Palladino: Johnson Trade May Signal Start Of Mets' Transition From Wright
By Ernie Palladino
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The Mets' trade for Kelly Johnson on Wednesday addressed an immediate need, but it also opened a window to David Wright's future.
While no one is saying Johnson will ever become Wright's permanent replacement at third, getting him from the Braves for one promising minor league prospect may have signaled the start of a progression away from a much-injured captain whose herniated neck disc will likely keep him off the field until August at the earliest.
Of course, everyone from Terry Collins to the fan in the last row of Coca Cola Corner wants to see Wright return to offer his outstanding field leadership and whatever offense his sore body can generate. But the Johnson trade, ultimately springing from the need to bulk up an offense playing without Wright, Lucas Duda, and Travis d'Arnaud, may represent the beginning of Wright's replacement process.
As hard as it is to accept, the face of the Mets is growing very, very old before their eyes. The current disc issue has only compounded the problems his spinal stenosis has caused over the past few seasons. Forget about future production this year; Wright may not even make it back to the field. The medical jury remains out about whether surgery is called for.
If it is, his season is over.
Possibly his career, too.
MORE: Keidel: Baseball Gods Are Throwing Wright Some Serious Chin Music
For the franchise's own good, general manager Sandy Alderson and Collins have to start thinking about that extreme possibility. With Wright signed through 2020 and owed some $67 million past this season, early retirement would seem an unlikely possibility. Even a class guy like Wright would understandably be reluctant to just walk away from that kind of money.
At the same time, it would be hard for the organization to keep a player who can offer only minimal production. Unfortunately, Wright's physical issues are only growing, and could well worsen as he hits his 34th, 35th, 36th birthdays. Even prior his latest issue, Wright had to stretch for three hours to get ready to play, and his pre-game infield practice had been cut way back.
What will that regimen look like once he returns? How much more rest can Collins give him, considering he already had Wright on a modified schedule?
When this resolves itself, Wright may turn into nothing more than an expensive spot starter. No franchise can afford that.
If that becomes the case, the Mets will have to bite the financial bullet, come to an equitable buyout, and move on.
That will be a sad day. No one in the organization wants to say farewell to one of the most popular homegrown players in its history.
But the necessity of that day has become ever more apparent.
The Johnson trade is just the beginning. As he was last year, when Alderson brought him over from the Braves with Juan Uribe, he's a little addition to a slumping lineup. Johnson won't carry the offense -- that's the job of Yoenis Cespedes, Neil Walker, and Curtis Granderson. But he may add just enough key hits as he alternates starts between third and first base to rejuvenate an offense that scored just two runs in 18 innings in Tuesday's doubleheader loss to the Pirates.
The real move to the future must come at the end of July. If Alderson trades for a legitimate starting third baseman, it will signal the end of Wright. Management may couch it as a finishing touch to another pennant run and shot at a World Series championship, and that will be true enough.
But it will also represent a final grasp of reality, the resignation that Wright will never be whole again.
Getting Johnson addressed current exigencies, but his expected arrival Friday night in Milwaukee harkens the future, too.
A future potentially without Wright, as sad as that sounds.
Follow Ernie on Twitter at @ErniePalladino
