Curtis Granderson, Brett GardnerWhile a number of players have donned both pinstripes and orange and blue in their careers (Dwight Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, David Cone, et al), there have only been 15 trades between the Mets and Yankees, and most were of the “Gonzalez Germen for cash considerations” variety. Back in the early 2000s the teams connected on two fairly significant deals. In 2001, the Yankees sent us David Justice for Robin Ventura and two years later we gladly sent them Armando Benitez (for three nobodies, but we’d have accepted a stale box of donuts as well). In 2004 we also sent Mike Stanton back to the Bronx for Felix Heredia. Other than a 1987 deal involving Rafael Santana, most of the other transactions between the two franchises were swaps of middle relievers or aging veterans (Frank Tanana!) for marginal prospects.

With the Mets coming off back-to-back playoff appearances and presumably seeking a catalyst to secure a third consecutive post-season, why not look down the subway line to the tinkering, rebuilding Yankees?

The Yankees have done a fine job of swapping out valuable veterans for top-notch prospects. If all goes according to plan, in two years they’ll join slugging catcher Gary Sanchez, a solid, young middle infield of Didi Gregorious and Starlin Castro and some other up-and-coming position players like Aaron Judge, Greg Bird, and Aaron Hicks. The Yankees have a strong bullpen as assured by their record setting contract for Aroldis Chapman, but their rotation could certainly use another arm or two.

Does anyone on the Yankees appeal to the Mets? Obviously Sanchez is untouchable and Chapman is locked up. The remaining veterans they’d be anxious to part with include third baseman Chase Headley, Jacoby Ellsbury, CC Sabathia and maybe Brett Gardner. More on the last one in a moment, but those first three mentioned are non-starters. Headley had one big year that he parlayed into an inflated contract that he’s never earned. He’s an average player at best making $13 million per season with two years left on his deal. Next! Ellsbury, while still productive, is not the star he once was, but is still paid like it with four years remaining at more than $20 million per season. Sabathia, entering the last year of his monster contract, might actually make for an appealing option for another team if the Yankees show willingness to eat most of his salary.

So, who on the Mets is appealing to the Yankees? Pretty much any of their starting pitchers, but the Mets seem hesitant to part with any in light of last year’s injuries and the departures of Bartolo Colon and Jon Niese. The Yankees signed Matt Holliday to rotate with Bird, Hicks and Judge at DH, first base and right field, so Jay Bruce might be a stretch.

There has been one trade idea picking up a little steam about swapping Curtis Granderson for his former Yankee teammate, Gardner. A swap of the  lefty outfielders would make sense for the Yankees, but not as much for the Mets. Granderson will be 36 to start the season but he’s been a Yankee before, he’s a great clubhouse guy, still hits for power and is entering the last year of his contract. Gardner, while two and a half years younger, has two years remaining on his contract at an average of $12 million per season, plus a team option for 2019.  Like Granderson, Gardner has stayed remarkably healthy the past four seasons and while he doesn’t hit for a high average, his OBP is always solid. He doesn’t hit for as much power as Granderson, but he steals more bases and is a little superior on the base paths and in the field. Gardner won his first Gold Glove last season.

Another similarity between these two players is that they both began as center fielders but have mainly been playing the corners in their 30+ years seasons. If this trade were to materialize, Gardner would be expected to play a fair amount of center field; as will Granderson if he remains.  It’s interesting to consider a top of the lineup with Gardner and Reyes. Though neither has the wheels they used to have, it would still be fun to see how many more runs we could manufacture with two stolen base threats at the top for the first time in years.

Is this just speculation or do you think maybe Sandy Alderson and Brian Cashman have had this discussion? This Mets fan would not make the deal simply because it would block the younger Mets outfielders from progressing through regular playing time. Granderson is also too important to the chemistry of this team. Still, it’s interesting to consider as we count the days til spring training and ponder our opening day lineup.

13 comments on “Do the Mets and Yankees line up for a trade?

  • David Groveman

    The deal makes little sense for the Mets. If Gardner was a right handed hitter, it might be helpful but Gardner is simply a bad investment.

  • Mike Walczak

    Granderson and Gardner are about the same and Grandy’s contract is up after this year. Maybe if Gardner was a righty.

  • Allen

    This doesn’t really do much for the Mets. They would still have 4 outfielders and no true CF. plus they would be locked in to Gardner for more years while Grandy’s contract comes off the books next year.

  • Chris F

    0% chance.

  • John Fox

    I’d do it. I’d do it. the Mets lack a true leadoff batter and Gardner fills the bill. He gets on base, he steals bases at a very good rate. he’s younger than Granderson, and he did win a gold glove last year. He’d be a big upgrade defensively in right field, and could be used in center as well.

    • Chris F

      changing divisions its hard enough, but changing leagues is even worse. gardner would almost certainly suffer a decline of significance, and not provide a real CF answer, and not really even a lead off hitter. Makes no sense to me at all.

  • Matt Netter

    I’ve always liked Brett Gardner and some team will be lucky to get him. But I don’t think he’s meant to be a Met. Every year I try to think up a trade between these teams, but rarely does one make sense.

    Last year, it might have made more sense to trade for Beltran than Bruce though.

  • Name

    I’m going to go out on a limb and say…
    Erik Goeddel for cash considerations.

    You heard it here first!

    • Brian Joura

      I like that better than trading for Brett Gardner

      • Chris F

        +2

    • MattyMets

      Goedell was very solid in 2015, as was Gilmartin. They were both awful in 2016. Wonder if either will bounce back to earn a roster spot.

      • Jimmy P

        I really believe that the extremes in the performances are directly tied to small sample size and the wild variations in the situations that a reliever faces. The heart of the order or the bottom? Close game or a blow out? St. Louis or San Diego? And so on. When that’s played out over a low number of total batters, you are going to see wild fluctuations in the end results.

        So it comes back to trusting your eye. What you see. Of course, there’s bias there and the problem that a lot of people don’t understand what they are looking at. Add to it that we all make mistakes and players do evolve. So it’s impossible to definitely “know.”

        But to my eye, Goeddel is a fringy talent who suffers from over exposure. The splitter was good, not great, and developing that pitch is his best hope. I’m not impressed or hopeful. Could he have an effective 20 innings, about 2-3 a week? Sure. But it’s just as likely that the next 20 will be ragged and uneven. If I ever needed a big out against a good hitter, this is not the guy I’d want on the mound.

        I don’t think stats help us much in evaluating relievers like Goeddel. The sample size isn’t there. They look okay enough until one day they don’t.

  • Charlie Hangley

    Even if it were happening, it ain’t happening…

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