Mets Could Trade R.A. Dickey This Week

The New York Mets have been alternately fielding offers for and having extension talks with starting pitcher R.A. Dickey going back almost a month now. According to ESPN’s Jayson Stark, it looks like the former may wind up winning out.

Sep 27, 2012; Flushing, NY, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher R.A. Dickey (43) pitches during the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-US PREWIRE

Both Texas and Kansas City have been shopping for starting pitching and both clubs have a plethora of young talent with which to deal. Texas has been hesitant to include top prospect Jurickson Profar ina trade talks this Winter, but have been open to talking about top third base prospect Mike Olt. They also have young pitching they could deal, such as left hander Martin Perez or Derek Holland, who struggled down the stretch in 2012. Of course, with David Wright just extended, the Mets would have to shift Olt to the outfield were they to add him.

The Royals have been dangling Wil Myers, one of the top four or five prospects in all of baseball, this Winter, but it’s unlikely they’d trade him for a 38-year-old hurler. Though his knuckleball should keep dancing well into his forties, Dickey probably cannot command the same return in trade that the Royals were offering for James Shields or Jon Lester. The Royals do have some good young arms to offer, however, which might be enough to entice the Mets to deal.

Dickey is looking for at least a two year extension added to the $5 million he’s set to earn in 2013. It’s been said that he’s looking for $20 million in such a deal. That’s a price well within reason for a guy who just finished up a Cy Young Award-winning season for a bad Mets club.

The Rangers and Royals have been named as such, but there will be plenty of additional suitors lining up to get Sandy Alderson’s ear as well. With the prices of starting pitchers on the free agent market escalating, Dickey would be a relative bargain.