are not the same as yours, stop wasting everyone’s time twisting what they say and turning it into bold face lies.

        Are you even old enough to be using the internet, doesn’t sound like it.

  • Trade RA and Phil Evans to the Yankees for Mason Williams, Gary Sanchez, and David Adams

  • I’m glad they are trying to lock up David Wright long term. He’s still relatively young. What he needs is a supporting cast around him. I would trade Dickey to Boston for Jarrod Saltalamachia, and OF prospects Bryce Brentz and Jackie Bradley Jr. I know Salty only hit 225 last year but he did hit 25 HRs, and we need to bring more power to our lineup. Despite his flaws, Salty is still a substantial upgrade from Josh Thole and he’s 27 years old so we may be able to catch him when he breaks out. Brentz had a very good year last year in Double A. Good power bat with a strong arm in right field. Actually, I remember reading that the Mets were scouting him in college in 2010 and were rumored to be interested in drafting him before they picked Matt Harvey.

    Jackie Bradley Jr. might be harder to get from Boston because he is seen as Jacoby Ellsbury’s replacement. Ellsbury is a free agent after 2013 and most people believe he will not resign in Boston. Bradley is a stud CF with good speed, hitting ability and OBP. If we can’t get Bradley, maybe we can take another young catcher they have named Blake Swihart.

    • Salty would’ve been a good move a few years ago….

      David is relatievly young if he wants a 3 year deal…

      he wont be relatively young if he wants a 7 year deal

      and why would david resign here if we are trading away a CY Young award winner?

      why would RA stay if we are trading David Wright?

      why would either one of them stay if they both were in 4th place here together

      sorry guys…but RA and Wright deserve to go to better teams

  • What makes Dickey attractive on the trade market besides the fact he might/ should win the Cy Young award, is that he only makes $5M next year. That is cheap enough that pretty much ANY team could afford him. Even small market teams with a good base of position player prospects like Kansas City or San Diego could afford him. A team like the Royals who have made it known they want to improve their starting pitching might be tempted to trade some good young players for Dickey, cuz he will only cost them $5M next year, and may stand a good chance at resigning him.

    Im just using KC as an example, but my point is when was the last time a Cy Young candidate making just $5M was put on the trade block? It could create a frenzy that greatly benefits us for the future.

    • Stop being so damn logical, that’s down right illegal round Mets blogs.

    • THIS ^^^^^ Grizzly, the desert….errr, the CORE salute you.. It’s exactly the main reason why most of us figure to take advantage of this opp. we keep rebuilding if we trade him and wright and get ready for 2014..

      • Alex, you and I disagree on uh… just about everything. But I will agree there is a strong case for trading one, both, or not trading either. It really is a toss up and one move alone not followed by a series of moves isn’t going to do a dang thing. Everything depends on the details. If they can get stud MLB ready players for Wright and Dickey? Trade them. If they can lock up Wright and trade Dickey for OF and Catcher help to go with Wright, Davis, Tejada, etc, trade him. IF they choose to re-sign both then you can’t be done. You have to get creative with trades and be willing to re-invest money in the team in addition to the two. The only thing I have an issue with in trading Wright is Flores has to be ready by 2014 and be able to play 3B. If we trade Wright and Flores isn’t ready and we don’t get a legit hitter in return then Ike Davis will become David Wright with a much larger hole in his swing.

        Again, the killer is in the details.

      • Oh and by the way, of course I am a new proud member of the OMFG’s so please address me that way. LOL.
        If you can’t beat the moniker crap then join it I guess.

        • O.K., so fill me in since I’ve been out of the loop for about 11 days and probably missed too many stories to read…what’s OMFG?

          • Mitch Petanick November 7, 2012 at 11:30 am
            I’m starting a revolution and a new faction of fans called the OMFG (Optimistic Mets Fan Group)

            • Thanks, all. I’ve missed you guys. Nothing like baseball to distract us from real life, right?

              Gave a brief update on the storm and damage I’ve got over on TRDM. My town is a mess. The western section of the town, where I live – got hit the hardest. Homes destroyed so I’m extremely fortunate mine is still standing, although we’ve got about 10 grand worth of damage.

              No power from 29 Oct until just a few days ago was not fun. Felt like I was living back in 1900…

            • O.K. then, count me in.

          • SRT! So glad to see your back. Many of us have been worried about you.

          • You haven’t missed much around here SRT. Nothing has changed since before the storm Other than the Mets are ringing back the Gulf Coast team and Dickey seems to have gotten answers to what direction the team is headed and he likes it.

            • Oh and one other small thing. Mets and Jason Bay parted ways like Moses parted the Red Sea. ;-)

              • Heard the parting of ways with Bay on our little transistor radio we had playing 24/7.
                I figured they would cut him but not until ST. I was surprised they did it this soon. I’m reading it’s with a deferred payment of sorts. I guess that gives them some flexibility to hopefully get Dickey signed then.

        • THIS ^^^^ is here!!!!!!!! I Mean, SRT.. Sorry, glad you ok…

      • TRS, while i agree we don’t agree on much i’ll with agree with your statement. at the end you mention keeping them both, yes, we can do that, problem is, how likely is it for us to sign good players to put around them? Unless we trade our good prospects how can be sure that if we keep them both we’ll get good players around them? This team as it is right now will go nowhere in 2013. entering the offseason all we’ve done and probably will do is sign more former SD padres rejects to fill our minor league system and wait for some garbage players to become available for us to sign. The notion of keeping those 2 while their value is at its highest for us to win 74 games is absurd. We had both of them and won 74 games, i am sure that if we trade them both for close to ready or even some young major leaguers we’ll be close to winning the same amount of game without having to pay wright $16 million.. and as grizzly mention, even teams like KC and others can afford dickey because as of now he’s not that expensive and can work with him on a good deal if prefered.

        • Alex, while I never “write off” a season because anything can happen, I saw from day one after Omar was fired that regardless of who came in the Mets financial damage was done. Heck it was obvious even in Omar’s last years. Thus I determined it would take until 2014 for the Mets to be even close to back on track again. I think in 2014 that Wright can still be a big contributor to the success of the Mets but like ANY player he needs help. If they can get that help by trading Dickey then so be it but if you trade Wright and you don’t get MLB ready impact bats then you have just turned Ike Davis into a worse version of David Wright. Dickey is a different case. The Mets farm system’s strength thanks to Omar and Alderson is pitching. Dickey in 2014 will be pushing it even for a knuckleball pitcher and the Mets should have other options in house.

          In 2013-2014 if Flores isn’t ready and Wright is gone, a lineup consisting of V-Spin at 2B and Murphy at 3B will drive Ike to staying out late and drinking and maybe even never coming back, lol. (The staying out late part was in jest as I think that was blown out of proportion.) To me that is why they have to be more careful trading Wright. Not because he is the face of the franchise or MR. Wonderboy but because he was the best hitter on a team needing more offense, not less and the system is barren.

          Example, if you trade Dickey for Trumbo and Trumbo tanks, you still ok because you traded from a strength. If you trade Wright for uh… hell I don’t know… and those players tank you are really stuck for many years to come until players are ready if we even have those guys in house.

          I hope all that rambling makes sense.

          • I agree TRS……they should make every attempt to retain DW for all the reasons you mentioned. However, with that being said, I don’t think he should be retained for reasons such as:

            face of the franchise
            fear of attendance drop
            wonder boy status
            company man
            poster boy……and all that other non-baseball related bull

            Now after we elininate all of the above, Wright should be offered, and accept a contract extention commensurate with what he actually is…..a .300/20/90 man and not a franchise player or superstar. I say something in the $90′s range for 6 years. Anything more then that and we surely will see the albatross that Alex speaks of……and we’ve seen too many of those through the years. If Wright and his agents play hardball for big bucks, then we’ll have to part ways and trade him.

            • I can agree with that, unless they are seriously going to use marketing money to re-sign him and allow more money to spent elsewhere.

    • Well PGrizzly there are two sides to that cheap coin….

      Sure he is only 5 mil next season but then you have to resign him and what does that cost you?

      How much you get back is going to depend on how long you get him and for how much…

      They are not going to be willing to part with two players who could be cornerstone types for many years to get a guy for one year who is cheap. Three or Four years maybe because then by the time those kids get up here and do something they will have gotten something to justify the trade by then.

      If we were able to extend him then the trade would get more back.
      As it stands I think you get a package of a ready MLB talent, one prospect and a PTBNL.

      Extend him so they will have him for two or three years and you get two MLB players and a prospect or one MLB and two prospects.

      • Once signed he can’t be traded until June 15 without player consent. I would also assume that Dickey being the age he is will request a no-trade or limited no-trade clause.

        • Sure he can because any extention he gets doesn’t kick in till 2014!

          He is already under contract for 2013 as his option was already activated.

          So any extention will not prohibit trading him after the deal is done UNLESS they replace the 2013 year which I’m not even sure they can do at this point as it would have to have been done before the option was taken.

  • Damanja likes using my ideas.

  • Sandy’s best asset was supposed to be in public relations.

    >Alderson unwittingly admitted to fueling those rumors and added: “Maybe it was a little bit >unrealistic on my part to think that we get something done,” he said. “But I think it was speculation about a Jose Reyes-type approach to this. So in that sense it was probably a >good idea to emphasize speed but unrealistic to expect that this was all going to be >concluded quickly.”

    So far the only thing Sandy has done is waive his resume with his Harvard degree from 1972 and his 3 winning years in Oakland from 88-90

    That’s it

    That’s all

    One of the few things that Sandy was brought here to do he has failed miserably in

    And for all the wise-cracks about Omar, this very good english speaking Harvard degree Presidential candidate looks like a complete moron every 3 months from having to put his foot in his mouth

    Every winter Sandy says we have the flexibility to take on payroll in a mid-year acquisition if need be…

    Every June Sandy says we will be buyers

    Every July Sandy says he is monitoring the market

    Then Sandy either becomes a seller and the team tanks or a watcher and the team tanks

    Sandy sucks, JP sucks, Depo sucks

    Omar was better

    The End

  • This is a sound business decision when you have a limited budget. The Mets can’t afford R.A. and Wright and have big holes to fill at catching and the outfield. I like the move. It appears that Harvey is our opening day starter and if R.A goes and either Gee or Niese goes, then they are betting big that Santana will come back to maybe a 15 win season. So our three big starts will be Harvey, Niese or Gee and Santana. I hope the new guys come through in spring training so they can fill out the staff. I think and I’ll go out on a limb for this one that SA is going to go big time with a star available free agent for the outfield and my guess is Bourn. If you trade R.A. you can’t go small. We might have to keep Thole as our catcher until a bigger budget allows an upgrade. That’s my take.

    • If Dickey goes there is no way in hell they trade Niese and really unless they are getting a Gio return then any thought of trading Niese should be stepped on quickly.

      • But what if a team dangled a star player like the caliber of a Brian Mcann’s status in front of them for Niese and you have to remember there could be a pitcher that could come cheap like a Jair Jurgens you could take a chance on. You could never do this without getting something really good in return. I read where the Braves will probably make Tommy Hansen available. He had an off year in ’12 but he is a starter in every organization in baseball.

        • Honestly, no. I wouldn’t trade Niese for McCann. I think you have to get multiple young pieces back to even consider trading Niese.

          • I agree but what if some team dangled a star catcher like the caliber of a Brian Mcann in frony of the Mets. Also there are some pitchers that would come at a reasonable price that could help like a Jair Jurgens or Tommy Hansen. These guys struggled in ’12 but have been escellent starting pitchers in the past and the price could be right. But you are right unless you’re blown away you have to keep Niese especially if R.A. goes.

            • Sorry for repeating myself.

        • I would love to get a Brian McCann but it this stage of his career MF Lou I wouldn’t even consider trading Niese for him. Niese is 25 under control for at least 4 more, possibly 6 years at reasonable money and is getting better every year while McCann is showing his age and is clearly on the down side of his career. They would have to get a return similar to what The A’s got back for Gio or The Pods got back for Latos.

    • Actually the Mets have no problem affording both. They have $50M coming off the books in 2014 when the new contracts would go into effect. It isnt a matter of money. The question is what is the wisdom in giving a soon to be 38 year old pitcher a multi-year contract when he is apt to break down. Sure he is a knuckleball pitcher. Yet he developed that late in his career so he had a lot of miles on his body/arm before he developed it. Plus he also throws it harder than anyone ever had. What effect will this have long term? I dont know if it is realistic to expect him to perform into his mid 40s like some others.

      As for Wright, it isnt a question of money either. He might net a few million more a year average than he gets now. The debate is whether it wise for a franchise to lock him into a bit second contract. This is where Alderson is straying from his normal pattern and the main reason why I believe it isnt his call. The Wilpon’s want Wright and they will get him. It is impossible to name 5 contracts of the sort that Wright is going to get that worked out for a player that was his age at the time of signing. That is why the sound baseball decision is to move Wright if the pieces coming back are acceptable.

      • Actually money is a large factor because if they keep the payroll at 100M then signing both of those guys and not adding talent to the team somehow, becomes an issue.

  • You do. Niese gets better every year and has Cliff Lee type stuff. 2013 could be his arrival. I would never trade Niese. Pelfrey had far more natural ability and could never get it all going. Niese really is the only quality starter they’ve produced in over ten years.

    That’s because it’s so hard to do. Luck is actually on their side here because the also have Harvey, Wheeler, and Gee who are also young under team control for years. Not to mention Fulmer and Montero. Dickey is the only real tradable pitcher in that it makes the most sense because of his age and value at this point.

    • Well that and Gee of course but injury most likely decreases that.

    • Actually you are one of the first who wrote what I believe about Niese. I am not quite sure I would put him in the Lee category in terms of stuff, I do believe there is still a nice upside to Niese i.e we havent seen the best of him. He is a great guy to have in the rotation but that also, if others see it, makes him extremely valuable to trade.

      At this point, if I was Alderson, I would listen to all offers. Trades scenarios can only be taken in the context of who is coming back. If another team wants to give the Mets the ranch for Niese, Alderson needs to take the deal. However, if they are trying to get him on the cheap, walk away.

      • I can agree with that last statement. However, we also have to be careful in the fact that not only is Niese young, under-control and cheap but he is a LH starter. If you trade him then you likely have an entire staff of RH pitchers in the NL East. Not necessarily a good thing at all.

  • Here’s a pretty good article on this I read this morning:

    http://on-the-way-home.org/2012/11/07/30-year-old-balplayers-and-long-term-contracts/

  • I found this article telling this morning. It is on Mets.com for a reason.
    Mets must consider selling high on Dickey
    http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20121109&content_id=40221058&vkey=news_nym&c_id=nym

  • 50 mill off the books and 50 mill from the new television deal. Now, who knows how many millions they are all ready getting from Sny and whatever the current tv deal through MLB pays, but that money doesn’t seem to go towards payroll anyway. Wrights deal will probably give him a slight raise to 18 mill and Dickey will probably be traded.

    That means, the Mets should easily have 50 million to spend next yr, but it’ll most likely be around 30. Still, with that rotation and current roster, 30 million should make this team a playoff contender. Assuming the players Dickey is traded for are good, young, and play the outfield. Lets hope.

    If I’m Sandy, I package Dickey with Murphy. I try to get two outfielders and a SS that’ll be ready by 2014. I move Tejada to second, and sign a good catcher. I strengthen my defense up the middle and now my infield is all gold glove caliber.

    Or just try to get a good outfielder and catcher strait up for Dickey. I’d look to the Yankees to deal. They have the young pieces and need the cheap pitching which Dickey provides.

    • What we have to be careful of is spending 30M on FA doesn’t necessarily make you a contender. See the Marlins and Redsox. They have to make sure they spend it wisely and do not put themselves in a position where they have no money to spend for the next 5 years after spending that money.

  • Dickey and Thole for Matt Wieters . What do you think enough value in return ? Birds need an ace. Would Baltimore do it ?

  • The truth is that Third base is one of baseball’s most best stocked positions. We have lesser internal options at third base. This discussed contract locks up Wright at essentially free agent money. I don’t think that Wright at 18 times the league minimum is a tremendous value. Trade him.

    Dickey 2013 is one of the best values in baseball. He could put a contender into the Wold Series.or if he stays he could help us secure third place in the division. Trade him while his value is high. He should yield tremendous prospects.

    • Please name all the league mnimum 3Bs who also hit 20 HRs….

      The reason 3B is well stocked at all is because teams know that once they found one to not let him go!

      • I would give Lutz a chance. I’d be looking for 15 home runs his first season. Yes a drop from Wrights’s 21. But not a major one. We could use the money elsewhere.

        • Lutz and Satin…. lol, might as well go get Nick Evans.

          • Lets see what those guys can do. Sink or swim; or just stay healthy. If they don’t work out we could give Turner some playing time.

    • “The truth is that Third base is one of baseball’s most best stocked positions. We have lesser internal options at third base. ”

      No, it isn’t. Teams are having problems finding every day starting guys.

  • Personally I don’t see how the remarks by the GM equate to an admission to the leaks when it was known since the season ended that attempts to engage in negotiations would be immediate with at one point saying as soon as the last game of the season ended to describe the immediacy. It doesn’t eliminate the possibility of it being the case either but it would require a bit of speculation on ones part.

    We are seeing Hot Stove leaks and rumors at it’s best the last 24 hours. One day one thinks they have an idea what is going on and the next one has none.

    It is why even you Joe D fell prey to this yesterday. I guess all the variables are still in play. Trading both Wright & Dickey and not trading both of them. Signing Wright and trading Dickey or signing Dickey and trading Wright I will just have to wait to see how it plays out.

    • This.

      Heard on the radio some comments from Dickey on that ALS charity event he attended in NY earlier this week. He said his contract talks are moving, albeit a little slow. Dickey didn’t say anything about contracts being stalled or about being traded. I hope that means they eventually get it done.

  • What is wrong with them? Selling high on Dickey but not Wright will come back to haunt them. Sell BOTH, not one or the other. You cannot tell me that if someone inquires on Wright, they’ll say no thanks.

  • We all know David Wright is a great guy. but as long as the wilpons are owners, this team is going nowhere. They won’t finish any better than they did this year. If you look at Wrights batting average with men in scoring position, he is not the player he was. Both Wright and Dickie have great trade value at this time. The Mets are in a rebuilding mode. signing these two, from a business stand point is ludicrious. There are just to many holes to fill . Murphy would fit find at third. Look first at what you would be offered for these two, in new talent. fans will be upset at first, but will get over it. especially if they get some good talent to root for next year. Perfect example coming from the fans this past year is how upset they were when they let Reyes go. In comes a new short stop,and has a great year,and because he did the fans were not disappointed. I have been a Met fan since the day they started with Casey. believe me you will get over any trade in time. from a marketing stand point., you can introduce a new and young team. that will be fun to watch. One other thing bring in Wally to work with these players, send collins to triple A . A mets new start.

    • Look signing Wright has a lot of negatives but he hit .317 with RISP so I am not sure that s one of them.

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