I admit it – I am torn when it comes to the debate whether to re-sign or trade Cy Young Award winning pitcher Robert Allen Dickey.
First off a little bit of back story. When I first learned of Omar Minaya’s signing of Dickey I decried it essentially as a scrap heap pick up. Dickey wasn’t even a has been – he was a never was. So I held out little optimism when he made his first start for the Mets against the Washington Nationals midway through the ’10 season.
Well Dickey got off to a quick 6-0 start and I became hooked with the knuckleballer who seemed to come out of nowhere. Dickey quickly became one of my all-time favorite players. He is not your typical ballplayer. Instead of a having a bloated ego he is very humble. He is always kind enough to talk to fans and bloggers alike . He is a bulldog when on the mound – not wanting to leave the game unless he knows that he is totally spent. In essence he is the type of pitcher that the Mets haven’t had in almost 2 decades.
But I can also see why he should be traded if a contract extension cannot be reached between his agent and Sandy Alderson. If there is a unbreakable stalemate in terms of years or dollars between the two sides – and the Mets are made an offer that they cannot refuse for Dickey (one that includes a power hitting outfielder or catcher – possibly both) then you pull the trigger. If an agreement on a contract extension is reached between both sides – whether it is for a 2- or 3-year extension with reasonable financial raises then that’s great also. The bottom line is that the Mets need to get something in return for Dickey if he is not signed.
Alderson cannot allow the Jose Reyes off-season circus of last season to manifest itself this off-season. I admit that I hate seeing the better players on this roster leave via a trade, but sometimes it is a good thing. Case in point: back in 1981 – then-Mets G.M. Frank Cashen traded fan favorite and All Star player, Lee Mazilli to the Texas Rangers for pitching prospects Ron Darling and Walt Terrell. Both pitchers ended up pitching well for the Mets, and Terrell was dealt to the Tigers for one of the better third basemen in Mets history (Howard Johnson). Within three years of the Mazzilli trade the Mets went from the bottom feeders of the National League to a powerhouse.
I am not saying that by dealing Dickey the Mets will automatically become world beaters, but it is possible that they may fill some glaring holes.
Either way to be a Mets fan right now is tough, and hopefully Dickey will be retained, but if he isn’t I hope Alderson will at the very least get a handsome return on him if he is dealt.
And with that said… HERE COMES THE INFAMY !!!!!
Mets alumni celebrating a birthday today include:
The first pitcher to start a game for the Mets, Jay Hook is 76 (1936).
Mets reliever from ’67-’70, Cal Koonce would have been 72 today (1940) .
Mets outfielder from ’77-’80, Steve Henderson is 60 (1952).
Outfielder from the ’09 season, Gary Sheffield is 44 (1968).
Middle reliever from the ’99 season, Allen Watson is 42 (1970).
Middle reliever from the ’08 season, Matt Wise is 37 (1975).
Sadly on this date in 1995, original Mets infielder Charlie Neal passed away.
The New York Mets traded reserve outfielder Pat Howell to the Minnesota Twins for reserve outfielder Darren Reed on November 18, 1992.
The New York Mets traded outfielder Jeromy Burnitz and pitching prospect Joe Roa to the Cleveland Indians for pitchers Dave Mlicki, Jerry Dipoto, Paul Byrd and minor league infielder Jesus Azuaje on November 18, 1994.
Burnitz went on to become a good power hitting infielder, while Byrd,Mlicki and DiPoto went on to have long major league careers.
The Arizona Diamondbacks drafted middle reliever, Cory Lidle from the Mets on November 18, 1997.
The Tampa Bay Devil Rays drafted reserve outfielder Carlos Mendoza from the Mets on November 18, 1997.
The New York Mets traded centerfielder Mike Cameron to the San Diego Padres for outfielder/first baseman Xavier Nady on November 18, 2005. I know at the time many fans chided then-G.M. Omar Minaya for this deal, but Nady proved to be a great pickup. Too bad the Mets dealt him to the Pirates for Oliver Perez and Roberto Hernandez later on that season due to the injury sustained by Duaner Sanchez.
The Washington Nationals signed utility man Marlon Anderson of the New York Mets as a free agent on November 18, 2005. Marlon would rejoin the Mets during the ’07 season.
The Atlanta Braves signed starting pitcher, Tom Glavine of the New York Mets as a free agent on November 18, 2007. Needless to say Mets fans were neither disappointed nor were they devastated when he left.
Mo Vaughn will not be eating tofurkey this Thanksgiving !
13 comments
srt
11/18/2012-8:56am at 8:56 am (UTC -4)
I’m with you. Would rather see Dickey be extended. Here’s hoping that will happen shortly.
I understand the need to trade him if both sides can’t come to an agreement. Problem I see is what exactly can we expect to get back for a 38 year old pitcher, even though he’s the reigning CY winner?
I’m of the opinion that RA means more to the Mets if they retain him, then for anything we can get back in a trade.
Get it done, Sandy.
Stick
11/18/2012-9:15am at 9:15 am (UTC -4)
2 years at 10-12 is certainly a reasonable deal. So if that is the alternative, certainly you don’t just give him away.
But, I think he will have a ton of value on the open market.
so I still say shop the hell out of him an Wright of course. This team needs a serious enema (er, makeover) and that is the way to do it.
I am on record as agreeing with Nova, that if they commit everything to re-signing these 2, that is it, other than shuffling the spare scrap-heap piles for the next many years. So, lock in the 2012 mediocrity for a long time.
maybe all these SPs hold up or hit the big time together (a big, big If), and they have a miracle year out of a bunch of journeymen and actually win 88 one year and hang around the WC race. But that looks like about it, and not a high probability of that, for far into the future.
so much for the “build the foundation right and have a sustained run at the top” concept.
TX
11/18/2012-11:05am at 11:05 am (UTC -4)
A two year deal at 13 would be slightly less than Peavy, which would be fine by me. A three year deal is a breaker for me. And even with a two year deal, I still think he should be traded.
gategem
11/18/2012-1:54pm at 1:54 pm (UTC -4)
So let’s see if I’m reading your not so subtle symbolism. Sandy is a proctologist preparing the Mets for a colonoscopy. I’ve heard about building a team from the bottom up but you may be taking it a little too far. Or as the sign above the local Planned Parenthood Office reads “Entrance in the rear.”
barry
11/18/2012-9:54am at 9:54 am (UTC -4)
Two years at 10-12 million will not get it done, and Dickey, like any other athlete, has a right to see what he is worth on the open market. For the Mets to have any chance to keep him, they will have to go to at least 3 years, and pony up around $40 million. If they are not willing to do that, they might as well entertain offers for Dickey right now, and as the article states, shore up some of their many weaknesses. They will still have at least a decent rotation without him (Niese, Harvey, and hopefully healthy Santana and Gee, and Wheeler at some point during the season), and they have pitching depth in their organization.
Stick
11/18/2012-10:02am at 10:02 am (UTC -4)
2 years easily could. It really is 3 years anyway, since the extension would start in 2014.
Keep in mind that Dickey is old, so you are talking about a deal starting at 39. And he has had significant injuries to play through the last 2 years.
given all the factors, maybe he is more concerned with locking in LT security. Not that he has not made good money the last few years, but there is no guarantee what happens a year from now. What if he gets hurt? Has a bad year? anything can happen, and 2/24 next year at this time might be a pipedream.
If a guy wants an extension before they are a FA, they have to give the team some incentive. It is basically like buying an insurance policy. If he signs now, the Mets assume all the risk. If he plays it out, he assumes all the risk. And in the insurance business, you have to be paid to assume risk!
and while this comment is true: “like any other athlete, has a right to see what he is worth on the open market” it obviously is not that important to most of them, or they would always sign 1 year deals, and do it every year!
kingman 26
11/18/2012-12:48pm at 12:48 pm (UTC -4)
Santana has won 6 games since 2010.
Gee had a very serious arm problem.
Wheeler has 6 games above AA.
And we have absolutely zero reliable starting pitching depth in the organization.
If there is any truth to reports that Dickey will take 2 years, the Mets would be insane not to offer him $12–13 million a year and maybe a mil as a signing bonus.
Stick
11/18/2012-2:34pm at 2:34 pm (UTC -4)
still comes down to projections (or predictions).
2 years is 2013, 14 and 15.
And pretty much a given they are getting Wright back for 20-25% of the payroll in 2014.
so, without trading any guy for fresh talent, is there enough of a team possible in the next 2 years for Dickey to be anything more than an interesting luxury? And I am talking about winning and playoffs, not dragging in a few more bodies every 5th day.
I figure 2013 will just be 2012 all over. Only change, you should see Wheeler mid-year.
2014? No position talent out of the system. Hopefully a better pen. Dickey turns 40. Maybe they can use some of the new-found payroll for a couple of mid-level guys (think VIcky, Cody Ross types). That getting you deep in the playoffs?
2015? Will Dickey still be standing at 41? Will he be an ace leading them to a WS berth?
Sure, 2/24 is a good deal. But will it be worth more to the team getting back to competitive than getting a couple of upper level position guys who play at positions of destitution?
kingman 26
11/18/2012-12:51pm at 12:51 pm (UTC -4)
Wow, Steve Henderson is 60! I vividly remember the day of the Seaver trade, and I also remember being mad that Hendu lost Rookie of the Year by I believe one vote to Andre Dawson. Definitely a favorite of mine in the dark late 1970s…nice that he is still in the game and becoming a respected hitting coach.
We will be seeing a lot of him now as he is the Phils’ new hitting coach.
Stick
11/18/2012-2:40pm at 2:40 pm (UTC -4)
I know that the midnight massacre was traumatic, but at the time, I kind of remember (in my teenage optimism!) being excited by the quality of what they got back. Zachary was the ROY in ’76 (at 24). And he even made the ASG in 1978. Henderson seemed legit.
not saying it was a good deal, just that it did not seem as lopsided (talent wise) at the time.
kingman 26
11/18/2012-3:30pm at 3:30 pm (UTC -4)
Completely agree—and Zachry WAS very good until I believe he kicked the dugout steps when he was 10-6 and an All-Star in 1978, and was never the same.
And Flynn was a GREAT fielder. Another funny thing about that deal; I vividly remember his 1980 Gold Glove being a big deal for me—DAMN were those horrible years!
Almost makes the present not seem so bad.
Almost.
Stick
11/18/2012-3:50pm at 3:50 pm (UTC -4)
yeah, I remember that foot situation well. I think he got pulled from a fame, got mad, took a kick out of frustration, and that was it.
metsilverman.com
11/19/2012-12:29pm at 12:29 pm (UTC -4)
I lived through the late ’70s too and the guys they got in the Seaver trade are why you do everything you can to keep someone like Dickey around. He’s not Seaver, surely, but those four prospects they got combined for their Mets careers to have the WAR that Seaver had in one year. When I went to a new school I hid that I was a Mets fan–and made it perhaps a day before giving up the ghost–because being a Mets fan was humiliating. Keep Dickey and keep some self respect. No is trading them Darling and Terrell for him, either. Mazzilli was far younger but was on the way down when he was traded in 1982–and he was not voted the best in the league at his position by a long shot.