With David Wright joining Lucas Duda as players out for an undetermined amount of time, it seems more and more likely that the Mets will have to make a trade to add a piece more substantial than James Loney. Of course, to get something you have to give up something. It makes sense that the Mets would trade someone not playing a big role on the current team. It also seems less likely that they would be willing to trade Zack Wheeler at this point. So, which player would you look to hold and not include in a trade?
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Smith because there is not another highly rated first baseman in the system. He is also very young and has some tools.
If the Mets are going to make an impact trade, other teams are going to ask for the likes of Rosario, Becerra and Thompson and not the players on this list.
Agree that Rosario should be on the list. Probably Becerra, too. I doubt Thompson would be anything more than a throw-in at this point.
So its Dom Smith by a country mile. But any trade partner for someone serious would look at our list and go backwards. If we remove Smith, Wheeler, Becerra, and Rosario, just who could we get for unloading the Kelly, Campbell, Plawecki, Montero, and Flores’s in the system?
Where’s Nimmo?
I don’t think we can remove anyone besides Rosario.
And you owe me for the straight line.
🙂
Agreed, Rosario is the only person in the system off limits.
I think there are modest replacements out there — Hill, Solarte, Escobar, to name a few — who should not be too expensive.
The Mets farm system is weak right now. That’s the great myth of Alderson and DePodesta, that they “fixed” the farm. Not really. They just didn’t sign free agents and got first-round picks. And they traded established talent for prospects. Seems solidly run, but shallow in talent. I don’t think we’ve got a lot to trade.
I guess I’d try to get a Solarte if the price isn’t too steep. But for a real bat in a deadline trade, any of those names would have to
Be on the table.
I don’t think that’s the way the Merts should be thinking this time out. They actually have their starting rotation firing on four plus cylinders; and the future of all of these pitchers is not guaranteed. I think this is the time to go for a positive upgrade.
Somebody like Joey Votto, if he was doing what he did two years ago. Y’know? The point I’m trying to make is, this is the time when spending for quality should be a worthy gamble.
I don’t think any of the Solarte, Escobar, Hill, Nunez, Plouffe crowd is any better than Flores. While we all seem convinced Flores sucks, understand that he is at his floor and those players are at their ceiling and just last year they were where Flores is now. Let’s give it time and I wouldn’t overpay for those guys. They have no track record to rely on, and busting is more realistic than not. Sorry, I would play what I have, bring up Rivera, and tell these guys you can’t get a hit if the ball isn’t put in play.
Unfortunately for Flores, his ceiling isnt much higher than his floor. He cannot field the position at 3B, has no business being there, and should never be given the opportunity to even try. To slow to react, cement feet, rock hard hands, and a weak arm. Not every person is built to play every position. He would be excellent at 2B, but no way at third.
Would like to break it down:
Too slow: Third base is a reaction position and by most counts easier than second base which requires range and athleticism.
Cement feet: More cement than Matt Williams or Juan Uribe? Possibly, but I’m sure it’s close.
Rock hard hands: Wilmer Flores at second base did superbly, mostly because if he touched it, it was an out. Even at SS, his errors were of the throwing variety due to his fear of overthrowing first base.
Weak arm: Flores came up a third baseman and if you remember when he came up, people said to trade Wright. His arm is scouted as above average.
Chris, you’re killing the pre all-star break Flores who had 8 April errors and wasn’t hitting. The second half was a more pleasant Flores, even at SS. Give the kid a chance. Let’s see how he does. Don’t be Terry Collins, Jr.
Reaction time: too slow, poor instincts
Cement feet; yes. A guy like Uribe makes up for it with his arm.
Hands; 2B gives him the time to set, less stress. Not so at 3B, where he must rush to stand a chance, as the games speeds up his hands turn to ice
Arm: I’ve watched it time after time, as recently as this week from 3B. He does not have the arm strength to make to first even playing level with bag, let alone deep or throwing across his body from foul ground.
Gus, objectively he cannot play 3B regardless of what his years old scouting says. The game is too fast, and he’s too slow.
I can’t be quite as dogmatic about Flores at 3B as Chris. We said many of the same things about Wilmer at SS. Also, his arm can’t be weaker than Wright’s.
I am satisfied to take a look at him to see if he can get the bat going with some regular play.
I see him as a fill-in, not a long-term answer. But I am willing to have this decided by his play on the field.
He cannot play SS either Jimmy. I dont believe he has any business on the left side. I think at the major league level he can be an every day 2B man. It gives him time to make the throws. His OPS from 2B also much higher (but admittedly a limited data set). But he is blocked forever at this point. And hes blocked at SS forever.
I like the kid. Love the heart. He plays like he wants to be on the team. He’s a scouting 65 on make up if you ask me. Unfortunately the Mets keep trying to make him a player he does not appear to be, or can develop into.
I agreed with you Chris until you said Wilmer would be excellent at 2B. I feel he will be anywhere from a below average fielder to a nightmare anywhere he plays on the field. He may have the stick to be a decent but not great hitter but he will never be a good player since he is so ponderously slow and has such deficient range.
fair enough. I guess I meant excellent by comparison. He will never be an excellent 2B relative to all players.
This is really bad positioning and Timing— 2 big run producing corner spots are out, in the Midst of a Championship Run Season….and Catcher is also in question.
It’s time for a quick check on the Young and Talented—in the next 2 weeks, they need to decide if Flores/Plawecki/Herrera are “This Year Parts” or not….I guess that includes Loney as well.
Otherwise, they will need to operate far outside their normal “range” in aquiring real players for the corners
They do have some overspill in the OF—- are there Platoonable Corner INF pieces out there for Lagares?…deAza?
Are you willing to trade a Major Piece for a Major Piece?—- Syndergaard or deGrom for Betts? I don’t like that.
Otherwise, Big Talent Minors are Going…. and Rosario could be on that List.
Oh Todd Frazier, wherefore art thou?
There’s not a guy on that list I wouldn’t trade in the right move. Few trades get made in June – thought it appears James Shields is headed to southside Chicago. We need to hold tight for now and figure out a) how long will each of Duda, Wright and d’Arnaud be out? b) can we cobble together a workable infield with what we have on the 40 and AAA? c) who can we live with giving up? d) what available player makes sense?
If Loney plays decently well and it appears Duda will be back eventually, then maybe first base is not the position to focus on. Same deal if Flores plays okay and Wright isn’t too far off. Jonathan Lucroy might make the most sense, especially if he can also play first and especially if Milwaukee would have any interest in TDA. I’d trade his injury prone ass in a second.