Reviewing Past Mets Trades

As we approach the July 31st trade “deadline”, I feel that it is a good time to review some old Mets trades that may have been forgotten about.   Many times during the course of the season, and especially at trade deadlines, teams will add a veteran to the mix and toss away some low level minor leaguer, hoping the player will never pan out.   The other team is usually happy someone will take the veteran player and is thrilled to get more than a dozen baseballs and some sunflower seeds.   Sometimes these trades end up producing some well known players.  It is said that a trade is best judged two or three years later, so let’s look at some Mets trades to keep us up to date.

DAVE WILLIAMS FOR ROBERT MANUEL

On May 25, 2006, the Mets were feeling the pinch for starting pitchers.  On this date, the Mets had already used Victor Zambrano, Brian Bannister, Alay Soler, John Maine, Jose Lima and Geremi Gonzalez to fill in the number 4-5 spots in the rotation behind Pedro Martinez, Tom Glavine and Steve Trachsel.   So, General Manager Omar Minaya made a small trade, acquiring lefthander Dave Williams from the Cincinnati Reds for low A-ball right hand pitcher Robert Manuel.

Dave Williams

The day before May 24, 2006, Orlando Hernandez was acquired for Jorge Julio, and on the same day, Soler made his major league debut.   At this time, Minaya was clearly stockpiling starting pitching in hopes that something would click. (It would, John Maine and Orlando Hernandez filled out the rotation nicely as the Mets ran away with the NL East.)

Now, it’s more than two years later.  How did the trade work out?

DAVE WILLIAMS

Dave Williams filled in nicely for the Mets in 2006 winning three games, and performing reasonably well, despite his 5.59 ERA with the team.    (Explanation:  Williams made 5 starts with the Mets, the first four he went 3-0 with a 3.24 ERA, but got bombed for 9 runs in 3 innings pitched in his final start).  Williams was left off of the 2006 playoff roster and returned with the Mets in 2007, pitching mostly at New Orleans, the Triple A affiliate.  He had one spot start in which he nearly duplicated his last start, lasting only 3 1/3 innings and allowing 8 runs.   Williams received a late season call up, but only pitched one bad game in relief.    He was let go by the Mets after the season and is not pitching for any organizations in 2008.  Overall, he was 3-2 with a 7.83 ERA in 33 1/3 IP for the Mets in two seasons.

ROBERT MANUEL

Manuel was an un-drafted free agent out of Sam Houston State.   In his first season with the Mets organization, he pitched at the lowest level rookie ball in the Gulf Coast League for the Gulf Coast Mets.   In 61 2/3 Innings Pitched, he performed well above expectations for an un-drafted player going 8-1 with a 2.04 ERA in 2005.

At the time of the trade, Manuel hadn’t begun his minor league season, suggesting he was scheduled to play on one of the short season minor league affiliates (Brooklyn, Kingsport or Gulf Coast).   On joining the Reds, he had a mediocre first season with the club, pitching mostly in the Midwest League (low A ball)  (with a little time in the Florida State League) posting combined numbers of a 4.34 ERA over 56 innings, while striking out 40.

His first full season with the Reds in 2007, he made 11 starts, and 22 relief appearances in the Florida State league (high Single A).   He went 6-5 with a 4.03 with 93 strikeouts in 98 1/3 IP.

At the current time of this post, Robert Manuel is quietly turning into a candidate to realistically make the major leagues.   At Double A Chattanooga this season, pitching exclusively out of the bullpen, Manuel is 4-2 with a 1.33 ERA, with an impressive 68 strikeouts in 54 IP.   He’s allowed only 35 hits and walked only 12. (WHIP of 0.87!)

SUMMARY

Small trades sometimes yield little results and are generally forgotten about by fans and media.   In another year or two, we might see a pitcher named Robert Manuel working middle relief for the Reds and not think much of it.   Perhaps Manuel within five years surprises all and becomes a top set up man or a closer.   I also cannot criticize the Mets for making this trade, for at the time, they moved an un-drafted free agent, who had only completed low level rookie ball for a veteran left-hander who produced three big league victories for the Mets in a year they needed help.   If you are the Reds, you have to feel pretty good about a throw in minor leaguer showing promise.   Mostly though, when small trades are made, they are easy to forget.   So if you see Robert Manuel pitching for the Reds soon, you can at least say “This guy was a Mets prospect.”