Coinciding with Damien’s terrific article about how David Sloane and Carlos Delgado shot themselves in the foot by signing with the Marlins, the Fish are apparently all ready to begin their Great Dismantling of 2006:
In what could be the first step of a major housecleaning in Florida, the Marlins and Rangers are close to completing a trade that would send (Josh) Beckett and (Mike) Lowell to Texas for first baseman Hank Blalock and a top pitching prospect, two baseball sources said Friday night.
The deal, characterized as “well in the works,” has been brokered in the past couple of days between Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria and Rangers owner Tom Hicks, an American League source said. But both sources said the deal could fall apart because the Rangers are reluctant to part with one of their coveted pitching prospects.
The Marlins are asking for either left-hander John Danks, Texas’ first-round pick in 2003, or right-hander Thomas Diamond, the team’s first-round pick in 2004. The Rangers’ reluctance to part with one of those pitchers is the only obstacle in the deal, but a major one that ultimately could kill it, a source said.
And, just for a little fun, let’s take a look at Hank Blalock’s road numbers while we’re here shall we?
2005: .231/.276/.335 with five homeruns in 334 at-bats
2004: .239/.323/.460 with sixteen homeruns in 309 at-bats
2003: .260/.301/.435 with eleven homeruns in 292 at-bats
Lifetime: .238/.296/.396 with thirty-three homeruns in 1,003 at-bats (or, an average of nineteen homeruns in six hundred at-bats).
Good times.
Just finished watching the Second Season of Arrested Development and… WOW.
Yeah, Hank Blaylock is very overrated. I remember Gammons pointing out this very fact sometime last year.
I love Beckett, but Mike Lowell? *cringes*
Wow - didn’t have any idea that this was in the plans.
Blalock away, 2003-05: .238/.296/.396
Lowell, 2005: .236/.298/.360
Lowell home, 2005: .245/.324/.360
I’m pretty sure that Lowell’s better than that, but if they play at those above levels then it’s pretty much a wash, in terms of talent. Losing Beckett from the division is good, though.
Firesale? Maybe. But if that’s really the deal, is it really THAT bad? Beckett’s damn good, but has those regular blister problems. Lowell was awful last year. Blalock may be overrated, but Lowell was really terrible. Oh yeah, and Lowell’s got a heafty contract. The Marlins are a mess and I wish (for baseball’s sake) they’d get it together (S.Florida SHOULD have a successful franchise). Such a deal would help the Mets in the near-term and help a young Marlins team get younger.
Blalock plays 3b. Texiera is Rangers 1b.
So Beckett moves to the AL, Cabrera moves to 3B, Blalock to 1B, Nady to RF and Delgado to the Mets.
I like it.
I don’t really care about helping the Marlins. Much the same as I don’t care about helping the Braves. These two cities don’t deserve a winning team when their fan base doesn’t even produce sell-outs to thier own playoff games!!
I don’t like the Marlins or the Braves one bit, but I love baseball and I want to see it succeed. Would you want to go to a game in S Florida? Outdoors, football stadium, rain followed by “hell” heat? I wouldn’t. Sure the Braves fans are spoiled and Atlanta is notorious as a bad sports town, but NYC isn’t nirvana either. Jesus, have a bad season and the stadium boos your very existence (Carlos Beltran). That’s all I’m saying.
Kent, as a baseball fan, I actually do agree with you.
As a Mets fan, I say take advantage of the Braves and Marlins situations while we have this window.
It’s baseball’s responsibilty - not ours - to put a quality product on the field in Florida. I’m not so sure a new stadium would even help. There’s gotta be some really strong reasons (besides Boston) why John Henry bailed on the Marlins long ago.
Okay, since we’re fantasizing….
Petit, Milledge, Zambrano, Heilman and Nady
for
Delgado, LoDuca and Dontelle
THEN, wait for Milledge and Petit to develop into major leaguers with Florida and grab them in the next Marlins’ fire sale!!
No, we’re on the same page. I’m just always nervous the Selig’s going to screw something else up and contract teams, etc. The Marlins have been ridiculous since day one. The Mets are in a strong position right now: 1) lots of $ to spend; 2) Mazzone’s gone; 3) Nats stink; 4) Marlins are a mess; and 5) the Phillies…are the Phillies.
The NL East is a dramatic place. I hate the Braves for beating us, I hate Chipper for killing us, but you gotta respect the team, and the man:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2227833
I feel bad for the Phillies, coming close in 1993 then being pitiful for 7 years, then just missing in September in 4 of the last 5 seasons. To keep starting seasons with big hopes, then falling short — we know what that’s like.
The Nationals are beyond pitiful; they are the helpless victim of an evil MLB. They bravely rallied in the first half of ‘05, but had no real chance to go anywhere with that roster. My ETA for having a new ownership group, a budget, a GM, and an agreed-upon stadium deal: 2008.
As for the fish, they’ve had 2 world championships, which is 2 more than their ownership and fans deserve. Plus they tend to beat up on the Mets. If they drop off the map, the only thing that’ll be sacrificed is Miguel Cabrera’s place in history.
Actually, you might be onto something: how about combine the D-Rays and Marlins into ONE team and give them a brand new domed stadium in Tampa or Miami.
There are just too many teams in baseball with little or no hope of contending in say, the next 5 years (Tampa, KC, Pittsburgh). That’s very sad.
TOTALLY agree with you, argonbunnies! I’ve always had great respect for “Larry” and I’d take him on my team in a heartbeat. Since 3B is taken, can he play 2B? :)
This is actually the idea I’ve been clinging to re: Kazmir. By the time he’s finished with his growing pains, he’ll be a free agent or too expensive for TB, and we can get him back for his prime years.
Petit is already polished, though; him I’d like to hold onto.
Stop dreaming about Dontrelle, his contract isn’t that big–yet. But hey, if they’re really having a fire sale, is there anyone we can liberate from Fla. who’ll help us next year (other than Delgado)?
Contracting the Marlins/Rays and the Royals would be fine with me. The Rockies should go too, I think it’s been proven that no pitcher can adjust to having totally different stuff in home vs away games. (Young stud Jeff Francis had a 6.40 road ERA in ‘05, and only one starter in the last 3 years has had a road ERA under 4.63.)
But the Pirates? I see hope in Pittsburgh. In 2007, I see them being where the Mets were to start 1998 — one big piece away from contending.
I meant that in jest.
Really? You think the Bucs can hold it all together?
I respectifully disagree that MLB has too many teams. I think that it has the right amount of teams. The problems with the “smaller market” teams of MLB have a hell of a lot to do with MLB’s current financial structure and those very teams’ horrible job of working in younger players, etc (save Oakland). I personally like Bill James’ ideas on revenue sharing, which will allow teams from large markets to continue to have an advantage, just one closer to 10 to 1 as opposed to 70 to 1.
In any case, I really don’t like the NFL and don’t want to see it replicated in baseball. However, MLB will likely come to a point where it’ll have to, let’s say, fix some things. I love baseball and love that the Kansas City Royals can beat the Yankees. I’d never advocate having the Yankees and Royals and every other team playing with a hard salary cap, but I also don’t want to see Kansas City, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, etc. lose their teams. Let’s remember that Montreal and Kansas City and Pittsburgh have had some pretty good teams that have beaten the big boys in the past. Hell, Minnesota’s still competing and doing so with a smaller budget.
Okay, I’m all over the place, so I’m out of here. I’ll end by saying that I also find the argument that baseball doesn’t have enough talent for it’s current number of teams is a completely false one.
Have a nice weekend.
I’ve always had great respect for “Larry” and I’d take him on my team in a heartbeat.
Just for everyone to know Omar isnt going after Brian Giles, because Giles doesnt want to play at shea. also for all the guys fearing Omars gonna trade Milledge do not fear. Omar doesnt want to trade him at all and thats why we wont be getting Manny. its at gothambaseball.com under there rumors.
you’re kidding right? putting Rocker in the same class as Chipper??
Rich: I just read the article you referred to….so it looks like it now comes down to Huff or Delgado? I still prefer Delgado for Nady and a mid-prospect
If we could get Delgado for that Id do it. Huff to me looks alright but I dont really watch American League games so when other people say his stats have gone down and they question if he did roids its turned me off. To me he looks good, but like I said I dont really watch AL games.
My AL friends tell me Huff is just a, well, okay player. More of a piece to complete a team that needs a good hitting 1B (like a mid-season pickup). But definitely a far cry from being any type of huge middle-of-the order presence.
Huff seems more suited for Boston. They could afford it offensively if they regret getting him - whereas, the Mets must be much more careful.
Good points there. As long as we are not giving up Milledge I see no problem with getting Delgado. I mean id be a little saddened not to see Jacobs playing 1b, but with Delgado on this team (with out giving up Milledge) we can deff make a run at the playoffs. Id also like to see them get another starter and trade Trachsel or Zambrano.
Agreed, Rich. The rotation needs to be more settled. I’m okay with Pedro, Glavine and Seo. But I wouldn’t mind seeing either Benson, Trach or Zambrano dealt in the right deal for an upgrade. OR there’s AJ Burnett….
Also, who’s to say Jacobs will be the one to leave? The Mets would be smart to hold him given the bench was seriously weakened by losing Marlon Anderson.
Ok, let’s say the Mets do land Delgado and just for a moment, let’s assume it will be Nady OR Jacobs being included in the deal.
What would be everyone’s preference assuming we keep one of them:
A Jacobs-Diaz platoon in RF or a Nady-Diaz platoon in RF?
Tough call. I like Nady because he’s versatile, but may not be an everyday player.
Same goes for Jacobs. Plus, he has too small a sample last year to project what he could do full time.
Good Points MetsFan…Id love to get Burnett in here he throws gas and I really think we need a guy who can throw hard as a starter. Id go for the Nady Diaz Platoon, I love Diaz, I think he could hit .280 25hrs and 80 rbi if hes given the chance. Nady Id like to keep but believe hes goin in the trade for Delgado. Jacobs would need work if hes gonna be an outfielder so I dunno what they will do of him.
Basically, the Mets (and we the fans) really don’t know what we have in Jacobs at this point.
Is it safe to say we are the up and coming Mets? We’re not there yet, there are a few pieces of the puzzle that are left to fill in. One of those pieces I think would be great to fill in with Josh Beckett. It is good to lose him in the division, but it would be even better to gain him on our squad. We would have a rotation of Pedro, Beckett, Glavine, Benson, & Trachsel. Now how do you get Beckett? Well offer up Seo & a prospect, or Lastings Milledge, and someone else. Before all the hate mail comes up, think about this for a minute. Lastings is a centerfielder, and from what i’m hearing he is a great one at that. Scouts say he is a Beltran with less power. (Beltran had what? like 17 HR’s this season…not exactly a lot of power I would say). So with Beltran locked in center for years down the road, Lastings would be best to be traded.
Also, I would not go after Delgado. He is 34 and I would say on the decline of his great career. Add that to the fact that he gave the Mets the cold shoulder last season and also his salary is about 16 million a season. Go after a guy like Adam Dunn who is not eligible for arbitration until after next season.
Seveteen HR’s. Yes, that’s right. But that’s after four straight seasons of 24+ homeruns. When Carlos was Milledge’s age, though, he hadn’t hit that many HRs. He hadn’t filled out yet. Likewise, Milledge hasn’t filled out, but when he does, he’s going to hit for a lot more power. In fact, a lot of people think Milo is going to hit between 20-30 annually at the major leagues. And he’s a centerfielder, so what? That means his defense will be even better in a corner. Why the need to trade him? And for Beckett of all people. Prospects are no sure things, we are all aware of that, but certainty is not one of Beckett’s qualities either. If I’m not mistaken he already has a history of injuries, and has been unable to reach 200 innings in a season. Would I take him on my team? Without a doubt, but not for Milledge.
Couldn’t agree with you more, Ricardo. While Beckett has shown signs of brilliance, he’s always seemed kind of fragile to me. I think I’d rather go after AJ Burnett (nothing to give up since he’s a FA) or get Vasquez from Arizona who could come fairly cheaply. Maybe Benson and a middle prospect for Vasquez? That doesn’t sound unreasonable.
I agree: Milledge for Beckett is too risky.