Harvey Deals

[Edgy MD]

Blake Swihart?

Sort of an American League version of Travis d'Arnaud, he's a former top catching prospect (and first-round pick) who has never established himself despite periods of productivity. Regressions and injuries have combined with new blood in the Red Sox catching ranks to put them in roster bind.

Doesn't knock your socks off? Maybe not, but it may be the best sort of bounty the team can target when they shop Matt Harvey around.

With his sad, dark eyes and his short beard, he even looks like a cross between d'Arnaud and Plawecki.

[fimg=500:2qway1cg]https://securea.mlb.com/assets/images/1/9/0/107848190/cuts/BlakeSwihart1280_x2w3nkgt_hjsoi5kd.jpg[/fimg:2qway1cg]

Also, maybe Texas is a possibility, under the notion that reuniting with Dan Warthen might help him. They've had back end starters Matt Moore and Martín Pérez getting banged all over the place. Pérez is now on the DL and a lot of fans wish Moore was also.

[smg58]

I'd love Swihart for Harvey, but at this point I'd settle for a souvenir ice cream cup with vanilla/chocolate twist.

[ashie62]

Saw a report of Seattle might be interested in uniting Harvey with Dan Warthen

[bmfc1]

Ashie62 wrote: Saw a report of Seattle might be interested in uniting Harvey with Dan Warthen

Warthen is Texas but you're still right because I've read about interest from both Texas and Seattle.

[Benjamin Grimm]

They must have been impressed with the way Warthen coaxed Harvey to a 6.80 ERA last season.

[A Boy Named Seo]

With regard to Blake Swihart specifically, I don't think he's necessarily much better (if at all) than what we have, or that we'd be a better team with him behind the dish (from the quick bit of reading I've done on him).

But as a return for Harvey, I'd think we'd be fortunate to get a warm-bodied, Major League player for him. So, yeah?

[Edgy MD]

He certainly doesn't look particularly better on fez value, but as a guy with former prospect pedigree, and with more experience than the option-able Nido, he may be ... another ticket in the Potentially Better Lottery?

[Benjamin Grimm]

Swihart is making the major league minimum (or close to it, at $564,000) and has four more years before he's eligible for free agency.

If the Mets were to deal Harvey for Swihart, they'd probably have to also include around $4 million cash.

And there's no reason why they shouldn't be willing to do that; that money will be lost anyway. The only reason not to would be if there's another team offering a better player for Harvey and $4 million.

[smg58]

Swihart could be mediocre on a good day and still be an upgrade. I'm guessing he could be had for a price that wouldn't be objectionable. I'm not sure the Red Sox would have any use for Harvey, though.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Nick Cafardo, The Boston Globe wrote: The Mets finally had enough of Harvey's attitude and performance and designated him for assignment. They'll try to deal him, but given his recent outings that may be tough. Yet, teams need pitching, and if one thinks it can resurrect Harvey's career, it will deal for him. There's been some suggestion he may be offered to the Red Sox for Blake Swihart, but the Sox don't appear interested in that swap.

Could this speculation have originated... here?

[G-Fafif]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Could this speculation have originated... here?

There are also rumblings that Mets fans are as unhappy with the 2018 yearbook cover as they are with the players pictured on it, not to mention those whose pictures appear within the pages that follow. "Put up against 1962, when they lost 120 games, nobody chose it -- nobody," says a source familiar with Mets fan thinking. "Even that off-brand bilingual edition with Bonilla on it had more support." Harvey wasn't on the cover of the 2018 yearbook, but those on which he was pictured were hardly more popular. "It's a fact," one Mets fan said. "If Harvey had something to do with it, it didn't advance."

[seawolf17]

G-Fafif wrote: Benjamin Grimm wrote: Could this speculation have originated... here? There are also rumblings that Mets fans are as unhappy with the 2018 yearbook cover as they are with the players pictured on it, not to mention those whose pictures appear within the pages that follow. "Put up against 1962, when they lost 120 games, nobody chose it -- nobody," says a source familiar with Mets fan thinking. "Even that off-brand bilingual edition with Bonilla on it had more support." Harvey wasn't on the cover of the 2018 yearbook, but those on which he was pictured were hardly more popular. "It's a fact," one Mets fan said. "If Harvey had something to do with it, it didn't advance."

BOC

[Guest cooby]

Lol

Anyway, isn’t it so that after he cleared waivers, another team could sign him as a free agent for major league minimum, with the Mets still liable for his contract?

So if I were another team, nuts to a trade and just wait til this weekend

Or am I wrong. This whole waivers thing has always confused me

[Benjamin Grimm]

Any trade for Harvey would involve either the Mets paying a big chunk of Harvey's remaining salary, or taking on some other team's bad contract. You're right, without that, nobody will want to make a deal for Harvey.

[Frayed Knot]

Cooby: isn’t it so that after he cleared waivers, another team could sign him as a free agent for major league minimum, with the Mets still liable for his contract? -- Yes


So if I were another team, nuts to a trade and just wait til this weekend -- Except that by then he'll be able to talk to all 29 teams, not just yours. By giving up something for him prior
to the seven-day waiver period expiring a team can cut off the other 28

[Guest cooby]

Yeah I thought of that. I guess you’d have to be fairly sure nobody else wanted him

[Edgy MD]

Ken Rosenthal indicates that the Mets are confident they can make a deal, reporting "four to five teams interested" in the guy.

Andy Martino reports "strong interest" including from San Francisco and Cincinnati. Mark Feinsand says interest is more tepid.

Mike Puma says the White Sox are in but there is doubt about the Orioles.

The Rangers, Rays, Tigers, Red Sox, and Yankees are said to be uninterested. I guess that means the Swihart dreams are dead.

Rosenthal additionally expects the Mets to gobble salary in the hopes of getting somebody with a chance to be useful.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I would think that they'd have to gobble salary in order to get just about anyone at all, unless it's also someone with a multi-million-dollar salary.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Let's gobble it all, pay Harvey to suck ass for another club

[nymr83]

Mets agree to pay Harvey's salary on the condition he appears against them at least once per series for the acquiring tram.

[Edgy MD]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Let's gobble it all, pay Harvey to suck ass for another club

There's nothing not filthy about this post.

[Edgy MD]

The Harvey talk has been elevated to a "saga" on the San Francisco Giants beat.

Meanwhile the Padres have joined the cadre of teams rumored to be potential trading partners, according to Mike Puma, who also lands the unsurprising scoop that the Mets would like catching help.

The Padres are sort of the anti-Reds, in that they seemingly run from pillar to post philosophically, never sticking with one approach long enough to fully let it play out. The Reds, on the other hand, seem to stick with the same game plan year after year, only to make zero progress, year after year.

Both are teams I want to like more than I do. I imagine San Diego's ballpark and location has about a million times more appeal for Harvey.

[bmfc1]

Someone new to love: Devin Mesoraco
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devin_Mesoraco

[Centerfield]

Nymr83 wrote: Mets agree to pay Harvey's salary on the condition he appears against them at least once per series for the acquiring tram.

I think you might be right.

Imagine facing Harvey at that ballpark.

[Frayed Knot]

Like Harvey, Mesaroco was once a 1st round draft pick [15th overall in 2007 out of Puxatawny HS in, yes, Puxatawny, PA*] and was considered a hot prospect for a time [top-25 across the board pre-2012 season]
But since then virtually all of his offense appeared in one season when he was a 2014 All-Star, hit 24 bombs, and even garnered some back of the ballot MVP votes [21st]
Lots of injuries and not a lot of hitting followed that season -- just over 300 ML ABs from 2015-2018 while slashing .197/.291/.318 (63 OPS+)

Turns 30 next month.






* insert Ned Ryerson jokes here

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

LOLReds

[A Boy Named Seo]

Two hurty guys who used to be good. Also:

[tweet:m73upwv9]

[/tweet:m73upwv9]

[Mex17]

Shades of Jose Cardinal being traded between games of a doubleheader.

Mesoraco was supposed to start for the Reds tonight. Do you think that he will give up the game plan that he was probably working with Luis Castillo (tonight's Reds starting pitcher, not the crappy second baseman) on literally an hour ago?

[dgwphotography]

Once upon a time, some thought he was the next Seaver. At least he got traded to the Reds, too

[nymr83]

Wow, great trade for the Mets, Mesoraco is serviceable