Metsiah

just thought you guys might enjoy this atricle (at least i would enjoy the potential conversation(s) it may start)

I have never heard of this site: bugs & cranks before, and while reality says this would never happen, the lay out of the deals mentioned, don't sound too far fetched. (however the Mets farm system would completely empty were something this extreeme to play out)

i'll just post the article as opposed to just the link from bugsandcranks.com...

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Remember, immediate improvement doesn’t come cheap, so don’t send me hate mail. Just sit back and imagine the possibilities.

5) Fernando Martinez, John Maine and Jason Vargas to Oakland for Dan Haren
We’re starting with a bit of a no-brainer. The Athletics have made it clear that rebuilding is the order of the day, and everyone in white cleats is available. Though they are more actively pushing Joe Blanton, the much more accomplished Haren can be had for similar resources, and there is simply no reason the Mets should play bridesmaid here by going for their #2 offering.

Fernando Martinez is being touted as a potential 30 HR guy, but at 17, is still a few years away from doing so. And a lot can happen to change a prospect’s future during that few years. Remember Craig Brazell? Yeah, I didn’t think so. Coupling F-Mart with Maine and Vargas fills Oakland’s immediate losses, makes them younger, and sets them up for an impressive 2010. The Mets get their #2 starter and few extra million on the payroll.


4) Johnny Estrada, Joe Smith, Aaron Heilman and Kevin Mulvey to Baltimore for Ramon Hernandez and Erik Bedard
You’re screaming, “No way!” but this one has plenty of potential, should the Mets try to once again pillage our neighbors from 95-south. Just hear me out. I don’t think Estrada has invested in a lot of Manhattan real estate as of yet. He’s a nice pickup for what we gave up (the life sucking fleshbag known as Guillermo Mota), but Estrada just feels like a short-term rental. He also improves on none of the Mets’ durability and throwing problems from the last few years, making him nothing more than a taller Paul LoDuca with slightly more pop. Not exactly a major upgrade, Omar. But the O’s are tiring of Ramon Hernandez and his paycheck, and would love to add a switch hitting catcher with power to knock some balls off the factory walls in right. Besides, who wouldn’t want to hear about Ramon Hernandez catching Orlando Hernandez, brought to you by Keith Hernandez? Pure comedy.

The second part of this deal is much trickier. Bedard had a lights out year for a very dim team, but if anyone is expecting another 13-win season for him in Baltimore, they’d be sorely mistaken. Bedard isn’t exactly a flash in the pan, but he can be a mid-rotation strikeout guy for years to come. The Orioles know they’re going to lose him eventually, anyway, so they might as well get some decent return. That return could come in the form of Aaron Heilman, who will finally get to start, and Kevin Mulvey, a highly-rated pitcher that is at least a few years from contributing. We’ll throw in Joe Smith, who fizzled late but has value, simply because we owe the O’s for past indiscretions. Everyone wins.

3) Sign Mike Cameron and Tony ClarkYes, I’ve been a loud voice in the ongoing “Mets are too old” campaign. But these two fill some needs, and have proven in the past to be more than capable of handling New York. Cameron, once he finishes serving his drug suspension, will take over right field, which is now vacant due to the losses of Shawn Green and Last–wait — we’ll get to this in a bit. Cameron can still run, hit for power, and will fill a 6/7 slot nicely. He can hold space until younger bodies are ready, and given his poorly-timed free agency drug charges, the Mets should be able to get him for a discount, as well.

Tony Clark was more impressive in a Mets uniform than numbers would initially dictate. His HR/AB ratio was stellar, and he did a more than adequate job in the field. With Delgado getting older and less capable with the glove, and Shawn Green no longer around to spell him at first, Clark provides a much stronger bench option than say, David Newhan, Ben Johnson or Ricky Ledee. If Mike Carp is ready, you can nix this deal, but we won’t know about Carp until spring, will we? And Clark will be long gone by then.

2) Sign Shawn Chacon and Octavio DotelA few years back, the Mets were blessed with a versatile guy named Darren Oliver. It was a benign signing to say the least…that is, until half the Mets rotation went down with hangnails and menstrual pains. Oliver stepped up and filled both the spot start and long relief roles admirably. When it came time to re-sign, Oliver capitalized on his performance and got well overpaid by the Angels. Hey, more power to him. Still, the long relief spot was one of many things wrong with the 2007 Mets bullpen, and it showed. Enter Shawn Chacon. Coming off a decent year with the Pirates, Chacon would fill the exact same role as Oliver did in ‘06, and possibly even surpass his performance. He won’t be the cheapest option available for long relief, but he’s likely to be the best.

Octavio Dotel was a good Met. So good, that it took a player like the then-awesome Mike Hampton to make him expendable. Now that Heilman is theoretically headed for Charm City, the set up role is vacant. Dotel would make an excellent set up guy, and spot closer for when Billy Wagner gets another bout of dead arm. He’s injury prone, but find me a current free agent that isn’t. Roll the dice.

1) Lastings Milledge, Mike Pelfrey, B-level prospect and high draft pick for Scott Kazmir
Okay, I’ve saved the best (read: least likely) for last. It’s time to right the second biggest wrong in modern Mets history (sorry, Dykstra and McDowell for Juan Samuel takes first…forever). And it’s not going to cost us as much as the paperwork would first indicate. Kazmir has proven himself to be a solid starter, if not the ace the Sunny Delights claim him to be. He throws hard, rarely misses the zone, and is generally reliable into the late innings. He tends to be fly-ball happy, but all signs point toward the new Mets stadium being as pitcher-friendly as Shea, so it’s not too much to panic about.

Milledge has been a part of every Mets trade offer this offseason, so it’s safe to say he’s available. I think the kid has it in him to be a .300/25/100 guy, but I just don’t see it happening in Queens. Having been burnt by prospects exploding after leaving the Mets — see Jason Isringhausen, Melvin Mora, and Kevin Mitchell for examples — I am aware of how damaging this move could be, especially in exchange for a pitcher. But this is a chance I’d be willing to take if I was Omar Minaya, simply because it just makes sense.

The Rays would be getting an everyday starter and a major league-tested arm. Pelfrey hasn’t been wholly successful thus far, but he has shown signs of brilliance, and at 23, has a lot of upside. Pelfrey’s best starts have been on short notice, which seems to indicate that his biggest opponent is his own head. Perhaps a move to a less stressful environment would benefit his game and allow him to be the pitcher everyone wanted just a year ago. Milledge is from the Tampa area, and needs to play everyday. Period. And since Rocco Baldelli seems to be on the way out, an outfield combination of Milledge, Dukes, Crawford and Young would be the most gangsta sight in MLB history. There’s your Devil right there, Rays fans.

Okay, where does this leave us for 2008? If the Mets followed my advice, they would be working with a much higher payroll, less prospects, and lower-valued trading chips. Plus, they would have to drop a reliable guy like El Duque, and less reliable guys like Burgos and Schoeneweis. They would also be built to win in 2008 and beyond.

Likewise, this allows for guys like Alou and Delgado to get more regular rest, preserving them for a postseason run and at the same time, grooming younger talent like Carlos Gomez for potential starting roles. Endy Chavez and Ramon Castro would also receive more playing time, and for insurance against inevitable injuries, Ruben Gotay awaits in New Orleans. Hell, the Mets would even have one of the best pinch hitting benches in recent memory. One big, happy clubhouse - more big, happy Shea crowds.

Let’s look at the potential lineup:

1B - Delgado (Clark, Easley)
2B - Castillo (Anderson, Easley)
SS - Reyes (Easley, Anderson)
3B - Wright (Easley, Clark)
LF - Alou (Chavez, Anderson)
CF - Beltran (Chavez, Gomez)
RF - Cameron (Chavez, Gomez)
C - Hernandez (Castro)

And the pitching:

S1 - Martinez
S2 - Haren
S3 - Perez
S4 - Bedard
S5 - Kazmir

Long - Chacon
Middle - Sosa
Short - Sanchez
Short - Feliciano
Setup - Dotel
Closer - Wagner

And finally, the bench:

Easley
Anderson
Clark
Castro
Chavez
Gomez

Not bad, eh? If I do my math correctly, this adds up to 25 players, all of which are capable of starting and contributing if need be. It also shows a dramatically different pitching staff, which is exactly what the Mets need if they are to shake the demons of 2007. Drastic? For sure. Realistic? Not really, given the current market. But, as hypotheticals go, these are as good as any, if not better.

And they make sense for all teams involved. Now, if the Mets would only do the same. If I can come up with these deals while sitting at my desk, avoiding work, what in the blue hell is Minaya’s excuse? Make something happen and back up all that empty “the time is now” garbage we’ve been promised for three years running.

MetfanBren

That's not exactly going "Santana Light," even with the money you'd have to dole out on contracts. I'd want Santana for that...

Someone needs to tell this guy that Martinez will be 19 next year, not 17...

Brazell was never on the same prospect planet as Martinez. Ridiculous...

Draft picks also can't be traded, which is a pretty bad mistake for anyone who wants to be more credible than Wally to make...

Metsiah

yeah, i picked up on some of those errors too..but over all i found the article to be some what interesting...it is almost like reading a glorified run-of-the-mill mets message board post (from an espn.com or mets.com) except this one makes just enough sense read all the way through

freakzilla11

Sign Cameron...

....so he can play RF again....

....with Beltran in CF.

Someone will die this time.

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Shooter Mcgavin

"Fernando Martinez, John Maine and Jason Vargas to Oakland for Dan Haren"

That has to be one of the worst WATP I've ever seen. Trade a young inexpensive 15 game winner plus the crown jewel of the Mets farm system for a slight upgrade over Maine.

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METSSC

#5 is assinine and not even worth discussing

#4 no brainer

#3 pass

#2 eh

#1 I wouldnt do it but I wouldnt complain too much if they did

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The McGimpy does most things upside down: eats, sleeps (an average of 23 hours per day), mates, and gives birth. Because of the McGimpy's upside down life, many of the McGimpy's internal organs (liver, stomach, spleen, pancreas) are in different positions from other mammals. McGimpy sometimes lets out a cry or hissing sound.

During the rare times the McGimpy goes down to the ground (such as to change trees for food), it moves very slowly.

graves9

Where's Hilton? I swear even he couldn't compete with these utterly ridiculous watp's. The Maine and Fernando Martinez package for Haren would be one of the dumbest trades anyone can think of.

MrHat

I love how he badly overpays in that Haren deal, but then thinks he can snag Bedard for basically a setup guy who's nearing FA and a guy who may be a #4/5 starter some day. The reasoning is even better tho --- Yeah its not like he won 15 the year before or anything. lol

If the Mets could get Bedard and Hernandez for anything even remotely near that package he presented that deal would have been done yesterday.

dak11

I love the Bedard comments myself.

"Bedard had a lights out year for a very dim team, but if anyone is expecting another 13-win season for him in Baltimore, they’d be sorely mistaken."

The guy had 15 wins the previous season in Baltimore.

"Bedard isn’t exactly a flash in the pan, but he can be a mid-rotation strikeout guy for years to come."

He'd instantly become the teams #2 starter on paper only because of Pedro's past history. Add in that the kid has sub-4 ERA's the last 2 seasons pitching against the likes of the Yanks and BoSox.

"The Orioles know they’re going to lose him eventually, anyway, so they might as well get some decent return. That return could come in the form of Aaron Heilman, who will finally get to start, and Kevin Mulvey, a highly-rated pitcher that is at least a few years from contributing. We’ll throw in Joe Smith, who fizzled late but has value, simply because we owe the O’s for past indiscretions. Everyone wins."

This is the best part. The O's will lose him 2 years down the road so they might as well take a setup guy who's failed as a starter, a AA guy with potential, and a kid who broke down late last year for a borderline #1 starter while giving the team a catcher upgrade.

(Damn it Hat! Beat me to it)

86mets

Agreed...

Baltimore should/WOULD demand the oak package for those two guys..
Its almost like the two were ACCIDENTLY switched..

Substitute Milledge for Estrada and I think Beane pulls trigger for Haren...

Maine back to Balt. ?... maybe not..

Clark for 1b...sure...Cameron...dobt Mets go back down that road..especially with + test..


and the Kazmir part... ha ha...very funny..
Especially this part: "an outfield combination of Milledge, Dukes, Crawford and Young would be the most gangsta sight in MLB history. " Good stuff

James D.

Maine and a highly touted prospect for Haren? No ****ing way.

15 Day DL Alou

Fantasy baseball + Blogs = dorks in the library in middle school

FrankStylV7

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Havelock Ellis

Led, the Revenge

Wow, it's like I'm in DDPs house.

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Busyman

If it were DDP's house, he'd be asking for a real live naked man.