By Thomas Saladino, NJ.com fan bloggerNJ.comFollow1Tweet
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John Munson/The Star-Ledger Sandy Alderson is surveying the landscape of the National League East. His "asset" may have a direct hand in shaping its outcome.July may be still a little too early for the Mets to be thinking about playing the role of spoiler. However, Sandy Alderson and company may be finding themselves on the verge of doing just that. On the flip side, with playing the role of spoiler, the Mets may also perhaps find themselves playing the role of facilitator. In doing both, the asset dubbed, "the best player available on the trade market" still currently sits as a member of the Met roster, a mere 5 days out from Major League Baseball's busiest day.
No need to divulge too deep as to who exactly that asset is, but yes, his name is Carlos Beltran. With Beltran, the Mets currently have the "best" of something and with their asset; the Mets seem to be holding the fate of the National League East within their hands. After all, it is no secret that both the Phillies and the Braves are serious contenders for Beltran's services.
Yuck! The Phillies or the Braves? Why would the Mets help either team win an Eastern Division title and perhaps more? Well, to be 1,000th person to point this out, trading Carlos Beltran is not about rivalries as much as it is about business. Yes, there are other teams who are getting involved with the trade talks, but Carlos Beltran has made his preference to stay within the National League east very clear. So while the Mets are reportedly getting turned away from teams like the San Francisco Giants in asking for prospects like Zack Wheeler and Brandon Belt, it is also very important to remember that Carlos Beltran holds the key to his very own trade within the stipulations of his player contract. Even if the Mets get the very best possible deal, Beltran can—and perhaps will—nix any deal to any team who he does not feel to be deserved of his services.
With that, first and foremost it is my opinion that Carlos Beltran wants to win. Beltran has previously tasted World Series play and would like nothing more than to get back there. It is also in my opinion that the two strongest teams in the National League play within the Mets' division. Hence, it is only fitting that Beltran would not only approve a trade to the Phillies or the Braves, he is currently welcoming it.
Consequently, the addition of Carlos Beltran to either of those teams instantly makes that team the favorite in the division. Why? Plain and simple, assuming that prospects are all that is dealt to the Mets in return, both of those teams on the Major League level would be better than they were the day before they dealt for Beltran. Both the Phillies and the Braves are aware of this and both teams have been in discussion with Alderson. This exact scenario could actually find itself working in the Mets favor in terms of Alderson getting the best return possible.
Why is that? Well, from a competition standpoint, if it becomes clear that the Phillies are emerging as the frontrunners for Beltran's services, and the Braves feel as though they can beat the Phillies deal with a player such as a Mike Minor, then from a winning and business standpoint, why wouldn't the Braves seriously entertain that scenario? Sure it is never preferable to lose your organization's prized prospect for an unsigned player, however the decision to entertain that scenario must be exercised, especially if the fate of a divisional, league, or world championship, rides on what is added or not added at the trade deadline. In that regard, the road to the National League East may go directly through Queens.
As a lifelong Met fan, do I believe that the Mets will be able to reel in a prospect like a Zack Wheeler, Mike Minor, or Domonic Brown for a 2 month Carlos Beltran rental? Honestly...no. However, I do believe that there are deals to be made with both the Phillies and the Braves. And to reiterate a little piece of what I touched upon in my last post, taking any piece of either team's farm, regardless of the player's value or rank within the organization's farm system, could potentially set the Mets up to be a few steps ahead of both teams in a few years from now. After all, that is what competition is all about.
Dealing Beltran within the division would be smart competition, even if you play a direct hand in helping one of your rivals win a championship.
Let the competition begin...
follow Thomas Saladino on Twitter: @thomassaladino Related topics: Braves, carlos beltran, mets, national league east, phillies, Sandy Alderson, trading deadline
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OhioMetFanJuly 27, 2011 at 12:18PMFollowPlease take a basic English grammar course, this blog is very hard to read as written.
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