The Mets are weighing an earnest pursuit of Japanese star Shohei Ohtani if and when he is posted by the Nippon Ham Fighters, David Lennon and Marc Carig of Newsday report. While the Mets are limited in what they can offer at present, the team could potentially trade for additional pool money. The greater allure than the signing bonus they can offer, though, comes with the endorsement opportunities available to Ohtani by signing with one of the two teams in the nation’s largest market, Carig and Lennon posit. The Mets also have a strong relationship with Ohtani’s agency, CAA, and they could offer Ohtani opportunities to bat not only on the days he’s pitching but occasionally in the outfield. Lennon notes that the Mets should still be considered a long shot, but it’s nonetheless worth noting that another large-market club could be in the mix for his services.
A few more notes out of Queens…
- Mike Puma of the New York Post reports that the Mets are indeed interested in Carlos Santana, as FanRag’s Jon Heyman recently suggested, adding that the interest in Santana has a correlation with some executives’ feelings toward prospect Dominic Smith. The former first-round pick made his big league debut late in the 2017 season and didn’t do much to impress, hitting just .198/.262/.395 with a 26.8 percent strikeout rate in 183 plate appearances. Smith is still just 22 years of age, and Puma hardly suggests that the team has completely given up on the young slugger. But, assistant GM John Ricco also suggested to Puma and other reporters that the club could trade from its big league roster if it meant acquiring other big league talent. He also specifically indicated that Wilmer Flores could platoon with Smith, so there’s certainly the possibility that he could yet play a large role for the Mets moving forward.
- Puma notes within that seem piece that Ricco suggested Asdrubal Cabrera currently factors into the plan as a third baseman. The Mets could shift him to second base if a better option at the hot corner arises, though MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo tweets that the Mets are most likely to add a second base option this offseason with Cabrera penciled in at third base. Puma writes that while the Mets are being open-minded when it comes to the infield, they are not likely to pursue either Eric Hosmer or Mike Moustakas in free agency.
- The Mets are “ramping up” to make a play that has previously been uncharacteristic for them, tweets Carig. New York, it seems, is prepared to add a reliever to their bullpen even at the cost of a three- or four-year contract. Alderson has typically eschewed such commitments, but Carig notes that it’s considered a high priority for the team. The Post’s Joel Sherman points out that new manager Mickey Callaway and pitching coach Dave Eiland bring some insight into a group of free-agent relievers. Joe Smith, Bryan Shaw and Boone Logan pitched for Callaway in Cleveland (Smith was also drafted by the Mets), while Eiland was the pitching coach for Mike Minor in Kansas City.
- Further adding to the notion that the Mets are poised for an active offseason, Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM tweets that Ricco joined him on the air tonight and “made it clear” that the Mets are going to be players on the free-agent market. Bowden notes that position players seem likelier than pitchers, though, with center field, first base, second base and third base all potential areas for addition. The Mets were already linked to center fielder Lorenzo Cain earlier this evening.
The Mets are weighing an earnest pursuit of Japanese star Shohei Ohtani if and when he is posted by the Nippon Ham Fighters
While the the Orioles are debating to bring back Nolan Reimold!!!!
SMH
Nolan retired I thought
I love the photo in the link to this article. Is Cespedes smiling because he’s going in the DL or grimacing for pulling another hammy? Lol
Hope it’s not all talk. Ohtani would be great especially if they go for a 4 man bench he can be used as a pinch hitter.
Hey Simply-he doesn’t want to be a pinch hitter and he doesn’t want to play for the Mets.
Ohtani’s NY idol was an outfielder; Babe Ruth not Ron Swaboda
Playing in New York doesn’t get a player a huge endorsement income. Tanaka was 7th in endorsement income in 2015 and made only $1 million. Most of that came from Japan. David Wright was 10th at $800k. I’d guess that if Wright played in a different market he might’ve made $200-$400k. When you consider that these guys are making $15-$30 million from playing, and extra $500k isn’t much. Ohtani will make endorsement money from Japan no matter where he plays.
it doesn’t, but considering 10% of the top endorsed players are in NY, it increases their chances. and Tanaka is ranked 66 of the top 100 sorts athletes (all sports) as of 2016.
That also means 90%of the top endorsed players aren’t in NY
So we’ve finally figured out Ohtani’s end-game for forfeiting all of that potential earning: he wants to wreck his arm as quickly and permanently as possible so that he can be named after a marvel superhero and star in a movie.
HAHA
That was pretty funny. Not bad lol
Ohtani is not naive about matters of the Mets owners,never gonna happen…
Santana yea right more like Duda…
I think that it is so well known how dysfunctional the Mets are that they are near the bottom of the list for most players, regardless of the contract offered or endorsements available.
The Mets sign Cain, Shaw & Minor
Trade Dom Smith, Matz & Gsellman to White Sox for Abreu
From your lips to God’s ears. Wish you were the GM
Why must Met fans be teased in this manner? The cheapskate Wilpons are always floating things that suggest they might actually spend like a big market club (and this will cost regardless of restrictions).
Ohtani to Mets: if NY is such a great market, why do you guys spend like you’re San Diego??
Just be real with us. Alderson’s going through the garbage bin looking for “bargains” (which, of course, only occasionally are) and we’ll be mediocre again next year unless a few outlier good events occur (then maybe “Play Meaningful Games in September”).
Don’t you love how they are giving up on their “can’t miss” 1B man who seasoned so long in the minors?
Do yah think it was the distorted AAA stats of playing in Las Vegas?
Very little has been drafted and cultivated since Bud Seelig’s buddy was installed in the Flushing looney house.
Best prospects were Omar’s creations; though diminished by blowing out their arms.
I don’t think they’re giving up on him. The Wilpon’s refusal to pay market for anything (it goes beyond payroll), along his zero based budget for new players., impacts all personnel decisions. A normal big (or even mid) market team would let Smith/Flores start the season at 1B and upgrade the known problems – 2b, 3b, C and pitching depth (starting and bullpen) with a sufficient budget for that purpose, which of course can be adjusted. Alderson doesn’t have a dime to spend that he knows of. So he and his guys go around trying to find players that Wilpon might agree to pay, knowing his only goals are to spend the minimum to fill out the roster and not have a City wide revolt against him. Naturally they gravitate toward players like Bruce, flawed to the point that nobody else thinks his value equates with his numbers, but he, for that reason, can be portrayed as a bargain. That they don’t need a poor corner OF, with a possibility of being a poor 1B, isn’t important to them. It’s activity, not achievement. Bruce is the cheapest name out there (years and $$) and they can likely find a spot for him. Last year, they couldn’t move him with paying some of his salary and the solution wasn’t to pay some of what they already owed and get a decent prospect or two, but to block the best young position player they’ve produced since D.Wright – Conforto (luck that it didn’t). So, this year he blocks Smith (who, like Conforto, can be ticketed back to AAA) at least at first. Smith is younger than Conforto was and not as polished a hitter. A year in they’ll try and move Bruce if Smith warrants another chance and recover pennies. Meanwhile nothing gets resolved at 2b, 3b or C – but with a few second tier relievers Wilpon can cut the payroll and still pretend he’s trying to win.
I think Alderson’s done OK overall in the draft and international signings with what he has to work with. Player development has been a upgrade. and well above average despite below average resources. Alderson’s used to thinking “small” and that’s why he was palatable to the Wilpons, but it he had bigger thoughts he wouldn’t be able to implement them anyway. This fish stinks from the top. 27 years now of Wilpon occupation, and nothing’s really changed since his “control period” began with running down the franchise to lower its purchase price on Doubleday’s interest. At some point, the shell game isn’t worth following. At the end of the day, the players we need to compete (and certainly can afford) will be under other shells. Wilpon will lie, and Alderson will put lipstick on the pig.