Trade Deadline 2010

[Centerfield]

Beltran coming back should be a nice addition to the lineup. But if I could add only one player, I'd add a bat instead of a pitcher.

The Mets are 6th in the bigs in team ERA. They are 21st in OPS. Some of it has to do with the ballpark, but not all. They scored 5 runs this weekend against the Braves. I'd like to be able to win without our starter having to shut out the opposition.

[MFS62]

I vote for the bat, too.
And it seems that the only place for it is second base. (Assuming Reyes will be healthy pretty soon.)
Like Edgy, I'd like to see the Mets go for Dan Uggla. He may not be a Bill Mazeroski with the glove, but based on his track record, I'd think he'd drive in more runs than he lets in. And he'd add real depth to the every day lineup.

But whoever they go for, Alex Cora has to be part of the deal. He is getting scarilly close to getting enough PT to earn another year on his contract. He may be "great in the clubhouse" but he isn't doing very much when he gets on the field.

Later

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Cora's done fine given his role and fans would do well to stop pretending that his vesting contract is all that big of a deal. If he's truly horrible they will release him. And demanding his trade is silly too.

[MFS62]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Cora's done fine given his role and fans would do well to stop pretending that his vesting contract is all that big of a deal. If he's truly horrible they will release him. And demanding his trade is silly too.

That said, what would you like to see the Mets add at/ before the deadline?
Later

[TransMonk]

I'd bet that if the Mets were to stand pat over the deadline, the team OPS ranking would rise over the second half while the team ERA ranking would fall.

For that reason, I desire another arm. Beltran is the bat.

[Gwreck]

I only see a need to add bat if we are trading away a regular position player in order to get a pitcher, or a regular player (Reyes or Pagan) is going to be hurt for an extended period of time.

Sure, in theory I'd like to get more offense out of catcher and second base but I don't see a lot of good options out there.

What I would really like to see is another top-of-the-line starting pitcher (ie. Cliff Lee). That ship's already sailed, so I guess we settle for something lesser, but pitching should still be the priority.

[metirish]

Gwreck wrote: I only see a need to add bat if we are trading away a regular position player in order to get a pitcher, or a regular player (Reyes or Pagan) is going to be hurt for an extended period of time. Sure, in theory I'd like to get more offense out of catcher and second base but I don't see a lot of good options out there. What I would really like to see is another top-of-the-line starting pitcher (ie. Cliff Lee). That ship's already sailed, so I guess we settle for something lesser, but pitching should still be the priority.

Agree , a lot of talk about Lilly, having a miserable time of it in Chicago, but who isn't? I think a pitcher of his ilk is not a difference maker, Takahashi is close to him right?

Oswalt makes a difference I think, you see his name penciled in and I go wow,nice staff right there.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I think they could use more O too, but suspect they will count on it coming from the return of Beltran, more of Reyes, better Bay, less Frenchie/Barajas/Blanco and even the return of Castillo who is a slight offensive upgrade over Tejada at this point. I don't think they'll go add another 2B to the mix unless they somehow unload Castillo which is hard to imagine. If they did I don't think the Mets would add Uggla, not given their stated attitudes on defense up the middle.

The catchers are turning out to be lousy offensive players but there's a chance that Thole continues to provide a lift in the mix, and there won't be many offensive-minded catchers out there anyhow.

So all that said I think they will look for bullpen guys to provide an upgrade over Dessens/Valdes and allow them to deploy Feliciano with more precision; and I'd like to see a starter come in such as Lilly so as to plug up the butt-end of the rotation. A right-handed bench masher with versatility would also be welcome and pursued, I hope.

[Guest Edgy DC]

MFS62 wrote: Like Edgy, I'd like to see the Mets go for Dan Uggla.

Did I really advocate this? When?

[smg58]

I'd like to see who we could get at what price before singling anybody out. Beltran might turn out to be as good a pickup as anybody else can make, so I don't think we need to make a panic move. I think we're hurting more at second base than at fifth starter, but I'm open to upgrades at either spot.

[smg58]

Brian Roberts is set to begin a rehab assignment today. There might be a buy low opportunity there.

[TransMonk]

We would be buying, but I don't know about low.

From Cot's for Brian Roberts:
4 years/$40M (2010-13)
signed extension with Baltimore 2/20/09
10:$10M, 11:$10M, 12:$10M, 13:$10M
limited no-trade protection: Roberts may block deals to 8 clubs in 2010, 12 clubs in 2011
full no-trade protection in 2012
award bonuses

YIKES! 30 million over the next 3 years for a 32 year old sounds like Castillo all over again.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Wright's doing alright, but not over-his-head alright; same with Pagan (who MAY be playing a little over-his-head at the IMMEDIATE present). Bay, Reyes (assuming he healthens up) and the rest are due to improve or stay solid... and Beltran's an upgrade over the 2/3 of a full Francoeur share and 1/3 of a full Pagan that you'r losing. Boom... passive upgrade (as long as Castillo's healthy and/or stays the fuck away).

Get Lilly to bump Taka back to the Darren Oliver suite or use your current parts better (institute the split-start plan with Maine and Taka-- wherein each goes 3-5 innings during the same turn in the rotation, with order to be determined by the guys in the other dugout), and you've got a stew goin'!

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I kinda like the idea of Maine as a pissed-off short relief guy. If his shoulder isn't completely shot, that is.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Five guys coming off of rehab assignments in the coming weeks, and scarcely room for three of them.

DRAMA!

[TransMonk]

Too many options is better than no options.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I'm certianly not suggesting it's bad.

I am predicting much drama will be made of it.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Edgy DC wrote: Five guys coming off of rehab assignments in the coming weeks, and scarcely room for three of them.

Maine... Perez... Beltran... Castillo... and...?

[Guest Edgy DC]

Fernando Tatis.

[metirish]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Edgy DC wrote: Five guys coming off of rehab assignments in the coming weeks, and scarcely room for three of them. Maine... Perez... Beltran... Castillo... and...?

Bay , should be back right after the ASG.

[MFS62]

Edgy DC wrote: MFS62 wrote: Like Edgy, I'd like to see the Mets go for Dan Uggla. Did I really advocate this? When?

Thought I saw it as a short reply in a thread about a week ago.
Maybe it was someone else.
In any case, I'll just say I agree with whoever it was who posted it.

Later

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

TransMonk wrote: Too many options is better than no options.

Sometimes, it's just as bad. Sometimes... dead is better. (coughcoughOllie)

[Guest Edgy DC]

Easy now. Don't give anybody any ideas.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Figuratively dead is better.

[Fman99]

I say get another starter, put Tak back in the pen, hope that Beltran looks good, Bay wakes up and Jose Jose can get healthy. More Thole.

Let Castillo hit 9th and bunt guys over for Reyes.

[Benjamin Grimm]

This three-catcher thing isn't going to last, and I don't think Thole ought to be the one to leave.

[MFS62]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: This three-catcher thing isn't going to last, and I don't think Thole ought to be the one to leave.

The more he shows that he can catch the knuckler, the longer he should stay.
The hitting hasn't been to shabby, either.

Later

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: This three-catcher thing isn't going to last, and I don't think Thole ought to be the one to leave.

Ah, yes.

But if you're going to free up space by trading, he's the only one with any value on that market.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I disagree with the notion that Rod Barajas and Henry Blanco are without value on the trade market.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I'm sure they have value. Less than Thole, I'm sure, but value.