EVEN IN a down season, Robin Ventura was better than Scott Brosius in 2001.
Even in a down season, David Justice would have been the shining light of the Met outfield.
Thus, the New York teams maneuvered to potentially turn their problems into the other’s solution. Ventura became the Yankee third baseman and Justice became a Met corner outfielder.
Both GMs, Steve Phillips of the Mets and Brian Cashman, said the right things about the declining thirtysomething players they traded having plenty left to be factors in 2002.
However, the reality is both have doubts about the fragile men or else no way do they risk the relentless New York nightmare that would come – if say – Justice hit 35 homers while Ventura hit the end of the road.
The Mets were stunned at how poorly Ventura moved after grounders late in the year and always wondered about his commitment to off-season conditioning while the Yanks worried about almost every part of Justice’s body, including a mind they thought was distracted by a palimony suit.
If both players perform as woefully in 2002 as they did last season, it is advantage Yanks because they can more easily survive that.
Even a diminished Ventura has more power and patience and an equal defensive ability to Brosius. The Yanks like that Drew Henson now gets more time at Triple-A, but is available if Ventura is miserable.
The Mets are desperate for outfield production since their top two homer-hitting outfielders – Tsuyoshi Shinjo (10) and Jay Payton (eight) – combined for as many as Justice’s 18, and cannot afford to have Justice replicate .241 and 51 RBIs.
The Yanks had three possible trades for Justice going into Thursday night. One was a three-way in which the Mets would have gotten Ray Lankford, the Padres Justice and the Yanks Ventura. The other was to send Justice to Oakland for prospects.
But they decided not to go with Enrique Wilson as their primary third baseman. The deal also reiterates the Yanks’ utter commitment to returning to their patient hitting ways. Despite hitting .237, Ventura drew 88 walks, 10 more than Yankee leader Bernie Williams. Also, by dealing Justice, the Yanks have fully opened the DH slot for Nick Johnson.
For the Yanks, who expect their payroll to remain the same $115 million as last season, this is essentially money neutral.
Justice is due $7 million in 2002 and Ventura $8.25 million, but had they kept Justice the Yanks were going to spend at least the $1.25 million difference in their salaries on one of three platoon mates for Wilson: Craig Paquette, Jose Vizcaino (who has signed with Houston) or, most likely, Randy Velarde. The Mets outright save $1.25 million as Phillips tries to find every nickel to address the offense.
With the additions of Ventura and Steve Karsay and the seemingly inevitable securing of Jason Giambi, the Yanks now focus on an outfielder.
They will see if the asking prices fall for free agents Moises Alou, Johnny Damon, Juan Gonzalez or Rondell White. At the winter meetings, which begin tomorrow in Boston, Cashman will inquire about Darrin Erstad, Cliff Floyd and Gary Sheffield.
Interestingly, Phillips will be in almost the exact same mode on all those outfielders.
But he kept repeating this trade provided “flexibility.” Indeed, the Mets can now look at third base with Colorado’s Jeff Cirillo very available and the pipedream of Scott Rolen.
Or, though they prefer not to, they could switch Edgardo Alfonzo to third and pursue a second baseman.
They crave Cleveland’s Roberto Alomar, but there appears no match. Perhaps a leadoff option is more possible such as St. Louis’ Fernando Vina or Florida’s Luis Castillo.
The Mets also recognize the trade market was wider for Justice than Ventura, and many major league executives expect Justice to be dealt again so the Mets can save enough money to pursue a more desirable free-agent outfielder such as Gonzalez
A former employer of Justice called him a “master of the first impression” and the Mets hope if they keep him he will be as eager to please and succeed as he was in his first year with the Indians and Yanks.
For whatever it is worth, Justice is a .221 career hitter at Shea, Ventura .213 at Yankee Stadium. It is more bad baggage that each is bringing across the Triborough.
You didn’t think the New York teams – the best of enemies – were going to wait eight years to trade and give perfect players to each other, did you?