Fan_since_Boggs

According to reports, the Mets wanted Benintendi for Diaz. What a joke of a trade proposal. Brady Van Wagonon is like a guy playing a baseball game on Playstation. Cano has been dreadful since that 3 HR game. His batting average is now in the .230 range and his OPS+ entering tonight was 80. I guess Cano decided he isn't going to juice again and risk a year long suspension and all that money.

Another blown save by Diaz tonight. He entered the ninth with a one run lead and couldn't hold it. Game still on, now 2-2. I'm against trading for Diaz unless the Red Sox can get him cheaply enough (which doesn't sound likely).

The Guardians got a nice return picking up Allen, V.Nova, Puig (rental), S.Moss, and F.Reyes. I don't understand why the Padres would do this--I guess they really like T.Trammell who is talented but not producing in AA. Trammell is young, though (21), and ranked as a top prospect. I wonder if this trade takes the Padres out of the N.Syndegaard sweepstakes or does it position them to better trade for Syndegaard?

My understanding is that Diaz's high BABIP is not necessarily a fluke -- he has been giving up a high percentage of hard contact. When the hard contact % is high, the unlucky BABIP argument goes to hell. That is, Diaz isn't unlucky; instead, he has been giving up too much hard contact and that accounts for the inflated BABIP. In other words, while Diaz's peripherals are very good, he hasn't been pitching well in other ways.

Bradley Jr. and Dalbec for Diaz and D.Smith. And since I'm such a generous guy, I'm willing to throw in pitching prospect Denyi Reyes. Get it done, Dave.

That's correct, I believe the Pirates wanted Andujar (not Torres) but Brian Cashman, Jackson's hero in life, was too busy prospect hugging to trade Andujar for Cole. Another Brian Cashman misstep with the starting pitching.

I don't mind trading Chavis or Dalbec. My biggest complaint is that I don't want Diaz, I'm not sold on the idea that his problems are correctable. What we are seeing this year with Diaz (increase in HR per 9) could be the start of a larger decline. I want D.Smith and Wheeler from the Mets. Although, it sounds like Wheeler will be going to the Astros. I'm high on M.Hernandez. He doesn't walk as much as you would like, but he has always been able to hit. I wouldn't have a problem starting Hernandez at 2b next year or giving him playing time at the major league level this year. I just hope he can stay healthy.

I understand that his peripherals are there, but his HR per nine is up and I think the HR increase is due to hanging his slider. The question is, why is he hanging his slider so much and thus giving up more HRs? Some have said it is a mechanical issue, but I wonder if it is something physical that will eventually manifest itself. Also, BABIP is a useless stat without looking at hard contact percentage. In any event, our positions sum up the debate on Diaz pretty well and the risk involved in trading for him.

Maybe to some extent. But if the Yankees included D.Garcia, I think the Blue Jays take the Yankees offer. The problem with the Yankees offer: once you take Garcia out of it, the Mets deal is better because the Yankees system is very thin outside of Garcia. That is, the Blue Jays wanted pitching and Gil and some lesser guy doesn't beat an offer of Kay and Woods-Richardson. Garcia was a necessary component of the deal in order to top the Mets offer but Cashman wouldn't include Garcia.

I wouldn't trade Dalbec for Diaz. I would, however, trade Dalbec for D.Smith straight up. Diaz scares me. I've watched a lot of Mets games and I don't like what I've seen from him. It wouldn't surprise me if something physical is behind his declining performance, like maybe a year from now he will have a shoulder issue or something like that. I'm not sold on the idea that the Red Sox can easily fix him. I would consider Stroman a more valuable talent and trade commodity (than Diaz) and the Blue Jays moved him for two pretty good, but not elite, starting pitching prospects. If the Mets could acquire Stroman for that kind of offer, how much can Diaz be worth?

+1 Cashman is always looking to squeeze the other team out of a good player without giving up much of anything. We can safely assume that was his goal with the Blue Jays and Stroman. He probably wanted to acquire Stroman by dumping C.Frazier on the Blue Jays, but poor fielding corner outfielders have limited value and the Blue Jays wanted pitching. Cashman is now in a bad spot--let's see if he can find a way out and acquire a quality SP. If Cashman wasn't such a bimbo, he would have included D.Garcia in a trade for Stroman. Sometimes you have to "go for it" and this is one of those years for the Yankees. Cashman could learn a thing or two from Dombrowski who decided to "go for it" when he dealt high end prospects for Kimbrel and Sale. How did that work out for the Red Sox? I seem to remember it working out pretty well last season when the Red Sox went 11-3 in the postseason including a series where they kicked the living crap out of the Yankees.

The highlighted point on Dalbec is interesting and makes me think the Red Sox and Mets match up fairly well. Dalbec is a quality 3b prospect not only due to his power but his defense. The Mets could use him next year. I would like to see the Red Sox expand the Diaz deal to include Wheeler and D.Smith. To achieve that, it is conceivable that the Red Sox could trade Porcello to a third team (one of the NL teams looking for pitching) for a so-so prospect. Other players that could be included in a package with the Mets: Duran, Wilson, D.Reyes, T.Ward. It is hard to gauge the Mets interest in a CF--they are considering moving Rosario to CF next year and Gimenez, an elite defender at SS, is already at Double A (his offense is far behind his glove, however). To make this deal work, maybe take out Wheeler and keep Porcello? In this scenario, the Red Sox would be trading for Diaz and Smith, and the Mets would acquire Dalbec and a few other pieces. In another media report that I can no longer find, it was suggested that J.Groome could be involved in the deal. I would hate to give up Groome but I would do it for D.Smith: Diaz, Wheeler, and Smith to the Red Sox for Dalbec, Groome, Reyes, and another player.

Stroman is a free agent at the end of the 2020 season. The Mets are obviously going all in on the 2020 season. They have given up some nice prospects: Kelenic, Dunn, and now Kay and Woods-Richardson. That's 3 pretty good starting pitching prospects. Good summary of the bind the Yankees are in:

No s***. That's my point. If the Blue Jays accepted Kay and Woods-Richardson, they would have been more than happy to obtain Garcia and Gil instead. In other words, Cashman could have acquired Stroman but he is notoriously known for prospect hugging, even many Yankees fans admit that (just read a Yankees forum and see what some Yankees fans are saying about Cashman).

Sandy Leon should be the back up catcher on the Long Island Ducks.

The Mets gave up two really good pitching prospects in Kay and Woods-Richardson. What is surprising about this deal is that no team made a better offer. The Yankees could have beaten this trade by offering Garcia and Gil. According to reports this morning, the Yankees would not include Garcia in a trade for Stroman and I'm assuming those reports were accurate. Cashman = prospect hugging and no World Series appearance this decade. Message to Steinbrenners: you need a better GM. This was a missed opportunity for the Yankees. The Mets obviously plan to compete next year--no rebuild at all.

Sabathia put on the IL: https://nypost.com/2019/07/28/yankees-put-cc-sabathia-on-il-as-rotation-issues-grow/

Another stupid off-season decision. However, the bigger mistake was failing to sign Corbin. Paxton, 95 ERA+, 0.3 WAR Happ, 86 ERA+, 0.5 WAR Sabathia 94 ERA+, 0.5 WAR Corbin 140 ERA+, 3.7 WAR At least Tulowitzki didn't cost the Yankees anything. JA Happ, 17 million (luxury tax salary) Sabathia 8 million (luxury tax salary) Paxton 8.5 million (luxury tax salary) For a total of 33.5 million (luxury tax salary) Corbin 23 million (luxury tax salary)

I like the idea of making Workman the closer while using Eovaldi more as a two inning set up reliever. That means more days off for Eovaldi, but so what.

Thanks for providing accurate background info, Illinois and Notin, and for clarifying the situation. The point on Yankees stadium is a good one. Another way of putting it: Amazing: if the Yankees don't play in the World Series this year, this will be the first time in 100 years that this has happened. All told, this really speaks to Brian Cashman's deficiencies as a general manager.

Got it figured out. Dalbec, Duran, and D.Hernandez to the Mets for Diaz, Wheeler (rental), and D.Smith. However, I would rather see the Red Sox keep D.Hernandez and include another pitcher in the trade such as T.Ward or D.Reyes.

I'm not sure if I understand the three way trade rumor that would send Syndegaard to the Padres, the Padres send prospects to the Blue Jays, and the Blue Jays send Stroman to the Mets. What would be the point of that trade for the Mets? I understand what the Padres and Blue Jays are thinking.

He can't play 3b and struggles in the OF. He belongs at 1b, but the Mets have P.Alfonso there. Smith will be traded, if not at the deadline, I would expect the Mets to move him in the offseason. He would be a nice target for the Red Sox. There has been some speculation in the media regarding a Smith trade: https://www.nj.com/sports/2019/07/mlb-trade-rumors-mets-dominic-smith-to-red-sox.html

Sergio Romo is traded to the Twins. This is the guy Eric Van wanted the Red Sox to acquire. Good move by the Twins.

Dalbec and D.Reyes to the Mets for D.Smith and Wheeler. Move Porcello to the bullpen. Get it done, Dave.