Trade Candidate: David Wright
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.
East Notes: Wright, Salty, Bixler, A-Rod
Rainfall on the East Coast has already postponed a couple games on Friday night, but here's some items of note to hold you over …
- Mets third baseman David Wright's days in New York may be winding down, writes Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. The Mets, who may be in full-on rebuild mode as soon as midseason, could opt to trade Wright because he is signed to team-favorable terms through 2013 and would therefore yield a better haul in a trade than Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran or Francisco Rodriguez, writes Rubin. That the Mets could entertain this is indicative of how far they've fallen the past couple years; it once seemed likely Wright would spend his entire career in Queens.
- Red Sox catchers Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Jason Varitek have struggled so far this season, writes Alex Speier of WEEI.com, but with underwhelming and unready in-house options and limited trade or free-agent targets out there, a move is not imminent. Bengie Molina, 36, is still unsigned, but as Speier points out, would he be much of an improvement?
- The Nationals have purchased the contract of infielder Brian Bixler from Triple-A Syracuse, tweets Mark Zuckerman of CSNWashington.com. A corresponding move on the 40-man roster was to be announced. Bixler, a second-round pick of the Pirates in 2004 out of Eastern Michigan, last appeared in the bigs in 2009. In 166 career plate appearances, he has a .178/.238/.237 line.
- Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez has hired Steve Loy of Gaylord Sports Management to handle his marketing. As our Agency Tracker shows, A-Rod has not officially announced an agent since parting ways with Scott Boras, and he may not need one for a while considering he's signed through age 42. For a complete list of Scott Boras clients, click here.
David Wright Would Not Ask For Trade
The Mets are in deep financial trouble and their chances of competing in 2011 seem remote, but David Wright says he isn’t interested in asking for a trade. The third baseman is under team control through 2013 (the Mets have a $16MM option for that year) and he told Joel Sherman of the New York Post that he doesn't intend on demanding a trade before then.
"I can't imagine ever asking out," Wright said. "It would feel like I was jumping ship. I want to be part of the solution.”
Wright grew up a Mets fan and has been a member of the organization since 2001, when the team selected him in the first round of the draft. The Mets made it to the 2006 NLCS after winning 97 games, but they haven't played in the postseason since and the team has posted a losing record in each of the past two seasons.
"You have the good, the bad and the ugly,” Wright told Sherman. “We certainly have had the bad and the ugly. So now I want to be part of the good. I enjoy the challenge. I want to believe that I will endure the bad times for a prize at the end."
Wright, 28, has a .305/.383/.516 line and has made five consecutive All-Star games. He hit .283/.354/.503 with 29 homers last year.
Mets Notes: Rodriguez, Reyes, Finances, Wright
Let's check out the latest Mets-related links, as Carlos Beltran makes his spring debut vs. the Red Sox….
- Brian Costa of The Wall Street Journal explains one interesting way in which the Mets could avoid having Francisco Rodriguez's $17.5MM option for 2012 vest. K-Rod needs to finish 55 games this season to trigger the option.
- All signs point to Jose Reyes playing for a team other than the Mets in 2012, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Sherman talked to five non-Mets executives and not one expects to see New York re-sign Reyes. As we heard yesterday from SI.com's Jon Heyman, Reyes' OBP will be a major consideration as the Mets contemplate their future with the shortstop.
- In a separate piece, Sherman wonders whether we'll see a full-fledged fire sale from the Mets, with the Wilpons attempting to keep control of the team. Two rival execs that spoke to Sherman said it would be wise for the organization to cut payroll nearly in half for 2012. If the club were to go in that direction, deciding whether to try to extend or trade David Wright would be the toughest call, says Sherman.
- Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times examines why the Mets and Dodgers, two franchises with ownership uncertainties, are being treated differently by Bud Selig.
Mets Notes: Carrasco, Beltran, Francis, Young
A few Mets notes…
- The Mets are one of six to eight teams with some interest in D.J. Carrasco, according to Ed Price of AOL FanHouse (on Twitter).
- The Mets are more serious about Young than Francis, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post (on Twitter).
- The Mets will listen on David Wright, Jose Reyes and Beltran, an official of a rival team tells ESPN.com's Jayson Stark (on Twitter). However, a team official tells Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork that it's highly unlikely that the Mets move one of those three players (Twitter link).
- "There is definitely big interest out there" for Carlos Beltran, tweets Newsday's David Lennon. Lennon feels that a healthy Beltran could fetch a nice haul in July.
- The Mets met with Jeff Francis' agents at Frontline, tweets ESPN's Jerry Crasnick. As you know, the Mets are also looking at Chris Young. But SI's Jon Heyman tweets that they appear to find Brandon Webb too risky.
- Keep Jerry Hairston Jr. in mind as a possibility for the Mets, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
Mets Notes: Collins, Wright, Davis, Bay, K-Rod
The Mets formally introduced Terry Collins as their new manager today. Here's the latest on Collins and the team he'll take over (all links go to Twitter):
- Collins' deal runs through 2012 with an option for 2013, according to Andy Martino of the New York Daily News.
- Mets GM Sandy Alderson told Jim Bowden of Siruis XM Radio that the Mets don't have untouchables, but aren't likely to trade David Wright, Ike Davis or Jason Bay.
- Alderson also said the Mets could spend over-slot on the draft if necessary.
- The Mets expect Francisco Rodriguez to be the closer in 2011, Alderson told Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. K-Rod has a 2012 option that vests based on games finished and health, but Alderson says that won't affect the way the team handles him.
Mets Notes: Reyes, Managers, Valentine, Ricciardi
The big, if expected, news out of Citi Field today is the Mets exercising their 2011 option on Jose Reyes. Let's look at some reaction to the move and a few more items concerning the Mets…
- Though Sandy Alderson is open to the idea of holding onto Reyes and David Wright over the long term, he also "would prefer not to give out many 'second-generation' long-term contracts for six-year free agents," reports MLB.com's Anthony DiComo. For the record, Wright's contract runs through 2012 and is worth $29MM, plus the Mets have a $16MM club option on the third baseman for 2013.
- Andy Martino of the New York Daily News gets some thoughts on Reyes from an anonymous scout, executive and rival player.
- Dave Jauss and Bob Melvin will interview for the manager's job on Thursday, reports Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. Rubin adds that Wally Backman and Chip Hale are also expected to be interviewed in the near future. (both Twitter links)
- Bobby Valentine's chances of managing the Mets are "next to nil," says Sports Illustrated's Jon Heyman. With just the Mets and Pirates (who apparently have their finalists chosen) in the market for a new manager, it appears that Valentine's return to a major league dugout will have to wait until at least partway through the 2011 season.
- Before becoming a special assistant to Alderson, J.P. Ricciardi was a Red Sox employee for a day, reports WEEI.com's Kirk Minihane.
New York Notes: Wright, Ricciardi, Eiland
One New York team hired a new general manager this week, while the other locked up its on-field manager for three more years. Here are a few other Mets- and Yankees-related items of interest….
- David Wright is enthusiastic about the Mets' new GM, as he tells Dan Martin of the New York Post. "I'm really looking forward to working with him," Wright said. "And I'm excited for what he brings to the table." One of the major decisions Sandy Alderson will face this winter will involve whether or not to shop Wright, who hopes to remain a Met.
- Many people around baseball think J.P. Ricciardi would be a good fit as the Mets' scouting director, writes John Harper of the New York Daily News. A source tells Harper that Ricciardi expressed interest in such a position during talks with Alderson.
- Marc Carig of the Star-Ledger discusses how the Yankees plan to balance their desire to get younger with their desire to retain their veteran stars.
- After an ESPNNewYork.com story suggested a rift between Joe Girardi and Dave Eiland led to the pitching coach's dismissal, Eiland told Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News that the report was "ridiculous and simply not true."
- Ken Davidoff of Newsday tweets that Carl Willis will return to the Mariners as Seattle's pitching coach, meaning he's not a candidate for the Yankees' vacancy.
Wright Hopes To Stay With Mets
Earlier this week, Mets COO Jeff Wilpon caused a bit of a stir when he said that he "couldn't imagine" dealing David Wright, but would be willing to listen if the new GM proposed an idea. Even though front office changes in Queens could result in a major roster shakeup, the third baseman told Dan Martin of the New York Post that he wants to remain with the Mets.
"Of course I'd love to stay with the team that I grew up rooting for and who drafted and developed me, but as of right now that's not in my control…I hope I remain with the team and I'm part of the solution that gets this thing turned around," Wright told the newspaper in an e-mail.
Wright, who turns 28 in December, is under contract through 2012 with a club option for 2013. He's slated to earn $14MM in 2011, $15MM in 2012, and $16MM in the club option year which could also be bought out for $1MM.
The five-time All-Star turned in a .283/.354/.503 line with 29 homers in 670 plate appearances this season.
Mets Notes: Ryan, Hahn, Takahashi, Feliciano
For the first time in six years, the Mets are looking for a new GM. ESPN's Adam Rubin has the latest.
- The field of GM candidates has about 32 names. Five to seven will be interviewed in person (twice), with a resolution hoped for by month's end. Terry Ryan and Rick Hahn are on the list, reports MetsBlog's Matthew Cerrone. SI's Jon Heyman expects the Mets to consider Josh Byrnes, Sandy Alderson, Gerry Hunsicker, and John Hart as well to head their baseball operations.
- In the meantime, interim GM John Ricco will begin discussions with free agents Hisanori Takahashi and Pedro Feliciano and also talk about a Jose Reyes extension. Takahashi can declare free agency on October 31st, so there's slightly increased urgency. We discussed his situation here.
- COO Jeff Wilpon told reporters Omar Minaya never asked ownership to eat the contracts of Oliver Perez or Luis Castillo. Wilpon also said he "can't imagine" trading David Wright, but he'd listen if the new GM proposed something.