Is Taking on Bradley for Castillo Worth It?
By Mike Silva ~ November 27th, 2009. Filed under: Offseason Speculation.
James Kannengieser of Amazin Avenue put together a comprehensive Mets offseason plan. James roster doesn’t include any of the big free agent names available this winter. The only qualms with the plan I have is at catcher with Greg Zaun, but that goes back to my preference for defense and game calling over offense behind the plate. The one area of that deserves further independent examination is the proposed Luis Castillo/Milton Bradley swap. How ironic that I wrote about “New York type of players” earlier this morning. If the Mets can’t pull off a three way deal involving Castillo would it be worth both teams swapping their problems? This site actually examined this at the end of the season, but it’s worth taking a look at again.
Milton Bradley can be an incredible deal if he is physically and mentally healthy in 2010. He has two seasons where he put up an OPS of .923 and .999. This is a guy that could be a 1.000 plus OPS player, just like Matt Holliday, for a fraction of the price. In James scenario not only do you “roll the dice” on this type of player, but you rid yourself of the cumbersome Luis Castillo contract.
I believe this type of deal would never happen. First, ownership isn’t in the position to bring in a player that potentially could be controversial and harm the team brand further. They may have short memories, but I still remember a classic Bradley meltdown when he was playing for Montreal at Shea Stadium. He took exception to the fans cheering after he was ejected from the ballgame. Next, if Bradley is unable to play physically or mentally you are stuck with perhaps an even more burdensome contract since Bradley is owed $23 million the next two years compared to Castillo’s $12. Finally, if Bradley flops, you have a huge hole in the lineup that can’t be filled. I am not a believer in Angel Pagan as an everyday player and there appears to be no OF help, unless you count Ike Davis, in the near future. James does also have the Mets signing Adam LaRoche in his plan, but in reality there is no indication the Mets are interested in his services this winter. With Murphy at first the power hole in LF is that much more worrisome.
There probably little chance of the Mets bringing in Milton Bradley. Omar Minaya can’t put his job on the line for an unstable personality. I will say that if the Mets weren’t coming off the bad PR of 2009 there may be a better shot of a Castillo/Bradley trade happening. If Bradley hasn’t put it together by age 32 what makes you think he will be any different in this cauldron? Even if you got one good season out of him could you believe you would get a second? He has yet to put together back to back seasons where he played every day and was productive. By playing everyday I mean 140 plus games. I realize the Castillo contract could be equally worthless the last two years, but this type of deal makes sense only on paper and is also the wrong team and wrong timing.
If the Mets resort to a Bradley/Castillo deal they obviously are desperate and couldn’t afford to land big free agents or pull off any deal to improve the club. Prepare for a long summer in 2010 if that is the case.
November 27th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
Bradley will not provide enough power. Plus, he IS a HEAD CASE! Walks like a duck,talks like a duck..it IS a duck!
November 28th, 2009 at 8:19 am
I am a big Daniel Murphy fan, but what about trading for Adam Dunn to play first base for 2010? This, of course, is not an original idea on my part because its been talked about many times before, but I ask myself “Why not?”. Adam Dunn will be getting paid $10 million next year and its the last year of his 2 year deal he signed with the Nats, so he won’t be a huge burden moneywise for 2011 or for years to come. We won’t have to worry about him blocking first base for Ike Davis next year and his power numbers speak for themselves. Providing you don’t trade Davis or Murphy for him, I think this is a very good short-term investment. For Daniel Murphy, who I think will grow into a good solid major-league hitter and who I think plays good defense at first base considering it was the first time he ever played there, I think the Mets should send him down to Triple A for a season. Down there he could get the experience against competetive pitching and more time at first base plus maybe third base too, so he could maybe be a super-sub come 2011. I like the style of play Murph provides and I think its necessary to keep him, but as 2009 indicated we need a true power hitter and Adam Dunn is that guy for us in 2010.
November 28th, 2009 at 8:50 am
Only problem with your thought process is that the shipsailed on Dunn a year ago. You act like he is for sale because he is on a bad team. Guess what. They like him protecting Zimmerman and they are building around him and Zimmerman, who by the way doesn’t make excuses for every bad thing like your little princely david wright does. Th problem with obnoxious Met fans liek you is youthink you can have any player you want. In reality you have one of the historically most ineptfranchises around. Top payroll in the league regularly and you can’t even win as often as the Marlins. You are the joke. We’ll be way better than you by 2011. Get rwady for another 5 years in the cellar where you Metsies belong.
November 28th, 2009 at 9:34 am
On a one year deal I take Adam Dunn, but he doesn’t excite me.
I still see Dunn as a good hitter on a bad team. Very vulnerable to lefites, poor defense, and never strikes me as someone that you can rely on in a big spot.
Great fantasy player, but nothing more than a star on a bad team or complementary piece on a good team.
I think DC 9er has a great point regarding the Nats rationale behind keeping Dunn (another reason why they will be bad – but that is besides the pt). It probably will cost the Mets a good prospect to get Dunn away since he is only getting 10 mill for next year. Very cheap production.
As far as building around him- not sure if that is a smart move. He is not a franchise type player IMO.
Pass.
November 28th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
Did I miss something DC 9er? For starters this is a NY sports fan website so I’ll be as “OBNOXIOUS” as I like. Secondly, there was talk before the trading deadline that there might have been a deal including Bobby Parnell to Washington for Adam Dunn. Granted, Parnell’s stock has dropped considerably and I don’t think he would be in a deal now, but that doesn’t mean if the right package came around that Dunn wouldn’t be dealt. And third, its not that we Mets fans think we can have ANY player we want, we just want whats best for our team? Which I’m sure you do for your beloved GNATs.
I don’t doubt that Washington will be a good team by 2011. In fact, I think this season coming up will be their first since 2007 where they won’t lose 100 games are more. Being a perennial losing team allows you to get higher draft picks and you’ve accomplished that. Well done! And speaking of “inept franchises” (space included this time) your teams entire franchise history from its inception in Montreal to its move to DC has been a joke! My inept franchise, on the other hand has won 2 world series and has been the most successful expansion team in baseball history with more wins than the Marlins considering they’ve been here since 1962.
I’d also prefer to not be ready for “another 5 years” in the cellar because we haven’t spent that much time there for decades. I’d rather you stay PUT there DC 9er…..it suits you and your team. And if you get bored there while keeping last place warm for some other team, you can always watch that stupid Presidents Race you guys put on and maybe…Just MAYBE Teddy Roosevelt might win one of ‘em. Happy Holidays.