Mets trade for Billy Hamilton is the latest Brodie Van Wagenen blunder

The Billy Hamilton trade hasn’t worked out for the New York Mets and is the lastest Brodie Van Wagenen blunder on the board.

Brodie Van Wagenen has made some bad trades as general manager of the New York Mets. None may have been as bad, as quickly as the one made this summer for outfielder Billy Hamilton.

Once a well-known speedster with a great glove and limited bat, Hamilton’s best years are well in the past. This didn’t stop BVW from trading the team’s 14th ranked prospect, Jordan Humphreys, for Hamilton’s service in 2020.

The trade, which took place on August 2, officially came in as a loss for the Mets on September 4. The team designated Hamilton for assignment. Now we have to wait and see what becomes of Humphreys to really know whether this was a huge failure or just a minor blunder.

Hamilton went 1 for 22 as a member of the Mets which gave him a .045 batting average. In a year without pitchers hitting, it served as a reminder of the days when they did.

It wasn’t so much his poor bat as much as it was Hamilton’s bad base-running that knocked him out of a Mets uniform. He came here to steal bases and make smart choices with his legs. He didn’t do much of either and now he’s out of here.

If there’s anything the Mets can feel confident about, Jake Marisnick is hitting tremendously well when healthy. That’s the key; keeping him on the field when needed.

Marisnick is another center fielder picked up by Van Wagenen this offseason in what has become a questionable trade itself. Blake Taylor is shining in the Houston Astros bullpen and Marisnick is a free agent after 2020.

It’s obvious the Mets are aware of their shortcomings in the outfield as far as defense goes. During Marisnick’s absence, there appeared to be some panic which is why they went out and landed Hamilton in the first place.

The end result of the Hamilton trade reminds me of a similar one made by Van Wagenen in his first offseason. Remember Keon Broxton and his short stint with the Mets? The team gave up quite a bit to get him only to trade him away for international slot bonus money before May was through.

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We won’t know for a few years how poorly that trade worked out for the Mets, but if it’s anything like some of these other moves, prepare yourself for some tears.