Here are some reactions to today’s announcement of the Gary Matthew Jr trade.
Ted Berg - Tedquarters.com
“Make no mistake: This is a deal of a seventh reliever for a fifth outfielder. That’s nothing. This means very little in the grand scheme of things.
But it’s frustrating and a little frightening because it shows, once again, how the Mets seem to judge talent in a way that departs so severely from the stats they should now have at their disposal, then overpay to acquire that talent.”
Matt Cerrone – MetsBlog.com
“To me, I don’t understand how that, plus giving up a pitcher, is better than, say, re-signing a guy like Jeremy Reed, who just signed a minor-league deal with the Blue Jays.”
Mike Silva – NYBaseballdigest.com
“I actually think this is a smart move by Omar Minaya because Matthews has some pop, can steal a base, and can play some defense. Statistically he was bad in 2009 in most counts, but there is a positive history. Sure, there are the steroid allegations in the Mitchell Report, but no one is expecting Matthews to hit 20 homers and start every day.”
David Brown – Big League Stew
“Why wouldn’t Minaya go out and sign a cheap free agent — Jim Edmonds(notes), Gabe Gross(notes), someone — or rather than trading an asset for Matthews?”
Anthony De Rosa – Hotfootblog.com
“I don’t really understand the purpose of this deal. Matthews is a poor outfielder with bad knees and a bad bat. The Mets didn’t give up much in Stokes, and only owe Matthews 2 million. If the Mets are looking for insurance with Beltran out, Matthews is not the guy to provide it.”
James Kwasnik - The LoHud Mets Blog
“Still, even when Beltran comes back, the Mets will have a solid backup to give Jeff Francoeur and Jason Bay days off.”
Jeremiah Graves – BleacherReport.com
“The move appears to be a knee-jerk reaction by the Mets who possess internal options in Angel Pagan and Fernando Martinez.
Additionally, if the club is that worried, it would be better off signing someone like Johnny Damon who can still hit the ball and can play mediocre defense just as well as Matthews can.”
Ed Ryan – MetsFever
“Even without a follow-up move this deal makes sense to ensure center is covered until Beltran returns, I’d rather have Matthews then the group of back-up center fielders I mentioned the other day, of which only Reed Johnson and Alfredo Amegaza ( who’s just starting to run) are left…”
Joe D – Metsmerizedonline.com
“It’s a good move and gives the Mets a strong backup to Angel Pagan who will start while Beltran is out. It also keeps F-Mart in the minors, where he belongs.”
31 comments
wannybackstra
1/22/2010-3:47pm at 3:47 pm (UTC -4)
JoeD plagiarized me.
Matt once again reads like Yogi Berra. Holy freaking comma, man. Stop writing like you speak. It sounds as if he speaks into a dictation machine and then has a direct transcription.
Bleacherreport ignores the fact that Johnny Damon is not cheap and may not want to come here without a clear role once Beltran returns. Also, he’s need a cut off man half way up CF.
Whatever Big League Stew is, does not seem to recall that Jim Edmonds is washed up.
Ted Berg’s take is also reasonable and probably closest to my feelings, though I’m not really sure where he’s going with the talent evaluation comment (and I don’t care to read to find out). My guess is that he’s over estimating Stokes’s talent.
Mike Silva, as Grave discussed before, seems reasonable, if not a bit optimistic.
metsfan4decades
1/22/2010-4:58pm at 4:58 pm (UTC -4)
No, he readily admits Met fans, himself included in the past, over valued Stokes. His whole problem with this is summed up in part of his post:
The Mets needed someone to back up Pagan, and so they went out and got a player who, in their eyes, has proven he can play center field at the Major League level.
And that’s the issue here: Gary Matthews Jr. has spent the last three seasons proving that he cannot play center field at the Major League level.
Both UZR and plus/minus say Matthews has been a significantly below average defensive outfielder since joining the Angels in 2007.
Of course the talent evaluators the Mets employ apparently disagree with those imperfect but valuable tools, and here’s hoping they’re right.
wannybackstra
1/22/2010-5:01pm at 5:01 pm (UTC -4)
Thanks for the clafification, M4D.
wannybackstra
1/22/2010-5:03pm at 5:03 pm (UTC -4)
And to “clafify” my post, I should now thank you for the clarification.
metsfan4decades
1/22/2010-6:11pm at 6:11 pm (UTC -4)
LOL.
Here’s hoping they make another move over the next few days b/c I’m already tired of reading about this one.
trs86
1/22/2010-11:10pm at 11:10 pm (UTC -4)
UZR does not have him as a significantly below average CF every year with the Angels. 2008 he was magically above average.
GravediggerHebner
1/22/2010-3:47pm at 3:47 pm (UTC -4)
“Keepin’ it Real” I see Mr. NJ. Yup this pretty much sums it up. Different baseball fans who value different baseball assets differently have differing opinions on the trade of a relief pitcher for a back up OF. And different forums in which to share them, which you just brought together nicely sir, kudos.
Mr North Jersey
1/22/2010-3:59pm at 3:59 pm (UTC -4)
Agreed Grave, I just wish more can see it as that rather than just a knee jerk reaction to anything Minaya does.
GravediggerHebner
1/22/2010-4:06pm at 4:06 pm (UTC -4)
Well we have here alone over 400 comments that run the gamut so if anything I guess we should take pride that no aspect of it was left uncovered. I don’t think in all the comments here we missed any aspect of it that the bloggers you quote above covered. TRDMB = the melting pot of Met fan interaction. Now if you’ll excuse me I have to walk the dog. And no, that’s not a euphemism for something, I really have to walk the dog.
Mr North Jersey
1/22/2010-5:01pm at 5:01 pm (UTC -4)
On that we can both definitely agree on.
oleosmirf
1/22/2010-3:53pm at 3:53 pm (UTC -4)
i think this a very smart move by Omar. Pagan and Martinez mosty likely will get hurt again and some scrub like Jeremy Reed or Corey Sullivan are nothing more than AAAA players.
Sure Matthews is not a great player but unlike the other options he is actually a major league caliber player who can step in at any time and be capable of producing.
Stokes is our 2nd to last guy out of the bullpen and is easily replaceable. no problem losing him…
wannybackstra
1/22/2010-3:59pm at 3:59 pm (UTC -4)
Rob Neyer’s blog rips the move and in the process somehow adds credence to the ramblings of the Mattsblog mad man:
http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/2128/mets-pick-up-vital-fifth-outfielder
GravediggerHebner
1/22/2010-4:07pm at 4:07 pm (UTC -4)
Those mainstream dudes gotta stick together.
saltygary
1/22/2010-4:25pm at 4:25 pm (UTC -4)
Rob Neyer rarely has anything good to say about the Mets. HE is good about being realistic about their situation but always trashes a trade. He’s just a jaded Royals fan and wishes all of baseball were small market teams.
jaydh
1/22/2010-4:12pm at 4:12 pm (UTC -4)
My main issue with this deal has nothing to do with Stokes. I could care less that he is gone. It’s that we bailed the Angels out of a problem without giving up one of our own,more specifically Castillo. I mean, couldn’t the Angels have sent less money and at least have taken Castillo along with Stokes; or at the very least send some sort of prospect in the deal. GMJ was worthless to them, i dont care if they are paying most of his contract. We basically bailed the Angels out.
jaydh
1/22/2010-4:15pm at 4:15 pm (UTC -4)
And to go further on that, if Omar really wants Hudson, why can’t he do the same with Castillo? Eat most of his salary to get him the hell off the roster? It’s frustrating.
oleosmirf
1/22/2010-4:19pm at 4:19 pm (UTC -4)
the Mets have never been desperate to dump Castillo. If they really wanted him gone they would have done it already…
jaydh
1/22/2010-4:25pm at 4:25 pm (UTC -4)
i dont agree with that. I dont think its anything new that Omar covets Hudson and wants to move Castillo.
oleosmirf
1/22/2010-4:34pm at 4:34 pm (UTC -4)
all he would have to do is just flat out eat the contract. if they really coveted hudson that much they would make the move already…
jaydh
1/22/2010-4:36pm at 4:36 pm (UTC -4)
thats the point. the angels are willing to eat the contract of GMJ to get him off the roster to improve their team. Omar never eats a bad contract.
oleosmirf
1/22/2010-4:40pm at 4:40 pm (UTC -4)
but if Omar truly felt that it was such a significant upgrade then he should have no problem eating it…
GravediggerHebner
1/22/2010-4:42pm at 4:42 pm (UTC -4)
I think that’s a fair criticism, I certainly can’t point to any “Omar eats mistake” moment to contradict you.
Jaydh if you’re still here I have kind of an unrelated question for you.
I noticed you had commented in a thread on MLBTR last night and one of the topics of the original post had to do with the Mets interest in John Smoltz and resulting need to move John Maine to the bullpen or in a trade.
In Mets previous “interest in pitcher” stories I’d never heard anything about need to move Maine. Can you shed any light on that?
jaydh
1/22/2010-4:50pm at 4:50 pm (UTC -4)
I didn’t get the relation of signing Smoltz leading to move Maine either. I mean, we basically have 4 locks for the rotation at the moment in Santana, Pelf, Maine and Ollie. Then we have some other capable starters in Misch, Nieve, and Niese(although he will most likely be in AAA due to his injury). I dont really count Parnell as a starter even though he has the endurance for it. The only way I can see them moving Maine out of the rotation or in a trade is if we acquire both Smoltz and Sheets. Smoltz is rumored to want to start, so in that instance I can see the point but I would rather rely on Maine over Smoltz as a starter. I would love to see Smoltz in a long man role.
GravediggerHebner
1/22/2010-4:57pm at 4:57 pm (UTC -4)
Yes I agree, when I read that all I could think it meant was that the Mets would be acquiring two pitchers, otherwise it made no sense to me. Thanks.
wannybackstra
1/22/2010-5:08pm at 5:08 pm (UTC -4)
I think either of Maine or Smoltz would be great in the 8th inning role but I trust Maine more (which isn’t saying much) as a starter. And at least Smoltz has proven he can pitch in late inning pressure situations.
trs86
1/22/2010-11:16pm at 11:16 pm (UTC -4)
Sure they maybe could have. But lets look at it.
Say the Angels would have taken Castillo and paid us 10 to go with Matthews. We would have then had to pay Matthews 13M instead of 2 million just to get rid of Castillo. If you want Castillo gone that bad then just release him, same amount of money lost.
oleosmirf
1/22/2010-4:17pm at 4:17 pm (UTC -4)
i just dont see how Cerrone says Reed and/or Sullivan are equal to Matthews Jr.
Sure his numbers the last 2 seasons were not great but still he’s capable of being an everyday player and can also drive the ball. Matthews also is only a few years removed from being an All Star so hes proved he can be productive at the MLB level. Reed and Sullivan have yet to establish themselves as anything more than defensive replacements/pinch runners.
With Beltran out and Pagan/Martinez both extremely injury prone we need someone who can step in and play and actually do something productive…
CaseStreet
1/22/2010-4:58pm at 4:58 pm (UTC -4)
would trading for Willy Taveras or Felix Pie been better? What would it have cost?
GravediggerHebner
1/22/2010-5:56pm at 5:56 pm (UTC -4)
I have no comment at all on Taveras, I do vaguely (sorry I can’t be specific) recall reading about potential trade proposals involving Felix Pie and in all of them the O’s considered him to be a piece of incredible value and upside and based on my own interpretations of what I’ve read they would require way more than something Stokes-ish to get him. Whatever that’s worth and about 4 bucks might get you a cup of joe. Glad I could help.
rustyjr
1/22/2010-6:02pm at 6:02 pm (UTC -4)
i thought you meant frank taveras – sorry
trs86
1/22/2010-11:19pm at 11:19 pm (UTC -4)
.240 .275 .285 .559 Taveras. Cost 4 million.
Pie still cost a much better player than Stokes.