Will Mets trade first homegrown closer since Randy Myers?
As Adam Rubin of ESPN New York reported yesterday from a team source, Bill Madden of the Daily News, confirms that the Mets may not be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline.
The article also quotes a major league scout who hypothesizes that the Mets could be tempted to deal Bobby Parnell to the Red Sox for outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. and a top pitching prospect, but then also adds that if they want to be able to compete next year, as they keep saying, “there’s no way they can trade him.”
That’s pretty much my sentiment as well.
For three years we’ve been hearing that 2014 would be the year that would bear the fruit of the first three losing seasons by Sandy Alderson. That would be the year when the plan would become more apparent to every fan. It would be the beginning of what they’ve called “a new Mets era of sustainable success.”
Now I’m all for that… But wouldn’t any sustainable success require a solid bullpen led by an elite closer?
Look at how the game has changed over the past decade and a half…. The teams that win it all can attest to having one of the best bullpens in baseball and in many cases it is their greatest strength.
How far would the Mets have gone with a vastly better bullpen in in 2006-2008?
Since then, our pen has gotten worse, and by worse I mean the worst in the majors in 2011 and 2012 and the bottom tier so far in 2013.
So why would you trade the one reliable and possibly elite reliever we have? Unless of course, you have no intention of competing in 2014 or 2015 for that matter.
From listening to Sandy lately, I think he understands that he has to start winning soon, and he seems intent on making that happen sooner rather than later. I believe him… That’s my take on this…
