Mets Acquire 2B Neil Walker From Pirates

[Giantmetfan07]

The Mets have reached agreement on a deal for Pirates second baseman Neil Walker, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports on Twitter. It is pending a review of medicals and “small other matters,” he adds. Lefty Jon Niese is heading to Pittsburgh in the deal, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney tweets.
 
Both players have long been said to be available. The move allows both teams to swap similarly-priced assets to fill needs.
 
In Walker, the Mets will add a thirty-year-old switch-hitter who does much of what the team hoped to find in Ben Zobrist. Better still, Walker is much younger and will not require a commitment beyond the coming season. His 2016 salary is not yet determined, but MLBTR projects that he’ll earn $10.7MM via arbitration.
 
Though Walker did not quite live up to his fairly high standards last year, he was nevertheless quite productive at the plate. All said, he owns a .272/.338/.431 lifetime bating line, compiled in nearly 3,500 plate appearances, and has averaged about 16 long balls a year since he became a regular. He’s rarely strayed too far above or below that mark, which is quite productive for a middle infielder.
 
Walker profiles more as an average to below-average defender, but his bat has been good enough to make up the difference. In the aggregate, he’s something like a 2.5 to 3.5 WAR player, making him quite a useful piece. It is worth noting, however, that Walker’s traditionally poor performance against left-handed pitching got even worse last year, making him a candidate for part-time platoon support.
 

 

Eh. It's an OK move. Filled the second base need without adding much, and it's only for a year which won't block Herrera if he turns out to be good. 
 
I just hope we're not done. 

 

[Pugz]

mets signed assdroobel cabrera

 

[elcheato]

why

 

[Giantmetfan07]

depth.
 
Although they could have gotten the same depth, for less, by just re-signing Kelly Johnson. But whatever. 

 

[snipezo]

Bucs pitching coach is about to create a monster in Niese.

 

[NV]

Idk I like this trade for the Mets honestly.
 
Nice response to losing out on Zobrist.

 

[Giantmetfan07]

My only problem is neither INF acquisition has considerable experience at Third Base, and with Wright's spinal stenosis that was kind of important. 

 

[NV]

You need Neil at second but you're right the other should have been someone who has it in their arsenal at least. Provide some insurance.

 

[Giantmetfan07]

unless their thought was to use Wilmer Flores at 3B occasionally. 
 
But I'm glad they went out and got some depth. That was a huge thing we lacked this year until we acquired Kelly Johnson & Uribe.