Trade: [NYM/PIT] Neil Walker for Jon Niese

[DJ Spinoza]

What are we looking at for PIT rotation next year? Something like Cole - Liriano and then a combination of Morton - Locke - Niese - Taillon?

That still needs some work to be a real contender.

Currently it's Cole, Liriano, Niese, Morton, Locke. Glasnow has a chance to be an impact addition by mid-to-late summer. Taillon is possible but since he's coming back from injury, most including myself speculate we will be cautious with him.

It definitely needs work. Our consensus in the Pirates thread is that we want to see another addition, hopefully Kazmir, although then we have 400 lefties. There's been some talk that the Rangers want a backend starter in exchange for Moreland, so this could be a prelude to something like flipping Morton, adding Moreland as a platoon, and signing Kazmir.

The more I think about it, I think it's a trade that works very well for both teams, but also has a chance of being a bust for one of them. Walker's defense is not as good as it appears on paper, and there were some not great offensive signs last year in the form of more strikeouts and a lower walk rate. On the other hand, Niese is not a strikeout guy and it's very possible he could just be middling to below average, making it questionable whether to exercise his option(s), which is where the main value comes from for the Pirates.

When Neal Huntington puts the league on blast after an acquisition of a pitcher by saying something like, "we've had this guy on our list for some time now," it has usually tended to work out magically for us. I have full confidence in Searage at this point, but it's realistic to guess that Happ might have been the last huge success for a little while, given the nature of these trades. However, I think Niese's floor is relatively passable given the prices free agents are getting and will continue to get. He might even be a bit underrated, in terms of being a guy who can be integral to a solid team's success long-run by giving them a consistent chance to win his starts all summer.

Same could be said for Walker, but it's harder to compare pitchers with position players in that regard. I like the trade for the Mets a little bit more if they are able to add another bat. Walker is a very useful secondary contributor on offense, but he's declined a bit from being able to be one of the top 4 offensive pieces in a lineup.

 

[Pwnasaurus]

Walker seemed like he always made the Cards pay for pitching around other guys.

 

[Falco Lombardi]

^^^Did he ever.

Another thing from the Mets side is that Zack Wheeler will be back in June. Niese would have been without a spot by the All Star Break

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

I cant see the Mets rushing Wheeler back. He will definitely be a low pitch count when he does come back. Heard it was closer to the allstar break.
I am guessing they will bring back Colon on a low cost 1 year deal as a buffer for Wheeler and to give him that 4th guy until Wheeler is ready.