Back Up The Truck?

[Edgy MD]

I tell youse, trades of almost anybody in their lineup won't make them appreciably worse, because of the depth they've built up. Certainly the walk-year guys.

But if they trade Blevens and/or Reed and don't get any big-league-ready pitching coming back in a deal, a dark horse or two better step up, because the last two months could get long fast.

I'm hoping that starters returning from the DL can lengthen the bullpen, but who knows when that could happen?

[Guest d'Kong76]

Edgy MD wrote: the last two months could get long fast.

I'm there already, let's punt NOW!!!

[smg58]

You hold out for the right deals, and if that means July 31 instead of today, fine.

I think you can get part of next year's bullpen for a few of the two-month rentals (meaning AAA relievers who look promising), and that would be more than good enough. Bruce is playing well enough to bring back more than that, as is Duda (which I can't believe people don't see), and it's always a sellers market for relievers this time of year. But you don't need to do anything today.

[Frayed Knot]

I think you can get part of next year's bullpen for a few of the two-month rentals (meaning AAA relievers who look promising), and that would be more than good enough. Bruce is playing well enough to bring back more than that, as is Duda (which I can't believe people don't see), and it's always a sellers market for relievers this time of year. But you don't need to do anything today.

Of course Bruce was hitting just about the same last year (pre-trade) as he is right now and the buyer then was getting 1 year + 2 months of him - and all that netted the Reds was Dilson Herrera who, despite his initial promise, still hasn't cracked a big league roster since 2015 and isn't exactly tearing up AAA either, plus a low-minors arm who is struggling in the low minors.


Joel Sherman suggests the Mets look across town for their bullpen replenishment needs seeing as how the Yanx now have veteran relievers stacked up like planes over LaGuardia and would be willing to part with spare parts for Mr. Duda.
His WATP suggests big Lucas for
* One of: Jonathan Holder / Ben Heller / JP Feyereirsen / Giovanny Gallegos
* plus one of Domingo German / Ronald Herrera
* plus one of Tyler Austin / Garrett Cooper
* plus Rob Refsnyder

The first two groups of non-household names are youngish relievers with mostly good numbers in the minors and much more limited success in limited ML innings
Austin and Cooper are position players: Cooper is the 1B they just traded for and, at worst, he swings RH and could fill in the rest of this year and platoon with Dom Smith next season. Austin also is a RH-hitting 1B/OF who saw some big league time this year.
Refsynder was a guy Yanx fans were making a big deal about when he hit well for his first 100 or so ABs in 2016, he also has good minor league numbers. But the more they saw of him the less they seemed to think of him and it's totally unclear what position he should (or even CAN play). A year ago he'd have been the obvious choice over the similar sized/skilled TJ Rivera, but now maybe not so much.

A (highly theoretical) deal like this lacks the high-ceiling guys that fans crave when dreaming of prospect hauls, but what it lacks in that it would make up for in quantity, and maybe that's exactly what our bullpen needs going forward: a competition among five or six guys to see who can fill those slots leading up to the end of the game. If we had anyone like that now you'd figure they'd currently be on the squad but there don't seem to be any even on the horizon.

[Edgy MD]

d'Kong76 wrote: Edgy MD wrote: the last two months could get long fast. I'm there already, let's punt NOW!!!

I guess my take was that they can sell at the deadline and still compete in the second half. It could be a profitable turnover without being an outright punt.

But probably not very successfully if they sell Blevins and Reed and don't bring in some other relievers.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

If they get their timing right, Reed can depart as Familia returns, just as the Cabrera trade we'll read about this week will be seamless inasmuch as it comes as Walker returns (and Rosario arrives).

I don't feel strongly one way or the other on Blevins. It's not like Smokey and Edgy are killers, but maybe you get a lefty-stopper among the guys you bring in.

I think they could also move Walker and Grandyman and still put an able club on the field, more or less.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Edgy MD wrote: Edgy MD wrote: the last two months could get long fast. I'm there already, let's punt NOW!!! I guess my take was that they can sell at the deadline and still compete in the second half. It could be a profitable turnover without being an outright punt. But probably not very successfully if they sell Blevins and Reed and don't bring in some other relievers.

I know, I'm just looking forward to maybe getting some future chips if things
line up right. I'm past being disappointed in our 2017 so just rooting for good
trades/dumps. I'll watch whether they're competitive or not anyways, it's just
what I do.

[Frayed Knot]

So for the "extraordinary improvement" (or however he put it) that Sandy said he needed: the so-far 6 - 4 post-ASB record likely wasn't what he had in mind.
They needed at least 7-3 and probably more like 8-2 in order to stave off a sell-off.

Today was the last home game prior to the deadline. Several of the guys heading west almost certainly aren't coming back ... at least not on the same plane or with the same group.

[Vic Sage]

The notion that they'd by buyers if they went 8-2 and sellers at 6-4 or less is just an awful plan of action. Not that I disagree with your analysis, but its a terrible way to run a franchise. You can't look at this team play day in and day out and think that an 8-2 record over a 10 game span would be a good reason to "go for it."

Anybody on the 40-man roster not named Conforto, deGrom, Syndegaard and Rosario should be made available, if anybody is interested.

[Guest 41Forever]

I'd add Matz and possibly Familia to that list (assuming that people on the DL count as being on the roster).

[Vic Sage]

41Forever wrote: I'd add Matz and possibly Familia to that list (assuming that people on the DL count as being on the roster).

I wouldn't. While i wouldn't give them away (i wouldn't recommend we give ANYBODY away), i wouldn't say their off-limits. Matz is wildly inconsistent, except for being consistently injured. Familia? He was erratic at his best, and hasn't been at his best for quite a while. I'd try to keep both, but wouldn't cry if they went.

[Ceetar]

Thor maybe, just from a Nolan Ryan standpoint. You can trade everyone else if the return yields more value.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I'd trade the living shit out of Matz.

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I'd trade the living shit out of Matz.

http://thefecaltransplantfoundation.org/what-is-fecal-transplant/

[batmagadanleadoff]

Ceetar wrote: You can trade everyone else if the return yields more value.

You can trade everyone [crossout]else[/crossout] if the return yields more value.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Mike Puma in the Post says that we can expect to see Reed and Cabrera dealt this week, but the others (Granderson, Bruce, Duda, Walker...) may stick around a little longer and, if they get dealt, it would be in a waiver deal in August.

As it stands, team officials are relatively confident in finding matches that would move Addison Reed and Asdrubal Cabrera by the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, but there is less optimism that deals involving Jay Bruce, Lucas Duda and Curtis Granderson, among others, will be consummated, according to major league sources.

The full article: Mets looking at just two deadline deals and an active August

[Edgy MD]

The Cabrera deal can't possibly be telegraphed any more.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

Vic Sage wrote: ...Anybody on the 40-man roster not named Conforto, deGrom, Syndegaard and Rosario should be made available, if anybody is interested.

I agree whole heartedly with that list. I would likely add Cespedes to the list of keepers, but wouldn't be above moving him (in a block-buster type deal), but I think the likelihood of his being traded is extremely remote.

[Vic Sage]

nobody is taking cespedes at that price. with a body that is continually breaking down, WE shouldn't have taken him at that price.

[MFS62]

Edgy MD wrote: The Cabrera deal can't possibly be telegraphed any more.

Other than the team changing the name on the back of his uniform to "make us an offer", you're probably right.
Later

[Vic Sage]

they need revenue, so maybe they just put an ad on the front of his jersey that says: "put your team's name here!"

[HahnSolo]

Red Sox traded for Eduardo Nunez last night, so that might eliminate one buyer for Cabby.

[bmfc1]

Tweets say that the Cubs covet Seth Lugo and His Amazing Spin Rate. Pay up Theo, he's ours until 2023 and isn't Arbitration Eligible until 2022.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I also read that the Cubs are jonesing for Rene Rivera.

[Centerfield]

Lucas Duda has 17 HR's and an .879 OPS in 74 games. He's not a great defender, but is no butcher either.

I find I'm sad to see him go. I know Smith might be ready, and it might be the best move in the long run, but I'm sad to see our time with Lucas come to a close.

Don't really care about anyone else. Maybe Reyes, a bit. But mainly because I was hoping that we'd see Reyes and Wright start together one last time.

[seawolf17]

Centerfield wrote: I was hoping that we'd see Reyes and Wright start together one last time.

I really wanted that too. But such is life.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Centerfield wrote: I find I'm sad to see him go.

This makes it sound as if a trade has been announced and he's officially gone. I'm not seeing anything. Has he been traded, or are you anticipating?

[Edgy MD]

If Lugo was to go, the Mets would be looking for somebody just like him in return — a guy who can hold down a rotation spot until the featured starters return, who can continue in that role if the rotation doesn't reform, who can plug into the bullpen if it does. Basically, they're a team at the back end of the league's ERA rankings who can't afford to be shedding young controllable pitching that is modestly effective currently with the potential to improve or break through to increased effectiveness.

As for Reyes, the plan seems to be to keep him around to continue mentoring Rosario. So I wouldn't be preparing to lose him. It's not unthinkable that he could be back in 2018.

[Ceetar]

Edgy MD wrote: As for Reyes, the plan seems to be to keep him around to continue mentoring Rosario. So I wouldn't be preparing to lose him. It's not unthinkable that he could be back in 2018.

I mean, it should be.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I'd be willing to swap Lugo. Gimme your best offer, Cubbies