In a move that helps both clubs, the Pirates and Mets have agreed to swap Neil Walker and Jon Niese. Walker takes over for the departed Daniel Murphy and comes with a one-year contract that will be significantly less than what Murphy would have received if he had accepted the team’s Qualifying Offer. In his final year of arbitration, Walker is expected to earn in the neighborhood of $10.7 million. He will be a free agent following the 2016 season.
A switch-hitter, Walker is much stronger from the left side of the plate. Lifetime he has an .801 OPS versus RHP compared to a .656 mark against lefties. Those numbers are consistent with what he did in 2015, when he posted .793 and .575 marks, respectively. Manager Terry Collins will be able to get extra playing time for either Wilmer Flores or Ruben Tejada by sliding one of them over to 2B when a southpaw is starting for the other team.
Walker has not performed particularly well in his limited sample in Citi Field, where he holds a career .241/.333/.362 mark. But he’s been a solid performer in the majors for six years and he should be able to match Murphy’s production in 2016
Niese ends his Mets career with a lifetime 61-61 mark and a 3.91 ERA. He’ll help to replace the retiring A.J. Burnett
I hate to give up a chip like Niese, cheap starting pitching, for a one year rental, but I believe that the Mets feel they have a lot of middle infielders coming and 1 year might be enough to bridge the gap.
I always liked Walker as a hitter and honestly he is probably a better all around player than Murphy at a lower financial commitment…and we get a draft pick when Murphy is signed.
If Walker performs like he has been throughout his career, there’s a very good chance that we could offer him the QO as well next year and get another pick.
I prefer this move to signing Zobrist for multiple years.
Mets fans were in a strange place with Niese. Most felt disappointed in him yet thought that other clubs should be willing to trade for him because of his contract. I thought this was a good trade – they got solid value for him.
Now it will be curious to see what they do to replace him. I see no way they let Logan Verrett and Rafael Montero battle out for the #5 job in Spring Training. Do they re-up with Colon for another year? Man, I hope not.
I also liked the trade as well and thought it was fair for both sides.
I think i’ve come to the realization that you shouldn’t sign anyone 35 or over to anything more than a 2 year deal, so i’m glad the Mets won’t be paying Zobrist in his age 37 and 38 years. I’ve noticed that the Cardinals generally follow this logic, with a few exceptions. Holliday’s contract runs through his age 36 season, ditto for Beltran. A 7 year deal to Price would have made age 36 his last season as well.
In the exceptions department you have Chris Carpenter, a fan favorite. And then there was Pujols, another fan favorite, but the Angels swooped in and saved them from an awful deal.
So unless the player is really a fan favorite in which you can justify paying some extra dollars, you really shouldn’t be giving out multi year deals past age 36.
Bingo
Brian,
Could you elaborate on your “no way” comment regarding Montero and Verrett?
I’m not being critical, just curious.
Thanks.
The Mets’ M.O. regarding starting the year with guys with little MLB SP experience under Alderson/Collins is to bend over backwards to make it not happen.
In 2011, they dumpster dived for both Chris Capuano and Chris Young rather than give Dillon Gee a shot right from the start. I haven’t checked but off the top of my head no one has started the year in the rotation for them with fewer than Matt Harvey’s 10 starts. Montero has nine starts and Verrett has four.
I don’t know, Brian. Mets under SA have been happy to give rotation slots to Harvey, Wheeler, Syndergaard, Matz and deGrom, so I am not seeing the logic of your comments. These guys didn’t start the season for strictly Super 2 reasons. When it comes to lesser names, like Verrett and Montero, I think the handling has been for qualitative reasons: they have not shown a disposition against young, unproven pitching.
Yes, but they were all given rotation spots mid-season.
Harvey, the star, had 10 starts under his belt when he made Opening Day rotation
Wheeler had 17 starts
Syndergaard will have 24
deGrom had 22
Matz will be the first exception but he also comes with playoff experience.
The closest is Jenrry Mejia, who had 11 starts spread out over three seasons when he opened the year in the rotation in 2014. But he also had 32 other appearances in the majors under his belt and they yanked him from the rotation the first chance they got.
I was not high on Gee – his Triple-A numbers in 2010 were not good and his peripherals in his brief MLB debut painted a much different picture than his ERA. However, the Mets really bent over backwards – signing two reclamation guys – so they didn’t have to. I would have given Mejia more of a shot in 2014 but they were determined to make him a reliever. I would definitely have started Montero in 2015 because I would have dealt Gee for Escobar.
Timing was not Montero’s friend in 2014 and it would be a shame if that ended his shot as a SP with the club. When JDG came up at the same time and had more success, it was the right call to keep deGrom and send Montero down. But if the Mets had only needed one guy, perhaps they would have given Montero more rope. If he had gotten deGrom’s 22 starts…
Without knowing the health of his shoulder, it’s hard for me to advocate for him to get first crack at the #5 starter’s job in 2016. And if I’m not going to lead the bandwagon, you know darn well the Mets aren’t.
Looks like they are looking at a Colon reunion which I’m fine with since it will only be for half the year while Wheels gets himself in shape. But I’d prefer to place hold with some combo of Verrett/Montero/Gilmartin which I think would be just as effective.
It will be Colon all the way….great move. I was freaking out last night when the news broke on Zobrist.
Two can play this game, Theo!
I’ve always liked Walker—he’s an upgrade over Murph in several areas of his game. He also expands the positional flexibility of the Roster, and adds a live professional bat.
A nice baseball move.
16/62/793 in 450 LH ab’s
He can play some 3rd versus RHP on nights that Wright needs a Break—and you slide The Dilson or Flores Over
This makes for some nice Lineups and bench bat availability
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/split.cgi?id=walkene01&year=2015&t=b
It fills a short term need and I’ve long felt like Niese is on thin ice with that shoulder issue. I just pray that this isn’t our big move.
I like the Walker deal for a myriad of reasons, including that it keeps Herrera in play for 2017.
On July1st, Niese would have become a $9m relief pitcher. Instead, Walker will be the Met starting second baseman on that date and be contributing to the team. It is a better utilization of the payroll.
It is obvious that the Mets felt that the 21 year old Herera was not ready yet.
I hope the Mets give Montero, Verrett or Gilmartin the opportunity instead of signing Colon.
This should not preclude the Mets from upgrading SS and CF and getting a relief pitcher.
Mets on verge of signing Cabrera.
It’s clear Herrera is not ready to be an every day major leaguer. He’s 21 now. There’s no hurry to rush him. I like the Walker signing by and large, and it gives Herrera time to continue to mature. He will get here soon enough.
Now with Cabrera we have 5 middle infielders. Hmmm
I too like this trade and thinks it legitimately helps both teams. The monies involved were basically a wash. Walker may be a tiny improvement on Murphy. He will show more power but with a lower batting average. His range is only so-so like Murphy’s but he has more 2bman skills like proficiency on the pivot. His projected WAR using ZiPS projections is 3.0 which is quite good.
The Asdrubal Cabrera signing took me by surprise but new rumors are circulating that the Mets might package Wilmer Flores and Zack Wheeler for a significant outfielder. If that were to happen it more than explains bringing in Cabrera.
It’s fun for the team to finally be a legitimate part of the Winter Meetings. Welcome back.
Seems Niese not the least bit happy with Mets and left a poop in the corner of his locker on the way out.
Seez ya Jon, I’m not crying.