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| Tuesday, December 11 Users: Not everyone understands deal ESPN.com |
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The Mets and the Indians pulled off the first major deal of the offseason, with Roberto Alomar headed to New York as part of an eight-player deal. Not only did the deal send the 12-time All-Star second baseman to New York while creating some payroll flexibility for the Indians, but it also generated plenty of reaction from fans. We asked ESPN.com users what you thought about the deal. Here are some of your responses:
Some might say that the Mets are running their farm system dry -- but it's not like there's been much there the past five years anyway. This team has to be built to win now. ... I just hope (Steve) Phillips has something else up his sleeve to bulk up the outfield.
The Mets overpaid, as usual, for someone whose skills will soon be in decline. The talent being given up is way out of line with the other trades being made recently.
Very clearly, to use the phrasing of Mark Shapiro, the era of champions is over in Cleveland! I'll say it again .. O-V-E-R! If Larry Dolan has asked Shapiro to trim $15 million off the 2002 budget, he's going to be asking him to trim another $20 million for the 2003 budget because 2002 attendance is going to plummet by 35-40 percent this year. If mediocrity is the desired goal, they're well on their way to achieving it.
I'm ecstatic to see Robbie head to Flushing, (but) I have to wonder: How much financial trouble is Cleveland in to be trading away half its franchise (and arguably the best second baseman in the league) for an above-average outfielder, a phenom who has struggled at the major league level, and two relatively untested pitchers? My apologies to Cleveland fans. This was a steal.
I think this is an amazing deal for the Mets. Alomar may be one of the top 10 all-around players in the game. He can combine with Piazza, Alfonzo and Justice to form a dangerous middle of the order, not to mention how much he'll improve the defense. He'll take the Mets from one of the weakest lineups in the NL to one of the best. Steve Phillips has redeemed himself, and I don't think he's finished yet.
I think the Mets are starting to get serious about winning. Getting rid of (Ventura) was a strong move, and adding Justice and Alomar helps them on both sides of the plate. Adding two vets with plenty of playoff experience should put them back in the driver's seat to the playoffs.
If the Indians are serious about slashing payroll, they might as well deal their aging franchise players for highly touted, cheaper prospects. However, I don't agree with trading Robbie Alomar -- ever. The 2001 Indians were a .500 club without Alomar. They won't sell out the Jake with a .500 record, and we all no what happens when attendance falls off.
The Indians had a choice to make this year: Keep the older guys and give it another shot, or rebuild. When they said they were cutting salary, it became clear that they couldn't compete, especially without a legit cleanup guy like Juan Gonzalez. So the only other choice is to rebuild. But to do a real rebuilding job, you have to part with your best players. It's good to see that Shapiro is taking the right aim with this process. Drop Robbie, and follow that by trading guys like Travis Fryman and Omar Vizquel. Stock up on talent that is a year or two away, and in 2003 or 2004 you have one of the best teams in baseball. ... It's a good start, but it's only part of the job. The other older guys need to go, too.
While I'm dissappointed that the Tribe traded away our best all-around player, and the greatest second baseman of our generation, it's time for a change in Cleveland. ... The trade won't provide immediate dividends, but in a few years, the Tribe can look back at this trade, and if (Alex) Escobar produces, they will become victors in the trade.
What is going on? My beloved Tribe is being ripped apart! Robbie is an all-time great player, not bait for a couple of prospects and some players-to-be-named later!
I feel that this is very beneficial to the Indians in the long run. ... We already lost Juan Gone, Lofton, and Cordova, so we might as well start to build for the future. With the trade, the Indians still will be able to contend, while also providing more promise for the future.
With Al Leiter, John Franco, Kevin Appier, Todd Zeile and Mike Piazza, the Mets are clearly a veteran team that is poised to win now. Alomar will bolster a lineup that is slow and will further solidify one of the better infields in baseball. Escobar was losing value by the day and although he could turn it around, it was the best time to deal him. Lawton is solid but clearly not in the same sphere as Alomar.
If this is an indication that Alfonzo is going to be shopped or going to be unhappy playing third base, then I do not agree with this trade. Although you can't deny Alomar's ability in the field and at the plate, he is not the "missing link" that the Mets need. If the Mets do not go out and acquire a power-hitting outfielder and another starting pitcher, then, in my opinion, this trade does not make the team any better than we were last season.
Giving up future Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar was bad enough -- giving him up for "prospects" is ridiculous. Mets fans will get to see Alomar be the best second baseman for another 5-10 years, while Indians fans can only hope that one of these kids can become a fraction of the player we gave up.
Great deal for the Mets -- Escobar has shown himself to be nothing but overrated thus far.
This is a clear indication to me that the Indians have thrown in the towel. You don't trade your best all-round player (and future Hall of Famer) if you are serious about contending. I understand we have budget constraints and something needed to be done but this move really doesn't save much money, nor does it make much sense. ... I hope some sensible trades and acquisitions will be forthcoming because if not there will be an awful lot of empty seats at the Jake next year.
New ownership in Cleveland means back to the dark days for Tribe baseball. An owner, Larry Dolan, who overpaid for the team, can't play with the big boys in running a major league team. Cutting the core and heart of your team (Alomar) in order to save bucks means the end is near. Letting Lofton go and trading Alomar means Vizquel is next. Why would any team want to be strong up the middle? John Hart saw what Larry Dolan is all about and that is why he is in Texas. Nice going Larry Dolan. Looks like you're in line to one day replace Bud Selig as commissioner.
Major League Baseball has become a complete joke from a business and competitive standpoint. It would do more for the game to 'contract' the Yankees, Mets, and Dodgers.
Why not just swap the rest of our team for the Royals or the Tigers or the D-Rays or the Expos? I'm sure any one of those teams would love to take Thome, Vizquel, Colon, and Sabathia off our hands! Did I miss anyone? Do we have anyone left? ... Welcome back to the Cleveland Indians of the '80s.
This is a classic reason why the Mets don't ever win anything and the Yankees do. The Mets say they are trying to unload salary so they get rid of Ventura, a Gold Glover and great clubhouse presence, for David Justice, who drops fly balls in the World Series. Now instead of upgrading the worst hitting outfield in baseball, they get a 33-year-old second baseman who they did not need, for their top hitting outfield prospect who they never gave a chance and a quality relief pitcher (already a commodity) who had an ERA under 3.50. ... These type of trades have consistently kept the Indians at or near the top. They do their homework and upgrade before their team gets too old and they get nothing. ... Steve Phillips is asleep at the wheel and the Mets should revoke his license.
Indians are not rebuilding, just a little retooling. They will be back real soon.
Unfortunately you wouldn't be able to print what I think about this trade.
I'm from Cleveland and a huge Tribe fan, and though I hate to see Robbie go, I think this was probably a trade we needed to make. In the past, our outfield was full of big bats, now we're moving on to become younger. Unfortunately, I understand that the Indians' payroll was in no way an indication of their market size. It's pretty sad when a playoff team can't get enough revenue to keep their players, while another playoff team can increase its payroll like a balloon with no end in sight.
This may be the stupidest deal (the Mets) could have made. It doesn't reduce the payroll, it forces them to keep Justice and we are still stuck with Zeile and Rey Ordonez. I just don't understand it.
Fire Steve Phillips.
Fire Steve Phillips.
Fire Steve Phillips.
Fire Steve Phillips.
This trade could possibly go down as one of the all-time worst for the Cleveland Indians. Trading potentially the greatest second baseman in the prime of his career is a risky move that can only be justified ... if the players received in the deal were off the charts. Lawton, Escobar, Riggan and others simply do not add up to the talent that Roberto gives you. To add insult to injury, the Indians unload two solid prospects that have as much upside as the group coming from New York. The trade was obviously made for financial reasons. Money aside, the trade just doesn't make any sense. |
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