Mike Silva's New York Baseball Digest » Blog Archive » Mets Asking for a Top Prospect for Beltran

Mets Asking for a Top Prospect for Beltran


By Mike Silva ~ July 18th, 2011. Filed under: New York Mets, Rumor Mill.

Yesterday, NYBD contributor Joe Demayo joined me to kick off the weekly podcast. Joe has been a valuable resource in giving the listeners information as to the direction of the Mets over the last few years. In the winter of 07-08 he steadfastly held firm the Mets were square in the Johan Santana sweepstakes when many thought they didn’t have the prospects to complete a deal. Two winters ago he told us that Omar Minaya would sign either Matt Holliday or Jason Bay. Tonight, he informed us that Sandy Alderson is telling teams that Carlos Beltran will cost them their top prospect at the center of any deal.

Alderson is aggressively shopping Beltran. There is anywhere between six to nine teams interested in him. The demand for a top prospect is certainly setting the Beltran sweepstakes up to go right down to the wire. Alderson has been very stealth in his negotiations thus far (some members of the front office didn’t know about the K-Rod deal until after it happened). Many believe Boston, San Francisco, and Detroit are the frontrunners in any Beltran sweepstakes. Would Theo Epstein be willing to part with Josh Reddick or Anthony Ranaudo? Would San Francisco give up Zach Wheeler? (Apparently the Mets aren’t interested in Brandon Belt). Would Detroit give up Jacob Turner? Another team to watch is Anaheim.

If I were Alderson I would focus on quality than quantity. If you get a team’s best prospect its better than a quantity haul of average talent. Look at what Kansas City took back (Buck, Teahan, Wood) for Beltran in 2004; not a star in the bunch. Considering the Mets may be willing to eat at least half the remaining salary on Beltran’s contract should allow them to fetch the best possible deal. Is it unfair to swap Beltran straight up for Reddick? I would be inclined to take that deal now.

You can download the entire podcast here. The first 20 minutes we discuss the Beltran saga, some interesting tidbits on the K-Rod to Milwaukee deal, and why the Mets will not trade Jose Reyes and are going to do their best to re-sign him this offseason.

Mike Silva is a freelance writer and radio host since March of 2007. This website is his own personal "digest" of New York Baseball He's also hosts NYBD Radio on Blog Talk Radio and 1240 AM WGBB. Check out his sports media commentary at www.sportsmediawatchdog.com. Check out his official website, www.mikesilvamedia.com
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10 Responses to Mets Asking for a Top Prospect for Beltran

  1. FakeMikeSilva
    July 18th, 2011 at 9:09 am

    Joe DeMayo broke the kennedy assassination! but he didnt break anything about Beltran:
    Buster Olney on sat:

    The Mets insisting on a top prospect for Carlos Beltran — but pressure on Giants to add a big bat decreasing, as their NL West lead grows.
    16 Jul via web Favorite Retweet Reply
    Retweeted by bultaco81 and 28 others

    http://twitter.com/#!/Buster_ESPN/status/92147346997116929

  2. tnt1528
    July 18th, 2011 at 9:16 am

    go for the old fashion blockbuster trade. package beltran,pelfrey and couple others for ……… i’m remembering that s.d., houston,and detroit did these. usually with brad ausmas in every deal too

  3. Mike Silva
    July 18th, 2011 at 9:43 am

    Fake Mike

    Listen to the podcast and I think you will see the detail of Joe’s work.

    If you are going to do a Fake account you could at least make it funny

    I suspect once tax season comes around you will disappear just like the Fake Matt Cerrone

  4. 86mets
    July 18th, 2011 at 9:47 am

    I don’t see any team surrendering their top prospect for Beltran, even if the Mets pay the majority of his remaining salary. First of all, rarely, if ever, do trade deadline acquisitions equal a World Series title. Just look at Beltran himself. He had a monster postseason for the Astros after the trade in ’04 but they failed to win the pennant. Secondly, Beltran cannot be offered arbitration following the season meaning that an acquiring team cannot recoup their prospect in next years draft. The only qualifier here is if said team is intent on re-signing Beltran to a new contract. But that isn’t a given since he is represented by Scott Boras and we all know that after the kind of season he is having that Boras will shop him aggressively this winter as a free agent.

    In the end I just don’t see the Mets being able to get a top prospect for Beltran. Especially from SF who it is said would prefer to just pay Beltran’s remaining 2011 salary and give up only a low level prospect in return. And since SF has probably the 2nd worst farm system in MLB (the Brewers clearly have the worst system) that isn’t appealing to me, and hopefully not to Sandy Alderson either.

  5. FakeMikeSilva
    July 18th, 2011 at 10:27 am

    Real Mike,

    if I actually listened to something before I commented on it, I would have to change my name. I am emulating YOU, remember?

    and let your readers decide how funny i am…
    twitter.com/fakemikesilva

  6. Chuck Johnson
    July 18th, 2011 at 10:42 am

    The “no arbitration” clause only applies to the Mets.

  7. Mike Silva
    July 18th, 2011 at 10:43 am

    Fake Mike

    Obviously my readers don’t think you’re funny since you twitter account hasn’t taken off.

    Would respect the criticism if you attached your real name to it. Of course, cowards don’t do that.

  8. Mike Silva
    July 18th, 2011 at 11:28 am

    Chuck

    Are you sure? I thought it was part of the contract – at least that is the way it reads at Cots

  9. Chuck Johnson
    July 18th, 2011 at 11:52 am

    What Cot’s says is “team agrees not to offer arbitration” which means the signing team.

    If Beltran waives his no trade, he forfeits the no arbitration clause, which is standard.

    It protects teams who lose players for what amounts to a three month rental and gives the acquiring team the right to recoup their losses.

    I’m 95% sure, and will check into it further.

  10. 86mets
    July 18th, 2011 at 2:48 pm

    I’m pretty sure the “no arb offer” applies to any team that acquires Beltran. This is a Boras tactic to get more money for his client when he hits free agency this winter. If a team doesn’t have to forfeit a draft pick (or picks) for Beltran the more likely they are to offer him more money this winter. I doubt Boras would’ve had this put in the deal if it could be voided by trading him. This is why I say it’s hard to imagine a team desperate enough to give the Mets their top prospect in a deal for Beltran.

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