Report: Mets Have Changed Stance, No Longer Want To Trade Colon
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Big Bart is here to stay.
At least it appears that way.
According to Andy Martino of the New York Daily News, the Mets have changed their stance and no longer have any intention of trading veteran starting pitcher Bartolo Colon.
The 41-year-old signed a two-year, $20 million deal with New York in December of 2013, and there was plenty of speculation during last year's trade deadline -- and this past offseason -- that general manager Sandy Alderson was entertaining dealing him if there were any takers.
His age, weight and contract likely scared teams away.
But Colon, who won 15 games in his first season as a Met in 2014, has been integral to the club's fast start in 2015.
"Our thinking has changed a lot," one team insider told Martino.
Martino reports that Colon's productivity on the mound -- in addition to the leadership he brings off it -- will likely make him unavailable come July, unless a team blows Alderson away with an offer.
"I learn everything from him," 25-year-old closer Jeurys Familia said, according to the New York Daily News. "Everything I can. I ask him all the time about situations in the game. He says that every day he pitches is the best day for him. He's happy, because he doesn't know if he is going to pitch again. You never know.
"So he enjoys every game he pitches like it's the last game. When you enjoy what you do, it's easier."
There remains a chance that Dillon Gee will be traded, with Rafael Montero -- who has big league experience -- Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz waiting in the wings.
When Zack Wheeler was lost prior to the season, however, trading a starting pitcher became less likely.
"I say, 'Watch him,'" Warthen said of Colon, according to the newspaper. "How he dissects the plate. How he goes first-pitch strike. He finds a release point. He works it both sides. He can repeat. He looks at his footprint at all times. You watch him on the mound, and if he makes a bad pitch, he'll look right down at his footprint."
The 2005 American League Cy Young Award winner won his first four decisions of the season before losing to the Marlins on Wednesday night. He's pitched to a 3.31 ERA and has recorded 25 strikeouts to just one walk.
