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Mets Notes: Wright, Cohen, Valuation

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Here are some Mets notes as the Amazin's open a three-game set against the Dodgers at Citi Field …

  • The Tigers will most certainly be interested in acquiring third baseman David Wright, should he be made available on the trade market, writes Lynn Henning of The Detroit News. Wright is signed through 2012 and has a club option for 2013. Henning speculates that Wright would probably cost the Tigers a top-end pitching prospect, and they'd also have to figure out a plan for incumbent Brandon Inge. Last night, Mark Polishuk of MLBTR identified Wright as a trade candidate and included the Tigers as a potential fit.
  • Steve Cohen, a billionaire "hedge-fund titan," is the frontrunner to purchase a minority stake in the Mets, according to Josh Kosman and Lenn Robbins of the New York Post. The candidates have been narrowed down to four, The Post reports, and the asking price is thought to be roughly $200MM for a 49-percent share of the team.
  • The Wilpons have more interested suitors than you might think, tweets Jon Heyman of SI.com, and the team is being valued nearer to $1 billion than previous reports of roughly $750MM.

Trade Candidate: David Wright

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It seems a foregone conclusion that the Mets will trade at least one of their high-priced stars this summer.  Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes and Francisco Rodriguez have been the most-rumored candidates to leave Queens, but all three players carry risk for any trade partner. 

Beltran is under contract just through this year, he has a full no-trade clause and is coming off of two injury-plagued seasons.  Reyes can also be a free agent this winter, so an interested team might not be willing to trade much of value for the shortstop unless it is given a negotiating window beforehand.  Rodriguez has little value as a closer due to the vesting option that would guarantee him $17.5MM in 2012 if he finishes at least 55 games this year, and no team is desperate enough for a stopper at that price.

The Mets do have one asset that carries no baggage — David Wright.  The third baseman is just 28 and signed to a contract that would pay him roughly $27MM between now and the end of the 2012 season, plus a $16MM club option for 2013 (with a $1MM buyout).  Wright has indicated he wants to stay in New York and wouldn't ask for a trade. 

Losing a homegrown star like Wright would be an unpopular move amongst Mets fans, but if Sandy Alderson is committed to a complete rebuild, moving Wright would be the last step, but also the most lucrative in terms of what the Mets could demand in return.  Here are a few of the teams that would likely get in on the bidding if Wright became available…

  • Angels.  Alberto Callaspo has been the bulk of playing time at third for the Halos, with the hot-hitting Maicer Izturis seeing a few starts at third and at shortstop.  Wright would certainly be an upgrade, the Angels could afford him, and they probably have the prospect depth to get the New York's attention.  (Though Mike Trout is untouchable.) 
  • Athletics.  It isn't Billy Beane's style to make a big deadline move, but with the AL West as tight as it is and Kevin Kouzmanoff having seemingly lost his starting job at third, the A's could decide their time is now and make an offer for Wright.  If the quest for the playoffs came up short, Oakland might also try to flip Wright this winter.
  • Cardinals.  David Freese got off to a great start but he will be out for at least the next two months with a fractured hand.  With the Albert Pujols negotiations looming this winter, St. Louis is pretty unlikely to pick up another big contract, though the argument could be made that Pujols would be more eager to stay if Wright was also in the lineup.
  • Marlins.  Florida is right behind the Phillies in the NL East despite a revolving door at third base.  The Fish aren't known for adding big contracts, but with their new ballpark opening next season and a real shot at the playoffs, an exception could be made.  That said, it's hard enough to imagine the Mets trading Wright at all, and almost impossible to see them moving their franchise player to a divisional rival.
  • Rockies.  Ian Stewart was sent to Triple-A after a 2-for-26 (.077) start to the season and was recalled on Tuesday after hitting well in the minors.  It's possible Colorado could look for outside help if Stewart continues to struggle, since their veteran infield depth (Jose Lopez and Ty Wigginton) has also been ineffective.
  • Tigers.  Brandon Inge has started 29 of Detroit's 32 games this season and while his defense at the hot corner remains above average according to UZR/150, he has managed just a .551 OPS at the plate.  Inge has been an underrated source of power for the last few seasons but he has just one home run in 2011.  He signed a two-year extension last October so the Tigers would have to eat some money if they acquired another third baseman, but if Detroit gets back into the pennant race and still needs hitting help, Wright could look awfully tempting.

Russ Adams Retires

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Infielder Russ Adams has decided to retire, reports Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.  Adams has played the last two seasons for the Mets' Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo, beginning this season hitting just .180/.296/.246 in 72 plate appearances.

Adams was Toronto's first-round pick (14th overall) in the 2002 amateur draft, J.P. Ricciardi's first as the Blue Jays' GM.  Originally drafted as a shortstop, Adams was moved to second and then third base in the majors, but the bigger issue was his bat.  In 993 Major League plate appearances, all with the Jays, Adams managed just a .247/.313/.372 line.  Adams' struggles were magnified by the success of Scott Kazmir, Nick Swisher and Cole Hamels — the three players taken directly after him in the draft, a fact that Ricciardi was criticized about for the rest of his Jays tenure.

Mets Sign Brian Sweeney

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The Mets have signed right-hander Brian Sweeney to a minor league contract, according to a release from Sweeney's most recent team, the Somerset Patriots of the independent Atlantic League.  Sweeney posted a 3.16 ERA and 2.33 K/BB ratio in 24 relief appearances for the Mariners last season, then was claimed off waivers by the Diamondbacks over the winter and released by the Snakes during Spring Training.

Sweeney, a 36-year-old Yonkers native, has a career 3.38 ERA in 73 Major League games with the Mariners and Padres.  He also pitched in Japan for the Nippon Ham Fighters from 2007-09 before returning to the majors last year.

Quick Hits: McClellan, Berkman, Reyes

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Dan Meyer, Matt Anderson, Luis Castillo and Robb Quinlan probably didn't like it very much when the Phillies released them this spring, but they may not have realized that they have something in common with their former GM. The Blue Jays released Ruben Amaro Jr. on this date in 1996, before he ever played a Major League game for them…

  • Kyle McClellan has become a valuable cog in the Cardinals’ rotation, as Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch explains.
  • McClellan's teammate, Lance Berkman, told ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick that he was disappointed with the way his tenure with the Astros ended. “They basically said, 'You're bad. We're bad. Let's cut ties and get on down the road.' And that was hurtful.”
  • International scouts tell Melissa Segura of SI.com that this year's Dominican July 2 class of amateur free agents is the best they've seen in years (Twitter link).
  • Anthony DiComo of MLB.com presents ten possible destinations for trade candidate Jose Reyes, some (Milwaukee) more plausible than others (the Bronx).
  • Former Reds and Nationals GM Jim Bowden also weighs in on the market for Reyes. He has the Giants, Cardinals, Red Sox, Reds and Angels as possible suitors on his list at ESPN.com.

New York Notes: Ortegano, Hughes, Reyes

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The Yankees and Mets both face off against strikeout artists tonight, as Max Scherzer and Tim Lincecum take the mound against New York's two teams. In the meantime, here are some related links…

Heyman On Pujols, Reyes, Feliz

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SI's Jon Heyman leads his latest column with a discussion of Albert Pujols' impending free agency.  Three GMs Heyman spoke to speculate that Pujols will re-sign with the Cardinals after the season.  One significant factor could be the lack of involvement from the Yankees and Red Sox, big spenders who already have long-term solutions at first base.  A Yankees person told Heyman there was "no chance" of a pursuit, while a Red Sox person agreed that his club is unlikely to get involved.  Cardinals GM John Mozeliak didn't have much to say on the topic, other than, "Nothing's changed."  On to Heyman's other notes…

  • Mozeliak told Heyman the Cardinals "have a pretty good idea" of what they'll do when Adam Wainwright's two-year, $21MM club option comes up after the season.  Heyman takes that to mean that the Cardinals will pick up the option, the expected course of action.
  • Heyman feels that the Cubs and Orioles could be possibilities for free agent Kevin Millwood, though I heard yesterday that it's doubtful the Cubs get involved.
  • One Giants person said, "There's nothing to it," regarding the recent Jose Reyes speculation.  Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News explained today that "If any conversations have happened at all, it’s nothing more than tire kicking."  That makes sense, since trading season begins about two months from now.  For a look at who the Giants might have to give up to get Reyes at that point, click here.
  • Heyman finds the Rangers likely to move Neftali Feliz into the rotation next year, despite the righty's recent comments.  Heyman feels that a strong free agent closer market is a factor.
  • The Tigers have decided this will be Joel Zumaya's last year in Detroit, according to Heyman.  That was written prior to today's report that Zumaya will have exploratory elbow surgery.

Giants Have Discussed Jose Reyes

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The Giants have discussed Jose Reyes as a possible trade target, according to Mychael Urban of CSNBayArea.com. San Francisco is considering addressing its shortstop problems with a trade and Urban hears that the Mets have decided to field offers for Reyes and his $11MM salary this summer.

Miguel Tejada struggled at short and at the plate before the Giants moved him to third base, where he’ll cover for the injured Pablo Sandoval and Mark DeRosa. Mike Fontenot is now starting at short for the Giants, so Reyes would represent a definitive upgrade. 

Tim Dierkes analyzed the Giants-Reyes connection earlier today, suggesting which players the Mets might target and which players the Giants should hold onto. It's not surprising that the Giants have discussed Reyes – fans and media members have also wondered if he'd be a fit in San Francisco – and it doesn't mean he's available now or that the Giants would meet the Mets' asking price.

Urban hears that Reyes could look to match Carl Crawford’s seven-year, $142MM deal when he hits free agency this winter. The 27-year-old shortstop has two hits and two walks against the Giants tonight, for what it's worth.

Stark On Beltran, Jimenez, Millwood

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The latest from ESPN's Jayson Stark…

  • The addition of two playoff teams could have a big effect on the American League, with certain clubs being able to aim for 89 or so wins.
  • The Mets seem more eager to trade Carlos Beltran than Jose Reyes or David Wright, says Stark, perhaps with a June deal possible for the outfielder.  The Mets appear willing to take on a portion of Beltran's $18.5MM salary to improve the return.
  • Stark says "don't be surprised" if the next labor deal makes DUIs grounds for suspension.  Yahoo's Jeff Passan tweets that Shin-Soo Choo's Monday DUI makes it six already for MLB players this year. 
  • Several scouts feel that Ubaldo Jimenez's shoulder is bothering him, despite the team's denials.  Jimenez hasn't been very impressive in any of his four starts this year.
  • An official of one team that monitored Kevin Millwood feels that he "might be done" and his stuff has regressed.  Millwood hopes to sign this week after opting out of his Yankees contract Monday.

Mets Notes: Sale, Mejia, Reyes, Santana

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With 17% of their season in the books, the Mets are 12-16.  That's good for last place in the NL East, 6.5 games back of the Phillies and Marlins.  The latest on the club:

  • The sale of a minority stake in the Mets is likely to be completed by the end of this month, though it's not imminent, according to ESPN's Adam Rubin.  On April 22nd, Josh Kosman and Lenn Robbins of the New York Post reported that the Mets were a few weeks from choosing the winning bidder, with Ray Bartoszek, Steve Cohen, Steve Starker, and Anthony Scaramucci the finalists.  According to Rubin, the sale should bring the Wilpons $200MM, with which they can pay off $47MM worth of debt.
  • Yesterday the Mets announced that top prospect Jenrry Mejia has "a complete MCL tear of the right elbow," and planned to seek a second opinion after Dr. David Altchek recommended surgery.  Today Andy Martino of the New York Daily News tweets that Mejia will see Dr. James Andrews soon, and Tommy John surgery is "highly likely" for the 21-year-old.  Joel Sherman of the New York Post calls the injury "devastating" for a team that "needs some breaks with their more talented youngsters."
  • Sherman says much has gone right for the 2011 Mets, and they're still 12-16.  He thinks it's practical to start talking about trading Carlos Beltran, Francisco Rodriguez, and Jose Reyes.  Sherman wonders whether retaining Reyes would even improve the Mets' chances of re-signing him, if that's something they're interested in.  By the way, Sherman doesn't see the Yankees as a July suitor for Reyes but won't rule out an offseason pursuit.  For my take on what the Giants could offer for Reyes in July, click here.
  • Kevin Kernan of the New York Post talked to rehabbing lefty Johan Santana, who hasn't set a date for his return.  Santana threw on flat ground yesterday, and the next step is throwing from the slope of the mound possibly next week.  Santana, 32, is guaranteed $55MM for 2012 and '13. 
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