Mets Trade Rumors: Omar Quintanilla trade profile

In his second tour of duty with the Mets, Omar Quintanilla filled in admirably at shortstop since Ruben Tejada went down with an injury. At the plate, he's performed slightly better than his predecessor, although that is due largely to the epic struggles of the now-demoted Tejada. In the field, he's made some amazing plays to rob hits and prevent big innings. Quintanilla is currently inked to a one-year deal.

Availability

If the Mets thought they might get something of value for Quintanilla, they would certainly have to consider it. If they did deal him away, however, it would create a hole at a position with few good in-house options. In the absence of Quintanilla, shortstop that would have to be plugged with a still-struggling Tejada or some unsightly stop gap measure like Jordany Valdespin.

The Market

Quintanilla is most attractive for his glove, but there's no surplus of contending teams in need of a slick fielding shortstop. The injury-plagued Yankees might have entertained the idea before Derek Jeter was activated today. The Tigers are thin at shortstop and could possibly use a glove-first backup. The Pirates haven't gotten much production out of the position. The Dodgers finally got Hanley Ramirez off the DL, but his backup is Nick Punto, so there might be a fit there. Beyond that, it's hard to think of a place for him.

The Return

Put it this way: When the Mets traded Quintanilla to Baltimore last summer, it was for "cash considerations." And the only reason they traded him was to open up a roster spot for the return of Jason Bay. (Was 2012 really that long ago?) While Quintanilla has played well thus far, he's done nothing to appreciably increase his value since last year's trade deadline. In other words, he would likely be exchanged for a low-level minor leaguer or more "cash considerations." The Mets' dire finances notwithstanding, the team will likely hang on to him rather than create a gaping hole at shortstop yet again.