"Does he stay - or will he go ?"
Well here we are July 31st 2011, and there is only a few hours to go before the 4:00 p.m. non waiver deadline comes and goes. There are many reports that state that Sandy Alderson and the Mets are finished dealing, the only move being shipping Carlos Beltran to the Giants for stud pitching prospect Zack Wheeler. If that is the only deal the Mets had made by the time the deadline comes and goes I’ll be content. I just hope that if there is one more trade to be made by Alderson, Angel Pagan would be part of it.
Look I have no dislike or hatred for Pagan. He has been central to many Mets wins. He has also been key to many of their losses in the past three season, whether they were fielding errors or base running blunders.
I stated before the season started that we should trade Angel while his stock was still high. He had come off his best season as a Major Leaguer, hitting .290with 11 homers and 69 RBIs in 151 games. So far he has played in 75 of the 106 games played. He is currently batting .246 with 4 homers and 38 RBIs. His OB% had dipped from .340 last season to .317 this year.
I think if Sandy is able to get a mid line prospect or a extra arm for the bullpen then he should do it. I see Angel as a fourth outfielder on a good to great team and a everyday player on a average team. I cannot see him being an everyday player for years to come at Citi Field, in fact there are rumblings that he may be non-tendered this off season because he is due a decent sized pay increase. So if the Mets do give up on him they might as well get something in return – right ?
Look I always root hard for the men who don a Met cap and Angel is no different. I want to see him succeed. But on the same token – if the Mets could flip him for a player that can do better than him I say go for it.
And with that said…. HERE COMES THE INFAMY !!!!!
Mets alumni celebrating a birthday today includes:
Middle reliever from the ’67 team, Billy Wynne is 68 (1943).
The Toronto Blue Jays claimed outfielder/pinch hitter, Lee Mazzilli of the New York Mets on waivers on July 31, 1989. Many loyal Mets fans were upset that day.
The New York Mets traded pitchers, Rick Aguilera, Dave West, Kevin Tapani, along with pitching prospects, Tim Drummond and Jack Savage to the Minnesota Twins for former Cy Young Award winner, Frank Viola on July 31, 1989. Viola pitched decently for the Mets in his 3 seasons with the Mets, but in retrospect it is a trade that then G.M, Frank Cashen should never had made.
The New York Mets traded one time Cy Young Award winning pitcher, Bret Saberhagen and minor league pitcher, David Swanson to the Colorado Rockies for pitcher, Juan Acevedo and minor league pitcher, Arnold Gooch on July 31, 1995. This was a shame about Saberhagen. He was often injured in his stint with the Mets, but for the most part he pitched well. His tenure is tarnished by the infamous incident where he squirted bleach at beat reporters from a super soaker water gun. Upon learning that he was traded to the Mets, the Gooch proceeded to beat up Arnold Drummond !
The New York Mets traded minor league pitcher, Leo Estrella to the Toronto Blue Jays for past his prime outfielder, Tony Phillips on July 31, 1998.
The New York Mets traded outfielder, Bernard Gilkey and minor league pitcher, Nelson Figueroa to the Arizona Diamondbacks for back up catcher, Jorge Fabregas and middle reliever, Willie Blair on July 31, 1998. Figgy would come back as a feel good story in the late par of the last decade.
The New York Mets traded pitcher, Bill Pulsipher to the Milwaukee Brewers for third base prospect, Mike Kinkade on July 31, 1998. Oh Pulse – what could have been if you stayed healthy !
The New York Mets traded utility man, Craig Paquette to the St. Louis Cardinals for shortstop/second baseman, Shawon Dunston on July 31, 1999. ” Brooklyn’s own” Dunston was a great pickup. He hit well down the wire, and helped the Mets get into the post season for the the first time since 1988.
The New York Mets traded outfielder, Brian McRae, middle relievers ,Rigo Beltran and Tom Johnson to the Colorado Rockies for outfielder, Darryl Hamilton and journeyman reliever, Chuck McElroy on July 31, 1999.
The New York Mets traded relief pitcher, Jason Isringhausen and Greg McMichael to the Oakland Athletics for releiver, Billy Taylor on July 31, 1999. All I can say is “UGH”! Isringhausen became one of the premier closers upon his arrival in Oakland, while Taylor was a complete bust.
The New York Mets traded pitcher, Bobby Jones, minor league outfielder, Jason Bay and minor league pitcher, Josh Reynolds to the San Diego Padres for middle relievers, Jason Middlebrook and Steve Reed on July 31, 2002. I was surprised that the Mets traded Jones at the time. He was the unsung member of that Mets rotation. And Jason Bay was a throw in in that deal. It kind of makes you wish we had kept him while he was in his prime instead of re-obtaining him last season.
The New York Mets traded outfielder, Jay Payton, middle reliever, Mark Corey and minor league outfielder, Robert Stratton to the Colorado Rockies for starting pitcher, John Thomson and reserve outfielder, Mark Little on July 31, 2002.
The New York Mets traded veteran pitcher, Scott Erickson to the Texas Rangers for minor leaguer, Josh Hoffpauir on July 31, 2004.
The New York Mets traded Outfielder, Xavier Nady to the Pittsburgh Pirates for pitchers, Oliver Perez and Roberto Hernandez on July 31, 2006. This was a desperation move by then G.M Omar Minaya.The Mets eighth inning setup man, Duaner Sanchez was involved in a car accident and was sidelined for the rest of the season. Omar gave up the clutch hitting Nady for the veteran Hernandez and the enigma that was Oliver Perez. We still vilify Omar til this day for that move !
Mo Vaughn was a guest runner during the Seventh Inning Stretch Presidential Race at Nationals Park last might. He came in dead last – the spot generally designated for Theodore Roosevelt !
8 comments
darknova
7/31/2011-2:41pm at 2:41 pm (UTC -4)
The problem with trading Pagan now is that stat line you threw out there for his 2011 season. Awful. That’s not worth even a mid-level prospect. The time to trade him was in the offseason after that deceivingly good year in 2010. If only there was a GM out there that overrates him the way many Mets fans do.
Anonymous
7/31/2011-3:09pm at 3:09 pm (UTC -4)
The only thing I’ll say is that the reports of what teams are asking for are ludacrisp for OF talent. Maybe he could fetch something good. The problem with trading him away, is who do you have to take his spot when he’s gone? Pridie, I guess. And I know the likelihood of catching the wildcard is not great, but running out an OF of Bay, Pridie, Duda is less than desirable.
JD
7/31/2011-10:59pm at 10:59 pm (UTC -4)
You’re right when you say that they won’t get anything worthwhile for trading him now. I was for the signing at the time (the money wasn’t unreasonable), but that was when he had maximum value. Today, with the injuries to Martinez and Nieuwenhuis, there’s no reason to move him if they’re not blown away (and that’s not likely). He could still be moved, but unless a contender gets hit with an injury I don’t see it happening.
Bear Man
7/31/2011-5:58pm at 5:58 pm (UTC -4)
How funny that we both thought alike today, with all the bad trades on July 31. Then again, that’s what happens when you’re a fan of the Mets, we tend to remember all the infamous days…
By the way, I propose that if the 1977 trade of Seaver was part of the Midnight Massacre, the 2006 trade that netted us Oliver Perez because Duaner Sanchez was hungry should be referred to as the Midnight Munchie-cre.
Paul J. Festa
8/1/2011-4:54pm at 4:54 pm (UTC -4)
After 2009, I thought Pagan was a fourth outfielder. After 2010, I thought Pagan was a starter. Now I’m back to “fourth outfielder.” Great athlete, just hasn’t mastered the major league game.
Paul J. Festa
8/1/2011-4:54pm at 4:54 pm (UTC -4)
After 2009, I thought Pagan was a fourth outfielder. After 2010, I thought Pagan was a starter. Now I’m back to “fourth outfielder.” Great athlete, just hasn’t mastered the major league game.
Adam "Prismo"
8/1/2011-6:47pm at 6:47 pm (UTC -4)
I know my logic is flawed, but I think having both Pagan and Murphy as starters is a serious concern because of their boneheaded mistakes on the field and on the basepaths. I think I could wrap my head around one of them making idiotic plays, but multiplying that by 2 with both of them out there is hard for me to handle.
Adam "Prismo"
8/2/2011-2:21am at 2:21 am (UTC -4)
See what I mean?