Assuming they held back the lineup because they are getting rid of someone who might have started. And they needed to make room for Young. So likely Ike for a minor leaguer.
PTNL hopefully is more interesting. This is a dumping of Ike Davis if Thornton is the return. That's fine for Duda's mind but not a boffo return. Curious about the PTNL
might eventually help the Mets pen but he was the Pirates #38 prospect, throws 88-90 and most telling was unprotected and then undrafted in the rule v this year which means if anybody liked him they could have had him for 50,000. Let's hope the PTNL is someone mildly intriguing.
probably a little better than the outdated scouting park suggests. His very high K rate has carried over to AAA (albeit in a small sample size). The scouting part seems to have been written a feel years ago when he was only in A ball.
fact it even mentions how he did in October in the AFL
"f you had Thorntons numbers shoved under your nose blindly, you would probably swear that he was a top prospect, a closer in waiting. A guy with these strikeout-to-walk ratios in the minor leagues either has great stuff, a trick pitch, or a crazy delivery, but Thornton has none of the above he throws his fastball at only 89-90, and has a decent slider and a good changeup. His delivery is a bit deceptive, in that he throws across his body from a three-quarters arm slot, but it really does not explain the results he is getting. Scouts continue to be unimpressed, as witnessed by his failure to be gobbled up in the Rule 5 draft, despite following up his most recent campaign with 14.2 solid innings in the AFL, in which he posted a K/9 of 8.59 and an ERA of 3.07.
Digging deeper, it is still hard to find a hole in Thorntons numbers, some moment when you say its just luck. If anything, batted ball data backs up his conventional numbers. He has posted a very low line drive rate of 14.4%, which supports his low BAA and BABIPs against, as well as his high strikeout rates the guy has just been hard for minor leaguers to hit. He has a high ground ball rate and has kept the ball in the ballpark, and he really doesnt have much of a platoon split. His career FIP is 2.35. His career SIERA is 2.74. And we are talking about a lot of innings here, over 80 in two of the last three seasons.
This will be Thorntons 26 year-old season; like Duke Welker, hes getting a little long in the tooth for prospect lists. But, as I said last year, I am willing to give any pitcher who is striking out over 11 batters in 9 innings the benefit of the doubt. I would like to see Thornton be given a real chance to earn a spot in the Pirates bullpen. If his stuff wont play in the major leagues, well find out pretty quickly. But this guy has earned the chance."
Adam Rubin @AdamRubinESPN 1m
Exec with another MLB team labeled Zack Thornton a soft tosser and noted he was passed over by 29 clubs -- including Mets -- in Rule 5 draft
Adam Rubin @AdamRubinESPN 38s
Two potential explanations after hearing Thornton's name: PTBN is solid, or Mets want to free money for another maneuver.
Adam Rubin @AdamRubinESPN 1m
Exec with another MLB team labeled Zack Thornton a soft tosser and noted he was passed over by 29 clubs -- including Mets -- in Rule 5 draft
stinks then Ike Davis had about as much value as Corey Vaughn.
Sad. I'm glad Ike is gone, other than the walk-off GS, it was agonizing watching him play for the better part of the past two years.
You know he's going to be one of those guys who the change of scenery helps him excel, and I don't care. Ike is a notch above Jason Bay and Justin Turner for me. He's in Ollie territory.
I'd be happy with a 2nd round pick (player drafted in the 2nd round, not the actual pick) for Ike though, obviously nothing is guaranteed, but at this point I don't think Ike would qualify as a free agent where the Mets were compensated if someone else signed him, would they?
Rodriguez began his Pirate career as a hard-throwing lefty with poor command, and one who missed most of 2011 with an elbow injury. He's morphed into a durable left-hander who is a groundball machine.
Rodriguez has an excellent sinking fastball, one that led to a 2.12 groundout-to-flyout ratio in 2013 and allowed him to pitch across two levels, catapulting him to Double-A in 2014. His breaking ball can be inconsistent at times, but it flashes as at least a Major League average pitch. His changeup is above average and has a good amount of sink and tail to it as well. Rodriguez has become a better strike-thrower over the past two years.
While Rodriguez doesn't have the upside of some of the high-octane arms in the Pirates' system, he does look like he has the profile to help in the middle or back end of a big league rotation in the not-too-distant future.
A big reason why he broke out in 2013 was due to improvements with his fastball command. Rodriguez was suddenly sitting 91-94 with the fastball, touching as high as 96, and commanding the pitch with good cutting movement. He has an above-average slider, which also has cutting movement, but wasnt as effective when his fastball was sitting upper 80s, due to the slider featuring similar movement in the mid-80s. The changeup made big strides this year, sitting in the low-80s with late cutting movement away from right-handers. The theme with all of his pitches is they all cut.
Rodriguez has the potential to be a middle of the rotation starter, or a dominant lefty reliever similar to Justin Wilson. He should start the 2014 season with Altoona, and now that hes on the 40-man roster, he could have a shot at the majors by mid-2015 or 2016. Link - ( New Window )
was the 9th overall pick in the draft and sports a .977 OPS in 48 career games so far. He's such a ridiculous "maybe it's...." I don't know what to say.
Armed with good stuff and a projectable frame, Dickson's up-and-down performance at Sam Houston State held down his Draft value in 2013, with the Pirates the beneficiary.
If everything comes together for the southpaw, he could be quite the fourth-round value. Dickson's fastball can touch the mid-90s and should get there more consistently as he matures physically. His breaking ball is above-average and his changeup is good enough to give him a third Major League average offering. While he goes right after hitters, delivery issues did hamper his command during his junior year of college.
The stuff and projectability from the left side gives Dickson the chance to be a mid-rotation starter at the big league level, not to mention a Draft steal for the Pirates, if he can discover a level of consistency.
Seems like every freaking move is made with the intent to save $$$..
Apr. 14, 2014 But the real action, for the future of the New York Mets, can be found in a battle between two companies out west. Howard Megdal
Mar 14, 2014 And in June of 2012, Bloomberg announced that the City had awarded Sterling Equities Incorporated (the real estate company controlled by the Wilpons) the contract to redevelop the Willets Point area, with the City's capital fund paying $100 million for demolition, remediation, and infrastructure. The land itself would be sold to the Mets and their partner, Related Construction, for $1. All of a sudden, the Mets had a major new development project on the horizon, all for the cost of a candy bar. Of course there was one thing standing in the way of this mall: all of those auto repair shops. Why Is NYC Destroying A Thriving Immigrant Economy To Bail Out The Mets' Owners?
Seems like it's a decent guess to say it's 1 of these 4 guys
I'd have rather kept Ike and traded Duda but this seems like a solid return. Would be even better if they used the saved $ for Drew or Hanrahan.
Quote:
9) Reese McGuire, C, Grade B: Superior defensive catcher and hit very well in rookie ball (.330/.388/.392). Controls strike zone well, power is questionable. Glove will get him to the majors, bat will determine if hes a star, a decent regular, or a defense-oriented platoon/backup type. I tend towards optimism.
14) JaCoby Jones, OF-INF, Grade C+: Excellent tools but never lived up to expectations at Louisiana State, which is why he was a third rounder instead of a first. Too early to tell if that will change in pro ball. He could develop into a 20/20 player. . .or he could flail away with a poor approach and not hit at higher levels.
18) Cody Dickson, LHP, Grade C+: Fourth round pick in 2013 from Sam Houston State had command issues in college but performed well in NY-P (2.37 ERA, 59/24 K/BB in 57 innings, 42 hits). Live arm, seems like the type of pitcher that the Pirates are good at refining. Breakthrough possibility.
19) Blake Taylor, LHP, Grade C+: Second round pick in 2013 from California high school is another live-armed youngster who could develop into a mid-rotation presence, fitting the model of moldable prep talent that worked well with Glasnow and Kingham.
can't be choosers and I actually read a pretty solid scouting report on Dickson but not a great sign he's in the SAL as a 22 year old. A 22 year old college starter with 14 starts in the NYPENN should be in the FSL if a team is very high on him. I'd obviously take him since he's a live armed lefty. Hanrahan wouldn't cost much money so I doubt he's part of the equation. If he gets more than 1.5 million guaranteed it would be a shocker.
tweeted by Chris Catillo. Worth noting, almost certain the identity of the player will leak before it's official. Trade cannot become official until 1-year from the date the draft pick signed (if it's indeed a 2013 pick), so that ranges from June to mid-July for Pittsburgh's top 10 picks. PTBNL process not as easy as it might sound - ( New Window )
and say say he is a positional player. He gets hurt. How do you get equal value if this was the guy you targeted? It seems the Mets are taking the risk if this player plays, I think the next player should be of a higher value because he won't be the guy they wanted. Sounds weird, but makes sense to me
What if the trade were made today and the guy was injured playing for
I actually think Duda is better than most think because despite his low batting average, he typically has a good OBP and decent power. However, I really hope the Mets got this right because Ike is much better defensively and is much better than Duda when he Ike is on his game. It's been a while now, but Ike was a terrific player when he came in the league. We shall see, but I hope the Mets traded the right guy.
The mets wanted a player from the 2013 draft. If he plays in the pirate farm system or the rules were different and he could switch teams immediately and play in the mets farm system the injury risk is identical.
I actually think Duda is better than most think because despite his low batting average, he typically has a good OBP and decent power. However, I really hope the Mets got this right because Ike is much better defensively and is much better than Duda when he Ike is on his game. It's been a while now, but Ike was a terrific player when he came in the league. We shall see, but I hope the Mets traded the right guy.
JB, I agree. But they might be getting much more for Ike than they would have for Duda.
This waiting so long for the PTBNL is like waiting until May for the
Ike is going to have a better season than Duda this year and most likely for his career. He's also much smoother around the bag so our defense just took a hit as well.
That said Im rooting for Duda now. Lets hope the ol' lug can find himself. I'll be happy if he hits 20 home runs actually.
Also, knowing Sandy, we got a pretty good prospect back. Seeing how Herrera is lighting it ups so far and even playing some SS and Black seems to be finding myself, my mind is still blown we got BOTH back for like 6 weeks of Byrd and Buck. lol
He's barely above replacement level and he played bad defense the last two years, too. I don't see him breaking out in Pit unless he has a mechanical adjustment with his swing. One bad year can be a fluke, two bad years tells us more about the player's true skill level.
Nyquist. His approach has been much better since he got sent down last year. Part of the biggest problem last year was that he was flailing away at everything. Not only that he's clearly conscious about it and was talking about it on the way out yesterday. On top of that his swing looked more level this year. He just never got a chance. Getting hurt spring didn't help either.
There's nothing scientific to back me up. Its just a gut feeling. I think Ike is and we'll be the better player. We'll see.
somebody had to go. I would have gone the other way but I don't think anybody's wrong here. Neither player had much value so lets hope the prospect we are getting back is somewhat exciting.
I wanted him to win the job outright but he never really got much of a chance to do that this year. Entirely possible he never gets it together... but as a Met fan, I'm totally prepared for him to go to PIT and hit like 30 HR because, well.. why wouldn't that happen to us?
There's so many factors too. This time last year he was coming off a 32 home run season. It wasn't years ago. Plus he's a 1st round pick, clearly has the higher pedigree, ceiling, et. He's a real 1st baseman. Duda is a statue. I would have given Ike one more chance this year with a very short leash but he never got it.
Like I said, I am rooting for Duda now but I think this one is going to sting later on.
You got your years mixed up. Ike's 32 home run season was in 2012, not 2011. He had a miserable 2013(last year) but even then he was much better after coming back from Vegas at the end.
He had more value than Duda and was never going to right his swing in a Mets uniform. Time to move on, regardless of whether he can turn it around elsewhere. Was never going to happen in NY, so I'll disagree that he deserved more time.
Ike Davis was never going to turn it around as a Met
he wore out his welcome and was unwanted by this Management. Having said that I wouldn't mind if Ike fulfilled his potential with the Pirates, I wish him the best except when he plays the Mets. It was time to move on from both sides
In 2012, he started out as badly as he did in 2013. He was completely lost and dug himself out of it..... IN NEW YORK. If anything, he's proven he could. He didn't just have a hot few weeks either. He was an absolute monster for 3 and half months putting on one of the most impressive shows in the NL. The player he turned into wasn't a 30 home run bat. It was a 40 home run bat hitting moonshot after moonshot. Duda has never shown anything like the consistency Ike showed for almost 4 months that year.
Maybe he would have turned it around this year again or maybe he wouldn't but I don't get anyone say it would have been impossible for to do it New York when he already did.
he worked hard this offseason trying to level out his swing and there were reports it looked better in spring training. More importantly, he was still being patient with the outside pitch and wasn't swinging at pitches outside of the zone like he was prior to his demotion to Vegas last year. I think he was a lot more comfortable at the plate then what he showed for much of last season when he was lost.
Im not disagreeing with what the front office did and how it did seem like they already chose Duda from the start. It must have been hard for him. Still, he didn't get much of a chance this year at all.
When your company puts out the word they are looking
to replace you, you stop giving it your all and start looking for a new job. He had a contract, so he couldn't up and leave and the company was not go to give him away for free.I wish Ike the best I hope he does hit 40 HRs
A miserable spring/early summer, followed by some semblance of a bounce back in the second half. Give Duda the chance to play every day at 1B for a season and we'll find out what the Mets have.
As for Ike not getting a legit chance this year, I can see that. I don't think that was the idea at the start of spring training, though. When both guys miss the majority of action in Feb/March, and don't return until practically the same time, someone has to sit. Instead of sitting once we're in the season, if you can get anything of value for Ike or Duda, you gotta pull the trigger.
Like I said, something had to be done. They clearly chose Duda. Im more in the Ike camp nut the fan base was pretty split on these two. I would have given Ike 6 weeks but thats just me. They made their choice and we all move on. I just hope the prospect we are getting back is pretty good so we'll at least have something to dream on if Ike starts smashing home runs in Pittsburgh.
Duda is not the long-term solution at 1B, i think everyone knows that, as long as Ike was here and on the roster there was going to be some people who want/expect him to be the long-term solution at 1b. Or at least be given a chance to be.
And then there's the money, it was definitely a factor, but not as much as some fans make it out to be.
I say good riddance and that's true where Ike becomes Chris Davis and Duda becomes...Ike or somewhere in the middle.
If they wanted to save money they could have made this move in the offseason and got rid ok Ike. They had plenty of money available to offer Belfour more money than Tampa did or at least as much right before the season started. We felt pretty comfortable offering Drew 8-10 million just not the 15 he wanted or whatever. To think we like Ike over Duda and are just getting rid of Ike to save a few million is pretty fucking stupid IMO.
I mention money is because while Ike was on the team at $3.5M per season the team is compelled to play him.
Duda makes less than half that.
So, it wasn't a move to save money, they would have simply non-tendered Ike if that were the case, it was about money, IMO, so they don't feel like we can't have $3.5M of an 82M payroll on the bench.
but home runs are only one measure of production. As a complete baseball player, Ike was barely above replacement level. His defense stunk (-12 or so runs saved) and his wRC+ was 111, not much above league average. He was worth 1 win above replacement level player that season. That's not an asset or valuable piece.
He might figure it out and become a .265/.340/.500 player someday and that's a very good player but his swing really concerns me. I'm glad he's gone. I prefer Duda. Similar ceiling but higher floor IMO.
I think they traded Ike rather than Duda because he had trade value
fair enough. Nyquist. I get that but as we all know, his first 2.5 months he was lost and it skewed his numbers. The point is many thought he could put together a full healthy season as the player he was for the last 4 months in 2012. Nothing to back it up because Ike has had weird injuries and fluky things happen to him, but he's still young enough to be the person he's already shown he can be.
And part of it is his defense. Ike might not have a lot of range either, but he's just a lot smoother around the bag and picks some really hard hops from Wright and others. Duda just looks awkward out there.
We are beating a dead horse here. Its done. Im team Duda now. Its over.
somewhere too actually. He just needs to be more aggressive. He has a very good idea of the strike zone. he just needs to stop watching fastballs go by right over the plate. Ill be happy if Duda hits 20 home runs this year but I wouldn't be surprised if he hit 30. Hell, he's on pace to hit 30 right now.
This player will not be playing on a team until they're moved to the Mets organization. Of course, it's possible the guy could get hurt by some freak accident working out or whatever. In that case, the trade would be reworked.
But I think it's because they felt they'd be able to move him and get something in return. It still seems to me a lot of times the Mets make trades or moves in recent years, they come out of the deal saving money in some way or another. Seems fairly obvious to me that the finances are still an issue.
Lineup: EY Jr. LF Murphy 2B Wright 3B Granderson RF Young CF Duda 1B dArnaud C Tejada SS Niese LHP
Mets and pirates are working on an Ike Davis deal
Ah, just saw @JonHeymanCBS said they were working on a deal while I was on phone with source. Ike to PIT is done.
1-2 prospects back to #Mets in Ike deal. #Pirates
and a PTNL
there is another player in the deal
"f you had Thorntons numbers shoved under your nose blindly, you would probably swear that he was a top prospect, a closer in waiting. A guy with these strikeout-to-walk ratios in the minor leagues either has great stuff, a trick pitch, or a crazy delivery, but Thornton has none of the above he throws his fastball at only 89-90, and has a decent slider and a good changeup. His delivery is a bit deceptive, in that he throws across his body from a three-quarters arm slot, but it really does not explain the results he is getting. Scouts continue to be unimpressed, as witnessed by his failure to be gobbled up in the Rule 5 draft, despite following up his most recent campaign with 14.2 solid innings in the AFL, in which he posted a K/9 of 8.59 and an ERA of 3.07.
Digging deeper, it is still hard to find a hole in Thorntons numbers, some moment when you say its just luck. If anything, batted ball data backs up his conventional numbers. He has posted a very low line drive rate of 14.4%, which supports his low BAA and BABIPs against, as well as his high strikeout rates the guy has just been hard for minor leaguers to hit. He has a high ground ball rate and has kept the ball in the ballpark, and he really doesnt have much of a platoon split. His career FIP is 2.35. His career SIERA is 2.74. And we are talking about a lot of innings here, over 80 in two of the last three seasons.
This will be Thorntons 26 year-old season; like Duke Welker, hes getting a little long in the tooth for prospect lists. But, as I said last year, I am willing to give any pitcher who is striking out over 11 batters in 9 innings the benefit of the doubt. I would like to see Thornton be given a real chance to earn a spot in the Pirates bullpen. If his stuff wont play in the major leagues, well find out pretty quickly. But this guy has earned the chance."
Exec with another MLB team labeled Zack Thornton a soft tosser and noted he was passed over by 29 clubs -- including Mets -- in Rule 5 draft
Lol, my bad. I skimmed it and missed all of that at the end. Whoops.
Might as well call this guy up soon because we can sure use pen help.
Two potential explanations after hearing Thornton's name: PTBN is solid, or Mets want to free money for another maneuver.
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Exec with another MLB team labeled Zack Thornton a soft tosser and noted he was passed over by 29 clubs -- including Mets -- in Rule 5 draft
mets pass on rule 5 guys whether good or not imo
they look at metrics probavly said na were good hes 26
When has a PTNL ever turned out to be anything other than garbage.
I may never understand the team love interest in duda.
Let's see what they get, but I don't want to hear sandy run down any player's defense again if you're okay with Duda over Davis.
Talk about selling low.
Link - ( New Window )
Sad. I'm glad Ike is gone, other than the walk-off GS, it was agonizing watching him play for the better part of the past two years.
You know he's going to be one of those guys who the change of scenery helps him excel, and I don't care. Ike is a notch above Jason Bay and Justin Turner for me. He's in Ollie territory.
Right, because the mets are obviously going to need help right away, lol. Kind of retarded rationale for a team going nowhere.
hearing the PTBNL in ike deal is fairly significant. so there's that. #mets #bucs
hearing the PTBNL in ike deal is fairly significant. so there's that. #mets #bucs
Better play SS, not another damn pitcher.
I'm going with @MetsProspectHub here and saying LHP Blake Taylor will end up being the PTBN
He's a 6' 3" 220 pound 18-year LHP.
Played rookie ball last year.
hearing the PTBNL in ike deal is fairly significant. so there's that.
I'd be happy with a 2nd round pick (player drafted in the 2nd round, not the actual pick) for Ike though, obviously nothing is guaranteed, but at this point I don't think Ike would qualify as a free agent where the Mets were compensated if someone else signed him, would they?
If not, a recent 2nd round pick is a good return.
Link - ( New Window )
Guessing the PTBNL to Mets is Joely Rodriguez, really solid LHP prospect that Mets have eyed since Spring of '11.
Rodriguez began his Pirate career as a hard-throwing lefty with poor command, and one who missed most of 2011 with an elbow injury. He's morphed into a durable left-hander who is a groundball machine.
Rodriguez has an excellent sinking fastball, one that led to a 2.12 groundout-to-flyout ratio in 2013 and allowed him to pitch across two levels, catapulting him to Double-A in 2014. His breaking ball can be inconsistent at times, but it flashes as at least a Major League average pitch. His changeup is above average and has a good amount of sink and tail to it as well. Rodriguez has become a better strike-thrower over the past two years.
While Rodriguez doesn't have the upside of some of the high-octane arms in the Pirates' system, he does look like he has the profile to help in the middle or back end of a big league rotation in the not-too-distant future.
Rodriguez has the potential to be a middle of the rotation starter, or a dominant lefty reliever similar to Justin Wilson. He should start the 2014 season with Altoona, and now that hes on the 40-man roster, he could have a shot at the majors by mid-2015 or 2016.
Link - ( New Window )
2015 is THE YEAR baby.
@AndrewHarts: Sandy said they're happy with the PTBNL. "It's a player to be named later for a reason". This to me says it's '13 draftee
Doesn't sound like Joely.
so maybe Jones or Taylor. Either way, a 2013 draftee makes me feel better about this trade.
Link - ( New Window )
Pirates top-30 prospects (per BA) who were drafted in '13: Austin Meadows, Reese McGuire, Blake Taylor, Jacoby Jones, Cody Dickson.
Armed with good stuff and a projectable frame, Dickson's up-and-down performance at Sam Houston State held down his Draft value in 2013, with the Pirates the beneficiary.
If everything comes together for the southpaw, he could be quite the fourth-round value. Dickson's fastball can touch the mid-90s and should get there more consistently as he matures physically. His breaking ball is above-average and his changeup is good enough to give him a third Major League average offering. While he goes right after hitters, delivery issues did hamper his command during his junior year of college.
The stuff and projectability from the left side gives Dickson the chance to be a mid-rotation starter at the big league level, not to mention a Draft steal for the Pirates, if he can discover a level of consistency.
How freaking bad is this financial situation?
Front page of Daily News today a little harsh, no?
I think the Mets had been trying to trade Ike for a while. If it was about money they would have non-tendered him, no?
How freaking bad is this financial situation?
Some recent articles ...
Apr. 14, 2014
But the real action, for the future of the New York Mets, can be found in a battle between two companies out west.
Howard Megdal
Mar 14, 2014
And in June of 2012, Bloomberg announced that the City had awarded Sterling Equities Incorporated (the real estate company controlled by the Wilpons) the contract to redevelop the Willets Point area, with the City's capital fund paying $100 million for demolition, remediation, and infrastructure. The land itself would be sold to the Mets and their partner, Related Construction, for $1. All of a sudden, the Mets had a major new development project on the horizon, all for the cost of a candy bar. Of course there was one thing standing in the way of this mall: all of those auto repair shops.
Why Is NYC Destroying A Thriving Immigrant Economy To Bail Out The Mets' Owners?
9) Reese McGuire, C, Grade B: Superior defensive catcher and hit very well in rookie ball (.330/.388/.392). Controls strike zone well, power is questionable. Glove will get him to the majors, bat will determine if hes a star, a decent regular, or a defense-oriented platoon/backup type. I tend towards optimism.
14) JaCoby Jones, OF-INF, Grade C+: Excellent tools but never lived up to expectations at Louisiana State, which is why he was a third rounder instead of a first. Too early to tell if that will change in pro ball. He could develop into a 20/20 player. . .or he could flail away with a poor approach and not hit at higher levels.
18) Cody Dickson, LHP, Grade C+: Fourth round pick in 2013 from Sam Houston State had command issues in college but performed well in NY-P (2.37 ERA, 59/24 K/BB in 57 innings, 42 hits). Live arm, seems like the type of pitcher that the Pirates are good at refining. Breakthrough possibility.
19) Blake Taylor, LHP, Grade C+: Second round pick in 2013 from California high school is another live-armed youngster who could develop into a mid-rotation presence, fitting the model of moldable prep talent that worked well with Glasnow and Kingham.
PTBNL process not as easy as it might sound - ( New Window )
Probably the same risk, no?
JB, I agree. But they might be getting much more for Ike than they would have for Duda.
That said Im rooting for Duda now. Lets hope the ol' lug can find himself. I'll be happy if he hits 20 home runs actually.
Also, knowing Sandy, we got a pretty good prospect back. Seeing how Herrera is lighting it ups so far and even playing some SS and Black seems to be finding myself, my mind is still blown we got BOTH back for like 6 weeks of Byrd and Buck. lol
There's nothing scientific to back me up. Its just a gut feeling. I think Ike is and we'll be the better player. We'll see.
Like I said, I am rooting for Duda now but I think this one is going to sting later on.
Maybe he would have turned it around this year again or maybe he wouldn't but I don't get anyone say it would have been impossible for to do it New York when he already did.
Im not disagreeing with what the front office did and how it did seem like they already chose Duda from the start. It must have been hard for him. Still, he didn't get much of a chance this year at all.
As for Ike not getting a legit chance this year, I can see that. I don't think that was the idea at the start of spring training, though. When both guys miss the majority of action in Feb/March, and don't return until practically the same time, someone has to sit. Instead of sitting once we're in the season, if you can get anything of value for Ike or Duda, you gotta pull the trigger.
Ike had more value and more history.
Duda is not the long-term solution at 1B, i think everyone knows that, as long as Ike was here and on the roster there was going to be some people who want/expect him to be the long-term solution at 1b. Or at least be given a chance to be.
And then there's the money, it was definitely a factor, but not as much as some fans make it out to be.
I say good riddance and that's true where Ike becomes Chris Davis and Duda becomes...Ike or somewhere in the middle.
We also have three players in AAA lighting it up early in Cambell, Lutz, and Sandy's boy Dykstra.
Duda makes less than half that.
So, it wasn't a move to save money, they would have simply non-tendered Ike if that were the case, it was about money, IMO, so they don't feel like we can't have $3.5M of an 82M payroll on the bench.
He might figure it out and become a .265/.340/.500 player someday and that's a very good player but his swing really concerns me. I'm glad he's gone. I prefer Duda. Similar ceiling but higher floor IMO.
And part of it is his defense. Ike might not have a lot of range either, but he's just a lot smoother around the bag and picks some really hard hops from Wright and others. Duda just looks awkward out there.
We are beating a dead horse here. Its done. Im team Duda now. Its over.