Diamondbacks Land Mark Trumbo
The Mets were apparently never in on Mark Trumbo, so fans should not be too upset that the Diamondbacks landed Trumbo on Tuesday. It was a classic case of trading prospects for a proven player.
In a three-way deal, Arizona sent left-handed starter Tyler Skaggs, who was the 10th rated prospect in all of baseball last season but has reportedly lost some velocity and flopped in his limited time in the big leagues, to the Angels. Adam Eaton, a promising outfield prospect, goes to the White Sox. Chicago sent lefty Hector Santiago to the Angels to complete the deal.
So the Angels wind up with two young untested starters and give up a 30-homer guy. A lot of people are down on Mark Trumbo, saying he has a low on-base percentage and strikes out too much. They say all he can do is hit home runs, as if hitting homers is an easy thing to do. Trumbo turns 28 years old next month, so he is still young enough to improve.
Hitting in the homer paradise in Phoenix, I predict Mark Trumbo will top 40 home runs in 2014.
As far as the Mets, word was the front office thought he was overrated. The Angels were reportedly interested in Jonathon Niese, but considering what they ended up with, I wonder if they would have taken Rafael Montero or Jacob deGrom as well as another mound prospect for Trumbo, who would have played first base for the Mets. I guess we’ll never know.
Mark, as you know I was very much in favor of the Mets jumping in on Trumbo. I think he would have been – could have been a huge piece.
However, it was/is not to be. Here’s my question – where is he going to play for the Diamondbacks? Are they going to move Goldschmidt to the outfield? Trumbo to LF?
Is it true that the Mets offered Murphy to Baltimore for Dylan Bundy?
I didn’t see that happening, either. Trading one guy with power and who whiffs a lot but can field for a guy with power and whiffs a lot and cannot field made no sense.
JJ — Trumbo is slated to play the outfield, where he is mediocre at best. The Diamondbacks apparently feel his bat will make up for his fielding shortcomings. Unlike Lucas Duda, it probably will!
As far as Murphy/Bundy, I have read the same thing, with the Orioles flatly refusing.