Category Archives: Miami Marlins

Point: The Rumored Jason Bay Trade Would Be a Godsend.

Posted on August 7, 2012 by rg104874

Rumors were swirling late last week that the Marlins and Mets were throwing around the possibility of a change-of-scenery trade between the teams. The rumored trade would send outfielder Jason Bay to Miami for catcher John Buck and reliever Heath Bell. This is is the first part in a series, supporting the trade.

The Mets have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to rid themselves of one of their historically bad contracts and have to pull the trigger. They never had a chance to dump Oliver Perez, and Bobby Bonilla is still on the books for another 23 years, but they can fix the Jason Bay problem.

Bay has been so incredibly bad for the Mets, that there are talks of just flat out releasing him. His career slash line for the Mets is a paltry .238/.324/.372, and he’s owed $32 million over the next two years with a vesting option.

Moving Bay would allow a opportunity for Jordany Valdespin to play everyday, and give him a chance to develop into a more patient hitter. When a guy only gets an occasional start or one at bat off the bench, of course he’ll try to swing at anything. Valdespin has struck out 25 times, while walking only three times. Those kind of K:BB ratios are only rewarded if you have Adam Dunn power, and Valdespin does not. However, giving him more at bats to develop plate discipline is one of the many reasons why the Mets should make this trade in a heartbeat.

Another is adding a power-hitting, right-handed catcher to complement Josh Thole. While Buck is being overpaid in his contract, he unquestionably has some pop. In 2010, Buck slugged 20 HRs for the Royals, and still had 16 last year for Miami. He’s infinitely more valuable than Rob Johnson or Mike Nickeas, and on days Thole starts, will provide a decent right-handed bat off the bench.

Finally, adding Bell would shore up the Mets’ achilles-heel: the bullpen. While he has struggled this year, he gives the Mets a proven, shutdown closer. Frank Francisco is not that guy anymore, Jon Rauch was never that guy, and Bobby Parnell wouldn’t have to be that guy.

An opportunity to develop Valdespin, and add two valuable, albeit overpriced pieces for essentially the same money they would be paying Jason Bay to hopelessly roam the outfield next year. Sandy Alderson has to make this deal–yesterday, if he can.

Posted in Bobby Bonilla, Bobby Bonilla's Contract Actually Requires 25 Tags But I'll Stop At Three, Bobby Bonilla's contract is worse than Jason Bay's, Counterpoint, Heath Bell, Jason Bay, Jason Bay's Contract Is So Big It Requires It's Own Tag, John Buck, Jordany Valdespin, Josh Thole, Miami Marlins, Mike Nickeas, New York Mets, Point, Rob Johnson, Sandy Alderson | Comments Off on Point: The Rumored Jason Bay Trade Would Be a Godsend.

Those Snakebitten Mets

Posted on July 27, 2012 by rg104874

For the unfamiliar, the name of this blog comes from the infamous New Yorker interview Fred Wilpon gave in May of last year (Bob Gelen alluded to this when he addressed the class last week). As just another Mets fan with no stake in the team, I can be a cynical jackass and maybe, just maybe, come across as passionate. Fred Wilpon can’t, because Fred Wilpon isn’t just another Mets fan.

He’s the Mets owner. The guy who OK’d Steve Phillips’ destruction of the farm system, and he OK’d the horrible contracts dished out by Omar Minaya. He let all of this happen under his watch, and he still chocked it up to bad luck and brushed it aside claiming the Mets were a lousy club.

The New Yorker piece is a fascinating read, but the point this post focuses on is on page seven. Jeffrey Toobin, the author of the article, gives us Wilpon’s analysis of the New York Mets from an April 20 game against the Houston Astros. Wilpon had some choice quotes that rubbed fans and players the wrong way, so, without further ado, the quote regarding their player, and what they’ve done since.

Jose Reyes

Then:

“He’s a racehorse,” Wilpon said. … He thinks he’s going to get Carl Crawford money. … He won’t get it.”

Now:

Reyes had an All-Star season with the Mets in 2011, even garnering some MVP votes. In the off-season he signed as a free agent with the Miami Marlins for six years, and 106 million dollars. Wilpon was right, as he didn’t get Carl Crawford money (seven years/$142 million), but Jose Reyes money isn’t bad. Not bad at all. He’s currently having an average year for the Marlins.

David Wright

Then:

“He’s pressing. … A really good kid. A very good player. Not a superstar.”

Now:

Wright is in the midst of a resurgent season. With a slash line of .336/.425/.559 entering Friday’s contest against the Diamondbacks, Wright is having more than a very good season. He’s having a superstar season during a contract season, so expect to see him playing somewhere else next year.

Carlos Beltran

Then:

“We had some schmuck in New York who paid him based on that one series. … He’s sixty-five to seventy per cent of what he was.”

Now:

Wilpon was referencing Carlos Beltran’s amazing 2004 postseason with the Houston Astros where he put up these ridiculous numbers:

Year Tm Series Opp Rslt G PA AB R H 2B HR RBI SB BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS
2004 HOU NLDS ATL W 5 24 22 9 10 2 4 9 2 1 4 .455 .500 1.091 1.591
2004 HOU NLCS STL L 7 32 24 12 10 1 4 5 4 8 4 .417 .563 .958 1.521
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com:

So the Mets rewarded him with a lucrative seven year/$119 million contract. Beltran produced when he was healthy, but he couldn’t stay on the field for half of the contract. The Mets’ ended up flipping him to San Francisco at the trade deadline last year and stole the Giants’ #1 pitching prospect Zach Wheeler. Currently, he’s producing MVP-like numbers for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Ike Davis

Then:

“Good hitter. … Shitty team—good hitter.”

Now:

Davis is the starting first baseman for the Mets but has struggled mightily this year. He’s only recently brought his batting average over the Mendoza line (.200). He currently holds a streak of 42 consecutive games at Citi Field without more than one hit.

Posted in "We're snakebitten, baby!", Carlos Beltran, David Wright, Fred Wilpon, Ike Davis, Jose Reyes, Miami Marlins, Omar Minaya, Random, San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Steve Phillips, Zach Wheeler | Comments Off on Those Snakebitten Mets