JAYS LAND CY YOUNG WINNER DICKEY
The Toronto Blue Jays acquired pitcher R.A. Dickey, plus catchers Josh Thole and Mike Nickeas from the New York Mets for catchers Travis d'Arnaud and John Buck, pitcher Noah Syndergaard and outfielder Wuilmer Becerra.
What does it give the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto makes its second blockbuster deal of the off-season here by adding the 2012 National League Cy Young winner in Dickey, who joins fellow newcomers from the NL East {P Josh Johnson} and {P Mark Buehrle} (late of the Marlins) as the veterans in the completely revamped Blue Jays rotation. With {P Brandon Morrow} and {P Ricky Romero} already in place, starting pitching should be a team strength for the Jays in 2013. Thole and Nickeas have both caught Dickey's knuckleball, so the Jays did well to land them both here. While Toronto is clearly going for a division crown here, losing both d'Arnaud and Syndergaard in this deal hurts.
What does it give the New York Mets
While it's never fun trading away a Cy Young winner (ask the Montreal Expos, who dealt away {P Pedro Martinez} to the Boston Red Sox after 1997 for {P Carl Pavano} and {P=1809 Tony Armas jr.}), the Mets did even better than expected under the circumstances. In d'Arnaud, they landed the best catching prospect in the game. He'll likely be an impact player for the Mets relatively soon. Buck will hold the fort until d'Arnaud is ready, while Syndergaard gives the Mets yet another potential ace for their future rotation. Becerra was a toolsy throw-in with raw, long-range upside. All told, this was a fantastic deal for the rebuilding Mets.
Fantasy impact
Dickey is 38, switching leagues once again and moving to a hitter-friendly park. Therefore, his fantasy value could take a significant hit in Toronto. He will also have the pressure of leading a staff expected to make the playoffs. Buyer beware on Dickey. Thole is now clearly a backup to {P J.P. Arencibia} in Toronto, so his value has also diminished significantly. Nickeas never really had fantasy value to begin with. Buck is suddenly getting a short-term boost in fantasy value with this deal, as he'll likely play almost every day until d'Arnaud is ready for prime time. While d'Arnaud may have had more value in the AL, he's now the clear catcher of the future for his new organization, something that was in doubt with the Jays due to Arencibia's presence. As for Syndergaard, his fantasy value could soar now that he will eventually pitch in the National League for a pitching-rich organization. He's also a little closer to the bigs as a Met. Becerra will not be on the fantasy radar for years, and even then his impact may not be felt at all. He's as raw as prospects come.
