Friday, November 30, 2018

Mets Blockbuster! Our Team Debates the Pros and Cons of the Cano Deal

For the past few days, the Twitterverse has been flooded with speculation regarding potential trades between the New York Mets and Seattle Mariners. The big names in the projected deal are infielder Robinson Cano and closer Edwin Diaz, both of whom are (supposedly) on their way to Flushing. Possibly heading across the country to Seattle, are veteran OF Jay Bruce, RP Anthony Swarzak, 19-year old CF prospect Jarred Kelenic, 23-year old SP Justin Dunn and raw reliever Gerson Bautista.

Other names that have been thrown around in speculation are OF Mitch Haniger, SS Jean Segura and 2B Jeff McNeil

Last night, shit got crazy. The Fro Zone staff was engaged in heated debate about this potential deal. Here's the way it went down:


Tim Cappetta: Fire up those reactions!

John Frascella: I can't react unless we know if Jeff McNeil is involved. I'd like to know about Diaz and/or Haniger, too.

Dan Tancredi: No Haniger. Not sure where his name came from.

David Rothman: There was an update earlier this week that had him in it. Overall, my reaction: The Mets did something stupid again.

Cappetta: I don't know...if they get a top-flight closer and second baseman I'd say that's a good trade.

Raj Leventhal: Cano is not a "top-flight" 2B.

Rothman: Agreed. Not even close.

Leventhal: Four years ago? Yes. At 36 coming off PEDs? Yikes.

Nick Caputi: Cano is a good 2B at this point; not top-flight. Diaz will 100 percent be coming back in this deal.

Leventhal: Flip Diaz. No use for him on a 70-75 win team.

Caputi: Not happening. Why give up prospects for him, then?

Frascella: I'd like to have Segura in the deal.

Billy Valeriano: John, come back to earth. Mets have zero assets and aren't willing to absorb salary.

Caputi: There are talks about Segura actually being in it, and if he is, then Dunn, Kelenic and McNeil are all gone.

Rothman: Explain to me why we're eating money on Cano, rather than using it on useful players?

(Crickets.)

Valeriano: Segura will not be in this deal. It ain't happening.

Caputi: Billy, the Mets do have some assets.

Valeriano: Nick...wake up!

Caputi: They have a middle-of-the-pack farm system.

Valeriano: Segura or not, the Mets need to make this deal. F**k the prospects. They need to re-energize the franchise.

Frascella: Whenever talks heat up like this, people go nuts about prospects -- especially in the New York area.

Leventhal: If you're going to spend $15 million net on Cano, why not sign players who are younger than 35? It's classic Mets.

Valeriano: Heard the Mets are looking to trade Noah Syndergaard at the winter meetings, then sign a free agent starting pitcher.

Rothman: Only Leventhal thinks the Mets are trading Thor.

Leventhal: If they make this Cano deal, they won't trade Thor.

Tancredi: From what I've gathered, the trade is Bruce, Swarzak, Kelenic, Dunn and McNeil for Cano and Diaz.

Caputi: Nah, not gonna trade Kelenic, Dunn AND McNeil.

Rothman: That would be suicidal.

Caputi: Likely Dunn and Kelenic with Bruce and Swarzak.

Valeriano: So, Kelenic and Dunn are pretty much straight up for Diaz. Other two would be for Cano. Sounds fair to me.

Caputi: When it plays out, the Mets will probably be paying Cano like $14 million per year. To be honest, I'd like to keep Kelenic, who looks like a top prospect in the system.

Leventhal: So they are moving the No. 6 pick in last year's draft? Why?

Valeriano: Yeah, why trade the prospects? There are a ton of good closers out there. I think this is a fair deal, but I'd rather keep my prospects. Sign Craig Kimbrel, David Robertson or Andrew Miller.

Caputi: I think they will bring in Miller, as well.

Valeriano: Diaz only had one great year. Keep your prospects. Look at the Red Sox -- position players win you the World Series. Homegrown, cheap position players.

Frascella: Diaz had three dominant years. He's the best strikeout reliever in baseball; three years ago he struck out 88 in 51 innings. 89 in 66 the year after.

Valeriano: John, stop...I don't care about Ks.

Frascella: Ks are the key to being a dominant reliever. You want as few balls in play as possible.

Valeriano: John, you're losing credibility.

Frascella: Diaz was a top-three reliever this past season. Everyone has been saying that, so I know I'm not alone on this one.

Valeriano: All I'm saying is I don't want my closer to have a 3.50 ERA.

Caputi: He had a 3.27 ERA in 2017.

Frascella: 1.96 this past season. Regardless of whether or not we get Diaz, I do NOT want to trade McNeil. Professional approach; plays the same position as Cano. Seems superfluous to me.

Caputi: McNeil can play third, John.

Frascella: Yeah, I'd be happy to keep McNeil and get Cano. No swap.

Caputi: Yeah, Cano played first and third when he returned from PED suspension.



Frascella: All five of those guys from the Mets???

Caputi: Martino then said that one of the young guys may be pulled.

Frascella: I would imagine so. Brodie Van Wagenen would get crucified. That would be pure insanity.




Frascella: I woke up this morning and McNeil magically wasn't in the deal. Guess I'm running the Mets, now. 

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