Value for Value

Value for Value

Last week, Tom Verducci wrote in si.com about dumb things the Mets have done and could do yet.  Among the latter would be trading starters Noah Syndergaard and/or Jacob deGrom, a move or moves that “would plumb new depths to their foolishness.”

By way of a warning, Verducci sited the Chris Sale trade.  “Since the White Sox traded Sale, they have been the worst team in baseball (91-140, .394).  Their attendance has fallen 21%.  Their payroll has been slashed by 25%.  Their television ratings, down eight percent last year, were the worst in baseball other than those for the Athletics.”

Ah, yes, the gamble, the Hail Mary, the rebuild.  The Sox rolled the dice, sent Sale to the Red Sox and received four prospects in return; Verducci is not impressed with the top two, that being Yoan Moncada and Michael Kopech.  Of course, Verducci wrote his assessment before Moncada drove in six runs Sunday against those very same Athletics, giving him 32 on the year.  That would be second highest on the Mets, by the way.

As for Kopech, he continues to show enough to keep hoping he figures it out (at age 22).  Last night, the righty threw six innings for Charlotte, giving up 0 runs on four hits and two walks while striking out nine; Kopech now has 97 strikeouts, which puts him second in the International League.  The ERA isn’t that great at 4.66, but I’d bet a whole lot of teams out there would gladly take on this particular prospect.

The truth of the matter is the Mets are what the White Sox were, a team able to assemble at least some talent, but never enough on a consistent basis.  Syndergaard and deGrom are Sale and Jose Quintana by any other name.  And Todd Frazier is Todd Frazier regardless whether he’s playing for the Sox or the Mets (and you’ve got him for two years, Mets’ fans).  You’re damned if your team does trade for prospects, and damned if they don’t.

The way I try to keep my sanity is by making peace with the fact Sale is gone while deciding—regardless the evidence—that dumb moves by the Sox front office were more the work of Kenny Williams than Rick Hahn.  And, just for fun, I imagine the Sox signing Sale when he becomes a free agent after next year.

There may be better ways to get through a baseball season, but I doubt that’s true right now for the Mets or their fans.