2015 Baseball season/Off Season Discussion

[JAEBALL]

Ben Zobrist signed with the Cubs for 4 years, $56M.  Disappointing for the Mets, they were after him big time.  Supposedly, their offer was as good as the Cubs but he wanted to play for Maddon again. 

I think it was a blessing for them.

To me he is just a glorified utility man... so for a team who sports a 100 million dollar pay roll.. to invest such a chunk of it on a player like him seems crazy to me.

A team like the Cubs or any of the big spenders...he's a great add.

[tim_m]

The Mets are discussing a trade with the Pirates with Niese for Walker.

[pilferk]

Ben Zobrist signed with the Cubs for 4 years, $56M.  Disappointing for the Mets, they were after him big time.  Supposedly, their offer was as good as the Cubs but he wanted to play for Maddon again. 

The Mets are working on a deal now, with the Pirates. Neil Walker for Niese.

[tim_m]

Trade is now official. The Mets trade Niese to the Pirates for Walker.

[tim_m]

Justin Wilson is going from the Yankees to Detroit in return for Luis Cessa and Chad Green.

[tim_m]

Cabrera also to the mets for 2 years.

[JAEBALL]

I think the mets did well with their middle infield.. two pros who play offense and defense.

Also didn't add payroll with Walker because Niese (who they didn't need) and him were a wash in terms of salary.

[JAEBALL]

Justin Wilson is going from the Yankees to Detroit in return for Luis Cessa and Chad Green.

This deal is a head scratcher for me... I know they want to collect "power arms"... but Wilson is a plus reliever imo.

[GeorgeSteele]

Not too thrilled with the Neil Walker trade.  He's a free agent next season and given that he'll get offers of at least in the range that Daniel Murphy will get this offseason (which the Mets deem too expensive for them), it's clear that this is just a 1-year rental.  Is that a good return on a decent veteran lefty starting pitcher who has a reasonable contract?  

If Zobrist got 4 years, $56M, then you have to figure Murphy will get less than that.  Couldn't the Mets have brought him back for something in the range of 3 years, $36M?  I don't know...

The Cabrera signing I'm sort of OK with, though nothing to get too excited about.  He's an upgrade at shortstop for them, no doubt about that.  

[faldor]

Justin Wilson is going from the Yankees to Detroit in return for Luis Cessa and Chad Green.

This deal is a head scratcher for me... I know they want to collect "power arms"... but Wilson is a plus reliever imo.

Seems like they're stocking up on prospects for future deals. Cashman said there's still work to be done. They want to acquire good young starting pitching. Who doesn't? I'd have to think Miller and/or Gardner would have to be included to get that done.

As for the Mets. They still need help in the pen. That was basically their downfall in the World Series. Clippard and Reed did not get the job done in October. That could change, but I wouldn't chance it. Mejia should be back sometime mid season, but I don't think they can afford to wait around for that. They could also use another bat, though a full year of Conforto should serve them well.

[JAEBALL]

Not too thrilled with the Neil Walker trade.  He's a free agent next season and given that he'll get offers of at least in the range that Daniel Murphy will get this offseason (which the Mets deem too expensive for them), it's clear that this is just a 1-year rental.  Is that a good return on a decent veteran lefty starting pitcher who has a reasonable contract?  

If Zobrist got 4 years, $56M, then you have to figure Murphy will get less than that.  Couldn't the Mets have brought him back for something in the range of 3 years, $36M?  I don't know...

The Cabrera signing I'm sort of OK with, though nothing to get too excited about.  He's an upgrade at shortstop for them, no doubt about that.  

I'm not a Met fan so I don't have an attachment to Murphy like others do.

If he didn't have that Barry Bonds like run in the playoffs... no Met fan would have cared if he came back or not. He's a BAD defender and horrible base runner.

With this pitching staff... they are much better off with a strong middle infield defense over having Murphys stick. Plus Walker has more pop than him.

If Walker leaves in a year... then Cabrera could slide over to second and get a SS.

I don't think Niese is a loss... he's never quite lived up to his potential and with Harvey, Degrom, Matz, Thor, Wheeler, Montero and i'm assuming Bartolo... that's more than enough.

[GeorgeSteele]

Justin Wilson is going from the Yankees to Detroit in return for Luis Cessa and Chad Green.

This deal is a head scratcher for me... I know they want to collect "power arms"... but Wilson is a plus reliever imo.

Seems like they're stocking up on prospects for future deals. Cashman said there's still work to be done. They want to acquire good young starting pitching. Who doesn't? I'd have to think Miller and/or Gardner would have to be included to get that done.

As for the Mets. They still need help in the pen. That was basically their downfall in the World Series. Clippard and Reed did not get the job done in October. That could change, but I wouldn't chance it. Mejia should be back sometime mid season, but I don't think they can afford to wait around for that. They could also use another bat, though a full year of Conforto should serve them well.

Yes, I think Antonio Bastardo was one of the guys they had an eye on.  They need a centerfielder too.  Also, looks like they're bringing back Colon as the #5 starter... why not...

[JAEBALL]

Justin Wilson is going from the Yankees to Detroit in return for Luis Cessa and Chad Green.

This deal is a head scratcher for me... I know they want to collect "power arms"... but Wilson is a plus reliever imo.

Seems like they're stocking up on prospects for future deals. Cashman said there's still work to be done. They want to acquire good young starting pitching. Who doesn't? I'd have to think Miller and/or Gardner would have to be included to get that done.

As for the Mets. They still need help in the pen. That was basically their downfall in the World Series. Clippard and Reed did not get the job done in October. That could change, but I wouldn't chance it. Mejia should be back sometime mid season, but I don't think they can afford to wait around for that. They could also use another bat, though a full year of Conforto should serve them well.

Well I am glad they traded Wilson over Miller... that would have bothered me to no end.

I'd like to see a gardner trade... nothing against him.. but him and Ellsbury are the same player and he has some value. I'd like to see Hicks get a full time gig anyway.

[GeorgeSteele]

Not too thrilled with the Neil Walker trade.  He's a free agent next season and given that he'll get offers of at least in the range that Daniel Murphy will get this offseason (which the Mets deem too expensive for them), it's clear that this is just a 1-year rental.  Is that a good return on a decent veteran lefty starting pitcher who has a reasonable contract?  

If Zobrist got 4 years, $56M, then you have to figure Murphy will get less than that.  Couldn't the Mets have brought him back for something in the range of 3 years, $36M?  I don't know...

The Cabrera signing I'm sort of OK with, though nothing to get too excited about.  He's an upgrade at shortstop for them, no doubt about that.  

I'm not a Met fan so I don't have an attachment to Murphy like others do.

If he didn't have that Barry Bonds like run in the playoffs... no Met fan would have cared if he came back or not. He's a BAD defender and horrible base runner.

With this pitching staff... they are much better off with a strong middle infield defense over having Murphys stick. Plus Walker has more pop than him.

If Walker leaves in a year... then Cabrera could slide over to second and get a SS.

I don't think Niese is a loss... he's never quite lived up to his potential and with Harvey, Degrom, Matz, Thor, Wheeler, Montero and i'm assuming Bartolo... that's more than enough.

No. Murphy has been a very good hitter for them for years, is still improving as a hitter and I assure you many Mets fans care about losing him regardless of the HR streak.  Neil Walker will not be as good offensively as Murphy next season; he's got a better glove, but that's not saying much, Walker's not exactly a Gold Glover.

Walker will leave in a year, but Cabrera stays at short, they'll bring up Dilson Herrera for 2nd base in 2017.  So, again, it's just a 1-year rental.  That's not a good return for Niese, not to say he's a huge loss, but if you have a car you don't drive much anymore, you still don't give it away, you try and get max value for it.  

[JAEBALL]

Ehhhhh

Like I said you obviously value him as a Met fan more than baseball does.

Murphy and Niese.

[GeorgeSteele]

Ehhhhh

Like I said you obviously value him as a Met fan more than baseball does.

Murphy and Niese.

Not obviously, we'll have to see, I just valued Murphy at 3 years, $36M; if he gets more than that, then baseball values him more.  As for Niese, agree to disagree, I think he's worth more than just a 1-year rental of a good 2nd baseman... at least add a prospect or a reliever to the deal... 

[JAEBALL]

Ehhhhh

Like I said you obviously value him as a Met fan more than baseball does.

Murphy and Niese.

Not obviously, we'll have to see, I just valued Murphy at 3 years, $36M; if he gets more than that, then baseball values him more.  As for Niese, agree to disagree, I think he's worth more than just a 1-year rental of a good 2nd baseman... at least add a prospect or a reliever to the deal... 

I agree that he will most likely get a similar contract to that one... but that's not saying a whole lot.. it's also most likely going to be given to him by an AL team that doesn't plan on making him their starting second baseman.

[GeorgeSteele]

Ehhhhh

Like I said you obviously value him as a Met fan more than baseball does.

Murphy and Niese.

Not obviously, we'll have to see, I just valued Murphy at 3 years, $36M; if he gets more than that, then baseball values him more.  As for Niese, agree to disagree, I think he's worth more than just a 1-year rental of a good 2nd baseman... at least add a prospect or a reliever to the deal... 

I agree that he will most likely get a similar contract to that one... but that's not saying a whole lot.. it's also most likely going to be given to him by an AL team that doesn't plan on making him their starting second baseman.

The speculation is that it will be a fair amount more than $36M (I came up with that number based on a combination of a hometown discount and some wishful thinking), but whatever it is, that's the definitive statement on how he's valued.  I understand that it takes only 2 teams, not the entire league, to haggle up the size of a contract, but regardless, that amount then sets the barometer for players of that caliber.

[JAEBALL]

Ehhhhh

Like I said you obviously value him as a Met fan more than baseball does.

Murphy and Niese.

Not obviously, we'll have to see, I just valued Murphy at 3 years, $36M; if he gets more than that, then baseball values him more.  As for Niese, agree to disagree, I think he's worth more than just a 1-year rental of a good 2nd baseman... at least add a prospect or a reliever to the deal... 

I agree that he will most likely get a similar contract to that one... but that's not saying a whole lot.. it's also most likely going to be given to him by an AL team that doesn't plan on making him their starting second baseman.

The speculation is that it will be a fair amount more than $36M (I came up with that number based on a combination of a hometown discount and some wishful thinking), but whatever it is, that's the definitive statement on how he's valued.  I understand that it takes only 2 teams, not the entire league, to haggle up the size of a contract, but regardless, that amount then sets the barometer for players of that caliber.

Yeah.. only takes one or two to drive up the price... but again it's going to be two AL teams bidding...

because he's flat out bad in the field...

Which is why the Mets have never ever considered signing him to a shiny new deal.. not with their pitching staff.

The fact that they made the Walker deal hours after Zobrist went to the Cubs proves they never wanted him back.

[Falcon]

Jon Morosi ‏@jonmorosi  2m2 minutes ago
Jason Heyward's contract with #Cubs is eight years and $184 million, with two opt-outs, sources confirm. @FOXSports