This return really really sucks. But, it is certainly better than just not picking up the option and getting nothing. However, Jerry once again Jerry's and was unwilling it appears to pickup some money to improve the return.

I agree this was a terrible trade but a lot of people are overlooking the possibility that Acuna outplays Robert this year. That alone should help folks understand why the trade happened. Pure salary dump with a talented, underperforming, unpredictable player. Let's just move on...

9 hours ago, Sambuca said:

This is what they picked up the option for? 

This trade isn’t good, but getting any sort of prospects was worth picking up the option for.

8 minutes ago, hogan873 said:

That's the key.  If (big if) they spend some of that $20 million on a pitcher or two, this trade looks better.  I'm not concerned about not having the oft-injured Robert anymore, and Acuna could (big could) be decent.  But we've seen this low budget movie before.  Save money, don't spend money, cry about attendance and cost, repeat.

Exactly right.

If they spend the money and it’s Acuna + Giolito vs Robert + whatever scrub they throw out there as their #5 SP, I’m taking the former over the latter.

9 hours ago, Buehrle>Wood said:

Glad the people who wanted to make a trade for the sake of making a trade got their wish at least. Just horrible.

Yup, would rather have kept him and rolled the dice than make this trade.  That being said, this trade is still better than buying out his 2026 option and getting nothing in return.

4 minutes ago, TheBooneLoganEra said:

I agree this was a terrible trade but a lot of people are overlooking the possibility that Acuna outplays Robert this year. That alone should help folks understand why the trade happened. Pure salary dump with a talented, underperforming, unpredictable player. Let's just move on...

Funny enough, Acuna’s base running and defense appear to be elite. Obviously, it’s the bat you worry about. Sounds similar to Robert the last couple years but without the injuries. Robert clearly has more upside but the floor on Acuna might actually be higher, particularly since we know Robert can’t stay healthy.

With luxury tax, Robert costs Mets 46 million for ONE year. Wish we could take fliers like that !  Also why we got little in return. Guess better than paying 2 million and a release but not by much. 

5 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Yup, would rather have kept him and rolled the dice than make this trade.  That being said, this trade is still better than buying out his 2026 option and getting nothing in return.

Well, one thing that seems obvious now.  The Sox never had any intention of including cash in a Robert trade, even if it would have improved the return.  Heyman called it.

Edited January 21Jan 21 by WhiteSox2023

9 hours ago, almagest said:

No idea why you pick up the option if this is the return. A best-case bullpen guy and a 4th outfielder? Bleh.

So you think nothing is better than this?  Is that what we’re really going with here?

Am I the only one that kind of likes Acuna? 

3 minutes ago, JUSTgottaBELIEVE said:

Funny enough, Acuna’s base running and defense appear to be elite. Obviously, it’s the bat you worry about. Sounds similar to Robert the last couple years but without the injuries. Robert clearly has more upside but the floor on Acuna might actually be higher, particularly since we know Robert can’t stay healthy.

The trade is cathartic, time to move on. I didn't have high expectations, but Acuna is fast, who knows he could be a fan favorite over time.

LJRDS- A condition that will need to be studied later on. A lot of complaining over a guy incapable of hitting a baseball at a major league level.

It’s very obvious to me the league adjusted to Robert and he never cared/tried to adjust back. He’s been making the same terrible swings at bad pitches for multiple years in row. MAYBE this will be his wake-up call and someone can get through to him in a different organization, but his time was more than done in Chicago. 

Watch out Ronald! The Sox are coming at you with the friends and family plan in a few years!

6 minutes ago, Baron said:

Am I the only one that kind of likes Acuna? 

No.  I like him, and I think he might be okay getting consistent playing time.  Defensively and on the basepaths, he'll be good.  The bat is another story.  Only time will tell.

I'm just glad LuBob is gone. The injury thing was getting really old.

Sox Machine mention of Acuna's bat speed got me to think about Colson's turnaround. Acuna does have some tools to work with.

 

9 hours ago, fathom said:

He had no value last deadline IIRC

Or now apparently.......or....Getz still sucks at this job.

19 minutes ago, BamaDoc said:

With luxury tax, Robert costs Mets 46 million for ONE year. Wish we could take fliers like that !  Also why we got little in return. Guess better than paying 2 million and a release but not by much. 

Maybe when Ishbia actually takes over, we will.

Fully expect a 3-4 WAR season from Robert. Or he plays 30 games. Itll be one of those. 

5 minutes ago, Bob Sacamano said:

Watch out Ronald! The Sox are coming at you with the friends and family plan in a few years!

You could just about put together a team with his brother and 6 cousins.

9 hours ago, chw42 said:

Because they would have had to pay him $2 million if they didn't pick it up. With this, you pay nothing and you get a couple of bad lottery tickets back. 

Lottery tickets…yes.  Bad ones?  Fully disagree.  Acuna has truly elite speed and has much more bad speed / raw power than his size would indicate.  There is a chance he could play a double plus CF defense and we already know his ability to handle SS & 2B (which provides a UT player floor).  The bat is a massive question mark and I can’t deny his production has been bad over the past two years.  That being said, he has some tools and will be an interesting project for Fuller.  As for this Pauley kid, he was an over-slot signing who basically got 6th round money who offers some interesting raw stuff even if he remains a work in progress command wise.

Again, this isn’t a good trade by any means, but I wouldn’t call these bad lottery tickets.  Still disappointed that they would accept this return rather than roll the dice on a bounce-back.  Our outfield right now is hands down the worst in baseball and I don’t get much joy from dumping guys with serious ceiling on a reasonable one year deal to save Jerry money, but @fathom was apparently right.

18 minutes ago, Baron said:

Am I the only one that kind of likes Acuna? 

One of the few.

Edited January 21Jan 21 by WhiteSox2023

"Yeah, so then I told them we had unprecedented financial flexibility, hahaha....Hey, but seriously, rebuilds are tough"

27 minutes ago, Baron said:

Am I the only one that kind of likes Acuna? 

I kinda do. Run him out in Cf and maybe you have an elite defender/baserunner. That’s not very different than Robert’s down offensive seasons.

Acuna was a guy that made a ton of sense in the trade. No options, no place to play in NY. Has the prospect pedigree and is smacking the ball in winter league. He’s shown flashes of some hitting ability and is a great glove. Middle infield is crowded long term with Roch likely coming in, Carlson, and Bonemer. There are 2026 ABs to be had at second so I’m all for it. If he’s good, you have some guys you can trade. 
 

The part I don’t like is the Harvard pitcher with a 4.8 ERA coming back and the Mets picking up the tab. Considering the tax situation they’re in I have a hard time thinking they wouldn’t have been amenable to a prospect buy with some of Roberts money. If paying 5 of the 20 Million saved the Mets 10M you’d think you could’ve gotten some other prospects back. Even if the Mets didn’t want to move any of the 50 grade guys they have a solid system with interesting guys to poach.