Good Morning, Mets Fans! The Mets have won four in a row and are going for the sweep against the Washington Nationals at 8:08 p.m. on ESPN. Matt Harvey (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will go for New York while Tanner Roark (1-0, 1.29 ERA) will go for Washington.

Yesterday, Steven Matz rebounded from a poor first start and the Mets bullpen was great yet again. They got timely hits from their offense and the team got a 3-2 win on a chilly Washington afternoon.

Latest Mets News

Matz was much better on Saturday after a rough first start. He spoke to reporters after the game and said he wants to use it as a “springboard.”

Zack Wheeler went five innings on Friday night in Las Vegas. He gave up one run and struck out six. He threw a first-pitch strike 15/18 times.

Jason Vargas pitched in a simulated game yesterday. He was still not able to field his position, though.

Jon Heyman of Fan Rag reports that Dave Eiland got a three-year deal to be the Mets pitching coach. Heyman also adds that Eiland was the Giants first choice for pitching coach, but he opted to come to the Mets.

Latest MLB News

The Yankees placed C.C. Sabathia and Brandon Drury on the disabled list and optioned Jonathan Holder. They called up Domingo German, Luis Cessa, and Jace Peterson.

Yankees righty, Ben Heller, is undergoing Tommy John Surgery.

99-year-old usher, Phil Coyne, is retiring after 81 years of working with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Mariners signed Chris Hermann to a minor league deal.

Maikel Franco changed his agency to Octagon Sports.

Latest NL East News

Mark Bowman of MLB.com writes about the improved play of Dansby Swanson.

The Nationals designated Enny Romero for assignment and called up Jhonatan Solano.

Nick Williams of the Phillies apologized to Gabe Kapler and walked back his complaints about not being able to play.

Latest on MMO

Rob Piersall writes about Brandon Nimmo‘s role on the team.

This Day in Mets History

1975: Dave Kingman hits his first home run as a Met.

Birthdays: Eddie Kunz turns 32, Timo Perez turns 43, Pete Walker turns 49, Mac Scarce turns 69, while

Gary Carter would have turned 64.

The post Morning Briefing: Harvey and Mets Go For Sweep appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Tampa Bay Rays signed minor league free agent Allan Dykstra to a minor league contract on Saturday.

Originally a first round pick for the San Diego Padres in 2007, the Mets acquired him in 2011 for minor league reliever Eddie Kunz.

Dykstra spent four seasons with the Mets and always maintained an on-base percentage north of .400 at every level. Last season he batted .280/.426./504 for Triple-A Las Vegas where he made the Pacific Coast League All-Star team.

I was surprised he never got a cup of coffee with the Mets, considering how often the front office and player development people praised his approach at the plate.

“I was in San Diego when he was drafted,” said Sandy Alderson last season. “A couple of us were involved in trading for him from San Diego to bring him here. He has had a great season, and he has approached the game, offensively, the way the organization hopes to approach the game at the major-league level.”

Dykstra, 27, played mostly first base and should get an opportunity to win a job on the bench this Spring for the Rays.

The post Rays Sign Allan Dykstra To Minor League Contract appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Welcome to the second installment of our offseason Mets Organizational Depth Chart. Each week, we’ll take a look at the top players at each position in the Mets organization. We hope to provide fans with some insight as to what the Mets currently have at the major-league level on a position by position basis. We’ll also introduce some players you can expect to hear about from the Mets minor-leagues in the coming years.

The second part of this series will take us to first base.

MLB

Lucas Duda/Josh Satin/Ike Davis

Normally, I’d write up each player on their own — but it almost feels like we need to combine their respective talents to get a solid major league player. Duda is the most patient of the group — while Satin makes the most contact and Ike is probably the best fielder/has the most raw power. At different times, each of them has demonstrated the ability to play at a high level — but sustaining it for a long period of time is the problem. Davis frustrates me the most — you don’t hit 32 home runs by accident. I always thought he would be the star out of the group, but he failed to find himself last year. With the Mets unlikely to give Jose Abreu a serious offer, these are the names you’ll have to look forward to — and the few guys that are close in the minor league group.

On the Farm

1. Dominic Smith

Who else but Dominic Smith? Our first-round pick in 2013, Dominic Smith has the potential to turn into quite the young hitter down the line. He’s certainly not a liability on defense, considering he was once a corner outfielder, so he’ll turn into an asset at 1B defensively with a strong arm. He possesses a mature approach at the plate and could find himself moving through the system quickly, as he already made his way to Kingsport.

He started this year off slow in the GCL as he was adjusting to facing more left-handed pitching — and pitchers that used more breaking balls. However, he turned it on as the year went along, dominating August with a .372/.443/.526 slash and a 23.9% LD Rate and 12.5% Strikeout Rate (29-for-78). If I had to project him down the line, I often say he’ll turn into Todd Helton without the benefit of Coors Field — so perhaps a .280 hitter with 25-30 home runs. He could turn out to be the best first baseman the Mets have drafted in a while.

ETA: 2017

2. Allan Dykstra

Dykstra will likely play this year out in Las Vegas with the potential for a call-up looming through most of said year. The Mets are not strong at first base — and some are itching to see what Dykstra can do at the MLB level. Acquired in a trade for Eddie Kunz, he turned it on this year with a .274/.436/.503 slash — meaning he got on base almost 44% of the time. He cranked 21 long balls in just 489 plate appearances as well, and walked 102 times, which is pretty damn impressive. Dykstra likely won’t hit for a high average at the MLB level — because he strikes out too much —  but could maybe crack about 10-15 home runs with a high OBP — which would seemingly fit the organizational philosophy.

ETA: 2014 (Sept.)

3. Jayce Boyd

Boyd owned Savannah last year — in fact, at the time of his promotion to St. Lucie, he was slashing .361/.441/.494. He finished the season batting .330/.410/.461 across both levels with nine home runs in 529 plate appearances. Dykstra’s got more pop in his bat than Boyd, but Boyd makes more contact and strikes out considerably less — which explains why he has some appeal. A polished hitter through and through, Boyd could find himself moving through the system quickly and on an MLB bench. He’s got a sweet swing and when you make contact as often as he does, they’ll find a job for you somewhere.

ETA: 2015

4. Matthew Oberste

Oberste was a guy that I liked coming out of the 2013 draft — I thought he could be a sleeper pick out of that group. He still has the tools to be a solid player someday — and oddly enough, he compares well to Jayce Boyd. Boyd is the better fielder of the two, but Oberste also makes solid contact without much in the home run column. There’s a really small chance he could start hitting for some power, but it’s hard to say. I think he’s got a good swing speed-wise, but mechanically his stride is long and will leave him prone to striking out a lot. He struggled to make contact this year with just a .208 average, three home runs, and 56 strikeouts in 273 plate appearances. I’m never one to give up on a player after their first year in the pros — especially short-season — so let’s see what happens.

ETA: 2018 

5. Eric Campbell

Campbell will probably see some time with the MLB team as a bench player this season. A right-handed semi-utility bat, Campbell can play both corner infield and outfield positions in a pinch, although he seems most comfortable at first base. After injuries and some struggles in the Minors, Campbell will find himself at age-27 at the start of next season without much behind his name. He’s a good potential bench player, since he has pop in his bat (25 doubles in both ’12 and ’13) and a career average of .279. At his age, Campbell’s no longer a prospect, but with the Mets status at first base, anything is possible.

ETA:  2014

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After a season in which Allan Dykstra put together a .274/.436/.503 line with a career-high 21 home runs and 82 RBIs for the Binghamton Mets, the first baseman/designated hitter is eligible to be a minor league free agent this winter. In his third year of Eastern League action since the Mets acquired him from the San Diego Padres in exchange for Eddie Kunz, he earned League MVP honors. However, the former first rounder is now 26-years-old, and it sounds as if some are down on his potential to have any impact in the big leagues.

Except for Sandy Alderson.

Here’s what the Mets GM had to say about Dykstra, reported by Lynn Worthy of the Press & Sun-Bulletin:

He is a little bit older, but he’s a former first-round draft pick. In fact I was in San Diego when he was drafted. A couple of us — Paul DePodesta being the other — were involved in trading for him from San Diego (to bring him) here. He has had a great season, and he has approached the game, offensively, the way the organization hopes to approach the game at the major-league level. I’m hopeful that he can be rewarded for that.

With regard to any potential contributions from the tall left-handed hitter in the big leagues, Alderson still sounds optimistic:

I think that remains to be seen, but I think it’s entirely possible. This is his second year in this league, but only because we were full basically at Las Vegas at his position. So he’s done a great job this year. He’s been a key part of the team, and we still think he’s got a future. Absolutely.

Dykstra has been with the B-Mets for three seasons, but I’m assuming Alderson meant that the first baseman has played two full seasons with Binghamton; his 2012 season was cut short by injury (62 games played in AA). Or, maybe I’m just making an excuse for him.

While it’s possible Alderson was skirting the question and choosing to stay optimistic, what he said is not surprising. Dykstra has built a reputation for drawing a lot of walks and having an insane on-base percentage, which are two things we know the front office cares about.

The first base position at the big league level currently has a lot of uncertainty moving toward 2014; we all know the trials and tribulations between both Ike Davis and Lucas Duda. It remains to be seen what New York’s plan is for the position heading into this winter; if they decide to stick with one of these two internal options, it would be nice to have a potential internal backup plan in case it all goes haywire.

I’m hoping (and anticipating) for Dykstra to remain in the Mets organization beyond this season, and to report to Triple-A Las Vegas at the start of 2014. He’ll essentially act as an insurance policy for the position in the big leagues should something go wrong in Flushing.

Thoughts from Joe D.

When we first acquired Dykstra for Eddie Kunz, I thought very little of the trade. Two first round busts being swapped, big deal. But thanks to the Mets, we are privileged to get access to these players and after watching them play, hearing them talk after a good or bad game, and even speaking to them one on one as I did with Allan last month, a certain bond develops.

I’ve been touting Dykstra all season long on MMO, I didn’t realize until Matt mentioned it that he becomes a minor league free agent now that the season has ended. I do hope we make every attempt to keep him. It has always been my contention that a platoon of Dykstra and Josh Satin at first base would be more productive than any of the seasons we ever got from Keith Hernandez offensively.

Here are some questions and answers from my interview with Allan:

I asked Dykstra, no relation to Lenny by the way, if he knew the Padres were going to select him in the first round in 2008.

“Actually, the Padres were one of the only teams that did not meet with me. Being a San Diego native and growing up in their backyard, they were the team I grew up rooting for. On the day of the draft when I received that call, I was so happy to be drafted by them and knowing I was playing for my hometown team. But obviously I learned quickly that baseball is a business and they traded me to the Mets.”

“That had to be a killer”, I said. “How did you find out… What was going through your head at the time?”

“It was unexpected. We were breaking spring training camp in 2011 on a Sunday, and at about 9:30 in the morning, the Farm Director told me, ‘We traded you. Best of luck. We thought it was a batter fit for the players involved. Tomorrow you’ll be with the Mets”’

“That was it. I was shocked and didn’t know what was happening. I din’t know how to go about it, there’s no instruction guide or handbook for when something like this happens to you. You get plane ticket for a flight in the morning and it’s goodbye and good luck.”

“I don’t mean to laugh,” I told him. “But damn… That sounds so freaking cold.”

He laughed along with me and recalled how little time he had to get to know his new teammates because it was toward the end of spring training for the Mets, and basically he got the tour of the complex and it took a few days to get his bearings straight and learn the lay of the land. “But believe me, it’s a big shock to get traded.”

“There’s a feeling of rejection, but you have to tell yourself that it’s a fresh start and make the best of the situation.”

JD – I know you’ve been blocked at first base at Triple-A, but are you ready for a new challenge?

AD – Definitely. You always want to move up and last year was a disappointment with me getting hurt. I was hoping to start there (Triple-A) this year, but I realize that’s not my decision to make. It’s like you said, there’s just so many players in the organization that all play the same position. That said, it’s something that I can’t let it bother me and I still have a job to do. I love this game, and whether it’s at Las Vegas or Binghamton, I’m still playing baseball and I’m grateful always for that.

JD – Is there a former player you’ve looked up to or even modeled your game after?

AD – When I was younger I was a big Tony Gwynn fan, but as I got older I became a big fan of Chipper Jones. Yes, I know most Met fans probably don’t want to know that, but I initially was a third baseman and a shortstop when I started playing ball and to me Chipper was the best in the game. I also loved Cal Ripken too. Those three players represented the kind of baseball player I wanted to be and were big inspirations. As far as modeling my game, it was Chipper even down to his toe-tap at the plate.

JD – You probably envisioned yourself being in the majors by now?

AD – I envisioned myself there a long time ago, but no seriously, I realize that during my first two pro seasons I didn’t meet a lot of those expectations baseball people had for me. Then I got sidetracked by injuries on top of that, but last year I really started to put up the kind of numbers I knew I was capable of. I continued to work hard and I am proud of the season I’m having now.

JD – Who is the biggest influence for you right now?

AD – Right now and for the last three seasons it’s definitely my hitting coach Luis Natera. He discussed my ups and downs with me when we first met and he really helped me understand things in a way that connected and clicked for me. He’s been a huge influence in my baseball career. I talk to him everyday and not even about baseball stuff, but my personal life too. He’s really been there for me through good times and bad. He’s not only a great coach, but he’s a great person and a great friend.

JD – Do players and coaches normally form this kind of bond at the minor league levels?

AD – I don’t really know, other than my own experience. It’s my third year with Luis Natera and when I first arrived I knew nobody and was looking to make a fresh start and he introduced himself to me and has helped and guided me ever since. He listened to me. When I was down he genuinely listened and cared and said he was going to do whatever he could to help me improve my game and my focus. And that’s exactly what he did.

(photo credit: Gordon Donovan)

The post Mets GM Praises Allan Dykstra Who Becomes A Free Agent This Winter appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Tim Lavigne played with the Binghamton Mets for five seasons (’02–’05, ’08) and amassed 36 career saves with them — a franchise record. It took Jeff Walters all of one season to make a run at that record — and he finished the task last night after picking up save number 37 on the season. In the same game, the Binghamton Mets won their 83rd game, setting a new franchise record for wins in the process.

Sticking to Walters, however, the year he is having is practically off the charts. He has made 52 appearances, finishing 51 games for the B-Mets, with 37 of them resulting in saves. Amassing a 4-3 record, he has pitched to a 2.13 ERA with a 16/58 BB/K ratio in 55.0 innings. Opposing hitters are hitting just .224 against him and he has surrendered just two longballs all season. His lefty/righty splits are solid (.221 vs .226) and he seems to have really found himself in Binghamton this season. Of course, he’s not the only one enjoying a special season for this B-Mets team.

Outside of his struggles in his last start, Noah Syndergaard has provided quality innings for this Binghamton squad with a 3.00 ERA in 54.0 innings and a gaudy 69 strikeouts.

And what would pitching be without offensive support? Cesar Puello may be on the sidelines, but his .326/.403/.547 slash helped lead the B-Mets to many wins. Sticking to the outfield, Darrell Ceciliani has quietly led the Mets organization in stolen bases with an even 30 after last night, and Cory Vaughn has had some hot streaks of his own. The oft-forgotten Allan Dykstra, who was acquired for Eddie Kunz, has been having the best year of his career for the Binghamton Mets, with 20 home runs, 79 RBI, and an OBP around .440 all season.

In short, this is the best squad the Binghamton Mets have ever fielded in their history — enjoy it while you can. I hope they steamroll the rest of the EL in the playoffs!

(Photo Credit: Gordon Donovan)

The post The B-Mets Are Dominating The Eastern League In Record-Breaking Fashion appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

I think this picture says it best, huh?

I am certain we are firmly entrenched in hopes for 2011. We are not bound by magic numbers, wild card chases, and playoff rosters. We don’t have such burdens as our Amazins’ fate was sealed long before now. So what’s next? The Mets are getting ready to do what many of us would like to do in our lives: Hit the reset button.

1. Get a GM – Fans can say what they want but this offseason may, in fact, be the most important this team has seen in years. A return to relevance is and should be the first item on Flushing’s shopping list. All indications are that GM Jon Daniels is not leaving Texas. Ouch! That was a young mind that we could’ve profited from right away. Ricco, although talented and bright also, is the equivalent to a hand puppet. Sorry. Dipoto and Byrnes are names that are picking up steam on the rumor mill. Rather than regurgitate my previous best choices for GM (you know who they are—-the law firm of Gillick & Beane), I will introduce another name or two. Since a tough guy type that can handle the NY Zoo and is unafraid to speak his mind is needed here, along with preferably having New York roots, how about Gerry Hunsicker and Sandy Alderson? If none of the six names mentioned work out, we have a great option in-house in Wayne Krivsky. We could do a lot worse.

2. Get a Manager – I think this goes without saying. I can’t even elaborate on the options at this point as the identity of this team rests more on #1 than on #2. There really isn’t anybody better for the team than Bobby Valentine. Names speculated that I haven’t heard much lately are broadcaster Ron Darling, Terry Collins, and Tony Larussa. The thought in the back of my mind is the best manager for this team is the one that makes the Wilpons uncomfortable and keeps them from complacency. Bobby V does that instantly. This team needs to be on its toes at all times in every facet. It’s high time for a new day in Flushing.

3. Be more than window shoppers – Right now, there are reports that names like K-Rod (not the most tradeable commodity right now), Beltran (not much better), Castillo (trade him for a Klondike bar), and Perez (trade him for a Bob Uecker baseball card and a Subway 6-inch) are impediments to the Mets spending any money on free agents esp. Cliff Lee. Nonsense. We may be seeing the first two on the field in ’11 and I know the Mets had to have considered that. They’re clearly not as strapped as we thought. Not spending big is the same thing as saying the season is a watch. Not one of our prospects and most of the guys on the field are enough of a difference maker to take us from 4th place to 1st place, especially without an ace. I can’t say I know where the money’s going to come from but they better spend big or we’ll be back here again next September. Guaranteed. They can’t afford not to.

4. Tie up loose ends –

• Now that we know Nick Evans is out of options, a decision has to be made with him. Do you audition him like everyone else in ST, earmark him for a bench spot or a shot at right field so he doesn’t fall on waivers, or trade him for a meager return?
• Mike Pelfrey and Jose Reyes (’11 club option) both would like extensions. K-Rod is dangling. Scott Boras will have a hand in one of these. (Beltran, Castillo, Perez, and Igarashi have expiring contracts in ’11)
• Whatever the problem/perception is with the Mets team physicians, fix it.
• Establish depth at every position and who definitively will coach on this team. Chip Hale? Bob Melvin? Dan Warthen? Sever the head of any controversy. We have enough of that already. Our team has been likened to a circus and this is no longer acceptable. (Buffalo’s pitching coach, Ricky Bones, claimed a while back to be able to do what Rick Peterson also said he could but failed to do: Turn Oliver Perez around. There are whispers that he might get that chance.) If so, expect another season of the ‘Mexican Job’ starring Oliver Perez. It’s clear if anybody’s getting jobbed, it’s us.
• Strengthen the farm and strengthen the big league team by extension. Determine what guys like Kelvim Escobar, Eddie Kunz, Jason Pridie, Omir Santos, Jesus Feliciano, and Val Pascucci will contribute here if anything. The minors can’t be full of champs but it wouldn’t hurt to limit the chumps. No more holding out for potential that may never come. (See Oliver Perez)
• Give Los Mets a break and get the best players available.

We live and breathe the Mets. They have a chance to turn from the slow death of passivity and be swift and proactive in turning around this beleaguered franchise. I hate to say it but any fan that thinks we’re close with just a few changes is not seeing things very clearly. I believe this can all be fixed in one season, maybe two, but it will take an unprecedented effort. A real, determined, concerted effort to bring home a championship and become again relevant to a league and a city that doesn’t sleep.

The post Morning Grind: The Season Finale of “Flushing Falls” appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

In an exclusive to Daily News, Adam Rubin is reporting that the Mets are expected to promote catcher Josh Thole among their September call-ups.

Catcher Josh Thole, reliever Eddie Kunz and first baseman/outfielder Nick Evans are expected to highlight the call-ups when rosters expand in September, the Daily News has learned.

On Thursday, I wrote extensively on Josh Thole and even suggested that he might be a better prospect than Fernando Martinez and Wilmer Flores based on what he has accomplished in the last three years. I wrote,

There is one player who has been grabbing my attention for a couple of years now, and that is catcher Josh Thole who has yet to crack the Mets Top 10, but I bet he gets in come November. I asked Brian Moritz, the beat writer for Binghamton, about Josh Thole back in June.

JD – What’s the story on Josh Thole? Is he the catcher of the future for the Mets and do you care to make any comparisons so we can get an idea of what to expect?

BM – Thole’s having a great, great season so far. He’s as good a hitter here as Murphy was last year, and you know my feelings on Murphy. He doesn’t have the power that Murphy did, but he’s just as good an average hitter. His defense is coming along – he’s getting better both calling the games and making the throws to second. Plus he’s got a fantastic attitude – total team-first guy, very positive attitude. I’m not good at comparisons, but just know that Thole’s going to be a very good player for a long time. 

Deciding who a top prospect is can be so speculative with a lot of guess work, hunches and not much else. I on the other hand, consider myself to be a numbers guy. If you got a top prospect, show me his numbers and prove it to me. Don’t start telling me he’s got a cannon for an arm and runs like a deer. None of that matters if you can’t get it altogether and begin to compile some impressive numbers.

I included Thole in our Mets Merized Top 10 back in November and wrote,

10. Josh Thole – Thole has an enthusiasm for the game that makes him a quick study and able to adapt at each level. He does not have any prodigious power numbers to boast of, but he gets better each year and he could be counted on for 20-25 homeruns a season in time. He is not afraid to get his uniform dirty and has shown an ability to be a leader on the field and in the clubhouse. He had a solid year at Port St. Lucie, batting .300 and earning an All Star nod at catcher.

Also, in response to a mailbag question in May I wrote,

As for Thole, he was recently converted to catcher a little over a year ago and has a way to go in refining his defensive skills before making the jump to the Majors, however he’s a quick study and has impressed. His bat has been explosive so far in AA, batting a blistering .370. In 2008, Thole had an all-star year for St. Lucie, hitting .300/.382/.427 in 347 at bats. Thole has always shown a good eye at the plate and great patience. He has 133 walks and 131 strikeouts in his minor league career. He may still be a year away, but the Mets believe in him and he looks like a keeper to me. Baseball America ranks him at 23 among Mets prospects, but I suspect he’ll soon be in the top ten if he’s not already.

Josh Thole is currently hitting .332 in 362 at-bats, and had a three-hit game for Double-A Binghamton on Friday.

I’m looking forward to see how Thole responds to the jump. I’m not sure he could join Omir Santos as the Mets catchers for the 2010 season just yet. But I am intrigued by the thought of it.

I’ve always likened Thole to a young Paul Lo Duca as a hitter. His power has been non-existent as of yet, but it will develop.

It’s interesting to note that in his last 800 at-bats (approx), Thole has six homeruns, but held a .430 slugging percentage with a .318 batting average. In comparison, Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer, also came up with no power and had just six homers with a .320 average and a .432 slugging percentage in his last 800 at-bats. Like Mauer, Thole has good speed and great first step burst which helps him to leg out a few hits. Thole has eight stolen bases this season. 

His promotion continues to give us reasons to keep watching the games and getting a glimpse into the future. If Thole continues to hit like he has in his last two minor league seasons, he may very well win himself a spot on the 2010 roster or at the very least, a real chance to win a job in spring training.

As a lefthanded hitter, he could be an excellent platoon partner for Santos and together they could form a very productive tandem at the plate.

It might be time to start thinking about a nickname for him, how about Holy Thole…

The post Mets To Bring Up Phenom Catcher Josh Thole appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Of course some of us were shocked that the mets couldn’t up that offer, and there has been plenty of debate as to whether or not trading Bobby Parnell was worth it. Of course Mets fans always place such a high premium on Mets prospects even when they don’t warrant it. The funny thing is that the Indians flat out told Omar Minaya they didn’t particularly care for any Mets relief prospects and that includes Parnell, and last year’s untouchable Eddie Kunz.

We sometimes for get you don’t make a deal by giving the other team what you want to give them. You make a deal by giving them what THEY want.

As much as we like to convince ourselves about the future greatness of Jon Niese, Fernando Martinez and Bobby Parnell, the fact of the matter is they are just not looked at the same way outside of Mets circles. It doesn’t matter how valuable we think they are. All that matters is how valuable the rest of the league thinks they are.

Getting back to the Mark DeRosa deal, it’s mind boggling when you consider how brilliant this move was from every angle you look at it. The Cardinals are such a first class operation from top to bottom.

The Cards already knew that Khalil Greene was going to be out with stress related problems. They were able to get DeRosa without getting squeezed by the Indians because everyone in the organization operates on the same page unlike the Mets. The Indians would have demanded much more if they knew the Cardinals were about to DL their third baseman. Loose lips, sink ships.

The Cardinals also stand to gain two more prospects if they decide to let Mark DeRosa walk at the end of the season. And we are not talking 5th and 6th rounders either. If DeRosa continues to rake as he has, he will be a Class A free agent. That means who ever signs him in the off season, forfeits their first round draft pick. Plus the Cardinals get a supplemental pick before the start of the second round.

So the bottom line is they get the services of a 100 RBI bat with a great clubhouse attitude and a winning mentality, and then after the season they get two top draft picks, and all that for a middle relief prospect and a player to be named later. Considering the enormous drafts the Cardinals have had in this decade, what a bonanza of riches.

Genius… I tip my hat to the Cardinals… Well played guys…

Don’t blame Omar for not trying to get DeRosa. We have no evidence to suggest he didn’t. But if you believe some of the stuff circulating out there, the Indians told Minaya that we were not a good match. In other words, they had no interest in any of our relievers, and that includes Parnell and Kunz.

Parnell will be back in the minors as soon as Maine and Perez are activated. You could put that in the bank.

The post The Cardinals Are Brilliant, Mets Not So Much appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

I guess this is a great example of that old adage, “the rich get richer and the poor get poorer”.

The Cleveland Indians have traded infielder Mark DeRosa to the St. Louis Cardinals for reliever Chris Perez and a player to be named later.

DeRosa was hitting .270 with 13 homers and 50 RBIs this season while playing several infield positions and outfield.

DeRosa goes from the Indians, who have the worst record in the American League, to the Cardinals, who are tied with Milwaukee for first place in the National League Central.

DeRosa was all smiles when they broke the news to him.

“You want to hit the rewind button here,” DeRosa said of the Indians’ disappointing season. “From a selfish standpoint, I get to battle for a division title again and I’m in a good position with a great team.”

After helping the Cubs win the division last season, he will now attempt to do the same for St. Louis while filling in at a number of positions.

Why the Mets didn’t make a move on DeRosa is a mystery to me. Especially if the major component to the deal was a reliever prospect like Perez, who turns 24, on July 1, and had a 4.18 ERA in 29 appearances.

Surely, DeRosa could have been ours with a prospect like Eddie Kunz who is thriving in the minors or Bobby Parnell who throws even harder than Perez.

No team needed a utility infielder like Mark DeRosa more than the Mets did.

It’s a terrible missed opportunity, especially when you consider how little the Cardinals had to give up for a chance to strengthen their post season hopes.

It’s a winning move that will make a huge impact, just as the Manny Ramirez trade did last year for the Dodgers.

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