According to Mets Paradise’s Brandon Lee, who has “a friend who is connected to the Mets front office”:
“Talks between the Mets and Mariners have begun to heat up. Today the Mets signed catcher Michael Barrett to a minor league deal, and the Mariners made room on their roster for another catcher, Josh Bard. Doesn’t mean anything definite, but it is interesting news. A source tells Mets Paradise that the Mets have offered Fernando Martinez, Josh Thole and Bobby Parnell for Cliff Lee.”
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Certainly very interesting if true, and borderline believable. Certainly as believable as anything published by Heyman, Olney, or Rosenthal, who probably don’t have friends in the Mets front office.
An interesting package. The Mariners surely need catching and outfield prospects, and the new-look Parnell is increasing his value every time out.
Would this be enough for Lee? Sure would if the Mariners have decided on trading him and other offers are meager.
While he does not look like the next Johnny Bench, Thole appears to very possibly be a catcher who will hit at the MLB level. FMart is still loaded with potential. And Parnell’s arm will always make him desirable.
If this package is for real, let’s hope the Mariners take it. It’s worth renting Lee if this is the price. And remember, when Mike Hampton left after helping us get to our only WS since 1986 we received a draft pick when he left. That draft pick was used to select David Wright.
21 comments
metsfan4decades
6/29/2010-10:40pm at 10:40 pm (UTC -4)
Interesting….
After tonight’s game, it should be evident to all we need another SP – outside of the organization. We have no depth – and no, Maine and Ollie don’t count. We’re one injury away from disaster. And Taka…nice story but I’d rather see him back in the BP. Especially if Jerry is going to continue using the BP like he did tonight.
I would make that deal…if it’s true.
prismo
6/29/2010-10:42pm at 10:42 pm (UTC -4)
It’s actually potentially a good trade for both sides.
Mariners get a ML ready reliever in Parnell (could become starter again), a borderline ready catcher in Thole, and a borderline ready outfielder in FMart (who has tons of upside).
Mets get Lee as a starter, and Taka replaces Parnell in the pen.
dirtysanchez
6/29/2010-10:47pm at 10:47 pm (UTC -4)
Well, lets hope fmart finally helps us out.
If this nets us lee, it will be awesome. Ill admit that it appears taka is running out of gas here…4 good starts and 4 bad. I hope omar is working the phone
stickguy
6/29/2010-11:01pm at 11:01 pm (UTC -4)
if this is the deal (and I suspect that barrett was signed to replace thole), they better work hard on getting another arm for the pen. And taka just replaces valdes as the 2nd lefty.
wont do much to add lee if the pen is just going to melt down again.
still a lot to give up, since F Mart still has a ton of potential, and I think Thole is going to be a good one.
I wonder if they think another C in the minors (nickeas and gruenear(sp?) have actually looked OK) is not too far away, or they just aren’t worrying past this season?
For this much cost (way more than they gave up for santana), Lee better go 15-0 and carry them through the playoffs, or it likely means bye bye Omar. And of course Jerry.
Oh, and work like hell to get a couple more pen arms, or it won’t make a damn bit of difference who is in the rotation.
Kingman 26
6/29/2010-11:05pm at 11:05 pm (UTC -4)
Think 1984 Rick Sutcliffe for the regular season.
Then 2009 Cliff Lee for the postseason.
Mr North Jersey
6/29/2010-11:03pm at 11:03 pm (UTC -4)
It would be nice if true but I can’t get too excited over a blog post citing a friend who is connected that heard something.
That is like 3 times removed of who the heck knows.
GravediggerHebner
6/29/2010-11:22pm at 11:22 pm (UTC -4)
All I can say is I subscribe to the “you’ve got to give to get” philosophy and when I read those names I felt queasy apprehension, sort of first-date ish if you will, so I guess that offer qualifies by my standards of giving.
stickguy
6/29/2010-11:53pm at 11:53 pm (UTC -4)
well, at least my real favorites (havens and Kirk N) would still be around.
and there are always other hot prospects showing up to pique or interest.
CaseStreet
6/30/2010-1:47am at 1:47 am (UTC -4)
great description, mostly because of F-Mart who is still so young and with tons of upside.
I know we have to get Lee but I really hope we don’t have to give up F-Mart.
metsfan4decades
6/29/2010-11:31pm at 11:31 pm (UTC -4)
So….On Sports Night, Lee was quoted as saying he definitely has preferences on where he’d like to be traded to but since it won’t be his choice, he’s not sharing those preferences. Says it’s pointless…
asod75
6/29/2010-11:45pm at 11:45 pm (UTC -4)
I actually like this trade. Like all three players, but if they can get Lee without giving up Mejia or Wilmer Flores, I say do it. I believe Flores will be a better player than F-Mart when it’s all said and done. Thole’s a nice player, but he’s got little power and his defense is a question mark. The guy I’d actually miss most is Parnell. He’s got great stuff and has been excellent since his call-up. Still, I’d do it. Would the Mariners?
stickguy
6/29/2010-11:46pm at 11:46 pm (UTC -4)
thinking about it, of the 3 names mentioned, Parnell might be the most upsetting at the moment. Thole will (soon) cause regret, but I don’t trust the pen enough (or omar to beef it up maybe) to lose him now.
The 3rd guy would need to be a minors guy. Say Gee, stoner. Some B level SP type.
asod75
6/29/2010-11:50pm at 11:50 pm (UTC -4)
Maybe even a guy like Mark Cohoon might interest Seattle. He dominated the Sally League before jumping a level and starting the other night for Binghamton.
stickguy
6/29/2010-11:54pm at 11:54 pm (UTC -4)
if parnell comes out of the deal, it starts bothering me less.
stickguy
6/30/2010-12:01am at 12:01 am (UTC -4)
I think I figured out why so many fans are reluctant to make the trade for Lee. Not that the prospects are going to all become stars next year (we know that most prospects never do).
The reason is that Met fans have a fatalistic attitude, and are conditioned to expect the worst. So, they get lee, and he will either suck (see, baerga) or just get hurt!
Probably most of the No votes on this deal would change to yes if you guaranteed a WS appearance, regardless of what the guys traded away ended up doing (OK, that isn’t true, if some of them turn into studs, they will still complain).
But man, if they do the deal and miss the playoffs, it will really get ugly! And almost definitely lead to Omar leaving. With a slightly depleted farm system.
Kingman 26
6/30/2010-12:04am at 12:04 am (UTC -4)
Nah, I just don’t want to give Lee a Johan deal, and I don’t want to give away Ike, Niese, or FMart AND Mejia.
I think Lee is awesome right now, but I definitely don’t think he will be in 3-4 years.
If we get Lee for the above package, I think it will have been a worthwhile gamble regardless of what happens.
asod75
6/30/2010-12:08am at 12:08 am (UTC -4)
Indeed, keeping Mejia and Flores is a win as far as I’m concerned….Just hope Parnell can be subbed out somehow.
gategem
6/30/2010-12:35am at 12:35 am (UTC -4)
There was an article a few weeks back in the print version of Newsday where Flores was labeled as an untouchable. In fact the article went on to say that the Mets envisioned moving Flores to the outfield as the future centerfielder for this team.
stickguy
6/30/2010-12:20am at 12:20 am (UTC -4)
I do agree that this needs to be a rental, and hope for the picks.
Hard to see them opening the vault for another SP, and potentially be paying 45-50mill/year to a couple of guys on the downhill slide (or worse).
If they get him, I will get excited about it, hope for a post season run, and worry about the prospects later (actually, I will stop worrying about them, because at that point, it will be too late).
And if they still have Havens and Kirk getting ready for 2011 (havens) and 2012 (kirk), then I will trust them to find a catcher someplace.
Oh, I still dont want frenchy back next year, just because they lost F Mart!
CaseStreet
6/30/2010-1:55am at 1:55 am (UTC -4)
I know circumstances change but Omar has been holding onto F-Mart like he was the last coke on a deserted island. So I find it suspect that Omar would include F-Mart in a deal for a rental when he hasn’t traded him for guys with longer contracts. Also, though, as Tim Dierkes on MLBTR noted this morning, F-Mart has been injured and isn’t hitting very well this year. Meaning that even if the package is true, the M’s might not think it’s the best offer on the table.
youngvalerawest
6/30/2010-1:51pm at 1:51 pm (UTC -4)
This deal would be a no-brainer.
To address some of the points discussed above, it is possible that Omar has reached his limit in his patience with F-Mart to stay healthy. With a real chance at winning the NL, he might be appropriately willing to roll the dice.
We will likely not ever regret trading Thole. Sure, he might end up a decent hitter for average. But he’s not a good defensive catcher and he has little power.
Parnell has never been real good. He throws hard. That’s it. Does he have a chance to develop into a good reliever? Yes. But so what if he does. You trade a relief prospect every time in a deal for a difference maker.