Apr 4, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Mets catcher John Buck (44) throws down to second base during the top of the fifth inning against the San Diego Padres at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Jim O

Buck’s history at the plate indicates that he will eventually cool off in a big way. A career .236 hitter, he batted just .192 in 106 games for Miami last year, and the consensus around Flushing is that a whole season with Buck won’t be any better than last year’s less-than-fearsome foursome of Josh Thole, Mike Nickeas, Rob Johnson, and Kelly Shoppach.

But while Buck is far from a great hitter, his skill and experience as a catcher trump every one of last year’s backstops, and right now they even trump those of the centerpiece of the deal that sent Thole and Nickeas to Toronto along with R.A. Dickey. Even though John Buck rode into New York on the coattails of Travis d’Arnaud, he remains the best option for the Mets at catcher for at least the first half of the 2013 season, if not longer.

Buck’s intimate knowledge of opposing hitters is well-documented; he’s already a major hit with New York’s starting staff because he calls a game with the best of them. Buck’s flair for getting pitchers out of tough spots will be especially helpful for developing arms like Matt Harvey and Dillon Gee. Whereas last year they were getting their signs from Josh Thole, who was as young and inexperienced as they were, this year they’re getting their marching orders from a true field general. Buck is exactly the kind of catcher Harvey, Gee, and eventually Zack Wheeler need to develop into cornerstones of the Mets’ rotation. He’s just what the doctor ordered for the talented but inconsistent Bobby Parnell, Jenrry Mejia, and Jeurys Familia as well; don’t expect many more repeats of yesterday’s shakiness from Familia with Buck behind the plate.

He may be just a placeholder, but as far as placeholders go, John Buck will make his place look awfully good. So what happens when d’Arnaud, the anointed one, comes up from Vegas to move into that place? Mets fans may be eager to scrap the 32-year-old Buck in favor of the 24-year-old probable superstar-to-be. New is always better, right?

Mar 18, 2013; Jupiter, FL, USA; New York Mets catcher Travis d

Not in a situation where you’ve got a majority of pitchers who are just as major-league raw as the guy sending them the signals. While d’Arnaud and his young colleagues will be keys to the future of the franchise, they’ll all still be learning to turn the locks at the same time. Even when Travis d’Arnaud makes the jump to the big show, assumedly sometime around Memorial Day, it would be wise for Terry Collins to split playing time between him and Buck based on who’s on that hill that particular day. To be clear, opposing pitching matchups should not be taken into account; as the everyday catcher of tomorrow, d’Arnaud will need to know how to hit both righties and lefties. No, this platoon will be determined by his team’s own pitcher. On days when the young guns are starting, have the steady hand of Buck leading the way. When more experienced starters Jonathon Niese and Shaun Marcum are up, let the youngster d’Arnaud out to give it a spin.

As anxious as fans are to see tomorrow’s team today, the Mets will want to make sure Travis d’Arnaud is up to full speed after missing half of last season with injury. Sandy Alderson may also be looking to keep him in Las Vegas for as long as possible in order to hold off impending Super-2 free agency. What John Buck’s presence means is that d’Arnaud can take his sweet time in the minors. If 2013 truly is a lost season for the New York Mets, if the true feast doesn’t start until next year, why rush the meat into the oven? The best thing to do is to let it thoroughly marinate in the seasoning of a Buck.

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While a deal isn’t a deal until both parties stamp their seal in wax and shake hands, Sandy Alderson apparently landed his man.  Moving R.A. Dickey and his 2013 team friendly $5 million dollar salary was contingent on landing a club’s top prospect.  In the Mets case, one of the club’s greatest needs was behind the plate.  When Toronto joined the ranks of interested parties, the General Manager insisted on Travis d’Arnaud, whom the Blue Jays once deemed unavailable in trades.

March 16, 2012; Dunedin, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays catcher Travis d

Travis d’Arnaud was originally drafted by Philadelphia in the first round (#37) of the 2007 June Amateur Draft and was then acquired by Toronto in the Roy Halladay trade.  This past year, he ranked #17 on Baseball America’s pre-2012 prospects list.  However, his 2012 season was compromised by a knee injury.  In only sixty seven games and 279 at-bats with AAA-Las Vegas, he still batted .333 and sported a .380 OBP.  Both marks were career bests in six minor league seasons.  He also established new highs by slugging .595, and posting a .975 OPS.  He smacked twenty one doubles (93 hits), and sixteen home runs while driving in fifty two runs and scoring another forty five.  D’Arnaud struck out a somewhat lofty fifty nine times last season while drawing nineteen walks.  At age twenty two with AA-New Hampshire, his 2011 regular season was stopped at 114 games due to a sore back.  Moving forward, a possible issue facing the Mets seems not with talent, but in whether Travis d’Arnaud can avoid injury and stay on the field.  Otherwise, the Mets are receiving a legitimate high-end prospect at a very difficult position to fill.  He bats right, and throws right.  In fifty five games played behind the plate last season, d’Arnaud threw out base runners at a 30% clip.

Twenty year old right-hander Noah Syndergaard is an A-level pitching prospect.  He was drafted by Toronto in the first round (#37) of the 2010 June Amateur Draft.  Last season while pitching with A-Lansing, he posted a 2.60 ERA in 103.1 innings pitched.  He finished with an 8-5 record after  pitching in twenty seven games and making nineteen starts.  He allowed twenty two less hits (81) than innings pitched, and struck out an impressive 122 batters for a 10.6 K’s per nine innings pitched average.  He issued thirty three walks, and sported a 1.080 WHiP.

The Mets will receive a second right-handed catcher.  Veteran backstop John Buck also comes to the Mets with nine years of service.  He has a little pop.  With K.C. in 2007, he clubbed eighteen home runs in 347 at-bats.  In 2010 with Toronto he hit twenty home runs in 409 at-bats.  He is a strikeout machine, but apparently can help drive in a few runs for the Mets.

There is a saying – Haste makes waste.  If this deal finally goes through, it is right to give Sandy Alderson’s methodical approach to R.A. Dickey’s contract negotiations the credit it deserves.  With Dickey’s $5 million dollar option already picked up for 2013, the Mets held all the cards.  They were not necessarily motivated sellers so to say, and quite frankly R.A. Dickey had no leverage.  Therefore Sandy Alderson had the luxury of dangling the 2012 N.L. Cy Young award winner and letting interested teams make bids.  The Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, and L.A. Angels of Anaheim, all showed varying degrees of interest.  And it was widely reported a few more undisclosed teams were interested as well.  That is until the Blue Jays stepped in.  So give credit to Sandy Alderson on this particular, and still potential deal for creating a sellers market.

There is always the possibility prospects do not pan out.  But I say nothing ventured, nothing gained.  I believe trading R.A. Dickey is/was the right thing to do.  Coming off a Cy Young award winning season at age thirty-eight, the time was right to sell high.  Omar Minaya signed him to one of those famous minor league contracts hoping for a proverbial flash in the pan.  The Mets got one, and more.  Last season he was an ace.  But the Mets clearly have different plans for their rotation beyond the 2013 season.  Therefore I viewed Dickey more as a commodity and an asset pitching for what should still be considered a rebuilding ball club.  So I say his value to the club was in trading him, not re-signing him.  If I may dare and say the Mets do have a strength, it would be an emerging starting rotation.  R.A. Dickey in effect became expendable and his superb 2012 season made him quite desirable.  With a hook of $5 million dollars, his 2013 salary made him very attractive.  When you have a motivated buyer on your hands with a farm system like the Blue Jays have, you act.

Josh Thole is a favorite of mine.  I’ll forever be an apologist for him.  What can I say other than, he will be missed.  But the position of catcher has arguably been upgraded quite considerably with this trade.  If Travis d’Arnaud delivers on his potential and makes the scouts look smart, the Mets have a great story on their hands.  That is why I do not begrudge anyone for opposing the decision to trade R.A. Dickey.  Who’s story was better than his?  Plus, Dickey didn’t necessarily have to go.  So for the fans who have a greater affinity for the departed knuckle-baller than yours truly, I’m sorry to see him go too.  But this is best for the team and the long term success we strive to achieve.

From the New York Post, the Mets will send Dickey, Josh Thole, and a “non-elite” prospect to Toronto for catching prospect Travis d’Arnaud,

March 16, 2012; Dunedin, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays catcher Travis d

catcher John Buck, pitching prospect Noah Syndergaard, and another prospect. The Mets may also receive some cash to offset the $6 million that Buck will earn in 2013.

The details of the deal are not public yet, so the players reported above are assumed to be in the trade. If the players noted are in fact in the deal, the Mets would not be getting an outfielder (such as Anthony Gose or Rajai Davis) as had been previously speculated. Keep checking Rising Apple for further information on the Mets/Blue Jays deal.