Bill Price of the Daily News lays out what he thinks it’s going to take for the Mets to trade for the bat they need. However, he also takes issue with some Met fans, pointing out that they’re the ones who might be gun shy, and not the front office.
A week ago I suggested Murphy and/or Wheeler for Cespedes and was ripped a new one. John Harper today suggests Syndergaard for Justin Upton. Again, most of the reaction was “how can you trade Syndergaard for a one-year rental (we’ll get to that in a second)?’
Cuddyer? He would cost us a draft pick. Morse? He gets hurt all the time. Castro? No way we give Wheeler away. Cargo? Prospects for a guy who gets hurts and plays at Coors Field? No way.
Price contends that if the Mets are going to trade for a big power bat, it’s going to cost them either Zack Wheeler or Noah Syndergaard, and that no one wants Dillon Gee, Jon Niese or Rafael Montero.
For me, if you can get the same deal for either one, I would give up Syndergaard. For a guy who was supposed to cruise through Triple-A this year, he never really got it going. Makes you wonder a bit, no?
As for the one-year rental thing, Price says, it’s a sad state of affairs that Mets fans assume any guy on a one-year deal would never stay here.
“If the Mets traded for an Upton or Cespedes and those guys have monster years and the Mets don’t shell out the cash to keep them, what’s the point?”
Ultimately, making a trade or two is the only route I see the Mets taking if they’re serious about winning 90 games next season and getting into the post season. While I see plenty of solid available options that could give the Mets the bat they are seeking, I can’t say the same for free agency.
In the end it will come down to how bad you really want it and whether or not you’re willing to outwit or outbid other teams that will have just as much interest in many of the same available players. Are we willing to do what it takes? Or nah?
