The winter meetings may be over, but there are still plenty of MLB transactions to be made. One of the most intriguing trade possibilities remains Troy Tulowitzki to the Mets.
This move makes about as much sense as any trade can. The Rockies have been trying for the last decade, albeit unsuccessfully, to improve their pitching, and the Mets’ only major need is at shortstop.
The Rockies don’t have the necessary talent on their current roster to be a contender, so it would be prudent to unload Tulowitzki and his massive contract in an effort to build for the future. The Mets, on the other hand, have been in rebuilding mode since 2006 and are seemingly one piece away from making a playoff push in 2015.
Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com recently reported that the two teams have been talking for months now about a possible trade involving Tulowitzki, and even though he says that the sides are still pretty far apart in the negotiations, the fact that they are still talking is a positive.
The Mets have been stockpiling young pitchers for the past few years, and they now have an overabundance of hard-throwing starters. Unloading one or two of them in a trade is not going to kill the rotation.
The current starting rotation looks like this: Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Zack Wheeler, Jon Niese and then either Bartolo Colon or Dillon Gee. They also have Rafael Montero and Jenrry Mejia, who are former starters but will pitch out of the bullpen due to the number of competent pitchers in the organization.
Also, the Mets have a pitcher still in the minor leagues who might be the most talented on the team. Noah Syndergaard is only 22 years old, but he is expected to make his debut this year and be a star soon after.
Jeurys Familia and Vic Black both had terrific seasons last year out of the ‘pen, and Bobby Parnell will return as the closer, according to what Mets manager Terry Collins told the New York Post in a recent article.
In other words, the Mets have a plethora of pitching. They are not going to miss one or two pitchers if they are traded away. It is almost a foregone conclusion that the Rockies are going to need Syndergaard in the trade package, and even if they ask for Wheeler, the Mets should definitely oblige.
Tulowitzki is one of the premier players in the league despite his history of injuries. He hit .340 with 21 homers in 2014 while only playing 91 games. He plays a position that has very few power hitters, making him one of the most valuable players in the MLB when he is on the field.
There are also questions about how Tulo’s game will transfer should he leave the hitter-friendly thin air of Coors Field. He has hit 78 points higher with eight more home runs at home than away over the past three years, so that argument may have some merit, but at the same time, the Colorado climate is one of the biggest reasons for Tulowitzki’s past injuries.
However, the Mets should ignore any doubts in their pursuit of Tulo. Sandy Alderson has assembled a solid nucleus of skilled players, pitchers as well as hitters, and a solid shortstop might be the last piece of the puzzle.
Tulowitzki is still owed about $118 million over the next six years, and the clubs have not discussed money in their trade talks.
While that contract might be a bit pricey, the Mets have not made the playoffs since 2006, and the time is now. It is extremely hard to win on baseball’s biggest stage, and the Mets cannot let their conservative nature get in the way of success. New York is arguably the biggest market in America, so if they do indeed get to be championship contenders, they will get boatloads of publicity and national exposure. Tulo would immediately infuse a sense of excitement into an organization that has been a bit dormant recently.
Tulowitzki does not have a no-trade clause in his contract, but the Colorado ownership has made it clear that it is not going to make any decisions without its star shortstop’s input. But even if the Mets have to part ways with a few players in order to make a trade package too good for the Rockies to refuse, they should do it.
The addition of Tulo immediately makes New York a playoff team. The pitching is unquestionably going to be dominant, but a lineup with Tulowitzki in the middle of it will be surprisingly potent.
Daniel Murphy has quietly been one of the best offensive second baseman in the majors the past four years and would only benefit from hitting in front of Tulo. David Wright is arguably the best third baseman in the National League when healthy, and he should rebound from a mediocre year last season to have a stellar 2015. Lucas Duda hit 30 homers in 2014 and will likely hit even more next year thanks to the shorter fences in Citi Field.
Travis d’Arnaud continues to develop as a big league catcher. He caught fire in September, hitting .313, and the Mets hope he carries that production over to the upcoming year. Juan Lagares and Curtis Granderson will be consistent everyday players in the outfield, and newly-acquired Michael Cuddyer could thrive in his new environment.
The Mets have a chance to compete in the NL East in 2015 without Tulowitzki, but with the best shortstop in the league on the roster, they would be solid contenders. It is impossible to know if this move will happen, but if the Mets have any opportunity to acquire Tulowitzki, they should pursue it with unprecedented vigor.
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