Former Mets GM Jim Duquette has a questionable Starling Marte trade proposal

Former New York Mets General Manager Jim Duquette shared a questionable trade proposal involving Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Starling Marte.

Jim Duquette’s time as New York Mets General Manager didn’t last long. He is best known for trading away star prospect Scott Kazmir to the Tampa Bay Rays for Victor Zambrano. Kazmir had a successful career as a pitcher down in Tampa while Zambrano didn’t do much at all up in Flushing.

In addition to trading away Kazmir, he’s the one who pulled the trigger on dealing a young Jose Bautista. Fans aren’t going to start a petition to build a statue in Duquette’s honor anytime soon.

If Duquette’s trade proposal for Starling Marte tells us anything, it’s that he hasn’t learned his lesson. On SNY, Duquette shared what he would be willing to give up in order to land the Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder.

Marte is a great player and a guy I think would be perfect for what the Mets need in center field. He’s also not a star worth three of the franchise’s best prospects.

Duquette’s deal for Marte would send Andres Gimenez, Franklyn Kilome, and either Mark Vientos or David Peterson to Pittsburgh. I don’t think too many Mets fans would be opposed to including Kilome in the deal given the fact he missed all of 2019 due to injury. It’s the other three in this deal which are tougher to part with.

I do believe Gimenez could become a trade candidate for the Mets given how well Ronny Mauricio is developing. However, to move him alongside Vientos and/or Peterson feels like the franchise is giving up on building the farm system.

Over the last year, Brodie Van Wagenen already dealt some of the orange and blue’s most notable prospects. To land a guy like Marte, they’re going to have to pay a high price. The one proposed by Duquette, however, feels like it’s too big of an investment for a one-time All-Star who has already celebrated his 31st birthday.

Marte has power, speed, and a pair of Gold Gloves on his resume. They did come as a left fielder, though, and if the Mets were to land him, he would play center field. His abilities are on a similar trajectory as former Pirates star Andrew McCutchen. The team eventually moved him to the corner spots.

Based on this trade proposal, it would seem Duquette has confused Marte for McCutchen in his prime. New York wouldn’t get any salary relief from it either, making this a trade that looks even less logical.

It’s only fair to Duquette if I mention what would be fair. Gimenez would probably need to go and I’m fine with Kilome as well. This probably wouldn’t be enough to land Marte considering how in-demand he will be this winter.

For the third prospect, I would include someone outside of the top 10. Preferably, a guy at a position the Mets have enough depth at in the minor leagues. A catcher such as Patrick Mazeika would be an ideal choice for me. I wouldn’t hesitate to include a pitcher instead. Without digging too deep, the Pirates can have anyone outside of the franchise’s top 12 according to MLB.com.

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We can all agree there’s no trade we’ll all always agree on. Duquette’s Marte trade proposal goes a little too far in emptying out the far. I’ll never hesitate to trade away prospects for a better present. Marte just isn’t worth as much as Duquette believes he is.