Victor Diaz

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

One of the rags today regarding the addition of Franco & Valentin to the Collier squad included a comment from a Nameless Met Insider (NMI) suggesting that the team was unlikely to keep Diaz and Nady at the same time.

I've given this some thought and suspect maybe the Mets have concluded that now is a good time to realize value from Diaz, who is awfully hamhanded to be an everyday outfielder or truly useful bench player* but would be best suited as a DH for a budget-minded AL team. In fact, Diaz could be a nice upgrade for Oakland, which used 35yo Scott Hattieburg last year; or Anaheim (Davanon), Toronto (Aaron Hill), and not a serious downgrade (+ potential) for several other teams that wouldn't mind shifting things around some (KC or TB or Seattle or Boston).

I'm not arguing for such a move, necessarily, but marketed as a Budget DH with Potential, perhaps Diaz can be a key to whatever moves the Mets feel are necessary for a starter and/or bullpen help, a Hubie Brooks-like sacrifice for the alledged last piece of the puzzle.

Food for thought anyway.

What do you image happens to Diaz?

* - These are arguable points, without a doubt, as having his bat hanging around would be a good thing generally and is certainly worth more than a poor glove would cost. I mean this comment relative to potential as a DH.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Or he could be so moved to help replenish the farm which has been seriously raked by recent dealings --- whether it be to revitalize the Mets prospect field or to help build that package for the mega-monster deal that most of the rags seem to assume is still coming.

[Guest Rotblatt]

Diaz to Twins for JC Romero & PTBN (figure a lower-level pitching prospect).

Twins are looking to move Romero, and Diaz could hold down the fort until Kubel's ready to return, at which point, he could DH.

Romero's a pretty good LOOGY and is going on 30.

[metirish]

I really don't think Diaz should get traded just yet, we're not exactly stocked for RF and Victor no doubt is working hard this winter at his defence, not that I don't think he's a DH but I'd keep him .

[Elster88]

metirish wrote: and Victor no doubt is working hard this winter

One can hope anyway.

[MFS62]

This post still doesn't answer my question.

http://cybermessageboard.ehost.com/getalife/viewtopic.php?t=1791&start=40

Later

[Guest sharpie]

I think Omar thinks that Xavier will start in right and Victor will fill in.

[Vic Sage]

as i said in the Franco thread, the presence of Julio down at the schoolyard lessens the role of Diaz on this team.

Assuming Nady is slotted as the RFer (more or less full-time), and Franco is the fill-in at 1b (eliminating the need to move Nady there, which would've opened up RF for Diaz, on occasion) and assuming Franco is the primary RH PHer /DH, and that Valentin is in IF/OF Ut & RHed PH, too... what is Diaz, besides a possible sub for the subs?

I don't think he has a role anymore, and i agree that it's time to move him. He's shown enough (both in the minors and majors) to have some value. I like the romero suggestion, or as part of a bigger deal for a front-line SPer [benson, Diaz + prospect for Zito?], or even for other prospect(s).

He has no position and he's an impatient hitter, and he doesn't have enough power yet to justify these flaws. Might he develop? Yes, quite possibly. But with Nady in front of him now, he won't get the chance here.

[MFS62]

I disagree. I'd like to keep Diaz. And Nady, too.
I still think Victor can be a full time player, while I can't picture Nady doing the same. While every fly ball to Diaz is still an adventure, I don't think Nady (based on seeing him play- limited sample size) has the range nor the arm to play right field over Diaz.

And, we saw what happened last year when we really didn't have a player on the bench who could fill in and produce for an extended period of time if a regular got hurt. If we traded Diaz, and then Nady (or Floyd) got hurt (an historic possibility in the case of Floyd), I don't think I'd like to see Julio Franco or Woodward (or even Tike) playing a corner outfield spot for an extended period of time.

Later

[Elster88]

Reyes, Diaz, + pitcher for Tejada.

[smg58]

A lot of interesting speculation here. Diaz would have to tank at the plate to lose a battle for a starting job to Nady, who's not a good defensive outfielder either. Still, adding Franco would make either Diaz or Nady redundant -- in other words, either you're underutilizing a guy you traded Cameron to get, or blocking a young guy who's already demonstrated some ability to hit at this level in favor of a guy who's 48 and had basically the same OPS last year. Signing Franco does make more sense if somebody wants Diaz, but to whom and for what?

As for dealing for Tejada, keep in mind that he's currently making less per year than Rafael Furcal. I'd have to consider it.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Rotblatt wrote: Diaz to Twins for JC Romero & PTBN (figure a lower-level pitching prospect). Twins are looking to move Romero, and Diaz could hold down the fort until Kubel's ready to return, at which point, he could DH. Romero's a pretty good LOOGY and is going on 30.

Too late. Traded to the Angels for a middle infield prospect. Romero sounds like an ass, fighting as he did with Metly mentors Rick Anderson and Ron Soundgardenhire.

[Theoldmole]

I still haven't forgiven them for trading Hubie.