Rockies could trade Dexter Fowler

By Steven Inman

The Rockies will entertain trade possibilities for multiple position players, including Dexter Fowler and Michael Cuddyer, opposing executives and scouts tell Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post. Colorado has had a miserable season; a season where because of a lack of pitching the Rockies have decided to do a 4 man pitching staff that has caused “mixed results” to be kind.

The Rockies need pitching and are willing to deal two good outfielders in Cuddyer and Fowler to get some arms. From the Mets perspective, you can forget about Cuddyer who has 2 years and 20 million left on his contract but Fowler is very intriguing. Dexter Fowler is a great athlete who seemingly has put it all together this season. Dexter Fowler is batting an even .300 with 13 homers and 53 runs batted in with 11 triples. Fowler plays half of his games in Coors Field so his numbers are a tad inflated but he would look really good manning centerfield in Citi Field.

Fowler will go arbitration for the 2^nd time this winter as a super two. (Four times arbitration not three) Dexter is making $2.35 this year so he should make somewhere in the $4.5 million range next season according to baseballreference. That may be out of the Mets price range but if they trade a big piece to get like Jon Niese to get Fowler (likely what it would take) that would free up enough money.

Baseball reference believes Fowler is a below average defending but Coors field often messes up a lot of defensive metrics. I believe Fowler is a solid defender who is now coming into his own offensively and defensively in his age 26 season.

The Mets need guys who can hit lefties. Dexter Fowler is a switch hitter who has hit .315 vs. lefties this season, making him a great fit.

Fowler looks like a good player but the Rockies have Tyler Colvin who could play center everyday if the Rockies wanted. The Rockies need pitching just to be competitive next season and trading Fowler could get them a nice pitcher in return. The Mets have some option as we have discussed and Dexter Fowler should be added to the list.

Future Mets: Matt Den Dekker

By Steven Inman

We have talked extensively about the Mets need for two maybe even three outfielders depending on where the Mets play Lucas Duda next year. The one option the Mets have internally with their outfield is with Centerfielder Matt Den Dekker.

As you can see by the short YouTube clip above courtesy of ESPN’s coverage of the college world series, Den Dekker is a legit centerfielder with a good arm and great range. The question with Matt has been if he can cut down on his strikeouts. If he can he will be a great center field option sometime in 2013.

Den Dekker was a senior sign Selected by the New York Mets in the fifth round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Florida. Usually as a prospect once you turn 24 the clock begins to tick a little louder in terms of your upside at the big league level.  Matt turned 25 in August but as a senior sign out of college it isn’t as big of a deal but 2013 MUST be a huge season for Den Dekker if he wants to be an everyday player for the Mets. If not he can be a very solid 4^th outfielder making the league minimum.

Matt Den Dekker hit .274 with 17 homeruns and 76 Runs batted in and 21 stolen bases between double a Binghamton and triple a Buffalo. That is the bright side; the down side is a whopping 154 strikeouts in just 135 games. He is incredibly fast so he needs to do a better job of putting the ball in play getting more infield hits and cutting down on his strikeouts. Centerfielders with range, power and speed are hard to come by so if Matt Den Dekker can show the Mets that he can put the ball in play more he can be a dynamic Centerfielder and leadoff hitter sometime near future.

Den Dekker will likely start the season in Triple a Las Vegas so his number next year will likely be incredible. Don’t believe them. We know that he has power so don’t buy into the inflated numbers in power and average. The only way to understand if Den Dekker is ready is if the strikeouts are down and the walks are up. Den Dekker has potential and is the closest bat to the big leagues in the Mets system but if he doesn’t put it together soon, he may miss his chance.

The Mets have no answers for their bullpen

By Steven Inman

A lot can be blamed for the Mets poor 2012 season, little power, no speed, injuries but the biggest culprit this season was definitely the bullpen. The Mets bullpen has a 4.74 earned run average this season; dead last in the major leagues and the Mets shouldn’t expect much from their internal candidates when considering 2013.

The Mets biggest culprit from the Mets bullpen this season had been Frank Francisco. Sandy Alderson signed Francisco as to a two year $12 million contract last winter so unfortunately the Mets still have 6.5 million reasons to keep Francisco on the roster next season. Francisco had 23 saves for the Mets this season but finished his first season in the blue and orange with a 5.53 Earned run average and a whopping 1.61 whip (walks + hits per innings pitched) before having his season end early from elbow soreness. Despite his dissapointing season Frank will enter Sprng Training as the closer because of his $6.5 million dollar 2013 salary.

Injury history has hurt Frank Francisco throughout his career and this year has been no different. Even when Frank struggled this season Terry Collins said with him in the 9^th inning, mostly because the Mets didn’t have many other options. Jon Rauch was the set up man for most of the year but also struggled throughout most of the 1^st half when the Mets were in the postseason mix.

To me, the main problem was Rauch and Francisco who were the 8^th and 9^th inning guys in Toronto last year, badly struggled in late inning situations and yet still got 9 million bucks in 2012 from Sandy Alderson. That money was a majority of last year’s budget and it wasn’t spent well. The Blue Jays led the league in blown saves last season with the same duo and this season the Mets lead baseball in worst bullpen era. Not a coincidence.

The Mets will be forced to rely on young relievers like Josh Edgin and Robert Carson next season in late game situations. Those two have good arms and can get lefties out but have very little experience in the Major Leagues. Jenrry Mejia and Jeurys Familia are two young pitchers that have uncertain futures. I believe because they both have very violent deliveries and control problems, they have a better chance to succeed in the bullpen. Both have closer stuff but like Edgin and Carson, very little experience. By the way Familia will get his first ever major league start on Monday in Miami.

Terry Collins has had more than his fair share of mound visits to pull relievers this year.

The only experience, quality arm penciled into the Mets bullpen next season is Bobby Parnell who has had a very nice season when he hasn’t been asked to be the closer. That being said he will be eligible for salary arbitration (a pay raise) for the first time this winter so it’s unknown if the Mets will trade him or keep him.

Most quality teams develop their own bullpen. The Yankees had Rivera and Robertson, the Giants got guys like Brian Wilson, Santiago Casilla  and Sergio Romo while the Braves might have the best 8th/9th combo in the sport with Jonny Venters and Craig Kimbrel.

With little money the Mets won’t be able to buy a closer. Their only hope is to be patient and hope an experienced arm is forced to sign a one deal before spring training. Fernando Rodney did just that with the Rays last winter and he has been the best reliever in the American League at just $2 million bucks. Bottom line is while it will be difficult for the Mets to fix their pen it can be done if they don’t panic like they did last winter.

Tonight could be Chris Young’s last start as a Met

By Steven Inman

Chris Young’s final start of the season will be later on SNY tonight in Atlanta. With the Mets getting Johan Santana, Dillon Gee and Matt Harvey back along with Jon Niese and R.A. Dickey their doesn’t appear to be room for Chris Young in the starting rotation. Tonight will be Young’s 20^th start of the season and he has pitched serviceably with a 4.21 earned run average in 109 innings this season. Chris Young has been a very good 5^th starter for the Mets.

Young is coming back from a serious shoulder injury and it was unknown going into the year if Chris could help the Mets at all. Well he was able to go 5 or 6 innings in nearly every start giving up 2 or 3 runs. Chris Young isn’t at a point in his career where he will be going deep into games but he has given the Mets quality starts in his 2 seasons in Queens. Despite only throwing in the high 80’s he continue to induce tons of pop outs and fly outs getting the job done.

Chris is going to ask for a few million dollars and the Mets just can’t afford to spend their only money on a pitcher that would just be considered a depth move for the team.

The Mets starting rotation is expected to be the strength of the team next season with 5 established starters in place and top prospect Zack Wheeler waiting for an opportunity. Mets play by play man Gary Cohen asked Terry Collins earlier if Young could come in as a reliever. Terry believes because it takes Chris so long to warm up as a starter he wouldn’t be able to succeed as a reliever, also changing a pitcher’s role when he is as injury prone as Young would be just asking for disaster. It appears as if Chris Young’s best opportunity to continue as a starter will appear elsewhere.

The Mets have many options with Jon Niese

By Steven Inman

Jon Niese dazzled in his final start of the season last night in Atlanta throwing 7 solid innings of  one run ball to the playoff bound Atlanta Braves. Niese has been up and down over his young career with the Mets but has turned the corner here in 2012. Niese went 13-9 with a 3.40 earned run average but most importantly stayed healthy the entire season.

Fatigue down the stretch has been an issue for Niese over the past few seasons but he threw a career high 190 innings this season. The Mets before the season locked up Niese to a 5 contract worth $25.5 million with team options for 2017 and 2018 that could push the total value to $46 million. If Niese continues to pitch the way he did this season this deal will prove to be a steal.

Jon Niese and Sandy Alderson discuss Niese’s 5 year contract extenstion with reporters during Spring Training

The question with Niese now is does it make more sense to trade Jon to a team for prospects or does he have more value to the Mets. Many reporters who follow the team believe the Mets could get a “Gio Gonzalez” like package for Niese. Last winter the Athletics traded Gonzalez to Washington for a package that included Tommy Milone, Derek Norris and prospects Brad Peacock and A.J. Cole. The trade has worked out for both sides but I believe the Mets can get even more for Niese.

Milone and Norris are contributing to the Athletics now but neither is a star player. Plus questions about Gio Gonzalez’s control persisted during trade discussions last winter. Niese seems a lot more advanced than Gio was at this time last year. Plus the fact that Gio didn’t have a long term contract in place while Niese is under control until at least 2016. The Mets should definitely entertain looking into trading Niese if the right package comes together.

The Mets need to find two outfielders and a starting catcher and they will only find impact players through trades not free agency. The Mets entertained trading Niese last winter during the Winter Meetings to teams like the Blue Jays and the Padres. Both those teams have young catchers like Yasmani Grandal and Travis D’arnaud that would look very good behind the plate for the New York Mets. Niese can still get better  as he is just 25 and has very few innings under his belt, and the Mets should only trade him if they get a monster 4 for 1 package like Oakland did last offseason.

I find what Sandy does with Jon Niese to be one of the most compelling stories of the offseason. Niese is a very good young pitcher but for the Mets to improve next season they must trade what is considered to be a “core piece” to fill multiple holes and perhaps that might be Jon Niese.

Mets Important Offseason Dates

Obviously this is a very important offseason for the Mets as they look to rebound from a subpar season. Sandy Alderson certainly has his work cut out for him. Here are a few dates to mark off in the Mets offseason calendar

• Sometime Between October 29^th-November 1^st. All players with expired contracts become Free Agents as soon as the World Series ends. Players can only negotiate with the clubs their currently on.
• Sometime between November 3^rd– November 7^th. Players with expired contracts are free to sign with any team 6 days after World Series ends.
  • Midnight ET 12 days after World Series ends, last date for a player to accept arbitration from former club.(Won’t affect Mets this year)
  • Midnight ET November 30^th, last date to tender contracts to arbitration eligible players. Note: Not the same as Salary arbitration (bullet point above)
  • The Mets have 8 players Arbitration Eligible according to Mlbtraderumors

First time: Daniel Murphy, Ike Davis, Josh Thole, Bobby Parnell

Second time: Manny Acosta, Rob Johnson

Third time: Mike Pelfrey, Andres Torres

The first time arbitration eligible players are the only ones unlikely to be non-tendered (not given a contract) by the Mets. The more times a player goes through arbitration, the more expensive he becomes in most situations.

• December 3^rd-6^th Winter Meetings in Nashville Tennessee

Arguably the most important week of the offseason for the Mets. This is the time where you will hear the most crazy rumors about who the Mets and other teams are trading some true, some untrue and if it has any legs to it BrokeMets will give you the latest!

• December 6^th Rule 5 Draft
• April 1^st 2013 1:10p.m. Padres at Mets First game of the season!

The Mets should keep an eye on Torii Hunter

By Steven Inman

Torii Hunter has had a wonderful major league career and Hunter believes he has 2 or 3 more solid seasons left in Major League Baseball. Hunter has 16 homers and a .306/.358/.446 batting line in 2012, his 16th MLB season. Torii is now 37 but I think he would be a perfect fit for the New York Mets.

The Mets have struggled to hit lefties all season but Torii has done a nice job hitting .329 against lefties. He has always been a team player accepting a role out of center field for rookies like Peter Bourjos and Mike Trout. He is still very good defensively and the Mets might get him on a one year deal. I would be surprised if the Mets gave any player a multiyear deal this offseason but they may not have too with Torii this winter. The Mets need at least 2 starting outfielders this winter.

Hunter has expressed interest in resigning with the Angels this winter but in an outfield/designated hitter rotation of Trout, Wells, Trumbo, Bourjos, and Kendrys Morales. That’s already five guys under contract for just four spots. Torii could also bring the Mets leadership that they have lacked for a long time.

Torii career is dwindling down but he has had a great year, and a great September hitting .316 with 4 homers and 23 RBI’s for the contending Angels. The Mets also don’t have a ton of options for their outfield in terms of free agency. The Mets would be very fortuante to sign Torii Hunter to a one year deal.

At this stage in Hunter’s career he could be a perfect #2 hitter in the Mets lineup playing right field 6 times a week. Torii is making 18 million in the final year of a five year $90 million dollar contract so it is unknown how much of a pay cut he would be willing take if the Mets shown interest. Hunter might be out of the Mets price range right now but the later into the winter it gets the better the chance the Mets could get a bargain like Torii Hunter if they are patient.

The Mets made a mistake not trading Scott Hairston at the Trade Deadline

By Steven Inman

On July 31^st, 2012 the Mets held their ground at the trading deadline not making any moves as buyers or sellers. They were 50-54 and 9.5 games out of the Wild Card. The Mets were 3-7 in their last 10 games and were fading fast.  They got many hits on players like Scott Hairston and Tim Byrdak but decided to keep those two in Queens, citing that they are more valuable to the Mets for the rest of the season despite being free agents at the end of the year.  That was a mistake.

Teams like the Braves, Tigers and Giants all were interested but the Mets have plans to keep Scott around for 2013 as well. Hairston isn’t interested in discussing a deal with anyone until after the season. He is putting up his best statistical season ever including a career high 19 homers. Hairston is about average in the outfield this season after really struggling in Citi Field defensively last season.

 Scott is a vital part of the Mets because he is one of a select few that can hit lefties. That being said the season was over when the Mets were 9.5 out of a wild card and if you aren’t buying or selling at the trade deadline, more often than not you are moving backwards.

According to Fangraphs, Scott is worth around 2 wins above a replacement player to the Mets this season. The Mets could have gotten an intriguing prospect for Hairston or even bullpen help. If the Mets traded Hairston on the 31^st, that isn’t worth just 1 win for a team that has 72 with 6 games to go? It sounded like a decision not to upset the fan base to me.

The San Francisco Giants expressed the most interested in Hairston especially with speculation that Melky Cabrera could be suspended for 50 games looming around the team. The Mets dooped Giants GM Brian Sabean in the Beltran-Wheeler deal last trade deadline what makes the Mets think it won’t happen again?

Even if Sandy Alderson really wants to resign Scott Hairston, it’s about the money. Hairston is a part time player looking for every dollar he can get so he wouldn’t be taking any type of discount from the Mets just because they didn’t trade him. The Mets made the same mistake last season when they didn’t trade Chris Capuano or Jose Reyes at the deadline because the Mets felt they could resign the two. How did that work out?

 The Mets could have traded Scott and then resigned him this winter. Hairston is having a good season but part time players who don’t hit right handers often don’t get more than 3 million on the open market, so the Mets can resign him.  Right handed bats like Johnny Gomes, Cody Ross and Ryan Ludwick were under the same reputation as Hairston last winter and signed for less than 4 million.  I have no problem platooning Hairston with a Duda or someone else next season if that allows the Mets to address more important needs like Centerfield and Catcher.

R.A. Dickey is a 20 Game Winner

By Steven Inman

Omar Minaya had many “ups and downs” as General Manager of the Mets but no “up” may be more significant than Minaya giving R.A. Dickey a minor league invitation to Spring Training. The Mets were strapped for cash after signing Jason Bay along with being on a serious budget so Minaya spent most of the offseason signing minor league free agents like Dickey.

Dickey was the first player cut in Spring Training in 2010 but accepted a Triple A Buffalo assignment. In a start against the Rays’ Durham Bulls early in 2010 R.A. gave up a base hit to the leadoff hitter than retired the next 27 straight. If you ask R.A. he will say that game help turn the corner and get him on the Mets map to start his Mets career. Dickey was called up a few weeks later and has gotten better and better in each of his 3 seasons as a Met.

This season Dickey has been dominant and is the favorite to win the National League Cy Young award. Dickey leads the National League in strikeouts, Earned Run Average, innings and he now tied Gio Gonzalez for wins with 20 after the Mets beat the Pirates 6-5 this afternoon.

Now pitcher wins are a pretty meaningless stat but they definitely matter to the Cy Young voters and if Dickey has the same number of wins as Gio, writers have no excuse not to vote for R.A. because Dickey’s other stats are much more superior to the other candidates. Dickey has one more start either Tuesday or Wednesday in Miami.

 What makes Dickey’s season even more compelling is his knuckleball. Dickey’s knuckleball tops out around 77-79 and yet he can continue to make hitters look foolish. Most knuckleballers throw even slower than Dickey which makes what Robert Allen Dickey has done even more unusual.

It meant a lot to the 37-year old Dickey this afternoon to win 20 games. “It was as hard as it’s ever been to not get emotional, that’s for sure,” Dickey said. “I mean, from the get-go, from the introductions to the last pitch.” Dickey joined Tom Seaver (4 times), Jerry Koosman, Dwight Gooden, David Cone and Frank Viola as the only pitchers in franchise history to reach the 20-win milestone.

The Mets hold a 5 million dollar team option on Dickey however both sides are interested in getting a contract extension done. Dickey has indicated he is only interested in a deal if the Mets also extend David Wright this winter, hinting that the two are a packaged deal.

 To me the most significant thing about Dickey’s magical season is people are still watching and discussing the Mets. Dickey has made his starts a must watch for Mets fans. Between David Wright’s hit milestone last night and R.A. Dickey today the Mets are having a solid 24 hours.

The Mets offense and bullpen has struggled throughout most of this season making Dickey 20 games even more exciting and Dickey shouldn’t be punished by voters for being on a below average team. R.A. Dickey has been through a lot in his major league career but if you ask him he would say it was all worth it today to become a 20 game winner with another award potentially on the way….

The Mets all time hit leader…. David Wright

By Steven Inman

Congrats to David Wright for becoming the Mets all time hit leader in tonight’s game at Citi Field against Pittsburgh. David recorded an infield hit off the Pirates Jeff Locke. David received a huge standing ovation and later added another hit to the total, giving Wright 1,420 hits the new franchise mark.

Ed Kranepool who had the record since 1979 with 1,418 hits now gives way to David Wright with 1,420 and counting

This is an amazing accomplishment for David and although he isn’t really an “individual awards” kind of guy, you could tell by the ovation he got that it meant something to him. Ed Kranepool held the mark for over 30 years with 1,418. It took Kranepool 18 years to get their while it took David just 9. If haven’t seen the clip of David Wright breaking the record and would like too, you can check that out here.

It’s remarkable. It’s a testament to what a really good player he is. It’s a testament to his work ethic. He’s never satisfied and always wants to get better. Tonight I had him sign a ball for me. I said I have the one from when you broke the RBI and I got your hit one. I said I want to be here when you get your home run one. He said based on that it will be awhile. I disagree with that. He’ll break that one too, soon.” Mets manager Terry Collins said. Terry believes David will spend his entire career with the Mets. If that happens, David will be the first superstar hitter to do just that.

Give David a ton of credit but there is a reason the hit record is so small. That’s because the great hitters in the history of the Mets organization have all spent a large amount of time on other teams. Mike Piazza spent nearly a decade outside Queens. Darryl Strawberry who holds the next milestone for David the homerun total, spent most of his career outside of Queens. Jose Reyes who had spent his career with the Mets recently signed for over 100 million dollars with the Mets division rival, the Marlins.

David Wright has the opportunity to be the first Mets hitting star to spend his entire career in the blue and orange. The Mets will pick up his 16 million team option for next year but after that he can be a free agent. The Mets cannot let it get that far. They must sign him to an extension this offseason as David has said repeatedly he will not talk extension during a season.

To me it doesn’t make that much sense to trade David as I have said repeatedly here on BrokeMets the two most difficult positions to fill these days are catcher and third base. Mets don’t have a catcher but they have one awesome third basemen. Don’t create unnecessary holes for yourself unless you get absolutely bowled over in a trade offer.

After next season the only player under contract is Jon Niese. That’s it just 5 million dollars are accounting for 2014. The Wilpons may not have much money but they are going to have to spend some money by then. Why Not David Wright as he has already proven he can play under the bright lights that are New York City. After 33 seasons the Mets have a new hit leader, now lock him up!