Mets - Acquired Putz

New York Mets - Acquired P Jumping Jehosephat Putz in a 3-way jamboree.

Three-way trades are always convoluted, so as usual, I’ll dissect it as 3 separate trades.

The Mets acquire Putz, OF Jeremy Reed, and P Sean Green for P Aaron Heilman, OF Endy Chavez, P Joe Smith, and 1B Mike Carp

This is quite a good trade for the Mets.

First, Reed and Chavez are comparable in value.  Both are essentially 5th outfielders that simply don’t hit well enough to be used in a corner.  Chavez is an excellent defensive leftfielder, so could have use for a team that needs a caddy for a player who should absolutely not be in the field.  Both are essentially role players.  Rosenthal calls Green and Smith interchangeable, and that’s probably fair.  Both are OK relievers that are more deceptive than stuff-laden.  I like Smith better as a ROOGY long-term better but Green as more of a general use reliever.  Neither really have star potential.  That leaves us Putz for Heilman and Carp and that’s a winner for the Mets.  Carp simply can’t make up the difference.  A 1B can’t make it through the minors just on walks and while Heilman has had some big years too, Putz’s have been better and the former was used quite heavily in them.  Heilman’s a good pitcher but Putz is better.  Putz and K-Rod?  The Mets are a lot scarier after the 7th than they were in 2008!

The Mariners get Heilman, Carp, Chavez, some unnamed Indians prospects and RF Franklin Gutierrez for Putz, Green, Reed and 2B Luis Valbuena.

Gutierrez has a great glove (a real Gold Glove candidate in left), but he’s also an extremely disappointing offensive player.  Sure, he’s more likely to help the next good Mariners team than Putz, but the Mariners have some serious offensive needs.  And they threw in Valbuena just for kicks?  No, the Indians prospects are unnamed, but if Mike Carp is one of the named prospects, than the unnamed ones probably aren’t all that impressive. especially given the Indians end of the haul is light.

The Indians trade Gutierrez and unnamed prospects for Valbuena and Smith.  More of a minor trade for the Indians.  Gutierrez had no place to play with the ridiculously awesome Sizemore in center and want a bat long-term in right.  Valbuena should help the Indians start sorting out just what they want to do with Peralta and Cabrera and Smith upgrades a bullpen full of pitchers that had their careers go the wrong way in 2008.

2009 ZiPS Projections
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Player      W   L   G  GS   IP    H   ER  HR  BB  SO   ERA  ERA+
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Green       5   4  66   0   78   74   36   2  37  51  4.15  103

Heilman     6   5  73   0   76   74   36   9  33  73  4.26  100

Putz        8   2  58   0   59   44   17   4  19  71  2.59  166

Smith       3   3  64   0   53   51   24   4  29  47  4.08  105
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2009 ZiPS Projections  
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Player        AB   R    H  2B 3B  HR RBI  BB  SO  SB    BA   OBP   SLG  OPS+
——————————————————————————————————————

Carp         486  52  112  19  0  16  56  42  82   0  .230  .297  .368   76

Chavez       230  28   61  11  1   1  19  16  27   6  .265  .312  .335   74

Gutierrez    380  52   96  22  2   9  47  32  93   9  .253  .319  .390   90

Reed         419  53  112  21  3   7  48  29  52   7  .267  .318  .383   86

Valbuena     482  66  123  20  1   9  56  42  84  17  .256  .316  .359   78 
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