Metsmerized Forums brings us a story from The Toronto Sun where in July of 2002 the Mets nearly dealt a young prospect by the name of David Wright for Jose Cruz Jr, but the Jays declined. I officially revoke my earlier defense of Steve Phillips.
The New York Mets said they would take Cruz, offering a minor-leaguer playing his first full season at class-A.
Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi decided against taking the
minor-leaguer for Cruz. The Jays also refused the Seattle Mariners'
offer of prospect Rafael Soriano for Cruz, after the Mariners refused
to move reliever Clint Nageotte.
The Jays held on to Cruz, who finished the 2002 season with a
.245 average, 18 homers and 70 RBIs. After the season the Jays decided
not to tender Cruz a contract and he signed as a free agent with the
San Francisco Giants.
That class-A kid? Well, it's tough evaluating 19-year-olds as the kid was at the time.
That season at class-A Capital City the kid hit .266 with 11 homers and 93 RBIs. He had 76 walks, 114 strikeouts.
The kid? You may have seen him at Tuesday's all-star game — and
on a hundred or so highlight clips — as he grew up to be all-star
third baseman David Wright.
Pete Lappin (3)
