The 2022 MLB Trade Deadline frenzy is in full swing, with two big dominoes already falling last week and a few trades coming Monday ahead of what's sure to be a flurry of activity over the final 24 hours.
The Mets have made deals for Tyler Naquin and Daniel Vogelbach (and a minor deal for Triple-A catcher Michael Perez) and look to be active in the market Monday and Tuesday, but even with Trevor May and Jacob deGrom returning this week, Gio thinks the Mets need to be more than active – they need to make a big splash.
"They've made the minor moves already, and if they make another minor move and that's it for the deadline, I'm going to be upset," Gio said Monday, quite a way for him to return from a week off. "I understand they're great, but I've always been the guy that says get rid of the prospects if it's the right deal at the deadline."
Here's the problem, it seems: according to SNY's Andy Martino, the Mets are having a little buyer's remorse from last year's deadline, where they acquired Javy Baez from the Cubs straight up for former first-round pick Pete Crow-Armstrong – who went to the Futures Game this year and is hitting .307 with 13 homers and 20 steals in 68 games across both levels of A-ball at just 20 years old.
"The Mets don't want to do another Pete Crow-Armstrong deal – meaning trade a prospect for a rental, and then have to watch that guy develop for another organization," Gio said. "What I don't like bout that theory is that they're thinking about last year's result with their rental – but what they're not thinking of is how that prospect that you can trade now at this time, could be for the guy who puts you over the top and you win a World Series."
The other reason that's not an excuse for Gio? Three World Series appearances and one win in his 40 years on this Earth is just not enough for fans to keep waiting.
"I was four years old in 1986, I haven't seen anything, so four, five, six years down the road doesn't mean anything to me anymore!" Gio exhorted. "You have the second-best record in franchise history heading into August and you're worried about making another Pete Crow-Armstrong mistake? No!"
"It's completely different and I could not agree more," Sal Licata, in for Boomer this week, chimed in on that thought, remembering how, while filling in for Carton & Roberts Friday, was upset that the Mets seemingly had prospect Mark Vientos as a backup plan if they couldn't get a big bat.
"They cannot look back – last year is last year, and it's a completely different team," Sal said. "This team has a legit shot! If you're not giving up top prospects, fine, but they can't sit on their hands and worry about the farm system with this team that can win a championship if you add the right couple pieces!"
That brought Gio back to invoking Jarred Kelenic being in the deal for Edwin Diaz – "that was the worst trade of all-time at the time, and now he's disappeared!" Gio said – and Sal is not a prospect-hugger to the extreme, either.
"I can get valuing prospects, but you can't do it to where it holds you back and prevents your team from getting to another level when you have a legitimate chance," Sal said. "You have to be aggressive, and nobody in the world wants to hear about Pete Crow-Armstrong…who gives a bleep?"
Follow this week's WFAN's morning team on Twitter: @GioWFAN and @sal_licata
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