The acquisitions signaled the end of Daniel Murphy’s long tenure with the Mets and gave the team two capable 30-year-old switch-hitters who should add stability to the middle infield.
Walker is an equivalent hitter to Murphy and a better defensive player. Cabrera should be an upgrade over Wilmer Flores and Ruben Tejada, who shared the position in 2015. Cabrera, who agreed to a two-year contract reportedly worth about $18 million, hit 15 home runs in each of the last four seasons.
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Manager Terry Collins will be able to use Flores as a backup at three positions — third base, shortstop and second base — and mix and match his lineup depending on the pitcher, as he did last season once the Mets had acquired the veteran infielders Kelly Johnson and Juan Uribe.
The Mets agreed to a two-year deal with Asdrubal Cabrera. Credit Charles Krupa/Associated Press
Shortly after the Walker deal was officially announced, the Mets’ conference room was raucous and celebratory.
“A guy we had on our shortlist but didn’t know if he’d be available,” said John Ricco, the Mets’ assistant general manager, who was surrounded by smiling staff members. “We view him as a real positive alternative to the deal we were looking to do the other day. He fits on a lot of different levels. Switch-hitter. Has got some power. Real good fit for our team.”
The Mets had reason to celebrate. In acquiring Walker, they traded from an area of depth (starting pitching), addressed a dire need (replacing the free agent Murphy) and gave themselves much more financial and roster flexibility than if they had signed Zobrist to the deal he reached with the Chicago Cubs: $56 million for four years.
Of the three players the Mets openly considered acquiring or reacquiring as their second baseman, Walker is four years younger than Zobrist and probably cheaper than Murphy. Walker is expected to make around $10 million through arbitration and will become a free agent after next season.
Walker is a better defender than Murphy, and although Murphy may hit for a higher average, Walker has more power. Last season, he recorded a .269 batting average, 51 extra-base hits and a .989 fielding percentage, the fifth-best mark among National League second basemen.
“Very dependable, reliable defensively at second base,” Pirates General Manager Neal Huntington said Wednesday before the deal became official. “Makes the outs that he’s supposed to make. Hangs in on the pivot. Very professional left-handed hitter. Obviously a hometown favorite.”
Huntington then smiled, knowing the backlash he would receive from Pirates fans. Born and raised in Pittsburgh and a career-long Pirate, Walker had become one of the faces of the franchise. But in the last year or so, negotiations for a contract extension stalled, and Huntington started looking to deal him.
Walker was running errands, having a “normal day,” as he put it, when his agent called him to let him know he might be traded to the Mets. Walker turned on MLB Network when he got home and was stunned to see his name on television.
“It’s definitely been a whirlwind day,” Walker said on a conference call. Asked if the Pirates were ever close to reaching an agreement on an extension, he said: “Uh, no. To put it plainly.”
For the Mets, too, it was an emotional deal. Niese and Murphy were both drafted by the Mets, made their big league debuts in 2008 and endured six consecutive losing seasons before finally reaching the World Series.
“A true pro,” Collins said of Niese. “And Dan, the same thing. They helped us even when things were tough here. They were two guys who stood out and played well for us. It’s always hard to lose guys you’ve become friends with.”
greensleeves 2 hours ago
I will miss Murphy. A lot. In a fairer world he would be a lifelong Met. He got us through an amazing playoff run with a power streak for...
Brian P 2 hours ago
The corner infield slots are weak defensively but probably won't change (I hope David gets better, hate to see him this way), so it is...
Brad 2 hours ago
One additional comment about Cabrera. Yesterday, Steve Phillips on MLB Radio said that he didn't understand the move because Cabrera has...
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With his play this postseason, Murphy outperformed what the Mets were willing to pay him. And with the Mets’ pitching depth, Niese had simply become expendable.
Ricco said the Mets could use Logan Verrett, Rafael Montero or Sean Gilmartin as their fifth starter until Zack Wheeler returned from Tommy John surgery, around midseason.
Or the Mets could re-sign Bartolo Colon, a 42-year-old veteran who has told the team he is also open to relieving.
Because Walker is making about the same amount as Niese would have, Ricco indicated that the Mets could use the money they did not spend on Zobrist to fill other needs: a center fielder, a few relief pitchers and veterans to fill out their bench and lengthen their lineup.
But saving money does not mean they will splurge on Yoenis Cespedes, their star free-agent outfielder, who is seeking a six-year deal worth more than $100 million.
The sequence of events in the last two days called to mind what happened at the trading deadline, when the Mets traded for Cespedes soon after their deal for Carlos Gomez collapsed.
“You get a little déjà vu from midseason,” Ricco said. “As I think Sandy Alderson pointed out then, I think we did learn something from that, in terms of not letting it get you too far down, because that’s the nature of the game. Things evolve. You just have to keep at it.”
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/10/sports/baseball/new-york-mets-jon-niese-neil-walker-asdrubal-cabrera-daniel-murphy-trade.html?_r=0
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