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Trade Atlanta Braves Mallex Smith for Michael Conforto? Who Says No?

By Alan Carpenter

Aug 7, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; New York Mets left fielder Michael Conforto (30) hits a home run in the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 7, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; New York Mets left fielder Michael Conforto (30) hits a home run in the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Mets have a big outfield problem…and it has nothing to do with Tim Tebow.  It has everything to do with the center field position.  The Braves have a possible solution, but should they help?

I postulated this trade idea last week on twitter, with some interesting feedback:  the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves should consider a swap of Michael Conforto for Mallex Smith.  I’d like to expand on this idea beyond 140 characters.

Today, BaseballAmerica.com raised the point that led me to revisit this topic:  Michael Conforto is currently a man without a position on a team with too many corner outfielders.

I could go further:  he’s also a man whose team doesn’t seem to believe in him.

How can I say this?  Easy:

  • He was demoted to the minors twice this Summer from a team hungry for offense
  • At the trade deadline, the Mets added Jay Bruce… a corner outfielder.
  • While at AAA, he’s hit .422 in 33 games with 9 homers.
  • He plays in spurts – 3 or 4 games in a row or perhaps used as a pinch-hitter.  If rosters had not been expandable at this time of year, it’s doubtful he’d be a Met right now.
  • There’s another player who seems to have already walked this path:  Juan Lagares.

BaseballAmerica believes this to be a temporary problem – particularly if Cespedes re-signs/re-ups with the Mets this off-season.  But it’s hard to win back that trust once it seems lost.

Conforto hit .270 in 56 games/194 PA in 2015.  He’s slumped to .217 this season with increased strikeouts – and that would seem to be a by-product of a balky wrist.

Where the Braves Come In

The Mets have Cespedes, Granderson, Bruce, and Conforto for their outfield.  They will get Lagares back at some point, but for whatever reason, they seem to believe he’s a fourth OF.  Whether they keep any two or three of these, their problem stays the same:  New York badly needs a center fielder.  They also need a true lead-off hitter (Granderson isn’t one; Jose Reyes isn’t going to be for much longer).

Meanwhile, Atlanta has two true center fielders:  Ender Inciarte and Mallex Smith.  Both are under team control for quite a while (through 2020 for Inciarte; 2021 for Smith).  The former has proven his value over 2 major league seasons.  The latter has flashed enough to demonstrate that he’s ready to go.

This seems to be a situation where somebody gets blocked… on both teams.

Atlanta also has another quandry:  the need for another big bat.  There just are not very many of those bats are available, though, and a prior interest in Jorge Soler (et al) suggests that the club would be happy to land Conforto to be that young, controllable bat.

Trading Smith would not be a painless move:  I like him a lot and his speed is clearly a weapon.  An outfield featuring both Smith and Inciarte would mean that a lot fewer balls would find grass.

But how much speed is too much?  Atlanta might soon have Ozzie Albies to add to the order: between his and the legs of both Inciarte and Swanson, that’s probably enough (especially if chase d’Arnaud is still around).

Such a deal would effectively force the Braves to also move Nick Markakis as Conforto (or Matt Kemp) would be the future corner OFs.  So that leads to a couple of pre-conditions that I would recommend before entertaining this trade proposal:

  • Get Inciarte to agree to a long term deal – through his age 32 or 33 season perhaps.
  • Trade Nick Markakis for the best available deal you can get.

The Mets could likewise end up with an extra outfielder, but they certainly need expendable trade chips and this deal could give them up to two:  Lagares and perhaps Bruce.

The Deal Itself

Some have suggested that Atlanta would need to add more to get the Mets to agree to such a trade.  Maybe… but the difference should not be a lot, particularly given their apparent view of Conforto and their need for what Smith would give them.  I could see adding a B- or C-level prospect, but nothing further.  Plus, this clearly solves problems for both organizations.

The only obvious downside is that we’re looking at a division rival and each side will have to reckon with the fallout from a trade like to for several years’ to come.

That said, it is a deal that makes great sense for both sides – and allows the Braves the luxury of either postponing needs elsewhere (third base?) or going “All In” (Wilson Ramos for catcher?) without being concerned about rationing resources of either cash or prospects.

I don’t usually engage in projecting lineups when proposing trade scenarios, but please allow me to indulge myself on this occasion:

More from Tomahawk Take

Bench:  Flowers, d’Arnaud, Peterson, Frenchy?

Sure – adjust that any way you’d please, but this would be a heckuva lineup to go into 2017 with… and beyond.

Without a trade like this, the Braves could still try to move Markakis to free up space for Smith, playing him in Center with Inciarte sliding to RF.  They your lineup could become something like Inciarte/Swanson/Freeman/Kemp/Ramos/Garcia/Smith/Albies.  Still solid with 2 pairs of OBP/speed guys, but without the extra big bat.

Next: Uh Oh - Albies Injured During Swing

Let’s hear your thoughts… but please: keep it civil.

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