The New York Mets promoted prospect Steven Matz after demoting Dillon Gee and have since gone with a six-man rotation. Matt Harvey doesn't like it too much. Manager Terry Collins said the right-hander has to get over it. But why exactly are the Mets implementing this system?
Is it to boost the trade value of some of their starters? Is it to be careful with the arms of Harvey and Jacob deGrom? Is it to get Matz acclimated to MLB action as soon as possible? Is it to prepare for life without Bartolo Colon after 2015?
Nobody really knows for sure, but it's clear the Mets do need to make a trade. Rumors have linked them to a number of potential targets such as Brewers' third baseman Aramis Ramirez, Athletics' utility man Ben Zobrist, Rockies' shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, and others. The club's offense has struggled mightily and they have what many other teams are in need of: starting pitching.
ESPN Insider Buster Olney addressed the Mets' use of the six-man rotation on today's Baseball Tonight Podcast with a question from a fan.
"The six-man rotation the Mets are using is really just to make sure that [Jon] Niese keeps his value up so they can trade him, right?" the fan tweeted to the podcast.
"I don't think it's wholly about that," Olney responded. "Let's face it: it's probably something about that, but I do think they're concerned about the innings limitations for some of their younger pitchers. On top of that, how many teams have you seen where they think they have a starting pitching surplus and then one guy goes down, or two or three or four? Look at the Tampa Bay Rays. I do think it makes sense for the Mets to try and squeeze these guys in, especially with the innings issues."
Rumors indicated the Mets have been aggressively shopping Niese and his recent performance could help them land a decent bat. Joel Sherman of the New York Post suggested Alderson could go after a number of outfielders including Will Venable (Padres), Gerardo Parra (Brewers), David Peralta (Diamondbacks), Brock Holt (Red Sox) and Seth Smith (Mariners) to help their lack of left-handed bats.
But perhaps the biggest need is in the infield, where the uncertainty of David Wright's return has been affecting what the club can do. It's clear the offense has been unable to produce - they've scored 46 runs in their past 20 games, during which they've somehow managed to go just 9-11.
Order needs to be restored and the Mets need to add a bat that can help lead to the offensive charge if they want a shot at the postseason. The absence of power in their lineup has pitchers avoiding Lucas Duda, which has been a big problem for their run production.
"A couple of evaluators who have seen the Mets say that the lineup has too many players who belong in the minors, in their current stage, and that the lack of depth in the order is crushing Duda, who looks like Babe Ruth compared to his hitting mates," Olney wrote over the weekend. "'Why would you pitch to him?' asked one scout rhetorically.
Alderson recently said he'd be willing to "overpay" for the right offensive player, but the trade market has not blossomed just yet.
As we continue to watch the Mets use their six-man rotation, one can only help but think the club is implementing the system to boost some players' trade value in hopes of preserving their farm system to acquire the right bat.
"In any case, the Mets have no interest in trading from their big four young starters, including Noah Syndergaard along with Harvey, deGrom and Matz," writes Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
But what if it takes one of those four to land what they need?
