12/22/12

In Search For An Outfielder – Arizona Diamondbacks



So far, we have identified two outfielders on two teams ripe for picking:

                Atlanta – Reed Johnson
Baltimore – Nolan Reimold
                Boston – Jerry Sands

I spend no time here trying to figure out who to trade them or whether the Mets should just keep checking the waiver wire each day to see if my choice becomes available. All I do here is try to duplicate, for you, what I assume someone (with a VP on his business card) is doing in the Mets office this week.

We now move on to Arizona, where there are currently eight (8) outfielders on the 40-man… far too many:


                Keon Broxton – bats right – 2012/A+ - 19-HR, 62-RBI
Adam Eaton – pre-ARB – 2012-MLB: 85-AB, .259 (#6 prospect) -
Eric Hinske – signed $1.35/2013
Jason Kubel – FA 2014 – 2012-MLB: 506-AB, .253
Alfredo Marte – bats right – pre-ARB -  AA: 20-HRs – protected from Rule 5
Gerardo Parra – ARB-2 – 2012-MLB: 385-AB, .273
A.J. Pollack – bats right – pre-ARB -  2012-MLB: 81-AB, .247 (#7 prospect)
Justin Upton – bats right - $9,958,333/2013, $14.458mil/2014, $14,708mil/2015 – 2012: .280


We know all the talk about moving Upton. I honestly don’t think the Mets are afraid of taking on this contract, especially since it actually is relatively cheap in relationship to Upton’s talent. His special relationship with David Wright would make this magical. The problem is who would the Mets offer? This would cost the Mets either Wheeler, Harvey, or d’Arnaud and that’s just not going to happen.

So, for now, Upton, Kubel, and Parra are everyday starters and the recent addition of Hinske sets him up for the 4th outfielder. Eaton will get first shot at replacing Kubel in 2014, which leaves the righty Pollack for the Mets to target into:

(Update...  OF Cody Ross has signed a 3-year deal with Arizona, which just makes things more crowded here. Kubel will probably be traded, but I don't see the Mets wanting someone that goes FA in a year...)

Mets Target:  A.J. Pollack – 1st round pick in 2009 out of the University of Notre Dame…  MLB ready… will play 2013 as a 25-year old…  lifetime .303 minor league batting average… 67 stolen bases in 2 ½ seasons… natural CFer… only 5 professional errors (.992 CF fielding percentage).

5 comments:

David Rubin said...

Apparently Jerry Sands has been identified as going from Boston to Pittsburgh in the Joel Hanrahan deal just now.

Mack Ade said...

told ya he was a good one... :)

David Rubin said...

I liked him when he was Dodger property, and was disappointed that he never got a chance out here.

Mack Ade said...

sounds like a platoon deal at 1B

John said...

What do you think Pollock might cost the mets? Parnell?