The Only Way Sip Can Accept A-Rod
(I'm going to come at you guys with a little Knicks preview later in the week. In brief, my feelings haven't changed. This team is no better than last year's and the rest of the league is better. You know what that means for Sip.)
Happy Will usually sends out about 93 emails a week talking about the Mets. A bunch of my other buddies respond and every once in a while I'll chime in.
But this A-Rod talk actually riled me up. A bunch of my buddies really want him. Here's my take.
I can't root for a team with A-Rod and Carlos Beltran on it. We already won the free agent sweepstakes in 2004. Win it again in 2007 and I feel like we are cheating the game. I don't want to turn into the Yankees of 2000-2003.
Salary wise, It used to be the Yankees and then every one else. Then it became the Yankees and then the Red Sox and then everyone else. Do you notice how America all of a sudden hates Boston.
I think there is a huge difference between acquiring a player via trade and signing him. In trade, you have to give up something valuable to your franchise. You are giving something to get something. In Free Agency, you give up a draft pick or two. I just feel guilty signing A-Rod, in that respect.
Then there is the hatred factor.
Didn't we just spend the last four years actually hating this guy. I mean all out despising this guy. How can we as Mets fans be so quick to embrace our enemy? This isn't 2001 anymore. The concept of Shea-Rod is no longer romantic to me.
But then there is the "F You" to the Yankees factor.
Stealing A-Rod from the Yankees would be nice. Winning with A-Rod would also be kind of nice in that the Yankees couldn't do it and he was always blamed. But as I said before, I can't see the Mets become the Red Sox. I don't want to be 1A or 1B. I want this team to do everything they can to maintain their Upper West Side values.
So here is my solution
We trade Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado to the Dodgers for some mega package built around James Loney. Names like Matt Kemp, Jonathan Broxton and Chad Billingsley would be included as well as a number of lower level prospects.
Then we sign A-Rod.
Why it works for the Mets:
We get younger and better. Our lineup with A-Rod and Loney is better than a lineup with Beltran and Delgado. Then we get some more parts. All while really keeping salary exactly the same, swapping one superstar for another.
We can turnaround and package one our young outfielders(Milledge, Gomez, Kemp) to the Giants in a package for Noah Lowry or Tim Lincecum. They are looking for young bats, us young arms. We are ideal trade partners.
Carlos Delgado serves as the Mike Lowell in the Beckett deal. A pure salary dump. The guy is just not a $13 million player anymore.
Not to mention that Beltran, injuries and all is making nearly $80 mil over the next 4 years. This is the time so sell in that respect.
Why it works for the Dodgers:
There is a lot of pressure in LA to win now. Brad Penny and Derek Lowe aren't getting any younger. And this team just brought in Joe Torre for the present, not to rebuild. In acquiring Beltran you get a player widely considered to be a top 5 player in the game. The Dodgers desperately seek a middle of the order impact hitter and in Beltran they are getting a player in the heart of his prime.
You could sell this deal to your fan base. You are not acquiring a 34-year old star. You are getting a 30-year old.
In Delgado they get a short term fix at 1b but still a guy that the Dodgers would immediately slot in the cleanup spot.
Add Beltran and Delgado to their lineup and this team is immediately a powerhouse in the National League. And they will have Beltran locked up for four more years.
Conclusion
This is about the only way I can stomach the Mets acquiring A-Rod and is also completely based upon A-Rod's desire to be a Met. I just can't root for a team that is a spectacular compilation of free agent acquisitions. It's not pure. Say what you want about the state of baseball and how the Mets wouldn't be breaking the rules, but I didn't want to win like that.
When the Mets win that first championship, whenever that may be, I want to pound a few lagers with AFOMG and be proud of the team we had on the field.
I can't root for an all-star team.
So here is how we dance.
Vaya,
Sip
(Pics courtesy of bostonsportshub.com, mlblogs.com, sportsnetwork.com)
Happy Will usually sends out about 93 emails a week talking about the Mets. A bunch of my other buddies respond and every once in a while I'll chime in.
But this A-Rod talk actually riled me up. A bunch of my buddies really want him. Here's my take.
I can't root for a team with A-Rod and Carlos Beltran on it. We already won the free agent sweepstakes in 2004. Win it again in 2007 and I feel like we are cheating the game. I don't want to turn into the Yankees of 2000-2003.
Salary wise, It used to be the Yankees and then every one else. Then it became the Yankees and then the Red Sox and then everyone else. Do you notice how America all of a sudden hates Boston.
I think there is a huge difference between acquiring a player via trade and signing him. In trade, you have to give up something valuable to your franchise. You are giving something to get something. In Free Agency, you give up a draft pick or two. I just feel guilty signing A-Rod, in that respect.
Then there is the hatred factor.
Didn't we just spend the last four years actually hating this guy. I mean all out despising this guy. How can we as Mets fans be so quick to embrace our enemy? This isn't 2001 anymore. The concept of Shea-Rod is no longer romantic to me.
But then there is the "F You" to the Yankees factor.
Stealing A-Rod from the Yankees would be nice. Winning with A-Rod would also be kind of nice in that the Yankees couldn't do it and he was always blamed. But as I said before, I can't see the Mets become the Red Sox. I don't want to be 1A or 1B. I want this team to do everything they can to maintain their Upper West Side values.
So here is my solution
We trade Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado to the Dodgers for some mega package built around James Loney. Names like Matt Kemp, Jonathan Broxton and Chad Billingsley would be included as well as a number of lower level prospects.
Then we sign A-Rod.
Why it works for the Mets:
We get younger and better. Our lineup with A-Rod and Loney is better than a lineup with Beltran and Delgado. Then we get some more parts. All while really keeping salary exactly the same, swapping one superstar for another.
We can turnaround and package one our young outfielders(Milledge, Gomez, Kemp) to the Giants in a package for Noah Lowry or Tim Lincecum. They are looking for young bats, us young arms. We are ideal trade partners.
Carlos Delgado serves as the Mike Lowell in the Beckett deal. A pure salary dump. The guy is just not a $13 million player anymore.
Not to mention that Beltran, injuries and all is making nearly $80 mil over the next 4 years. This is the time so sell in that respect.
Why it works for the Dodgers:
There is a lot of pressure in LA to win now. Brad Penny and Derek Lowe aren't getting any younger. And this team just brought in Joe Torre for the present, not to rebuild. In acquiring Beltran you get a player widely considered to be a top 5 player in the game. The Dodgers desperately seek a middle of the order impact hitter and in Beltran they are getting a player in the heart of his prime.
You could sell this deal to your fan base. You are not acquiring a 34-year old star. You are getting a 30-year old.
In Delgado they get a short term fix at 1b but still a guy that the Dodgers would immediately slot in the cleanup spot.
Add Beltran and Delgado to their lineup and this team is immediately a powerhouse in the National League. And they will have Beltran locked up for four more years.
Conclusion
This is about the only way I can stomach the Mets acquiring A-Rod and is also completely based upon A-Rod's desire to be a Met. I just can't root for a team that is a spectacular compilation of free agent acquisitions. It's not pure. Say what you want about the state of baseball and how the Mets wouldn't be breaking the rules, but I didn't want to win like that.
When the Mets win that first championship, whenever that may be, I want to pound a few lagers with AFOMG and be proud of the team we had on the field.
I can't root for an all-star team.
So here is how we dance.
Vaya,
Sip
(Pics courtesy of bostonsportshub.com, mlblogs.com, sportsnetwork.com)
posted by Sippy Momo at 9:00 PM
4 Comments:
And what position does A-Rod play????
too much nonsense. wright 3b, a-rod ss, reyes 2b, delgado 1b. if reyes can move for kaz then he can move for a-rod. its all about the ring, isn't it?
shut up anonymous. im frustrated with this whole talk and you just annoyed me.
Reyes is gold glove caliber. He really pissed me off this year with his tim teufel shakin in the batters box. why not let ARod play first base he is 8 years older than anyone else in the infield. If his bitsch azz comes, which i dont really want. Let anderson hernandez bat 8th and play 2B for $700,000.
ARod should move to first... that would be the best move.
I think Delgado to baltimore makes more sense. They need a 1b, and we need their catcher... seems like a good change of scenery situation for both teams.
Delgado cost more this year, but hernandez is signed for an extra year.
Then yeah... have AHern play 2b and bat 8th.
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