The Adventures of Pete & Pete is one of the early odd shows created by Nickelodeon. A live action sitcom about two brothers named Pete Wrigley, it follows their adventures as teenagers in an unconventional way. Their mom has a metal plate in her head. The younger brother, who’s more tween than teen in the beginning, has a tattoo of a dancing lady. His best friend is a superhero named Artie, the Strongest Man in the World. It has nothing to do with the New York Mets, but if a trade discussion from two years ago ended up happening, you might have been bold enough to search for a DVD of at least the first two seasons (the third season never made it there).
According to SNY’s Andy Martino, the 2023 trade deadline involved a discussion between the Mets and Chicago Cubs that would’ve hit the rewind button. Pete Alonso trade rumors were rampant at that time with the star first baseman being one of the few remaining in New York from start to finish. The Mets weren’t completely serious about dealing him, but they offered him to the Cubs in exchange for Pete Crow-Armstrong.
It’s easy to say you’d want this Mets trade now, let’s consider a few things before you build that time machine
Crow-Armstrong may be in the same MVP conversation Alonso once was in 2025. Alonso’s slipping numbers have him more in the realm of finishing tenth at best. He just doesn’t have those same overall abilities MVP voters tend to prefer over pure sluggers. PCA is one of the game’s most well-rounded athletes. He’s going to win Gold Gloves and Silver Sluggers in the same year while maybe stealing more bases than anyone else. That’s the MVP quality player many have come to appreciate more.
Regardless of where they are now, we need to take a step back and see where they were. Let’s say the trade did happen. Are the Mets eliminated in Game 3 against the Milwaukee Brewers?
It’s easy to forget that Crow-Armstrong went hitless in all 19 for his plate appearances in 2023. Last season, as he became a full-time player, he batted only .237/.286/.384. The glove was there. So was the speed. The rest was a work in progress. He is undoubtedly a phenomenal player with a league-leading 5.4 WAR. There are elements of his game that could be improved. His .269/.307/.555 slash line actually feels more like something Alonso would put together.
According to Martino, it’s the Cubs who balked at the trade proposal. An ideal situation back in 2023 for the Mets would’ve been to forego having Alonso on the roster in 2024 and re-sign him in 2025. There was no guarantee of it ever happening. And considering he was the one to pull them from the edge of darkness in the first round of the playoffs, we can’t be so quick to say this would’ve been best for the Mets.
Failed trade attempts are always intriguing whether you would’ve wanted to see it or not. This one has added layers because of the two players involved.