Three Blockbuster Targets for the Mets
As has been argued in this space, the Mets can put themselves in a position to win next season with a few meaningful, if not flashy, moves this winter. Signing middle reliever David Riske would solidify the bullpen, for example, but is unlikely to earn headlines from the Daily News or the Post (provided they can resist the endless possibilities his name provides).
But this isn’t to say there aren’t some potential blockbusters out there that would improve the Mets significantly for 2008. There are three in particular that may or may not not be possible, but would certainly be spectacular.
Move One: trade for Johan Santana.
He is unquestionably the best pitcher of the past four seasons. He doesn’t turn 29 until March of 2008. His contract is up following the 2008 season, and it is highly unlikely that Minnesota can afford him. The Twins might well take their chances on one more run with Santana before he hits the free agent market.
If they don’t, the Mets would be in position to trade for him. Few teams could offer the major league-ready talent of Lastings Milledge, who could take over for free agent Torii Hunter in center field, Ruben Gotay, who could play second for the Twins, Mike Pelfrey and Philip Humber, who would both challenge for rotation spots. If those four aren’t enough, include Carlos Gomez.
While a Santana would draw intense interest from every team in baseball, the Mets should do what it takes to top these offers. Santana is as sure a bet as there is. He is on the right side of 30, he has been dominant for years, his peripheral statistics are steady and spectacular, and he even pitched out of the bullpen during his early twenties, saving his arm from the abuse that often ends a career early (think Steve Avery). And he’s put up these numbers in the American League—he’d likely improve statistically in the NL.
One caveat—to give up this much talent, the Mets will need to make certain that they get a 72-hour window to sign Santana to a long-term deal. Once they do, price must be no object. Paying a premium for the best pitcher in baseball will not come back to harm you. Just ask the Red Sox if they regret trading their two best pitching prospects for Pedro Martinez, then holding onto him for seven years.
The deal likely will clean the Mets out of trading chips for any other improvement, and Milledge is poised to become a star as soon as next season. With Gomez either in the deal or needing another season at AAA, the Mets would need to sign Jose Guillen or Bobby Abreu to patch right field for 2008. Ideally, Gomez would take over in left for 2009, while Guillen (the preferred choice) could last in right until 18-year-old prospect Fernando Martinez could take the reins.
Such contingencies are worth dealing with if Santana comes to the Mets. A dominating presence with Pedro Martinez would make the Mets formidable in the regular season and nearly unbeatable in a short series. And Santana would match with Oliver Perez and John Maine to provide the Mets with a fantastic starting pitching foundation to pair with Jose Reyes and David Wright for years to come.
Move Two: sign Alex Rodriguez, move David Wright to second base.
Rodriguez is unquestionably the best player in baseball this season. And he is a 3-for-20 ALDS away from being run out of the Bronx. He was raised a Mets fan, and the Mets have more money than virtually anyone else besides the Yankees. David Wright is even on record saying he’d change positions to accommodate A-Rod.
If it calls for $30 million a year for eight years, take that extra revenue from the playoff appearances it all but guarantees and put that towards his salary. The revenue generated as Rodriguez chases Bonds won’t hurt the Mets, either.
Wright, meanwhile, who has shown fantastic range at third base, would easily make the move to second. And his major defensive flaw, the throw across the diamond, would be eliminated. He’s turning 25—there’s no reason to think he can’t learn a new position at this point. Any defensive hit taken relative to Luis Castillo would be made up by the improvement at 3B offensively (Rodriguez had an OPS 105 points higher than Wright) and at 2B (Wright was 219 points ahead of Castillo). Next Page >
Haha.
It's as if you sat down and thought up the three worst moves they could make.
(1) NO MORE MERCENARIES. The pursuit of overpriced, overaged mercenaries is not the SOLUTION to the Mets' problems; it's the CAUSE of their problems. The Mets need to abandon their bankrupt policy of being the poor man's Yankees and get back to building the team FROM WITHIN. No more Scott Kazmirs. No more Brian Bannisters.
(2) JOHAN SANTANA. Another Mike Hamptons/Frank Violas? Why the hell should they deplete their farm system for a guy who (1) is going to be a FA anyway; and (2) is one "pop" away from having no career? You're suggesting that the mets throw away young, cheap, homegrown talents like Milledge, Gomez, Humber, and Pelfrey for a guy whom they'd have to sign to a huge contract, anyway. Asinine. It's your mentality that led to the Kazmir trade, and there's little doubt that you'd have traded Reyes and Wtight, too.
(3) ALEX RODRIGUEZ. First of all, it's a pipe dream. When was the last time the mets won a bidding war with the Yankees? I thought so. Moreover, the Yankees barely made the playoffs WITH Rodriguez and a roster full of other high-priced names. A team like the Mets would never be able to carry enough talent around Rodriguez to field anything better than a 90-win team.
Second, you suggest that they move Wright to second base, when he's already shown himself marginal at third, a much easier position to play. If Wright could play second, that's where he would have played all along. After all, that's what they do with infield prospects; the best defensive players go to short, the second-best, to second; the third-best, to third, and the worst, to first.
(4) JORGE POSADA. What?!! You want the mets to sign a 36-year-old catcher? That's insane. Yes, he had an aberrant season this year, but history says that it's probably his last or next-to-last productive season in the major leagues.
This writer is what we used to call(back on the block)a douchebag. Sign Posada? You don't know shit about baseball do you? Shame on your editors for allowing you to write this piece, you bespeckled smudge.
these moves are great. Santana is much better than pelfrey and humber combined. Milledge gets in trouble and i don't think he is that good. Gullien would be a great move. I have one problem DO NOT TRADE GOMEZ. He has way to much upside. Sign Gullien for 1 year so in 2009 the outfield would be gomez, beltran, and fernando martinez. A-Rod would be a graet player.
u don't no crap
One pop away from the end of his career, huh? And Pedro? Maine? Duque? Santana has been the best pitcher in baseball for a few years now. Any team would be lucky to get him. Don't know if the Mets will, but the Twins are certainly going to be in need of a CFer next year, and a 2Bman wouldn't hurt either. Also: Santana can hit (didn't he have a double and a triple against the Mets?). I'm not sold on Posada--he's on the wrong side of 35. Having a great season, but if anyone on this list is poised for a major downturn in production, it's Jorge. A-Rod...unnecessary, but again, who would complain about having him on the team, if money is no object. Riske is also a good idea. Affordable and more or less reliable.
You are likely missing the boat here. If you wanted to sign AROD (a long shot) put him at short stop and move reyes to second. This would make your infield defense better and you might have the best infield in baseball history.
We are more likely to trade for a starter who had an off year like Dontrelle Willis (lots of talent but needs to be in a race) without giving up the farm system. Pedro, Willis, Maine, Perez, El Duque/Humber/Pelfrey works ok for me with a good pen.
think about signing Linebrink from Milwaukee and think about taking a flyer on Gagne...who should be willing to accept an incentive laden deal. Howrey from Chicago is also available.
Give Lastings Milledge his shot in right.
sign Alou for another year to give Gomez another year to mature.
Resign Castro to start at catcher...get rid of LaDuca.
Dump dead wood like Schoenwies...I think keep Mota and see if he can find it next year....but do not give him a ton of chances.
If AROD resigns with the Yanks look at Adam Dunn.
Delgado MUST go and Green is not the answer ...We are also in dire need of a closer who can close the must win game....Wagneris a heartbeak waiting to happen
Um u guys are all morons. The writer of this article has much more of a clue than you do as to what he's talking abut.
First of all the Yanks aren't going for Arod as he opted out. And he would be a great addition on the field and off the field he as the best in the game would be in a lot of money.
Second of all posada and Giradi don't really go together, so since he was just named the manager, the yanks are prob not going to get to keep him. And yeah, posada is the best cather out there that there is. His numbers last year were UNREAL, and although he obviously wont repeat that, his numbers will still be very solid. And try to think of anyone out there thats available thats better than him.... theres no one.
And Santana... Well i think he should go cheaper then all that simply because he only has one more year on his contract anyway, and the twins already hinted very clearly that they cant keep him because the salary that he'll be demanding will be to high for them.
Um u guys are all morons. The writer of this article has much more of a clue than you do as to what he's talking abut.
First of all the Yanks aren't going for Arod as he opted out. And he would be a great addition on the field and off the field he as the best in the game would be in a lot of money.
Second of all posada and Giradi don't really go together, so since he was just named the manager, the yanks are prob not going to get to keep him. And yeah, posada is the best cather out there that there is. His numbers last year were UNREAL, and although he obviously wont repeat that, his numbers will still be very solid. And try to think of anyone out there thats available thats better than him.... theres no one.
And Santana... Well i think he should go cheaper then all that simply because he only has one more year on his contract anyway, and the twins already hinted very clearly that they cant keep him because the salary that he'll be demanding will be to high for them.
"Posada and Giradi don't really go together"?
Since you are a Queens native and unfamilar with the Bronx we will forgive your error.
Girardi brought Posada in, and every time you watch Posada on the field, you can (anyone) see the same ethics, the same determination, the same seriousness, and the same drive. They certainly will work well together.
As far as the METrosexuals go (as they are called in the Bronx), you'd be better off sticking with team chemistry rather than adding A-Rod to the club...
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