The Mets’ blogosphere blew up on Thursday after the Daily News’ Andy Martino reported that the Mets were very intrigued at the prospects of trading for the Marlins’ power-hitting dynamo Giancarlo Stanton. Why not, the Marlins have almost traded their entire roster in the last year; why not try to pry away the most coveted asset on the team in Stanton?
As you can imagine, any trade involving Stanton would come at a steep price and the asking price is indeed steep with inside sources saying for a trade to occur, the Mets would have to part ways with both Travis d’Arnaud and Zack Wheeler.
As you can imagine, this trade talk led everyone in Mets’ fan hood to collectively say wow, with many fans having differing viewpoints. First of all, is this all idle chatter or as Martino points outs in his article is there “heat” to this possibility?
Some argue that the Marlins asking price is just too much. Most Mets’ fans are enticed by the possibility of adding one of the preeminent sluggers in the game in Stanton but trading both d’Arnaud and Wheeler is something that seems counterproductive.
They say pitching is what wins championships and when you pair Wheeler with ace-in-the-making Matt Harvey, Mets’ fans envision a one-two punch that could be lethal for years to come. How can anyone not be excited about this formidable duo calling Citi Field home for the next 10 years or so?
And what about d’Arnaud?
After the Mets traded R.A. Dickey and received (perhaps even stolen) the uber-catching prospect d’Arnaud in return from the Toronto Blue Jays, the Mets finally upgraded at a position in catcher that has been such a weak spot for years. Why suddenly weaken that spot after you tried with so much effort to improve it?
So, when you combine all that is riding on Wheeler and d’Arnaud you can see why Mets’ fans are hesitant to want to pull the trigger on this supposed trade.
While Stanton’s proven track record in mashing the ball is tantalizing, I am in the camp that a trade involving both Wheeler and d’Arnaud is just simply too much. Now if the Mets can involve one or the other and package someone along the lines of Wilmer Flores and perhaps Rafael Montero or Noah Syndergaard, then maybe we could be onto something.
It also should be noted that the Mets also have interest in the Rockies’ Carlos Gonzalez, who the Mets will see up close come Monday. Maybe a deal involving only one of Wheeler or d’Arnaud and other Mets’ prospects can get done, but until then the Mets should be saying thanks, but no thanks.
Granted I get the opinion that a star-outfielder can help you every day and that relying on pitching can be taxing and tricky but this doesn’t look like a road the Mets should go down. If, and of course it’s a big if, Wheeler and d’Arnaud live up to their full potential then the Mets would be sacrificing too much to go for the “sure thing” in Stanton.
While the thought of having Stanton’s bat in the middle of a Mets’ lineup surrounding the likes of David Wright, Ike Davis and Lucas Duda is mouth-watering, the Mets should stick to the plan of building around solid pitching and pass on this potential trade-if it’s realistic in the first place.
I love Wheeler and Travis D but anytime you can trade for a player like Stanton who is 23 for
our best two prospects (key word: prospects) you do it!! Try to trade our other prospects if
you can but if Florida wants one or the other or as a last resort both make the trade!! Pitchers do blow out their arms and catchers do get hurt! Just last year Travis wast hurt and
missed half a season in AAA or he would be up here now! Catching is a very dangerous position
and Travis staying healthy worries me? The mets have another catcher in the minors who looks
like he’s going to be a very good player except he’s 2-3 years away named Plawecki! We have several good to great pitching prospects including Montero,(who’s close) Syndergaard, (who might be the best pitching prospect next to Wheeler)Fulmer(who’s hurt right now)and we have a few others so trading Wheeler would suck and we would have to face him several times a year
but getting Stanton would ease the pain!!
I agree..From whats been written over the last few months the thought of Wheeler joining the rotation with dArnaud catching every day, to me is worth more than Stanton..I say we go another way and look the FA route after the season..my 2cents
Right now the Mets greatest need is starting pitching. Trading Wheeler makes no sense and has anyone noticed that Stanton has no Hrs or RBIs. He would rank 6th among the current Mets outfielders. He plays in a pressure free environment – how well would he adapt to NY. Also, I see Valdespin is back on the bench for today’s game. Wonder what he did this time to PO Collins?
Giancarlo “Why was everyone calling me Mike?” Stanton is a monster. He could very well be one of the most lethal hitters in baseball for the next 10 years. He’s proven at the MLB level, while both Wheeler and d’Arnaud are not. He’s also younger than d’Arnaud. While both MAY turn into something special, Stanton HAS already turned into something special.
That being said, both? I don’t know. I mean, the fact that it’s not a surefire “no!” right away for me without a second though is telling.
I think, in the end, one of them plus like the NEXT highest prospect would be the way to go, but not another pitcher if it is Wheeler. For instance, a package of Wheeler, Flores/Nimmo, multiple other prospects. Or maybe d’Arnaud, Syndergaard, multiple other prospects.
I think this is all a moot point anyway. I don’t think Alderson will give both, but I do think some GM WILL give the Marlins their version of Wheeler and d’Arnaud at some point.
You can never have enough pitching. Just look what happened to the Dodgers. Between Wheeler and Harvey you have the potential for 40 wins a year. You just don’t trade that type of pitching no matter how much offense you get back. As for d’Arnaud he is the Mets catcher for 2014 no matter what Buck does this year. Pitching and timely hitting wins World Series not offense. Go ask the Tigers if that’s true. Sorry as much as I like Stanton I wouldn’t make the deal, Stay the course
Another way to look at this deal is with the pocketbook (specifically, Wilpon’s).
The Mets own the rights to Wheeler and D’Arnaud through their least expensive years.
Stanton, though young, will start reeling in the big money much sooner.
The Wilpons won’t go there.
This is yet another trade made up by sports columnist with nothing else to do.
If the Mets trade away Wheeler and D’Arnauld along with another arm, do they end up with a better team at the end? no they don’t.
No only that, but they would go on a complete reversal of what they told their fans which was build from within. About 40M are coming off the books for the Mets. It is money that they must use to add good players to the team and smart trades not involving the likes of Wheeler, D’Arnaud, Montero. Those guys need to be part of the team going forward.
The Mets can bring Beltran back next off-season since the Cardinals have Taveras to take his place. They can also use Davis + prospect in a trade and put Duda back at 1B or depending on how he does this year, Flores.
I guess i’m in the minority here, but i’d do it in a heartbeat, and if I were a Marlins fans, I would think that we would not be getting enough for him.
There’s simply no reason for the Marlins to trade him to the Mets though when 29 other teams are probably willing to offer their equivalent of Wheeler/D’arnaud so we would probably have to outbid the other teams by a wide margin for it to happen.
In the end, this is all fiction created by someone who had nothing to write about and likes to stir up unlikely scenarios. It’s not like any of it was NEWS. What team wasn’t kicking the tires on Stanton? Stupid article written by a stupid writer.
The last part is about Martino and not Dan Stack if it wasn’t clear (it might not have been)
No worries, I know what you meant Name.
Okay, look at this way. If the Mets keep Wheeler and D’Arnaud and add Beltran in the off-season.
2013 after all star / 2014
Valdespin CF, Murphy 2B, Wright 3B, Duda LF, Beltran RF, Davis 1B, D’Arnaud, Tejada.
Rotation: Niese, Harvey, Wheeler, Montero, Gee with Fullmer/Tapia/Mateo/Syndergaard/Matz and others still inhouse.
Now take Wheeler, Montero and D’Arnaud and add Stanton.
Rotation: Niese, Harvey, Gee, ?, ?
OF would be Duda LF, Valdespin/DD/Kirk CF, and the IF is the same as it is now with Buck catching. Yes, the Mets would have added the RF of the future but that rotation doesn’t win anything because the only 2 pitchers you can count on would be Niese and Harvey and 3 question marks afterwards.
Please notice that ace type pitchers are all being locked long term by the respective teams and the same with elite position players. So what ace type pitchers are the Mets going to sign to complete the rotation?
You don’t trade for Stanton and the Mets have a core of Wright, Tejada, Murphy, Ike, D’Arnaud, Niese, Wheeler, Harvey with the potential to add guys like Montero/Fullmer/Tapia/Mateo/Matz/Syndergaard.
Maybe I am crazy, but you don’t make that trade unless you’re building it around Montero, Flores or Syndergaard, Flores + other prospect.
Duda will not be in left field for 2014, Either he’ll be on first or with another team. Beltran will continue to fade as age and 2 bad knees continue to cut down his playing time. In the vast outfield that Citifield is how long before Beltran has to play every other game? You’re going to pay him what 5-6 million for 80 games. Time to move on and look at the future. I’m sure there will be better options in free agency or via trades.
Wait! How’d we end up with Beltran again? I hope the Mets don’t part ways with Wheeler/D’Arnaud/Harvey.
Stanton would be great to have and NY wants the superstar but there is no reason to start trading and giving up talent when the Mets could sign this winter two above average, below compensation outfielders to supplement their young pitching staff. When the Met rotation gets good enough that Gee don’t fit, then they should start considering trading pitching. Don’t change course now.
I would be willing to part ways with any player in the farm system not named d’Arnaud or Flores to get Stanton. This includes Wheeler. Our system is chock full of pitching prospects, so losing Wheeler is not as big of a deal as it could be. It is hard to imagine, however, being able to replace the production that d’Arnaud would give at catcher or Flores at second, if he proves able to play there competently.
I think it’s worth noting that the combined potential WAR of both Wheeler and Harvey is going out matches what Giancarlo would do on his own.
IMHO, it’s foolish to trade two A+ talents poised to break into the majors any day for any single MLB player. And even if d’Arnaud and Wheeler weren’t super prospects, I’m not a fan of trading a SP and C for a corner OF. The positions alone make them more valuable. Keep those two, try to work out a trade with other players/prospects, and sign a FA next winter if it doesn’t materialize.
To BlastingZone. They’re not prospects. The Mets did not bring Wheeler up north with the team so that they could have him for one additional year of arbitration. Wheeler will be here by the All-Star break. Good catchers are very hard to find. That’s why you see so many catchers in their mid thirties still getting fairly compensated for being just average or below average hitters. d’Arnaud is going to be the Mets catcher for the next 5-10 years and will complete the baseball adage of what wins baseball games. Good defense up the middle and reliable starting pitching.
I’m going to throw out a random (and highly unlikely) blockbuster trade scenario because i’m bored.
Stanton, Nolasco , Cishek
for
Lucas Duda, Wheeler, D’arnaud, Flores, Familia
Marlins get two great prospects and a good one while shedding their biggest payroll commitment and two (cheap) wild cards.
Mets get an awesome young OF, a 4th/5th starter and a reliable pen arm.
I’m sure most fans won’t like it, but I would probably do it.
You must be really bored.
[…] it was blasphemous to think of such a trade prior to the season, certain circumstances (seriously have you seen this offense this year?) have […]
Any trade for Stanton by the Mets would be stupid. It simply cost too much in talent and it would help out the Marlins more than it would help the Mets. Pitching wins games so the Mets cannot give up a Wheeler and Montero or Syndergaard in a trade, cannot. And that is without knowing the final outcome of Niese injury.
The Mets have to use part of the money coming off the books to simply sign 1 or 2 bats for the OF. With the money it would cost to extend Stanton, the Mets can sign both Beltran and Choo and still have money left over.
Think of these outfield possibilities:
Choo LF, Lagares/DenDekker CF, Beltran RF
Young LF, Lagares/DenDekker CF, Beltran RF
Puello LF, Lagares/DenDekker CF, Choo RF
And before anyone shuts down the notion that Beltran is no Stanton, just think whose bat Beltran replaced in St Louis.
My point to put it simply, is that if you factor in what Stanton would cost in prospects, and then add what it would cost to extend him, it simply isn’t worth it for the Mets. If the Mets were 1 player away? perhaps, but that is not the case.
yeah, thats pretty much where I am at. The goal of the Alderson regime was to build a successful pipeline. Sustained winning requires it, as the Cards and Giants have shown. This FO will not gut the entire quality future for Stanton, nor would I. Beltran is no Stanton…he’s at the end of a stellar career and not the future of the team.
It would be a bad move to aquire Stanton while mortgaging the farm system. I’m pleased with the route being taken by FO and building from within. My projection is that the Mets will be competitve in 2014 and a contender in 2015 if we stay the course.