Mets Should Hold on to Dillon Gee as Insurance

The Mets spent the off-season trying to add a shortstop and rid themselves of Dillon Gee.

While the former was and remains a laudable, if difficult, goal to achieve, the latter objective might not be advisable.

The Mets couldn’t find a trade partner offering what they wanted for Gee, who enters spring training as the team’s “5.5th starter,” so to speak. The rotation looks like it will consist of Matt Harvey, 2014 Rookie of the Year Jacob deGrom, Zack Wheeler, Jon Niese and Bartolo Colon, with Noah Syndergaard waiting in the wings at Triple-A Las Vegas and left-hander Stephen Matz not too far behind him.

That’s seven starters vying for a spot in the rotation even before Gee’s name enters the conversation. But Gee–who was 7-8 with a 4.00 ERA last season–is still only a couple of years older than young guns Harvey, deGrom and Wheeler (Gee will turn 29 on April 28), he has a record of season-to-season consistency (career record 40-34 with a 3.91 ERA) nobody other than Jon Niese can match, he’s got a good attitude and a thoughtful, strike-throwing approach to pitching.

What Gee doesn’t have is the 95-mph stuff that Harvey, deGrom, Wheeler and Syndergaard can offer. If he isn’t moved, Gee is slated to open the season as the Mets’ long man in the bullpen.

But things happen.

Harvey missed last season with Tommy John surgery. deGrom had Tommy John surgery several seasons ago and has not put in a full season at the major league level yet. Niese missed time on the disabled list last year. Colon is 42. Matz has a long injury history which already set his professional timetable back a couple of years. Pitchers get hurt. How many rotations ever make it through a season unscathed?

Wheeler and Syndergaard have remained healthy thus far. But would you take any bets on them holding up the entire season?

A pitcher like Gee, who can open the season in long relief but then easily step into a starting role at any point he might be needed this season, offers way too much value and flexibility to sell short. If the Mets still have ideas about trading him, they ought to make sure it’s for a package that brings back something substantial in return.