Paydro Signs with the Mets

[Sloopy45]

Brutus1: "You'd think after the Mets wasted money on Burnitz, Roger Cedeno, Alomar, Big'Mo, Stiff Floyd and Matsui the last few years that they would learn their lesson."

The Mets' ownership is a joke. The Benson and Zambrano trades last year should've been a good indicator that they haven't learned squat from their prior mistakes.

[AKAKBUCK]

The Benson Trade... the Zambrano Trade... the Alomar Trade.

It goes on and on..

Its really not the signings that have been killing them.... (not that they've been great) but the trades.

I'm a bit too lazy to look up who they traded to get those guys, but I would bet that in those 3 trades, they gave up the who's who of their Farm System... (not that the Indians got all that much..in the end for ALomar, but Escobar and Traber were hot comodities at the time) its one thing to go and get Pedro Martinez when you have a young team locked up for 2 or 3 years and you need a playoff starter... but Pedro is 50 million dollar lipstick on the Mets Pig.

THey refuse to build from within in an attempt to match up with the Yankees... and as long as they keep refusing to do so.. they'll keep getting... well... what they've got. Zip.

[Bucktastic]

The Zambrano trade was the worst. They never should have got rid of Kazmir (sp).

[Sloopy45]

AKAK: "I'm a bit too lazy to look up who they traded to get those guys"

Unfortunately, I'm not. Lets check it out:

1. December 11, 2001: Cleveland Indians trade Roberto Alomar with Danny Peoples (minors) and Mike Bacsik to the New York Mets for Matt Lawton, Alex Escobar, Jerrod Riggan, and players to be named later (Earl Snyder and Billy Traber)

Alomar completely fell off the table for the Mets. He couldn't bat righthanded anymore, and hit .336 for the Indians in '01 feeding off fastballs that pitchers didn't want to throw to Thome, Lofton, JuanGone, and Ellis Burks. This trade ain't so bad in retrospect, but considering that Alomar was a New York flame-out, and I've always been a big fan of Lawton, I'd still say that the Mets got fleeced.

My Grade: C -.

2. July 30, 2004: Pittsburgh Pirates trade Kris Benson to the New York Mets for Ty Wiggington, RHP Matt Peterson (minors), and C Justin Huber (minors).

This deal aint so bad, but it didn't have to be made. Wiggington is a servicable Infielder with a decent bat who could've helped the Mets' putrid offense. Peterson was the Mets' 2nd best pitching prospect behind Scott Kasmir (though most scouts project him as a 4 or a 5), and Huber was their 2nd best position prospect (behind David Wright), though most scouts project him as a back-up catcher.

My main beef with this one is that the Mets could've signed Benson for nothing this offseason. Instead, they gave up a piece that they could've used (Wiggington), 2 of their top 5 prospects that could've been used in another deal, and severely had to overpay for Benson this offseason.

My Grade: D -.

3. July 30, 2004: Tampa trades RHP Victor Zambrano to the New York Mets for LHP Scott Kazmir (minors).

Kasmir looks to be a future star for the Rays: he was the Mets' best pitching prospect as a lefty who throws smoke. Bottom line: they gave up a lefty with star potential for an erratic righthander (with good stuff and no control) who shakes out to be their 4th or 5th Starter next season. A huge no-no for a rebuilding team.

My Grade: F ++.

How bout this deal ???(you might not've heard about this one):

4. July 31, 2002: San Diego Padres trade P Steve Reed with Jason Middlebrook to the New York Mets for Bobby Jones, Jason Bay (minors), and Josh Reynolds (minors).

That's right. This past season's Rookie of the Year (Jason Bay) was a Mets farmhand. They essentially dealt him for nothing (two journeyman relievers). You think the Mets' horrible O could've used Bay this past season??

My Grade: F +++

[AKAKBUCK]

A huge no-no for a rebuilding team.

Problem is... this concept seems to be lost on them.

[Sloopy45]

"Problem is... this concept seems to be lost on them."

What's your comments on the Jason Bay deal, AKAK?

[AKAKBUCK]

Well- in retrospect its Moronic... but to be honest, I hadn't even heard of the kid until this year... he was 25ish at the time of the trade after being a 22nd round pick...of the expos...so I don't know how good of a prospect he was at the time of the deal.


The bad thing is the pattern of a bad team giving up its best players... everybody makes one bad deal now and again.... especially with lower level kids.... how many guys are Rule 5 players (who get picked or don't) who end up being very good....

[Sloopy45]

AKAK: "so I don't know how good of a prospect he was at the time of the deal."

True, but I can't even see why a team would give up any kind of prospect with a pulse for two journeymen relievers for a team (in 2001) that was under .500. Bad deal all around. If it was even in the realm of possibility that Bay could become a .282 hitter, with 26 dongs, 82 RBI, and a Rookie of the Year makes it absolutely moronic.

Bay must've been some kind of prospect, because the Pads turned around and traded him for Brian Giles.

The Mets would have a decent young core if they held onto Bay, along with David Wright (who looks like a star), and Reyes (who's a great talent IF he can stay healthy).

How bout this Mets classic?

December 10, 1971: Traded Nolan Ryan with Frank Estrada, Don Rose, and Leroy Stanton to the California Angels for Jim Fregosi.