If not, then who?

[Edgy MD]

If reports suggesting that the Mets are ready to pay full freight on somebody are accurate, then who? Folks seem to be backing off of assumed price tags on Granderson and Choo. But if the team's going to bite the bullet, and Honus Wagner isn't out there, who do you make your check out to?

Certainly an alternative to the free agent marketplace is the trade-and-sign option, or even trading for a guy already signed to a prohibitively large contact. But who?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Kemp and Either have big contracts and could arrive by trade. Both would probably require the Dodgers eat some $$ to make it palatable but that could be one way to spend the dough. I think the significant stuff almost has to happen by trade, just given the FA class this year and the Mets' needs.

[Edgy MD]

That's brain thinking. Who else has something for me? Keep 'em coming. Think like GM. A creative GM.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Edgy MD wrote: But who?

Depends. What's the goal? To win the World Series next season? To win the World Series in three years? To make the playoffs next season? To build a team that'll contend for several seasons? To make more money? To draw more fans? How many more fans? I suppose I'm simplifying because there's probably more than one goal. I'd guess that the owners mainly wanna make money, and to the extent that they might then try and build a championship caliber team, it's only because they must believe that championship caliber teams make more money than crappy teams.

There's an old Walter O'Malley story about some Dodgers insiders talking baseball in the aftermath of the '66 World Series. The Dodgers had just been swept in four games by the Baby Birds, and the insiders speculated that O'Malley was dissapointed in the Series outcome -- not because his Dodgers lost the World Series, but because the Series only went the minimum four games, thus depriving O'Malley out of millions of dollars in revenue.

[Benjamin Grimm]

My hunch, despite the recent rumored overture to Furcal, would be Peralta or Drew.

[Mex17]

Here are some creative ideas that Harper threw out. Not sure if I like all of them, but I might just need time to process.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/harper-deal-deal-mets-trades-offseason-article-1.1512130

As for me, at the moment I like Grandy and Peralta, plus the Davis for Aoki trade that Sherman floated. Cruz could be an option as well, or Byrd for another year while they wait out Harvey's year off (then revisit using the young pitching depth for a blockbuster next winter).

[MFS62]

There have been several stories about the Mets trying to obtain Tulowitzki and/ or Gonzales from the Rockies. But why not Cuddyer? He's 33,on the last year (or two) of his contract, and a right handed power hitter who has also played first base. Oh, and one more thing. He and David Wright are long time friends. (Read that's why David added him to the NL team for the Home Run Derby) Of all the "short term" players they might go after, Michael might be the only one who they could entice into staying after his current contract expires.

With Helton retiring, wouldn't the Rockies need a first baseman(IKE)? If a deal is being discussed for Tulo, why not broaden the scope?

Later

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I also think Cuddyer makes sense. would strongly doubt he comes with tulo but maybe a pitcher or something.

[Mex17]

There is no deal being discussed for Tulo. It's all media speculation that has been debunked by Colorado's owner (who flat out said that they are NOT trading him).

[Frayed Knot]

Mex17 wrote: There is no deal being discussed for Tulo. It's all media speculation that has been debunked by Colorado's owner (who flat out said that they are NOT trading him).

[Mofo]Well then, dammit, why the hell didn't [crossout]Phillips[/crossout], [crossout]Omar[/crossout], Sandy make a deal for him when he was available!?!?!
I heard we could have had him for Valdespin[/Mofo]

[Zvon]

MFS62 wrote: There have been several stories about the Mets trying to obtain Tulowitzki and/ or Gonzales from the Rockies. But why not Cuddyer? He's 33,on the last year (or two) of his contract, and a right handed power hitter who has also played first base. Oh, and one more thing. He and David Wright are long time friends. (Read that's why David added him to the NL team for the Home Run Derby) Of all the "short term" players they might go after, Michael might be the only one who they could entice into staying after his current contract expires. With Helton retiring, wouldn't the Rockies need a first baseman(IKE)? If a deal is being discussed for Tulo, why not broaden the scope? Later

I like Cuddyer too. If they were to get him then they can get all kinds of creative with some of the spare parts around first base.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I like the Davis-for-Aoki deal, I do. But, then, why the hell would the Brewers want it?

[Frayed Knot]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: I like the Davis-for-Aoki deal, I do. But, then, why the hell would the Brewers want it?

Semi-filled OF with the return of Braun, the emergence of Gomez and a couple of young'uns;
need of 1B power since the departure of Prince;
desire to get younger

[Frayed Knot]

Jon Harper at the Snooze throws out a bunch of WATPs, which you're free to take or leave.

But he does suggest one thing I hadn't considered, and that's that the Orioles have uber-talented Manny Machado playing out of position at 3B. Now he did win the Gold Glove there but if you've got a guy who can play SS then you should play him at SS, all of which may make current SS incumbent JJ Hardy available.
Hardy, like Machado, is coming off a GG/SS/AS year, turned 31 in August and has $7 mil remaining in the final year of his current deal.
Not a high-OBA guy, but a decent amount of power (52 XBHs in 2013) and has revived his career after somewhat losing his way after a splash start in Milwaukee back in 2007-08.

[Edgy MD]

Wilmer Flores straight up!

[ashie62]

Some interweb yap about Choo and Drew to the Mets...and Ike to Milwaukee...

[MFS62]

Ashie62 wrote: Some interweb yap about Choo and Drew to the Mets...and Ike to Milwaukee...

If the Mets can bag Choo, Drew and Aoki (presumable for Ike), along with a starter like Arroyo, I'd consider it a successful hunting season.

Later

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

If the Mets can bag Drew, Choo, and Aoki (along with Arroyo), I'll braise and eat my Mookie jersey like it was venison.

[metirish]

Alderson said at the winter meetings that the Mets will not be doling out $100 million contracts.....I think this is good.

[Edgy MD]

This article had Doug Melvin acknowledging the Mets and their alleged first base glut makes them an attractive trading partner.

The first, and so far only, comment made proposes Ike for Jean Segura and cash.

Um... I'm not particularly averse to that on the face of it.

[Vic Sage]

ha...yeah. like they'd do THAT. sure, sign me up!

[Edgy MD]

You think you can polish Ike up enough to swing a deal for Aoki? He's sort of a pedestrian acquisition, just good enough to call a starter. A modest improvement on Eric Young, but not so much when you take Young's relative youth and defensive flexibility into account.

Ike's been a disaster too much over the last three years, but still has potential to excel. Do you want to move him for more potential, or a guy like Aoki who is more of a sure thing, if an underwhelming one?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I think you try to trade Ike for some other team's Ike. Swap ceiling for ceiling, suck for suck.

[Edgy MD]

I think maybe. The alternative is risk averse, but your approach is kinda shame averse.

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I think you try to trade Ike for some other team's Ike. Swap ceiling for ceiling, suck for suck.

Starling Castro?

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Here's where Markakis looks pretty good.

[ashie62]

Ceetar wrote: John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I think you try to trade Ike for some other team's Ike. Swap ceiling for ceiling, suck for suck. Starling Castro?

Do you mean trade a problem for a problem here? Starlin may be a pain in the ass but the Cubs would likely be looking for a generous bounty to move him...

[Edgy MD]

Think Milwaukee here for a moment, though. With the Brewers openly lusting after the Mets first base glut (I know, right?), I was just trying to see what we could best hope for there.

[ashie62]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Here's where Markakis looks pretty good.

I would expect Nick to be reasonably priced, but then again it is 2013...

[ashie62]

Edgy MD wrote: Think Milwaukee here for a moment, though. With the Brewers openly lusting after the Mets first base glut (I know, right?), I was just trying to see what we could best hope for there.

lusting? I don't believe their interest in Met 1B's is that frothy...I haven't seen anything beyond Ike-Aoki..Maybe I missed something.. in twitterland.

I do like Aoki..