After much speculation and negotiation, the Toronto Blue Jays have acquired R.A. Dickey from the New York Mets as part of a seven-player trade that sends the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner to Toronto along with catcher Josh Thole and Minor League catcher Mike Nickeas in exchange for highly touted catching prospect Travis d’Arnaud, the system’s top pitching prospect in Noah Syndergaard, veteran catcher John Buck and outfield prospect Wilmer Becerra.
Only in a world where fantasy baseball trades, video game franchise modes and prospect rankings are given more credence than they’re due could this trade be viewed in a negative light. It’s a good deal for both teams. The swap shores up a New York Mets organization that hopes to build around a young pitching rotation with the proven talent of the recently locked up David Wright. Meanwhile the Toronto Blue Jays further establish their newly found status as the best team in the American League East – at a time when the rest of the division appears wobbled by age and inconsistency – by acquiring a pitcher whose $5 million salary in 2013 likely makes him the greatest value-add possible for a rotation.
Dickey’s contributions go beyond the benefits of exceptional talent at a below-market price. He’s a unique player, a unique person, who offers a multitude of qualities underneath his jersey. He isn’t easily encompassed or grasped. However, here for your enjoyment and edification is an attempt to do just that: The Getting Blanked A-Z Guide To R.A. Dickey.
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