New York Metropolitans GM Will Dubbert reached out to me today with a trade proposal:
Metros 27-year-old Starting Pitcher Rich Hoffer for RF Pete Grier and 20-year-old minor league pitcher Ginger Saltz.
This is an interesting offer for a few reasons. Hoffer is one of the better starting pitchers in the Big Leagues from a ratings perspective. He would be a #1 starter on most teams. But he has not yet put it all together. He has won 10 games each of the last two seasons, but this past season he was 10-17 with a 4.58 ERA. His WAR was 5.5 though. He is signed through 1984 at a salary of $226,000 per season, so not exorbitant given his tools and age (27). He has faced some injury troubles though, including three 2-3 month stints on the DL because of elbow issues. New York may be trying to unload him for that reason. But he is also beloved in New York. Rumors are if he were to run for mayor of New York, he would win. (Editor’s Note: Reminds me of someone from an "alternate reality" with a nickname of the 'The Dark Knight’.)
Grier though is just 26 years old, is a two-time All-Star already, and signed through 1985 at a rate of $206,000 a year. He is also a fan favorite. So it would take an amazing offer to deal him. No player is ‘untradeable' in my book, but he would be one of the closer ones to that probably.
Not to mention Saltz, who is one of our higher ranked pitching prospects. The 20-year-old pitched last year at Single A Cascadia City, and projects to be a closer in the future.
So all that being said, I politely declined the offer.
