Wednesday, January 30, 2008
YEEEAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This past fall, down in Spring Training, we decided to head out to a game between the Mets and Cardinals in Jupiter, Fla., which featured Albert Pujols and a bunch of players I’ve never heard of (Endy Chavez was the best Met who made the trip). As we were sitting there in the very hot sun on some very hard bleachers, a Met pitcher starting warming up. About that time Esau turned to me and goes, “Who the hell is Mulvey?”
Well, apparently Mulvey is what it takes to land the best pitcher in baseball. I never thought the Mets would get Santana. I figured the Twins would bite on Phil Hughes and Cabrera from the Yankees, or some package built around Ellsbury from the Red Sox.
This is a great trade for the Mets. Carlos Gomez is absurdly fast but I thought he was a little over-matched last year and I’m not convinced he’ll ever be the five-tool player he’s being billed as. I think he’s going to be a very, very good major leaguer, but you have to give guys like that up to get a pitcher like Santana. As for the arms the Mets surrendered, I don’t see Humber or Mulvey being more than a No. 3 starter. The wild card is Guerra, who apparently has a huge upside. But he’s also a Single-A player. You never know how those guys are going to pan out.
The Mets gave up a good deal—their Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 7 prospects according to Baseball America—and if all four of the prospects hit their ceilings, it’s a great trade for the Twins. But Santana is not yet 29, with smooth mechanics that don’t indicate he’ll break down any time soon, and he’s the best pitcher in baseball. This was a no-brainer (plus the Mets kept their top prospect, Fernando Martinez). What was a mediocre rotation is now one of the better ones in the National League. As a 1-2-3, Pedro, John Maine and Oliver Perez may not look like much, but as a 2-3-4 they’re pretty good. Plus, El Duque takes over as the fifth starter and the Mets still have Mike Pelfrey to step in when Pedro and Duque get hurt (and they will, just hopefully not at the same time).
The Mets still have holes, but they now have to be the favorite in the NL. And with 20-something players in Beltran, Wright, Reyes, Santana, Maine and Perez, there is an excellent foundation for the future.
Well, apparently Mulvey is what it takes to land the best pitcher in baseball. I never thought the Mets would get Santana. I figured the Twins would bite on Phil Hughes and Cabrera from the Yankees, or some package built around Ellsbury from the Red Sox.
This is a great trade for the Mets. Carlos Gomez is absurdly fast but I thought he was a little over-matched last year and I’m not convinced he’ll ever be the five-tool player he’s being billed as. I think he’s going to be a very, very good major leaguer, but you have to give guys like that up to get a pitcher like Santana. As for the arms the Mets surrendered, I don’t see Humber or Mulvey being more than a No. 3 starter. The wild card is Guerra, who apparently has a huge upside. But he’s also a Single-A player. You never know how those guys are going to pan out.
The Mets gave up a good deal—their Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 7 prospects according to Baseball America—and if all four of the prospects hit their ceilings, it’s a great trade for the Twins. But Santana is not yet 29, with smooth mechanics that don’t indicate he’ll break down any time soon, and he’s the best pitcher in baseball. This was a no-brainer (plus the Mets kept their top prospect, Fernando Martinez). What was a mediocre rotation is now one of the better ones in the National League. As a 1-2-3, Pedro, John Maine and Oliver Perez may not look like much, but as a 2-3-4 they’re pretty good. Plus, El Duque takes over as the fifth starter and the Mets still have Mike Pelfrey to step in when Pedro and Duque get hurt (and they will, just hopefully not at the same time).
The Mets still have holes, but they now have to be the favorite in the NL. And with 20-something players in Beltran, Wright, Reyes, Santana, Maine and Perez, there is an excellent foundation for the future.
# posted by EJ @ 11:42 AM 
