MLB Trade Rumors: New York Mets Must Ship David Wright out of Town

The New York Mets have had a quiet offseason as they try to figure out what will happen with their ownership and financial situation, but there is still one big domino waiting to drop for the team on the field: David Wright.

According to Andy McCollough of the Newark Star-Ledger, the trade winds are swirling, and the team is expected to shop him, likely during the season so he can reestablish some value. 

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As part of their franchise overhaul, Wright’s employers are expected to shop him this summer. So either he plays out the final two seasons of his contract on a team with dwindling payroll and cratering expectations — Don Quixote in Flushing — or wears another team’s uniform for the first time.

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He has been the face of the franchise since his first full season in 2005, but it is time for both sides to move on. His contract will be an issue for the Mets in any negotiation—he is owed $15 million in 2012 with a $16 million club option for 2013—but finding a new home for the third baseman should be their top priority. 

There are red flags that teams looking to acquire Wright will point to as a way to drive the price down. He has been trending downward since the start of the 2009 season.

That was the first year at Citi Field, when he hit .307/.390/.447 with 10 home runs and 27 stolen bases. But his defense wasn't as crisp as it used to be. His Ultimate Zone Rating was minus-10.0, at the time the worst of his career. 

In 2010, Wright bounced back with 29 home runs and a .503 slugging percentage, but his walk rate of 10.3 percent was his lowest total since 2006 and he had the highest strikeout rate of his career. His defense continued to get worse, as he posted a minus-10.6 UZR. 

Last year, he battled injuries and never got things going.

He is not as attractive in a trade as he once was, obviously, but he still swings the bat well enough for a team in need of a power hitter to take a chance on. He won't bring the Mets back a superstar prospect in return, but they should be able to find a solid player who can be an average big league player.

The team shouldn't look to move him until after the season starts and the rest of the league has a chance to see what he can do. But there is no reason for the Mets to keep him, and there is no reason for him to stay there at this point in his career. 

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