The Arizona Diamondbacks are a talented team that made the playoffs in 2017 and didn’t miss by much in 2018, but the organization finds itself at a crossroads. Two of its best players – center fielder A.J. Pollock and pitcher Patrick Corbin are entering free agency, slugger Paul Goldschmidt is entering his walk year, and ace Zack Grienke has a massive salary clogging the payroll. Rumors have been circling that the team could make the latter two available in trade as part of a rebuilding effort. On the surface, Goldschmidt is someone the Mets should be looking at, but after further consideration, this might not be prudent.
On the positive side, Goldschmidt is a perennial MVP candidate and clubhouse leader who would check a lot of boxes for the Mets. Capable of hitting for average, power and in the clutch, he makes a good #3 hitter and swinging from the right side of the plate, he’d give the Mets the bopper they need while Yoenis Cespedes slowly works his way back from heel surgeries. Goldschmidt is also a good first baseman by all metrics.
On the negative side, despite having just one year remaining under contract, the All Star will not come cheaply. The Mets would have to part with top prospects and/or young players and, to make it worth while, attempt to lock up Goldschmidt to a long-term deal. At age 31, he’s likely got three more good years left before the inevitable veteran slide. Of course, he and his agent will seek a 6+ year deal that will saddle the lucky franchise with an albatross contract for several years.
Another reason not to consider such a move is that we have our own potential bopper at first base who’s young and affordable. We’re not the Yankees or Red Sox in desperate win now mode where it makes sense to trade a potential All Star for an expensive, late-prime one. In a world where we trade for Goldschmidt, we’d have to either include Alonso in the trade, or else trade him elsewhere along with Dominic Smith and Wilmer Flores, who’d also be out of a job. The addition of Goldschmidt would certainly fortify our lineup, but it would precipitate the need for subsequent moves while still leaving holes at more glaring places.
If the Mets want to add a slugger to the lineup, there are other options that make a lot more sense at third base and catcher. In 2019, the role of slugging first baseman belongs to the promising rookie, not the expensive veteran.
Matt I would love to be in a desperate win mode every year like the Yankees and Red Sox’s. That’s a pretty tough assessment for 2 successful teams whose ownership is willing to spend money to win. I’ll take Cashman any day over Alderson.
Forget any trades. Unless the new GM can sneak one pass the Coupons
Mets at 1B says a lot about the team.
Flores/Bruce/Smith/Alonso –> No pressing need for October. Lucky if we do.
Goldschmidt –> this team sees the next few years as a priority to win.
What will the Mets posture be? That determins whether Goldy is a good trade target.
Chris, given what we’d have to give up to get him, plus what we’d have to pay him, plus the subsequent moves needed to accommodate him, is he really the best target?
That big contract would also hurt our chances of extending our pitchers.
Cant have it all. Cheap awesome players at every position.
Alonso, for the insane love affair, has not played a day of major league baseball.
Smith is a work in progress.
Flores is terrible.
Bruce is terrible.
Is 1B pressing? Hard to say, but dont believe for 1 second you have an every day major leaguer playing the position.
1B is the last place to worry about. I see Alonso bring brought up early in the season and being a 30 HR guy with an adequate glove for years. I have no problem trading Smith and Bruce, if you could get something for them, sooner, rather than later.
Spend the money (whatever that may be) on the bullpen and catcher.
The Wilpons heard you loud and clear and are going to address both with the money they have available. They are going to kill two birds with one stone bring in a new bullpen catcher.
LOL! Good one!
That. Was. Priceless.
Goldschmidt is a wonderful player, somewhat underrated given the market and time zone. He’d certainly upgrade the Met lineup. But, I’ll pass due to the combination of multiple reasons – cost to obtain him, cost/uncertainly of retention, his age, and last but not least the Mets’ myriad of options they already control. Given a choice, my Diamondback preference would be to go for Pollock. He certainly carries risk, being 30+ with a history of injury, but it looks like he can still play a quality CF and add offense from the right side. He would not be a priority, but if the fail to land Ramos and dealt someone like like Bruce or Lagares and Pollock’s price wasn’t too high, he could fit. Unlikely, but keep him within the radar.
TJ, Pollock has all the same red flags as Dexter Fowler, Carlos Gomez and Jacoby Ellsbury. Even Lorenzo Cain looks like a great signing now, but check back in two years. Center fielders don’t age well.
Matty,
I agree. I certainly would not aim for Pollock as a primary target, or even a priority. Just says that offseasons are often unpredictable, and there is a scenario that could make him a target. But, it would need to be on a Frazier-type deal to even consider.
Find our own Muncy,Aguilar or Voit! You don’t need to spend millions on fading stars on the wrong side of 30.
How about waiting a year to assess Alonso and if he flops, sign Goldschmidt next winter. After all, you will pay him, so why give up the big prospects and not get a chance to see what Alonso can do?
I know we feel that we will be burning a year of our pitchers, but if the Mets are close, they can trade in July. Planning and patience go together.
Paul Goldschmidt is a perennial All-Star who has an OPS above 900. I would offer the Diamondbacks either Alonzo or Smith and Gsellman ( or similiar player). Goldschmidt is the right-handed batter the Mets need and he costs 14.5 M for only one year. Right now the Mets will have an outfielder of Conforto, Nimmo and Bruce with Smith or Alonso at first base in 2019. In 2020 the outfield will be Cespedes, Nimmo and Conforto with Bruce at first base.
For the same salary next year you can get Goldschmidt and commit only 1 year or for the same money you can get Grandell for a long-term contract.
Do you want Grandal teaming up with Smith or Alonso at first base or would you rather have Goldschmidt teaming up with Plawecki and Mesoraco (or TdA) for same money. I choose Goldschmidt.
Wow Metsense, that seems like quite a give for a team that isn’t one player away. I follow your logic on spending the money on Goldschmidt over Grandal, and I agree, but Alonso and Gsellman for one year of Goldschmidt? I can’t do that.
I’d give Smith and Gsellman. Doubt that the DBacks get more than that.
The lineup would be stronger from the start and improve with Cespedes later in the year. The next year they have Bruce to man first base with Smith maybe developing further and finally becoming a major leaguer. Since the are not promoting Alonzo and all we ,the fans, have is speculation for 2019 so then get Goldschmidt and compete. Indications are that Mets prefer Smith over Alonzo. They won’t make a decision just like Ike and Duda.
Also I think Arizona will get better offers than the Mets can provide so the discussion is really mute.
Goldschmidt is very tempting, but like Gus I just can’t go for all the eggs in the 2019 basket given the current team and its needs. I am more of the ilk to try extending deGrom and Wheeler, investing money in the pen, and maintaining a pool of young, controllable players to go with the current cast of lefty-heavy bats. I like having Alonso and Smith competing for 1B, with some veteran insurance. And if Alonso can deliver Duda-like defense along with an advanced approach power bat that objective scouts see, I can’t remember the last 30/100 RH bat the Mets developed. That is just too tempting, as opposed to giving up chips for Goldschmidt, convincing him to stay with a ton of money, and having to extend the pitchers. Too much risk there imho.