I’m all over a respectable trade rumor – or even a bit of idle speculation that makes some sense. But there’s a whole lotta noise out now about a trade that almost certainly will never happen.
There are a lot of rumors that will involve the Atlanta Braves this Summer. That’s what happens for both buyers and sellers once you’re within shouting distance of the trade deadline. But hopefully some of writing on the topic will stop to think a bit before hitting the ‘submit’ button.
Even respectable reporting outlets are getting caught up with this idea of dismantling the New York Mets right now. It reminds of old Dilbert comics in which an employee quits or gets fired and the rest of the office staff immediately descends on the poor soul to scavenge his “stuff”… and that’s not unlike this new fashionable thing of seeing writers trying to start a rebuild on their behalf.
Sure: the Mets are 29-38 and continuing to tailspin. I get that. In fact, since starting 11-1, the Mets are 18-37. The only team worse that that after April 13 is Baltimore (14-41). It’s truly ugly.
But to dump Jacob deGrom, who still has 2 full years of control after 2018 – while still having rising prospects, plus Yoenis Cespedes under contract through 2020 as well – sounds like a premature pulling of the plug, even viewed from afar as a Braves’ fan.
Except… maybe the Mets are actually considering it. Here’s a relevant post title:
"MLB trade rumors: Mets willing to listen to offers for ‘virtually everyone on their roster’"
Examples
Jim Duquette, writing under the MLB.com banner with the cache of being a former GM of these Mets, says…
- Braves (first team on his list):
"The Braves will likely make Ronald Acuna Jr. untouchable, but the Mets may have a hard time saying no to a deal that includes righty Mike Soroka (Braves No. 3 prospect), third baseman Austin Riley(No. 8) and lefties Luiz Gohara (No. 4) and Max Fried No. 7)."
Well, thanks for taking Acuña out of consideration for us, Jim. ‘Preciate that. But I wouldn’t offer Soroka or Riley, either.
If you take the current rankings from MLBPipeline (which I don’t agree with, but it’s a more-or-less independent source), then this represents the Braves giving up their #26, 41, 72, and 75 overall prospects in baseball, including 2 current major leaguers. That’s enormous.
Here’s another one: