Didi GregoriusThe Mets were never going to trade for Didi Gregorius.  The Diamondbacks asking price was too high (Noah Syndergaard) and Gregorius didn’t fit the Mets’ need for an offensive-minded shortstop.  A platoon-at-best all-glove, no-bat was not going to happen at a steep price.  And the glove isn’t even that good, as both UZR and DRS have Gregorius at average to below-average.

But that Arizona’s asking price was so high, then they ended up settling for two mid-level pitching prospects from the Detroit Tigers system, might actually be a good thing for the Mets.

Gregorius being the first non-Hanley Ramirez domino to fall as far as shortstops go, the market has been set relatively low.  Should the Mets pursue Jed Lowrie or Asdrubal Cabrera in free agency or Brad Miller in a trade, the negotiating power will be in their favor as the Gregorius deal indicates a buyer’s market.

Of course each individual transaction is different, because of the differing needs of the teams and skill levels of the players, but a buyer’s market is a buyer’s market.

If the Seattle Mariners now have to lower their asking price for Miller because of the small return Arizona got for Gregorius, the Mets may get off as cheaply as Jon Niese and a 15-20 prospect or Rafael Montero in return.

While that trade wouldn’t be getting away with highway robbery, it is significantly less than surrendering one of the team’s top prospects.  It would be very hard to argue that hypothetical trade to be a bad one for the Mets.

Then on the other hand are the free agents.  The Gregorius effect on this market is much harder to gauge.  Yes, if the value of a shortstop in a trade is lower, then it stands that via free agency the price should be lower as well.  But with the way that the free agent market has played out this offseason, all bets are off.  A LOOGY just signed a 4-year, $36 million contract.  Lowrie or Cabrera could easily fetch more than that.

It is, because of the financial constraints, more likely that the Mets make a trade for a shortstop than buy one, which means the Gregorius trade was a win for the Amazin’s as well.

25 comments on “How the Gregorius trade effects the Mets SS plans

  • Scott Ferguson

    My eyes are on Seattle and Texas. Miller and Taylor don’t work in Seattle with Cano entrenched at 2nd and a very good chance Melky goes there. Odor, Profar and Sardinas are all basically major league ready in Texas and the Rangers need pitching. I want Flores to have an everyday spot at SS or 2B, but I really believe a defensive upgrade is necessary. My guess it will be Miller, Taylor or Sardinas. I’m all for either Seattle SS along with a Murphy trade.

    I like Murphy, but to truly push this team to the next level, you can’t have a D combo of Murphy and Flores at 2nd and SS.

  • Rev.Al

    Past years we always got coal in our Christmas stockings, or , nothing at all. They say already it may be until late January before any Met moves are made?
    Is this the year we get a Christmas gift ?

  • Eric

    The only way I move Murphy is for an offensive upgrade (over Murphy) at SS – and there just aren’t that many out there. Tulo…and…I just can’t get excited about any of the other options being mentioned. Would rather have Murph and Flores, with Tejada as the defensive replacement, and Reynolds and Herrera in the wings should anything go wrong.

    • Barry

      I agree 100%!

    • Joe Vasile

      Yeah, the sad truth is if you don’t get Tulo, there’s no exciting options out there that you look at and say, “This is absolutely 100% an upgrade” as far as the trade market goes. Miller projects to be better than Flores, but then again, if Flores breaks out and has a good year, he would be a much cheaper option with similar production. I want Tulo.

  • Brian Joura

    I believe Name has championed this before but one guy we should keep tabs on is Stephen Drew. Last year’s dismal showing is going to kill his market value but I refuse to believe that a .194 BABIP in a year where he didn’t have a normal Spring Training indicates he’s done as a useful MLB player.

    I think a one-year deal with a club option could be a very nice move for the Mets.

    • Raff

      Count my vote – I’m in for a 1 or 2 year deal for Drew. Correct, Brian- He’s not done

    • Scott Ferguson

      The question becomes: if you sign Drew, do you stand pat with Murphy?

      Not sure. I guess so, but what of Flores then? Platoon with Drew?

      If a Drew signing happens, it will be interesting to see the next move.

      • Brian Joura

        Flores needs to play every day, whether in MLB or the minors. If a good deal happens for Murphy, then pull the trigger and put Flores at 2B. Otherwise, send him back to Vegas to play SS everyday.

        • Metsense

          I believe Flores is out of options. If the Mets upgrade at SS then they should  trade Murphy to free up the logjam at second base.

          • Brian Joura

            You are correct about Flores being out of options.

    • Name

      Just to build on that. I like Drew because I think he’s going to come cheap, which might be a folly assumption since his agent is Scott Boras.
      4-5 mil + incentives ismy target. You could probably go a little higher or add a buyout worth a few million if he’s willing to add a club option, but i’d guess Boras would firmly oppose adding option, so it would likely only be 1 year.

  • Metsense

    I like Castro but not at a ridiculous cost. IMO Wheeler, Parnell and a prospect is not a ridiculous cost. I would only go as high as Niese and a prospect for Ramirez. Miller would probably go the same with a lesser prospect. Lowrie or Drew would also work. Profar’s shoulder troubles me and he has no major league experience. Sandy just needs to gauge the market and decide which option is best.

    • TexasGusCC

      I can’t help but think that this is a great opportunity to snag someone like Profar as a long term solution. The Rangers have a surplus and a real need for multiple starting pitchers, and Profar is at high lowest value coming off an injury. Now, that “lowest value” means that he is cheaper to get, not necessarily cheap.

  • harmony55

    With Didi Gregorius off the market, the Mets have one fewer option. One could argue that it’s become more of a seller’s market with the apparently limited number of shortstop options.

    Didi Gregorius and Brad Miller, who were born four months apart, have Steamer600 projected 2015 WAR of 2.2 and 3.1, respectively. Each shortstop remains under team control for five years, although Gregorius is likely to become a more expensive Super Two after the 2015 season.

    Hence, Gregorius is a poor comp for Miller’s trade value. Regardless, the Mets appear to have far more interest in a Seattle shortstop than the Mariners have in Jon Niese or Rafael Montero. I highly doubt the teams match up.

    2015 may be the year of Wilmer Flores.

    • Brian Joura

      The Yankees were looking for a SS, so there’s one fewer buyer out there.

      Also, the D’Backs have Ahmed, Hill, Pennington and Owings for their infield so that’s at least one extra player, possibly two depending on how they view their 3B situation. MLB.com lists Jake Lamb at the top of their depth chart, although I seem to recall Hill playing there some last year after they traded Prado. It’s possible we decreased the number of buyers and kept the number of sellers the same.

    • Chris F

      I agree harmony. And as much as it is looking like 2015 will be the year of Flores, unfortunately I don’t believe it will turn into the Year of Flores!

  • Jeff Reynolds

    The D’Backs knew they weren’t getting Snydergaard for Gregorius. Also we got a position player (Leyba) and a pitcher. Face it you had nothing to offer for Didi and that’s why he is a Yankee and even they had to go get the Tigers involved as Az. Turned down Gregorius for Greene.

    • Brian Joura

      I like the trade from Arizona’s perspective. I love the trade from the Mets’ perspective in that we didn’t give up anything to get a guy who’s no better than Ruben Tejada. chris Owings has always been the SS to get from the D’Backs.

      • Chris F

        +1

      • Joe Vasile

        I agree wholeheartedly.

  • Raff

    Brian- I think you’re right> Flores needs to play. I’d like to see him playing everyday, as well, but as a practical matter I wonder if the Mets could get him 350-400 at bats in a platoon with JD Drew and some spot starts rotating him and Murphy around to give Murph and Wright some time off. This would make Tejada expendable, and to your point the D’Backs got a pretty good haul for Gregorius. I think Tejeda could bring back some value in trade. A big part of my thinking is that I remain concerned about David Wright.

  • Chris F

    Just for fun, let me project ahead a bit. Ian Desmond is in his walk year in DC. He’s already turned down a 100M$ offer. Who has the appetite for some thing like 5/120 for his services? 5/115?

    I’d do it in a heartbeat.

    • Name

      Unless he can conjure up the magic he had in 2012, i would only go around 5/75 for him (and less if his K-rate continues to hover near 30%)

  • Patrick Albanesius

    Agreed. He’s not worth that at the moment, and if he has a tremendous rebound year, he will be due a much larger contract than the Mets will offer.

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