In a candid interview with Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Mets GM Sandy Alderson suggested that it’s quite unlikely his organization will oversee a franchise-altering sell-off of MLB assets this summer. The post is a must-read for Mets fans.
“Can circumstances change that, yes,” Alderson said of the possibility of a significant roster tear-down. “But I think that would be very, very remote. It’s not something we’re even considering or talking about.”
Even more interesting than that statement, though, was Alderson’s explication of his philosophy on roster building and team performance. He tells Nightengale that he rejects the notion — which he says is prevalent in the broader MLB culture — that “you’re either really good or you stink.” Alderson generally explains that he doesn’t adhere to that level of extremism and notes that a significant rebuild, while coming with the potential for great success, also doesn’t guarantee a return to prominence.
That line of thinking seems to hint that the Mets will not feel pressured to take a dramatic approach to the deadline. Of course, Alderson has also proven willing to do so in recent years, having adopted both buying and selling postures as situations warranted. Memorably, the club struck a pair of 2015 blockbusters — one foiled by medicals, one consummated — with a resulting butterfly effect of rare significance. Last year, the club shipped out a bevy of veterans on expiring contracts after a disappointing and injury-riddled first half of the season.
This time around, the hope was — and still is — that the roster would perform much better. The Mets ponied up some cash for solid veterans at areas of need, though certainly some would have argued that a bigger spend on more elite talent was warranted. Things looked promising after an initial run of success, but the club entered play today three games under .500.
Alderson is taking the long view and remaining optimistic despite the team’s recent struggles, bemoaning a “temporary loss of perspective” and citing “the possibilities when we get players back from injuries.” Indeed, the team is welcoming back two significant offseason additions — Todd Frazier and Anthony Swarzak — for today’s game, while Noah Syndergaard and Yoenis Cespedes are perhaps not far behind. Those returns won’t ensure an upswing in the standings and don’t explain all of the difficulties the Mets have encountered, but each absence has also undoubtedly been a significant component in the club’s overall struggles.
Well then enjoy your last few months as Mets GM, fella
If that dude was gonna get fired, it would have already happened. He’s boys with the ownership.
He’s not going anywhere, he got a contract extension in the offseason.
Really. Then why were his terms undisclosed? Probably bcuz there was barely any “security” given
I don’t doubt he’s boys with ownership, but don’t use a Wilpon extension as your reason for Sandy not going anywhere.
There won’t be a liquidation sale because no one is interested in any of the underperforming players that Sandy overpaid. Cabrera is the only one with any trade value. But no contenders are hurting for a 2B, and there’s plenty of other options out there.
This is such a typical contradiction from anyone bemoaning the Mets. “The Mets don’t spend any money and play in a small market” / “The Mets overpayed for a bunch of guys they thought could help but are underperforming”.
Teams will be lining up for Familia, deGrom, Cabrera, Lugo & Cespedes (despite the injuries/contract). 2nd tier guys that will be in demand are Blevins (despite the struggles), Mesoraco, A-Gone (cheap bench bat).
To say teams are hoping to hear Sandy declare a rebuild would be shortsighted.
Teams will be lining up for Cespedes? He’s been injury prone and is owed over $60M for the next 2 1/2 season….and hasn’t even been producing this year. Cabrera has value but as a pure rental he won’t get a big return. Lugo and Familia could get a decent return but teams don’t pay as much for rentals as they did a few years back. Blevins has been terrible and no team will trade for him unless the Mets eat most of the money owed. Mesoraco/Agon aren’t cheap bench bats as they would still count as $13M/$22M against the salary cap. The only players that teams would be lining up for and be willing to give up a ton for…..would be Thor and DeGrom.
Agon would count the minimum against the cap. it’s the Braves that are stuck with the full price
True. I’m a Cubs fan, but if I were a Mets fan I’d absolutely expect them to have a top 3 payroll year in and year out. The contradiction is real; the Mets underspend on elite talent, and then try to fill it in saying they tried with aging veterans who are overplayed because they used to be good and suck now.
And such a notion of that there is any level of acceptability other than very good to me is an immediately terminatable offense. There are two types of successful seasons: one, a season in which you win a championship, and two, a season in which your process immediately leads to winning a championship. Any other type of goal is unacceptable. Alderson’s basically saying it’s ok to be mediocre. An 87 win season is a failure, unless your putting championship pieces in place and it actually works. Playoffs aren’t a goal, they’re a) an expectation, and b) only a small step in reaching an actual goal, a championship, and a playoff season that does not lead to a championship shortly thereafter is absolutely a failure season. I’d fire this guy for even saying something like that. I’d be livid if I were a Mets fan. I certainly wouldn’t but tickets.
*Overpaid
It has nothing to do with Alderson. He’s be fired if he said anything else. Ownership only spends if there is no alternative, and people are watching. Alderson doesn’t even have a payroll budget to work with. So, he signs the guys that will sign for a contract the Wilpons’ will OK. Or it will be nobody.
A-Gon would cost the pro-rated LM
That’s exactly the point, bencole. The only power that Mets’ fans have is economic. So rather than accept mediocrity and bend over to the waste and take it from this incompetent team they should:
-NOT buy tickets and DONT SHOW UP if they have tickets.
-BOYCOTT their SNY network to trash the ratings
-AVOID buying any mlb gear with the Mets’ logo or players’ names.
This will SHIFT THE NARRATIVE from the farce that it is to EMBARRASS THE WILPONS. Empty stands and losing advertisers will force Mutt & Jeff to finally move on.
Mikeyank – Well said.
Wake up d____s___t. Cabrera, a healthy Cespedes, deGrom, Syndergaard, Wheeler who is now hitting 97-to-98 on the speed gun, Anthony Swarzak, Devin Mesoraco, Wilmer Flores, Todd Frazier, possibly a rejuvenated Jerry Blevins, a recovering AJ Ramos, Adrian Gonzalez who has hit in the 250-to-260 range all season long will bring the Mets something in prospects, Combining possible trade players like a Mesoraco, with Ramos or Wilmer Flores might gain the Mets a fairly utilitarian and usably decent prospect. The Phillies might be loosing patience, and confidence with prospect Mickey Moniak, and might be willing to let him go for a pittance. The kid is barely out of his teens, has great speed, good hands and a good arm, and hit when they first drafted him but has fallen to the proverbial wayside, and is hitting only 240ish in the minors. So maybe the Mets could combine Swarzak, Blevins, and Flores to see if the Phils are willing to unload him? At his worst he becomes a 4th or 5th OFer with range, speed, and possibly Juan Lagares like defensive chops. The Mets need to try something by hook or by crook to bolster their minor league teams. Trying a trade for Moniak is a feasible thing. An outfield by 2020 of Conforto, Urena, Kaczmarski, Becerra (who needs to be added to the 40 man roster) and Moniak looks good to me.
“Can circumstances change that, yes,”
Y E S
It’s coming!!!!!!
Open a browser window at Baseball-Reference for the Mets Franchise History. Now open a second window for the Phillies Franchise History.
Notice the 50+ years of uninterrupted history. The Phillies and Mets always….for 50+ years……pass one another in the standings.
One is going up while the other is going down.
Two of the elite markets in MLB in the same division and they never, ever compete against one another.
Same $$$ as the Yankees and Red Sox with a polar opposite result.
Just a “coincidence”.
Never, ever huh? Did you look back prior to 2009?
“pass one another in the standings.
One is going up while the other is going down.”
Yea ones gonna spend over a billion dollars this offseason, and Trump is gonna win the Nobel Piece Prize.
“they never, ever compete against one another.”
2007, 2008, nuff said.
““pass one another in the standings.
One is going up while the other is going down.””
The Mets are about to disappear to the bottom of the standings for six years.
Mets Franchise History. Read it at Baseball-Reference.
Lol of course they pass one another in the standings. Unless they tied every year one will always be higher or lower in the standings.
If you’d told me on April 15th that this would be an article less than two months later…
Mets would be wise to sell off certain assets. Thor and Cespedes should be on the block because of the return they would bring .
Gsellman and Lugo both need to be starters so trade wheeler and Matz as they can’t stay healthy anyway.
Sandy has done a terrible job of building this team. He got his shot in 2015 then managed to throw away the last three years with awful signings.
What kind of return would a proven injury prone, 20MM+ a year corner outfielder bring? JD Martinez was much better and much cheaper, albeit a rental, but they didn’t really get that much back for him
I’ve said it before and ill say it again, but this time it makes more sense given the news that the front office thinks the team will contend this year. Go all out, trade prospects with value (i.e Dominic Smith) and get some extra pieces and contend for a WC. Phillies Braves and Nats seem like they could contend for years to come with their farm, so the Mets should just go all out this year and start a long rebuild after. Trade the entire farm for Machado and Fulmer, and replenish it in the off-season by trading Degrom, Syndegaard, Cespedes, and (if they can acquire him, Fulmer.) With Machado and Fulmer (Their farm could probably only have enough to get one of the two) They could be WC contenders if they have a healthy core.
I’m not a Mets fan, but I do really feel for their fan base. Amed Rosario and Dominic Smith really seem overvalued at this point, and the Mets have such a good chance at capitalizing on that. Rosario, Smith, and a few middle of the pack prospects could get Machado.
“With Machado ”
That was my offseason prediction last fall that the Mets would unload everything they could for Machado – as a rental – and then sink to the bottom of the standings for six years with the Marlins.
The Orioles killed that outcome but the Mets are still going to the bottom for six years because the Phillies time has arrived.
The Sun rises in the East and sets in the West.
The Phillies and Mets pass each other in the standings “rebuilding” in opposition to one another.
Just a 50 years long “coincidence”.
Yeah, you’re right… every single season… finishing as polar opposites of each other…. except of course the 30% of the seasons where you’re dead wrong (like last year, for instance).
Hey 1600: Dominic Smith has ZERO value. He is a prospect without a single season of performance, playing for a team that has one position player (Conforto) with one good season underneath his belt and is doing his best to define Sophomore Jinx.
Machado and Fulmer is more foolish wishfulness. They don’t have the pieces on the farm to make those trades, even though the incompetency of trading away the farm to pray for the WC does sound typically Met’s.
I know it will never happen. But the Mets a Yankees can make a good trade. Yankees got young players Mets need and Yankees need a pitcher.
DeGrom or Noah on the Yankees would be pretty sweet
Simply put, we have little to offer and will get less back.
Not if we trade degrom Frazier Sheffield and 1 more guy
For
What difference does it make as long as Wilpon owns the team? They’ll penny pinch on the sell off (taking lesser assets to unload salary). Then penny pinch on the rebuild (drafting “signable” players, by Fred’s standards). And finally, they’ll penny pinch when the team is (in theory) ready to contend (they’ll always leave the team short of something in an effort to save $$). There’s been one ownership group since 1991, and one theme. Every theory about when these cheapskates are going to finally spend like a big market team has fallen by the wayside. Rebuild, don’t rebuild, who cares? The way the game is these days, an improbable run is always possible (like 2015), but putting together a team that should contend, not with a Wilpon owned team.
Fred Wilpon is stealing at least $150 million every year. The Mets have absolute mad money.
Here, here Casey. Mutt and Jeff have been lining their pockets for decades. Their entourage on the payroll is wider than the Gap’s ” Friends and Families” sales. They recovered from the Madoff scandal (another drama laced with incompetence) to hide behind the curtain while syphoning off the cash year in and year out.
They are not penny pinchers though…they pull out the large bills and then throw Sandy some pocket change to make it appear that they are making a run.
What a dope.
How long will it take for Mets ownership to recover from the Madoff debt? This lifetime?
This is a big lie. There is no evidence. The so-called evidence is Buster and Ken telling you this is true.
The corporate media are criminal co-conspirators with Fred Wilpon.
Wilpons, at worst, will end up paying about 35 mm to close the Madoff stuff. Nothing was due until a few years ago, and due to offsets from net loser positions, that installment (the first of two) was only 17-18 mm a few years ago. There’s another due in a few years, but it’s likely to be less than that. That’s it. The Wilpons saw an opportunity (for an excuse not to spend) and took it.
So… Thor and deGrom to be traded at the deadline confirmed.
Then I guess the Mets are content with being a 4th place team for the next few years then completely bottom out when deGrom and Syndergaard leave in free agency
The Mets suck. Lousy players. Lousy manager. Lousy GM. Really lousy owners. In the best interest of baseball make Wilpon and the boy sell the team.
I disagree about players. Cespedes, Conforto, Nimmo, Syndergaard, Degrom, and even Cabrera would all be top performers on a lot of other teams. I can’t judge Calloway since I haven’t watched many Mets games, but I think it’s unfair to label him “lousy” when his front office and Ownership don’t really put him in a place to succeed
E-X-A-C-T-L-Y
Tony…help make your dream a reality. Boycott the Mets. NO tickets. Switch from SNY to any other baseball network. AND no Met’s gear…that will also infuriate the players and cause defections.
OK, Sandy, we’re just gonna administer a dose of sodium pentathol and try this interview again.
More remote, of course. are the Mets chances at competing while the Wilpons own the team, barring minor miracles like we saw in 2015… worst thing that happened to the Mets