Did the Mets Make the Right Move by Keeping Marlon Byrd?

Aug 1, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; New York Mets right fielder Marlon Byrd (6) hands off his batting equipment after being hit by a pitch during the third inning against the Miami Marlins at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

It’s a hot topic among New York Mets fans. Week after week, the rumors began to build as to what Sandy Alderson would do at the trade deadline. Many believed it would be nothing. Some believed that Marlon Byrd and Bobby Parnell would be on new teams.

For the second year in a row, Sandy Alderson stood pat at the deadline, keeping the framework of the Mets the same for the final two months of the season. And it was the right move.

Since coming to the Mets and taking the reins of the GM spot, Alderson has made two big trades that have helped shaped the Mets franchise. First, was the dumping of Carlos Beltran to the San Francisco Giants and getting back Zack Wheeler, one of the highly ranked prospects in all of baseball. Alderson looked like a genius. But, he had to one up himself.

The off-season of 2012 saw the Mets needing to lock-up their captain in David Wright, and their reigning Cy-Young winner R.A. Dickey. Only problem, the Mets didn’t want to pay Dickey the money he was asking for. Dickey, who had one year left on his contract, was then traded to the Toronto Blue Jays. In return the Mets received Travis d’Arnaud, a top catching prospect, Noah Syndergaard, a top pitching prospect,  John Buck and another prospect .

Alderson had made two big trades to add two big pitchers to an already good core of young pitching and added a catcher with huge offensive upside.

Since then, Mets fans have been waiting for the big trade. The one where Alderson dumps some of these prospects and gets a big-name bat like a Giancarlo Stanton or a Carlos Gonzalez, it was just a matter of time. Some fans thought that trade could get done at the trade deadline, others knew that was unlikely.

What everyone was in agreement with was the fact that the Mets had players available, most notably Byrd and Parnell.  The two biggest needs teams were looking to fill: middle relief and an outfield with some pop.

But like in 2012, there were no offers worth taking. Sandy Alderson and the Mets front office has made it very clear that to get a player from the Mets, other teams need to pay top dollar and that didn’t change on Wednesday.

That asking price was a top prospect that could make an immediate impact this year. Teams didn’t want to pay that price so the Mets kept their players and now some are upset. But they shouldn’t be.

It’s very simple. The Mets weren’t going to sell their players on the cheap just to make a move. They want to sell high on their players to help both the 2013 Mets and the future. They weren’t going to trade Byrd or Parnell for one or two B level prospects that are two to three years away. The Mets view themselves as a potential contender in 2014 and are looking to add players that can help them achieve that goal.

Alderson still has plenty of more chances to make the trade that these fans are looking for. The best advice to them: trust Alderson. His track record speaks for itself and when he has made a trade, people around the league have commended him for his work. He is a smart man who knows what it takes to build a contender. Just give him a chance.