Giancarlo Stanton To Mets?
Would the Marlins trade young superstar slugger Giancarlo Stanton to the Mets? Maybe the real question is, would the Mets trade for Giancarlo Stanton.
According to Michael Cardano of RotoExperts:
A source close to the SFX Baseball Group, an agency representing some of the biggest stars in the game, told me this morning that the Marlins have recently discussed a trade that would include sending recently signed Juan Pierre (an SFX client) and Giancarlo Stanton to the New York Mets, for super pitching prospect Zack Wheeler, obtained from the Giants in the Carlos Beltran trade, and minor league catcher Travis d’Arnaud …
Never mind that this rumor has yet to be corroborated by anyone. Never mind that the SFX “source” may be misinformed or have ulterior motives in “leaking” this information. And don’t get stuck on the Juan Pierre “can’t be traded because he was signed as a free agent” piece of the proposed trade (Cardano explains the technicality here).
Rather, just for a moment, pretend that such a trade offer is on the table.
Do you do it?
And no, you’re not allowed to change the deal so it’s Anthony Recker instead of d’Arnaud, nor switch in Collin McHugh for Wheeler. No substitutions. If you want to add something like, “only if Stanton signs a 5-year extension” or something similar, OK. But otherwise, imagine the deal stands as-is: Zack Wheeler and Travis d’Arnaud for Giancarlo Stanton and Juan Pierre.
Do you do it? Why or why not? Sound off in the comments …
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Joe Janish began MetsToday in 2005 to provide the unique perspective of a high-level player and coach -- he earned NCAA D-1 All-American honors as a catcher and coached several players who went on to play pro ball. As a result his posts often include mechanical evaluations, scout-like analysis, and opinions that go beyond the numbers. Follow Joe's baseball tips on Twitter at @onbaseball and at the On Baseball Google Plus page.
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The Mets have made other moves for big sluggers, Rusty Staub in 1972 and Mike Piazza in 1997 and of course Gary Carter in 1985. They gave up a lot of good players in each deal (Singleton, Foli, Brooks, Preston Wilson) but in each case they got a player that helped them get to the World Series.
Getting to (and winning) the World Series is the name of the game. Stanton could be a big piece of the puzzle.
That is patently false. Chase Utley is considered a star and he spent most of 4 seasons and parts of a 5th in the minors. He was not established until he was 26.
Ryan Howard was effectively 6 seasons and established at 26 as well.
I could keep searching but why bother? You already have formed your opinion on Alderson even if it is not based on any facts.
Also, get over your inferiority complex regarding the Yankees. They really should be irrelevant to what the Mets do. Worrying about the Yankees is partly what got the Mets in thsi predicament. If the Mets win they will “own” NY, it really has nothing to do with the Yankees.
Still, I make this trade immediately before the Marlins can hang up the phone and reconsider. Stanton is only 23, so he fits the Mets mold of young and controllable, and he is already top 5 or even better in all of MLB for outfielders. This guy is unbelievable.
Stanton is a know commodity, arguably a top 10 ML’er at 25. The Mets have a lot of young and exciting arms in the lower levels as well as Syngaard from the Jays deal. Losing Wheeler would hurt but the potential to reload quickly is there. While power hitting OFers near MLB ready for the club are few and far between down on the farm.
Also a lot of it would depend upon what you think of last year first rounder Kevin Plawecki. If you feel he could be a starting catcher by mid-2014 then the loss of d’Arnaud in a trade has less of a long-term impact behind the dish. Sure d’Araund could be the next Buster Posey or Joe Mauer but he could also wind up as another talented player who can’t seem stay in the line-up consistently due to injury.
If this trade happened, it could be broken down like this:
Beltran and Dickey for Giancarlo Stanton (Pierre is merely a throw-in).
Trades of age and experience for youth and potential (d’Arnaud and Wheeler) now become two trades which netted one of the best players in game who at 25 is still reaching his potential. Additionally, since Beltran was as good as gone at the end of 2011 anyway, the only player you’ve really lost is Dickey. An elite talent like Stanton wouldn’t be a bad haul for Dickey, would it?
Sure you had Wheeler and d’Araund but they were merely highly talented pieces who never impacted the Mets on the field in their ultimate acquisition of Stanton.
Don’t get me wrong there are few players I’d trade Wheeler and/or d’Araund for but Stanton is definitely one of them, and the only one available.
The Mets need to answer to the Braves acquisition of the Upton bros. Putting Stanton in the line-up between Wright and Davis, instantly transforms a milquetoast offense into a formidable one. It also raises the game of not only Wright and Davis, because neither could be pitched around, but also whoever bats 6th because there would be a lot more RBI and advantageous hitting opportunities as well.
This trade would drastically improve the 2013 Mets while not hurting the 2014 Mets too badly. Harvey-Niese-Gee leading a rotation isn’t the best option but few teams would want to face a Wright-Stanton-Davis trifecta either. All of this would be contingent upon locking up Stanton long-term of course.
One of the very few scenarios where I’d trade Wheeler and/or d’Araund. So my vote is yes, I would do it.
Yes, instantly. Stanton at 23 is a monster talent, has done it at the MLB level, no ballpark can hold his power, and he instantly becomes the best player on the team. He is a top 5 player in all of MLB right now at 23 years old. You have to give to get, and those 2 top prospects will be the minimum price (no negative reflection on Wheeler or d’Arnaud). I am all for building a team around young, controllable pitching and strength up the middle, but that can still be the focus. This trade would not alter that path to the extent that it would derail it. Business-wise, a stud like this instantly increases revenue flows dramatically. SNY equity would be driven up instantly. Yes, they will have to pay him starting next year, but he is still controllable for 4 years and there is no reason a NY franchise can’t go long term with a guy like this.
if not dont bother….i think wheeler…has more upside then the d’arnoud
The key things are if you can come to some sort of agreement with Stanton on terms of a contract- otherwise he is likely to be a highly sought after commodity on the free agent market and might become a 1 and doner for the Mets. Even if you do sign him, you’re looking at probably $12-15M per year. Compare that to Wheeler and D’Arnaud, both of who likely won’t be eligible for arbitration until after the 2015 season at the earliest, meaning the Mets can pay them major league minimum for the next 3 years and use that money for something else. Better to hold off on the trade and try to pick him up midyear or after the season.
The other reason this won’t happen is it means that Alderson would basically throw out his two signature moves as Mets GM (Beltran for Wheeler and Dickey for D’Arnaud). There’s ego there- if Wheeler and D’Arnaud weren’t good enough, why did you make the trades in the first place.
I might be interested in seeing if the Marlins would part ways with Juan Pierre for something reasonable. At $1.6M per season he wouldn’t be overly expensive and would be a better leadoff hitter than Neuwenheis. It would probably mean moving Duda back to right to platoon with Cowgill, and Pierre has a pea shooter arm, but it would be a good fit for the Mets line up and provide some sort of sparkplug at the top of the order.
I’d make the trade if it was on the table.
The only reason to do this deal is “Stanton is so good, if you have an opportunity to get him, you take it, in case you never get another one. After all, someone else could trade for him and give him a 10-year deal tomorrow.”
So, that’s the question for me: is Stanton that good?
He doesn’t have the speed and all-around game of all-time great outfielders. He’ll give back on D some of the runs he creates on O. He’s also no Albert Pujols with the bat. He strikes out a ton. Last year’s .290 avg may be the fluke, with the previous years’ .259 and .262 more the norm.
Over the next several years, Stanton is probably the biggest HR threat in the game, and I’m sure he’ll draw plenty of walks as pitchers pitch around him. And that’s about it. So, is that the kind of talent that the Mets can acquire in the next few years without having to give up their best prospects? If so, pass. If not, well, then I guess you pretty much have to do this deal.
Looking around at who might be available soon, I’m failing to come up with anyone who compares to “biggest HR threat in the game”. Anyone have any thoughts?
2013 – Pierre, Murphy, Wright, Davis, Stanton (I agree, he’s a .265 hitter), Duda, Buck, Tejada. Santana, Harvey, Niese, Marcum, Gee = Playoff team.
2014 – Leadoff Hitter (Gomez?), Murphy (if Flores is not ready), Wright, Davis, Stanton, Duda, Buck, Tejada. Harvey, Niese, Gee, ?, ?. Not a playoff team.
or
2014 – Leadoff hitter (Gomez?), Murphy, Wright, Davis, Flores, Duda, dArnaud, Tejada. Harvey, Niese, Wheeler, Gee, ?. Closer to a playoff team.
At first glance, you have to jump at it, but after projecting it down the road, I have to admit that you are filling a big hole and creating a bigger hole in your rotation.
So, it’s Stanton, Buck and an expensive pitcher or Flores, dArnaud and Wheeler? I think Plan B is better. I hate admitting that.
Therefore, I agree with you.
Is a Giancarlo in the hand worth two in the bushes?
1-Ellsbury (CF)
2-Murphy (2B)
3-Wright (3RD)
4-Davis (1ST)
5-Stanton (RF)
6-Coo (LF)
7-d’Arnaud (C)
8-Tejada (SS)
This lineup will be able to compete nightly with the Nationals, Phillies and Braves. Not to mention having a strong rotation as well
1-Harvey
3-Neise
3-Wheeler
4-Gee
5-Free Agent pitcher (Place a name here)
Plus their payroll for 2014 along with the above mentioned additons will still cost less than the team they have on the field this year!!
BTW, they should probably trade Duda to the Rays in the offseason as a 1st baseman/DH and get another young arm from their strong farmsystem.