New York Mets: 2012 Trade Candidates

Added by Eddie Utley on January 30, 2012.

As we all know, the Mets will probably still be dumping players after the season begins. Even if the Mets only have to pay $83M from the Madoff issue, it’s still a big hit and they don’t have money to add players. They didn’t even have money to retain superstar shortstop Jose Reyes.

The Mets may get off to a good start but that means those players the Mets would try to move are doing well like David Wright, Jason Bayand Johan Santana. Here is a look at the players the Mets may look to move at some point this season.

Jason Bay – He has been a massive disappointment. There were many of us who wanted Matt Holliday over Bay but we were told Bay could pull the ball down the line, blah blah blah. Holliday was a hitter similar to David Wright and though he’s not necessarily a superstar, he’s the type of player you need on a team that is going to be competitive.

Jason Bay has been his own enemy but he’s a good soldier. You never hear the crap that Beltran used to say or see those plays where he should slide and he just walks into the base. Bay keeps going and keeps trying.  Unfortunately his stats don’t meet up to his effort level. He has done almost nothing as a Met. Last September he did look like he might be breaking out of his funk and with the new dimensions at Citi Field he should do well.

The problem with Bay is his contract. If he was making $6M a year, no one would care. But he is an albatross that has been choking out the Mets. He has a very attainable option on his contract too so who will take him? The Mets will probably have to eat half of the contract and get nothing back but it’s better than nothing. He will probably finish the season as a Met unless he hits the cover off the ball in the first half and someone gets desperate for hitting. He currently has two years left on his contract plus an option year so he’s valuable in terms of a trade since he won’t walk at the end of the season.

Chances he’s still here in 2013 – 95%

Lucas Duda – I like Duda but he’s a big lumbering guy in the outfield. His best position is 1B but they have Ike Davis. I’m actually surprised Duda is still here now. The Mets could have used a BJ Upton or young pitcher from the Rays. Luckily for him, right field has changed and maybe it helps since he has less ground to cover. He has all the fundamentals down, the big man even laid down a bunt to move runners over last season. He can situational hit too. A team would be lucky to have a guy like Duda. If he goes on to have a .275 25 HR and 80 RBI year then you can expect to hear his name in trade rumors, especially if it can bring back an arm.

Chances he’s still here in 2013 – 85%

Daniel Murphy – How could you not like Murphy, the guy goes out and plays the game hard to the last out. I think if he stayed on the field he would have made a run at the batting title. The problem with Murphy is that he is more bat than field…much more. The Mets are going to use him at 2B but his best positions are 1B and 3B. At third base he has bad footwork but he is suitable. The Dodgers made a run at him as well as another unnamed team. With Jordany Valdespin and Reese Havens in the minors, his time may be limited as a Met. If Murphy can play 2B and not get injured again then he may have a future here since he has proven he can hit, he just needs to settle in to a position. But I’m expecting someone to finally take the second base job and I’m thinking it will be Havens. Plus Murphy is arbitration eligible this year.

Chances he’s here in 2013 – 60%

David Wright – I don’t have to tell you anything on Wright. We all know what he means to the Mets. If he is able to get Citi Field out of his head then he should go back to the guy all Mets fans were drooling over a few years ago. However, since the Mets are broke and he’s a big commodity entering his prime, I expect the conversations to start just like with Reyes. They didn’t move Reyes so they could sell more tickets but with the team headed for nowhere Wright may be gone this summer. Wright can void his option so they may wait until after the season to move him.

Chances he’s here in 2013 – 50%

Johan Santana – It’s going to be hard to know what will happen with Santana since he had a surgery that most players don’t come back from. Chien Ming Wang may be the first to do it successfully if he can keep doing what he did at the end of last season. If Santana can give you at least 25 starts then expect him to be move this winter when there is less money on his contract. The Mets may have to eat part of it but it would lessen future money going out.

Chances he’s here in 2013 – 80%

If the Mets go down the tubes completely then expect Frank Francisco, Ramon Ramirez, Jon Rauch and maybe Manny Acosta or Bobby Parnell to be traded at the deadline too. Teams are always looking for closers and setup men and the Mets are stocked with them. The chances of these guys being with the Mets next year is very low except Acosta and Parnell since they’re cheap.

The others I think will still be around. There may be some minor tweaking here and there but the Mets aren’t likely to add any major parts.