Lindor and Carrasco to the Mets

[jacksonianmarch]

Finalizing details now. Gimenez and Wolf listed as the initial return. I am sure there is more. This is a huge move for the Mets. Cohen isnt playing around

[notin]

Finalizing details now. Gimenez and Wolf listed as the initial return. I am sure there is more. This is a huge move for the Mets. Cohen isnt playing around

 

SS Amed Rosario, SS/2B Andres Gimenez, OF Isaiah Greene, and RHP Joe Wolf headed to Cleveland...

[notin]

The "useless" BTV site was pretty accurate with this deal...

 

https://www.baseballtradevalues.com/trades/trade-36124/

[jacksonianmarch]

Gimenez is a good get. Rosario replaces Lindor for the forseeable future. They must have the pitching depth to absorb Carrasco's loss, although a lot of that might have been financial. More of the AL talent moving to the NL here further weakening a good team

[notin]

Gimenez is a good get. Rosario replaces Lindor for the forseeable future. They must have the pitching depth to absorb Carrasco's loss, although a lot of that might have been financial. More of the AL talent moving to the NL here further weakening a good team

 

Carrasco's deal (2 yrs/$27mill) was favorable, but his health was not. He was diagnosed with leukemia a couple years ago.

 

But the Tribe has dealt Clevinger and now Carrasco in the last 4 months, and still has Bieber, Aaron Civale, Triston McKenzie, Cal Quantrill, and Zac Plesac for the rotation...

[mvp 78]

@IanCundall

I’m a little surprised Cleveland couldn’t get a better main piece for Lindor, especially since they are also moving Carrasco. I’d take both Alex Verdugo and Jeter Downs over anyone they are getting in the trade.

 

@redsoxstats

Sox got better main pieces and dumped a contract rather than including Carrasco. Betts is better than Lindor and the Dodgers paid accordingly.

[dgalehouse]

Seems that some of the top A.L. players are moving to the N.L. Will this trend continue? Are the N.L. owners more interested in spending for top talent? Or are the A.L. owners smarter?

[mvp 78]

@RobertStock6

The Red Sox didn’t know it then, but in 1920 they were the first team to officially begin a “rebuild” when they traded Babe Ruth. This rebuild lasted 84 years (which is a bit longer than usual) but has widely been considered a successful ploy.

[a700hitter]

Huge move for the Mets.

[a700hitter]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/01/mets-deep-into-talks-on-francisco-lindor-trade.html

 

Mets Acquire Francisco Lindor, Carlos Carrasco

 

By Mark Polishuk | January 7, 2021 at 11:27am CDT

The Mets and Guardians have agreed to a major blockbuster, announcing that New York has acquired shortstop Francisco Lindor and right-hander Carlos Carrasco as part of a six-player trade. To replace their star shortstop, Cleveland will receive two prominent young infielders in Amed Rosario and Andres Gimenez and a pair of Mets prospects — right-hander Josh Wolf and outfielder Isaiah Greene.

 

It has been widely assumed that Lindor would be on the move at some point this offseason, as the Tribe is looking to cut payroll and Lindor is now entering his final season before free agency. The Mets have been one of many teams mentioned as a plausible suitor, though comments made by both new owner Steve Cohen and team president Sandy Alderson implied that the Mets would be more apt to sign big-name players rather than trade for them, due to a lack of minor league depth in New York’s farm system.

Instead, Alderson and new Mets GM Jared Porter have now swung a major blockbuster. Financial terms of the deal haven’t yet been made public, but it’s safe to assume the Mets are picking up all of the $27MM owed to Carrasco through the 2022 season. Between Carrasco’s contract and Lindor’s projected salary (between $17.5MM and $21.5MM) in his final year of arbitration, Cohen’s willingness to spend manifested itself in a different way, as the Mets will now upgrade their roster by taking some salaries off the books of the cost-cutting Cleveland organization.

 

Since his debut in 2015, no shortstop in baseball has a higher fWAR (28.9) than Lindor. A four-time All-Star with two Gold Gloves and two Silver Slugger Awards, Lindor has hit .285/.346/.488 with 138 home runs over his six big league seasons, and further established himself as an all-around talent by stealing 99 bases. 2020 was a down year for Lindor, as he hit only .258/.335/.415 over a league-high 266 PA, but that would certainly be explained by the unusual nature of the shortened season rather than a clear sign of a decline.

It is also fair to wonder if Lindor might have been impacted by the trade speculation that has been swirling around him for the better part of three years. After some early-career extension talks with the Tribe failed to lead to a deal, it became increasingly clear that Cleveland would look to trade Lindor rather than just let him walk in free agency. Guardians owner Paul Dolan said last year that his team didn’t have the resources to invest heavily in a single player, and rather notoriously told Cleveland fans to “enjoy [Lindor] and then we’ll see what happens.”

 

Lindor now becomes the centerpiece of an already-strong Mets lineup, as he will step in as the everyday shortstop. Luis Guillorme looks like New York’s top backstop shortstop option now that Rosario and Gimenez are gone, though Jose Peraza and Wilfredo Tovar are also on hand. The Mets could look to add another veteran utility infield type prior to Opening Day, though Jeff McNeil’s ability to play multiple positions gives them some cover in that respect.

 

We also shouldn’t assume that the Mets are anywhere near done with major moves, of course. The club has already signed James McCann and Trevor May in free agency, retained Marcus Stroman via the qualifying offer, and such big names as George Springer and Trevor Bauer are also known to be free agent targets for Alderson and company. Since the Mets are still roughly $32MM short of the $210 luxury tax threshold, at least one more pricey contract could certainly be added, and possibly more if the club moved some other salary in a trade, or was willing to take a one-year tax hit for exceeding the threshold.

 

Carrasco joins Stroman and ace Jacob deGrom in a strong 1-2-3 punch atop the New York rotation. If rookie David Peterson can continue his 2020 performance over a full season and Noah Syndergaard is in form during his midseason return from Tommy John surgery rehab, the Mets could very well have one of the sport’s top starting fives. On the flip side, given the uncertainty of Syndergaard’s health, how Stroman will look after opting out of the 2020 season, and the possibility of a sophomore slump for Peterson, this same rotation carries some questions that now aren’t as glaring with a solid veteran like Carrasco in the fold.

 

Carrasco’s salary made him a natural trade candidate, and today’s news ends his 11-season run as a beloved favorite for both Cleveland’s fans and within the Tribe’s locker room. Carrasco posted a 3.77 ERA, 25.5 K%, and 19.2 K-BB% over his 1242 1/3 innings in an Guardians uniform, highlighted by a 2017 season that saw him finish fourth in AL Cy Young Award voting.

 

After missing almost three months of the 2019 season due to a leukemia diagnosis, Carrasco made an emotional return to the field that September, and then looked to be fully back during a 2020 season that saw him post a 2.91 ERA, 29.3 K%, and 19.6% K-BB% over 68 frames. His 9.6 BB% is a bit of a red flag, and his highest total in the category since his 2009 rookie season, though this could again be a by-product of the small 2020 sample size.

 

It was less than four years ago that Rosario was a consensus top-10 prospect in baseball, and between his young age (25) and the flashes he has shown over four MLB seasons, it isn’t out of the question that he can still fulfill that potential with a change of scenery. Rosario looked to be breaking out in 2019, when he hit .322/.353/.453 over his final 372 plate appearances of the season, but he managed just a .252/.272/.371 slash line in 147 PA in 2020.

 

As it happened, Gimenez received more playing time ahead of Rosario, and Gimenez responded with a .263/.333/.398 slash in his first 132 plate appearances as a major leaguer. A former top-100 prospect himself, Gimenez is considered a better defender than Rosario and might be Cleveland’s preferred choice at shortstop, with Rosario perhaps moving into the second base vacancy left open by free agent Cesar Hernandez. Since Rosario has been considered to have multi-position capability, the Tribe could also move Rosario around the diamond, perhaps a way of addressing their longstanding outfield problem.

More analysis to come…

[moonslav59]

@IanCundall

 

Sox got better main pieces and dumped a contract rather than including Carrasco. Betts is better than Lindor and the Dodgers paid accordingly.

 

Dumped half a contract.

[moonslav59]

Finalizing details now. Gimenez and Wolf listed as the initial return. I am sure there is more. This is a huge move for the Mets. Cohen isnt playing around

 

Cleveland will receive two prominent young infielders in Amed Rosario and Andres Gimenez and a pair of Mets prospects — right-hander Josh Wolf and outfielder Isaiah Greene.

 

-MLBTR

[Bellhorn04]

Seems that some of the top A.L. players are moving to the N.L. Will this trend continue? Are the N.L. owners more interested in spending for top talent? Or are the A.L. owners smarter?

 

Or is it like in that song by Frank Sinatra:

 

"Life keeps runnin' in cycles..."

[notin]

Seems that some of the top A.L. players are moving to the N.L. Will this trend continue? Are the N.L. owners more interested in spending for top talent? Or are the A.L. owners smarter?

 

By moving the top tier players to the other league, teams can benefit from the return they get and not have to compete with the star's new team for postseason spots.

 

Cleveland is still a good team and even with Carrasco (and Clevinger) gone, they still might have the best rotation in the American League...

[notin]

So how long until some blogger on Fansided asks why Bloom was asleep at the wheel and did not acquire Lindor either?

[dgalehouse]

Some fans get more enjoyment from their team acquiring star players. Some other fans get more satisfaction from saying , " we saved money and are building for the future." Just a different perspective on things.

[jacksonianmarch]

Cohen came in and said this isn’t a money making venture, that he was a fan. He put his money where his mouth is. The division has been ruled the last two years by an awfully vulnerable braves team. The Phillies have been very suspect as well, playing below their capabilities. The Marlins played over their head last year. Washington stunk, surprisingly, but is likely heading back into contention, IMO. The Mets just staked their claim as the top team in that division

[notin]

Cohen came in and said this isn’t a money making venture, that he was a fan. He put his money where his mouth is. The division has been ruled the last two years by an awfully vulnerable braves team. The Phillies have been very suspect as well, playing below their capabilities. The Marlins played over their head last year. Washington stunk, surprisingly, but is likely heading back into contention, IMO. The Mets just staked their claim as the top team in that division

 

But that "suspect" Braves team has a very young and extremely solid core both on the mound (Soroka, Fried, Anderson) and in the field (Acuna, Albies, Freeman). And they have more farm depth to supplement it, either through direct promotion or through trades.

 

A deal like this was the Mets' best shot to be taken seriously, but any claim they have to the top of the NL East is tenuous at best...

[dgalehouse]

I don't think the Mets are done yet. The new owner seems determined to make an immediate impact.

[Bellhorn04]

Cohen came in and said this isn’t a money making venture, that he was a fan. He put his money where his mouth is. The division has been ruled the last two years by an awfully vulnerable braves team. The Phillies have been very suspect as well, playing below their capabilities. The Marlins played over their head last year. Washington stunk, surprisingly, but is likely heading back into contention, IMO. The Mets just staked their claim as the top team in that division

 

How are the Braves 'awfully vulnerable'? A little short on details.

[moonslav59]

By moving the top tier players to the other league, teams can benefit from the return they get and not have to compete with the star's new team for postseason spots.

 

Cleveland is still a good team and even with Carrasco (and Clevinger) gone, they still might have the best rotation in the American League...

 

It's amazing how they can lose Kluber, Clevinger, Bauer &Carrasco and still have a good rotation.

[Kimmi]

Good for the Red Sox, I guess. The Guardians have now dropped in Fangraphs projected team WAR to below the Sox.

 

Meanwhile, the Mets are now considered a powerhouse, right behind the Dodgers and the Padres.

[Bellhorn04]

It's amazing how they can lose Kluber, Clevinger, Bauer &Carrasco and still have a good rotation.

 

But no rings since '48.

[Thunder]

Seems that some of the top A.L. players are moving to the N.L. Will this trend continue? Are the N.L. owners more interested in spending for top talent? Or are the A.L. owners smarter?

 

The AL was just having too much fun, so the NL decided to take a stand.

 

But then again, the NL has won 7 of the last 11 World Series, so what the hell do I know?

[Thunder]

Good for the Red Sox, I guess. The Guardians have now dropped in Fangraphs projected team WAR to below the Sox.

 

Meanwhile, the Mets are now considered a powerhouse, right behind the Dodgers and the Padres.

 

Maybe in October we'll be partying like it's 1986!

 

With a different outcome of course...

[Thunder]

By moving the top tier players to the other league, teams can benefit from the return they get and not have to compete with the star's new team for postseason spots.

 

Cleveland is still a good team and even with Carrasco (and Clevinger) gone, they still might have the best rotation in the American League...

 

Not if Bieber sticks to his musical career like he should be doing. At some point, he's going to burn himself out

[notin]

I don't think the Mets are done yet. The new owner seems determined to make an immediate impact.

 

I think he already made one.

 

That said, they are still probably the most likely landing spot for Bauer...

[Bellhorn04]

I think he already made one.

 

That said, they are still probably the most likely landing spot for Bauer...

 

That'd be fine with me.

[dgalehouse]

But no rings since '48.

 

They came very close in 2016. Came up just a little short. Since then , the owner has not spent to try and put them over the top. Fan support has been lagging. Now , they trade their best player because they don't want to pay him. Their drought will probably go on for at least the immediate future and maybe much longer.

[notin]

That'd be fine with me.

 

Of course I’m now reading the Mets have maybe $15mill left in the budget, which, along with the acquisition of Carrasco, probably means they won’t move on Bauer.

 

Which of course leaves the question “OK, so who does?”