We. Still. Need. Outfielders.

[MFS62]

If they are going to spend, say, half a year experimenting with different platoon combinations, I'd take a chance on free agent Grady Sizemore. By that time he is scheduled to be recovered from last year's surgery to finally correct the problem that has debilitated him for over two years.
If healthy, he would immediately be one of (if not) the most productive outfielders. And as he gets stronger, would be the best.
Because he has been injured for two years, perhaps he would sign a reasonable, second year loaded, one year plus option contract to re-prove himself. He's still under 30.

Later

[Frayed Knot]

MFS62 wrote: Because [sizemore] has been injured for two years, perhaps he would sign a reasonable, second year loaded, one year plus option contract to re-prove himself. He's still under 30.

You misspelled the word FIVE. Sizemore's last full season was in 2008

When I first saw him play I immediately thought he was the next Carlos Beltran.
Unfortunately that turned out to be more accurate than I imagined - except that he started falling apart at an even younger age.

[MFS62]

I got this from my Ohio buddy, and Indian fan.
The problem began to surface back then. It took a while to figure out what was wrong, and initially prescribed rest instead of surgery. Didn't work. He had the same problem (with his foot? legs?) on both sides. So they tried surgery on the first side 2+ years ago. He recovered as well, if not better than they thought. So they performed the same surgery on the other side last year. Track record of how fast his body heals says he could be ready to play by mid 2013. The question would be how quickly he scrapes the rust off his baseball skills.


If the price is right, and doctors confirm the second surgery went well, why not?

Later

[Edgy MD]

Well, because looking at him missing the first half the season, and then maybe another month to get up to speed, we're looking at a one-year contract that could possibly land two months. Two months of a player whose surgery and recovery may or may not be successful. It's hard to figure out what the right price is for that.

[Ceetar]

Edgy MD wrote: Well, because looking at him missing the first half the season, and then maybe another month to get up to speed, we're looking at a one-year contract that could possibly land two months. Two months of a player whose surgery and recovery may or may not be successful. It's hard to figure out what the right price is for that.

bare minimum probably, what you're basically buying is the inside knowledge of watching him rehab and the first chance to make him a real offer for 2014.

[Edgy MD]

Or you could tack a 2014 option on with the offer.

But this thread was started to address a present need.

[smg58]

Edgy MD wrote: Or you could tack a 2014 option on with the offer. But this thread was started to address a present need.

I'm with Edgy on this. If you can afford to gamble a second season on Sizemore, you can afford to make the Opening Day outfield presentable.

[ashie62]

Sandy says that may be about it for improving the OF, for now anyway..

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/mets/post/_/id/59746/alderson-conceivable-mets-done-adding-ofs

[Ceetar]

Ashie62 wrote: Sandy says that may be about it for improving the OF, for now anyway.. http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/mets/post/_/id/59746/alderson-conceivable-mets-done-adding-ofs

he says nothing of the sort, just that it's one conceivable result. Any speculation is Rubin's, which isn't worth much.

[ashie62]

Sandy is quoted as saying it is conceivable that thats it for now which is what I posted. Not Rubin's words at all.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Jon Heyman says Mets view Hairy as Plan B, could still try for bigger name.

I think they almost gotta. Internet getting horny for Dbaggs Upton, which would make sense from my POV if the price is rite.

[Edgy MD]

Speculation is that price could include Wheeler, and that ain't right.

I imgaine Sandy could go for Familia, Mejia, Flores, and maybe a fourth guy. If the Mets could push them towards Niese, they might.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I ain't including neither Neisy nor Wheelie in any deal. Almost anyone else is OK

[Ceetar]

personally I feel like Upton was much more likely before Dickey was traded. Less pitching depth now, so can't afford to trade pitching as much.

[Vic Sage]

i like Upton; he's 25 and already a .280/20-20 guy, with more upside as he comes into his prime. He's under contract for 3 more years ($9m/$14.5/$14.5) and, while not a cheap deal, I wouldn't be surprised if he averaged 25-30hrs/100r/100rbi over the next 3 years, which would make that deal worth it.

AZ seems motivated to move him for some reason, and we obviously have a need. But we'd likely have to give up 4 prospects for him (like the deal Seattle offered and AZ accepted, before Upton vetoed it) and so, between that and his salary, i don't see it happening.

still, if it were to cost us a package of Familia, Mejia, Flores, and the Toronto pitcher we got in the Dickey deal, it would likely have little impact on the major league club's W/L record for the next 3 years, so I'd probably do it.

[smg58]

The issue with Upton is consistency. Two of his last four seasons have resulted in an OPS close to .900, and two have resulted in an OPS below .800. Plus he's been playing in a hitter's park; his career OPS+ of 117 actually equals that of Ike Davis (who had a higher OPS+ last year). The Mariners were willing to include a prospect in Tajiuan Walker that is more highly rated (in at least one survey) than any of ours, too, so between the salary and the trade cost we'd be paying for the three best seasons of his career. Getting less than that from him would not be an option.

[Frayed Knot]

Yeah, that package the Mariners were offering sounded pretty hefty. Several prospects who were not just highly-rated but also already at AA or higher.
Maybe the Ms are lucky Upton turned it down (he has partial N-T protection).

Upton's OPS+ numbers have done an off-year/on-year thing. 107 OPS+ in his first full season jumped to 129 in 2009, but that was followed by 110, then 141, and then 107 last year.
His XBHs, for instance, fell from 75 in 2011 to just 45 in 2012.
And then there are the H/R splits: His overall .278/.357/.475 line breaks out to .307/.389/.548 while in the desert, but just .250/.325/.406 away from it

[ashie62]

Upton...high risk/high reward.

[Frayed Knot]

Ashie62 wrote: Upton...high risk/high reward.

and throw in ... high price. A bushel full of prospects just for the privilege of then paying him $38 million over the next three seasons.

On the other hand, you'll be getting a very talented player who was once a #1 overall draft pick (and who David Wright used to beat up) for his age 25 through 27 seasons.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Newsday reporting this morning that the Mets and Diamondbacks have resumed discussions about Upton.

Mets resume trade talks for Diamondbacks' Justin Upton

[smg58]

I just don't see a good match. The Mariners offered more than we got for Dickey, and Upton is not as good.

[Edgy MD]

Well, as good and as valuable are two different things. Upton has an apparent future that is harder to envision for H.R. Dickenstuff.

But maybe the market has shifted.

[ashie62]

Don't you a young bopper in RF? Upton for Niese Familia and Flores

[ashie62]

Milton Bradley "may" be available..

[Edgy MD]

By available, we mean out on bail?

Milton Bradley is an embarrassment to board games everywhere.

[metirish]

Heyman

#mets won't give up Wheeler, sides don't see a fit for Justin Upton trade at this point.

[smg58]

There's a moral in there about giving a no-trade clause to somebody already under your team's control.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Reports this morning that Hairston wants two years, $8 million, and that the Mets have "balked".

[smg58]

I don't think that price is terribly unreasonable off the season he had. Alderson gave more than that to Frank Francisco, after all. I could understand the caution if there's a better plan A out there, but that remains to be seen.

[Ceetar]

I don't think Hairston's going to be worth that myself, nor do I think Alderson wants to give him the second year. If the Mets are set on getting better, finding real outfielders is among the goals and Hairston is not part of that, so why give him four million if the plan is clearly not to have him playing?