Seo Traded to Dodgers

I also forgot to mention that the Mets traded pitcher Tim Hamulack to the Dodgers, too, with Seo.

Seo was underutilized in NY, hopefully he won't be in LA.

I think this deal is good for both teams. Seo developed this year into a pretty good pitcher. He throws maybe 90 mph tops, but learned to mix up his pitches and matured.

The Mets had a surplus of starters. Duaner Sanchez is developing into a very good set up guy. He throws 95 mph and can hit the inside corners. He converted 8 of 8 save opps filling in for Gagne. The Dodgers had a surplus of good relievers and need a starter.

Jim Tracy, former Dodger manger, was raving about Sanchez tonight in an interview. He said he was close to being a lights out set up guy. The new Dodgers manager, on the other hand (or maybe GM Colletti, not sure) said Seo was probably their #5 starter.

Scholl, the other pitcher to the Mets, is probably a tad better than lefty Hamulak, so if one thinks Seo is a bit better it's a wash. Most in New York think it is a good trade.

- Scholl, the other pitcher to the Mets, is probably a tad better than lefty Hamulak

Hamulack went 3-1 with 6 SVs and a 1.08 ERA in 28 games with AAA Norfolk. He went 2-2 with 6 SVs and a 1.26 ERA in 21 games with AA Binghamton. [Minor League Stats] [Sportsline Player Page]

Schmoll went 2-2 with 3 SVs and a 5.01 ERA in 48 games with Los Angeles. With AAA Las Vegas, he went 0-3 with 5 SVs and a 4.78 ERA in 22 games.

While, Hamulack has been around longer and is 28 to Schmoll's 25, Schmoll really hasn't had much major league success and is still a very much un-proven player. Hamulack, has a very good minor league career and probably is going to be a pretty good pitcher.

A lot of people on the Mets message boards are complaining about the Seo trade right now. Most people see it as a trade for a sake of a trade by Minaya. Hopefully it's doesn't end up like another famous trade (a.k.a Scott Kazmir). Probably one of the reasons this trade happened is Rick Peterson didn't like Seo. Seo will probably go on to blossom in Los Angeles.

Sanchez, wasn't anything special before last year. Even last year he was just an average pitcher. Seo, was the Mets' best pitcher. He had a team best 2.59 ERA.

This trade was a trade for the sake of making a trade. Very poor judgement by Minaya. Has to be one of the worse moves of the off-season, when there were other choices, other free agents, and even other in-house options to fill the bullpen with.

I think you are selectively disclosing some facts and your observations.

I don't care about Hamulack's minor league stats. He stunk Shea up big time after his call up. The Mets badly needed a lefty. The Hammer wasn't the guy.

Seo was the Mets' best pitcher last year? He had a couple of very good months. Who is that other guy? Pete or Pedro?

To say it is a trade for a trade's sake is pretty ignorant of the facts. Sanchez turned into a pretty good reliever/closer. His ex-manager thinks he is going to be huge as a set-up guy.

You are also critcal of Sanchez coming into his own this year, but Seo, who also came into his own this year is annointed the Mets best pitcher? Please. he was an average arm until this year. He couldn't stick in the rotation until mid 2005.

- He couldn't stick in the rotation until mid 2005.Seo and pitching coach Rick Peterson had numerous disagreements for who knows what reason? Remember prized prospect Scott Kazmir? He's now a Tampa Bay Devil Ray because Peterson didn't what anything to do with him.

- but Seo, who also came into his own this year is annointed the Mets best pitcher?

It doesn't matter, Seo had the Mets team best 2.59 ERA, went 8-2 last year. Every month, Seo was consistent, never even posting a ERA over 4.00 last year. [MLB Player Splits]

- You are also critcal of Sanchez coming into his own this year, but Seo, who also came into his own this year is annointed the Mets best pitcher? Please. he was an average arm until this year. He couldn't stick in the rotation until mid 2005.

That's because Duaner Sanchez has been an average pitcher. Coming into last year, he was a average pitcher, last year also wasn't anything special at the price of Jae Seo either. He's 8-8 with a 4.19 ERA career wise. At the price of Seo alone, that's a loss.

Second, Seo was way more than a average pitcher coming into this year. I guess I missed 2003 didn't I? That 9-12 record with a 3.82 ERA was far from average at a 5th starting pitcher spot.

Peterson was not high on Seo prior to his 2005 return because Seo would not take to coaching. He was a 2 pitch pitcher. He had a bad attitude for a rook. As far as Kazmir, he was concerned about his wiry build and Leiter and Franco put their lousy two cents in. I think Peterson was wrong there, but the jury will be out for a couple of years.

Seo was hardly taken seriously as a quality pitcher by the Mets' brass until this year. He had a nice rookie year, then the wheels fell off. He came into 2004 thinking he had a spot locked up, but the wheels fell off. The Mets were so badly in need of pitching that year that they had to sign Scott Erickson, who beat out Seo for a slot.

To continue to say that Seo was the Mets' best pitcher last year is just laughable, when he pitched for a few months. I could then say Glavine was the Mets' best pitcher, after the all-star break (he was), or Pedro was the best pitcher before the all-star break (he was, period), or even Benson was the best for a few months. You use a snipet of success to project and describe Seo as Cy Young. You are abusing the facts and drawing a clearly erroneopus analysis to suit your narrow objective.

If you can get your nose out of the stats book, you also might consider the value of a starter vs. a reliever who can effectively close and who limited righties to a batting average of under .220 and then correlate it with a team's need.

Seo was surplus to the Mets. Sanchez was surplus to the Dodgers. Each fit a need for the other team. Value is partly derived from how a player is going to get utilized. With Soler coming on in winter ball, Zambrano around and Bannister coming off a fine year, Seo was replaceable. Indeed, it was possible he might not have even started! That's no value dude! Even the Dodgers are saying he "probably" will be their 5th starter. To think of that, the Mets' best pitcher, a possible fifth or no starter in 2006.

I would worry about your beloved Orioles if I were you.