Should Mets Mortgage the Farm for Gonzalez?
By Mike Silva ~ May 28th, 2009. Filed under: Mike Silva.
After reading Jon Heyman’s article about San Diego at SI.com, I believe the Mets should see if obtaining Adrian Gonzalez is feasible. Of course skeptics will say that Minaya and company don’t have enough (didn’t we hear that when Johan Santana was available?), but the media doesn’t have the final say on what deals go down.
The big issue for the Mets, even before Carlos Delgado’s hip surgery, was who will be their cleanup hitter of the future. Wright and Beltran are ill suited for that role and the newest Met, Fernando Martinez, projects to be a solid gap hitter. Since the organization has no internal solution they should be monitoring the next in prime power hitter available. Gonzalez fits that bill and would be perfect for the Mets lineup. He is left handed, hits for power along with average, plays outstanding defense at first base, and is entering his prime at just 27 years of age. The hard part is what will it take to land him?
Lightening won’t strike twice so forget a highway robbery Santana like deal. I would make no one untouchable in the organization with the exception of Reyes, Wright, Pelfrey, Santana, and Bobby Parnell. Any deal would require a pitching and positional player centerpiece. That is why I would structure it around Fernando Martinez and Brad Holt. Essentially you would be giving up arguably the best hitting and pitching prospect in the organization. Next, I would add Daniel Murphy to the mix. The Padres have a first base prospect, Kyle Blanks, but in San Diego Murphy could return to his natural position – 3B. That is unless you are huge fans of Kevin Kouzmanoff long term (I am not). Deals like this always center on young arms so that is why I would add Jenry Mejia and Jonathan Niese to the package.
Is Gonzalez, as good as he is, worth a 5 for 1? Yes, but I am going to raise the stakes on this deal. One of the Mets other needs is starting pitching. You won’t have many chips left after this deal so that is why I would ask Kevin Towers to throw Chris Young into the mix. At 30 years old, and nearing an expensive option year in 2011, Young doesn’t fit the rebuilding Padres.
Both teams win in a deal like this. The Mets get a left handed cleanup hitter that can play first base. Clearly this is their biggest positional hole. They also get a solid starter that they can control for a couple of years. The Padres receive 5 young players, three that are pitchers, which all have high major league ceilings. Furthermore, it appears that Daniel Murphy and Fernando Martinez are more seasoned than many of their top positional prospects. That will allow them to at least compete in the near term. Is there risk on both sides? Sure. The Mets clean out their already shallow system while San Diego banks the deal on three raw and unproven pitchers. Regardless, it’s a deal, in my opinion, where both teams accomplish their objective.
May 28th, 2009 at 11:16 am
I would build on that deal but focus on Gonzalez and Peavy instead of Young. Not sure the Padres can get what they want for Peavy from other clubs. He isn’t interested in NYC so he will need to make BIG money and a new contract to be “convinced” to come here but the Mets can do that if they want to. Also CitiField plays like Petco which would be to his advantage. Santana and Peavy have the lowest ERA’s over the past few seasons and two ACE’s would really help. It would definely be that “Extra Step” Mets fans sometimes complain about with the Wilpons. They go far (143 mil) but not that last extra step to necessarily put them over the top. Peavy and Gonzalez are definitly an extra step.
May 28th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
Nice thought, but, Martinez, Holt, Murphy, Mejia, and Niese wouldn’t get back Gonzalez and Young, let alone Gonzalez and Peavy.
May 29th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
I think that I would give up even more to get Gonzalez and Young . . . Gee – done, Kunz – done, Davis – done, Havens – done. They could have a list and pick 7 or 8 guys for those 2. Gonzalez is the 3rd best all around 1st baseman in the game right now and he is cheaper than 1 & 2 (Pujols and Texiera).
May 30th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Adrian Gonzalez is a born and bred San Diego native. His brother Edgar is a utility infielder for the Padres and was the starting second baseman last season.
Adrian is the most revered Padre since another San Diego native, Tony Gwynn.
He isn’t going anywhere, especially with the Padres playing better.
May 30th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
The Mets should keep their chips (however low the stack may be) for a pitcher.
Erik Bedard would be perfect for this team.
May 31st, 2009 at 11:24 am
As far as cleanup hitter for the future I’d rather sign Matt Holliday in the offseason and not literally give up the farm. Then play Fernando Martinez in right field for the future and trade Church. I dont see Omar willing to part with all his best prospects for Gonzalez and Young. Don’t forget that it took Gonzalez about 5 years to get his act together with the pressure of being a No. 1 in Texas. So it’s not necessarily safe to assume that his torrent hitting will continue at Citi Field.
May 31st, 2009 at 11:25 am
As far as cleanup hitter for the future I’d rather sign Matt Holliday in the offseason and not literally give up the farm. Then play Fernando Martinez in right field for the future and trade Church. I dont see Omar willing to part with all his best prospects for Gonzalez and Young. Don’t forget that it took Gonzalez about 5 years to get his act together with the pressure of being a No. 1 in Texas. So it’s not necessarily safe to assume that his torrent hitting will continue at Citi Field.