2) NY Mets fans rightfully felt wrong when they saw the Darin Ruf trade
From 2004 to 2022, we have a trade that continues to linger with Mets fans because of how recently it took place. The Darin Ruf trade with the San Francisco Giants was questionable from the moment we saw it cost the team J.D. Davis. The two players are similar in some ways. Was Ruf even an upgrade?
Ruf was batting .216/.328/.373 for the Giants at the time of the deal. He’d go on to bat .152/.216/.197 in 74 plate appearances for the Mets. Ruf, who was brought in to mash lefties, was put in the ultimate position to succeed. He couldn’t have performed much worse.
Meanwhile, the Giants acquired Davis and three prospects. Thomas Szapucki, Carson Seymour, and Nick Zwack all went to San Francisco in the deal. Even if Ruf replicated his numbers he had with the Giants whilst in blue and orange this is such a bad trade on paper.
We all remember where we were when we saw the trade announced. With each name added by the MLB insiders, our disdain grew.
There was no way Billy Eppler thought this was the right move to make. For the prospects, okay. For Davis plus three minor leaguers made this a trade doomed before Ruf’s jersey began production. It will live in infamy—but maybe not as much as this other trade.