After Jeff Francoeur hit .340 for the Rangers in their pennant push (not to mention Alex Cora bringing his intangible), the Rangers were probably tricked into thinking that the Mets are growing great players on trees. So they’re reportedly looking to go to the well again:
“#rangers interested in beltran as well as k-rod (tho there will be rh pen help elsewhere). Could be big trade partner for mets”
I could see the Mets getting somebody decent back for Carlos Beltran if they can deal him to the Rangers by himself. But if the Rangers take Frankie too, they could say to the Mets (in essence): “Well hey, we’re bailing you out of that horrendous option, that’s reward enough. You don’t need any of our good prospects.”
But … yes, they do. They do need prospects. Beltran could bring back a B-level prospect or two if a team is desperate enough, and/or the Mets are willing to pick up salary. But anyone willing to save the Mets from the Frankie option, whether they make him an eighth inning guy or whether they renegotiate the contract would be totally justified in giving the Mets, say, a dull knife in return. Combining that lost cause with a player that might bring back something might lessen the value of the haul in return. Dealing them separately would bring back more for Beltran in that deal.
The problem is that the Rangers are probably the most logical choice for Frankie. I think the Mets would deal him to the Yankees, but if the Yankees were to take that deal Mariano would probably pull a Riggleman and quit on the spot. So for those worrying about Frankie returning to the scene of Luis Castillo’s greatest mishap and becoming a Yankee Legend like Lee Mazzilli (I didn’t know 37 games was the cut-off … I anxiously await John Olerud’s introduction as “Yankee Legend”), you can stop worrying. But if the Rangers really want Beltran, it may have to be a package deal. This means that this would be a strict salary dump … and if there’s a trade return that can be more useless than Joaquin Arias, the combo of Beltran and Frankie might bring that dead wood to life.
And then back to dead again.
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