Feeling 'numbness,' Dickey sad to leave New York

"I must admit to you and repent the timing because I feel badly about using a time such as that to become emotional, and I want to apologize for that because that wasn't the venue necessarily to do that," he said.

So he's moving out of town in a deal that also sent catchers Josh Thole and Mike Nickeas to the Blue Jays and brought the Mets top catching prospect Travis d'Arnaud and veteran catcher John Buck, plus minor league right-hander Noah Syndergaard and outfielder Wuilmer Becerra. It was much like the Mets' 1977 trade that sent Tom Seaver to Cincinnati for Doug Flynn, Steve Henderson, Dan Norman and Pat Zachry.

Dickey wondered about an article that appeared last weekend in the New York Post questioning whether he was a good teammate on the Mets.

"People have sent me the articles about not being a good clubhouse guy and my response to that is go ask my teammates. Are there quotes around and has anybody come out saying R.A. is a bad teammate?" he said. "I don't know if 'smeared' is the right word. I think I just feel sad about it. ... It seemed beyond coincidence."

NOTES: When he was introduced during a conference call Tuesday, Syndergaard apologized for a posting on his Twitter account this month in which he used an anti-gay slur. ... D'Arnaud said he doesn't feel pressure to produce because he was obtained for Dickey: "I just try to focus on what I could control, just work hard and do as much as a can to become a better player each and every day." ... The Mets obtained OF Collin Cowgill from Oakland for minor league INF Jefry Marte. ... Mets closer Frank Francisco had surgery to remove a bone spur from his right elbow. He should begin throwing in six weeks and is expected to be ready for opening day.