New York Mets: The fallout from surprising Marcus Stroman trade

The New York Mets shocked the baseball world after acquiring All-Star Marcus Stroman over the weekend leading many to believe they still have playoff aspirations.

Marcus Stroman was the prized All-Star of the Toronto Bluejays expected to be dealt before Wednesday’s trade deadline. The New York Yankees were rumored front runners for his services but unexpectedly to many baseball experts it would be the crosstown New York Mets. The Amazin’s would swoop in and acquire the ace starting pitcher.

Stroman wasn’t too thrilled to be heading to the Mets according to his father during an interview with Newsday. Earl Stroman revealed that his son had his sights on playing in the Bronx instead of Queens along with a parting shot at the Blue Jays organization.

"“He was hoping it was the Yankees a little bit,” Earl Stroman told the paper. “He was kind of psyched, maybe hoping to go there. I’m not going to tell you that he wasn’t. If he was to leave Toronto at all. Don’t forget, Marcus loved Toronto, his heart was there. The brass [management] didn’t kind of appreciate him as much as the fans did. The whole country took to him and they took to me.”"

Stroman, however shortly after the trade posted on his Twitter account a photo of him as a child wearing Mets gear. The New York native appears to be gushing at his future as a member of the Mets.

The larger question that creeps around in every Mets fans’ mind is why you would bring in a player when the belief all along was that you’re sellers at the deadline? The names that were dangled by Mets brass to be traded included Noah Syndergaard, Zack Wheeler, and Todd Frazier, and yet the team ended up with Stroman.

The Mets couldn’t possibly be thinking they have a chance to compete for a spot in the playoffs. It’s essential to have optimism and pride in your franchise, but is it worth it this season? New York is featuring a roster of beat up veterans and random lineups with players playing out of position. I can look not too far back at the Dom Smith debacle in left field recently against the San Francisco Giants that cost them a game.

The goal should be to acquire assets and play for the future an important part of what helped build the World Series team four years ago.

Stroman is an excellent addition and will be a fun player in New York, but the risk of this addition, possibly holding back the franchise’s future will linger.