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Matthew Cerrone

Buzz: Victor Martinez and Cliff Lee
By Matthew Cerrone - May 18, 2009 2:00 pm

Joel Sherman of the New York Post believes the Padres plan to build around Adrian Gonzalez, not trade him.

However, Sherman sees Nationals 1B Nick Johnson, O’s 1B Aubrey Huff and Indians infielder Mark DeRosa as the most likely players to be acquired by the Mets if Omar Minaya looks to make a trade.

Meanwhile, Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com believes the Indians are not looking to trade RHP Cliff Lee or C-1B Victor Martinez.

However, according to Rosenthal, “They would gauge interest only if they fell completely out of contention.”

Rosenthal believes the Indians will want an elite pitching prospect, like Braves RHP Tommy Hanson, as the centerpiece of a trade for either Lee or Martinez.

man, martinez would be a great fit…  i’m guessing he would cost the top package, i.e., Fernando Martinez and Jon Niese, if not more

The 30–year-old, switch-hitting Martinez is batting .401 in 39 games for the Indians this season, with seven home runs, 12 doubles and 26 RBI.

He has played 19 games at first base this season, 21 at catcher.

Martinez, who will $5.7 million this season, has a $7 million option in his contract for in 2010, after which he is eligible for free agency.

204 Responses to “Buzz: Victor Martinez and Cliff Lee”

  1. Dirtysanchez says:

    I would not mind derosa at all…thats the kind of player the mets should shoot for. Huff is pretty good too but might be harder to get..

  2. jaydh says:

    braves would never trade a player like hanson for Lee nor should any other team. Lee is not worth that.

  3. therealsince86 says:

    Vmart will cost just too much right now. You will be paying for the fact that we need a 1B and a catcher, for his cheap option AND his .401 BA. They want Hanson or a top pitcher from the Sox? Who are we going to give for that?

  4. ravin108 says:

    I like Nick Johnson. He’s a solid all-around player who should come at a much lower value.

  5. therealsince86 says:

    Dirty, I still say that Huff will be the easiest to get. Derrosa will be more valuable to other teams that need that utility guy. Huff would only be valuable to teams needing a 1B/DH.

  6. There's Always '10 says:

    Dirtysanchez,
    I have to disagree with you on Derosa. I think he’s a really nice player. He’s a utility kind of guy that can play multiple positions. Not sure if he plays them well, but we already have utility type players that play multiple positions poorly or are at least shaky (Murph and Tatis).

    I agree he may be easier to get than some of the other guys, but I’d still stay away.

  7. Mets5rocks says:

    Dirty,……. Derosa’s a fine player and Gritty, but he doesn’t solve the problem at first. Myself I wouldn’t mind NIck Johnson, after all one of his gloves is already here! lol

  8. therealsince86 says:

    Agreed Ravin, I would try Huff first, just because of the power void Delgado left, then Johnson. I would be fine with either at 1B next year as well on MODEST contracts.

  9. There's Always '10 says:

    therealsince86,
    I think it would be Niese, Fernando Martinez, and Holt or Havens.

  10. bvaz says:

    Nick Johnson makes the msot sense but I don’t knwo if the nats will trade him within the division.

  11. therealsince86 says:

    WOW Dirty, you had a popular comment. I guess or point is that Derossa is Tatis.

  12. Mets5rocks says:

    Did I mention Nick can hit !

  13. The Stache says:

    “Joel Sherman of the New York Post believes the Padres plan to build around Adrian Gonzalez, not trade him.”

    Captain Obvious to the rescue. Stay tuned for 2nd part of the series:

    Sun rises in the east, sets in the west.

  14. There's Always '10 says:

    Mets5rocks,

    one of his gloves is already here?

  15. Jova1931 says:

    Martinez/Niese for V. Martinez? In a heartbeat.

  16. therealsince86 says:

    Bvaz, they have never cared before about trading in division. They just need players. They will most likely want 4 OF in return as they don’t have enough.

    Seriously, I would guess Gee and Kunz?

  17. therealsince86 says:

    Jova change the / to AND

  18. Hit The Weights Zeile says:

    are you guys kidding me with nick johnson? so we are going to replace an injured player with a guy who will likely be injured in a month? then who do we replace him with? Go after Aubrey Huff, the guy is a gamer hes a legit RBI guy, and hes not happy in bmore and he will be playing for his last big contract as he will be a FA. Not to mention if we get huff then let him walk in the offseason he will be a type A and we will get draft picks.

  19. Mets5rocks says:

    There’s always,…… Yep the glove that Jeremy Reed sported yesterday was actually fed-ex to him by none other than Mr. Nick Johnson. How else did you think Reed made those plays at first!? lol

  20. Jova1931 says:

    trs, my bad, that’s what I meant.
    Potential < Proven players

  21. Jova1931 says:

    Huff’s hand pump > Joe-buh’s hand pump

  22. therealsince86 says:

    Jova, that just seems to be too much for Vmart but hey…..

    HTWZ: I would rather have Huff too but if we could not get him I don’t mind Nick. His injuries are not like Delgado. They have been more freakish than anything.

  23. There's Always '10 says:

    Mets5rocks,
    are you being serious about the glove?

  24. The Stache says:

    I would prefer Huff as well. Not to mention, I believe he is typically a seconf half player.

  25. Dirtysanchez says:

    @ TA10

    i hear ya but i think tatis/murphy/reed woudl be better served with there roles before the gado injury. Since the mets are a mess with this kind of stuff, derosa gives us options in the outfield and infield and eh has played well, plus he has pop which is good. It would depend on his price but since they got garko and laporta and they want to move peralta to 3rd…they can replace him alot ezier than huff who we would have some trouble imo for a package they woudl accepts since he is their DH.

  26. sabermetrician says:

    Mets5rocks says:
    May 18th, 2009 at 2:13 pm

    There’s always,…… Yep the glove that Jeremy Reed sported yesterday was actually fed-ex to him by none other than Mr. Nick Johnson. How else did you think Reed made those plays at first!? lol

    Actually ESPN misreported. Nick’s glove won’t be with Reed until the Dodgers’ series. No big deal though, same story.

  27. Wanny2 says:

    TRS — I just posted in another topic that Kunz has 13 walks and 12ks in 16 AAA IP. Anyone who trades for that might wind up in the booth with Steve Phillips and the two buffoons to his left.

    By the way, what is the roster move that allows the Mets to activate Redding tonight? I assume Pagan or Figgy?

  28. Jova1931 says:

    trs, the only thing that worries me is that V. Martinez is 30 years old. But he hits! He was injured last year and has had a nice year so far. I wouldn’t play him at catcher, I’d have to live with him as a first baseman and he’d be a good, cheap solution for Delgado, who won’t be here next year. Outfielders are more a dime a dozen as position players.

  29. mrose says:

    anyone notice how much of a beast that Livian Hernandez is gonna be this week? Pitching tonight and Wednesday according to Matt’s schedule..wow!
    :)

  30. DownNDirtyJohan says:

    Mets would trade for VMart or DeRosa or Huff assuming that Delgado will be out for the significant time this season if not done.

    More and more I look at it, Huff is the best choice here. He has comparable numbers as VMart but would cost less.

  31. GravediggerHebner says:

    Yes that is a true story about Nick Johnson’s glove.

  32. Mets5rocks says:

    TRS,………. I agree on Nick, injuries were freakish, and not too mention when healthy hit everything in sight, and walks alot as well. He has a good glove, presence at the plate as well as grit!

  33. therealsince86 says:

    Dirty, I still think you are missing it. Demand. Derossa will be in demand because he is cheap and plays many postions. Huff plays 1 postion and has a highish salary.
    Derossa is also not an everyday player really. He is Tatis and I really don’t see what he gives us over just starting Tatis at 1B everyday.

  34. The Stache says:

    Wanny, I hope it is Pagan so Manuel cant use him again.

  35. KickedintheMetsiclesAgain says:

    Question:

    Lets assume that Wagner improves in the next month and it is very clear he will be back in full force by August.

    If we make that assumption, do we trade JJ Putz (since Wager could take his place), who we will not resign anyway after this season?

    If so, what do we trade him for? Prospects? A first baseman? A left fielder?

  36. therealsince86 says:

    Wanny, good stats.. It’s the O’s though LOL. What do you think it would take to get Huff?

  37. therealsince86 says:

    KIMA, I don’t think we trade Putz and hopefully he pitches well enough that we pick up the option and trade him or keep him.

  38. GravediggerHebner says:

    Wanny, to me the move to make room for Redding that makes the least sense is to send out Takahashi, so that’s probably what will happen.

  39. patrick says:

    I am not one to tell a reporter he is wrong but there is no “IF” in Cleveland falling completely out of contention Mr Rosenthal. Teams playing .350 baseball just ain’t going to turn it around.

    As far as Nick Johnson, I would trade maybe a Nick Evans and some marginal pitchers for him, that is all though. The Nationals are in no position to demand anything for a guy who missed nearly two full seasons to injury leading into this year.

    I would not balk at him, but I would not be availing much for him either.

  40. therealsince86 says:

    Wanny or did I say the Nats? Hell I can’t keep up with this format.

  41. chuckdgaf says:

    Mark Derosa is the type of player the METS need….

  42. The Stache says:

    Would you trade Niese and Murphy for Huff?

  43. therealsince86 says:

    It would be nice if Evans wasn’t crapping the pan. Maybe Gee and a lower level guy?

  44. therealsince86 says:

    The Stache, I think I already ask that one LOL. I would but many would not. People forget about the fact that you get type A from Huff.

  45. sabermetrician says:

    KickedintheMetsiclesAgain -

    Not a bad idea, but there is a club option for Putz next year. Personally I like the idea of all three being there, but that might be overkill. Just trade Putz to a closer-starved team and bring in a hitter? Not bad.

  46. CaseStreet says:

    I only see Omar trading for a bat if they don’t need pitching.

    So, Ollie, Maine and Pelf have to do well for us to get a bat.

  47. therealsince86 says:

    How is this better than Tatis?
    242 .313 .416 .729

  48. There's Always '10 says:

    what is the connection between Nick Johnson and Jeremy Reed though? College ball?

  49. therealsince86 says:

    Because Nick wants to be a Met?

  50. The Stache says:

    Saber @42, I wonder if Putz brings back Huff. The Orioles could use a closer.

  51. patrick says:

    I hear you that Evans is struggling, but he is clearly either hurt or in a mental funk, his perfomance at every level has improved leading into this year. It can be a funk when you participate and succed in the majors to have go back to AAA, even if you are prepared for it, still is a mental setback.

  52. sabermetrician says:

    Niese AND Murphy for Huff? Why not Murphy and a batting prospect? I think giving an arm and Murph would be way too much for Huff (considering how much Huff earns).

  53. Wanny2 says:

    Speaking of Mets prospects, not many are performing all that well in the minors right now.

    Thole is crushing the ball with a .356 batting average, though, as his stock rises quickly. Ike Davis is hitting but still not hitting for home run power. I think he will get it straight and by the end of the year he may be viewed as the future 1B. Havens has been up and down so far. Kunz has been awful. Gee has not been good. Fernando Nieve has pitched better in AAA than his ERA suggests. The St. Lucie pitchers have been good: Niesen, Shaw (has been up and down), Holt (has recovered nicely from a rough start with 8 BB and 34k in 29 IP, Rustich has been lights out in the pen and may project as a late inning reliever, Mejia has been excellent and Nick Carr, Emery Frederick and Stephen Clyne give the Mets a better pen in A than anywhere else.

    Marte and Flores have both started slow at low-A. But Eric Beulac and Robert Carson have not. I don’t know who Jeff Kaplan is,. but he has been lights out down there too.

  54. therealsince86 says:

    The Stache, no. Why would they do that? They need prospects, not a closer with either an expiring contract or expensive option.

  55. Jova1931 says:

    I don’t think DeRosa is ideal for the Mets. The Mets have tons of utility players. They need someone more solidified at two positions at most, i.e. Huff, Johnson, Martinez. Or maybe they wait and trade for Matt Holliday and put him in left. But then you have a log jam with Church, Sheffield, Holliday, Reed, etc.

  56. fxcarden says:

    Putz is the property of the Mets thru 2010. It’s a team option.

  57. GravediggerHebner says:

    Would I trade Niese and Murphy for Huff?

    Well, I think I’m being told fairly universally that that package will not get a satisfactory catcher back, so assuming that, yes I would but get the O’s to throw in a minor league pitcher too to see if we could swipe another John Maine from them.

  58. sabermetrician says:

    Stache- I could see that working, but I wouldn’t want to give up Putz until I knew Wagner was going to be effective.

  59. therealsince86 says:

    Sabre, Huff only makes 8 million.

  60. MetsUpstate says:

    Stache: I was hoping it would be Pagan, but I can hardly imagine the Mets going ahead with a 4-man bench given Cora’s and Reyes’ health issues, and Manuel’s disdain of using Castro in any meaningful situation.

  61. The Stache says:

    TRS, They ARE the Orioles. The same team that is paying Walker 4M and Baez 5M a year, who are both coming off the books next year. I don’t think they would do it either, just trying to get creative.

    @ Saber I’m not sure who the batting prospect would be.

  62. Mets5rocks says:

    TRS,…………I agree on Derosa, again a fine player, but we already plenty of fine, just as good utility players on the team ( tatis, reed, and I guess u could throw in Pagan for kicks) If the Mets make a move at all they should go for either a bonified 1b, LF,or Catcher with a good bat, not a utility type player. Otherwise we might as well keep what we have! Even if Delgado needs surgery he’ll likely only be out 2 months. It is a good chunk of time, but he could be back in August which would be when we would need him most anyway!

  63. therealsince86 says:

    I wonder what a package of Church, Murphy and Niese could get you for 1B, LF or C?

  64. GravediggerHebner says:

    Whoever predicted that Francesa would write off Gardner’s mistake as Mauer being great, you win!

  65. Wanny2 says:

    TRS, Saber, etc. — I’m not sure what it will take to get Huff because Angelos and crew are unpredictable and often unreasonable. I think whatever it is, it’ll be too much for it to be worth it.

    I wouldn’t be comfortable giving too much (you recall that earlier I pointed out that his 2007 was not very good and Camden is much friendlier than Citi). I might not even want to give Murphy.

    If it could be done for some midlevel prospects like Gee (whom I think is more Brian Bannister than Rick Reed), Jose Corondado (all glove no stick at SS) and a Scott Shaw, I’d be all for it.

    But Niese and Murphy seems to much for me.

  66. Wanny2 says:

    TRS — that package should get an all-star caliber player or I wouldn’t trade it away,

  67. therealsince86 says:

    Wanny, that seems to be an outlier year for him but anyway it may be too much.
    What about Church and Gee? They need a LF badly with Pie, stinking up the joint. Church would still be undercontrol for another year.

  68. sabermetrician says:

    therealsince86-

    I realize that and I think that’s a lot for a player that is coming off of what could be an abnormally high end performance over the last 1.5 seasons.

  69. therealsince86 says:

    Wanny, what about Dye? And you would not have to give up any of them right now wor Maggs.

  70. The Stache says:

    Fx, he is the property of the Mets, but the option I believe is at $8M a year, which is VERY expensive for an 8th inning guy.

  71. Dirtysanchez says:

    @ real

    I just wonder how expensive huff would be for them..I guess they can just move
    Wiggy to 1b
    Mora to DH
    Andino to 3b

    But the indians can move
    La porta to 1b
    Cabrera to SS
    Peralta to 3b

    They would be a better feilding club and have 5 mil more to spend. Idk i just like derosas pop and versatility(plus hes cheap). Huff is good but if the orioles move him they will have nobody to replace his power, whereas the indians still have hafner coming back that can replace rosas pop..

  72. The Stache says:

    Not unreasonable that Huff is coming into his own in terms of power as he is around 31-32. Not to mention, although Camden is a hitters park he faces the Yankees and Red Sox pitching staff countless times a year in an awful lineup.

  73. therealsince86 says:

    Dirty, don’t you think Huff has more pop than Derossa? Also, you are forgeting that both of these teams IF they trade either are giving up on this season anyway and can bring up AAA guys to fill in.
    Also, if Murphy or Church are traded in the deal they can take a spot.

  74. therealsince86 says:

    Huff has had 1 season that he had under a 100 OPS+

  75. Wanny2 says:

    ChiSox would be nuts not to take Church, Murphy and Niese for Jermaine Dye (Church can play CF for them and Murphy in LF) but I’m not sold from the Mets perspective.

    I bet they would deal Konerko for two of the three — and that I might consider moreso (if Delgado is out for the year).

    Could that package, swapping Church or Murphy for F-Mart, get the Mets Magglio Ordonez? Do the Mets do Niese, FMart and Church/Murphy for Magglio?

  76. udontmesswiththejohan says:

    “Joel Sherman of the New York Post believes the Padres plan to build around Adrian Gonzalez, not trade him.”

    Jol Sherman – Baseball genius.

  77. Dirtysanchez says:

    @ real

    loll…so i guess its who throws in the towel first lol. I checked the minors for the orioles and they dont have any reall position players coming up that are good prospects(except for their catcher who is supposed to be half mauer half piazza). The indians already have the people to cover the spots vacated….again all comes down to price….

  78. nym2009 says:

    fernando martinez, josh thole, eddie kunz, jeremy reed, sean green for victor martinez and mark derosa , which for derosa we reali jus takin on his contract do u think it could actually work?

  79. therealsince86 says:

    Wanny, you are out of the baseball loop. The Tigers are said to be trying to dump Maggs for a bowl of fruit loops so they are not forced to pickup his option. He is already losing playing time to try and keep his option from kicking in and his agent is threatening taking it to the MLBPA.

    And I did not say all 3 for Dye, maybe 2 out of the 3.
    I was just asking what do you think they could get in return for the 3 and would you go for Dye or Maggs if they were available. I don’t really want Kornerko.

  80. Wanny2 says:

    Huff’s career OPS is a respectable .828. Last year it was .912, his highest since 2003.

    He’s not as good as he was last year and not as bad as he was the year before (.778 OPS).

    He’s a good, not great hitter and a questionable fielder.

    If Delgado is out for the year and he is available, you have to consider him. But I wouldn’t deal the jewels for him.

  81. therealsince86 says:

    NYM, no.
    Dirty, I guess but like I said if it’s Church he can play LF for them, if it’s Murphy he can play 1B for them. You have to remember it’s not really difficult for a crappy team to fill DH.

  82. therealsince86 says:

    Normally Huff is going to be in the low to mid .800’s certainly an improvement and not old so you could resign him. Also remember that he will be a type A FA.

  83. Wanny2 says:

    i wasn’t aware the igers were trying to dump Magglio,. It’s hard to tell what kind of player he really is. 2007 was obviously an aberration. But 2008 was very good but was comparatively a let down coming off 2007.

    He’s at an age where things can unravel. I’d wait and see where he is at the deadline.

  84. WhataPutz says:

    I’m not really huge on Aubrey Huff, but if they can get him for peanuts then go for it. I think Wanny made a great point when he said they should go for Maggs. If the sox are done by the break, they might be willing to budge. And if Miguel Cabrera is available, then anybody on the team not named Johan or Jose is fair game in a Miguel Cabrera trade!

  85. The Stache says:

    Church and Murphy makes alot of sense for Dye. Both are ML ready players. Church slots instantly and upgrades CF. Murphy can spell Fields who is not hitting at 3b.

    Dye is making 11.5M this year with a mutual 10 option for $12M(he will be 36). Since mutual options rarely go through hes basically a rental. Anymore than Church and Murphy and we are getting fleeced, considering the trade fills the need of both clubs.

  86. therealsince86 says:

    You could prob. get Chad Tracey for next to nothing right now. He is hitting terrible right now.

  87. sabermetrician says:

    therealsince86 says:
    May 18th, 2009 at 2:39 pm

    Huff has had 1 season that he had under a 100 OPS+

    Yeah, but if you look at his history it looked like he was going into decline 04, 05, 06 and first half of 07. It’s just a little scary when that happens and then a guy has a near career year in 08. Don’t get me wrong, I would like to have the guy fill in for Delgado. I just wouldn’t want to give up a decent young arm AND a good young bat to do it. Why not Murphy and one or two mid-level hitting prospects?

  88. chuckdgaf says:

    I have mixed feelings on Huff……CONS-he usually beats the Yankees 2 or 3 times a year by himself, why take him out of the division?
    PROS- He can really hit, will probably be highly motivated to play for a contender after years on bad teams, and if we get him in time for the annual subway series we can watch fat Joba the meth baby drill Huff and get charged,setting off the 1st MET-Yankees brawl which would surely acrry over into the seats amongst fans.

    GET HUFF……overpay!

  89. Dirtysanchez says:

    @ real

    They dont need church real..they have enough outfielders….and why would they want to train murphy for 1b…like you said, DH is a power spot and right now huff is providing that power…dont know how murph or church can duplicate or surpass it. Thats why i said it will be ezier with rosa because hafner will come back for them and they hav ethe pieces to make it seem taht rosa was never even there…

    just to be clear..i want huff over rosa but i think rosa would be the easier to get of the two..

  90. Jova1931 says:

    Please let’s stop the Magglio talk. He had a horrible WBC, and isn’t hitting all that well this year. I think it’s a red flag for any team. More than anything the Mets need a 1B, maybe a 1B/LF.

  91. WhataPutz says:

    Do you really want an old Dye who’s a power hitter coming into this cavern for talented young players?

  92. therealsince86 says:

    Wanny, they will want to get rid of him earlier. Besides do we really want to wait until then?

  93. chuckdgaf says:

    Rosa(sounds like a spanish maid) has the right attitude, Huff has the right stick…..decisions decisions.

  94. sabermetrician says:

    nym2009 says:
    May 18th, 2009 at 2:41 pm

    fernando martinez, josh thole, eddie kunz, jeremy reed, sean green for victor martinez and mark derosa , which for derosa we reali jus takin on his contract do u think it could actually work?

    No…you can’t just say, “here’s a bunch of sh!t and Fernando, now give us two decent guys.” A whole lot of crappy players does not = two good players.

  95. chuckdgaf says:

    I would stay away from Dye, Maggs, and Vlad G now and forever….

  96. therealsince86 says:

    Dirty, I still think you are thinking like the Mets instead of the O’s. The O’s don’t need to replace Huff’s numbers because they can’t win this year and he is gone next year.
    They don’t have to train Murphy to play 1B, Huff was already DH and playing 1B. But if they wanted to, what does it matter if he stinks? And they do not have enough OF if Felix Pie is one of them.

  97. nym2009 says:

    victor martinez, ben fransico and mark derosa

    for fernando martinez, josh thole, ryan church, sean green, eddie kunz, tim redding

  98. Dirtysanchez says:

    @ real

    lol. Good points. Since murph plays the OF he or Church is a good upgrade over pie….i agree real…

  99. nym2009 says:

    sabermetrician

    u gota understand that the mets are taking on alot of money taking on the contracts of martinez and derosa so in the end its equal value

  100. The Stache says:

    Putz, Talented young players? Church looks like a 4th OF now and Murphy is non-powerhitting player without a position. How much trade value does he have at 1b, 3b, DH or corner OF. The answer is not much.

  101. Dirtysanchez says:

    @ nym

    i hope your kidding

  102. WhataPutz says:

    saber- I think you’re hitting on a good point here. People tend to overlook our prospects. Just because they’re OUR top prospects, doesn’t make them baseballs top prospects. We’ve got a pretty weak farm. If we have to get into a battle at the deadline for a big player we might not fair so well.

  103. sabermetrician says:

    Maggs numbers were inflated by lucky placement of hits last year inflated all of his rate stats (and is a social!st who would be asked to play in the heart of capitalism).

    Dye has shown significant decline and will not earn the remainder of his contract.

    Huff is a decent player, but isn’t worth too many prospects.

    DeRosa has grit, is a good player, and would fit well in the clubhouse, but is very much like many players we already have on the field.

  104. Dirtysanchez says:

    @ putz

    i dont think we have a “weak” farm just our talent is very young and in AA or lower still.

  105. therealsince86 says:

    Here is a cheap out of the box idea. Does not solve offense but Tracy can field.

    Tracy and Rauch for Green and Murphy or Church?

    For the Dbacks they shed Tracy’s and Rauch’s salary and get cheaper players playing the same positions in return.

    For us we get a professional 1B that fields well and a guy in the pen that for some reason used to dominate.

  106. Dirtysanchez says:

    @ real

    isnt tracy 100 years old?

  107. johnboy says:

    i believe that omar is working on something now.delgado will require surgery and will be lost till sept.ist base is a n undervalued position. you cannot just put anybody there in a hot pennant race. huff or johnson should be our strategy.just ask keith.

  108. nym2009 says:

    mark derosa and victor martinez should b main targets for the mets i dont know how it will turn out but they have to go after those 2

  109. therealsince86 says:

    Dirty, I hope not because that makes me 106.
    He’s only 28.

  110. The Stache says:

    I was always interested in the Wookie as a reclamation project from the Dbacks. He has been awful in a hitters park, I wonder what the friendly confines of Citi, which is playing almost like Petco would do for him. Nice out of the box idea with Tracy. Dbacks should definitely be sellers, considering CoJack can step right in.

  111. WhataPutz says:

    Dirt. Teams are not going to trade talented players for 16 year olds.

  112. brock kingman says:

    “Maggs numbers were inflated by lucky placement of hits last year inflated all of his rate stats (and is a social!st who would be asked to play in the heart of capitalism).”

    LOL!!

    OK, this is damn funny, and in my humble opinion the appropriate use of politics on here!!

    And I agree with the assessment of the four players in question….

  113. Tim in LA says:

    Sometimes I hate being a fan of this team and having to constantly worry about mortgaging the future for an overpriced veteran who isn’t actually going to make an impact. Please, can’t we for once just keep what we have? The Mets and the Dodgers are probably the two best teams in the NL — let’s just play with what we’ve got for once!!

  114. therealsince86 says:

    I really like the idea of Tracy and Rauch. Church could play LF for them and CoJo to 1B. And the Dbacks save 6 million.

  115. therealsince86 says:

    Tim in LA, normally I would agree with you but playing without Delgado and bench players to replace him is playing with fire.

  116. The Stache says:

    And just say NO to tracey.

  117. Dirtysanchez says:

    @ real

    wow only 28…he looks much older than that..
    anyway yea he is not a bad option fielding wise…just doesnt solve the offense…the opposite of murphy(kinda sorta). What about conor jackson?

  118. therealsince86 says:

    The Stache, he is not playing well but IF we don’t want to give up any top prospects at least he is a youngish 1B that is a good fielder.

  119. WhataPutz says:

    Times, there is a difference between a below .500 team trading the future away when they’re going nowhere, and a team with a really solid chance at a world series trying to put the finishing touches on the team. I’m all for home-grown players, but we have a good young team right now who’s right in the hunt. a big veteran bat might be exactly what the doctor ordered.

  120. Dirtysanchez says:

    @ putz

    im not saying they would..just saying we have a better farm than most people think/give us credit for but the majority of our prospects are very young…thats all.

  121. therealsince86 says:

    Dirty, he will be much more difficult to get and I think he is RH which does not help much.

  122. Jova1931 says:

    Maybe the Mets should just focus on pitching and forget about 1B. I know the Jays are in first place but if that slows up a bit and they fall out of it (although they look like last years Rays).
    Trade Murphy, Martinez and Maine for Roy Halladay. Santana & Halladay as a 1-2 and they won’t need much hitting to win. And I know they haven’t hit much for Santana but I think that will change. And if they make it to the playoffs that 1-2 can do damage.

  123. dominicanboy08 says:

    lol.. I feel like we are in the off-season again with all these trade ideas.

  124. therealsince86 says:

    Dirty, agreed, it’s top and bottom heavy (our farm) There is not much depth. If we don’t want to give away Niese or Fmart then it drops because the other guys are so young.

  125. MeetTheMatts.com says:

    Mike Carp, where have you gone?

  126. Tim in LA says:

    thereal–Just play Murphy at 1B. We’ve already got our replacement for Delgado in Sheffield, who’s OPSing .823 depsite hitting into some bad luck early on. That’s completely a completely unexpected boon, and he looks like he’s going to keep it up to me. We already acquired our extra bat, and we got him for free.

  127. therealsince86 says:

    LOL Jova, if it were just that easy.

  128. Dirtysanchez says:

    @ jova

    much more than that to even begin discussions for halladay buddy

  129. therealsince86 says:

    Tim, who is Murphy? What if he is not able to field or hit to be an everyday player? Why not go after a guy like Nick Johnson or Chad Tracy if they are cheap?

  130. Wanny2 says:

    TRS — We can wait on Magglio because we’re in first place and do not have to make knee-jerk moves for players with questionable physical condition.

    I like the idea of Chad Tracy — a good solid professional right handed hitter, who can also play some 3B and corner outfield if necessary. I will caution that he appears to be somewhat fragile himself but would not hesitate to get him.

    However, believe it or not, I think if Delgaod is out, Omar will look for another lefthanded hitter since he and Jerry are so fascinated by which hand a player is more dominant.

  131. WhataPutz says:

    Dirty, what i was reffering to is people that like to throw out Neise Flores and Thole for Roy Halliday, people who think that if these big guys are made available, nobody is going to offer a top top prospect who is almost there like an Adam Jones when he was dealt. People tend to think the mets are the only team in the market.

  132. MEX says:

    I saw somebody mention him above, but Konerko is a player I would love to see join the Mets; I think his addition to this club would be a lot like Cashen’s acquisition of Hernandez. As you can see by my handle, Hernandez is a favorite of mine, and I feel the Mets could use a player like him.

  133. Dirtysanchez says:

    well..the orioles are 9 out of first and now that the yanks got arod back and the jays just keep on winning…maybe huff will be more of a possibility…

  134. KickedintheMetsiclesAgain says:

    Poll Request

    For those Mets fans who will not be traveling to Fenway to root on the Mets, how will they view the series in the Bronx:

    (i) they will ignore it like every other series in the Bronx;

    (ii) they will root for the Phillies to be the hated Yankees;

    (iii) they will be Yankee-lovin Mets fans at least for the weekend and root for the Yankee to pummel the Phillies.

  135. sabermetrician says:

    WhataPutz says:
    May 18th, 2009 at 3:04 pm

    Times, there is a difference between a below .500 team trading the future away when they’re going nowhere, and a team with a really solid chance at a world series trying to put the finishing touches on the team. I’m all for home-grown players, but we have a good young team right now who’s right in the hunt. a big veteran bat might be exactly what the doctor ordered.

    You get it. IF you have a shot to win the WS you have to mortgage the future to an extent. Would I trade in a WS championship followed by 4 or 5 difficult seasons? In a heartbeat, and that’s how most baseball people see it too.

  136. therealsince86 says:

    Wanny, I am just saying that with Maggs the first team maybe the one that gets him because they don’t want to get stuck.

    And come on Wanny you are slipping today.
    Chad Tracy
    Chad Austin Tracy Bats: Left , Throws: Right

  137. Wanny2 says:

    My bad, Tracy bats lefthanded.

  138. Tim in LA says:

    Or have Sheffield play 1B — he used to be an infielder, the only reason he didn’t move over there was because his old teams already had that slot filled.

    I like Nick Johnson a lot, and I used to argue for trying to get Chad Tracy. I’m perfectly fine with testing the waters and seeing how available they are, but why would they be cheap?

    We’ve already got 4 outfielders who deserve to play every day. Stick one at first base and forget about it.

  139. Dirtysanchez says:

    @ putz

    oh that people overrate our prospects..sure they do. Those guys wouldnt even get toronto to pick up the phone…forget roy halladay imo.

  140. Wanny2 says:

    Slipping today? Because I made one mistake.

    How about claiming that Molina’s power this year was not an aberration?

  141. MeetTheMatts.com says:

    David Wright is one guy that would love Nick “Swinging” Johnson at first. He wouldn’t have to worry about Zamboni Delgado not digging them out.

  142. therealsince86 says:

    Tim, because both of them are on struggling teams with expiring contracts.
    And Sheff has tried 1B and by most accounts was not good.

  143. Wanny2 says:

    tim:

    The Yanks tried Sheff at 1B to disastrous results.

  144. nym2009 says:

    if konerko can be had for barly nothing i would take him but the white sox would have 2 cover atleast a decent amount of his contract because other wise i wont tkae him he does play 1st base good so i wouldnt mind it but onli if it doesn’t cost major prospects

  145. sabermetrician says:

    KickedintheMetsiclesAgain

    (iii) I will be a Yankee lovin’ Met fan.

    My two favorite teams are the Mets and whoever is playing the Philths.

  146. therealsince86 says:

    ACtually MTM Delgado has became very good at it and we will miss that.

  147. Wanny2 says:

    MeetheMatts:

    Zamboni Delgado? Carlos is very good with the glove when it comes to protecting bad throws.

    He has no range on grounders but is solid around the bag.

  148. therealsince86 says:

    Wanny, that’s 2. The Maggs situation has to count as much as it’s being talked about.

  149. Wanny2 says:

    Eddie Coleman on the Fan is playing his role as Manuel apologist, as usual.

  150. therealsince86 says:

    I think Konerko would be a disaster.

  151. Tim in LA says:

    sabremetrician–I guess there’s the difference right there. I would NOT trade a WS for 5 lousy seasons. I want to compete every year. For one because 5 races are more fun than 1, but also because the playoffs are a crapshoot anyway. All you have to do is make it into the playoffs and anything can happen. You can have the best team in the world and lose in the first round.

    Think about it like this. Adding a player at the expense of the future doesn’t guarantee winning a WS. And if it DID guarantee winning a WS, is that the kind of experience you want to have? Being a sure thing that runs away with it in a laugher? How lame are both those options?

  152. Jova1931 says:

    You can’t just forget about Halladay… remember that Bedard and Santana looked unattainable at certain points. All it takes is one key, high-end prospect. If you start with Maine and Martinez Toronto will listen. Remember, this is a team in a smaller market. They won’t want to lose Halladay in a few seasons without listening to some offers.

  153. WhataPutz says:

    Exactly Sabe! and you don’t even have to! if you go and trade f-mart and neise and whoever and bring in lets say oswalt or halliday, or a miguel cabrera, you’re adding young talent to an already young team! why can;t you trade f-mart? we will always have the resources to be able to bring outfielders in. Its not like the heart of our team is 34 years old sand we need young players to take over. Our team is built around two 26 year olds a 31 year old, and johan who i know is between 29-31 i’m not going to look it up. So why not bring in a big bat or pitcher to get deep into the playoffs and go for a WS? Its not like this teams core is retiring any time soon.

  154. Dirtysanchez says:

    While i think maggs would do well on the mets…doesnt solve the 1b problem unless you awnt to use tatis at 1b…cause maggs never played 1b a day in his life at the ML level..

  155. sabermetrician says:

    MeetTheMatts.com says:
    May 18th, 2009 at 3:12 pm

    David Wright is one guy that would love Nick “Swinging” Johnson at first. He wouldn’t have to worry about Zamboni Delgado not digging them out.

    Do you watch the games or are you and your boyfriend just hanging out in the pavilion?

  156. Wanny2 says:

    TRS –

    Sue me for not knowing that Detroit is trying to dump a player. I’m not as in tune to Minaya’s phoe as you anyway.

    But at least I can admit when I miss something as obvious as Molina’s uncharacteristic hitting and Huff’s up and down career.

  157. 2009_believe says:

    am i the only one who thinks if we are going to make a big trade it should be for a starting pitcher?

  158. therealsince86 says:

    Tim, I agree somewhat but there is a middle ground. A guy like Shawn Green or Elduque or even Luis Castillo. Those types of players are always picked up by teams wanting to win now and in the future.

  159. WhataPutz says:

    Tim, our team is built around young players! where are reyes and wright going so fast? where is beltran going? where is johan going? we have young talent, and money. We can afford to trade prospects. We’re not the Marlins. we can afford to keep a bunch of highly paid players. Plus wagners and delgados salaries come off the books next year.

  160. Wanny2 says:

    Ed Coleman should be ashamed of himself.

  161. therealsince86 says:

    Dirty, did I not admit to the fact that Molina was way over his norm this season?
    And what the hell does Minaya’s phone have to do with a topic that everyone is and has been discussing?

  162. Jova1931 says:

    2009_believe:

    Yes. At least, that’s what I want.

  163. therealsince86 says:

    Whoops, Wanny not Dirty. My bad again. Jeez Wanny now look what you did.

  164. KickedintheMetsiclesAgain says:

    Trade Murphy, Niese and FMart to the Tigers for Miggy Cabrera,

    Place Miggy at 3B, move Wright to 1B. Keep Sheffield, Tatis, Church, Reed and Pagan playing musical chairs in the OF

  165. therealsince86 says:

    KIMA, why in the hell would the Tigers trade Miggy?

  166. LetsGoMets123 says:

    WHY Oh WHY??? Would the indians trade Cliff lee and/or Victor Martinez to the Mets…Because the Indins love the Mets so much they would hand them a world series, putting their own team in a downward spiral for years to come. Or maybe they’ll do it because it’s the nice thing to do…Aw shucks.

    Those 2 players are NOT, I repeat NOT coming to the Mets. The Indians Will never trade those 2. Not just yet anyway. Maybe in 2 years. When free agency nears.

  167. Wanny2 says:

    TRS — You seem to know what goes on behind the scenes, i.e. what players demands are for contracts (sometimes a year in advance), who Omar is shopping, etc.

    You can make a big fuss if I haven’t been reading Detroit Tigers news.

  168. sabermetrician says:

    Tim in LA-

    I agree with your points, but I want to win a WS. Bottom line, nothing else. Would I rather WIN a WS with 5 lousy seasons or have 6 pretty good seasons? The former for sure. I never suggested that it was a guarantee, that’s the fun of it. But would I want to run away and crush all of the competition start to finish? An emphatic yes. That would still be fun. 1986…only stumbling block was Mike Scott and a tenacious BoSox club. Otherwise that’s what we did.

  169. Jova1931 says:

    KickedintheMetsiclesAgain:

    Um, I’d say Wright is a little better at third than Cabrera. Just a bit (sarcasm).

  170. Dirtysanchez says:

    anybody that defends jerry should be ashamed of himself…

  171. therealsince86 says:

    LGM, FA already nears. They both only have options for NEXT year.

  172. Wanny2 says:

    Metsicles:

    1. The Tigers are not trading their best player who is in his mid 20s.

    2. Why in the world would the Mets put Cabrera at 3rd and move Wright to 1B? Cabrera is an awful 3B man.

  173. Tim in LA says:

    The most important thing about staying young is getting cheap production. We’re going to have to pay through the teeth to keep Reyes and Wright in the coming years. They’re cheap now, but they won’t be when their current contacts expire. That’s why you need to keep youth coming up from the minors. So you can go out and spend money on other FAs, and keep the stars you already have. F-Mart and Murphy are keys to the future, because they’ll be producing at pennies on the dollar. I don’t want to give that up for anyone that we could get for them.

  174. sabermetrician says:

    KickedintheMetsiclesAgain says:
    May 18th, 2009 at 3:19 pm

    Trade Murphy, Niese and FMart to the Tigers for Miggy Cabrera,

    Place Miggy at 3B, move Wright to 1B. Keep Sheffield, Tatis, Church, Reed and Pagan playing musical chairs in the OF

    Whoa, whoa whoa. The Tigers would NEVER do that for one. And you would want Miggy at third over Wright? Miguel Cabrera is absolutely HORRIBLE at third. HORRIBLE. But back to the main point, the Tigers are not letting go of one of the top 5 hitters in the bigs for some junk we throw at them.

  175. therealsince86 says:

    TRS — You seem to know what goes on behind the scenes, i.e. what players demands are for contracts (sometimes a year in advance), who Omar is shopping, etc.
    Wanny, I don’t know where you get this idea from. Most of the time I say in my opinion and I DO try and research what I think players will ask for and what they are worth before I give my opinion. Besides that have you noticed that most of the time I guess pretty close to right?
    The only one I missed was ODog this year and I was right in the fact that he was holding out for something ridiculous. Nobody gave it to him and he had to settle.

    Geez Wanny. What is with you lately? I think you need Alex and Mr. Billwhatever back for you to let off some steam.

  176. Dirtysanchez says:

    @ tim

    agreed but thats not a big town thinking. Omar already is catching alot of crap for sticking with fmart and murphy….he is trying to change the philosophy around here but the thing with prospects is they take a while to really develop. Ny doesnt have time if its competing for a championship.

  177. chuckdgaf says:

    I would stay away from Dye, Maggs, and Vlad G now and forever….you can add Konerko to that list.

    The METS under the Wilpons are not playing this year for a WS title, the METS under the Wilpons are playing to 1- keep Citi field full by putting a team that they can sell as a playoff team to the fans and 2- to actually make the playoffs.

    WS???? Maybe….you forget who the owners are.

  178. therealsince86 says:

    I don’t understand why it has to be, no WS but be a good team OR win a WS and be bad for years. Are those the only 2 options. Can’t we be a team that has a good collection of veterans and homegrown players that can be a threat to win every year AND win one as well?

  179. therealsince86 says:

    Chuck what a stupid comment. Like the Wipons did not swing at the curve ball in 2006.

  180. Jova1931 says:

    trs, I think that can be true with a solidified starting rotation. I think we’re one starter away from that.
    Remember, the bullpen is young and could be good for the next few years, K-Rod, Parnell, Stokes.
    The offense has a good core, and with Johan, Pelfrey, and Maine, there’s just that one starter that’s lacking.

  181. brock kingman says:

    TRS + 1 on the response to chuck’s impressively dumb comment.

    KRod + Lots of money for JJ to set up = Yes, we are trying to win.

  182. Tim in LA says:

    The Big Town / Small Town idea is just garbage. It doesn’t matter how great your resources are, maximizing your resources is ALWAYS the best thing to do. If you have two rookies contributing at the league minimum and you’re the Royals, that means you can go out and get one star instead of none. If you’re the Mets, it means you can go out and get six instead of four. It’s the difference between Ollie Perez, and Ollie Perez AND Derek Lowe. You’re really telling me because we’re in a big market that doesn’t matter? Did you get everyone you wanted in the offseason?

  183. Dirtysanchez says:

    @ real

    agreed…it seems we must be the yankees or the marlins…

  184. chuckdgaf says:

    Willie Mays would not have hit that curve ball but if you listen to folk lore Derek Jeter is about the only man who could. Beltran got a bad rap on that one while Valentin who struck out with the bases loaded the inning before might be manager here one day.

  185. Jova1931 says:

    chuckdgaf, 184:
    You’re a genius. I’m glad someone said that.

  186. chuckdgaf says:

    Valentin swung though…..YAY!

  187. Wanny2 says:

    I’m not going to waste space on here with this, TRS, but since you have gone out of your way to call me dumb on several occasions today I will point out that the other day you somehow knew exactly what Adam LaRoche, Bengie Molina and Nick Johnson would be asking for in free agency in terms of dollars and seasons (despite the fact that this season isn’t even half over) and you also emphatically told someone whom Omar has been “shopping” to other teams.

    So, of course, I take it with a grain of salt when you tell me that the Tigers are trying to give away Magglio Ordonez.

    I’m sorry I wasn’t aware of this very importnat news and was wrong, temporarily, as if it was a big deal, that Tracy hits righthanded.

    And I’m sorry you think I’m dumb for suggesting that Bengie Molina HRs don’t tell the whole story.

  188. therealsince86 says:

    Chuck, my point is that they signed Beltran to a lot of money and he just did not come through there. It happens. They did their part by spending the money and the players just did not quite come through yet.

  189. MeetTheMatts.com says:

    sabermetrician says:
    May 18th, 2009 at 3:16 pm

    “Do you watch the games or are you and your boyfriend just hanging out in the pavilion?”

    We watch the games, sometimes with our boyfriend, sometimes not. It depends on whether he’s shopping or not… That said, it would be disingenuous to dress in our ridiculous attire and NOT KNOW the flocking team or what’s going on in the game. So there.

  190. therealsince86 says:

    Wanny, show me once that I called YOU dumb? Seriously dude chill. Also, show me one post that I said who the Mets were shoping that I just made up? It is known that they have been shoping Castro but that’s all I can think of.
    The comment on you slipping was a joke, seriously what is wrong with you?

  191. Dirtysanchez says:

    @ wanny…

    just dont join the “core” ;p

  192. Tim in LA says:

    @therealsince86–I don’t think the options are WS and no future vs. no WS and a future. Because I don’t think adding one player ever gets you the WS. So really it’s maybe WS and no future vs. maybe WS with a future. Which is why I’m so adament about not wasting the future. Who was the last team who added a big piece and then won the WS because of that? It happens sometimes, but it’s rare enough to be coincidence. Best pickup last year was CC, and what did it get the Brewers?

  193. therealsince86 says:

    Tim no one is saying go get a major player. At least most of us or not. Just pieces.

  194. therealsince86 says:

    Dirty, I must have offended him. I thought we were all doing our normal jabs at each other but I guess not.

  195. amazinmets says:

    @ wanny…
    just dont join the “core” ;p

    LOL… Dirty, I am sure alex will reject the application.

  196. Dirtysanchez says:

    @ amazinmetz

    loll…alex got the veto powers there huh loll…
    how are your new prospects in omar and matt doing?

  197. amazinmets says:

    matt probably will be dropped because he won’t change this format…. Omar, even though he back pedaled about the “edge comment”, he’s still part of it….. lol

  198. MetsUpstate says:

    Tim: all excellent comments. I wholeheartedly agree with both your principal ideas:

    - the need of preserving cheap (young) production for future

    - the notion that “5 x decent WS chance” > “1x very good + 4 x poor”

  199. BernieGilkey says:

    FMart Niese Murphy and Thole ofr Victor Martinez and Lee.

    Id do it.

  200. BBmetsfreak36 says:

    too bad the indians wouldnt

  201. oleosmirf says:

    i would trade Niese in a hearbeat. He’s not a top flight prospect but b/c he’s in the Mets system he gets overhyped.

    all i see is an American Oliver Perez….

  202. Starr247 says:

    Lets just do this deal:
    F-Mart, Church, Niese, Gee and Havens for Pujols.

    Of course, we need to master the Jedi mind trick to use on the Cards GM and we’re golden!

  203. oleosmirf says:

    i would try to get Nick Johnson for Nick the Stick and some mid level pitching prospects.

  204. phatpat says:

    Mark DeRosa is exaxtly what they need. Athletic enough to play anywhere. Tuff enough to play quarterback in college. he is always going to hustle.