So Long, Kaz
On Friday I mentioned a report by Ken Rosenthal at Foxsports.com about the possibility that the Mets would trade Kazuo Matsui to the Colorado Rockies for Eli Marrero. On Staurday morning I opened up the newspaper to see that Ken’s report was spot on.
I must admit to having been skeptical of the report because of salary implications and my thinking that the Mets don’t really need a guy like Marrero who’s been playing mostly first base and outfield. Once Xavier Nady comes off the DL, which could be any day now (he’s eligible to come off on Tuesday), Marrero’s talents will be superfluous. They already have depth at first base with Carlos Delgado starting and Julio Franco backing him up. The outfield is likely to be crowded too with Carlos Beltran, Cliff Floyd, Nady and Lastings Milledge. So what does this trade really bring the Mets? Two things.
- A third catcher. The Mets have been in situations this year where both Paul Lo Duca and Ramon Castro have been used in a game. In those situations you have to be thinking about who you have left to use at catcher in case whoever is back there gets hurt. The names I’ve heard thrown out there by Mets brodcasters have been Delgado and David Wright. Mets management could not have been too comfortable with either of those two sitting behind the plate. The acquisition of Marrero, who manager Willie Randolph has already said is the 25th guy on the roster, gives them someone to play back there in those situations but, with the ability to play other positions, gives them someone to use in other places late in long games.
- A break from matsui. The Matsui signing has been a thorn in the side of Mets management from almost day one. Even though it was a different front office that signed him Matsui’s poor performance and high salary has dogged Omar Minaya.Though his salary is still around (Minaya had to agree to cover Matsui’s remaining salary for this season to make the trade) Matsui is not. That gives the Mets one more roster spot for a guy like Marrero, a typre of player who otherwise would not be able to stay on the roster.
Overall this is not a bad trade for the Mets. It doesn’t help them financially but it does help with some roster flexibility and they also get a player back which they would not have gotten had they waited for Matsui’s contract to run out after the season.
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