Alderson dugoutIn the past, Sandy Alderson has not made too many big splash moves to help the major league team. Most of the trades so far have involved selling off pieces of the Mets for prospects, which has worked out for the Mets as they are coming up through the system and making an impact on the big league club. The only big free agent contract he has handed out was to Curtis Granderson last off-season. Alderson has the pieces to go out and make deals to help the team right now. Is Alderson too gun shy to make the necessary moves to put the Mets in contention in 2015?

Right now the Mets have eight potential big league starters and only five spots. Alderson needs to make a move with at least one or two of the starters. Most likely one or more of Dillon Gee, Bartolo Colon, and Jon Niese are going to be the first one’s discussed with other teams. Colon had a solid year for the Mets in 2014 and could help out a team in need of a pitcher who is going to go out there every five days and keep them in the game. Colon would be a great part to have heading in 2015, but he is owed 11 million dollars and if Alderson wants to have a big contract bat come to New York some payroll needs to be shed. Niese and Gee are both solid middle of the rotation arms that are under team friendly contracts that Alderson could package with a few other pieces.

The Mets also, have a few position players that could be a part of a huge deal. They have both Daniel Murphy and Dilson Herrera slotted at Second Base. Murphy will more than likely start Opening Day, while Herrera refines his game more in Vegas, but he will not be there for long. Alderson has to make a decision before it is too late. If he is happy with what Murphy is doing at second then sign him to the multi-year deal that he deserves and move Herrera to Shortstop or trade him away. Otherwise trade Murphy while his stock his high and get a nice prospect for him, or involve him in a package deal for a big bat.

About ready to make the jump to New York is young catcher Kevin Plawecki. The only thing really stopping him from beginning the year in the majors is Travis d’Arnaud. Both players are starting catchers on most teams and the Mets are lucky to have the surplus. They cannot keep both players on the roster as catchers as they have other places they need help. Plawecki could slide over to First Base and give Duda some days off against lefties and back-up d’Arnaud every few days, but he did catch the eyes of a few other organizations.

No one is sure what is going to happen with the Mets over winter months, but Alderson cannot just sit on his hands and hope for the best with the little veteran signings he so frequently gives out. He needs to make trades right now and acquire quality big league talent. The last winning season was 2008 and the last playoff team was in 2006. One team can only rebuild for so long before the fanbase gives up on the franchise, and 2015 is the year for the front office to show this team is a playoff team. With Wright, Granderson, Lagares, and the pitching staff they are not that far away from being a contender. A package deal of Murphy, Plawecki, and one of the Mets excess of pitchers could net someone like Troy Tulowitzki and remind Mets fans what October baseball means. The time to paint New York City blue and orange is now and the front office needs to realize that and give the fans a product they want

9 comments on “Will Sandy Alderson make any moves?

  • Joe Gomes

    The way the 3 Stooges have to go is:
    1. Trade Murphy for a good prospect/s.
    2. Use either Colon, Gee or Niese + prospect that came in for Murphy for a good young shortstop.
    3. Move Flores to 2B and keep Herrera in Vegas all year. What is the rush with him? He is only 20.
    4. Either sign someone like Coddyer or trade for a Marlon Byrd type veteran to share time in RF with MDD while moving Granderson to LF where his girly arm plays better.

    FINALLY can someone please, please tell me why you writers keep on dreaming about Tulowitzki? He is exactly what the Mets don’t need.
    1. Expensive
    2. Made of glass and coming off the same surgery that ended Carlos Delgado’s career and you want the Mets to trade for him and take on that kind of money and give up a ton of prospects? really?

    What makes you guys think that he will even be the same player? Look a his injury history and tell me if he should even be a consideration.

    • Tyler Slape

      The reason so many are obsessed with acquiring Tulowitzki is because he is a star player, at a position the Mets need to upgrade, and his current team is looking to move him. He is a big splash move that proves the Mets are ready to compete now. He is very injury prone, but he is still an all-star shortstop.
      Also, I did not suggest that the Mets trade for him. I suggested that the Mets could trade for “someone like Troy Tulowitzki”.

      The Mets could also look to upgrade from outside the organization. They could go with proven major league shortstops Starlin Castro, Hanley Ramirez, Alexei Ramirez, or Jose Reyes. Or trade for one of Arizona or Seattle’s shortstops, but they are similar to Flores or Herrera with more experience at short, and similar major league experience.

      The Mets have options at short, but it would get fans excited if they went out and acquired a big name shortstop, whether he be injury prone or has history of not hustling. Alderson can only sit on his hands so long waiting for all the prospects to come up out of the system and use some of those pieces to acquire a proven player.

  • ReneNYM1

    Troy would cost too much.Sign Coddyer and Miller and call it a day.

    • Yazzy

      Cuddyer might work but I still think that a combo of den Dekker, Andrew Brown, Eric Campbell, and Kirk Nieuwenhuis would be able to keep the left field position in good stead. Trade Colon, Gee and possibly Parnell and maybe Murphy though I’d rather keep Murph until David WRight can prove he is back for good and that he is physically ready too.

  • Metsense

    Tyler I agree that “Alderson has the pieces to go out and make deals to help the team right now….He needs to make trades right now and acquire quality big league talent. “. He does have budget restrictions and will need to move salary to take on salary. If they move Colon for minor leaguers then they can use the $11m toward Cuddyer.
    The other upgrade should be at shortstop and they should try to trade for Starlin Castro. The price would be steep and could include either Wheeler/ Syndergaard or Montero and then some other players and prospects. Castro will be 25 yoa, with a salary of only $6m, and isn’t a free agent until 2020. He is a young , established quality shortstop entering his prime years. CY came off the books at $7.25M to offset the salary increase.

    • Tyler Slape

      If the sole big contract move that Alderson is going to make is acquiring Castro, then he does not necessarily need to move one of the bigger contracts. Would it help? Definitely, and Colon, Gee, or Niese could be used as part of the deal for him. Could a deal of one of those three and Plawecki or Montero and maybe another lower level prospect(similar to Blake Taylor of the Davis trade) be enough to pull Castro away from Chicago?

    • Yazzy

      We do not need Castro as Flores will hit. We also have SS Matt Reynolds waiting in the wings just in case, and Reynolds has hit real well over his last 2 minor league seasons. If Wright is still recovering during the Spring and early Summer I say we keep Murphy at 3rd, Reynolds or Flores as SS and one of them at 2nd, Either way an infield of Murphy, Reynolds, Flores and Duda with Tovar and Campbell as infield backups, and Campbell also as a RFielder and LFielder, Will be an okay infield,

  • Dave

    Editor’s Note – This comment removed for violating our Comment Policy.

  • rds900

    Imagine, if you will, that the Mets increase their run differential by 120 runs. It would put them among the leaders and assure a playoff spot. It’s not unrealistic to expect the trio of Wright, Granderson and d’Arnaud to increase production by 20 or more runs apiece. The other 5 starters should be able to account for another 20+ runs. Nor is it unreasonable to expect the team ERA drops by .25 runs per game. Therefore, I propose keeping the status quo, perhaps adding a right hand bat or two (Cuddyer, for one). I’m comfortable with Flores at SS and denDecker as part of a LF platoon. If we must deal pitching, Gee, Colon and/or Niese could be available. Let’s keep the young, studs in the rotation and bullpen.

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