Stupid Proposals Involving the Mets

[Centerfield]

Let's play a game this off-season. I think it would be fun to create a running log of dumb proposals made involving the Mets. It can be a trade, a free-agent move, a non-tender, whatever. The only criteria is that it has to be from an actual news site (the guy in the elevator and WFAN callers don't count. Let's leave private blogs out too), though it need not be actual news.

If we get ambitious maybe we can vote for the dumbest one at the end of the season. More likely, we'll just mock them as they come along.

I'll submit the first entry by way of foxsports.com

http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/tampa-bay-rays-rumors-mets-yankees-onto-smyly-102416?cmpid=feed:-sports-CQ-RSS-Feed

The deal that makes a bit of sense is a trade with the Mets, as the Rays would acquire catcher Travis d’Arnaud and outfielder Michael Conforto for Drew Smyly.

Sure. If by a "bit of sense" you mean "none whatsoever".

Like the Tampa Bay Rays, the Mets are looking to upgrade at the catcher position and though d’Arnaud has struggled, a change of scenery could just be what he needs. Financially, he fits in with the Rays.....Making the deal valuable would be the addition of Michael Conforto who is not arbitration eligible until 2019 and reaches free agency in 2022. Conforto is a solid defensive left fielder, with a very good arm, has excellent power and will be 24-years-old in April....You cannot ignore the financial aspect to the trade as the Rays relieve themselves of approximately $6.9 million…

The Mets give up their starting catcher, their best hitting prospect, and take on cash for Drew Smyly. Because the one thing the Mets really need are starting pitchers. Particularly expensive starting pitchers. Expensive starting pitchers that were 7-12 with a 4.88 ERA, and a WAR of 0.0.

I challenge you to find me a dumber proposal.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Would never give up Conforto for him, but I kinda like Smyly. Had a bad year on too many HRs but I think is better than his numbers showed. I mean, he's like Jon Niese if Niese were better.

[Fman99]

That deal would make me quite frowny.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I saw that too. It was written by a Rays fan, so he's not really taking the Mets perspective into account.

The Mets have pitching depth, and they may be about to lose a slugging outfielder. So the solution is to trade two hitters, who still have potential despite struggling in 2016, for a pitcher who had a 4.88 ERA and lacks vowels in his last name?

[nymr83]

If the Rays offered us Smyly "for free" (take on his entire contract and trade them a minor leaguer who is unlikely to ever make the bigs) I'd probably say no.

[Edgy MD]

Smyly probably has value. And certainly does at the major league minimum.

[smg58]

He had an off-year coming off an injury-shortened season, so he's capable of bouncing back. On the other hand, the 175 IP he threw this year were a career high. There are probably better options on the free agent market that won't even cost us a draft pick, so call me back at the beginning of February if we're still looking for some rotation insurance. And don't ask for more than Plawecki.

[MFS62]

Centerfield wrote: ... the guy in the elevator and WFAN callers don't count

Those used to be a separate thread, titled "WATP" (Wild-Ass Trade Proposals)

Later

[RealityChuck]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I saw that too. It was written by a Rays fan, so he's not really taking the Mets perspective into account.

That's typical of all these proposals. "We can trade d'Arnaud for superstar player X." Sure, but why would the other team agree to the deal? Because they're not in business to help the Mets.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Citi Field has become somewhat obsolete. I mean, it's going to be ten years
old before we know it. A team-subsidized study by 3-4 cranepoolers (headed
by me) should be started to replace Citi with a Shea-like replica by 2020.

[Benjamin Grimm]

And put it somewhere along the East River!

[Zvon]

Centerfield wrote: http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/tampa-bay-rays-rumors-mets-yankees-onto-smyly-102416?cmpid=feed:-sports-CQ-RSS-Feed The deal that makes a bit of sense is a trade with the Mets, as the Rays would acquire catcher Travis d’Arnaud and outfielder Michael Conforto for Drew Smyly. Sure. If by a "bit of sense" you mean "none whatsoever".

I saw that last night on twitter and my reaction was exactly the same. First I laughed.

d'Kong76 wrote: Citi Field has become somewhat obsolete. I mean, it's going to be ten years old before we know it. A team-subsidized study by 3-4 cranepoolers (headed by me) should be started to replace Citi with a Shea-like replica by 2020.

I took mechanical drawing in high school. I can whip up the blueprints.

[Guest d'Kong76]

I was going through a box of old computer stuff last week and I have a copy of
Generic CADD (for MS-DOS) on 3½" floppy disks!

[Benjamin Grimm]

Too bad you don't have them on 5¼-inch floppies. Now those were floppy!

And as for that Rays "rumor" about Smyly, Centerfield posted a link to Fox Sports, which is a "real" site, it was actually lifted from a fan site called "Rays Colored Glasses", which I would figure has a bit less credibility.

http://rayscoloredglasses.com/2016/10/24/tampa-bay-rays-rumors-mets-yankees-smyly/

[Ceetar]

Too bad you don't have them on 5¼-inch floppies. Now those were floppy! And as for that Rays "rumor" about Smyly, Centerfield posted a link to Fox Sports, which is a "real" site, it was actually lifted from a fan site called "Rays Colored Glasses", which I would figure has a bit less credibility. http://rayscoloredglasses.com/2016/10/24/tampa-bay-rays-rumors-mets-yankees-smyly/

the actual recorded media was always floppy.

It's not lifted as much as cross-posted. But as long as we're going to talk about stupid non-sourced proposals, there's really no need to differentiate being blogger and credentialed writer.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Ceetar wrote: the actual recorded media was always floppy.

I know that.

Ceetar wrote: It's not lifted as much as cross-posted. But as long as we're going to talk about stupid non-sourced proposals, there's really no need to differentiate being blogger and credentialed writer.

I guess stupid is as stupid does. (Whatever that actually means.) But CF's guideline for this thread was to leave out private blogs, which have a much higher stupid quotient.

[Ceetar]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: But CF's guideline for this thread was to leave out private blogs, which have a much higher stupid quotient.

I disagree, I think non-sourced discussions have a much higher stupid quotient, it's just that the credentialed folks are often citing "someone mentioned this guy in connection with the Mets" as a basis for a story more than making stuff up themselves, but once they do it's often as ridiculous, or worse, than your average blogger. Just avoid the WFAN type blogs and you'll be fine.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Maybe. I don't really know since I don't read many blogs. Whenever I do encounter a new blog, it often seems to be of the caliber of Rays Colored Glasses.

[Frayed Knot]

And just to show how quickly these things can escalate, I saw a NYM-related blog in the last day or so (and now can't remember where) which, obviously working off that original Rays piece (not to be confused with a slice from 'Original Ray's'), said that the Mets 'were in discussions with' (or wording along those lines) the Rays involving a trade for Drew Smyly and the two players involved.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Too bad you don't have them on 5¼-inch floppies. Now those were floppy!

I have an external 5¼" drive in the same box but no way to get something
off of the smaller disks. I do have an old computer buried somewhere in the
basement that might have one. I'd love to see if I could get Generic CADD
to run in Windows 10. Will take this to the tech support thread. #Geek

[Ceetar]

Frayed Knot wrote: And just to show how quickly these things can escalate, I saw a NYM-related blog in the last day or so (and now can't remember where) which, obviously working off that original Rays piece (not to be confused with a slice from 'Original Ray's'), said that the Mets 'were in discussions with' (or wording along those lines) the Rays involving a trade for Drew Smyly and the two players involved.

That was Mets Blog actually, calling it

Rays fan and FanSided author Althea Pashman says there is talk in Tampa that the Mets and Yankees may have interest in trading for left-handed starting pitcher Drew Smyly.

Pashman does in fact say

Via the rumor mill, both New York teams are showing interest in Smyly’s services and each could provide the Rays some of the pieces that Silverman has on his shopping list.

I'm not sure how reputable 'the rumor mill' is or what he means by that. As far as blog standards go though, if you were going to make one presumably you'd includes ones that are on a Fox Sports website.

[Centerfield]

Wait, so the Mets blog says there is talk in Tampa of the trade. And the Tampa blog says there are rumors in New York. Thereby, in essence, making both blog writers correct.

Funny world we live in.

My restriction to actual news sites was with the idea that there is some editorial control on these sites. Maybe I'm wrong.

Anyway, it was just meant to be for fun.

[Ceetar]

Centerfield wrote: Wait, so the Mets blog says there is talk in Tampa of the trade. And the Tampa blog says there are rumors in New York. Thereby, in essence, making both blog writers correct. Funny world we live in. My restriction to actual news sites was with the idea that there is some editorial control on these sites. Maybe I'm wrong. Anyway, it was just meant to be for fun.

We spent whole threads last winter discussing players with as little to suggest they'd be Mets as Heyman seeing him on line with Sandy Alderson once at the Winter Meetings, I feel like if you/we see something we want to b.s. about, might as well post it.

[Benjamin Grimm]

It's entirely possible that the Mets and/or the Yankees are interested in Smyly. That part of the rumor doesn't seem implausible.

But Rays fan/blogger Pashman seems to be the one who speculated that the trade would involve d'Arnaud and Conforto. That part doesn't seem plausible at all and while the "interest" may be based on some inside information, the inclusion of the specific players likely is not.

[Frayed Knot]

Ceetar wrote: Frayed Knot wrote: And just to show how quickly these things can escalate, I saw a NYM-related blog in the last day or so (and now can't remember where) which, obviously working off that original Rays piece (not to be confused with a slice from 'Original Ray's'), said that the Mets 'were in discussions with' (or wording along those lines) the Rays involving a trade for Drew Smyly and the two players involved. That was Mets Blog actually, calling it Rays fan and FanSided author Althea Pashman says there is talk in Tampa that the Mets and Yankees may have interest in trading for left-handed starting pitcher Drew Smyly.

No, this one was some site I wasn't familiar with but stumbled upon somehow and it specifically said, though citing no source, that there are ongoing talks involving those teams and those players.
Now obviously that doesn't make it true as it's just an example of someone who had read the original piece (maybe via the FOX reprint) and then added in their own details as if unable to distinguish made-up wish list from fact, but that's the way rumors go.

[MFS62]

The worst proposal was,"Lets name a portion of CitiField after a ballplayer who never played for the Mets".
Oh, waitaminnit, they already acted on that proposal.
Never mind.

Later

[Edgy MD]

The Ralph Kiner TV Booth?

[Ceetar]

he means the Coke corner. Not sure what Phil did to deserve that.

[seawolf17]

Ceetar wrote: he means the Coke corner. Not sure what Phil did to deserve that.

Oh, I thought that was their tribute to Doc and Darryl.

#toosoon?

[MFS62]

Ceetar wrote: he means the Coke corner. Not sure what Phil did to deserve that.

In the spirit of the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, they should name that section the Lawrence Taylor Coke Den.

Later