What to do next?
With Tom Glavine snagged, what will the Mets do next? While some sources are saying the Mets will now go after free-agent Edgardo Alfonzo, and others saying they will trade for Kansas City third baseman Joe Randa, what move will the Wilpon duo make next?
If they trade for Randa, whom will they give? Jose Reyes, the Mets top prospect, named Player of the Year for the Eastern League, the prospect that is coveted by every GM in Major League Baseball? Or will they trade Ty Wigginton, the guy who can hit pretty well (.302 in 46 games), but can’t play defense for his life? Hmmm, he would probably make a good DH. But, Randa isn’t worth it. He hit .282 in 2002. He is also 32 years old. Meanwhile, Alfonzo is 29 years old, and hit .308 in 2002.
Or, they could go for a pitcher. They could re-sign Steve Trachsel (11-11, 3.37 ERA), or trade for Bartolo Colon (20-8, 2.93 ERA). But with this option, we run into another roadblock -- who to give to the Expos? Will they give them prospect Aaron Heilman (6-7, 3.28 ERA), the Mets 2000 draft-pick? But, then they are trading one of the best guys in their system again. Sounds like something Mets GM Steve Phillips would do.
It takes no rocket scientist to figure out what the cheapest, and best thing for the Mets to do would be. They should re-sign Alfonzo (he wants 6-7 years, $7-9 mil yr. or, if they won‘t do that, he wants arbitration) and Trachsel (he will most likely be given arbitration), so that they end up in good condition, and don’t have to trade away their system in the process.
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