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Sunday, June 28, 2009

Catalano: Mets: Desperate Times Call for Desperate Trade

And Cud Cuddyer is the answer?

The Mets should try to trade for Michael Cuddyer by offering the Twins SS prospect Wilmer Flores.

Michael Cuddyer, when healthy, is a solid RF, with a good arm and, more importantly from the Mets prospective, power. While he can play a number of positions, RF is where he is best suited—he has had season of 18 and 19 assists from RF, and can handle the new CitiField well. As of this writing, Cuddyer is slugging .514, or what would be 2nd on the Mets squad behind the injured Beltran. Also, he has an OPS of .878, which would place him 4rd behind Wright and Beltran and the soon to be injured Sheffield.

The Twins have a glut of outfielders—and trading Cuddyer could clear space for other able players. Right now, the Twins are breaking in young outfielders Delmon Young and Carlos Gomez (of the Mets farm system), both young and talented and who need time to grow. The Twins also have Jason Kubel and Denard Span—productive players both as Kubel is slugging .558 and Span is batting .287 with 12 stolen bases.

Repoz Posted: June 28, 2009 at 11:58 AM | 18 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: mets, twins

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1. RollingWave Posted: June 28, 2009 at 12:34 PM (#3235687)

Flores seems like exactly the type of guy that is likely to bite you a few years down the line big time. he's already in A ball despite being 17 . his overall line is only decent but he's showing solid plate judgement. oh and he's a short stop.

Then again . the Twins is only 4 games back in a winable central and 3 games behind the WC. not sure if this is the right time to punt. but if they are punting, I'd do Cuddier for Flores in a heart beat.

2. Scott Kazmir's breaking balls Posted: June 28, 2009 at 12:50 PM (#3235689)

The Mets should try to trade for Michael Cuddyer by offering the Twins SS prospect Wilmer Flores.

The Twins are in need of power themselves, yet the author proposes they make this trade and play Carlos Gomez full time. I see the logic. How about the Twins trade Gomez back to the Mets for Flores? If Gomez is good enough for the Twins as a full-time OF, and the Mets drafted him in the first place, then he should be good enough for the Mets, no? If you disagree and think this is crazy talk, which it is, then you should also agree the original Cuddyer/Flores proposal is crazy talk.
Now, please give the 3 minutes of my life back, thank you.

3. Harveys Wallbangers

Posted: June 28, 2009 at 12:54 PM (#3235691)

Typical NY writers thinking the rest of baseball is there for the taking and those little Midwesterners not knowing any better.....

4. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Griffin (Vlad) Posted: June 28, 2009 at 01:36 PM (#3235702)

I'll admit that I am kind of amused by the idea of the Twins actively trying to create playing time for Young.

5. The District Attorney Posted: June 28, 2009 at 01:38 PM (#3235704)

I dunno, Harvey, it's not like this is a ripoff in terms of talent exchanged. As #1 says, the big reason the Twins probably would not is because they're in the race. If they were building, this would be a good deal for them. And as a Met fan, I wouldn't want to do this deal; it's not worth it.

6. Harveys Wallbangers

Posted: June 28, 2009 at 01:55 PM (#3235713)

DA:

I disagree. Trade a semi-valuable guy for a maybe 4 years down the road?

7. Evil Twin Posted: June 28, 2009 at 02:07 PM (#3235716)

It always is chafing when NY writers think that the priorities of other teams don't matter. Minnesota is in a pennant chase as much as the Mets are. I'd really like it if writers from Detroit, Minnesota, and Milwaukee started writing rumors writing off the aspirations of the big market teams for a change.

Is it too much to ask that writers either a) report facts or b) make reasonable speculations? Why not speculate about Holliday, for instance?

8. The Nightman Cometh Posted: June 28, 2009 at 04:22 PM (#3235763)

breaking in young outfielders Delmon Young

Nothing screams more playing time like .256/.282/.320

9. Justin T is expanding the aperture of awareness Posted: June 28, 2009 at 04:45 PM (#3235774)

This is a Dugout Central article. The writer may be from NY, but that site generally is a haven for the lobotomized. I don't think it's entirely fair or correct to file this under "NY writers." It's just some guy, from somewhere.

It should be noted that, according to the article, Flores projects to have the same power as A-Rod and Ripken. Sounds like a steal to me for the Twins!

10. Best Regards, L.M. Posted: June 28, 2009 at 04:54 PM (#3235778)

Typical NY writers thinking the rest of baseball is there for the taking and those little Midwesterners not knowing any better.....

Well... it is. And you don't.

11. Didi Dodo Doodoo (1k5v3L)

Posted: June 28, 2009 at 05:00 PM (#3235786)

Given the talented players the Twins got from the Mets for Santana, I'm sure they're anxious to dip again into the bottomless well of Hall of Famers that the Mets have down in low A...

12. Mike Emeigh

Posted: June 28, 2009 at 05:29 PM (#3235800)

There's no way Minaya trades Flores, and certainly not for Cuddyer. When Minaya gives up top prospects, it's either for top value (Santana) or because they've worn out their welcome (Milledge). New York turned down a number of deals at the trading deadline last year because everyone wanted either FMart or Jon Niese. I'm sure a lot of people are trying to grab Flores now, for the same reasons they went after the other two guys a year ago, and I expect Minaya to say no this year as he did last.

-- MWE

13. ColonelTom Posted: June 28, 2009 at 05:42 PM (#3235808)

They'd trade Delmon Young for Flores, I suspect.

14. Bitter Calculus Instructor Posted: June 28, 2009 at 05:46 PM (#3235811)

It wasn't too long ago that Young was minor league player of the year. I guess it's been all downhill since the bat throwing incident.

15. RB in NYC (Now Semi-Retired from BBTF) Posted: June 28, 2009 at 11:20 PM (#3236005)

I'm sure a lot of people are trying to grab Flores now, for the same reasons they went after the other two guys a year ago, and I expect Minaya to say no this year as he did last.

You may be right, but Minaya might be feeling more pressure than last year, he probably knows it's win this season or start updating the resume.

16. Harry Balsagne's transparent jealousy

Posted: June 28, 2009 at 11:39 PM (#3236009)

I don't think the Twins are breaking in Young, and out of any of the outfielders, Young is the one they want to deal the most. If Span and Cuddyer hadn't been injured, and interleague play weren't in existence, Young would have way fewer at PAs than he does. He is a horrendous all around player, and the Twins are on to it. Right now Gardenhire's ideal every day outfield is Gomez in CF, Span in LF, and Cuddyer in RF.

17. Russlan is fond of Dillon Gee Posted: June 29, 2009 at 05:36 AM (#3236360)

You may be right, but Minaya might be feeling more pressure than last year, he probably knows it's win this season or start updating the resume.

The Mets did just give Minaya a four-year extension last September. I don't know that they'd fire him if the team doesn't make the playoffs. I really don't know what to think of Minaya anymore. I generally don't mind the moves he makes as a GM, and even the moves I really don't like (Milledge trade) haven't turned out badly, so I don't really want him fired. That said, if a big market team doesn't make the playoffs for three years, the GM can't be doing a great job.

18. baudib Posted: June 29, 2009 at 06:36 AM (#3236386)

Typical NY writers thinking the rest of baseball is there for the taking and those little Midwesterners not knowing any better.....

The Santana trade was proof those little Midwesterners didn't know any better.

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Catalano: Mets: Desperate Times Call for Desperate Trade

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