New York Mets Trade Target: Joaquin Benoit
According to Marc Craig at Newsday (via mlbtraderumors.com), the New York Mets are looking for right-handed relief help. They came close to signing Kevin Jepsen who opted to go with the Tampa Bay Rays. I had written a post in June stating the team should look at Brad Ziegler. That did not pan out as the veteran was traded to the Boston Red Sox. So here I am again, speculating on another arm the Mets should look into and with my track record in this department it probably means they will pass. The Amazins should now focus on Joaquin Benoit.
Courtesy: Phil Long / The Associated Press
The 38-year old Benoit is not a name that has been brought up in any trade discussions. The relievers you hear about for playoff contenders include the Big Three of the New York Yankees as well as Ryan Madson of the Oakland A’s and Jeremy Jeffress. All of those pitchers would cost a significant prospect or prospects. Benoit is in the final year of his contract at a salary of $8 million dollars. His numbers aren’t great with a 4.37 ERA in 24 games and he missed about a month in earlier in the year with shoulder inflammation. However, he has been a good to very good reliever over the last six years, registering ERA’s of under 2.00 in two of them. Benoit has pitched better as of late as he has been unscored upon in each of his five July outings. He has also owns a 2.82 ERA in 20 playoff games, though his most recent work in 2013 was less than stellar.
The Mariners are heading for a disappointing season and the price tag for Benoit should be right up the Mets’ alley. Mariners’ general manager Jerry Dipoto could recoup at least one of the prospects he gave up for the veteran but not one that is significant within the Met organization. Sandy Alderson better act soon before another one of my great ideas goes out the window.
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