Mike Olt
Just in case you haven’t noticed, the Mets signed David Wright to an eight-year contract extension.
Also a friendly reminder, David Wright is a third baseman.
The Mets also have a guy named Ike Davis, who despite a slow start in 2012 managed to club 32 home runs.
Davis plays first base and is just 25 years old just so you know.
Of course, as Mets fan, you know all this information through and through. But the real question is why the Mets would even remotely consider trading R.A. Dickey to the Rangers for a package centered around prospect Mike Olt.
Olt is a power hitting third base prospect who is also a solid defender at the hot corner. He’s played 212 games at third since being drafted by the Rangers in the first round in 2010, and he’s only made 32 errors – not bad at all.
Though he’s said to strikeout a lot, he’s displayed a good power bat from the right side, which the Mets desperately need.
Sounds like a good prospect to get back for Dickey, right?
Wrong, in so many ways.
Why on earth would the Mets want a young third baseman after signing Wright for eight more years? And after a strong second half showing by Davis, Olt, who has only played 13 career minor league games at first base, would not make sense at first either.
Olt played three games in right field in the minor leagues last year and two games after being called up to the Rangers.
What’s with Sandy Alderson thinking he can turn infielders into full-time outfielders, since that’s the only position Olt would play on the Mets as of now?
There were rumors that the Mets were interested in Mark Reynolds, a corner infielder, as an outfielder before he signed with the Indians.
Of course, the Mets could trade Davis for an outfielder and insert Olt at first, but what’s the point of having an unproven commodity trying to replace 32 dingers?
If the Mets were to make a deal with the Royals based around Wil Myers – an actual outfielder – a Dickey deal would have made sense, but the Royals flipped Myers to the Rays in the James Shields trade.
A Dickey trade still does make sense, but the Mets need to get back pieces in which they don’t have – either a catcher or an outfielder.
Olt may turn into a great Major Leaguer, but unless the Mets involve a third team to take Olt, a trade with the Rangers just doesn’t make sense for the Amazin’s.
