The latest out of Citi Field…
- The Mets “haven’t made a serious inquiry” about a trade for White Sox closer David Robertson this winter or at the last trade deadline, though New York hasn’t ruled out the possibility, Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reports. Chicago would ask for Michael Conforto in any Robertson deal, however, so it could be hard for the two sides to settle on a deal. The White Sox weren’t looking for a big prospect return when they explored moving Robertson at the deadline, Ackert writes, though their current ask of Conforto reflects this offseason’s huge market for relief pitching.
- Also in regards to a possible Robertson trade, since the Mets are unlikely to deal Conforto or another young talent for the closer, Metsblog.com’s Matthew Cerrone proposes that the White Sox should swap Robertson for Jay Bruce if they’re unable to find a team willing to surrender a good prospect for Robertson’s services. The Sox would, if nothing else, save some money in the deal, as Bruce is owed $13MM in 2017 while Robertson is owed $25MM through 2018. Bruce could also become a good trade chip at the deadline, which would allow the White Sox to eventually get the prospect they want. The Mets would be taking on extra salary in this proposed deal, though allocating that money towards a strong relief arm is a better fit for the club than paying for a superfluous corner outfielder.
- In another item from Cerrone, he reports that the Mets “had zero interest” in Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton last summer. While Hamilton is an elite baserunner and defender, those skills were thought to be “unsustainable,” while the Mets also had issues with Hamilton’s strikeouts, low OBP and the fact that he’ll become more expensive over the next three years as he enters his arbitration years. Hamilton has been speculatively linked to the Mets as a possible solution to their outfield conundrum, though if the Mets still have those concerns, there seems to be little chance they would meet Cincinnati’s reportedly high price tag for the center fielder.
I’m sure the mets blogger would love to trade Bruce for Robertson. Smh
It would take Bruce and Lugo/Wheeler/Gsellman at the very least… White Sox probably realize they won’t get Conforto from us at this point so I think they’d settle for a pitcher and another potential asset in Bruce
You would give up that much fir Robertson????
Cray cray!
Drob is a nice closer, I loved Houdini on the Yanks but he’s not worth a huge return and the Sox should hold and deal him at deadline to get a few decent prospects back.
Mets are not dealing wheeler for him.
lol. The Mets could slot Lugo/Wheeler/Gsellman in the pen and probably get similar or better numbers than Robertson. All of them are cheap and 2 of the 3 are under contract for 5 more years. Rob also has $25m due to him, even though his stats don’t back up that cost. Good luck getting a low-cost/high-upside starting pitcher…..AND a 30HR/90+RBI bat.
I don’t quite understand why Mets fans include Wheeler in every trade proposal. Guy hasn’t pitched in two years. His value is basically zero right now.
Which one is it? You went from the Mets getting gang banged in an alley, in the rain (and that was “at the very least”, don’t think it can get much worse than that), to unloading Bruce (their off-season goal) and a pitcher… Robertson’s numbers have been on the decline over the past couple years and no reason to think that trend won’t continue. Don’t get me wrong, he’s put up stellar nunbers over the years but he’s been a power pitcher who’s velocity has declined to while his ERA has gone up. But you never don’t know Right? He’s never thrown more than 65 innings in a season and rarely gives up the long ball. Citi field is a pitchers park and he’s proven he can pitch in New York. Who knows, maybe sometimes all it takes is a change of scenery… but I am not dealing the lot to get him
Right!? The guy admits that the price for Robertson is high due to the high leverage reliever craze. So why in the world (outside of saving some cash – which won’t be an issue considering they’ve already shed about 15 mil after sale/Eaton) would they make this lateral-at-best move? Silly out of market hypothetical. Conforto would be of value to the sox and would help solve the OF logjam while giving the mets a solid reliever while the window is open.
The Mets don’t need a solid reliever enough to give up 5 years of control on a good young OF. Especially at $13 million a year, when that pitcher is 32/33 years old.
Conforto at age 22/23 has posted a 2.5 WAR in what amounts to a little less than one full season (478 AB). He has also been exposed to high pressure, New York, World Series action and fared ok.
To trade him for 2 years of 32/33 David Robertson is pretty crazy and the Mets won’t do it. Nothing against Robertson, he is still a solid pitcher and he’s had a really good career but with his salary he’s not worth a lot.
Also the Mets have tons of good arms in their system, they should be able to turn Lugo out in the pen he has a fantastic two pitch mix and should do really well there.
If tend to agree. But just like the mets aren’t in a desperate situation (and that could very well change with the wife beater’s imminent suspension) the white sox have no need to dump a good reliever for anything less than fair market value- and that market value has never been higher, proven with the size of contracts and the returns in trade. Plus, is conforto on the bench and no Robertson a better option than Robertson and no conforto given their OF surplus for a win now team? That’s obviously the debate
So all this to say, this NY clueless blogger has wasted enough of my morning.
Chopper2: No need to get nasty.
You say you tend to agree with theruns, but then mouth off about stuff that makes little sense, such as suggesting the Mets aren’t aware or preparing for Familia suspension…
There’s zero chance that Conforto’s relegated to the bench to make way for Bruce. should one of Bruce/Granderson not be traded. One or the other will probably in January ,precisely to give Conforto the playing time Mets want him to have – and free up some payroll.
The biggest value of Robertson to the Mets is his experience and name brand, However, the Mets are by no means in desperate need of such an acquisition. They have talented youngsters they could use or look to sign a free agent. and/or some on minors deal or 1-2 years big league deal. Sandy Alderson is as seasoned as they come, and will only make a trade if it makes sense both short and long term in relinquishing young players for a veteran.. That’s how he operates and has been successful doing so.
theruns makes a very accurate assessment and I back much of his comments.
Nasty? That’s nasty? In what world was that nasty? Are you a millennial or something?
My goodness, as it stands right now, conforto is on the bench as a corner outfielder. Perhaps something will change with granderson/Bruce but I’d have to imagine they’re the better play for a contender in 2017. If one is traded, that obviously changes. However, if you think the asking price on Robertson is high, then you won’t get a rosin bag for either of those two considering the dead markets on free agents currently sitting there. Perhaps a lateral move is the mets best bet.
Conforto (in my no-idea-what-goes-on-in-front-office mind) does seem steep for Robertson. But in no means is it an outlandish swap when put in context. And that’s where the NY shortsighted, kneejerk stupid comes in. Yeah- that prolly was nasty.
It’s Cerrone who has little to no credibility. Most of Metsfandom knows this.
chopper2hopper
If you know anything About Sandy Alderson, he’ll never trade Conforto for Robertson, and he shouldn’t.
One – Mets view Conforto as potential future star and leader.
Two – The Mets aren’t desperate for closer in that Familia will eventually return after suspension and that Addison Reed will fill that role in interim.
Reed did terrific job as set up in 2016, did really well when Mets obtained him in 2015 and was a former closer with the White Sox so he has experience. .
Three – Alderson values young players under team control long term, especially someone with star potential and excellent make-up.
Four – He’s trying to reduce the payroll, not add before trading Granderson or Bruce
Five – He will not trade a potential star everyday young player for one year of control of a 32, 33 year old pitcher he doesn’t even necessarily need. This is how Alderson thinks and operates. Only rarely will he dabble in rental and give up a terrific young player unless there’s concrete organizational depth at that position – i.e., surplus such as what occurred in trading Fulmer for Cespedes, right before the clock struck 4 pm deadline,July 31st, 2015. Even then,he was reluctant to give up such terrific talent, hence it went right down to the wire
Alderson’s been turning down trade requests for Conforto for better players than Robertson.and for those with more than one year of control remaining.
As for Conforto, he won’t be sitting on the bench as reserve.
The Mets – Alderson and Collins are publicly stating Conforto will have full time role in 2017 against righties and most lefties. This after a 2016 in which he was platooned and played irregularly which they feel may have hurt him.
The Mets are confident they will move at least one of Bruce or Granderson. I wouldn’t doubt Alderson or the Mets capacity to work things out internally, if they don’t trade an outfielder.
For instance, we already know Conforto will be learning some first base in spring training. Duda is in his walk year and is returning after missing much of 2016 with spinal fracture.
As for me – no I am not a millennial. I am old enough to be card carrying member of AARP and have been a Mets and baseball fan since I was very, very young.
A trade has to have two willing parties, willing to part with who the other side wants. If you understand the needs and mindsets of those stakeholders, past and present,- it’s a no doubter Alderson will not trade Conforto for one year of Robertson. It’s not what YOU think makes sense on paper. It’s what Alderson does.
I see Robertson is under control through 2019. My error there.
However, There’s still no way Mets give up Conforto for him.
Well said. I’m not giving up on Conforto that easy.. and not for a 31 yr old reliever who’s averages 60 innings a year who’s numbers have been on a steady decline. Like you said, financially makes no sense and we have options within in the organization which = no pressure to over Pay, I don’t care how relievers are on such high demand this off-season
Agreed.
The Mets can slide Gsellman/Lugo into the pen and probably get close (or possibly better!) than Robertson. no sense selling low on Conforto.
Bruce’s value is so low and so many teams would give up at least a B prospect for Robertson. But I guess that Mets blogger can always dream.
It’s really not that low he had a great year before getting traded
You couldn’t be more wrong. Bruce has negative trade value.
That “great year” induced the Mets to trade a fringy utility infielder and a guy who might wind up throwing some relief innings for Binghamton in a couple of years to acquire him.
Dilson Herrera isn’t really fringy. He didn’t have the year everyone hoped he would in 2016 but he’s been touted as a potential solid .300 hitting 15hr 15-20 sb type before. He was the reason the Mets didn’t re-up with Murphy (which, in obvious hindsight, was a massive mistake).
Lots of players have great years if you just choose to ignore the times they play poorly…
Yeah Bruce has near zero trade value
And less than zero if the Mets don’t eat some significant salary.
Robertson pitched injured last season. Let him rebuild value over the first few months and then trade him at the deadline.
dare to dream, random mets blogger. sox would probably settle for less than conforto, i’m assuming that Rick threw his name out there to avoid pointless discussions like “would you give us robertson for jay bruce?”
Yeah I don’t see the Sox trading him straight up for Bruce. Nope. Would like Conforto but wonder if their is some other package that could be put together.
A mediocre RP doesn’t get a package in return unless it’s a package of mediocre lower level prospects
And if he was on the Mets you’d want Moncada for him. Typical New York stupid.
Nothing that he said was stupid. Robertson is an aging reliever, with declining stats, who is getting paid a decent amount. That doesn’t command a package of talent, unless that talent is a collection of mediocre talent.
And you are wrong. Robertson is not 1) mediocre and 2) an artifact. He’s 31 and under contract until 33. My goodness. if you don’t like him, you don’t like him. But stop with the blatant bias against david Robertson just because he’s not on mets. Dude got shelled for a weekend in KC and outside of that was a very good reliever- yet again. to say otherwise IS STUPID.
You’re so smart
Metsblog/Cerrone was pretty groundbreaking back in the day. He’s become utterly ridiculous now though. I think he’s aware of this and so he keeps throwing stuff out there in a sad attempt to stay relevant.
Unsurprisingly, this article is all stuff about what the Mets won’t do or can’t do.. The life of a Mets fan.
WS – We want to get younger with cost controlled players with at least 4 more years of control.
Mets- How about Jay Bruce?
WS – CLICK
Mets- Hello? Hello?
Why not Zoidberg?
The Sox shouldn’t hang up though, they might want to hit up the Mets front office for some playoff tix next fall.
I’m not knocking Bruce or the Mets, but this trade won’t happen. I don’t get what a blogger or anyone on here doesn’t get about what the Sox would want back for Robertson or anyone else up for trade. Young players close to mlb ready. If that’s not what your offering, it won’t happen.
Exactly. Lots of uninformed and/or ignorance displayed here these days.
Still think Gardner is perfect fit for Mets to play in cf. Lagares can occasionally give him breather and fill in at cf. Yanks can use left handed power so maybe there is a fit with Bruce.
I can also see Texas as a fit for Gardner.
Mets better do something soon rather then sitting on their asses counting pennies while every other team gets better…..
Gardner can’t play CF anymore
It’s not that he can’t play it. It’s that they have Ellsbury over there. He’s about an average CFer
LOL @ Bruce for Robertson. I’m sure White Sox would really do something that desperate and ass backwards. Maybe we can trade Jay Bruce to Pirates instead for Andrew McCutchen because Bucs save money. Or maybe we can trade Bruce for Paul Goldschmidt so the D’Backs will save money. You need to stop posting every warped or flimsy idea that Cerrone posts.
I would love to know who the source is for the Mets info from the organization. There tends to be a consistent vibe. Maybe it’s the beat writer adding that vibe, but I still find it amusing. It’s an interesting form of arrogance/ignorance/entitlement.
Jay Bruce is going to net the same return that Ike Davis did..Zero and zilch. Thanks Sandy. I wanted to see Dilson Herrerra play here.
If that is the case they hang onto him, he goes on to avg 30HR and 90+RBIs (even as streaky and one dimensional as he hits)…and the Mets are fine. If Conforto stays in the minors for the first 54-55 days…the Mets gain an extra year of control…so holding onto Bruce is not a bad idea.
It is, actually. Can’t play the service time game with Conforto at this point. He needs to play every day. I wouldn’t rush to trade Bruce for pennies on the dollar, but I wouldn’t hold onto him and start Conforto at Vegas.
Also to the above commenter: the Mets have about 900 internal options at second base. You forget where they were when they dealt for Bruce (Yo was hurt, they were trying to stay in the race), and scouts are not in love with Herrera. So let’s pump the brakes about Herrera being the seond coming of Joe Morgan.
I never said that. I think he (Dilson) has some pop and a lot of maturity for his age and can steal bases and hit homers. I am none too impressed with their second base options (where’s Daniel, oh right I forgot about that) except maybe Wilmer over there. He has played it surprisingly well.
Agreed. Wilmer is one of those guys that if he was traded and got regular playing time, he’d make us regret it. I’ve always felt that once he got a real chance, he’d take. I hope Ira with the Mets.
Robertson for Jay Bruce?! Why not trade Granderson for Mike Trout while you’re at it! Bruce has negative trade value lol how do these morons come up with this stuff?
Did you really just compare Robertson’s value to Trout’s?
It’s a joke…
Got you, but honestly, Robertson has been mediocre and comes with a hefty price tag for a mediocre reliever. He is not worth Conforto, or any top prospect for that matter.
Don’t mean any offense, but that was a pretty obvious joke hahah.
I think you just went a little too extreme. You act like David Robertson is a top tier reliever in the sport, he’s not. He’s an average closer making a lot of money. If he was traded to the Mets, he would be their 7th inning guy to set up Reed and Familia. I understand Bruce doesnt really add up as a perfect match but the inclusion of a middling prospect would get that deal done. Bruce and Lugo would be more than enough.
Bruce has negative trade value. Negative. I’m not a WS or Mets fan. So if Lugo wasn’t enough to get it dive on his own, Bruce would make it worse.
*done
Bruce and Lugo would be more than enough if your just talking matching game value. But Bruce does nothing for the Sox. They want long term players or prospects.
Robertson also has negative trade value. He’s grossly overpaid for his level of production (or lack thereof).
Totally disagree with this. Teams will trade for a closer with his control making his money. Robertson would likely net 1 legitimate, non-superstar prospect, maybe a lower ceiling top 100 guy even. Even with a salary like that which is a slight overpay, but consistent with free agent solid closers. Bruce has literally negative trade value, meaning if he were offered for free, most every team would probably say no, unless NY are some significant money.
Here’s an idea WSox send Robertson
Cut off my trade idea – argh!
Bruce for Gardner. Problems solved.
Not really, because then we still have no place to put conforto
How does that solve the mets problems? Their trying to shed salary and un-clog the OF and that trade would do the opposite. Also I’m pretty sure the mets and Yankees trade front page headlines not players.
The Mets are not trading Michael Conforto.
Exactly
Gut feeling – the high price tag on Hamilton is 100% justifiable. Hold onto the guy, he’s going to be a late bloomer just like Dee Gordon was.
He needs to get his OBP up or he has a VERY limited skill-set. Like an announcer once said….”you can’t steal 1st base.”
Interesting theory, seeing as Dee had a little extra help… Is Billy going to start hitting the juice too?
Hamilton’s on PEDs too?!?!
Look at another all legs player.. Omar Moreno.. Legs go? He goes and hamilton doesn’t swipe nearly as many bases as did Omar at this stage of his career.
Both have close to same body types also. Omar was a speed demon, looked to steal every base he could over 5-6y, then started losing it. Same thing will happen to Hamilton. henderson only speed guy know who lasted and it was on guile after 30, not pure speed, plus Henderson could hit and get on base via hit and walk, something neither Omar/Hamilton can/were able to do very well.
Hamilton just is simply a one dimensional player and it’s speed, who won’t last. he reminds me of Moreno exactly and won’t last.
Rickey drew 120 walks a year too. Kept himself in fantastic physical shape, stealing 66 bases at age 38. But it’s unfair to compare anybody to henderson. That’s one of the ten best players of all time.
All these baseball writers need to realize something, the Mets aren’t trading conforto… Why would Sandy commit so hard to this rebuild and then trade the best young, controllable position player that came out of it. Not happening.
Should have been more clear as I meant he has the highest upside, not including Rosario of course (who they also need to realize Sandy won’t trade), out of soon-to-be MLB contributing position players. Last year was of course very disappointing after seeing what he’s capable of during late ’15 & their WS run. However, there are many different contributing factors to his ’16 failures, including many by the coaching & FO staffs.
White Sox have no reason to keep Robertson. He’s making them better when they want to get worse for a couple years. I’d like to see them get Dominic Smith and maybe a lower-level guy, with the Mets paying all of Robertson’s salary.
Like Conforto and Rosario, I tend to think Smith is off-limits, especially for Robertson.
Just to add, the Mets have plenty of other talented young players who could be in a deal for Robertson. Brandon Nimmo, Gavin Cecchini, Justin Dunn, Desmond Lindsay, Seth Lugo, among others
I don’t think the Sox trade him and get no prospect in the top 100. They know they’re not going to get a deal even remotely close to Chris Sale, but they’re going to want better than Nimmo. Not sure they need another RHP and they’re already set at SS. If the Mets won’t give up Smith, the Sox may go elsewhere. There are still a couple other teams looking for closers.
That’s probably the most likely outcome (the Sox going a different route). Sandy is not going to mortgage the future 1b of the team for a 32 year old RP who would be the 7th inning guy on the Mets, when Familia returns from suspension. Sandy has his knocks, but trading is not one of them. He knows how to wait it out for the right deal.
Like he did for Billy Wagner?
Billy Wagner? What planet are you on?
Planet Earth. Where you you dialing in from?
I must have missed something. Are you saying Sandy Alderson overpaid for Billy Wagner in a trade? He was signed as a free agent in the 2005-2006 offseason by Omar Minaya….
I am saying Sandy (as usual) got nothing for Billy Wagner when they sent him to a very desperate Red Sox. The Cheapons were hoping not to pick up his 10 Million dollar option and so agree to take two players named Zero and Zilch in return.
Minaya was GM at that time. Wagner was coming off TJ surgery, and had a fall out with the Mets. They weren’t getting anything for him. Not sure how this relates at all.
Robertson’s era on each of the last 3 years scares me. 3.40 is not what you want in the pen.
True, but in fairness, he’s a guy who gets lit up by big innings, like in KC in the early part of this year when he gave up 6 or 7 in an inning. He’s usually reliable, but when he struggles, he really struggles.
The worst part is that he shouldn’t have even been in the game for the majority of those blowups. That game in KC, for example, was a 7-0 lead for the Sox if I’m not mistaken. Zero reason for the closer to come in, and even if Robin wanted to “get him some work,” there’s even less reason to leave him in for that entire shellacing. That happened multiple times throughout the season. Thank god Robin is gone.
White Sox fans are spoiled with the sale and giolito trades. Robertson is an overpaid average closer, with nowhere near the pedigree of melancon and yet they are paid the same relative to salary inflation
Robertson is the pitching equivalent to Jay Bruce. No one wants a 13 million dollar closer on the downside with the possible exception of the nationals and they already passed on Robertson.
Robertson is counter productive to the rebuilding Sox and like Frazier and Abreu cost them valued draft position in June. Alderson knows this and won’t give up Conforto nor should he. Wheeler will end up in the pen as well.
While Sox fans are delusional if they think Robertson isn’t a negatively valued asset at this point. The one team that needs a closer passed on him. I wouldn’t be surprised if Greg Holland has more value as well
I must’ve missed the part where only “one team needs a closer” right now. You’re delusional if you think Robertson has negative value.
Um, I’d disagree. The White Sox are justifiably slow playing the heck out of dealing him. The Nationals need a closer pretty badly as I’m sure others (like the Mets) also are looking for a proven closer. The problem is you don’t get them young and controllable.
Have you seen what closers are going for lately!? Robertson could be the best deal out there and the Sox know it. Besides if your the White Sox, you can bank on Robertson rebounding and selling him when he’s thrown up a sub-3.00 ERA at the deadline and likely get more…
The irony is, I wouldn’t do this deal if I were the Mets. I don’t like his salary nor losing Bruce or wasting a roster spot.
Am I the only one that thinks the Mets should hang on to Jay Bruce? I know he sucked once he got to the Mets but extremely short sample, he’s a free agent at the end of this season (not like a Jason Bay you’re stuck with him), Conforto showed he that at this point he too is a platoon player and had one good month. That tells me he could use some more regular at bats in AAA.
I just don’t see the necessity in trying to dump Bruce especially with so many offense red flags. What Wright will do if anything, what Duda will do if anything, what TDA will do if anything, expecting Walker and Cabrera to have the same years as last AND both stay healthy. Yet the guy who hit 30 bombs last year is the guy the Mets need to trade!? Albeit that production wasn’t with the Mets but if you’re going to get nothing special for Bruce as it is, why not see if his 30 HRs play next year.
Dude could be hitting 7th in the Mets lineup too!?
I don’t think the Robertson for Conforto talk is anything but some made up junk from this writer. As a WS fan, I don’t believe that WS GM Rick Hahn is demanding any kind of return like that. What would it take to get Robertson? Probably something like Brandon Nimmo & Kevin Plawecki. or replace Plawecki with Gsellman. There’s no way the Sox are interested in Jay Bruce even as a future flip candidate. This kind of story is designed to get Mets fans all in an uproar!.
The White Sox don’t want Gordon Beckham 2.0.
Nobody wants Bruce.
Oh New York.
David Robertson for Dominic Smith. Straight up.
lol.
The Mets have turned down *far* better players for Smith…no thanks.