Sometimes I think that the Mets truly are snake bit. Take yesterday for instance, Adam Rubin – the Mets beat reporter for E.S.P.N. New York broke the story that the Mets are considering trading first baseman Ike Davis.
Needless to say the Four Horseman Of The Apocalypse came sweeping in on their fire breathing steeds, rendering the more sensitive members of this fan base catatonic.
First off this is just a report . It is quite possible Ike may be traded to make make life easier for Lucas Duda and his suspect defense in the outfield while trying to get a young, non defensive liability, power hitting, outfielder that is cheap of contract and under team control for the long term.
Look I don’t want to see Ike traded as much as the next guy but lets face the facts – with the exception of Harvey, Wright and Dickey – nobody on the major league roster should be considered untouchable. And I will go one step further – if the Mets can’t agree on a new contracts with either Wright or Dickey they should be dealt before the ’13 season concludes in order to import players that could help immediately .
Before you start burning my image in effigy let me give some examples:
In 1978 the Mets traded beloved pitcher Jerry Koosman to the Minnesota Twins for minor league reliever, Jesse Orosco – the man who recorded the final out in the ’86 World Series.
In 1982 Frank Cashen traded matinee idol, Lee Mazzilli to the Texas Rangers for pitchers Ron Darling and Walt Terrell. Both pitchers acquit themselves well on the major league level, but Cashen deals Terrell to the Tigers for reserve third baseman, Howard Johnson (who matured into a true power hitting bat).
In 1983 the Mets traded Carlos Diaz – a decent pitcher to the Dodgers for Sid Fernandez, who was a stalwart in the Mets rotation for almost a decade.
And for my final example back in 1972 the Mets traded three of their top rookie prospects ( Ken Singleton, Tim Foli and Mike Jorgenson) to the Montreal Expos for outfielder, Rusty Staub – one of the most beloved players the teams history.
The bottom line is that it seems that Mets General Manager, Sandy Alderson is looking to improve through the trade market this coming off season. And in order to import good players you will have to deal good players in return. The days of a team “fleecing” another team for it’s good players is a thing of the past, and if Ike or Lucas – or even David Wright is dealt – well then that’s the cross we all have to bear – from ownership to the fans in order for this team to return to greatness in the near future.
And with that said…..HERE COMES THE INFAMY !!!!
Mets alumni celebrating a birthday today includes:
The radio voice of the Mets for five decades, Bob Murphy would have been 88 today (1924).
Brooklyn Dodger great, and a Mets fan favorite, Duke Snider would have been 86 today (1926).
Relief pitcher from ’85-’89, Randy Myers is 50 (1962). One has to wonder how the Mets would have fared if they didn’t deal him to the Reds for John Franco.
Mo Vaughn will be on hand for Matt Harvey’s final start of the season. So note to the Mets – KEEP THE CONCESSION STANDS UP BY SECTION 437 OPEN !!!
17 comments
Pacific NorthTex
9/19/2012-9:41am at 9:41 am (UTC -4)
Good post Rusty.
SaltyGary
9/19/2012-9:57am at 9:57 am (UTC -4)
Well I would rather see pieces traded off than another off-season of sitting on their hands hoping people will just show up and give them money to spend.
Dickey I am fine with selling him high. Wright I am still very much on the fence but I think more reasonable folks are slowly convincing me that the right move is trading him off.
This era is probably now worse for me than the early nineties. At least then it didn’t matter so much because I was in high school and was parting with my friends. I would still drive in for a couple games a year and root on Joe Orsulak and the games were still fun. There is nothing fun about watching the team just smolder to the ground right now. This has been just a miserable product since ’07.
srt
9/19/2012-10:01am at 10:01 am (UTC -4)
I agree 100% about Wright and Dickey. If they’re offered contract extensions this off season and they don’t want to sign, they have to be traded. The sooner the better for a better return. Goes w/o saying though I hope they both re-sign.
As to Ike….I’m in agreement that for the right deal, just about all should be considered trade chips. But I really hope this rumor about him definitely being on the trading block and rolling with Duda at 1st is nothing more than just a rumor.
darknova306
9/19/2012-12:22pm at 12:22 pm (UTC -4)
Relax, this rumor is just Adam Rubin “reporting” (I use that term loosely with sports writers) on something a “source” (likely in his head) told him. It’s meaningless drivel. Though, if someone in the organization actually DID say that to him, they should be fired immediately for trying to undermine the value of one of their better trade assets.
Stickguy
9/19/2012-10:38am at 10:38 am (UTC -4)
exactly the way I feel. And Salty is on point too.
Hey, Adrian Gonzelez got trades 2-3 times already. Teixara too. And Ike is far from being in their class.
so if they can turn ike into say 2 players for the future, and stay about the same at 1B, it is a win for the team.
when you have multiple holes and few valuable pieces, you have to do something to fill them.
wanny
9/19/2012-11:49am at 11:49 am (UTC -4)
i don’t disagree. but i doubt ike has enough value to fill multiple holes. more likely you can trade him for an equivalent player — a solid but flawed starter at another position.
if the front office believes in duda at 1B then it makes some sense to do that.
Stickguy
9/19/2012-11:53am at 11:53 am (UTC -4)
does not have to be a 1-1 trade. Add a few parts here and there, and make something happen!
TRS86
9/19/2012-12:17pm at 12:17 pm (UTC -4)
How about the Rockies as a potential trading partner for Davis? They need a 1B as Helton is 106 and the entire team has played 1B this year for them.
wanny
9/19/2012-12:36pm at 12:36 pm (UTC -4)
I like Kyle Parker as a prospect in that trade. But he’s still a little bit of a ways away.
TRS86
9/19/2012-12:49pm at 12:49 pm (UTC -4)
One would assume you can’t get Rosario or Fowler, unless you included a top pitcher anyway.
Anyway they would be willing to part with Rutledge so we could move Murphy out of the IF?
wanny
9/19/2012-2:31pm at 2:31 pm (UTC -4)
Why so hot on Rutledge?
Where in God’s green grass would you place Murphy on the field?
TRS86
9/19/2012-2:38pm at 2:38 pm (UTC -4)
Well if you trade Ike you can slot him at 1B or he can be a utility guy.
Why so hot for Rutledge?
.320 .374 .496 .870 in the minors
.844 OPS as a rookie with above average defense based on what I have read.
TRS86
9/19/2012-2:38pm at 2:38 pm (UTC -4)
So basically a better version of Murphy that actually plays defense, also doesn’t hurt that he is RH.
darknova306
9/19/2012-12:28pm at 12:28 pm (UTC -4)
And no, the Mets aren’t snake bit, Rusty. They’ve been Omar bit, Wilpon bit, even Selig bit, but not snake bit. The team hasn’t even hit rock bottom yet, so be patient. It’ll get worse before it gets better.
Rustyjr
9/19/2012-12:38pm at 12:38 pm (UTC -4)
Tomato/Tomahto lol
darknova306
9/19/2012-1:00pm at 1:00 pm (UTC -4)
Rotten tomahto for you, pal!
TRS86
9/19/2012-1:11pm at 1:11 pm (UTC -4)
Where I grew up we were much more civilized than that.
We had
Tomaters and Potaters.