R.A Dickey trade sets New York Mets up for worst performance in 2013 Major League season-MLB Part 1
The hurler, who was responsible for 20 out of the total 74 wins that the New York Mets recorded in the 2012 regular season, is gone. Along with him, the chances for possible improvements in record during the upcoming season have also gone.
The General Manager for the Toronto Blue Jays, Alex Anthopoulos, knows that he has attained a gem in the form of R.A Dickey.
"Clearly, he won the Cy Young. He's pitched like one the last three years," Anthopoulos said. "I think he doesn't get the credit and the respect he deserves because of his age and because of what he does throw. And I understand it's so rare. But there's
so much overwhelming data and evidence to point to him continuing this success. He's gotten better every single year."
Instead of expecting the Mets to go beyond 74 victories, it is safer to believe in the current context that they will not meet their last season record, let alone surpassing it.
The trade of Dickey has not ensured the Mets some established Major Leaguers. Instead, the players acquired are the Minor League prospects, who will take some time before they are ready to appear in the big league.
That makes the Mets' situation miserable, as far as their 2013 season expedition is concerned.
They have lost their ace. To make matters worse, Johan Santana is not in a position to replace Dickey during the next season and perform as consistently as the latter did.
Though he is capable, his age coupled with the fact he is not a knuckleballer gives evidence that he is fast turning into a mediocre major league pitcher for the team.
Reflections of Santana’s decline were visible in the games that he started during 2012. He was failing miserably to assert the reputation of being a spearhead of the Mets’ pitching department.
Santana is at such a stage of his career where he is prone to injuries, which means he cannot help the Mets’ rotation throughout the season.
With Santana fast losing significance for the team, the Mets’ officials cannot sit comfortably until they have acquired some reliable arms for the rotation.
Through the trade with the Blue Jays involving Dickey, they obtained a top pitching prospect of them, namely Noah Syndergaard.
However, the fact of the matter is Syndergaard has yet to prove himself at the major league level. Until he does so, the Mets will remain without an arm in their rotation for the 2013 season.
What is even more worrisome for the Mets is the fact that they have not added an outfielder on the roster as yet. They could not attain a reliable outfielder from the Blue Jays in the trade.
It is perplexing to realise that the reason why Dickey was traded has not been fulfilled.
All through the offseason, the outfield was the area that the Mets looked conscious about.
(To be Continued in Part 2....)
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