Mets Deal Hated Guillermo Mota to Brewers

The Mets have been trying, and failing, to go in any direction away from Paul Lo Duca this offseason. After talks with Yorvit Torrealba fell through, the Mets found another route: trade Guillermo Mota!

You wouldn't Mota would be good enough to acquire anyone of note, and, well, you'd sort of be right. Because you'd get Johnny Estrada:

"Johnny adds depth to our catching situation," Mets general manager Omar Minaya said. "He's a former All-Star who switch-hits and has hit over .300 three times in his career."
Estrada had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Oct. 4 to repair a torn meniscus. He also had a bone spur removed from his right elbow. The operations were performed by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala.

The 34-year-old Mota was 2-2 with a 5.76 ERA in 52 relief appearances this season. Often booed at home, the right-hander struck out 47 and walked 18 in 59 1-3 innings.

Mota wasn't just booed this season; he was in many ways the focal point for angry Mets fans during the team's historic stretch-run collapse. Tim Marchman, a normally level-headed columnist, even wrote a scathing ode to the pains involved in watching Mota pitch. Hated doesn't begin to describe Mota's standing with Mets fans.

So to gain something, anything, for Mota -- even if it is Estrada -- is a minor coup for the Mets. At the very least, it's a subtly pleasing PR move.