Hello Fellow Mets Fans!
As the 2014 season nears the end and with hot stove baseball around the corner, I wanted to throw out a potential trade target that has not been discussed and which might be intriguing.
The Cincinnatti Reds are a franchise in distress, they have a lot of large contracts in players underproducing - Jay Bruce, Joey Votto, Brnadon Phillips, and Homer Bailey to name a few. Their minor league system is average at best and they might be looking to unload some payroll and start rebuilding. I don't see how they can't look to start some rebuilding process considering the players they have and the lack of talent at the minor league level.
That brings me to Aroldis Chapman, the premiere closer in baseball today along with Craig Kimbrel. If there is one thing in common among all the teams in the post-season this year, they have all had great bullpens - Nationals, Royals, Gians, As, Orioles all had great pens. I think the Mets are on the verge of having our Pen be a great strength, but we don't have a great closer. Mejia, Familia, Parnell all have a lot of talent and the ability to close, but you add a chapman to the back of our pen and I think it could really make our backend dynamite.
Now, from Cincinnati's perspective, they can't be in a win-now mode and they might want to take advantage of a strong market for a player like chapman, especially since he's under contract for only 2 more seasons and since what good is a closer if you're not gonna win.
Now, according to baseball-reference, he had a 1.9 WAR in 2014 and averaged around 2.5 WAR over the last 3 years. My question to you is, would he be a good target? and what could we get him for that seattle wants. I think we could get him for Herrera and Montero...would you do that trade?
Closer is not a need.
In any event, I don't think we need to be giving up assets for Chapman. If I were going to start talking about pieces with the Reds, Bruce is the guy I'd be asking about. Can't see any reason why they'd sell low on him, though.
Between Mejia, Parnell, and Familia, they have options. Even if they're not Kimbrell or Chapman.
the Cards won WS with mediocre closers as did other teams and I think all 3 above options are better than mediocre.
the Mets need to be judicious with their resources and fill the bigger holes first (SS, LF, etc.) before improving a strength.
Unless the Mets upgrade their lineup, there aren't going to be enough of those leads to matter and they won't be in the postseason anyway.
I just don't think our pen is an issue. Plus, we've got so much young pitching you'll probably see a few more of these guys become BP arms.
they had a top 10, top 15 at worst bullpen last year.
It is a strength, so your plan is to use valuable trade chips to strengthen a strength instead of filling a hole.
How is that a good idea?
Unless they are willing to spend to acquire a legit middle of the order bat, which I highly doubt, I'd rather see them go with what they have and save the salary room for adding a player at the trade deadline if they are in serious contention.
I realize they're stuck with long-term contracts with Wright and Granderson so they'll be in the line-up every day, but any trades or free agentry must deal with short and left, not closer.