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Phantom GM Part 3: Exporting Young for Young Guns

Posted on July 31, 2012 by rg104874

The Trade Deadline is quickly approaching, and the Mets, thankfully, are looking more like sellers as each loss piles up. While Sandy Alderson and his personnel were looking for pieces to buy as recently as three weeks ago, the abrupt struggles by the Mets leave them little time to work out trades with the still-contending teams.

For help that nobody in the Mets’ organization will ever see, and mostly for my personal amusement, I’ll be developing a trade a day until the trade deadline. Each one makes sense on paper and will help the Mets for a run next year. If the other team’s prospects don’t get traded to another team within the next three or four hours.

Without further ado, the final trade suggestion:

Mets send RHP Chris Young, RHP Collin McHugh, OF Juan Lagares, and a roll of duct tape to the Toronto Blue Jays for OF Jake Marisnick, RHP Danny Barnes, and RHP Noah Syndergaard.

OK, this isn’t really realistic. The Blue Jays are ultra-conservative when it comes to their prospects and aren’t true buyers. But if they want to make a run, they need starting pitching, and though they can do better in quality, the Jays flat-out need quantity.

Chris Young, when healthy, is an above-average big league pitcher with below-average stuff. His command makes him a fighter, and though he may not have the stuff to dominate the AL East, he has a chance to wade the waters. The roll of duct tape would be included to keep Young’s right shoulder attached to his body.

Collin McHugh is a whole other story. Undrafted out of high school, and a mid round pick out of college, McHugh has put up a 2.95 ERA over two levels of the minors this year, including AAA. The AL East is not the International League, and there’s a good chance that McHugh and his below average peripherals will get eaten alive by the cutthroat division. He’d still be a better option than the in-house starters Toronto has called up this year though.

Juan Lagares projects as a corner outfielder and has the potential to be a .300 hitter with some pop in his bat. He has above-average speed and could develop to be a LF that hits 10-15 HRs a year and plays solid defense.

As for the return, Jake Marisnick is prize 1a. The Blue Jays already have fellow CF prospect Anthony Gose, who is way more developed at this point. They also have Jose Bautista and Colby Rasmus as their other two outfielders, and would have no room for Marisnick. His floor is being average with all five tools (hitting, power, speed, defense, arm), and his ceiling is being a five tool player with a good all-around game. The Mets could use a true CF.

Righty Danny Barnes is dominating AA ball as a reliever averaging 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings, with a 2.38 ERA across two levels. He wouldn’t join the Mets immediately and would probably be a summer call-up. The Princeton product, and Long Island native sits at around 93mph with some cutting action on his fastball, and is developing above-average off-speed offerings. If he reaches his ceiling, it would be that of a really good closer.

And finally, prize 1b: Noah Syndengaard, a RHP from Texas. Syndengaard has good command of a dominating fastball that can break 100mph, and easily sits at 95mph with it. While still raw (he turns 20 in late August), his curveball and changeup flash above-average potential. He’s projectable at 6’5 and, if developed properly, has the potential to be a future ace. He’s years-and-years away, and may not pan out as anything more than a flame-throwing reliever, but he’d be a fantastic get for the Mets.

So why would Toronto trade a future ace, closer, and centerfielder for two months of Chris Young, an average AAA pitcher in McHugh, and an average OF prospect? Well, I mentioned this offer was unrealistic, but it can make sense if everything fell into place.

The first step is Toronto becoming buyers. The second is that the incredible depth of their farm system, and the pressure facing Blue Jays’ GM Alex Anthopoulous force him to make a fairly bad trade. Toronto is dying for a winning franchise to bring back the excitement of the early 90s, and right now, they’re on the cusp of getting some starting pitching back, and their slugger back. They only sit 4.5 games behind the second Wild Card, and solidifying a woebegone-rotation at the expense of your second best centerfielder, your 4th or 5th best pitching prospect, and a minor league reliever would please the fans. Besides, Toronto has quality to go along with it’s quantity, and there won’t be enough room for all of those prospects on the big league roster.

—–

As an aside, I can’t wait to see one of these three Toronto prospects traded to a different team like San Diego or something.

Posted in Absurd Minor League Depth, AL East, Alex Anthopoulous, Anthony Gose, Chris Young, Colby Rasmus, Collin McWho?, Danny Barnes, Duct Tape: The Universal Adhesive, Jake Marisnick, Jose Bautista, Juan Lagares, New York Mets, Noah Syndengaard, Phantom GM, Toronto Blue Jays, Trade Deadline | Comments Off on Phantom GM Part 3: Exporting Young for Young Guns

Introducing: Bay Watch

Posted on July 30, 2012 by rg104874
Sadistic me wants to watch this all day.

Laugh all you want, but Jason Bay lost a lot of money. He currently makes $157,518 for every ball he catches for the Mets.

Watching Jason Bay patrol LF for the Mets is pure entertainment. You go into the game and don’t expect to be given more reasons to regret his 4 year/$66 million deal, yet Bay consistently delivers. Entering today’s game he was 0-22. I can’t even call that a slump because Bay has been a bum so far.

I’m sure Bay is a likable guy, and he plays right. I mean half of his concussions have come on him giving it all at a wall. He is probably trying his hardest and as soon as the Mets get rid of him, he’ll settle in somewhere between 2009 Red Sox Jason Bay and 2010 Mets Jason Bay. That’s a decent outfielder, but not one who deserves to make double what R.A. Dickey, Daniel Murphy, Ruben Tejada, Ike Davis, Jordanny Valdespin, and Jonathon Niese make combined.

So here is Bay Watch. It’s an extra page similar to Game in One Word where I update the everyday exploits of Jason Bay until he ceases his existence on the Mets’ roster. Will Jason Bay get a hit? Walk? Strikeout less than four times? Pinch hit?

Who knows? Just bring back The Dude.

Posted in GIFS, Jason Bay, Jason Bay's Contract Is So Big It Requires It's Own Tag | Comments Off on Introducing: Bay Watch

Introducing: Bay Watch

Posted on July 30, 2012 by rg104874
Sadistic me wants to watch this all day.

Laugh all you want, but Jason Bay lost a lot of money. He currently makes $157,518 for every ball he catches for the Mets.

Watching Jason Bay patrol LF for the Mets is pure entertainment. You go into the game and don’t expect to be given more reasons to regret his 4 year/$66 million deal, yet Bay consistently delivers. Entering today’s game he was 0-22. I can’t even call that a slump because Bay has been a bum so far.

I’m sure Bay is a likable guy, and he plays right. I mean half of his concussions have come on him giving it all at a wall. He is probably trying his hardest and as soon as the Mets get rid of him, he’ll settle in somewhere between 2009 Red Sox Jason Bay and 2010 Mets Jason Bay. That’s a decent outfielder, but not one who deserves to make double what R.A. Dickey, Daniel Murphy, Ruben Tejada, Ike Davis, Jordanny Valdespin, and Jonathon Niese make combined.

So here is Bay Watch. It’s an extra page similar to Game in One Word where I update the everyday exploits of Jason Bay until he ceases his existence on the Mets’ roster. Will Jason Bay get a hit? Walk? Strikeout less than four times? Pinch hit?

Who knows? Just bring back The Dude.

Posted in GIFS, Jason Bay, Jason Bay's Contract Is So Big It Requires It's Own Tag | Comments Off on Introducing: Bay Watch

Phantom GM Part 2: Hairston Heads to Atlanta (Update)

Posted on July 29, 2012 by rg104874

12:23am: And Jaye Chapman is being sent to Chicago as part of the deal. 2/2 with identifying what AAA players Wild Card teams would be willing to move.

10:56pm: Oh, hey look, Reed Johnson traded to Atlanta…so 2/2 with trades that end up busting hours after post. Can’t wait for tomorrow’s.

The Trade Deadline is quickly approaching, and the Mets, thankfully, are looking more like sellers as each loss piles up. While Sandy Alderson and his personnel were looking for pieces to buy as recently as three weeks ago, the abrupt struggles by the Mets leave them little time to work out trades with the still-contending teams.

For help that nobody in the Mets’ organization will ever see, and mostly for my personal amusement, I’ll be developing a trade a day until the trade deadline. Each one makes sense on paper and will help the Mets for a run next year.

Without further ado, today’s trade suggestion:

OF Scott Hairston, RHP Jon Rauch, 3B Wilmer Flores and cash considerations to the Atlanta Braves for 2B Tommy La Stella, RHP J.R. Graham, and RHP Jaye Chapman.

The Braves need a lefty killer. Hairston is one of the best in the bigs, with a season slash-line of .308/.341/.617 against southpaws. He’d be an immense upgrade over the struggling and injured Matt Diaz.

Rauch has a history of being a solid reliever, and if the Mets pick up his whole salary (something a team needs to do in order to get better return), he’ll find a spot in Atlanta’s bullpen. I mean, he’s a better option than Luis Avilan at least.

Wilmer Flores is a 20-year old Mets prospect. After being hyped up by the media upon his arrival as a A-Rod type of player, he’s had some below-average seasons in the minors, and moved from SS to 3B, decreasing his value. Right now though, he’s looking he may be able to stick at 3B, and the Braves could definitely use another 3B in a year. He’s also hitting very well for the first time since signing with Mets, so selling him high would be a good idea.

Quick side note on the Braves’ 3B situation. They too have a 3B prospect who may not stick (Edward Salcedo). Adding Flores gives them an increased chance of having an impact 3B for the next 10 years, and, at the worst, gives them a strong fourth outfielder.

In return, the Mets would grab a bat-heavy 2B in La Stella. While scouts question whether or not he can stick at 2B, they get excited about his bat. La Stella has the potential to be a Daniel Murphy 2.0 player, with a bit less contact, and a bit more pop.

J.R. Graham would be the prize of this deal. A 4th round pick out of Santa Clara University from last year’s draft, Graham has a 2.27 ERA over 170.1 minor league innings so far. With a fastball that averages around 96mph, and a wicked slider, his floor looks like that of an elite closer while his ceiling is tremendous. With the Braves already having two top-50 pitching prospects in Julio Teheran and Randall Delgado, and young pitchers like Tommy Hanson, Mike Minor, and Brandon Beachy, and the Braves have a starting five for the next four-to-five years.

Jaye Chapman is a minor league reliever that is close to being big-league ready. He’s not overpowering, and doesn’t have filthy peripherals, but he’s solid. He has good command to go with the average fastball and would be a good bridge guy to the 8th inning electric arms. At this point, he’d be an immediate upgrade over the Acostalypse.

Why would the Braves do this? For starters, they’re rivals with the Mets, and trading with rivals means paying a premium. Hairston would give them a bat they would really use in a run for a Wild Card spot. Rauch would be a free upgrade this year over marginal relievers the Braves have, and Flores is a decent prospect. In return the Mets get a bullpen arm for 2013, a possible #2 starter or dominant reliever, and Daniel Murphy. That’s not a bad haul for Scott Hairston, Jon Rauch, and an overhyped prospect.

Posted in Acostalypse, Atlanta Braves, Daniel Murphy, Fix the Bullpen, Jaye "The Other" Chapman, Jon Rauch, JR Graham, Luis Avilan, Manny Acosta, New York Mets, Phantom GM, Rivalries, Scott Hairston, Tommy La Stella, Trade Deadline | Comments Off on Phantom GM Part 2: Hairston Heads to Atlanta (Update)

Phantom GM Part 2: Hairston Heads to Atlanta (Update)

Posted on July 29, 2012 by rg104874

12:23am: And Jaye Chapman is being sent to Chicago as part of the deal. 2/2 with identifying what AAA players Wild Card teams would be willing to move.

10:56pm: Oh, hey look, Reed Johnson traded to Atlanta…so 2/2 with trades that end up busting hours after post. Can’t wait for tomorrow’s.

The Trade Deadline is quickly approaching, and the Mets, thankfully, are looking more like sellers as each loss piles up. While Sandy Alderson and his personnel were looking for pieces to buy as recently as three weeks ago, the abrupt struggles by the Mets leave them little time to work out trades with the still-contending teams.

For help that nobody in the Mets’ organization will ever see, and mostly for my personal amusement, I’ll be developing a trade a day until the trade deadline. Each one makes sense on paper and will help the Mets for a run next year.

Without further ado, today’s trade suggestion:

OF Scott Hairston, RHP Jon Rauch, 3B Wilmer Flores and cash considerations to the Atlanta Braves for 2B Tommy La Stella, RHP J.R. Graham, and RHP Jaye Chapman.

The Braves need a lefty killer. Hairston is one of the best in the bigs, with a season slash-line of .308/.341/.617 against southpaws. He’d be an immense upgrade over the struggling and injured Matt Diaz.

Rauch has a history of being a solid reliever, and if the Mets pick up his whole salary (something a team needs to do in order to get better return), he’ll find a spot in Atlanta’s bullpen. I mean, he’s a better option than Luis Avilan at least.

Wilmer Flores is a 20-year old Mets prospect. After being hyped up by the media upon his arrival as a A-Rod type of player, he’s had some below-average seasons in the minors, and moved from SS to 3B, decreasing his value. Right now though, he’s looking he may be able to stick at 3B, and the Braves could definitely use another 3B in a year. He’s also hitting very well for the first time since signing with Mets, so selling him high would be a good idea.

Quick side note on the Braves’ 3B situation. They too have a 3B prospect who may not stick (Edward Salcedo). Adding Flores gives them an increased chance of having an impact 3B for the next 10 years, and, at the worst, gives them a strong fourth outfielder.

In return, the Mets would grab a bat-heavy 2B in La Stella. While scouts question whether or not he can stick at 2B, they get excited about his bat. La Stella has the potential to be a Daniel Murphy 2.0 player, with a bit less contact, and a bit more pop.

J.R. Graham would be the prize of this deal. A 4th round pick out of Santa Clara University from last year’s draft, Graham has a 2.27 ERA over 170.1 minor league innings so far. With a fastball that averages around 96mph, and a wicked slider, his floor looks like that of an elite closer while his ceiling is tremendous. With the Braves already having two top-50 pitching prospects in Julio Teheran and Randall Delgado, and young pitchers like Tommy Hanson, Mike Minor, and Brandon Beachy, and the Braves have a starting five for the next four-to-five years.

Jaye Chapman is a minor league reliever that is close to being big-league ready. He’s not overpowering, and doesn’t have filthy peripherals, but he’s solid. He has good command to go with the average fastball and would be a good bridge guy to the 8th inning electric arms. At this point, he’d be an immediate upgrade over the Acostalypse.

Why would the Braves do this? For starters, they’re rivals with the Mets, and trading with rivals means paying a premium. Hairston would give them a bat they would really use in a run for a Wild Card spot. Rauch would be a free upgrade this year over marginal relievers the Braves have, and Flores is a decent prospect. In return the Mets get a bullpen arm for 2013, a possible #2 starter or dominant reliever, and Daniel Murphy. That’s not a bad haul for Scott Hairston, Jon Rauch, and an overhyped prospect.

Posted in Acostalypse, Atlanta Braves, Daniel Murphy, Fix the Bullpen, Jaye "The Other" Chapman, Jon Rauch, JR Graham, Luis Avilan, Manny Acosta, New York Mets, Phantom GM, Rivalries, Scott Hairston, Tommy La Stella, Trade Deadline | Comments Off on Phantom GM Part 2: Hairston Heads to Atlanta (Update)