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…it took me a while, but, i now want the Mets to do whatever is necessary to acquire a top-line starting pitcher, short of trading Jose Reyes and David Wright…being that i believe in pitching and defense, at this point, there is no deal that i will not agree to…if a team wants both Fernando Martinez and Carlos Gomez, fine, if they want both Mike Pelfrey and Philip Humber, sold…
…as i said a few weeks ago, if the Mets do not think pelfrey and humber can develop in to a pitcher like Erik Bedard, then they must pull the trigger nn whatever player they can acquire for them now, since the Mets will always be able to sign a back-end starter on the open market…
…the thing is, i am sensing more and more that in order to pull off any such trade for an ace, the Mets will need to incorporate a third team, which will likely mean taking on that team’s poor salary decision…fine…no problem…if the Mets need to justify this expense, they should consider the bargain rate at which they are paying wright and reyes over the next few years, money that cannot be used to sign a free-agent starter, because it’s hard to imagine any such pitcher will ever again be available on the open market…which is why the trade route is the only way to go…now…
…yes, all of this will hurt at first, and i’m sure i will squirm a bit, especially watching all of this team’s good prospects get shipped out of town, but if it is the only way to bring on an ace, to couple with John Maine and Oliver Perez, well, so be it…
…do it, pull it off, rip it fast like a band-aid…sure, it’ll sting for a moment, but in a month or so, most of us we’ll forget about the players who were dealt away, and instead we’ll focus on the new, young, exciting rotation…
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Now there’s the spirit, Cerrone…
Exactly. Corner outfielders and 3/4/5 starters/relievers are much easier to get than aces.
And its not like the mets need to worry about paying through free agency….
Let’s hope they get that ace. Sure do need one. But at what cost? Minaya might be a little scared here to unload the entire farm.
http://mlbfleecefactor.com/2007/12/04/mets-rumors/
I think he’ll haggle.
I’d be willing to put up one of Martinez or Gomez, plus Church, Heilman, Estrada or Gotay and one of Humber, Pelfrey or Mulvey, but I prefer trading for Bedard.
i think the problem is, our best, even if we want to give up everybody, is still not good enough to get an ace . .
I agree 100% Matt…Could not have said it any better myself….Get it done Omar !!!!!
everyone but Fernando Martinez, he’s too young to have real value yet, trading him now would be a mistake, plus I’d rather just keep so he can play for the Mets.
Not me, man. If trading Martinez can help land me a stud ace SP, I’m buying F-Mart a bus ticket.
Lots of folks said the same thing about Lastings 2 years ago.
Deciding which prospects to keep and which to let go is a complete crap shoot….
Hear! Hear! Build for the future, fine, but we want a Championship NOW!! Do what ya gotta do, Omar!
Actually, because he’s young and not too many have seen him, is precisely the reason why his value is so high.
Just think the reverse for our other prospects.
Do it rotten, Omar.
Touche!
I think a majority would agree. The prospects that we expect to be stars almost never make it. Besides, who wants to wait another year to have a shot at winning, I need immediate gratification, especially at my age!
MATT HAS LOST IT. LACK OF SLEEP I GUESS.
THis is not a do or die scenario for the METS. We were basically a first place team all of last year. And although we certainly could use another top quality pitcher, we have one in Pedro that was not used last year and the 2 other pieces we have are pretty good in Maine and OP.
I do not advocate not getting Bedard….but overwhelming them with our best prospects is just stupid. YOu can not rebuild an entire farm system after decimating it in just a few years. Lets say you do what is suggested, send Pelfrey, Humber, Gomez and Fmart away after having just dealt Milledg prematurely. Who are you prospects then??? A few middle reliever types plus Mulvey who might project after a few years to a number 4 type?
can’t do it guys. If Maine and Perez teach you anything it is that the lightbulb goes on for different people at different moments but it can go on after being dim for a while. Maine and Perez both flamed out…Now they are both worth $15M per year for 4 years if this was there walk year.
Lets not overreact here. We are fine and need more pitching but don’t give up every prospect for that one ace. That is just nonsense.
MAtt….the fanbase here will love your epiphany but its not reality and thankfully, even with the new SNY pull, you are not making the GM moves
I’m on board with this approach, I think, although by no stretch are the Mets a first-place team. Emptying the farm system for this club to “win now” is the wrong approach, however. I don’t care how old Pedro, Alou, or Delgado is. Like it or not, they are not the core of the team anymore, and the only way to stop running into this problem repeatedly is to stop patching every possible hole with young players, only to see another one spring up when x, Y, or Z veteran has an elbow problem.
Now, that said, if we truly, honestly could get a young ace locked up long term, I’d pull the trigger, because a young ace is a long-term building block. Bedard qualifies. I just don’t think even Martinez, Church, Heilman and Mulvey could get Bedard out of Baltimore, given the leverage the O’s have and the packages the Dodgers can offer.
The Dodgers can offer it, but have been reluctant to offer it for even Miguel Cabrera. When you talk about a position of need, the Dodgers need a power hitting righty. If they won’t part with their prospects for that, then who knows what it’ll take to move them.
The Mets are in search of an ace and seem to be more than willing to give up anything necessary to get him. That being said, I really hope FMart or Gomez stays put (preferably FMart). Have to have an eye toward the future. Who knows how it will turn out, but a core of Wright, Reyes, and another home grown talent could go a long way.
Another bit of information. I don’t think Pelfrey will get dealt. There is a mural with the future core of the team on the Loge level near the Citi Field Preview Room. It is all of the computer generated shots of Citi Field with all of the young nucleus that will be moving in there. Pelfrey is one of the players shown, along with Beltran, Wright, and Reyes. I’d like to add Pedro to the mix.
I have to think the O’s will be able to hold out for Gomez AND F-Mart, but may prefer Church to one of them (also getting the other, of course), who could be a beast at Camden Yards. If I’m they, however, I really want to get some kind of a pitcher back, and the Mets will have to offer quantity over quality. That, and the fact that he’s under contract for not one, but two years, tells me that if he goes anywhere this off-season, it’s going to be to the Dodgers for a jaw-dropping number of players. If not, watch how much he’s worth at the deadline, or next off-season, even before a walk year.
And dealing Pelfrey does seem like the epitome of “selling low.” Mulvey’s the guy with a potentiallyy inflated value — scouts love him, supposedly.
YOu can not rebuild an entire farm system after decimating it in just a few year
the yankess did it.. two years ago they had literally NO ONE in their farm system anyone wanted .. today their flipping prospects for santana or haren
The hype machine continues. Plus….there are only a few prospects they have which is the reason they can not make a big move and won’t get Santana. Kennedy is as far as the system goes for them in terms of ready to help players. Thank god for them Petite is back or they would have to start that Desalvo kid or Igawa as the 5th starter.
They have 3 prospects close to being ready (Joba, Hughes and Kennedy). We had 4 (Milledge, Humber, Pelfrey and Mulvey).
They have Tabata in A ball struggling. We have Gomez and Martinez in AAA and AA holding their own. Rather than continuing to compare the farms. They did not rebuild the entire system. It is very light. What they did do is develop 2 maybe 3 who are good and have high demand (more than our guys) and they did it in 3 years not one.
Mulvey has 6 IP at AAA
And MIlledge is hardly considered a “prospect”. I dont think he was even eligible for ROY in 2007
All I said is the Yanks are flipping their prospects for Santana and Haren .. if they could develop 4 high level prospects that other teams want in 2 years we can too..
THe difference is the Yankees and Sox overpay the bonus slots to get high level prospects signed. .. Freddie Skill Sets and co insist on following the used car saleman’s mandate not to over pay for prospects.
If we overpay for 2 years Omar and co and definitely unearth some diamonds in the rough.
when will your lightbulb go on? OP a 60M dollar pitcher? Please.
YOu think only $48M like Silva?
No thanks. What happens when Johnan, etc. pulls a Chris Carpenter and he’s out for two seasons and we have no farm. I’d rather see Gomez and F-Mart flank Beltran, while we wait for Maine and Perez to become solid #2’s and pick up a couple of #4’s and 5’s via free agency or our own farm. There’s no need for this now or never mentality. We could build our own dynasty instead of trading it away. IMO.
Agreed.
Add the following……
If the METS are serious about contending beyond this year, they should sell some of the aged talent for boatloads of new talent.
What would Pedro fetch in this market hmmm?
How about the haul you think you could get from dealing either Maine or Perez?
Any takers left out in the dust want a Delgado for $4M next year (we pay the bulk of his freight)
Put Wagner out on the market and see what he can get
Point is…if you want to be the Marlins light and sacrifice today for tomorrow…go ahead. It is the same philosophy if you are dumping the entire farm system jewels to get one guy. What happens if he gets in a cab with Sanchez and ruins his career? Seriously?
Delgado’s contract is up after this year. What “boatload” of talent are you going to get for our jason Giambi this year?
Carlos Delgado hardly qualifies as “our Jason Giambi”.
That is a terrible comparison. He had a bad year, maybe he comes back strong.
At least there isn’t any talk about Carlos having his name scribbled on a piece of scrap paper in Mr. Mitchell’s back pocket…
Matt:
I love your passion and understand it. If we do not make a move today, next time we blink it will be 4 years later, Wright and Reyes nearing 30 and the Mets still with no championship.
I hearya.
That being said, I still think the Mets are good enough at least to make the playoffs. But they are that way with aging players which will need to be replaced. If we clean out the farm, how with they be replaced? We dont have chips to trade so the Mets would be at the mercy of the free market.
Is that the best way to build a dynasty? Sure, you have to win one first before you can even think about a dynasty. But to me, given that it is such a crap shoot to win the whole thing, I believe that just getting there is quite an accomplishment.
I have never been one to bash what the Braves accomplished. As a fan, I would be in heaven if we had their result over the next 14 years.
But I hear you. I am just not certain trading the whole farm for an “ace” is going to get us over the hump.
I have been thinking about this as well.
If the Os want Fmart Gomez and their choice of 2 pitchers I think I would do it.
If they want Heilman then they cant have Pelfrey. That would be the only restriction.
I wouldnt go all out for Haren though.
A package of Fmart, Gomez, Humber and Pelfrey or Heilman would only be for Bedard or Johan.
I dont undersand how that package is not better than the low ball offers that the yanks and sox are givivng.
Thats a real solid offer if the mets choose to offer it.
Can’t trade Fmart. Can’t do it. This is a kid who held his own at AA at age 18, while battling a hand injury. You HAVE TO give this kid a full, injury-free year in your organization. This is not a dime-a-dozen prospect, this is someone who has maybe a 30% chance of becoming the next Albert.
This “immediate gratification,” push-the-button impulse is just the devil whispering in yer ear. You must resist.
I agree – You can’t empty the farm and I want to keep F-Mart. This is getting crazy. And you can’t trade away all the outfielders!
I think there is a great chance that F-Mart will be everything people say he could be. I refuse to be desperate and negative.
–Long time reader, first time poster–
I couldn’t agree more at this point. The only player I would wince at is FMart – only because of his outstanding potential. BUT, at this point, that’s all it is – potential.
We are a team that is literally one ACE away from a Championship, I believe. Last year was an anomoly concerning Delgado. He’ll bounce back this year, I have no doubt. Which will only solidify our offense even more.
Couple a knock down ACE in our rotation with Pedro, Maine and Perez and that will be enough to win the division.
It’s Omar’s time to shine and this will be the week that will determine how next year shapes up.
wise post
What you people are not understanding is…..to get an ace, Maine or Perez will HAVE to be included. Pelfrey, Humber, Heilman, Mulvey or any combo of the group is NOT getting it done. Teams want a PROVEN, good arm back, not the junk arms the Met fans want to throw at them
That’s a good point but don’t you think that’s worth it? If signing a Bedard or Haren to a long term team will mean giving up Maine/Perez, I still think it’s worth it.
It’s been proven year in and year out that acquiring an ace, long term, is more and more difficult. So why not give up a solid #3 – possibly #2 for an ace.
The ends justify the means…
Exactly my point. I can’t imagine many tears being shed over Maine being a Twin if Santana is a Met
I would be the one to be upset I guess. Maine is young has further upside potential and just won 15 games in this league. DO you think Santana wins us 25?
If he is only good for another 5 wins then hypothetically and he costs us our best prospects plus our 15 game winner, you can keep him.
exactly. Trading Maine and Perez for a starter doesn’t make any sense and makes the rotation even more shallow. What you’re doing is robbing Peter to pay Paul. The purpose of doing a trade like this is a to add to the core of Maine and Perez, not trade pitchers for 3 more wins.
Maine struggled to 15 wins. Everything went right for him to get there. I’m not saying he couldn’t consistently win 15 or even improve.
But hitters learned to take his moving fastball.
But ultimately, I agree. There’s no point in giving up the farm and Maine to get Johan.
I’d also be very upset if Maine was traded for any “ace” pitcher that’s out there. No way you trade Maine or Perez in any deal. While it’s great to have an elite starter at the top of a rotation, I’d much rather have five starters ranging from average to well above average than one ace and four losers.
i agree GWG.. not to mention Maine works for comparable Venezualan sweat shop wages for the next 3 years.
at the cost of a 15 game winner an ace doesn’t make a whole lot of difference
Count me in for not wanting to lose Maine.
4 of the kids? fine. Sign Wilkerson for RF, Mahay and maybe Dotel for the pen and Colon for #5 with Garcia a ML deal.
Why don’t we just “sign” Heilman back into the starting rotation, and get dotel to fill his spot in the bullpen. It will make me sick to see Heilman go to a team that actually believes in him, and watch him become that 14-16 win guy, with the 3.95 era. I’d rather have him here.
That’s a good point, but I’m not sure how proven anyone that the red sux and yanks are throwing for santa are… I mean, lester doesnt have much more than 100 innings, hughes is freaking 20 years old or something…
Hughes stinks. His pitches are pedestrian at best. I don’t see Hughes being any better than Pelfrey.
Hughes has a killer second pitch.. Pelf doesnt
Totally agree. Solid fastball with movement and a drop dead curve. As much as it pains us to admit….he is better than Pelfrey at this point. By a fair amount also. I’d guess the fastball is close, maybe even better for Pelf as I have read his is faster and with more sink…but without the other pitch, a one trick pony does not make an ace
so teach him (or work with him on ) his second pitch and make it drop dead.
Where did this idea come that pitches are supposed to hit the majors at 22-23, fully formed and ready to compete for a Cy Young?
If you want them more well rounded, keep them in the minors for 3 more years working on their pitch repetiore, and bring them up at 25!
are lester and hughes “proven”
They are Blue Chip Prospects. F-Mart is our only Blue Chipper, but we refuse to trade him.
No, but they did what our prospects failed to do, show flashes of brilliance. Maybe we brought them up too early, but either way, it didn’t work out.
I don’t agree. We don’t have what teams want to get an Ace. And if we trade our prospects away we will be doomed after our old players leave. We are built to win now, but if we want any hopes to win in the future we need these guys.
I’d rather have a good team for the future than win 1 year and then collapse.
I want to get a front-line guy too. BUT — you cannot completely wipe the minor leagues clean of ALL top prospects. Next year, when you lose Delgado (and pay 4 mil to let him go), Alou, possibly Pedro, Heilman (if he isn’t gone already), you will need a F-Mart to hopefully take over in left and at least some others to maybe hit the pen or for trades to shore up those new holes. I am all for giving up more than normal based on the market, but still need a sliver of common sense.
Face it, our prospects suck. Maybe not FMart. But you gotta give some to get some.
Maine and Perez are in effect untouchable as well..
You DONT trade 0-3 pitchers who were your best starter last year along with your best prospects to upgrade your pitching.. Its three steps forward and two steps back.. simply doesnt have the impact
Heilman is on the block
Gomez and Church are on the block
Pelf/Humber are on the block
any other minor league pitcher is on the block
and minor league player besides FMart are on the block
any 25 man position player besides Reyes, Wright and Beltran are on the block
if the Mets can use their Big market power to swallow some salary we will certainly have the advantage over the Dbacks, Mariners and Dodgers.
But Matt has it right.. Bring em home Omar.
regarding Perez.. he is going to be undesirable to another team because of his schitzo nature, his pending 2009 free agency and his representation (Boras and CO)
Biggie…you can bash our prospects all day long if you want and suggest they are not deemed valuable by the market. But you will have a lot harder time selling me on the lack of interest in either Maine or Perez due to the performance on the field. Both finished in the top 10 in era in the Nl and similar with their WHIP numbers.
They both have huge value and are not being asked about because we are buyers of talent not sellers this year. If we were selling, I am sure both of these guys would bring back 2 very high end prospects from almost any interested buyer
Depends, does Perez come with the Jacket?
GWG — i have no doubt it Maine was on the market he would bring back serious layers. And I would never consider including Maine in a deal at this point.
But look.. facts are facts.. the Angels, Dbacks, Dodgers and Red Sox all have many many high level high value prospects.. We have maybe 2 position prospects (FMart adn Gomez) and two pitchers (Guerra and Mulvey) who arent that close.
Pelf may turn into Don Drysdale.. but after last year there are more questions than answers.. Humber may be Jon Matlack but he’s coming off major surgery.
and to further clarify my position.. I
would be very hesitant to dump the whole system for the privilege of paying Johan Santana 22 plus mil a year over the next 7 years,.
Bedard and the O’s are better fits and he’ll come cheaper at least for the next two years.
The A’s are going to ask for a Santana like package for Haren and then hold onto him..
The six prospect plus Heilman trade scenarios I hear are making me cringe..
So in the end.. I guess I value the mets prospects higher than most.
Got it Biggie. I did not mean to single out specifically you.
Maine and Perez can only go in a deal for Santana or Bedard if the deal were something like….
Maine/or OP plus Gomez/Church and filler
That could be doable to me as we upgrade the rotation some without losing the farm. Obviously the preference would be to build around OP and Maine rather than simply trading up.
I also agree that the prospects we have are limited and are causing the angst in getting an ace. As willing as we are to dump 2 high end MET prospects plus filler for an ace, the market has clearly said they don’t think it is enough. Our pitching prospects just do not excite anyone. I think both Gomez and Fmart are rated as highly as most other teams best positional prospects. It is just that positional prospects are less highly sought after when dealing ace pitching.
I think Cerrone is panicking…..keep him away from Omar, please!
completely agree cerrone. we have a couple of extra draft picks this year. if we’re smart and maybe throw around a little cash in the draft we can rebuild the farm system. we need an ace, get it done omar.
Hello. Welcome to enlightenment!
i agree but fernando martinez should be our one untouchable prospect. humber, pelfrey, gomez, mulvey none of them really awe me the way santana or bedard do. make the trade and still keep your number 1 prospect.
I love it, Omar went to the Wilpon’s for a contract extension and was rebuffed. Can you believe the balls this guy has. I think he still does not take any accountability for destroying the bullpen or the Mets collapse at the end of the season. To me this is Omars last chance. He better fix what he broke.
I am not in agreement with trading Maine or Perez for Santana or any of the other pitchers out there. Although I find Perez, a heart attack to watch, It does not make sense to trade “credible” starters in the Met rotation to pay for another starter, regardless how good he is. If the Mets can make a trade that does not include their present starting rotation, which does NOT include Pelfrey, which I would trade for a bag of balls, or Humber, would like to save Mulvey, that would be fine with me. Plus an outfielder Gomez OR Fernando Martines not both. Then I would make the trade. I would even consider trading Heilman, although he has been “credible” in the bull pen.
I agree, our willingness to offer the farm coupled with our ability to eat bad contracts should net us something nice. As long as the pitcher is a young stud then I don’t think you’re technically “mortgaging the future.” Man I hate that phrase, along with “thrown under the bus” and all that other sports talk show jargon . Anyway, sorry, Matt I thing your right on this one.
Personally I think there are only three guys you can’t deal. Wright, Maine and Perez. Everyone else, including Reyes, should be available in the right deal.
The funny thing is I wouldn’t move Reyes for Santana. But I’d move him for Haren.
no
Matt—I think you’re being swept up, like the rest of us, in the frenzy of the winter meetings. I would like to see the Mets get a top starter, like everyone else, but I think it would be a big mistake to trade away both Gomez and Martinez, especially after having given up Milledge. Personally, I’d rather they hold onto Martinez because he seems like he has the greater potential upside. Why does everyone think it’s so easy to pick up good outfielders–the Mets don’t have such a stellar record of doing this over the years.
I really like Maine and want him to stay but as I said on the other post
If Maine gets us Santana without giving up as much then you can trade the leftovers for a #3.
Santana, Pedro, Perez, Snell??, Elduque.
Its all about matching up, maybe the Twins want MLB ready players and the O’s want prospects. Give them both.
Interesting stuff from BUCCO BLOG about the Mets and Nady and about the availability of Ian Snell. Looks like Snell is going to be harder to deal for than I thought:
– the D’backs interest in Snell was probably also lobby fodder, as they are off onto Haren. Once NL scout just told me that Snell is available if the GM’s first born is also included. In other words, Huntington will listen to offers but evidently he’s made Snell and Gorzy next to untouchable. Malholm, well..
– the Mets very well may bring Nady back if the Bucs are willing to let him go cheap. That’s the feeling I’m getting. Same with the Nats taking on Doumit, which is another rumor floating out there that seems a bit off, if you know what I mean.
I sotra agree with you, but not quite.
First, you can’t trade Maine. he is too close to an Ace.
Also, the Mets have exactly 1 ML quality starter under contract for 2009. John Maine.
What do you do when the other 3 all leave, and you traded every pitching prospect that could remotely be considered ready?
So, you have Maine, Bedard, and ?? 3 guys like Livan, Colon, and some rookie in over his head?
This season proves that you have to develop your own pitching depth.
Now, trading position prospects is a bit different, if they are willing to stay old by overpaying (in $$) for whatever FA postiion players come along.
Also, the mets aren’t desperate. They sitll have a talented, competitive team for 2008, and I would like to see that in 2009.
Reyes, wright, beltran are all either entering or in their prime for the next few years. THis is not a win now of the window is closed forever season.
So, it they don’t win the pennant, but build the talent to make a sustained run (built around Reyes, maine, DW, Beltran) for years to come, I am OK with that.
It sounds like you want to make a desperate grab at it this year, future be darned, and I don’t agree with that.
Finally, if you want the “big name” Ace, you pay huge. To have a sustainable team, you need to find the next Ace, ready to have the bust out year.
Snell? Maybe.
Remember, 1-2 years ago, haren and Bedard were talented but erratic guys looking to put it all together. Sorta like Maine right now.
Use your parts wisely, and build a rotation of good to very good guys, without any stiffs, and you can win it all.
Get a RP and Nady for minor parts (eat salary) and that would help out too.
Oh, eating salary should be high on Omars’s list as a way to get better talent back.. Taking bad contracts is like trading money instead of prospects, and the Mets seem to have more cash than bodies.
The Yankees do this all the time. Remember the Abreu trade? No talent back because they took the whole contract.
The Braves have acquired SS Omar Infante and RP Will Ohman from the Chicago Cubs from a AA Pitcher…
Fills some holes for the Braves rather cheaply…
That would be Will “little” Ohman to you !
I have no problem trading anyone away for an ace other than Wright, Reyes, Bletran, Maine, Perez. Go ahead and mortgage the farm.
Why? If in a couple of years we have Ace, Maine, Perez in the rotation, and an offense built around Wright, Reyes, Beltran, we will be ok. The Mets right now have some good, young players on the team. This isn’t a team that is going to have to be completely torn down after this season. We can add a couple of free agent hitters and a couple of back of the rotation guys if we need to. That isn’t all that difficult.
What is difficult is getting that star player. Yes, Martinez may become one, but he may not. If we have a chance to get a star now, that can be around for a while, at the hardest position to get one, go for it.
However, if we have to give up a part of our core to get the ace, we may be in trouble. Look at the asking price for a guy like Blanton now. We don’t want to go into the next off season needing a #2-3 pitcher.
Pitching, defense, and team speed are the keys to classic NL baseball. Omar was very clear that pitching and defense are his top priorites (see ya Paulie).
The Mets have solid up the middle defense. What they lack is dominant starting pitching, a good glove at 1B, and a rocket arm in RF throwing out runners first to third. The rest is in place.
I would love a power pitcher on the Mets. Strikeouts and fly balls as your #1 pitcher ala Seaver-Gooden.
If the Mets need to add some bad contracts to attract pieces as part of a trade (think Beckett to Red Sox w/a certain 3B’s contract) then so be it. The Mets can afford to carry dead weight on the books.
A pitcher this year.
A switch hitting/gold glove 1B next year – improves inf. def. :-)
That’s the plan, now execute Omar.
Forget about the top prospects traded away in a month or two? Have any of us forgotten the Scott Kazmir trade? No? That’s what I thought.
C’mon…Kazmir was traded fro Zambrano, this is for Erick Bedard. Apples and Oranges. Or, more like apples and truffles. Completely different.
It’s still coughing up prospects before they develop.
you now what …. I COMPLETELY DISAGREE …… we are starting to enter Yankeee mentality … whats wrong with having a season where we are somewhat competitive with the braves and phills, without an ACE , hope maine and perez continue to Progress …… and hope that Gomez/pelf/humber increase their trade value in 08, and make anothe run at a big time starter next summer?
oh no, i forgot ….. its now now now now now now … or else its the end of the WORLD !!!!
and Maine is so far from an ACE … cmon man … hes a dependable pitcher .. and almost already a SOLId #2 .. maybe 3 …… but his STUFF is far far from ACE stuff
Most foolish comment yet. Deplete the farm now for one good pitcher does not make any sense. Trade the farm away for a Santana or a Bedard that’s all and good but when El Duque goes down or OP has a total mental breakdown who from the farm is going to come up and pitch?
What about when Pedro retires? No young pitchers to bring up. Trade for another “ace”? Can’t becauase you have nothing left in the farm.
Lets not be overly eager. I would love to get an ace but I would rather have something just something left in the farm thats worthwhile for the future.
It’s not going to happen. Best case scenario is that we’ll pick up a #3 starter and the more likely scenario is that we’ll pick up a couple of #5’s through free agency and hope that Pedro stays healthy and the others step up.
This “get it done by all means” attitude is one that Minaya doesn’t share with us and few GMs do.
The bottom line is that acquiring an Ace is an extreme long shot which is compounded by the fact that we don’t have the very attractive group of pitching prospects.
I believe our best bet is to pick up Bedard and Tejada by gutting our farm system. Then ship off Tejada for the best group of prospects we can get while eating as much of his salary as necessary and put the farm system in rebuilding mode.
BLUEANDORANGE … been playing too much mlb2k7???
franchise mode??
LOL i was able to get Haren for milledge, pelf, and chavez …
nice…
i’m making that trade as soon as i get home
HAHA
Tom…
After this soaks in, I am sure what you have here is really brilliant….
nice article…
nice article…
Soma….
Soma….
Very good. You’ve picked just about the only two exceptions.
For the most part the guy who posted that prospects almost never make it is correct.