Trade Deadline Preview: New York Mets
Jun 25, 2014; New York, NY, USA; New York Mets third baseman David Wright (5) hits a single against the Oakland Athletics during the sixth inning of a game at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
I’m going to lay it out on the line here; the New York Mets will not win 90 games this season.
I hope the following statement doesn’t upset anyone. At this point I assumed everyone was aware of this reality. Sandy Alderson’s bold declaration that he expected his new-look Mets to attain 90 wins before the season began was ludicrous then, and even more so now.
The lowly Mets, who by some are considered the laughingstock of the league, sit in fourth place in the National League East trailing the first-place Atlanta Braves by seven games with a mediocre 37-45 record.
Despite their dismal play, however, the Mets are only six and half games out of a wild card spot. With 80 games remaining on the schedule, it’s plausible to believe any team can close that deficit with a hot second-half. But this is the New York Mets we’re talking about, and in all honesty, they probably won’t compete down the stretch.
So Alderson should be actively looking to deal short-term commodities for long-term gains the entire month of July.
Jun 16, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; New York Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada (11) fields a ground ball hit by St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Jhonny Peralta (not pictured) during the fourth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Needs to be addressed:
1.) Shortstop: We’ve been hearing this lie since 2010; Ruben Tejada will come around and be the New York Mets’ shortstop of the future. Enough is enough. It’s been five years of utter mediocrity, and he’s proved time and time again that he’s nothing more than a bench-player. If somehow they find themselves as buyers at the end of July, their number one priority should be to find an upgrade over Tejada. Even if they aren’t competitors at that juncture, they still should be seeking a shortstop for the next few years. Gavin Cecchini and Amed Rosario aren’t projected to be ready until 2017, so this remains a conspicuous hole for the foreseeable future. Especially considering Wilmer Flores has churned an abysmal 53 wRC+ in 52 games in the majors.
2.) Bullpen: For the first time in Alderson’s tenure as the Mets G.M. he has an exceptional bullpen. Jenrry Mejia, Jeurys Familia, Vic Black, Dana Eveland, and Josh Edgin all have ERAs south of 2.50, and Carlos Torres and Gonzalez Germen have been decent, too. But given how fluid relievers tend to be, it’s important the Mets find a consistent reliever to stick in the back of the ‘pen to forge irrefutable consistency back there.
3.) Catcher: Travis d’Arnaud has been much better since his return to the majors, but has been dreadful the majority 2014. On top of his struggles in the big-leagues, questions surrounding his durability have been prevalent his entire professional career. All said, he’s a big question mark for the Mets. It would be wise to pursue an improvement over Anthony Recker and the injured Taylor Teagarden, so a better safety-net for d’Arnaud is in place.
Jun 29, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; New York Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy (28) singles against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the fifth inning at PNC Park. The Pirates won 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Who could be moved:
Daniel Murphy: Rumors that Murphy is drawing significant trade interest have been running rampant. However, if Alderson does decide to trade Murphy, who’s under arbitration until the end of 2015, it would be moronic. Why would you even discuss trading one of your most consistent commodities, when you’ve seen first-hand that it is not always easy transitioning super-prospects to the majors? Murphy would draw a reasonable return, but the smarter move would be working to extend the 29-year-old. The Mets have a lot to be optimistic about — especially if their bullpen is the real deal — for the future, and they need to be preparing for a run at 2015.
Bobby Abreu: Selling high on the 40-year-old, who has unexpectedly provided New York with steady production, would be sensible. They executed a similar trade last season with Marlon Byrd and John Buck, and in return received touted relief prospect Vic Black. Supplementing the farm system makes more sense than wasting worthless value from Abreu.
Ruben Tejada: Maybe dealing Tejada and giving Wilmer Flores one last shot to prove his worth is necessary to ensure they’re not giving up on Flores, who crushed the ball in the minors, too soon based off a small sample size. Tejada is not the guy they expected, and could be desired finishing touch to a competitors’ roster.
May 30, 2013; Arlington, TX, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Didi Gregorious (1) throws to first base in the second inning of the game against the Texas Rangers at the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Who could be targeted:
Didi Gregorius: Even though Chris Owings is injured, the Arizona Diamondbacks’ season is over and will be seeking to deal Gregorious because Owings seems to be the undisputed shortstop of the future. Honestly I’m not too sure, however, if Gregorious is an actual improvement over Tejada. Sure, he’s better offensively, but not as much as one might think. Tejada owns a career 83 wRC+ compared to Gregorious who sports a career 90 wRC+. Tejada is the better defender, so, really, they are pretty equal in terms of value.
Aaron Sanchez: Sanchez, whom Baseball America ranks as the Toronto Blue Jays’ number one prospect, would be a good trade partner for Daniel Murphy. Recent reports have indicated the Blue Jays are interested in the second basemen, and he’s not going to come cheap. Sanchez has struggled with command throughout his career, but has, for the most part, been able to overcome his high walk total with high strikeout numbers and a low home run total.
Edwin Escobar: The San Francisco Giants are also said to be interested in “Merp,” but again, he’s not going to be cheap. Baseball America ranks him as the second best prospect on the Giants, because of his incredible pitching in 2012 and 2013 in their system. However, he’s really struggled with a 5.00 ERA in Triple-A this year. That said, his peripherals are stupendous, and the Mets would be thrilled if they could add him to their talent pool of young arms.