Should the Mets be in the market for a catcher after Travis d'Arnaud's lukewarm debut?
Do the Mets really need to be shopping for a catcher this offseason? The answer to that question depends on how you feel about Travis d'Arnaud and his .202/.286/.263 line he put up last season in just 112 plate appearances. Yes, that is way too small a sample size on which to be judging the value of New York's budding star, but the reason it's so small is because d'Arnaud has a habit of getting injured. It might not be a terrible idea to bring in a veteran backstop with World Series experience.
And even if you think "experience" and "leadership" are just words used by Saltalamacchia's agent to drive his price up, he's still a 28-year-old catcher who hit .273/.338/.466 last season. You can do a lot worse than that.
The cost
Saltalamacchia was given a qualifying offer by the Red Sox after the World Series, but he turned it down, and that makes sense. He surely is looking to cash with a long-term deal after posting the best season of a career that has seen Saltalamacchia struggle to find a full-time gig. 2013 was not just his best season at he plate so far, it was also the one in which he set a career high in at-bats, doubles, walks, and WAR. Teams may be wary that Saltalamacchia has only really "done it" for one full season, but he's always been considered a very talented offensive player. He'll probably earn something along the line of $30 million over three years this winter, and the Mets would be at the advantage of only having to surrender a second round draft pick—instead of a first—for his services.
The fit
No matter how much money it would cost the Mets to acquire Saltalamacchia, the real question is whether or not the Mets need a veteran catcher when there are more pressing needs at shortstop and in the outfield. Saltalamacchia is a switch hitter who is a much stronger player against righties, so he would fit in well with d'Arnaud in a platoon situation, but he can't be crazy about having to split playing time with a hyped prospect.
When you consider the media distraction that a position battle would create, Saltalamacchia's wishy-washy defense, and New York's more pressing needs, a deal between the Mets and Saltalamacchia starts to feel very improbable.