Remember when the Giants traded for Freddy Sanchez? They did it when the Pirates were in town already. The team likes to do that apparently, as they did it with Mike Fontenot and the Cubs, too. They line up the opposing team and ask, "Everyone who has a job with the Cubs, step forward!" and the whole team does, and the Giants are all "Ah, ah, ah -- not so fast, Mike." Then he thinks he's been released, so he's extra happy that he's only been traded. It's actually really clever psychology, and it's probably why the the Giant won the World Series.
So with that in mind, here are three potential Giants/Mets trades that could happen this weekend:
Freddy Sanchez's shoulder and hamstrings, Heath Hembree, and a PTBNL for Jose Reyes's shoulder and hamstrings
Reyes stays in New York, but his healthy shoulder comes here. The Giants will have to absorb the sore hamstrings in the deal, but at least they'll get Freddy Sanchez back on the field. The Mets aren't using Reyes this year for anything but screwing up their 2012 draft pick, and with a bum shoulder, Reyes would be easier to re-sign.
Buster Posey's bad ankle, Thomas Neal, and Miguel Tejada's non-broken back for David Wright's good ankle.
Win-win all around, as the Giants get a healthy Buster Posey back, the Mets get a good outfield prospect, and Wright's back heals. Tejada will be without a back, but there's always the potential that the Giants could call up Darren Ford's back to fill in.
Noah Lowry for Lastings Milledge
LOOK. The Giants aren't going ANYWHERE, and if they can get a TOP PROSPECT for Lowry, they need to JUMP ON THAT.
So don't be surprised if one of those happens. Also, look for a Carlos Beltran-for-Santiago Casilla trade because I want one.
Little known facts about the Mets:
- They're two games above .500
- Everyone on their team has been on the disabled list twice in the past week
- Pat Misch made six appearances for them this year
- They employ Scott Hairston
- Backup catcher Ronny Paulino is a) hitting .325/.367/.408, b) a former Giant, though was only with the team for a few minutes
- The prospect the Giants got for Paulino is actually having a nice year in A and AA.
That last thing wasn't a fact about the Mets, but it was included to tempt anyone from the Mets who might be reading this. If Correa was good enough for Paulino once, he's good enough for him again.
And really, I'd love Beltran (even though I have no idea who the Giants would sit in order to play him), and I'd love Reyes (though there's no way the Giants can cough up enough prospects, and the Mets probably aren't going to trade him anyway), but Paulino is addition that makes a ton of sense. Heck, he already knows the pitching staff from when he was a Giant, right?
So if this series is about two things, it's that the Mets are better than you remember, and that this is a chance to ghoulishly look over their roster for scraps that we might want. There's a chance that the Mets might even part with Jason Bay, but only for the right package, like Miguel Tejada, Aaron Rowand, and -$5 million.
Hitter to watch
Angel Pagan's career kind of eerily mirrors Andres Torres's career. Here's how center fielders should plan their career path: Float through the minors discreetly, have the Cubs give up you, play outstanding defense, and hit more than anyone ever thought you would. Easy.
Pitcher to watch
Chris Capuano is actually a viable starting pitcher again after being out of the game for a couple of years before resurfacing last season. He's like Jonathan Sanchez in just about every way except he throws soft stuff for strikes. Really, slight and minor differences. They're easy to get confused.
Prediction
At some point, someone mentions a possible Giants/Reyes trade on KNBR. If it's a caller, they'll be willing to give up Manny Burriss in the right deal.