In a perfect world — or at least a world where the agendas of passionate talk-radio callers convert nicely into the logic of sports business — the Mets would have an easy decision to make in the coming months. They would figure a way to get this message across:
“We are open for business. We need a bat. You can have any of our pitchers* in exchange for said bat.”
* Who already have reached their 27th birthday
Yes, in that Utopia, the Mets would find takers for one or all of Bartolo Colon, Jonathon Niese and Dillon Gee, and for that bountiful sum they would acquire a hard-hitting shortstop, a power-hitting left-fielder and David Wright’s mojo, circa 2012 or so.
Ah, but we do not live in a fanciful world, and so Sandy-From-Flushing likely will have to part with one of his kiddie korps of arms who already have shown promise, and in some instances more. And that’s where the trick comes in. Because what you now must do is rate, in order, which one of these names you would be most willing to part with — if not two of these names — if you’re going to get a deal done. Let’s rank them for now in order of perceived value/achievement:
Matt Harvey.
Zack Wheeler.
Jacob deGrom.
Rafael Montero.
Noah Syndergaard.
This is a fun parlor game. It is a fun Sunday-column topic. It is less fun as an order of business for the Mets, because they have worked awfully hard to stockpile talented arms, and though the hope was that multiple of them would show a capacity to get big league outs (and all but Syndergaard have, to varying degrees), having them as trade chits is equally valuable.
But you had better not deal the wrong one, lest he come back to haunt you the way, say, John Smoltz did the Tigers for 20 years.
So who are the anchors for 2015 and behind, and who is the bait for making 2015 and beyond something beyond a young pitchers trade show? It’s impossible to predict with certainty, of course, because for scouts arms, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.
There is, or should be, one certainty: Harvey stays. There is no guarantee the Harvey the Mets get back will be the one who departed 50 weeks ago, but it is clear he is the foundation of who the Mets will be going forward.
The other near-certainty? That should be deGrom, who has shown he has both the stuff and the makeup to succeed in New York.
Wheeler? Lately he has shown an up-tick, and he may well have more raw gifts than any of the others. Montero has started to resume his reputation as a crafty strike-thrower, which is something that was missing during his cameo with the big club. And Syndergaard … well, for all his numbers, it still is hard to forget the reaction of some hard-bitten baseball men who saw him throw last spring.
So who are you willing to part with, then swallow hard and hope it doesn’t blow up on you? Here’s mine, from whom-I’d-deal to who-I wouldn’t: Syndergaard-Montero-Wheeler-deGrom-Harvey. What’s yours? Reach out at vac@nypost.com.
And if Sandy-From-Flushing wants to take part in this fun little parlor game? Come on in! It’s a party!
Whack Back at Vac
Bob Buscavage: Let’s hope the Mets don’t rush Matt Harvey back for meaningless games in September and jeopardize his chances of pitching in meaningful games in 2015.
Vac: I think whatever .00007-percent chance there was of that went out the window when Jeremy Hefner’s arm started barking this week.
Stew Summers: It looks like Kate Upton has taken a few miles an hour off Justin Verlander’s fastball.
Vac: And it looks like he is A-OK with that, lucky fella.
@rf_78: If a predecessor GM to Sandy Alderson had signed Chris Young, Sandy would have cut him in June.
@MikeVacc: Although given how many important Mets remain legacies of that predecessor GM, he probably would’ve been a better player.
Bob Magee: Do fans get a refund if Jeter doesn’t play that day — or just a bad taste in their mouths? Joe Girardi must be thrilled that his hand is forced — in a pennant race — to play Jeter on certain date over a month from now. Sometimes it is simply exhausting being a Yankees fan!
Vac: Maybe it should be required by law that all Yankees fans spend a year as a Mets fan to see how the other half suffers.
Vac’s Whacks
It’s right that it’s Geno Smith’s job to lose with the Jets. But you can already tell Michael Vick is going to give us all at least two or three “holy cow” moments before it’s all said and done.
“Ray Donovan” has come back strong. Very strong.
Carlos Beltran still can swing the bat a little when he’s not buried with Band-Aids, can’t he?
The Cavaliers are going to be a lot more fun to watch this year than even the Heat were.