ShortStop 2014

[Lefty Specialist]

Ceetar wrote: There's also the idea that standing firm on Hairston, and being willing to take nothing helped land the haul they ultimately got for Byrd. Sandy had history on his side when he said "This is my final offer. take it or leave it." and the other teams would believe that he wouldn't take less than that. This is the price, and you'll pay it or you don't get him. Whereas if they had dumped Hairston for nothing, the Pirates maybe wait another day or two figuring Alderson will get desperate and take less. Long con.

That's 11-dimensional chess.

Sandy doesn't seem to like the proverbial bag 'o' balls. He was probably offered numerous bags of balls for Hairston and turned them down. Didn't seem like anyone was offering anything as tantalizing as the Black/Herrera combo at the time. So he kept him. If that was to build his street cred as a non-bag'o' -taker, then kudos to him. Could come in handy if Colon or others are dangled this July.

[ashie62]

Sign Drew....

[metirish]

ugh, must everything be viewed through a Mets prism?



New York Post Sports ?@nypostsports
#Braves had a hole at pitcher and immediately filled it. The #Mets have had a hole at SS all spring and still nothing http://nyp.st/1kiBmUN

[Ceetar]

metirish wrote: ugh, must everything be viewed through a Mets prism? New York Post Sports ?@nypostsports #Braves had a hole at pitcher and immediately filled it. The #Mets have had a hole at SS all spring and still nothing http://nyp.st/1kiBmUN

Post training consists of "If you can't find a way to knock the Mets in a tweet, don't send it."

Of course, Harvey went down and the Mets signed Colon to a 2 year deal.

[metirish]

Exactly, it's the constant jabs at the Mets that irritate me , hey, the Braves signed Santana , good for them, if they had signed Drew then you could go ask Alderson what impact it has on their thinking,just fucking lazy stuff.

[Ceetar]

Alderson, when asked about the Braves' move, assumed the questioner was making the exact leap many armchair general managers did: When are the Mets going to get as bold as Atlanta did? "You mean in terms of our shortstop situation?" Alderson said. "Were you going to ask that as the next question? . . . I don't think has any significant bearing on us."

[Benjamin Grimm]

Jon Heyman says that Baltimore and Tampa, along with the Mets, are all interested in trading for Nick Franklin.

[ashie62]

It would likely cost the Mets young arm (s) to swing this...

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I like Nick Franklin too, I'm intrigued with Rollins. Yes his stock is down but it's not like we need the NL MVP on this team -- we just need a guy who'd be better than Tejada and/or Eric Young, and Rollins is both of those even if he doesn't improve a lot. PLus there's the potential that a change of scenery gooses his game: It needn't improve dramatically to be better than average. I also think he's the kind of value stock Alderson likes in a budget portfolio -- a Dave Justice type whose best days are behind but still a useful MLB player.

[Lefty Specialist]

If Rollins doesn't cost too much in talent, I'd take him. Solidifies the position for a year. Don't see the Phils trading him to the Mets, though.

[Edgy MD]

I'm not sure how much teams fear trading players to intradivisional rivals. Sometimes I think they care a lot. Other time I think, if the team feels like the deal they want is there, they don't care who it's with.

Probably the attitude is different on March 30 than it is on June 30.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I suspect that teams would rather trade someone out of the division than within if all else is equal, but the main thing is to make the deal that brings the best return.

Remember, Keith Hernandez and Gary Carter came to the Mets in trades from NL East teams.

[Centerfield]

So did Mike Piazza.

[Benjamin Grimm]

And Juan Samuel!

[Lefty Specialist]

Considering the Phils finished exactly one game behind the Mets last year and that Jimmy (no shrinking violet he) would probably give lots of quotable stuff to the press about Philly, I think they'd rather send him as far away as they could.

The Piazza trade doesn't really count- they were in blow-it-up mode in 1998 and didn't care where they were sending people. Al Leiter came from them as well.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Comments from a disinterested and unbiased observer:

Scott Boras: Teams weak at shortstop owe it to fans to sign his client Stephen Drew

[Ceetar]

Comments from a disinterested and unbiased observer: Scott Boras: Teams weak at shortstop owe it to fans to sign his client Stephen Drew

I suspect a "Anonymous GM: Players that still don't have contracts should wonder about their self-valuation" is coming soon.

[metirish]

"I think the earnestness of a franchise and their desire to win is always appraised by their conduct in pursuing the available talent,"

Sid Boras earnestly, he has got some balls all the same.

[Lefty Specialist]

"If you don't overpay my client you're not trying."

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Meanwhile, Tejada's performance-art continues apace: 0-for-3 with a rally-killing GiDP, an error on a routine grounder, and a barking hammy yesterday.

He'll start again today, and leadoff, because this is our way.

[Lefty Specialist]

Meanwhile, Tejada's performance-art continues apace: 0-for-3 with a rally-killing GiDP, an error on a routine grounder, and a barking hammy yesterday. He'll start again today, and leadoff, because this is our way.

Maybe he's just getting all his crappy play out of his system now, in spring training.

Look! A cup! And it's half full!

[Fman99]

Meanwhile, Tejada's performance-art continues apace: 0-for-3 with a rally-killing GiDP, an error on a routine grounder, and a barking hammy yesterday. He'll start again today, and leadoff, because this is our way. Maybe he's just getting all his crappy play out of his system now, in spring training. Look! A cup! And it's half full!

Yeah, it's half full of liquidy shit. And it was filled up by Ruben Tejada.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Meanwhile, Tejada's performance-art continues apace: 0-for-3 with a rally-killing GiDP, an error on a routine grounder, and a barking hammy yesterday. He'll start again today, and leadoff, because this is our way. Maybe he's just getting all his crappy play out of his system now, in spring training. Look! A cup! And it's half full! Yeah, it's half full of liquidy shit. And it was filled up by Ruben Tejada.

How can you tell? Is it fattier or rounder than you expected it to be?

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I'm thinking Boras finally has a name for his mystery team. (And/or that the price for Nick Franklin just went up.)

Either way... Ruben or bust? (Fourth error today, by the by.)

[Zvon]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: I'm thinking Boras finally has a name for his mystery team. (And/or that the price for Nick Franklin just went up.) Either way... Ruben or bust? (Fourth error today, by the by.)

He also made a good play. He's not hitting shit though. And he doesn't look in any different shape than I've seen in the past. Certainly no quicker on his feet.

What he's doing under these circumstances is now getting funny. L'il bit.

[Ceetar]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: I'm thinking Boras finally has a name for his mystery team. (And/or that the price for Nick Franklin just went up.) Either way... Ruben or bust? (Fourth error today, by the by.)

yup, he's up to 0 on the season.

[Benjamin Grimm]

If Ruben can't field and he can't hit, then I would say that there's a better alternative. Either a guy who can hit but not field (like Flores) or a guy who can field but not hit (Quintanilla, Tovar, etc.)

Some kind of trade for a shortstop is looking more and more likely, even with Niese's latest medical setback.

[Frayed Knot]

On the whole SS/pitcher health topic, Arizona LHP Patrick Corbin (24 y/o; 14-8; 3.41 last year) is looking at probable TJ surgery making them possibly more anxious to dangle one of their young SS's to troll for mound help.

On the same subject, one of the columns this morning floated the idea where, if Tejada flounders through mid-season and the Mets are out of it, then Bartolo Colon makes for good trade bait to a team, again maybe the DBacks, that's in it and needs pitching. Just because we need a SS doesn't mean it all has to be done by opening day.

[ashie62]

The Mets seem pretty committed to Tejada... I doubt Sandy has even spoken to Seattle since the meetings.....

Good luck to Ruben.... Qball is looking over your shoulder...

[Frayed Knot]

Ashie62 wrote: The Mets seem pretty committed to Tejada...

I don't think that they're committed at all, or that to what degree it does exist extends any further out than maybe month to month.
I think it's probably as simple as they don't like the price--in dollars or in bodies--of the immediately available alternatives and are willing to stick with him for now to see whether:
a) he bounces back to something close to 2012 form
the price of replacements drops
c) other alternatives become known

Again, not all problems need to be solved by April 1st