5:25pm: Mike Puma of the New York Post tweets that he’s been told to rule out an acquisition of Yoenis Cespedes from the Tigers (who are reportedly listening to offers on Cespedes and preparing to “reboot”).
However, there’s been “much” discussion between the Mets and Brewers as of late, Puma hears, though those talks aren’t believed to be focused on Carlos Gomez. That would seem to imply that Gerardo Parra is the topic of conversation, although he wouldn’t necessarily line up with Heyman’s report on pursuing a “big bat.”
2:28pm: Despite making several upgrades already, the Mets “have their sights clearly on a big bat,” according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. New York has long been said to be pursuing a corner outfield piece, particularly since learning that Michael Cuddyer would hit the DL.
Other recent reports have indicated that the Mets were somewhat more likely to make a value play, perhaps by waiting for prices to drop just before the deadline. But Heyman suggests that the team could still pursue a more impactful piece, presumably meaning the team is at least considering paying a higher acquisition price.
Per the report, the club has previously been unable to see eye-to-eye with the Padres on Justin Upton, but he could seemingly still represent an option. Another possibility is Jay Bruce of the Reds, and Heyman says that Cincinnati previously showed interest in the injured Zack Wheeler in discussions involving Bruce.
The Mets would be crazy to trade Wheeler for Bruce.
Baez and Volgelback for Wheeler, and Puig for Matz.
Baez for Wheeler alone would be a solid for both sides, I think. Matz wouldn’t be enough for Puig, and Puig isn’t going anywhere anyway.
No, they wouldn’t. Wheeler had TJ and Bruce is an established, controllable power hitter.
I really hope this is true because while getting Travis back will be helpful, they still need at least one other quality bat to compete in Sept/Oct. D. Wright may or may not be able to contribute and their other internal options are scarce.
We don’t need Bruce though. We already have enough left handed bats who strike out a ton. Also, no one in their right mind would trade Wheeler for Bruce. They’d be crazy to do so.
I completely agree about Bruce…his all or nothing approach doesn’t work for the Mets’ lineup.
Preller and Alderson disagreeing??? I can only imagine it went something like “AJ….I’ve been in the game for centuries…” and then Preller proceeds by asking for an autograph from Alderson for his own signature, then Preller creates a fake disagreement with Alderson so he can hurry to the nearest flea-market to quickly try and flip the autograph recently acquired. Really sounds original, huh AJ?
Mets: continuing to operate like a sorority girl
jimmyb: continuing to contribute to the baseball discussion as well as a sloshed sorority girl
They can have Marlon Byrd. He’s big and he’s got a bat.
Could be a sound acquisition. Byrd started slowly, but has hit well since. Solid power, playoff tested and wouldn’t require a huge return.
Psyched about the schedule. We are playing the Padres now. We have Harvey, Degrom, and Syndergarrd for the National Series. We are probably going to miss Jose Fernandez and Dan Haren might be traded by the time we see Marlins.
Gomez is the only guy who fits on the Mets defensively now that Tulo is off the table.
Gomez’s name keeps coming up, then getting shot down because of his “big contract”. He’s got 1 year left at $9 mil, that’s a steal for a player of his caliber. I’d assume that just like Cincy did Milwaukee would start the discussions with Wheeler.
He keeps getting shot down because he is 100% walking after next year and with Boras as an agent he is looking for $$$; the prospects MIL will ask for will probably be steep.
Gomez’s production isn’t heads and shoulders above what the Mets have with Kirk/Lagares…but he is still better at the plate and can be a leadoff guy. I’m just not sure he is worth the prospects he’ll cost.
Not sure he’d cost much more than Upton who SD seems to be over-valuing as a rental or Bruce who is due $12.5 mil next year and then has a $13 mil option for 2017, plus neither one of them can man CF. I think if you’re going to spend he just makes the most sense, but it’s more likely the Mets end up with a guy like Parra who would be a cheaper rental and is killing it this year.
To replace Mejía in the pen?
Just please no on Bruce. Either a HR or a SO, with almost identical stats to Duda.
The Mets can’t have another all or nothing bat. I guess if they can get him at a discount, but CIN isn’t motivated to move him so that is an unrealistic expectation.
Mets are too cheap to trade for what’s available.
What is with all the talk of a corner outfielder? How does that make sense? You have Conforto who can hit, you have Granderson who is one of the few legit bats we have left. You need to upgrade Lagares in center (Parra/Gomez).
Watch them get a bat that no one expected.
As a long-time Mets fan…I hope you are right, but they have a way of delivering disappointment like few franchises. Year after year.
Mets need a lead off hitter that hits for average. I would be happy with Ben Revere who can set the table for Duda and Granderson.
Though Ben Revere’s not exactly known for his bat, he’d be a significant improvement over Lagares against right-handed pitching.
They should find a way to get Kipniss from Cleveland. A sparkplug in the mould of Wally Backman. Maybe put a package together including Dilson Herrera. He’d slot in nicely at the top of the order and Grandy can be put into the 4 hole to protect Duda. Flores would be moved back to short. Then they should pry Marlin Byrd away from the Reds for a mid-level prospect. He’s Mets-tested and will give them pop. Just like that, the team’s lineup would be transformed, and would become much more dangerous, especially with D’Arnaud returning and the bench strengthened by their acquisitions from the Braves. Moreover, Wright will be back in September, and then the team can juggle the infield a bit to keep guys rested as the roster expands.
The Mets want a big bat, so long as they’re playing for the minimum and don’t cost them any of their pitchers.
Acquiring Cespedes and Soria from Detroit makes a ton of sense, especially with Mejia now suspended; I’m sure they could be had for some young SP talent. I don’t know the Mets system well enough to throw names out, but I’m sure it wouldn’t take the upper echelon to get that trade done.
Will happen tonight.
I guess you can’t rule out Braun, however it seems very unlikely given the Mets financial situation.
Braun wouldn’t make much sense due to his injury history, contract, and performance decline. He’s just not the same hitter once he got off the juice.
I wonder if the Mets could be targeting Braun?
I’d rather watch Conforto struggle than have to watch the team shell out money and prospects for Braun.