The upstart Braves come to the Bronx for a three game set. While much ink has been spilled over the Braves' young talent, now that I'm looking at their stats, what jumps out at you is the out-of-nowhere numbers being posted by some guys who have been washed-up has beens for a while: Kurt Suzuki, Nick Markakis, and Anibal Sanchez, tonight's scheduled starter.
Suzuki never hit much until going to the Braves last year at the age of 33. He's hit .284/.351/.515 as a Brave - what the hell? Who knew Nick Markakis was even still in MLB?? Yet he here is posting career-best numbers at 34. Sanchez posted sterling ERAs of 4.99, 5.87, and 6.41 the past three seasons in Detroit, but somehow has a 2.68 this year. Time for some market corrections.
Regarding trades for starters.....maybe the Yankees do need to deal for a 2018 Met pitcher. Just not the ones you're thinking of. Could Matt Harvey, of all people, be a good bargain pickup? His last five starts for the Reds have been very good: 29.1 IP, 21 H, 11 R, 21K/7 BB, 3.38 ERA, .955 WHIP. Fangraphs had a little writeup about him today suggesting his rebound isn't smoke and mirrors.
What a kick in the balls to the Mets if Harvey ended up helping the Yanks to a title, huh?
Fangraphs on Harvey - (
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2.31 ERA over his last 4 outings.
Not a terrible idea. And lord knows he'd be thrilled to pitch in the Bronx.
I mean, I can see where Harvey is a Cashman dumpster diving reclamation project but I don't think I'd go out of my way to trade for him.
Chris Archer hasn't had a sub-4 ERA since 2015, and Lance Lynn? Are you kidding? Have you seen what he's been doing lately? Hint: it's not good.
I agree with all this but these concerns are a better argument for someone like Happ than Harvey.
If the player is a true front-line starter/Ace like deGrom or Snell, the price is going to be very, very high.
If the goal is to add a starter, but not shred the farm to do it, we're going to be looking at flawed players like Happ, Hamels (just had another crappy outing - really don't want him), etc.
Harvey is outside the box - but it's not a bad idea.
Doc and Darryl both wound up in the Bronx after all of their troubles in Queens. The weren't the same players here, but they did at least sort of get things together while they played here. I think Harvey would know he can't get away with the bullshit here.
It's probably a long shot. I'm not sure he's even on Cashman's radar at all. But I do think there will be names like that whom perhaps haven't been as widely-discussed.
I think Loaisiga was brought up either to showcase as trade bait or he'll move to the bullpen if he makes the post season roster. Our four starters right now are Sevy, CC, Tanaka, and Gray.
I agree. The Yankees have had a pretty good track record with problem children because they tend to have strong clubhouse leadership and management that is generally firm but fair.
This is an excellent point Greg, we traded Duda for fringe bullpen prospect in Drew Smith from the Rays instead of a better deal supposedly offered from the Yanks. There is no shot that the Mets are trading with the Yankees. Not sure why this is so hard for people to comprehend.
Cash is invested in Gray. Harvey would be a flyer.
Frankly, as arrogant as this sounds, that's why the Yankees are the Yankees and the Mets are the Mets.
Also, a fair deal for deGrom is STILL pretty steep, perhaps steeper than Cashman is willing to pay anyway.
Fuck it, I am getting pissed just thinking about it.
I guess the bottom line at this point is that there's no way he can be trusted in a postseason game barring some miraculous turnaround.
Ed Whitson syndrome
I've mostly thought that the pitching acquisition this year for Cashman would be more along the lines of Jaime Garcia. If this year's Jaime Garcia is Matt Harvey, I am down, I guess. I do agree that we will prob need options of guys to get 5 innings in the postseason. Harvey could do that and has some possibility for a little more. Hard to rely on him though.
Fuck it, I am getting pissed just thinking about it.
If you are a Mets fan, would you be willing to trade deGrom or Thor to the Braves- who may have the most impressive group of young arms around?
For example, would a Mets fan be willing to face deGrom for another 6-7 years in a Braves uniform in exchange for a package of something like: Kyle Wright, Koby Allard, Austin Riley and maybe Christian Pache?
I don't think the Yankee tax would necessarily be too steep on Happ.
He's not a particularly exciting acquisition, but he does pitch well against BOS - which could be important when we see them again next month.
Putting Gray out there against the Red Sox is like the Red Sox putting Price on the mound against us. It's basically a forfeit.
The issue with Gray is that he has been brilliant in a few starts this year, he still has the stuff. It is primarily a mental issue.
Actually, no. The only deals I can remember between the teams are: getting Mondesi in 2002, Clemens for Wells in 1999, Cone for three scrub minor leaguers in 1995. Going back into the 1980s, there was Jessie Barfield for Al Leiter in 1988 and whatever deal it was that sent Fred McGriff there when he was a teenager.
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And that is why Mets fans don't trust ownership, they have taken less on deals on the past as not to help the Yanks. When you have two franchise players, if they do decide to trade them, you better get a haul of a return no matter who the trade partner is. If it is leaked (which you know it will be), that they made a trade and there was a better offer on the table from the Yanks...
Fuck it, I am getting pissed just thinking about it.
If you are a Mets fan, would you be willing to trade deGrom or Thor to the Braves- who may have the most impressive group of young arms around?
For example, would a Mets fan be willing to face deGrom for another 6-7 years in a Braves uniform in exchange for a package of something like: Kyle Wright, Koby Allard, Austin Riley and maybe Christian Pache?
rich I just want this team to make a good move for once that sets them up for the future. As a Mets fan, I don't care who they trade them to as long as the return is worth it. To be honest, I would rather trade with the Yanks then anyone in our division as you don't want them coming back to beat you every year. However, if the Braves put together a package that included their top prospects and that is the best deal offered, then you have to take it.
Make no mistake about it, the Wilpon's pay attention to what is written about them and Jeff thinks he is always the "smartest man in the room", which is why he and Sandy had such a good working relationship.
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If I'm not mistaken, NYY/TOR actually have a fairly solid business relationship, no?
Actually, no. The only deals I can remember between the teams are: getting Mondesi in 2002, Clemens for Wells in 1999, Cone for three scrub minor leaguers in 1995. Going back into the 1980s, there was Jessie Barfield for Al Leiter in 1988 and whatever deal it was that sent Fred McGriff there when he was a teenager.
Someone said they did during the broadcast yesterday or the day before. I forget who it was. I guess they were wrong.
Putting Gray out there against the Red Sox is like the Red Sox putting Price on the mound against us. It's basically a forfeit.
So you make sure Gray starts vs Price....18-15 is a good final score.
Now that I'm looking through transaction histories, I missed one - the Rob Refsnyder for Ryan McBroom blockbuster.
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And that is why Mets fans don't trust ownership, they have taken less on deals on the past as not to help the Yanks. When you have two franchise players, if they do decide to trade them, you better get a haul of a return no matter who the trade partner is. If it is leaked (which you know it will be), that they made a trade and there was a better offer on the table from the Yanks...
Fuck it, I am getting pissed just thinking about it.
If you are a Mets fan, would you be willing to trade deGrom or Thor to the Braves- who may have the most impressive group of young arms around?
For example, would a Mets fan be willing to face deGrom for another 6-7 years in a Braves uniform in exchange for a package of something like: Kyle Wright, Koby Allard, Austin Riley and maybe Christian Pache?
The Braves are no longer interested in trading for a front line SP due to the breakout seasons of Foltynewicz and Newcomb. Soroka was pitching very well before going on the 60 day DL. Luiz Gohara, Max Fried, Kolby Allard, and Touki Toussaint are all ready or will be by seasons end. What the Braves need is another OF next year and a couple of relievers.
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Putting Gray out there against the Red Sox is like the Red Sox putting Price on the mound against us. It's basically a forfeit.
So you make sure Gray starts vs Price....18-15 is a good final score.
LOL, I was going to say - just match Gray up against Price @ Fenway and we'll have a shot.
Now that I'm looking through transaction histories, I missed one - the Rob Refsnyder for Ryan McBroom blockbuster.
You're probably right, I just took their word for it and assumed they were right. I can't even remember who the hell said it, I think it was during the Fox broadcast so it wasn't even anyone in the YES booth.
And Gray has been getting booed at home. Do we know with any certainty whatsoever how Harvey would handle that?
Most of this is completely off-base.
Not really, I've become completely desensitized to all things Mets. When we're competitive in another 10 years I'm sure they'll hurt me again but once you've experienced the Benitez subway series meltdown 2000, Beltran Take, the 2007 Collapse, and the eerily similar to 2000 game 1 blown save + the 9th inning error to lose the 2015 WS... this ain't bothering us in the slightest.
As has been pointed out the Yankees have young pitchers who have thrown very limited innings in their careers and they have several pitchers in AA and AAA that will need to be added to the 40 man roster or left exposed to the rule 5 draft and there are a few position players they might need to protect too.
They are going to make trades for pitchers. My guess would be that they will be mid to back end pitchers to eat innings. That's exactly what they should do in my opinion.
Dunedin81 : 11:42 am : link : reply
And while he deserved a good bit of the blame I don't think it was peculiarly a feature of NYC.
how exactly did the Mets treat him like shit???
Otherwise I pass on Harvey, but if we can swap Gray for Harvey , sign me up!
Let's kill the Braves tonight!
So that puts him around 60 and means he's probably only got like 7-8 starts left unless they want to use him as a reliever. But I haven't seen anything regarding that.
Jack Curry Verified account@JackCurryYES
31s31 seconds ago
Boone said he believes Loaisiga can give the Yankees "north of 100 innings" this season. But he wouldn't specify an innings total for the young pitcher who threw only 45 1/3 innings in the minors last season.
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Worst idea I have heard. Just keep the young guys in there before we get that guy who has nothing left in the tank, it's not about handling New York, that talk is for morons. it is about his stuff, Sonny Gray does not have the stuff to win in this division, that is why he struggles, not because he can't handle new York, he struggles with his interviews because he can't handle New York. He does not have a put away pitch anymore, and neither does Harvey. He is where he belongs.
Most of this is completely off-base.
PaulN is one of the dumbest posters on BBI arc. I bet he even talks like the FleckthTheale guy.
I have my favorites and I have players that I don't want to root for too. If it was up to me I'd trade Gary Sanchez for a #2 pitcher. Is that smart? Probably not in baseball terms but I wouldn't have to watch Posada 2.0 chase balls to the back stop for the next 10 years.
Sorry for the rant. Done for the day.
JFC.
Birds of a feather, I guess.
SHRUG....
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Worst idea I have heard. Just keep the young guys in there before we get that guy who has nothing left in the tank, it's not about handling New York, that talk is for morons. it is about his stuff, Sonny Gray does not have the stuff to win in this division, that is why he struggles, not because he can't handle new York, he struggles with his interviews because he can't handle New York. He does not have a put away pitch anymore, and neither does Harvey. He is where he belongs.
Most of this is completely off-base.
PaulN is one of the dumbest posters on BBI arc. I bet he even talks like the FleckthTheale guy.
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I have my favorites and I have players that I don't want to root for too. If it was up to me I'd trade Gary Sanchez for a #2 pitcher. Is that smart? Probably not in baseball terms but I wouldn't have to watch Posada 2.0 chase balls to the back stop for the next 10 years.
Sorry for the rant. Done for the day.
That's a really good post, it's very true folks! Lots of real world drama, BBI is supposed to be an escape.. if somebody says something really stupid, it's much better for everyone reading the site to ignore it or address it without personal vitriol at the least. In my opinion. The only people who are catered to when insults happen are the very group of people doing most of the insults.
Great rant bro.
Let's play ball.