If the Mets are to trade Noah Syndergaard then they need to complete the kind of deal that netted them Noah Syndergaard.
When this organization makes a talented starter available it evokes the worst visions for despondent fans of Nolan Ryan and Tom Seaver walking out the door, and Jim Fregosi and Doug Flynn walking in.
But the Mets did trade a Cy Young winner after the 2012 campaign with far less leverage than they have today with Syndergaard, and received two key pieces for their 2015 NL championship in Syndergaard and Travis d’Arnaud.
R.A. Dickey was 38, a knuckleballer, due to be a free agent following the 2013 season and there was no ongoing pennant race to intensify bidding, yet Sandy Alderson landed the key piece he wanted, which was actually d’Arnaud, while meeting the criteria of his trade demand, which was a second high-end piece: Syndergaard.