2042.5: Mei on the move?

[Rubaboo]

Reports from sources close to the Aztecs front office have indicated that the team has put out feelers looking for an interested trade partner for star C Hsin Mei. The team is reportedly considering all options, from dealing Mei to declining his upcoming team option to keeping him around for another season.

Mei, although not one of the top 5 catchers in the game anymore, is still a productive player. So why the sudden decision to try to shop him? The decision on Mei may boil down to Kyle Baker. If the team believes that Baker can provide a reasonable part of what Mei could contribute, the obvious solution is to find a way to gracefully move on from Mei. While the team is not cash strapped, the attractiveness of a player on a minimum salary is obvious compared to one on a $20M price tag. So can Baker be enough of a copy of Mei to get the job done for the Aztecs? The ratings make sense, Mei, as of the last scout report, sits at 6/7/8/5/6. Baker, 6/7/7/7/4. Defensively they're also comparable; Mei 6 Ability, 8 Arm, 7 rating. Baker 7/7/7. The ratings seem to pan out in favor of the team moving on from Mei. Where it gets a bit more complicated though is in the periphery. Mei has begun to bleed his ratings a bit which, at 32, you can forgive him for. Still, he managed a respectable 2.4 WAR. A respectable number for most, but it still makes him horribly overpaid. Baker is up and coming and just put up a gaudy 5.6 WAR in AAA before jumping on the Aztec playoff roster. Trending-wise, advantage Baker, whose arrow is pointing up. The main thing solidly in Mei's favor is that the fans love him. Moving him would definitely cost the Aztecs some goodwill with their supporters.

This move could be a complicated one for Mexico City GM Fred Holmes. Paying Mei to go away by executing his Team Option would be foolish, in all honesty, and if Mei is dealt there needs to be value returned in the way of big league help for 2043 or in the form of prospects for the pipeline. Odds at this point, according to inside sources, favor Mei staying in Aztec red for the last of his contract unless the team can get help filling a big league hole for 2043.