 
In this article, Uggla expects Marlins to trade him, it is again reported that because of salary and tensions that Uggla is on his way out in Florida. Should the Mets be interested?
Uggla is not a great 2B and we already have on of those. However, if you look back at his minor league record you will find that he also played 3B, 1B and OF.  The RH Uggla could for sure take LF and be comparable to Tatis, Murphy, and Sheff. Adding his stats to the lineup would satisfy the Mets need for power at a relatively discount rate of 8M. It also allows the Mets protection for Castillo and the ability to trade him if the opprotunity arises or if Carter or Fmart push for time.
68 comments
Kingman 26
9/17/2009-10:04am at 10:04 am (UTC -4)
If Uggla could feasably play LF OR 1B this would be great.
Loads of Ks, yes, but also lots of extra base hits, and his walk total has increased every year.
Would take him for second base in a second if someone wanted Slappy, or would take him for 1B or LF if there is any semblance of evidence that he can play there.
trs86
9/17/2009-10:10am at 10:10 am (UTC -4)
To me he is what I was searching for in Figgins but better for the lineup. I wanted Figgins because he can play other positions and if Castillo goes by DL or trade he can step in and play passable defense. I know Wanny will disagree what passable is.
Reyes, Castillo, Wright, Beltran, Uggla, Murphy, Frenchy, Santos does not solve world hunger but it is a start and leaves us with a lot of money for the rotation. Maybe even enough to get Lackey AND a C pitcher.
Kingman 26
9/17/2009-10:15am at 10:15 am (UTC -4)
I agree and would take Uggla first…I am not that high on Figgins….and the above lineup would be fine, plus if you go with Murph and a Santos/Thole platoon, you sure do have a load of dough for Lackey, another starter, and a setup man.
wannybackstra
9/17/2009-10:19am at 10:19 am (UTC -4)
I like Uggla for the cost-effectiveness as you say. You won’t get that kind of power for that little money anywhere else.
A scout would have to confirm his athletic ability to play LF. I think he’d be fine at 1B, although he’s a tad bit short. And if Castillo is traded — he’d be a no-brainer at 2B even though he’s pretty lousy there. His power bat more than makes up for it.
Not sure he’d be my first choice to fill any of the holes but he’s certainly a good and cost-effective option.
If getting him to play LF or 1B was the only way we could fill one of those holes and still get Lackey — then I’d be all for it. I’d rather Uggla and Lackey than Bay and a reclamation pitcher.
trs86
9/17/2009-10:24am at 10:24 am (UTC -4)
I completely agree on that. Fact is you could upgrade LF and 1B with Uggla and a reclamation guy or even your hearthrob Byrd for around 12M total.
wannybackstra
9/17/2009-10:27am at 10:27 am (UTC -4)
You’re making my heart pitter patter.
I’d be all in on Uggla at 1B and Byrd in LF if that means Lackey is on the hill behind Johan. Byrd may not hit like he does now in Texas but he’ll sure as hell be a better defensive LFer than what we’ve seen around here lately.
trs86
9/17/2009-10:37am at 10:37 am (UTC -4)
Agreed, that lineup would be sufficent to.
Reyes, Castillo, Beltran, Uggla, Wright, Byrd, Frenchy, Santos in some order.
Then like I said you still have another 16M which is enough to get Lackey you would think.
wannybackstra
9/17/2009-10:53am at 10:53 am (UTC -4)
That lineup would leave plenty of at bats for Pagan or FMart to sub in for the two righties in the corner outfield (because you know Jerry won’t stand for a lineup without flip flopping L/R unnecessarily).
I think it is a good thing to work a 4th outfielder in anyway. Keeps people fresh.
metsfan4decades
9/17/2009-10:44am at 10:44 am (UTC -4)
Agree 100%.
CaseStreet
9/17/2009-10:27am at 10:27 am (UTC -4)
Can’t agree.
He’ll cost some prospects that could be used to get Doc or a real 1B like Pena.
Uggla’s not an OFer, when we need a strong defensive OF.
I’d rather have a strong defender w/ good OBP then another Frenchy minus the defense.
wannybackstra
9/17/2009-10:31am at 10:31 am (UTC -4)
I think we’re leaning toward Uggla at 1B.
trs86
9/17/2009-10:35am at 10:35 am (UTC -4)
I am not sure which one. I think he could play OF as well as the group we had there this year. Of course I would like for all 3 of our OF to be good defenders but how often does that happen, especially in the NL?
CaseStreet
9/17/2009-10:41am at 10:41 am (UTC -4)
why, he’ll cost $8M plus prospects. If it was to play 2B, maybe but I’d rather get Johnson or trade for a real 1Bman like Pena.
Not worth it IMO
wannybackstra
9/17/2009-10:45am at 10:45 am (UTC -4)
Uggla is $2m cheaper than Pena, who will also cost prospects (maybe even moreso).
I like Johnson too. But he doesn’t help in the power department quite the same way the other two would.
CaseStreet
9/17/2009-11:10am at 11:10 am (UTC -4)
so if we’re spending prospects and money on a 1B why not do it for a real 1B not a maybe 1B?
at 2b it’s justifiable, not 1st.
i think there’ll be a big market for uggla to play 2b, so it’ll cost more in prospects.
wannybackstra
9/17/2009-11:20am at 11:20 am (UTC -4)
I’m not advocating one over the other — just offering reasons why one might happen rather than the other.
That $2m could bring in a good relief pitcher.
The real deciding factors are what each team will want for each player and whether the team is married to the idea of Murphy playing next season.
wannybackstra
9/17/2009-10:21am at 10:21 am (UTC -4)
How would you guys feel about Nick Johnson at around $6m-$8m with Murph in AAA or in a package deal for pitching or LF help?
I think Murphy’s upside is that of Johnson (offensively) but I go back and forth on whether I think he can reach it.
Kingman 26
9/17/2009-10:25am at 10:25 am (UTC -4)
I LOVE Nick Johnson for 1B and to bat second. Absolutely love it.
trs86
9/17/2009-10:30am at 10:30 am (UTC -4)
Not sold on him for 2nd and think we need him lower in the order. Unless you are going to move Reyes down. I usually like OBP guys high but we may need him to split up Wright and Frenchy if we don’t get another power hitter.
CaseStreet
9/17/2009-10:35am at 10:35 am (UTC -4)
Beltran could split Wright and Frenchy
4-5-6
trs86
9/17/2009-10:35am at 10:35 am (UTC -4)
You batting Beltran 5th? He’s our best hitter.
wannybackstra
9/17/2009-10:40am at 10:40 am (UTC -4)
David Wright disagrees as to who the team’s best hitter is.
Don’t discredit the guy who hits .920 or better OPS every year based on an aberration year and 69 great games from Beltran, who is usually an .870 type OPS guy.
wannybackstra
9/17/2009-10:40am at 10:40 am (UTC -4)
I should say 912 or better.
Wright career = 912.
Beltran career = 857.
trs86
9/17/2009-11:51am at 11:51 am (UTC -4)
I would think we can now give Beltran credit of at least being an .878 OPS. Are we for certain that Wright will rebound to his old .900 days? I hope you are right.
CaseStreet
9/17/2009-10:45am at 10:45 am (UTC -4)
interchangeable, but for the LH/RH crazies
Kingman 26
9/17/2009-10:54am at 10:54 am (UTC -4)
Wow, surprised to see you write this TRS—I respectfully must say that I think that Wright is clearly our best hitter.
His career BA is 27 pts higher and his career OBP is 30 pts higher. Slg is even 24 pts higher.
trs86
9/17/2009-11:15am at 11:15 am (UTC -4)
This season up until the injury it was clear Beltran was our best hitter.
wannybackstra
9/17/2009-11:18am at 11:18 am (UTC -4)
Because of a ridiculously hot beginning to this season?
Do you honestly expect him to have hit 50 points higher than his career average over the course of a whole season?
Kingman 26
9/17/2009-11:27am at 11:27 am (UTC -4)
No, not really–not at all actually…check out Wright’s stats for May and June…this is a strange argument to make.
wannybackstra
9/17/2009-11:33am at 11:33 am (UTC -4)
David’s May and June were monstrous.
trs86
9/17/2009-11:38am at 11:38 am (UTC -4)
No, again I think they are both great hitters. I however would not bat Beltran 5th. Hell I would not bat Wright 5th either but somehow he has ended up there.
Better question, do you expect Beltran to slide as much as you expect Wright’s power to return?
trs86
9/17/2009-11:43am at 11:43 am (UTC -4)
If you look at their April and May stats they were both very similar so yeah they were both good. IF I had my choice and Reyes was not going to bat 3rd then I would go
Reyes, Castillo, Wright, Betlran, Frenchy, Murhpy, Pagan, Santos. I think Wright’s high OBP and lack of power fit better in the 3rd spot than 4th or 5th. Honestly they are like Keith numbers on steroids of course.
trs86
9/17/2009-10:25am at 10:25 am (UTC -4)
Will Nick be healthy? If so I am fine with him playing 1B and trying to get an Uggla or even trading for Crawford for LF. Crawford and Johnson would cost 16 out of our 28 though so no Lackey that way I guess.
wannybackstra
9/17/2009-10:30am at 10:30 am (UTC -4)
Maybe we’d shave at least a couple of bucks in the trade to Tampa Bay — not sure where, though. They need Slappy Castillo like a hole in the head.
While we’re trading in the division for Uggla, maybe we can pry Javier Vasquez from Atlanta (and really they shouldn’t be trading that guy to accomodate the perenially injured Tim Hudson and the medioce Kenshin Kawakami).
trs86
9/17/2009-10:33am at 10:33 am (UTC -4)
I really don’t see that one happening. I would have loved Vasquez when that trade went down but I don’t see us getting him now. I don’t imagine TB would take on any salary IF they delt Crawford and still think it is MUCH more likely they deal Pena and I would still love to bring Pena in to play 1B next year. One year contract with lots of potential and not a terrible price.
wannybackstra
9/17/2009-10:48am at 10:48 am (UTC -4)
I think it is more likely that Pena gets traded than Crawford too.
Uggla might be a cheaper alternative at 1B than Pena in terms of the $2m in savings and in the prospects required for the deal (who knows on the latter).
I’d definitely take Pena over our current 1B… that’s for sure. I wonder what TB woul dneed in the deal, however. I’m not sure we’d match up with them as well as Florida. Florida typically trades for the distant future. TB may want to trade for something to help them make the playoffs next year. We don’t have anyone on the horizon other than Ike Davis, who may wind up being the 1B in 2011 regardless of who we play at 1B in 2010.
trs86
9/17/2009-11:17am at 11:17 am (UTC -4)
I would think TB would want the entire contract taken fist. If that happens then I would expect them to be bullpen shopping and maybe a guy who could slot into the OF.
wannybackstra
9/17/2009-11:33am at 11:33 am (UTC -4)
Well, we certainly don’t have an abundance of either unless they like Angel Pagan and Bobby Parnell.
trs86
9/17/2009-11:36am at 11:36 am (UTC -4)
I actually think Parnell, Reed and a B prospect would do it easily. They need that 10M and know he won’t resign.
wannybackstra
9/17/2009-11:42am at 11:42 am (UTC -4)
I don’t know how easily. I would think other teams might be interested too.
Let’s face it. Parnell has sucked pretty bad this year and doesn’t look like a major league pitcher yet.
Reed is a 5th outfielder — a dime a dozen.
Someone else might offer a real prospect for Pena.
trs86
9/17/2009-11:47am at 11:47 am (UTC -4)
How interested will other teams be to pay a 1B 10M that hit .227 this year after hitting .247 the year before. He has managed to keep his OPS up but Krate is flying out of control. I like him because he gives us the power that Delgado did. However, whoelse will be willing to pay him that and trade prospects?
wannybackstra
9/17/2009-11:51am at 11:51 am (UTC -4)
I’m certain other GMs out there can look past the batting average and note that his .355 OBP is quite acceptable given his excellent power and top notch defense. And $10m really is not all that much for 30 HR, 100 RBI and defense.
Do you think Omar smarter than other GMs?
Do you even think Omar has Pena on his radar given his BA?
trs86
9/17/2009-12:02pm at 12:02 pm (UTC -4)
But you also have to look at the market Wanny.
Lets dig a little.
Who needs a 1B and can afford him?
Giants, uhm, Mets, Braves I expect to resign LaRoche for less, help me here.
wannybackstra
9/17/2009-12:15pm at 12:15 pm (UTC -4)
I have no idea who can afford whom. And I have little doubt that neither do you. Afterall, did you predict Atlanta would swoop in and sign Derek Lowe for $16m? Or that Washington had $20m for Adam Dunn?
All I’m saying is that relative to his peers, Pena is a good value.
And lots of teams could use a power hitting 1B.
Oakland (who was willing to pay Frank Thomas of all people).
Atlanta.
Texas.
Maybe even Boston (Varitek will finally be gone and Martinez will presumably catch full time).
San Fran (they have the money if they choose to spend it and many are speculating that they have interest in Fielder who will cost even more than Pena long-term).
LA (plenty of money and have to be down on Loney’s development)
Milwaukee (if they trade Fielder)
Anaheim (Morales to replace Guerrero at DH or play LF)
Washington
Baltimore
Cleveland
That’s 11 teams that might possibly have interest. Who knows if there are others. Maybe KC decides to ste up to the plate and help Greinke with a good value guy on a short commitment. Anything can happen — especially if they are willing to give him away as you suggest.
trs86
9/17/2009-12:45pm at 12:45 pm (UTC -4)
Nevermind.
wannybackstra
9/17/2009-2:05pm at 2:05 pm (UTC -4)
Nevermind why? Because I think more teams might be interested than you?
This is just like your abandonment of your Beltran is the Mets best hitter argument. Just admit you might be wrong.
trs86
9/17/2009-2:13pm at 2:13 pm (UTC -4)
Wanny isn’t it pointless. Of course I may be wrong. I am wrong quite frequently. I try and do a lot of research as do you. I disagree on how many teams will be on the market for Pena. Based on what teams NORMALLY do I don’t see a lot of interest. You do. So we move on.
Could I be wrong that Beltran was the Mets best hitter when he went down? Yes. Their stats were very similar. Do you know that Wright will rebound to an OPS above .900? Nope. So we move on.
wannybackstra
9/17/2009-2:25pm at 2:25 pm (UTC -4)
I see you’ve changed your point on the Beltran discussion. To that.. nevermind.
But don’t “nevermind” me after I’ve responded to your own question.
Don’t ask the question if the answer will bunch your panties.
I guess at this point I’ll just either agree with you or move on to another discussion. And we’ll see how “easily” the Mets acquire Carlos Pena for junk in time.
trs86
9/17/2009-2:33pm at 2:33 pm (UTC -4)
My point is Wanny that both you and I are stubborned as hell. We would never change our mind based on what either of us said. We have different opinions here and of course ANYTHING in baseball could happen. If I wanted I could take your list of teams and tell you exactly why I think they would NOT pay 10M and trade a prospect for Pena. Who would be right? Most likely neither.
As for the Beltran comment, I hope I am wrong but I don’t see Wright rebounding to a .900+ OPS next year. I see it about where Beltran was in 2007 and 2008 around .880. MAN I hope I am wrong.
My point to the nevermind is when we get started we take up the entire board and it can’t be pleasant to read. Neither of us are going to give so I am just trying to move on. Everyone on here knows where we stand and I am sure we know where each other stands.
CaseStreet
9/17/2009-10:32am at 10:32 am (UTC -4)
I’d do it in a heart beat. Strong defender and gets on base. Keith once said he believes Johnson is a 3 hitter.
steveo
9/17/2009-10:22am at 10:22 am (UTC -4)
I think the marlins are going to be looking for allot for uggla and that they have moved past trading a guy like that to a division rival he. Probabley. He’ll go to the dodgers since they have the ponys to trade and the need for power at 2nd base next year plus there was a rumor about the 2 during spring training.
Kingman 26
9/17/2009-10:24am at 10:24 am (UTC -4)
We have made trades with the Marlins, Nats, and recently with the Braves….being in the division should not matter; the Marlins ownership is about one thing—spending very little money.
trs86
9/17/2009-10:29am at 10:29 am (UTC -4)
Agreed, it’s very possible that we can match up. How much would the Dodgers be willing to give in a trade to turn around and pay him what they are paying Hudson this year?
steveo
9/17/2009-10:36am at 10:36 am (UTC -4)
I don’t think we care about trading in the division but who do we send to the marlins ? Plus the marlins and the money thing won’t add up they have a new stadium in 11 they are going to try to fill I say try to fill laughing but any way the dodgers have this kid who’s name slips me who’s started last at third base who’s been rumored to be on the marlins wish list for some time
trs86
9/17/2009-10:39am at 10:39 am (UTC -4)
I am sure the Marlins would not turn down a package with Fmart for Uggla.
wannybackstra
9/17/2009-10:43am at 10:43 am (UTC -4)
Yeah, I don’t see any reason the Mets can’t get Uggla in a trade. I’m sure they can get him for a package that does not include F-Mart.
At the same time, I’m sure another team can do it too.
Kingman 26
9/17/2009-10:29am at 10:29 am (UTC -4)
And the Dodgers will almost surely try to re-sign the King of Grit, Orlando “Superman” Hudson.
steveo
9/17/2009-10:41am at 10:41 am (UTC -4)
You know I live here out west and the talk radio peps aren’t to high on mr hudson and sounds like the boys in blue won’t be offering him anything significant next year
Kingman 26
9/17/2009-10:58am at 10:58 am (UTC -4)
Interesting info; thanks for that–did not realize that is what folks were thinking about him out there….
And I was joking about his nicknames…not sure if you were on Metsblog last winter when people were acting like if we signed Hudson, we would win about 120 games…some people seemed to think he was a cross of Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson, and Joe Morgan.
steveo
9/17/2009-11:08am at 11:08 am (UTC -4)
The funny thing out here is how beliard has become the new hero out here, dodger fans just not doing there homework
steveo
9/17/2009-10:46am at 10:46 am (UTC -4)
Blake dewit is the guy – was thinking of
CaseStreet
9/17/2009-11:42am at 11:42 am (UTC -4)
My priorities:
SP – Lackey, Bedard, Harden, Marquis, Wolf
LF – Figgins, Crawford, Byrd
1B – Johnson, Branyan, LaRoche
C – Barajas
trs86
9/17/2009-11:48am at 11:48 am (UTC -4)
Confused, so are you saying you would ideal want Lackey, Figgins, Johnson and Barajas? Sounds great, of course we could not afford it.
What about Bay and Holiday, they did not make the cut?
CaseStreet
9/17/2009-12:50pm at 12:50 pm (UTC -4)
No, I’m saying top priority is SP. Start w/ Lackey, if not move to the next guy until you have a SP.
Next priority is LF, start w/ Figgins. You get the idea.
Holliday and Bay quite possible won’t make it to FA. If we had only LF to fill, sure go all in. But we have many gaping holes, so I’d pass on Holliday or Bay.
stickguy
9/17/2009-2:57pm at 2:57 pm (UTC -4)
I vote to have TRS and Wanny fill on on PTI if the regular guys need a break. Should be fun.
CaseStreet
9/17/2009-3:03pm at 3:03 pm (UTC -4)
lol, maybe you guys should do a weekly podcast together. Would be quite interesting.
trs86
9/17/2009-3:11pm at 3:11 pm (UTC -4)
You know it might be. That is why I hunted him down to get him on here. I knew it would result in 1,000′s of comments…. daily.
CaseStreet
9/17/2009-3:23pm at 3:23 pm (UTC -4)
seriously, though, I hope that over the winter we can grow this mother…and start kicking some butt
there’s lots of talent and commitment here