UPDATE – 5:00pm
Source: Dickey has passed his physical. So there you go. The CY Young winner has been traded to Toronto. It’s done.
— Andy Martino (@MartinoNYDN) December 17, 2012
UPDATE – 12:00pm
Source: Dickey in agreement with #BlueJays on two-year, $25 million extension that he had requested from #Mets, pending physical.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 17, 2012
ORIGINAL POST – 11:43pm
This according to Richard Griffin of TheStar.com, thanks to Metsblog for the link.
Blue Jays have added exclamation point with R.A. Dickey trade: Griffin
“Sources are now saying that negotiations with Dickey have ended successfully at an affordable rate and that the next step before an announcement can be made is for Jays’ medical staff to examine the righthander at their spring training headquarters in Florida.”

60 comments
TX
12/17/2012-11:46am at 11:46 am (UTC -4)
Finally, some resolution. Darrrrr-Noooooo. Darrrrr-Nooooo. Darryl will be so proud.
TRS86
12/17/2012-11:54am at 11:54 am (UTC -4)
LOL.
srt
12/17/2012-11:54am at 11:54 am (UTC -4)
Done deal.
Thanks for the memories, RA. They were some of the best we’ve had in what’s now 5 years of not much else.
gategem
12/17/2012-6:01pm at 6:01 pm (UTC -4)
At least you will no longer have to be careful with your phraseology when discussing RA.
fongulalou
12/17/2012-12:05pm at 12:05 pm (UTC -4)
Well, like everything in life, let’s hope for the best. I’d have liked an OFer included but the Catcher and Pitcher sound like legit prospects. Only concern is of course the Catcher’s knee injury. He’s young and this IS the 21st century so hopefully it’ll be a non-issue. Still, these are The Mets, so…… Thanks R.A., class act, I’ll be cheering for him and his team. Of course, that’s easy since they play in the yankees division. For The Jays, mes think they’re better off than ANY SP they could have signed this off-season, including Greinke.
fongulalou
12/17/2012-12:08pm at 12:08 pm (UTC -4)
Any word on the minor leaguers to be named?
srt
12/17/2012-12:25pm at 12:25 pm (UTC -4)
Not yet.
TX
12/17/2012-12:14pm at 12:14 pm (UTC -4)
Haley is horrible. At this point, I hope they lose out at this point.
fongulalou
12/17/2012-12:40pm at 12:40 pm (UTC -4)
Tomlin is horrible. Todd Haley IS NOT the problem my friend. Age, injuries and lack of depth due mostly to this years draft class providing very little (thanks Marcus Gilbert) are problems #2,3 &4. Problem #1 though is the HC, undisciplined, lazy, turnover prone football IS NOT a Steelers hallmark. I have NEVER seen so many fumles and drops in the 40 yrs I’ve been a die-hard. Additionaly Wallace and Brown standing around after intercepts and/or fumbles is unacceptable. Look I felt coming in this would be a transition/ struggle in 2012. I predicted 8-6 having to beat cincy and brownies the last two weeks to get in @10-6. So, I wasn’t far off. I accepted the D doesn’t creat turnovers and the secondary is no longer elite. This was going to be ( and I think has ) been the season to see if Tomlin can really coach. Pretty easy to walk in the door with a great team of vets who’ve won already and lead them tothe SB. Alot harder to do when some of those vets are gone and most others are showing age and are often injured. That game yesterday was over if Brown doesn’t drop the PR, then makes matters worse being out of position on the next PR. The intercept likely ends things BUT Wallace standing out of bounds watching the return for 3,4 steps doesn’t help! Tomlin fired his ST coach at the end of camp (unheard of) and basically took over himself. ST has been horrific! Bad loses to bad teams b/c bad coaching moves @Ten and @ Oak destroyed the season, then EIGHT turnover to THE FRIGGIN BROWNS!?, not showing up against SD, a team with no heart for yrs WHICH QUIT MONTHS AGO (see yesterday), cost us the season. This is on Tomlin, who continues to just provide riddles and rhymes to the media and fans. Perfect case of style over substance.
TX
12/17/2012-12:46pm at 12:46 pm (UTC -4)
Well, I still think Haley sucks, but you are right on the other points. And considering Lambeau has to retire at some point, this is going to be team in major transition in the next 2 years or so.
fongulalou
12/17/2012-12:53pm at 12:53 pm (UTC -4)
Well, I’ve said for a yr, lets get on with it. Let Tomlin take over the D (you know he’ll bring in a Raheim Morris type) and implement The Tampa-2, and we’ll see if he really knows what he’s doing. The behavior of some of these younger guys are unbelievable, The rookie NT, Mendenhall, Wallace, Brown. We’ve become The Eagles. Also, on Haley….Big Ben can change the plays at the line. We see both Mannings, Brady, Rogers, the elites do it all day, every Sunday. So…..
gategem
12/17/2012-6:03pm at 6:03 pm (UTC -4)
Well at least your team showed up yesterday. But because they lost to the Cowboys a pox on them.
wanny
12/17/2012-12:16pm at 12:16 pm (UTC -4)
RA”s win # 19 this season was my 2 year old son’s first trip to Citifield. He picked out a white stuffed bear in one of the gift shops and named him R.A.
srt
12/17/2012-12:55pm at 12:55 pm (UTC -4)
RA is now just a past Mets legend.
Your son can at least say he once saw him pitch, even if he’s unlikely to remember…..
Stick
12/17/2012-12:29pm at 12:29 pm (UTC -4)
Fongy, I am looking at this like the draft. Get the most valuable talent, not less quality to fill a need (since we are dealing with prospects). Can always trade a high upside SP for an OF if need be.
fongulalou
12/17/2012-12:45pm at 12:45 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah, I’m cool with this. I love R.A., quickly became an all-time fav BUT what’s the dif of 75wins with him or 70 w/o him? I really hope Meijia is not the extra player. I see octavio Dotel when I look at him. Love DW BUT why is he getting 100+ million again?
SaltyGary
12/17/2012-12:29pm at 12:29 pm (UTC -4)
Hell the Jays may need to be the team we all root for until the Mets get straightened out. Reyes, Thole, Dickey+… It’s the Canadian Mets.
wanny
12/17/2012-12:17pm at 12:17 pm (UTC -4)
Sounds like Dickey took 2 yrs and 25 million but with some restructuring to get him more money this season. In sum, a 3 yr 30 million deal beginning this year.
Stick
12/17/2012-12:26pm at 12:26 pm (UTC -4)
darned good deal for the Jays I say. hope both sides are happy down the line.
greggofboken
12/17/2012-12:21pm at 12:21 pm (UTC -4)
Out comes the eraser. Alderson’s grade now a B- in my book in light of his pulling this off. This was a far more generous return than I thought we’d realisticaly see.
TX
12/17/2012-12:22pm at 12:22 pm (UTC -4)
Agreed.
oleosmirf
12/17/2012-12:27pm at 12:27 pm (UTC -4)
As much as I love R.A., this deal had to be made.
The chance that Dickey ever repeats the season he had last year is slim to none and the Mets are too far away that they wont be in the playoffs regardless of whether he is on the team next season.
I was hoping we were adding Flores and getting Gose back, but Syndergaard and D’Arnaud is a great return.
Buck and the 3rd catcher can hold the fort until D’Arnaud is allowed to be called up with Buck being shipped out by July…
srt
12/17/2012-12:34pm at 12:34 pm (UTC -4)
‘As much as I love R.A., this deal had to be made.’
I agree.
Damn the Mets for being in this position of having to trade away our first CY award winner since Gooden.
oleosmirf
12/17/2012-12:39pm at 12:39 pm (UTC -4)
a shame, but Santana, Niese, Harvey, Gee and Mejia is a fine rotation to start the year with Wheeler on the verge
TRS86
12/17/2012-12:41pm at 12:41 pm (UTC -4)
They will pick up a vet as well.
oleosmirf
12/17/2012-4:32pm at 4:32 pm (UTC -4)
probably, but I dont think that vet will get a guaranteed deal unless its Chris Young…
Given how the playoffs are unrealistic, might as well go with Mejia and see if he can stick
greggofboken
12/17/2012-12:51pm at 12:51 pm (UTC -4)
Buck’s overpaid, but he was a better catcher than Thole last year. And since he’s around, he’s a helluva backup.
srt
12/17/2012-1:09pm at 1:09 pm (UTC -4)
Toronto is supposedly sending money to offset Buck’s salary. So even if he is overpaid, he won’t be overpaid by the Mets.
srt
12/17/2012-3:45pm at 3:45 pm (UTC -4)
I guess these two non elite prospects only matter to fans, since I can’t seem to find anywhere where someone has published that.
srt
12/17/2012-4:01pm at 4:01 pm (UTC -4)
I’m reading rumors now that the Mets have their choice of this lower, non elite prospect or the $6 MIL to cover Buck’s salary.
Hmmm…..I bet I know which one they choose.
jessep
12/17/2012-4:10pm at 4:10 pm (UTC -4)
yeah NOBODY has any info on it. It’s amazing, for 3 days you can hear the names of guys involved but when it comes to 2 “non elite players”, mum is the word
Prismo
12/17/2012-4:10pm at 4:10 pm (UTC -4)
LOL
If they are going to spend the money I’d rather have the money if it’s a low level prospect. Buuuuuut if they pocket it…..
oleosmirf
12/17/2012-4:25pm at 4:25 pm (UTC -4)
Id rather have the non-elite prospect since we desperately need an OF prospect, but obviously the Mets prefer the $$$
Stick
12/17/2012-5:01pm at 5:01 pm (UTC -4)
The Mets have plenty of non-elite prospects. better to go for the money, and invest it in an actual ML player.
look at it this way. If they prospect is say their version of Havens (oh wait, isn’t that Emaus?), would you support buying him for that much cash? Or would you reather have a year of Cody ross?
which really means, would you trade that level prospect for a “free” year of a ross type?
wanny
12/17/2012-4:28pm at 4:28 pm (UTC -4)
What the heck does “non-elite” even mean? In the top 100 overall, in the top 5 of a system…?
These prospects could very well be significant….or irrelevant.
Is Wilmer Flores an elite prospect? Is DJ Davis? These are nice players outside of their teams’ top 5s but I’m sure many teams would love to have them.
Stick
12/17/2012-5:02pm at 5:02 pm (UTC -4)
You can use my rule of thumb. If it is a prospect on another team, and I know who he is, he is probably elite.
greggofboken
12/17/2012-5:21pm at 5:21 pm (UTC -4)
It apparently means Mike Nickeas. The Jay player is apparently an 18-year old outfielder, Wuillmer Becerra
wanny
12/17/2012-5:28pm at 5:28 pm (UTC -4)
Mike Nickeas certainly qualifies as non-elite. And is most definitely not a prospect.
The kid the Mets got was a signing bonus baby from Venezuela. Could be F-Mart II. Hopefully better. He’s just gravy.
Stick
12/17/2012-5:36pm at 5:36 pm (UTC -4)
can’t be. That is a Latin guy. Sandy would never do that. The core told me.
wanny
12/17/2012-5:37pm at 5:37 pm (UTC -4)
Sandy pandered to the French and Dutch fans by bringing in d”Arnaud and Syndergaard.
Stick
12/17/2012-5:50pm at 5:50 pm (UTC -4)
about time he started paying attention to us Dutch fans. A truly underappreciated part of the fanbase. But very smart.
wanny
12/17/2012-5:22pm at 5:22 pm (UTC -4)
ben badler scouting report:
Wlimer Becerra played baseball in Venezuela and later worked as a scout for the Cardinals and the Rangers. Becerra last year worked with Ciro Barrios and helped coach is son, Wuilmer Becerra, who signed with the Blue Jays for $1.3 million in July. Before he had signed, Becerra had played in the Liga Paralela (the minors of the Venezuelan League) last winter and went 8-for-26 (.346) with a home run, a double, no walks and eight strikeouts. Becerra showcased for teams at shortstop and the outfield, but he’s a much better fit off the dirt and will play the outfield for the Blue Jays.
Becerra, 17, has size (6-foot-4, 190 pounds), athleticism and plus-plus speed in the 60-yard dash, which he’s run in 6.6 seconds, although he doesn’t get out of the box quick enough to get 70 grades from home to first. For some scouts, Becerra was one of the better righthanded hitters on the international market last year, though there was some disagreement about scouts on his bat. Becerra has a good combination of size, strength and raw power, and some scouts felt he had good plate coverage and feel for hitting. Others contend he’s not as sharp in game situations as he is in BP because he tends to get around the ball with length to his stroke and an uppercut swing, which isn’t uncommon for Latin American amateurs.
In the field, Becerra’s days at shortstop were short-lived due to his size, actions, hands and below-average arm. He fits better in center field, where he shows a better arm stroke than he does in the infield, though with his size he’ll likely get so big that he’ll end up in left field. Part of it may depend on how much of his speed Becerra is able to retain, especially given his unusual build with narrow shoulders, short arms and wide hips. Several scouts praised Becerra for his makeup and work ethic and he has impressed Blue Jays coaches early. If he develops as the Blue Jays hope, he could become a corner outfielder with a power/speed combination.
gategem
12/17/2012-5:53pm at 5:53 pm (UTC -4)
Wanny, thank you for researching and bringing this information to us. You’re one of the reasons I frequent this site.
BTW doesn’t Ben Badler sound like a vaudeville performer? Ben Badler’s review of 1921?
srt
12/17/2012-6:02pm at 6:02 pm (UTC -4)
Thanks for posting, Wanny.
wanny
12/17/2012-5:23pm at 5:23 pm (UTC -4)
Ben Badler @BenBadler
Wuilmer Becerra only played in the GCL briefly in 2012. Broke his jaw after getting hit in the face with a pitch.
Prismo
12/17/2012-5:33pm at 5:33 pm (UTC -4)
Nickeas….bwahahahaha!!!! And we got a young guy with upside back!
wanny
12/17/2012-5:36pm at 5:36 pm (UTC -4)
The idea that the Mets have to trade a Cy Young winner to rebuild rather than build around a Cy Young winner is disgusting. But it is what it is.
However, you can not possibly argue that they did not get a great return (regardless of how they turn out because that is hindsight).
greggofboken
12/17/2012-5:39pm at 5:39 pm (UTC -4)
Ken Davidoff expose on how rude Nickeas was to the clubbies and a poor tipper in diners forthcoming.
srt
12/17/2012-6:03pm at 6:03 pm (UTC -4)
Seriously, now many catchers does Toronto want, anyway?
Nickeas????
Maybe they want to make sure they’ve got at least 2 catchers with experience catching Dickey.
Hazmet
12/17/2012-6:44pm at 6:44 pm (UTC -4)
Maybe they’re counting on Nickeas numbers getting better with the exchange rate
gategem
12/17/2012-5:36pm at 5:36 pm (UTC -4)
So long, goodbye and fare thee well RA. You were one of the few points of light in an otherwise moribund franchise. Hopefully the players the Mets received in trading you will help pave the way for future Mets success. And make no mistake about it with the incompetence of ownership any GMs attempt at success on the playing field is equivalent to tilting at windmills.
Stick
12/17/2012-5:47pm at 5:47 pm (UTC -4)
true about the owners likely to always drag the operation down.
but, in the ST, some other ray of light will pop up to get people interested (if not excited). maybe one of the prospects coming up in June. Maybe Ike has a huge start and makes a run at 50 dingers. Harvey pitches like Seaver.
Or maybe nothing interesting happens. But in any case, they will play 162 games, which is really the only thing that fans are guaranteed.
Stick
12/17/2012-5:39pm at 5:39 pm (UTC -4)
sounds good to me. Toronto does like to stockpile catchers though.
I guess this returns the favor. Last year, mets took Toronto’s back end of the BP. this year, they took the Met catching tandem.
frnakly, I think we come out ahead!
another benefit to this deal? The Mets just free’d up 2 40 man spots (pretty sure Nickeas was already removed from it).
wanny
12/17/2012-5:44pm at 5:44 pm (UTC -4)
Will the Mets some day have Wullmer and Wilmer in the lineup together?
Stick
12/17/2012-5:49pm at 5:49 pm (UTC -4)
He’s a little old, but maybe he still has game.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005519/bio
gategem
12/17/2012-5:58pm at 5:58 pm (UTC -4)
http://images2.fanpop.com/images/photos/6300000/Fred-and-Wilma-Flintstone-the-flintstones-6386213-350-424.jpg
wanny
12/17/2012-5:45pm at 5:45 pm (UTC -4)
Headline: Mets chose talent over $
48s Jon Heyman Jon Heyman @JonHeymanCBS
There’s no $ in mets deal. Straight 3 for 4.
wanny
12/17/2012-5:47pm at 5:47 pm (UTC -4)
Adam Rubin @AdamRubinESPN
Wow. Buck making $6M. So that means the Mets went for bigger prospect over payoff. // RT @JonHeymanCBS: There’s no $ in mets deal.
darknova306
12/17/2012-6:17pm at 6:17 pm (UTC -4)
So, the Nickeas trade is complete. Our long national nightmare is over!
Now get me some damn outfielders and bullpen arms…
Prismo
12/17/2012-6:33pm at 6:33 pm (UTC -4)
Alderson presser on SNY coming up. Tune in.