Your One Big Move

If you were GM and could make one big move this offseason, what would it be, if anything at all? edit: Keeping in mind realistic trades and budget constraints.

over 2 years ago TheBigStapler 34 comments 0 recs |

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Personally, I'd like to get Carlos Beltran Lite (Carl Crawford)

He is a 4-5 WAR player and is still only 27. If the Rays pick up his option and then trade him, we could have him for half the price of what he’s worth ($10). We wouldn’t have to give up too much talent either since the Rays seem eager to clear payroll. If they don’t pick up his option, I think it would still be worth signing him long-term.

I’d rather get the same value in an acquirable 1B than an OF but I just don’t think that player exists.

Plus he just looks so Mets to me (of course, so did Lowe).

by TheBigStapler on Aug 27, 2009 5:27 PM EDT reply actions

I think the Rays only seemed eager to clear payroll to go after Cliff Lee

It’s pretty unrealistic to think we’d get much of a discount, as their will be plenty of teams interested if he’s made available.

"We're just as bad as the old Mets, but this time nobody's laughing"
-Dallas Green

by Stephen Schmidt on Aug 27, 2009 5:39 PM EDT up reply actions

sorry about the double post

"We're just as bad as the old Mets, but this time nobody's laughing"
-Dallas Green

by Stephen Schmidt on Aug 27, 2009 5:40 PM EDT up reply actions

I think the Rays only seemed eager to clear payroll to go after Cliff Lee

It’s pretty unrealistic to think we’d get much of a discount, as their will be plenty of teams interested if he’s made available.

"We're just as bad as the old Mets, but this time nobody's laughing"
-Dallas Green

by Stephen Schmidt on Aug 27, 2009 5:39 PM EDT up reply actions

Carl Crawford has my vote.

I don’t care what it costs. He is tailor made for Citi Field.

by fxcarden on Aug 27, 2009 6:43 PM EDT up reply actions

Does it have to be something realistic?

Or can I make up something totally ridiculous like “get Albert Pujols”?

by JoshNY on Aug 27, 2009 5:36 PM EDT reply actions

holliday

King of the bling come to lay down the evidence//Not George Bush, L-Millz be da president

by Sam Page on Aug 27, 2009 5:40 PM EDT reply actions

this

"He's definitely mixing it into his repertoire. That's French for 'repertoire' " - Keith Hernandez

by Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright on Aug 27, 2009 6:28 PM EDT up reply actions

one of my coworkers

pronounces “Holliday” and “Halladay” exactly the same and I can’t tell which one he’s talking about

by JoshNY on Aug 27, 2009 6:32 PM EDT up reply actions

I pronounce them the same too

(like the word “holiday”) but I just use the first names too to avoid confusion

"Solo homers usually come with no one on base." -Ralph Kiner

by metsguy234 on Aug 27, 2009 6:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Celebrate

by Reg Dunlop on Aug 27, 2009 7:21 PM EDT up reply actions

Agreed

Seems like the best value among big impact players at this point.

"All energy flows according to the whims of the great magnet

What a fool I was to defy him"

-HST

by Mark Himmelstein on Aug 27, 2009 10:46 PM EDT up reply actions

but are the mets willing to pay?

i’m guessing holliday signs a deal around $13-15 million per season over 4-5 years. that seems like a lot for one player when the mets have multiple needs and a spending budget.

by englishgrey on Aug 27, 2009 11:26 PM EDT up reply actions

I don't know, but that'd be a fine deal

I hope they’d at least consider it. I’m not really sure how serious the financial concerns are. If anything, maybe they’re concerned about plummeting attendance next year, since its been pretty fine this year. If its still just the luxury tax that the Wilpons don’t want to pay, they should have some money to spend.

"All energy flows according to the whims of the great magnet

What a fool I was to defy him"

-HST

by Mark Himmelstein on Aug 28, 2009 12:50 AM EDT up reply actions

yup

totally this. That move allows them flexibility at first to roll with the middling guys and try to strike gold (Murph, Davis, Evans, Carter (?)), which is important given the fact that the Wilpons are cheap. They clearly arent going to be able to fix all their holes w/ FA and they have more 1B options than anywhere else.

Best case, they sign Holliday, some workable 1B solutiion takes hold and in July Matt Murton is overtaken by F! for the RF job. (disclaimer: this solution anticipates Jerry Manuel not being the manager, if he is not fired, my head returns to the sand)

by mets81 on Aug 28, 2009 9:54 AM EDT up reply actions

Sign John Lackey

Gangsta

by Jadden Hopkins on Aug 27, 2009 6:15 PM EDT reply actions

I think the odds of that just got better after the Angels traded for Kaz

"We're just as bad as the old Mets, but this time nobody's laughing"
-Dallas Green

by Stephen Schmidt on Aug 28, 2009 5:57 PM EDT up reply actions

I say Crawford

But I think the Rays would want too much from us.

by BobbyV_Incognito on Aug 27, 2009 8:31 PM EDT reply actions

Agreed

by Gina on Aug 27, 2009 9:15 PM EDT up reply actions

I doubt the Rays have the need to dump his salary anymore.

"We're just as bad as the old Mets, but this time nobody's laughing"
-Dallas Green

by Stephen Schmidt on Aug 28, 2009 5:58 PM EDT up reply actions

My big move would be a lack of one.

DON’T MAKE ANY TRADES INVOLVING ADVANCED PROSPECTS!!! Sign free agents, if trades are made make sure they are to get nice complimentary pieces (and cost spare parts and fringy low level prospects). As a large market team, we have a financial advantage over many teams…USE IT! Add complimentary pieces this offseason with inexpensive free agents, and take some rule 5 guys. Keep what we have in the farm system fully intact, allowing us to build some depth in the upper minors.

"We're just as bad as the old Mets, but this time nobody's laughing"
-Dallas Green

by Stephen Schmidt on Aug 27, 2009 9:36 PM EDT reply actions

There's one guy

Who there is a non-zero chance of becoming available sometime between next offseason and the deadline, who I would give up the farm for. Joe Mauer. Doubt its possible, but hey, its really not all that different from the Santana situation. Same team, one year before a massive free agent contract, if there are concerns they’re health related and mild. The Sawx got V-Mart, so that rules out the team that would likely have been the no doubt, all in, no one an compete buyer.

"All energy flows according to the whims of the great magnet

What a fool I was to defy him"

-HST

by Mark Himmelstein on Aug 27, 2009 10:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Oh yeah, Mauer.

He’s like the Holy Grail. You just know Minny’s going to do everything possibly to keep him. I don’t think their fanbase could take losing him, especially to us after we stole Johan.

by BobbyV_Incognito on Aug 28, 2009 12:11 AM EDT up reply actions

I think you're right

They’re pulling out all the stops to keep Mauer (a Twin Cities local product, don’t forget). Bear in mind they’ve got a new stadium opening next year too, so they might have a bit more payroll flexibility than they did when they dealt Johan.

by JoshNY on Aug 28, 2009 11:31 AM EDT up reply actions

Would you build a package around Reyes for him?

I think I actually might consider that, if I ran the Mets.

by anonymous on Aug 28, 2009 12:25 AM EDT up reply actions

It'd be tough right now

If it meant that you didn’t have to give up a blue chip prospect its probably worth it, but its hard to imagine another club treating Reyes’ market value fairly after this season. Reyes is probably at least as good a value as Mauer if he can get healthy again just because of his contract.

"All energy flows according to the whims of the great magnet

What a fool I was to defy him"

-HST

by Mark Himmelstein on Aug 28, 2009 12:53 AM EDT up reply actions

yeah

I posted this just before the latest “he needs surgery?” panic attack, and was figuring he’d at least get into a game or two in September. The market would likely be so far down from Reyes’s real uninjured value at this point that there’s no point even discussing it.

by anonymous on Aug 28, 2009 5:38 PM EDT up reply actions

Who is the best FA pitcher available?

Cliff Lee?

by Reg Dunlop on Aug 27, 2009 9:57 PM EDT reply actions

He has an option...won't be available

Lackey or Harden are probably the best options.

"We're just as bad as the old Mets, but this time nobody's laughing"
-Dallas Green

by Stephen Schmidt on Aug 27, 2009 10:04 PM EDT up reply actions

I don't trust Harden to stay healthy

or even when he is healthy to pitch at least 6+ innings every start. The guy is like a very good version of John Maine.

by Balagast on Aug 27, 2009 10:06 PM EDT up reply actions

If Holliday goes elsewhere

I think the outfield idea should shift towards moving Beltran to LF and acquiring a solid defensive CF with a bat somewhere between passable and slugger. Rocco Baldelli, Mike Cameron, and Andruw Jones all seem like decent options. Even pairing Jones and Baldelli might be a good idea, having them share some time, give Beltran an occasional rest, and to force Francoeur to either be good or be gone (if the the FO insists on keeping him around in the first place). Saving a few extra runs in the outfield could have really done the pitching staff a world of good this year. Plus its not like any of this would cause a major logjam if Fernando Martinez hits like, 20 homers in the first half in Triple-A or something. I’d love to get Endy back, too, but he’s never been properly evaluated by this club.

"All energy flows according to the whims of the great magnet

What a fool I was to defy him"

-HST

by Mark Himmelstein on Aug 27, 2009 10:59 PM EDT reply actions

I have a feeling

that we won’t acquire a major outfielder but, rather, a catcher or 1B and so F! will start the year in the majors. Or, at least, I hope to god he doesn’t get the Nick Evans treatment.

by TheBigStapler on Aug 28, 2009 1:06 AM EDT up reply actions