I could get used to this.
This is pure conjecture on the part of myself, with a little help from the fine folks at Fangraphs, but work with me here. The following things are truths:
- The Mets are short on cash.
- Jose Reyes will be a free agent at the end of this season.
- The Braves have a need a shortstop next this year.
The first option for the Braves acquiring the 27-year old Reyes would be a midseason trade, but with his impending free agency it’d be necessary to sign a long term extension. While the Braves should have some extra cash laying around next season, it’s likely that most of that surplus will go towards the Tommy Hanson/Jason Heyward contract extension piggy bank.
The second option would be to wait for Reyes to hit the open market this offseason and sign him then. The same monetary obstacles would be there, but without the loss of prospects that acquiring him via trade would present.
I’m not saying I think this will happen in a million years, but you have to admit that it would be cool to see the Most Exciting Baseball Player on the Planet with a tomahawk on his chest. If you’ve ever seen Reyes play in person, you know what I’m talking about. A few seasons back, I had seats behind home plate for the home opener vs. the Mets. Reyes smacked a Tim Hudson fastball in the right-center gap and zoomed to third base before the ball even got back to the cut off man. That play was more exhilarating to take in as a spectator than anything you could ever see on a basketball court or a football field. The Braves have had a lot of great players, but not since Rafael Furcal departed have they had a true speedster on the base paths.
Sure, he can’t stay healthy and will probably cost too much — he’s owed $11 million for this season — but I would be in favor of Reyes in Atlanta, if only to stick it to the Mets). How great would it be to have an Uggla/Reyes double play combo? We could just call ourselves the NL East All-Stars at that point.
I’d love to have Reyes but I don’t think the Mets would trade him to a divisional rival, especially the Braves. I think we’re much better served waiting for Lipka/Salcedo/Pastornicky and using one or two pitching prospects to get a real centerfielder. I’m thinking Beachy and/or Delgado for Jay Bruce or Colby Rasmus, maybe even get Grady Sizemore on the super cheap.
Yeah, Sizemore would be a great fit here. I’m just not sure if the SS prospects you mentioned will be ready soon enough. Lipka is only 18 and Salcedo is still super raw. Long term I think shifting Salcedo to 3B makes the most sense both for him and the organization.
Either way I think we can both agree that SS and CF present gaping holes going forward and it’d be nice to bring in an A-lister for one of the two spots.