If we've learned nothing in the past year or two, it's that everyone in Flushing has their head up their butt, or someone else's for that matter.  What else would begin to explain the team trading a relief pitcher and committing $2 million to Gary Matthews Jr.?  Nothing, that's what.  Once upon a time, Matthews put together a career year, made a ridiculous catch (easily, the catch of that year) and finagled a 5 year, $50 million contract from the Angels.  Some steroid allegations we're made and let's be honest the man has fallen off the statistically positive face of the earth.

From Rob Neyer:

Purely in terms of value, the Mets have given up something for nothing. 

Brian Stokes is nobody's idea of a star, but he's cheap and he's got a 3.82 ERA in the National League. 

Gary Matthews essentially forced Bill James to invent Loss Shares. 

Yes, that's a joke. Bill started thinking about Loss Shares long before Matthews signed his $50 million contract with the Angels. But according to Wins Above Replacement, in the first three years of that five-year deal, Matthews has been worth negative $5.2 million. 

Perhaps I was too kind. One might argue that the Mets just gave up something for lessthan nothing.

It's a classic Mets acquisition!  Yes, $2 million is nothing to a big market team to the Mets, but why waste it?  Why not sign someone on the market for a quarter of that who might actually play at the level of a replacement player instead of costing the team even more money than you're paying him!  Omar Minaya's expiration date just jumped up a few days, if not weeks.

Comments (7)

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written by Mets Next GM, January 26, 2010

as you said this is pocket change for the mets, and stokes has shown signs of.. decency..but that's about it...Jr. will spray some hits here and there from the back of the order and provide sufficient defense until beltran returns...my mets give you enough to rag on but i think you're just digging here

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written by will.H, January 26, 2010

sarge jr. is no sarge sr. at the plate.

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written by team2beatmike, January 26, 2010

i don't know if it's digging when you look at the fact that he's not a serviceable bench player at all. he's worse than the average replacement player -- markedly so. if Gary Matthews is playing for you, he's a serious detriment to your team.

as far as defensively, he's terrible at that too. to quote buster olney, here are some UZR stats the past three years:
2007: -12.2 (88th of 10
2008: -13.7 (94th of 112)
2009: -24.6 (109th of 115)
if you're a Mets fan you have to pray that:
a. he starts juicing (again?)
or
b. he never sees the light of day

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written by team2beatmike, January 26, 2010

my apologies for the smiley, that was accidental

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written by jerseybuc, January 26, 2010

keep moving......nothing to see here folks........Omar the great has said he hopes that Pagan wins the early battle in the spring for centerfielder til Beltran returns in May. Mets traded a not so young middle reliever for a veteran OF to fill an injury need short term.
Started 46 games in center for a playoff team last year. He isn't Beltran, but then again neither is Victorino. He will be the 4th OF at best by Memorial Day. Unless of course Beltran is hurt worse than we think.

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written by will.H, January 27, 2010

"He isn't Beltran, but then again neither is Victorino"
=====
young, healthy and ring-ey?

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written by will.H, January 27, 2010

mike, unless you thought 2007 was really, really cool

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