This three-part series will look at significant players who were not traded at the deadline and determine whether their teams made the right decision.

What happened: The Mets basically did nothing at the deadline, with their only move the sale of Omar Quintanilla to Baltimore. They weren't in a position to buy, sitting 11.5 back by July 25, and there wasn't much in terms of liquid assets at the major league level either. Scott Hairston – a free agent at the end of the year and making $1.1 million this season – was probably their best asset, and the Mets decided to hold.

Was it the right move: No. Hairston holds little future value to the Mets, reaching free agency after the season. He has caught fire this season and owns a .268/.306/.536 line, easily a career year for the 32-year-old. His 14 home runs in 87 games are just three off his career high. The power and low financial cost made him an attractive option for teams looking to upgrade the outfield.

Hairston holds exceptional value as a lefty-killer, notching a tremendous .305/.336/.602 line against left-handed pitching this season and a solid .279/.329/.504 line for his career. At this point, there's not much differentiating Hairston and Shane Victorino – Victorino's OPS against lefties this season is 280 points higher than against righties – except Hairston hits for more power.

The package Philadelphia got for Victorino wasn't franchise-changing but it included a major-league ready reliever in Josh Lindblom and a legitimate pitching prospect in 2008 first round draft pick Ethan Martin. Given the Mets' bullpen woes, a guy like Lindblom (3.00 ERA in 48 IP this season, albeit with questionable peripherals) could go a long way toward stabilizing their bullpen.

Conclusion: It isn't clear the Mets would have gotten as much for Hairston as the Phillies got for Victorino – Hairston had less money on his contract but a much lower name value – but teams are always looking for cheap bats with power at the deadline. The Mets could have received an asset or two for next year and beyond. Perhaps they can re-sign Hairston for the 2012 season, but given the bullpen needs the Mets have and the need every team has for prospects, holding him for a meaningless final two months appears a missed opportunity.

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