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New York Mets right fielder Curtis Granderson is generating trade interest as the organization works to clear out an outfield logjam during the offseason.

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Orioles Reportedly Have Interest in Granderson

Thursday, Dec. 1

Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball reported the Baltimore Orioles “seem to have interest” in Granderson but “not really” Jay Bruce.

Mets Open to Trading Granderson for Right Price

Wednesday, Nov. 30

Marc Carig of Newsday reported Wednesday that Granderson is the asset generating the most discussion among other teams after speculation that Bruce would be the one moved. He noted the Mets are open to dealing either player depending on the return package.

Cespedes Deal Could Spell End of Granderson in New York

New York reached an agreement to re-sign prized free agent Yoenis Cespedes on Tuesday. Mike Puma of the New York Post reported that it’s a four-year, $110 million deal that comes with a full no-trade clause and that it will be officially announced once he completes a physical.

While it’s a massive step toward a successful offseason for the 2015 National League champions, it also leaves an overabundance of outfielders for three spots. Along with Cespedes, the Mets also have Granderson, Bruce, Michael Conforto and Juan Lagares.

Given the massive contract handed out Tuesday, it’s no surprise the front office would want to move one of the other high-priced options to create some financial wiggle room.

Spotrac noted that Granderson is set to make $15 million in 2017 and that Bruce is pegged at $13 million. Both players will also be playing the final years of their current deals.

Granderson is coming off another solid season in New York. The 35-year-old slugger smacked 30 home runs in 150 games to go along with a .335 on-base percentage and 88 runs scored. He’s no longer the speed threat he was in his prime, but he’s become a reliable power producer.

Maria Guardado of NJ.com passed along comments the veteran made earlier in November about the possibility of getting traded before next season.

“No reason to think about it,” Granderson said. “I just got to go ahead and take it one day at a time. I’ve been in rumors before that never panned out, so unless something absolutely happens, there’s no reason to think about it.”

Heyman reported the Toronto Blue Jays are one possible landing spot if the outfielder does end up getting moved:

The Mets don’t have a ton of areas that they need to improve, but they could still look to upgrade at catcher, where Travis d’Arnaud is the projected starter, and in the bullpen.

Perhaps a proven reliever and a mid-range prospect or two could get the Granderson deal done while helping save the team some money.

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New York Mets outfielder Curtis Granderson injured his left thumb sliding into a base during the National League Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.

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Granderson Undergoes Surgery on Thursday

Thursday, Nov. 5

According to DiComo, the Mets expect Granderson to be ready for Opening Day despite surgery to repair a ligament in his left thumb.

Granderson, 34, hit .259 with 26 home runs and 70 RBI this season for the Mets, providing the team with a quality bat and a wealth of experience. He was an instrumental part of the team’s run to the World Series and will be relied upon again next year to help return the Mets to the postseason.

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The Chicago Cubs needed to start hot in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series after dropping Game 1 to the New York Mets, 2-4, on Saturday.

Chris Coghlan almost gave the Cubbies just that. But Curtis Granderson had other plans.

The veteran center fielder scaled the wall and brought the would-be dinger back, preserving New York’s 3-0 lead.

[MLB]

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Overlooking Curtis Granderson has been a given. 

The New York Mets have so many storylines swirling around their clubhouse this season, and the New York and national media alike are covering them all top to bottom.

Yoenis Cespedes is a huge angle, as is the team’s record since his arrival. So is Matt Harvey’s innings limit, Jacob deGrom’s outstanding sophomore season, David Wright’s strong return, Jeurys Familia’s lights-out performance as closer and the team’s overall handling of its young starting pitchers.

Plus, the Mets are in first place, days away from clinching the National League East and returning to the postseason for the first time since 2006.

Easily lost in all of that is Granderson, the man who has been there every day through the team’s ugly valleys and second-half surge. With relatively no fanfare, he leads the Mets in several offensive categories while playing strong defense in right field. He’s been a consistent presence at the top of the lineup, proving to be productive even when the team’s offense resembled a minor league one.

Curtis Granderson’s last 162 games: 161 hits, 99 runs, 37 doubles, 27 homeruns, 78 RBIs, 90 walks, 153 strikeouts, .268/.368/.475, 137 wRC+

— New York Mets Stats (@NYMStats) September 13, 2015

“A very gratifying year for me so far,” Granderson told Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post. “But not a satisfying one. Not yet. There are still things I—that we—want to accomplish.”

Much of that gratification probably stems from the pressure Granderson had placed on himself when he signed a four-year, $60 million contract before last season. But in his first year with the Mets, the now-34-year-old disappointed.

After hitting 108 home runs to go with an .843 OPS and 123 OPS+ in his first three seasons with the New York Yankees, Granderson hit 20 homers and had a 104 OPS+ in 2014, a season after he was limited to 61 games because of a forearm fracture and a broken bone in his pinky.

Of course, there was talk that Granderson was too deep into his 30s to be an All-Star-caliber player again and that pitcher-friendly Citi Field would sink his value.

That kind of talk has completely gone away this season. While Citi Field has sapped some of his power, Granderson still leads the Mets with 141 games played, 23 home runs, 64 RBI, 87 runs, 83 walks, 11 stolen bases, a .365 OBP, a .355 wOBA, a 130 wRC+ and a 4.6 FanGraphs WAR.

Those numbers suffice as living up to the contract.

“He hasn’t stopped,” manager Terry Collins told reporters over the weekend. “Look at the first month. He was hitting .115 with a .380 on-base. That speaks to the job he’s done. He gets on. He gets big hits. He hits home runs. He’s driving in runs.

“He’s done everything you possibly could have asked for a guy in the leadoff spot.”

Granderson, whose only flaw this season has been not hitting against left-handed pitching, was also the team’s lone offensive presence for much of the first four months of the season, when its OBP hovered around the .300 mark. Before Cespedes arrived in August and Wright and Travis d’Arnaud got healthy and Michael Conforto found his way to the big leagues, Granderson was productive.

And since the start of August when Cespedes arrived and the Mets went on a winning binge—the team is 29-11 since then—Granderson has gotten better. He went into Saturday hitting .271/.395/.507 with a .902 OPS and 19 extra-base hits in 37 games. On Sunday, he went 1-for-3 with a run, two walks (one with the bases loaded) and three RBI in the Mets’ 10-inning win against the Atlanta Braves.

While Cespedes and Harvey have taken most of the team’s headlines in the second half and have been incredibly productive, Granderson has a legitimate case for being the team’s MVP.

“Hey, sometimes balls fall in. Sometimes they don’t,” Granderson told Zach Braziller of the New York Post. “That’s the crazy thing about this game that makes it frustrating and exciting at the same time.”

The Mets have obviously been a revitalized team since the start of August. They have throttled the Washington Nationals to become kings of the division, they have a rotation they can match up with any in the playoffs and the lineup has not only become respected, but feared as well, and it starts with Granderson at the top of the order.

The Mets are a World Series contender because of their pitching, and now they are looking like a complete club with all the necessary pieces in place. So it can be easy to not realize just how good Granderson has been this year.

Maybe his October stage will come with brighter lights.

All quotes, unless otherwise specified, have been acquired firsthand by Anthony Witrado. Follow Anthony on Twitter @awitrado and talk baseball here.

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The New York Mets are 2-3 in spring training after defeating the Houston Astros 6-2 on March 4. The record holds no bearing on the regular season and expectations are tepid, but fans are excited about the future rotation.

Hope is blossoming in Queens with Noah Syndergaard, Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler projected for full seasons in 2015. The phrase “next year” has long been commonplace for Mets fans, but many are optimistic for next season.

Wheeler pitched three scoreless innings against the Astros. He finished his stellar outing with three strikeouts, two hits and zero walks in 40 pitches.

He dialed up his fastball in the low-to-mid 90s. Wheeler also mixed in off-speed pitches, including a 76 MPH curveball to Jose Altuve in the first inning. His fastball is lethal. If Wheeler can improve his command and master his secondary pitches, particularly the sinking action of his changeup, he will be on the road to stardom.

Wheeler breezed through the first inning with just 10 pitches and weak contact. He had an eight-pitch battle against Jesus Guzman, whom he had a favorable count against before ultimately surrendering a double.

He experimented with a breaking ball outside of the strike zone against L.J. Hoes. Wheeler needs a versatile arsenal in the big leagues because he cannot survive solely on his electric fastball.

Syndergaard is a hot topic following his spring debut on March 3 against the Atlanta Braves. His highlights included a 98 MPH strikeout against Jason Heyward. However, with his performance today, Wheeler reminded fans that Harvey and Syndergaard are not the only pitchers to shout about.

Meanwhile, the Mets had a big first inning against the Astros. Eric Young led off with a walk, Chris Young followed with an RBI-double and Curtis Granderson cleared the bases with a two-run homer. This is one potential Opening Day starting outfield, as Juan Lagares also contends for a spot. 

Granderson ended the day with two no-doubt homeruns. Citi Field won’t evaporate his power if he continues to hit the cover off of the ball like that.

With more than five starters available in the future, Mets fans on Twitter are deliberating which pitchers the team should trade for a power bat, short stop or other need. The Mets bullpen and young hitting prospects have been nothing to rave about, but the rotation is shaping up beautifully.

The biggest return might come from dealing one of the three aces, Jon Niese, Bartolo Colon, Dillon Gee or perhaps a mid-level prospect. Rafael Montero and Jacob deGrom impressed in their spring training debuts. The debate is endless, especially given the front office’s financial woes.

The battle for first base between Ike Davis and Lucas Duda has also been a compelling story line. Neither of them, however, played against the Astros due to minor injuries.

The offense has been inconsistent, scoring four runs in the team’s first-game loss to the Washington Nationals on February 28 and six runs in a win against the Atlanta Braves on March 3. The Mets managed just one run in each game between those two contests—first against the Miami Marlins on March 1 and again versus the St. Louis Cardinals on March 2.

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For the first time in years, the New York Mets spent significant money on free-agent talent during the offseason. Among the expenditures: Curtis Granderson‘s four-year, $60 million deal.

Although Mets fans will have to wait a month for Granderson’s debut at Citi Field, the former Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees star can begin to help transform a poor Mets lineup during the Grapefruit League slate. That schedule began Friday with an exhibition game against the Washington Nationals.

Last year, despite featuring third baseman David Wright’s .390 on-base percentage, the Mets scored only 619 runs and hit just 130 home runs.

Those figures, per ESPN, ranked 23rd and 25th, respectively, in Major League Baseball.

If the Mets are going to morph from a 74-win outfit to a 90-win powerhouse—an attainable goal according to their front office, per John Harper of the New York Daily News—Granderson’s powerful bat and run-scoring ability will be a major part of the turnaround.

Due to long-term injury issues, Granderson’s 2013 was limited to 245 forgettable plate appearances. In 2014, the Mets need their impact addition to profile as the type of performer he was from 2011 to 2012 for the Yankees. 

During those two seasons, Granderson posted averages of 42 home runs, 119 runs scored and 4.2 bWAR.

How did Granderson fare during his first game in a Mets uniform? Here are updates and takeaways from the debut of New York’s newest star.

New Team, New Role

The Grapefruit League is just underway for the Mets, but if the first game is any indication of how manager Terry Collins plans to use his new, expensive outfielder, an adjustment will be necessary for Granderson.

During Granderson’s 10-year career, he’s made just nine starts as a right fielder. Offensively, his name has been penciled into the No. 3 hole in the lineup just 25 times. 

Despite his track record as a center fielder and top-of-the-order hitter, Granderson started the exhibition season as New York’s right fielder and No. 3 hitter.

Defensively, Granderson should be able to adjust without a problem. In reality, as he enters his age-33 season, moving away from the demanding defensive position of center field is a good move for Granderson’s defensive value.

Over the last three years, Granderson was worth a total dWAR (defensive WAR) of minus-0.8 for the Yankees outfield. In other words, he cost the Yankees due to diminishing defense in center field.

Offensively, Granderson can excel by hitting ahead of David Wright in the order. With one of baseball’s best all-around players behind him, pitchers won’t want to pitch around Granderson and put him on base ahead of the dangerous Wright.

If it comes to patience at the plate, Granderson shouldn’t have trouble taking a walk ahead of a talented hitter. During his time with the Yankees, Granderson often hit in the No. 2 hole in the lineup, ahead of impact bats like Robinson Cano, Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez. 

Over the last three years, Granderson’s walk rate hasn’t dipped below 11 percent.

Focus on Timing, Not Health

When considering Granderson’s ability to stay on the field this summer, don’t let his freak injuries—stemming from two separate hit-by-pitch sequences—cloud what he’s been during a long career: one of baseball’s most durable players.

From 2006 to 2012, Granderson played in 1,070 games, averaging 153 per season. Only eight players—Prince Fielder, Adrian Gonzalez, Ichiro Suzuki, Miguel Cabrera, Dan Uggla, Robinson Cano, Michael Young and Jeff Francoeur—topped him in that category, per Baseball-Reference (subscription required).

Among that list of iron men, only Ichiro Suzuki and Jeff Francoeur did it as outfielders. 

Yet, strictly going by games played in 2013, Granderson could be labeled as damaged goods or a question mark heading into this season.

Instead of fretting about his health, pay attention to timing and comfort in the box. Injuries happen, but Granderson lost a major chunk of his free-agent season due to errant pitches. If he’s jumpy in the box or looks uncomfortable early in spring training, it’s something he has to work through. 

Unlike players with hamstring or ankle concerns, Granderson should be a lock for 150 games in 2014.

Performance

When a team shells out $15 million per season for a player, performance isn’t just vital; it supersedes everything.

Granderson’s arrival gave the Mets legitimacy on the free-agent market, but he’ll need to live up to the contract in 2014 and beyond by playing a solid outfield and hitting the cover off the baseball in Queens.

During his first exhibition game, Granderson looked comfortable in right field, easily gliding to a fly ball for an inning-ending out in the top of the third. 

Offensively, Granderson flied to left field in the bottom of the first inning, grounded out to second in the fourth and was removed from the game before a third plate appearance.

Granderson finished the day 0-for-2.

Takeaways

Granderson will be a vital performer for the Mets in 2014. If he hits close to the level of 2011-2012, David Wright will have another middle-of-the-order bat to take the pressure off him and help New York’s offense rise out of the bottom third of league ranks.

Furthermore, the veteran will be looked upon as a leader and one of the faces of the franchise.

During SNY’s broadcast, the Mets broadcast team raved about the type of person that Granderson is around the facility and clubhouse. For a franchise looking to win games and sell tickets, the affable star can be a marketing dream.

What were your impressions of Granderson’s first game in a Mets uniform? Comment, follow me on Twitter or “like” my Facebook page to talk about all things baseball.

Statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted. All contract figures courtesy of Cot’s Baseball Contracts. 

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The New York Mets have been pretty active in free agency this winter. Despite that Matt Harvey will miss the 2014 MLB season rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, Sandy Alderson and the front office are moving ahead with their plan of infusing this roster with productive players to be competitive.

It’s been a painstaking process watching Alderson maneuver his way through the offseason since he joined the organization. Heading into this winter, the biggest free-agent signing he made was bringing in Frank Francisco on a two-year, $12 million deal.

Alderson has changed his tune, keeping his promise that money coming off the books from bad contracts would be reinvested in the major league roster. Not all of the money from the Johan Santana and Jason Bay savings has been spent yet, but New York is showing its willingness to once again hand out multi-year contracts.

Let’s take a look at New York’s report card with the moves it has made so far this offseason.

Statistics and advanced metrics from Baseball Reference and FanGraphs, respectively. Contract information from Cot’s Baseball Contracts. All transactions sourced from Mets.com unless otherwise noted.

Begin Slideshow

Curtis Granderson has a parting shot for the New York Yankees. At least that’s what many people gathered from his press conference that introduced him as a member of the New York Mets on Tuesday:

It’s a small shot at the Yankees and their fans, but it’s one that will be remembered come May 12 when the Mets visit Yankee Stadium.

Here’s a look at some of his comments from the press conference, including his joke concerning the Yankees:

Of course, many New Yorkers didn’t take too kindly to that:

It’s understandable some Yankees’ fans would be angry. After all, he was a player the Yankees thought would help them win another World Series after posting 30 home runs and 20 stolen bases in 2009 with the Detroit Tigers.

However, the Yankees never made it past the ALCS. With Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira and Robinson Cano, a World Series was all but guaranteed with the center fielder. Once in pinstripes, Granderson continued to show his power, although his average suffered.

In his four years in pinstripes, Granderson batted .245, but had 115 home runs and 307 RBI. Over the last three years, Granderson has ranked among the best outfielders in terms of power, according to ESPN’s John Buccigross:

Granderson may have never brought the Yankees a World Series title, but he definitely held his own in the Bronx. In fact, outside of average, he had more home runs than Teixeira (99) and Rodriguez (71), and only two less than Cano (117) over a four-year period.

Now he moves to another borough and another league.

For fans who are angry about the comment, just chalk it up to him trying to please his new home fans. He no longer needs to concern himself with what Yankee fans think of him.

Plus, it’s not like he went to the Boston Red Sox. New York fans would be calling Granderson a traitor if he did what Jacoby Ellsbury did to the Red Sox.

Although the Mets and Yankees are rivals in a sense, they still play in two different leagues. They only play four times in the regular season. They compete for the same fans, but that’s about it.

Granderson’s comment added a little flair to the offseason, but in the end, it will be forgotten until the two games at Yankee Stadium in May. After that, nobody will remember it at all.

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With the New York Post’s Joel Sherman reporting that the New York Mets inked Curtis Granderson to a four-year, $60 million deal, the team is undoubtedly improved heading into the 2014 season. However, if the Mets are unwilling to sacrifice more money or assets this offseason to further improve the major league roster, the deal will be a mistake, as New York will fail to capitalize on Granderson’s prime years.

The front office has long advertised 2014 as the year in which the Mets would start competing. With the Jason Bay and Johan Santana contracts coming off the books, fans have long dreamt of signing an impact outfielder such as Jacoby Ellsbury, Shin-Soo Choo, or Curtis Granderson in the 2013-14 offseason. With Matt Harvey emerging as one of the best pitchers in the National League, contending in 2014 seemed like a tangible possibility if the team had a strong offseason.

Harvey’s Tommy John surgery altered the Mets situation drastically. Heading into 2014 without Harvey, New York’s success depends heavily on the development of young hurlers Zack Wheeler and Jenrry Mejia as well as contributions from prospects Noah Syndergaard and Rafael Montero. The Mets would also need young hitters like Travis d’Arnaud and Juan Lagares to reach their potential if they have any chance at competing for a 2014 playoff spot.

With the still-developing Mets prospects’ seemingly bright futures further down the road, signing Curtis Granderson makes little sense unless the Mets continue to be aggressive this offseason.

As he currently stands as a player, Granderson’s presence on the Mets makes the team better. As a 33-year-old outfielder, the discernible skills Granderson brings to New York are his power and speed. He has struggled with making consistent contact in recent years, batting .231 cumulatively over the past two seasons.

Granderson should significantly improve the Mets for the 2014 season. Outside of David Wright, New York hasn’t had a position player with this much impact potential since the loss of Jose Reyes.

The slugging outfielder has been an elite big leaguer as recently as 2011, when he placed fourth in the MVP race, finishing with 41 home runs, 119 RBI and a .262/.364/.552 slash-line. While his batting average dropped to .232 in 2012, he still hit 43 home runs and was a game-changing talent.

Many baseball experts around the league have lauded the deal for the Mets. ESPN’s Keith Law believes that with New York’s young rotation, this signing immediately improves the Mets outfield and should help them compete in 2015. FanGraphs’ Eno Sarris thinks that Granderson should age gracefully because of his style of play, and that “He fills a desperate need for the Mets, who don’t have great short- or long-term options at his position.”

David Wright was also among those thrilled by the signing, as evidenced by the quote below:

Despite Granderson’s immediate impact on the team and the support behind the signing, the track record for outfielders following their age-33 season is bleak, a topic discussed in depth by Toby Hyde at MetsMinorLeagueBlog.com. Hyde analyzed players with similar skill sets and careers as Granderson heading into the latter stages of their careers, and found that almost universally the players’ WARs decline sharply.

Hyde also analyzed Granderson’s decline heading into this offseason, pointing out the very concerning increase in the outfielder’s strikeout percentage, rising from 19.9 percent in 2009 to over 28 percent in each of the last two seasons. With Granderson already noticeably declining, along with the poor track record of similar players, the chances of him being an above-average regular by the end of the contract are slim.

There is also the question of whether or not Curtis Granderson significantly cures the Mets offensive woes. As Kevin Burkhardt notes, in 2013 New York finished tied for 22nd in runs, 24th in OBP, 29th in slugging percentage and tied for 24th in home runs. They did this with Marlon Byrd in the lineup for most of the season, and Byrd hit .285 with a .518 slugging percentage and 21 home runs.

The Mets can expect slightly more home runs from Granderson than Byrd, with a significantly lower batting average. The Mets offense ranked as low as it did despite Byrd’s career year, and by replacing Byrd’s statistics with Granderson’s marginally better production, the front office made a small dent into the team’s offensive woes.

For fans, the Granderson signing is easy to like. While the Mets have stockpiled pitching talent, their lineup has remained underwhelming despite David Wright’s presence, and Granderson gives New Yorkers a reason to come to Citi Field.

Despite how the deal makes the Mets better in the short term, New York must approach the winter meetings with an aggressive attitude.

Bleacher Report’s Joe Giglio lays out his view of the next steps for the Mets, citing the team’s need for a shortstop, a stable first baseman and a veteran arm. If the Mets fail to improve the team drastically in these areas for the 2014 season either through free agency or trades, the Granderson deal will be a failure, as the Mets need to capitalize on the years of production the slugging outfielder has left.

You can comment below or follow me on Twitter at @s_cunningham718

All statistics are courtesy of Baseball-Reference unless otherwise noted.

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After five consecutive losing seasons, free-agent disasters like Frank Francisco and payroll slashing into mid-market territory, the New York Mets made a splash on Friday morning. According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, ex-Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson is on his way to Queens on a four-year, $60 million deal. 

Just weeks after Mets general manager Sandy Alderson discussed a list of potential outfield targets to WFAN’s Mike Francesa, two have arrived in Citi Field. First, Chris Young came aboard, representing a forward-thinking buy-low move. Now, Granderson creates an even bigger splash for a team desperately needing one.

This was a necessary move for a franchise starved for relevancy, past the slow, methodical payroll purge and close to respectability in the NL East standings. In Granderson, the Mets are adding a legitimate power bat, leader and fourth-place hitter to slot behind David Wright in the everyday lineup.

First, dispel any notion that Granderson’s game was a creation of the friendly dimensions at Yankee Stadium. Throughout his entire career, dating back to his pre-Yankee days in Detroit, Granderson has profiled as a fly-ball hitter. According to FanGraphs, 44.2 percent of the newest Mets outfielder’s batted balls in play are fly balls in his career. 

Unless Granderson’s move was from the Bronx to the Grand Canyon, plenty of those fly balls will find the seats and paying customers in 2014 and beyond. That thought process is buoyed by the noticeable difference in Citi Field’s dimensions and how the park has played since the franchise made the decision to alter the fences after the 2011 season. 

From 2009-11, the first three years of Citi Field’s existence, the stadium was Petco Park east. Over the last two seasons, it’s been in the top half of baseball in home runs hit per game, per ESPN’s Park Factors.

With Granderson in tow, the Mets lineup looks much, much deeper and brighter than it did before Alderson convinced the 32-year-old to join the retooling franchise.  

Of course, there is still work to be done for Alderson and the New York front office. Granderson is an excellent first step, but more will be needed to field a consistent winner at Citi Field. As you can see from that lineup projection, the Mets need to sort their first base logjam, find a capable, everyday shortstop, add a veteran arm and subtract from their excess depth of young, high-end starting pitching to fill a void or two. 

When the winter meetings begin next week in Orlando, the Mets should remain active. 

Granderson’s arrival helps give the Mets relevancy. It doesn’t, however, give the team a pass to pack up shop for the winter.

Soon, the front office will make a decision on the long-term outlook at first base. When assessing the Lucas Duda vs. Ike Davis conundrum, no consensus emerges. Duda possesses better plate discipline, but Davis has a 32-homer campaign under his belt. Alderson shouldn’t truly value one over the other this winter. Neither is a star. Thus, trading the first baseman that brings back the best return is crucial.

At shortstop, the team simply can’t bring back Ruben Tejada to start in 2014. After an injury-plagued and disenchanting 2013, Tejada looks nothing like an everyday shortstop. If Stephen Drew’s market price is within New York’s 2014 budget, he would be a perfect addition. 

Finally, the Mets can’t be afraid to use their young pitching depth in a deal to acquire an everyday offensive player. Despite the loss of Matt Harvey for the 2013 season, Alderson is blessed with rising prospects like Noah Syndergaard and Rafael Montero. If, say, Dillon Gee was coveted in a deal to bring back another everyday outfielder or shortstop, trading from a strength to fill a weakness is a very viable option.

Since debuting as an everyday player in 2006, Curtis Granderson has been a borderline All-Star-caliber player, worth 4.1 WAR per season, per Baseball-Reference. Granderson’s WAR per 650 plate appearances, or, in other words, what he brings to the table when healthy, is 4.5 per season.

The 2013 Mets suffered a fifth straight losing campaign. By inking Granderson, the team took one big step toward breaking that streak. Now, the work left to do will decide if playoff-contending baseball will return to Queens next summer.

Does Granderson make the Mets a contender?

Comment below, follow me on Twitter or “like” my Facebook page to talk all things baseball. 

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