Cory Mazzoni for Alex Torres (split from who's your lefty?)

[TransMonk]

Per Metsblog: Mets trade for Alex Torres from San Diego

What they gave up has not yet been reported.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/torreal01.shtml

OE: He's the dude with the protective pitcher's cap.

Double Edit: The Mets gave up RHP prospect Cory Mazzoni.

[Edgy MD]

WHOAH. Always hate to give up a Cory.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Gosh, Carmine Ronzoni for a LOOGY. This guy seems to have the right stuff though.

[Edgy MD]

Good challenge trade. Both of them Rawlings guys.

[fimg=220]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_zhVLHKrSgs/VKCD5cJjAkI/AAAAAAAAJck/p-muAsmesn4/s1600/Alex%2BTorres(1).jpg[/fimg]

[Edgy MD]

OE: He's the dude with the protective pitcher's cap.

Keith mocked this, didn't he?

OE: �If you�re scared, get a dog.�

[smg58]

Torres had very severe reverse platoon splits last year, driven mainly by 25 walks in 119 plate appearances against lefties. That had never been an issue before, so I'm not sure what happened. He's actually been very solid against righties the last two seasons (.557 OPS last year and .470 the year before), so I'd hate to see him get used as a LOOGY. He does improve the bullpen depth on the whole, and has significant upside if he can overcome the control issues.

[Edgy MD]

My feeling is generally that, while a lefty specialist who walks guys is certainly not ideal, that's the least sin to have. When you face lefty sluggers for a living, walks are part of the game.

It's certainly notable that he's had a successful career against all batters though.

[TransMonk]

He is certainly better than nothing. I'm happy with this deal.

[Frayed Knot]

First glance: Lotsa walks allowed (4.5/9 for career) but not many hits (6.5/9), a decent amount of Ks (9.2/9) and virtually no HRs (just 3 in 120 ML IPs)
No major split noise: .186 BAA vs RHP; .216 BAA vs LHB

[Frayed Knot]

TransMonk wrote: Double Edit: The Mets gave up RHP prospect Cory Mazzoni.

Plus a PtbNL apparently.

This deal also gives us a two-Torres bullpen. Just imagine how confused the opposing managers will be because of this!!

[TransMonk]

Didn't see the PTBNL on the original report...no clue who it might be.

Also, thanks for the split. When in doubt, I try not to create new threads.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I think his eyebrow sculpting definitely makes Tejada available.

[Edgy MD]

First Mets-Padres trade since Kunz-for-Dykstra, which happened almost exactly four years ago today, on March 29, 2011.

Biggest Mets trade with the Padres? Probably the McReynolds deal. Kevin Mitchell, Stan Jefferson and Shawn Abler for Kevin McReynolds, Gene Walter and Adam Ging on December 11, 1986. That's a lot of WAR bouncing back and forth. I wonder if there was a lot of resistance when we asked for Ging?

Also big, of course, was the June 15, 1977 dump off of Dave Kingman for wounded vet Bobby Valentine and nowhere-bound prospect Paul Siebert.

The Mets have twice acquired once-great shortstops from the Padres � Tony Fernandez and Garry Templeton � realizing quickly both times that the hoped-for career renaissance wasn't in the offing.

Most unusual transaction sequence has to be the tug of war the two teams had over Jason Middlebrook:

[list:hwd872ck][*:hwd872ck]New York Mets claimed Jason Middlebrook on waivers from the San Diego Padres on October 5, 2000.[/*:m:hwd872ck]
[*:hwd872ck]San Diego Padres claimed Jason Middlebrook of the New York Mets on waivers on November 22, 2000.[/*:m:hwd872ck]
[*:hwd872ck]New York Mets traded Bobby Jones, Jason Bay and Josh Reynolds to the San Diego Padres for Jason Middlebrook and Steve Reed on July 31, 2002.[/*:m:hwd872ck][/list:u:hwd872ck]

Guys, he's Jason Middlebrook. Relax. Relax before one of you does something stupid and deals off a future All Star for hi... Shit.

[TransMonk]

I don't know about you guys, but this is how normal New Era Official caps look on me since they went away from wool some years back.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Remember Schaefer voters: It's CTorres or ATorres.

Alex Torres turned 27 in December. Not eligible for free agency until after the 2019 season, so the Mets have five years of control.

Mets went all winter without getting a lefty reliever, and then they go and get two in one day. (Two so far, anyway.)

[Edgy MD]

Snooze and lose, Baltimore.

[G-Fafif]

HAT STUFF!
--Back page of News when Alex comes in to rescue Mejia and save the sweep of the first Subway Series.

[Fman99]

Is he going to wear this bedpan on his head in NY? Looks like a bird landed on him.

[MFS62]

That hat reminds me of the character Rick Moranis played in Spaceballs.
But if he can get guys out, nobody will care if his hat makes him look like a doofus.

Later

[Benjamin Grimm]

So... what's the deal with the giant cap, anyway?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

He witnessed the beheading of a teammate while with Tampa Bay and got spooked.

[Frayed Knot]

That's one of those new deals that were approved right around this time last year for protection against line-drives back to the box.

[TransMonk]

Cap worn by Alex Torres revised for 2015

Rubin wrote: This year's version of the technology removes the padding inside the cap. Instead, Torres will use a standard cap with the New York Mets, which has a protective shield affixed to the bowl portion.

[TransMonk]

Rubin is trying to get the story straight.

Alex Torres wearing standard cap for now