Jeff Quinton wonders about reports that the Mets might be looking to deal Cliff Floyd for Sammy Sosa. Now, there are two possible ways for me to react to this. One would be to take a rational look at the two players, break down their age, productivity, injury histories and remaining contracts.
I choose the second way. No. The Mets simply need to break their addiction to bringing in expensive old guys. Even if they may be better or cheaper or younger than some other expensive old guys they are shipping out. The first step is recognizing you have a problem. If you can’t dump Floyd’s salary for younger talent, then eat the contract. And Glavine’s, too, and the rest. (I’m OK with keeping Piazza, given the difficulty of replacing him, but Leiter has to go). A GM who can’t stop the importation of old, expensive players simply has no business with this team.
3 thoughts on “Just Say No”
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Isn’t the “importation of old, expensive players” across state lines a federal crime?
Seriously, I suspect Mets management is afraid that fans won’t be patient during rebuilding. Trouble is, by bringing in the social security crowd, they don’t win and they also don’t rebuild.
By the way, as a somewhat casual baseball observer, I knew of Omar Minaya mostly through the story in Moneyball about trying to trade Cliff Floyd to Boston, when Beane tries to persuade Minaya to ask for Youkilis. Sure it’s from Beane’s perspective, but it doesn’t reflect well on Minaya.
— Attila
As a Cubs fan, I would love to see the Cubs get rid of Sammy Sosa. His offensive production has been steadily declining, his defense has always been adequate at best, he’s becoming more injury-prone, he seems impervious to coaching, and he is, by most accounts, a clubhouse cancer. Oh, and he also has $17 million coming in 2005, and if he’s traded, 2006 is guaranteed for (IIRC) $18 million.
I have no idea why the Mets would want Sosa. I don’t know much about Cliff Floyd. I checked his profile at espn.com, and his numbers don’t look all that impressive, but he only made $6.5 million last year. If the rest of his contract isn’t too terrible, the Cubs don’t have to eat too much of Sosa’s last two years, and Floyd is less of a pain in the ass, I’d call it an upgrade for the Cubs.
If this deal happens, it’s further evidence of Jim Hendry’s legendary Jedi Mind Powers.
They ought to diss the stinky black uniforms and hats. Their regular garb is/was very handsome.
The sevenish year cycles, 86-93-00-0? are interesting–how many times do you have to lose your moxie and get old, expensive, sackless, and utterly abhorrent to have it sink in?
Sorry in advance:
Marv Throneberry!