MLB Trade Rumors: Can the New York Mets Trade David Wright?

There is no question that this winter, the New York Mets could trade David Wright. He is young, talented, personable and loyal.  He has had MVP-caliber seasons, played through serious injuries and been charitable off the field.

Simply, he is everything a general manager could want when looking for a "face of the franchise".

Which is exactly why the Mets can't trade him.

This is New York City. It's a hectic, fast-paced city of risks and rewards. It is an ever-changing landscape of people, products and possibilities.

But amidst all that chaos, we still need constants.  We need a Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center every holiday season, the Statue of Liberty to greet us every time we enter the New York Harbor and Derek Jeter to run out to shortstop when a Yankees game begins. We need something to hold on to.  Something that lets us know that no matter how much things may change, some things will always be the same. 

If the Mets abandon their franchise player, they will be missing the integral aspect of an organization that all the successful New York teams have. The city is exploding with superstars that make franchises recognizable, including Mariano Rivera, Carmelo Anthony, Deron Williams, Martin Brodeur, Ryan Callahan and Thierry Henry.

Now that Jose Reyes is gone, David Wright is the only part of the Mets that hasn't been recently brought up from the minors or acquired via trade or free agency. We need to see his tongue stick out, his wide smile that lets us know he loves what he's doing and his acrobatic plays that bring us to our feet.

Wright brings to the table what no team could return with a couple of prospects: a presence. He's not out there to make a paycheck, he's out there because there's no place he would rather be than a baseball field.

Unlike Reyes, who could be swept away with a handsome salary, Wright proved with his willingness to battle through injury and genuine optimism that he loves his teammates and the city of New York.

Coming off the worst season of his professional career, a season which saw his batting average drop to a lowly .254 and miss over a month due to a back injury, Wright's trade value has never been lower.  Opposing GMs would undoubtedly argue that his production is down and he is injury-prone, thus making the return for the Mets not nearly as impressive as it would have been a few years ago.

To trade Wright now would be an insult to both him and the fans, because his value to the franchise has been immeasurable.

 “My dream is to experience the good, the bad and the ugly, win a World Championship, play 15 years and do it all with the Mets.”

Forget his salary, the Mets debt issues or pressure from the media. Baseball is a business, but there are people worth taking a risk on.