As speculation surrounding the Marlins’ winter clearance sale (one very similar to the dump-fest that took place following their ’97 championship) continues, the NY Daily News’ Adam Rubin and Bill Madden are doubtful the Mets will acquire 1B Carlos Delgado.
Delgado’s continued distaste for the Mets should make executives in Flushing wary. He accused the Mets last spring of recruiting him based on shared Hispanic heritage. The recruiting got nasty. When GM Omar Minaya introduced special assistant Tony Bernazard during a face-to-face session at the winter meetings last December, Delgado blurted out: “The highest-paid translator on the planet.” Delgado and Bernazard share Puerto Rican heritage.
Delgado did not get no-trade protection, but his contract severely limits Florida’s options. Delgado’s original four-year, $52 million deal was heavily back-loaded, with Florida paying him only $4 million last season. Delgado would receive a salary adjustment to account for state income tax in New York that does not exist in Florida, meaning the Mets would be paying Delgado for three years roughly what they originally offered him for four.
“I don’t think anyone will end up happy,” one source said about a Delgado-Mets union.
In addition to Delgado, Beckett and Lowell, the Marlins also are looking to shed the salaries of Castillo at second base and Paul Lo Duca behind the plate.
With the Mets in the market for both a catcher and a second baseman, it’s relatively certain Minaya has also made inquiries about both of those two.
The Mets have three prime chips in pitchers Aaron Heilman and Jae Seo and second baseman Anderson Hernandez (above).
On XM this morning, the intensely plugged-in Buck Martinez seemed rather certain that if the Marlins complete the Beckett/Lowell for Hank Blalock trade, Texas’ current third-baseman is unlikely to make it to spring training without being traded again.
Lo Duca will be 34 in April ’06 and his one “great” season was in 2001. I understand he’ll be cheaper and younger than Piazza, but is he really any sort of upgrade defensively to make up for the loss of RBIs/power?
Ramon Castro is already on the team, why trade away prospects for another B grade catcher?
To answer Marc’s question as best I (amateurishly) can, it’s that the Mets don’t seem to have faith in Castro as a starter, the same way they have no faith in Aaron Heilman despite the fact that he was basically their best pitcher for most of the second half last season. The reason why is obvious to anyone who is either 1) a Wilpon or 2) Rick Peterson (who’s down on Heilman for undisclosed reasons), and totally opaque to everyone else.
Still, I’m not sure I see these deals happening. I doubt the Marlins would deal Lo Duca within the division, although I do think he’s pretty good. Castillo is on the downside, I think, and again I doubt the Marlins want to see him dozens of times per season. Although a marked lack of interest in the public impression their trades make or what their fans think has kind of defined the way the Marlins do business.
Also, Carlos Delgado must be pissed that they didn’t describe the part of his meeting with Bernazard and Minaya when he told Bernazard to “go get your fucking shinebox.”
David,
the esteemed Mr. Martinez was claiming on XM earlier that the Fish are so desperate to slash payroll and get someone younger/cheaper in return, they really don’t give a hoot about dealing within the division. Must be great if you’re one of their 4000 fans.
On the plus side, Josh Willingham could have a ROY type season if LoDuca is dealt.
The Mets getting Lo Duca behind the plate is an interesting proposition. It seems to me that because of the position’s physically demanding nature and high likelihood of injury most catchers (with notable exceptions i.e. Piazza circa 98) are just not worth big money, long term deals. Lo Duca is under contract until 2007. Bengie Molina would almost certainly demand a 4 year deal and would probably be more expensive. So economically it makes more sense.
One should also consider that while Lo Duca’s best season was back in 01 he only played 125 games that year. Each of the past 3 seasons he’s played in the 140 to 150 range with a notable drop in production the second half of the season, most likely due to the usual wear and tear of catching everyday. If Randoplh is smart enough to limit his games played (perhaps catching 3 or 4 days a week with Castro picking up the slack in similar role in which he flourished last year) I think Lo Duca’s overall numbers could be rather good. It’s also worth noting that Lo Duca has spent his career playing in Dodgers Stadium and Pro Player both of which are pitcher’s parks so a move to Shea shouldn’t result in a decline in offensive stats.
Depsite his lack of power Lo Duca is almost certainly one of the top ten backstops in the game. His selection to last year’s all star team as Piazza’s backup maybe speak more of thinness at the postion in the NL but it does say something that he beat out 14 other guys for the job.
If packaged with Castillo, who would be an obvious upgrade at 2B, this could be a good deal for the Mets depending, of course, on what they would have to give up to obtain them.
I don’t really have a problem with the Mets going after Lo Duca — if they’re not giving up key pieces like Heilman, Seo, etc. I think both Heilman and Seo’s stock is moderately inflated after their 2nd half flourishes and now would the time when their value is highest in trades. I’d hate to see the Mets overpay for Lo Duca by giving up more than 1 of those guys in the process. The Mets should be able to get more than the Lo Ducas and Nadys of the world without giving up Milledge.
I just hope they don’t mortgage 2007 and 2008 by getting rid of all their young arms. Pedro and Glavine aren’t going to be around for eternity (though if Traschel begins warming up today, he might be ready to pitch in 2007).
I might be totally misreading the situation, Mark, but I’m not sure anyone of great value would be traded for Lo Duca. Castillo, quite possibly, but Lo Duca is a player the Marlins are eager to rid themselves of purely to get his salary off the books.
One of the pitchers + Hernandez for Castillo/Lo Duca wouldn’t be the craziest deal — I’ve yet to hear Milledge’s name come up in connection with this particular trade.
I’d love to see Seo and/or Heilman get greater opportunities in NY, but if the organization has already decided they’ve peaked, better to trade one or both than see said players at Norfolk and/or mopping up.
I don’t think the Mets will give up any of their top prospects for either of the aforementioned Marlins players. I also think that they do hold Heilman in some high regard, if not quite high enough to be a closer then at least the team’s 8th inning guy. If he’s going to be traded it would likely be for Manny or at least a Manny-caliber player. Personally, I would hate to see yet another Mets pitching prospect fail as a starter in NY and become a respectable reliever elsewhere (i.e. Dotel, Isringhausen).
Seo, on the other hand, I could see on his way out. His low salary and impressive numbers in the second half of last season have to make him attractive to other teams. While he did look good last year I can’t really see him developing into a dominant pitcher. I’m not dying to see him go but it’s likely that the team will move him with his stock as high as it is right now.
Sox just got Beckett and Lowell according to ESPN
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2232211