I am thinking Soto goes to the Cardinals, given their really deep number of prospects they can afford to trade. One can also never count out the Dodgers. I just don't see the Mets as having enough prospects to land Soto, not without bankrupting the future (although he is young). Then, again, they are playing in DC......
The Mets' announcers mentioned that the Nats traded Scherzer and Turner to LA last year so they already have been scouting their farm system for a while. I could see him going to the Cards, but are they willing to pay $500 mil?
I could see the Mets giving up Baty or Vientos, plus Mauricio, Alex Ramirez, J.D. Davis and Dom Smith for Soto, if they take on Corbin's terrible contract. Maybe they include Matt Allen as well.
Both Baty and Vientos are not going to be playing for the Mets at the same time, Mauricio is blocked by Lindor, so those guys don't necessarily have a place in the Mets' future plans.
Would that be enough to land Soto? I think it's a fair price for Soto, but the risk is that it leaves the Mets without much talent to trade for other needs over the next couple years.
Rumors are that the Mets are finding the price for Contreras or Martinez to be too high, and I hope the rumors are true. Soto, as ML1 astutely notes, may be worth it. But not Contreras or Martinez who are a lot older and with far less team control.
Rumors are that the Mets are finding the price for Contreras or Martinez to be too high, and I hope the rumors are true. Soto, as ML1 astutely notes, may be worth it. But not Contreras or Martinez who are a lot older and with far less team control.
Meanwhile, Jake is almost back.......
and the price for Contreras has his position baked in. A catcher with his hitting stats is more valuable than a DH with the same. And for the Mets Contreras would probably be spending most of his time as DH. I can't see the Mets' veteran pitchers wanting to have a new C behind the plate learning their stuff on the fly. And at his best Contreras isn't a Gold Glover back there.
and the price for Contreras has his position baked in. A catcher with his hitting stats is more valuable than a DH with the same. And for the Mets Contreras would probably be spending most of his time as DH. I can't see the Mets' veteran pitchers wanting to have a new C behind the plate learning their stuff on the fly. And at his best Contreras isn't a Gold Glover back there.
I agree with this. Too many people are focusing on offense from the catching position. I think guys like Carrasco and Walker benefit tremendously by having Nido and McCann behind the plate. Scherzer knows what he wants to do, so probably anyone could catch him if they are willing to be yelled at between innings. I would not overpay to get Contreras as a DH. The small moves that they have made have been turning out ok, despite my opposition to trading Holderman.
and the price for Contreras has his position baked in. A catcher with his hitting stats is more valuable than a DH with the same. And for the Mets Contreras would probably be spending most of his time as DH. I can't see the Mets' veteran pitchers wanting to have a new C behind the plate learning their stuff on the fly. And at his best Contreras isn't a Gold Glover back there.
Although he did make a few nice stops last night when there was a wild lefty on the mound, and he damn near nailed a fast runner who already had a massive jump on the pitcher (oddly, the same lefty who somehow stopped looking at first base).
Still, I agree with all your points.
Not to mention that Contreras (and Martinez) are Free Agents after this year.
and the price for Contreras has his position baked in. A catcher with his hitting stats is more valuable than a DH with the same. And for the Mets Contreras would probably be spending most of his time as DH. I can't see the Mets' veteran pitchers wanting to have a new C behind the plate learning their stuff on the fly. And at his best Contreras isn't a Gold Glover back there.
I agree with this. Too many people are focusing on offense from the catching position. I think guys like Carrasco and Walker benefit tremendously by having Nido and McCann behind the plate. Scherzer knows what he wants to do, so probably anyone could catch him if they are willing to be yelled at between innings. I would not overpay to get Contreras as a DH. The small moves that they have made have been turning out ok, despite my opposition to trading Holderman.
they could actually benefit from trying to land Wilmer Flores, who is apparently being shopped. His splits against LHP aren't great this year, but for his career he's been very good. Put him and Vogelbach in a DH platoon, and we could live with subpar hitting from catchers.
And it's hard to believe Wilmer is only 30 years old. Feels like I've been reading about him forever
All 3 home runs last night were hit at the bottom of the strike zone. They put good swings on decent pitches, not mistakes. Swinging with confidence and approaching the plate with a plan. Nice to see.
ALonso's was a laser beam. Barely got 10 feet off the ground, it seems. 17 degree launch angle per StatCast.
I would have figured they would get more. Gore is probably going to be out with Tommy John surgery and Abrams hasn't looked good in the majors. I haven't heard of the prospects they received.
I would have figured they would get more. Gore is probably going to be out with Tommy John surgery and Abrams hasn't looked good in the majors. I haven't heard of the prospects they received.
I think the market was closing down on them. The Cards were rumored to be in the hunt, and have a stocked minors, but they went for a pitcher first. Dodgers were also looking for a starter above all else. I wondered if the Yankees would swoop in, as they are wont to do, but did not happen.
Not sure there was a whole lot more the Nats could get. The prospects are well-rated, but are just prospects.
Pretty much stinks to be a Nats fan these days. Why bother to even go to games or watch on tv?
The Mets had a pitching prospect coming off Tommy John available for them. Throw in Dom, Davis, Alvarez and Mauricio and they could have had a deal. I'm guessing they didn't want to trade him into the same division.
The Mets had a pitching prospect coming off Tommy John available for them. Throw in Dom, Davis, Alvarez and Mauricio and they could have had a deal. I'm guessing they didn't want to trade him into the same division.
Or perhaps that package you mention was not deemed as worthy as the Padres one?
In any event, the Mets were not featured in the recent rumors as to who was pursuing Soto the hardest. So perhaps they decided he was not worth it?
San Diego is going to have a huge problem if they don't win it all by next year. Even with just an arbitration raise each year for Soto they are going to have a payroll in Cohen range in a small market. With all of the money committed they won't be able to keep everyone else.
The Padres do this every few years. Go all in, don't win, say they have no money and then unload all their players and don't compete for a while. It comes down to pitching in the playoffs and I'm not convinced their starters are strong enough.
First 5-game win streak of the season, right?