PHOENIX – The Mets’ early read this offseason is they are more likely to solve their corner outfield cravings via a trade than free agency and they are now more likely to retain Daniel Murphy than deal him.
Of course, it is still early in the process and the Mets are still very much in information-gathering mode. The General Managers Meetings was just beginning officially Monday. However, the combination of small inventory and high prices has the Mets leery about the free-agent outfield market.
They have, for example, scouted Cuban outfielder Yasmany Tomas and are intrigued by him, but one club official said the team’s scouts “did not love him,” certainly not enough to make an investment that could reach $100 million or more.
The Mets were worried last year about Nelson Cruz’s ability to handle Citi Field’s vast outfield defensively and – even with moved-in fences – nothing will change there. Melky Cabrera is intriguing but – like Cruz – has a Biogensis past and is likely to get at least a three-year deal without having the power the Mets crave.
Mets officials had done enough legwork before the GM Meetings to know trade talk is thick, fueled in part by six teams changing GMs and the new person in charge wanting to make changes.
The Braves, for example, now under John Hart, are willing to talk Jason Heyward and Justin Upton, both of whom are free agents after the 2015 season. But they would be hesitant to move either within the NL East.
With a newly renovated front office, the Dodgers – as Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports first reported – are open to moving Carl Crawford, Andre Ethier or even Matt Kemp. But a person who has spoken to the Dodgers said there is a sliding scale of whom the team want to trade most (Ethier and Crawford over Kemp) and what they would want back to move Kemp.
But as an NL executive said, “This is the time of year of outrageous prices on both free agents and trades. It takes awhile for everyone to get more realistic.”
As for Murphy, the Mets will still listen on him, in part because he will earn about $8 million in his final season of arbitration before free agency. However, the Mets were underwhelmed by what they were offered in deals last year and there certainly has not been a frenzy yet to obtain him so far.
The Mets might value his sure offense over the piece they could get back in return, especially because they are comfortable giving Dilson Herrera and Matt Reynolds more minor league seasoning.