The New York Mets made a nice little splash at the mostly quiet winter meetings with the signing of Bartolo Colon and with the team departing Florida already, deals for Ike Davis and Daniel Murphy are still in play and teams like the To Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays or Pittsburgh Pirates could be options.
The Mets have reportedly been shopping both Davis and Murphy as well as Lucas Duda, but general manager Sandy Alderson stated that he will not simply give Davis away to a team. The Rays and Pirates as well as the Brewers all are lacking at first base and with the Mariners picking up Logan Morrison and Corey Hart, that area is getting thin and that makes Davis attractive. Davis was sent down to the minors after struggling last season, but he looks like a player that could just use a change of scenery, as the Mets and other teams see a ton of potential in him.
Davis had a nice season two years ago, but the team soured on him last season while hitting just over .200 with nine home runs and 33 RBIs in 103 games and now the team could look to trade him, as he could make over $3 million in arbitration and the Mets may want to divert that money elsewhere. Reports from ESPN New York say that the Mets and Brewers discussed a deal involving Tyler Thornburg, but that broke down and chances are the Mets could get something decent for Davis if the teams are motivated enough to get someone at first base. The team likes Duda more and sees an upside in him and that is why the Mets may trade Davis.
In other Mets news, the team made a solid signing with Bartolo Colon and while he is 40 years old, he was excellent last season while ranking second in the American League in wins and the Mets feel that they now have a solid rotation with Jonathon Niese, Zack Wheeler and Dillon Gee along with Colon after Matt Harvey was injured and will miss the entire season. The team made their second big move of the offseason after also signing Curtis Granderson.
The Mets have not been big spenders over the past four years and Granderson's deal was the biggest they have given out in a while and while they are taking a risk with Colon at the age of 40 on a two year deal worth $20 million, the team feels that it is a worthwhile move, as he is coming off a great season when he went 18-6 with a 2.65 ERA in 30 starts for the Oakland Athletics and now he moves to the easier National League. Colon is a big dude and the NY tabloids framed the signing that way, but his addition could be crucial for the Mets as they try and make it through the year minus Harvey.
