The Mets announced Monday that right-hander Marcus Stroman has opted out of the remainder of the 2020 season. The right-hander, who is a free agent at season’s end, called the move a family decision and cited the many “uncertainties” and “unknowns” of playing in the current health-and-safety atmosphere.
This obviously represents a major blow to the Mets’ hopes in 2020. While Stroman will forgo the remainder of his $12MM salary, it isn’t as if there’s an obvious way for the team to reinvest it for a player of similar quality — at least, not without giving up substantial prospect value via trade.
The decision puts a bow on the Mets’ end of last summer’s trade that brought Stroman to Queens. Adding him cost two promising young starters: Anthony Kay and Simeon Woods Richardson. The club remained competitive late in 2019 but was already in too deep a hole to make a postseason run. And now Stroman won’t throw a pitch in the 2020 campaign.
It all sets up several intriguing contract situations in the future. Stroman, who had been on the injured list, did not opt out until after he had reached six full years of MLB service. That means he’ll still qualify for free agency. Whether the Mets will extend Stroman a qualifying offer, as once seemed sure, remains to be seen. And it’ll be interesting to see how the open market treats the high-quality 29-year-old.
Stroman is now listed among the players around the game that have opted out of the 2020 season.
it his right to opt out. but other than the cards and marlins what reason giving anyone that playing would be unsafe.
He said in his new conference that going to Miami and playing the marlins was a big factor
Mets just finished with th Marlins, he’s a free agent after this season and is just looking for a big contract.
How dare he maximize his value and not play through an uncertain season where 3 teams have had outbreaks already!!!
It just feels a little disingenuous to play for a couple weeks until your personal contract situation is better, then suddenly have family concerns about safety. He has the right to opt out, but it doesn’t look good.
Doesn’t look any worse than a team sending a top prospect down for 2 weeks to “work on his defense” and then calling him up as soon as they gain control of that extra year.
Uncertainties & unknowns, not unsafe. I am sure you can sympathize that they need to be fully committed to be participating at a high level (going into free agency) while living away from family (most likely) on top of the daily grind of pandemic life in NYC and pro sports. As a NYC resident, don’t discount the daily grind.
Funny if he opted out before the season he doesn’t become a UFA. People will say he earned it because guys like Kris Bryant got screwed over with service time. Not sure why Mets should get penalized what Blue Jays did with him but just proof baseball is a not legit sport. This is the same guy who threw a tantrum because he got traded to Mets instead of Yanks
It’s not Stroman’s problem that he got traded to a team that didn’t manipulate his service time. It was never about rewarding or punishing his team, it was about doing what was best for himself and his family. There was no reason for Stroman not to wait just like there was no reason for the Cubs not to wait on calling up Bryant.
Mets don’t look to be competing for anything … Even if they get one of the expanded playoff spots, it’s hard to see them going into the semifinals or LCS.
With a little over a month-and-a-half left, there’s hardly anything he can do that would significantly enhance his value entering free agency, but there’s a lot that could diminish it (injury, slow start, etc.) If it takes him 2-3 starts to build up his pitch count, by then he’s only got a handful of starts anyways. Best for him to sit out and enter the market healthy. Beyond any COVID revenue loss, him opting out of this season shouldn’t carry the same weight that someone who misses an entire 162 has.
When you have Degrom and a really good offense in a 3 game series. You could defiantly make us past a round…. who is pitching after Cole??? Ik Tanaka has done good in the playoffs but honestly I’d be happy to face him… Paxton??? He isn’t even that good… You don’t think Kershaw (playoffs) and Buehler could be beat??! Not by the Mets like other teams too. Nobody should be printed their WS tickets this year. I’m talking to you yankees fan…. half of them think they have 28 already. With Paxton and yanks pitching game 2-3 and Cole doesn’t even look like Astros Cole
Tanaka*
“Really good offense” has yet to be proven. Lot of holes this year. Some brief signs of hope, but not much consistency. Even Alonso looks questionable.
Really good offense? You are talking about the Mets?
as always,
lol Mets. I admire your positivity when this team does nothing but break your heart every year. they always find a special way to lose
We have had bad luck with runners in scoring position that’s why the runs are low. We are like 2nd in hits. You really saying we aren’t a good offense when we have played like 16 games…. looks at the players on the team.. there is really no holes in the lineup….
Yes watch some baseball please
Bad numbers with RISP is ghe definition of a bad offense. Thr Phillies are 1 for 10 with the bases loaded this year. It’s because they have a bad offense. You can call it bax luck.
You overrate the Mets’ offense. It’s as if you think everyone will have a career year. Not gonna happen. You also apparently overlook their terrible defense. The most promising aspect of the Mets season so far has been Gimenez. He is playing with a sense of purpose and, in my opinion, should replace Rosario as the starting shortstop. Ahmed has now gone 105 plate appearances without a walk and continues to look shaky on defense. Though the jury is out on Gimenez’s bat, he is a plus defender, has excellent speed, and has a penchant for doing winning things. He is a potentially stabilizing force. Get what you can get for Rosario and give the SS spot to Gimenez.
The Mets are #2 in bop. Von
Davis
Alonso
Nimmo
Conforto
Mcniel
They are all top 10 in offensive production for their positions.
Then you include good hitters
Ramos (for his position)
Smith
When you’re to worst hitter on your lineup are gimenez and Rosario. You’re doing something right. I’m not overrating their offense at all.
Defense is very bad. True.
Alonso has been awful. Nimmo walks but does nothing else. Both are suspect defensively, with Nimmo being surprisingly bad. Though I was born in Los Angeles and am a Dodgers fan, I grew up in the NYC area. So, I watch the Mets prior to the Dodgers game each night. My JV game, so to speak, and need a rebuild. Not close to contending with that pitching, defense, and lack of organizational depth. A new owner is not going to fix things by waving money at free agents. That’s just not how a successful team is built, and never has been.
Why would they rebuild.. all their good hitters are mostly young and under contract for a while… and they aren’t a bad team…. they’ll make the playoffs this year without their 2-3 starters who are both better than the avg 2-3 starters…. cmon.
This I agree with. No need for a rebuild. They just aren’t thete yet.
Being in the top 10 of an offessive position is CRAP. You want to be the BEST first baseman, not the 10th best…
Its the unknown moron.
his market this offseason is going to be odd
Won’t they all be? I didn’t look hard, but seems like most teams will be operating outside of their traditional parameters.
comparatively
Pitching market isn’t that strong this upcoming offseason. That helps Stroman.
Did Mark and Co. actually move a trade chip at the perfect time. Wowsers. They’ve had some awful luck with the timing of moving key players. (JD, Giles, Sanchez).
Yep. I’d add Smoak to the list.
Have no issue with him opting out I hated the trade from the start
Here’s an issue: the Mets rotation was looking pretty strong going into the season and is now looking pretty week for this season and next.
Interesting that he decided to opt out after he accrued enough service time to qualify for free agency sitting on the IL.
Sounds like a good business decision, one that a team wouldn’t hesitate to do themselves
Service Time Manipulation is so hot right now.
Maximizing service time is used by both sides.
He did not want to ruin his free agent status for a team going nowhere.
To answer the obvious question of how this affects his free agency. According to Baseball Reference, he needed to spent 24 days on the active roster to make it to 6 years of service time. By my count, that is equivalent to about 9 days in the current season, so he will still be a FA at season’s end. What is not clear is if the Mets will choose to QO him this offseason.
Trade looked questionable at the time and now looks about 10x worse.
Good context. Thank you.
They didn’t really give up that much to get him in th big picture. A couple of lower end top 10 prospects for the team are easily replaceable. I thought it was a worthwhile gamble. Much less risky than the Can/Diaz trade.
Kay has looked pretty good so far this season. Richardson looked good last year in A+ at age 18.
This has the potential to be a disaster for the NYMs.
Kay has made 3 appearances for Toronto in 2019, 8 innings, 8 k’s, 1ER and just 1 BB. Also, SWR is a top-100 prospect. As Ross Atkins would say we got 12 years of control for 1.5 years of control. Stroman’s 1.5 years ended up being just 11 starts but nobody saw this pandemic coming. Stroman has always been fairly durable and the Mets figured he replaces wheeler, if they’re not contending they figured they could move him at the 2020 deadline or keep him and tender a QO. Tough luck for the Mets, but hey, lets just call this payback for Thor. What a disaster that deal was.
*2020,
Really, what did the Mets give up for him.
Kay has looked decent so far. Richardson is a leaguewide top 100 prospect. Mets got absolutely nothing out of that trade.
Depends. They could tender a QO and receive a draft pick or he might accept and you have him for another year. A contract year in which he will really want to build his value to get a big money deal in 2021. Everyone in Toronto was mad when EE left, but it turned out being one of the best things to happen to Toronto. That compensation pick ended up turning into Nate Person, a consensus top-10 prospect league-wide. I know the comp. picks aren’t as high as they were a few years ago (Used to be around 26-35th) but you can still hit in the 70-80 range.
The QO comp pick will be nowhere near as valuable as Kay or SWR, let alone both.
Chances are you’re right, but then again it’s the MLB draft, star players get drafted after the second round just about every year. Who’s to say they won’t get lucky and snag the next Craig Kimbrel, JT Realmuto or J.A. Happ (All 3 third rounders btw).
Could happen but statistically speaking Kay and SWR will probably contribute more than that pick.
Also, not sure Stro declines the QO if the Mets extend it.
I was thinking the same thing, he’s the type of guy that will bet on himself and accept the QO. If he declines, I think he might end up sitting out until June like Keuchel last year.
We’ll have a pic of him on a packed beach in Cancun in a week
HDMH
The problem is not him opting out. That’s his absolute right. The problem is him saying he’ll be back very soon…blah blah blah. He was so confident about his injury and swore up and down he’d be fine and coming back, and now this. Change of hearts happen and I respect that, but why did he keep expressing confidence in his ability to come back? Mets fans must be annoyed.
Blame the system, and not the player. He is doing what is right for himself and his family.
You’re missing my point. Totally fine with ths opt out. Not fine with him misleading fans.
Who cares?
How are you sure he was misleading anyone? If the injury is not responding it’s not responding. The season is running out on him. If he was a position player a bit of a different story. If he was all good to go today, he’s basically about a month away which gives him basically 2 weeks of season left. That’s such a short ramp up and go period.
Look around you dirtbag. You shouldn’t need anyone to answer that question with all these posts.
Not true at all, he pitched a 5 inning sim game over the weekend and was said to be coming back this week. Problem was never with pitching, it was pain felt while fielding his position & running. Sounds more like he wanted to accrue enough service time to reach FA as stated above.
VonPurple
My bet is this has nothing to do with the virus. He’s not ready to pitch, he thought he would be.
He’s worth more as an unknown than a pitcher coming back from an injury. If he comes back and his stuff is not as good, he’d take a hit. Since it’s not an arm injury, the injury doesn’t play into free agency as much.
Smart move by him.
Probably actually a smart thing to do if you want to opt out and you just barely missed a full year of service time in your rookie season
That makes sense. I guess I shouldn’t judge.
Indeed, Mets fans have the right to be annoyed. At least no idiot has bothered us with this “lolmets”-nonsense yet (except for me…).
Gruß,
BSHH
I don’t think he ever intended to play. He was critical of the whole situation throughout the spring but he needed another 24 days of service time for free agency. He went on the injured list. I’m sure he was hurt but maybe it was the type of injury he could pitch through. He didn’t have He got his 24 days some time last week. So he can just opt out and be happy.
It was reported that he thought it was minor and thought he could pitch but the MRI results showed a tear.
I really hate this for the Mets but I get it. He’s probably been watching pitchers getting blown up because they didnt have the prep time they normally get and doesn’t want the same thing to happen.
Or we could just take him at face value. My little theory above could be me doing what I always discourage: reaching for a conspiracy theory which is total conjecture.
That has to be part of the consideration. There’s likely an increased injury risk this season, particularly for him getting a late start. There’s also a risk to his FA stock by not going out there and pitching. Throw in other considerations. He had to make a tough decision. Most importantly though, he’s accrued enough service time to become a free agent.
SCM. I gave you a thumbs up.
LOL! Thanks bud. I have to admit even though I abbreviate long names myself I cocked an eye brow at first when I saw SCM. =D
Can players who opt out get a qualifying offer?
Yes, but the applicable question really is “Will he?”
I don’t see why not, it benefits both sides. Mets get a decent pitcher on a one year deal and Stroman gets to reestablish his value. I don’t think he’s going to get huge offers coming off a lost season.
How much $ do you think he’d get on a one year deal without the QO?
Competent starting pitching gets overpaid with respect to on-field production because it is scarce so he could get something in the QO range. Accepting a QO gives security for a year. Probably better than taking 2/$30. unless he has a bad year or gets hurt. Definitely better than 2/$24. He should get more than Porcello He might even get close to Hamels’s $20. I suspect that he may turn down the QO if he can keep the lines of communication open with the Mets. Not sure where he’ll draw the line on diminished AV for guaranteed dollars. 3/$60? 4/$75? If he thinks after a good year he can get closer to 4/90, the QU makes sense.
Yes, The type of guy stroman is I would think he would bet on himself and accept. If he declines, I predict he will remain a free agent until June just like Keuchel in 2019. I might be way off given his age, durability and weak SP market this year, but his strikeout numbers aren’t great and he gives up a ton of knocks.
The Mets should file a grievance for his service time.
After the Blue Jays already manipulated his service time 6 years ago?
That’s bullcrap. Stroman finished AA in 2013 and made 7 starts in 2014 before getting the call. He was not figuring in the plans in 2014 that soon. He earned his way up. But there was no manipulation with regard to Stroman.
Good point. Probably wrong of me to assume that any player who just barely missed a full year of service time in their rookie season was service time manipulation.
Still, I doubt whether the Mets would win a grievance over this. Even if Stroman’s plan all along was to opt out as soon as he could while still qualifying for free agency this offseason, he was allowed to do that.
I tip my cap to you Jim. I’m a Jays fan, and Stroman was brought up sooner than expected at that time. It was one of those things were certain guys scuffled or got hurt.
I do agree about the grievance. I’d just QO him and tick him off. I believe his injury is worse than we’re told and this is a strategy to improve his leverage in free agency. He’s a me-first player anyway, this could help the Mets.
Don’t get too wild, Bill.
If you “believe his injury is worse than we’re told,” then probably the last thing you’d want to do is “just QO him” and risk what you’re speculating is a more-damaged-than-advertised player accepting that QO.
Agent – if he accepts, the Mets have a pitcher for 2021. If he doesn’t, they get a draft pick. He’s damaged for 2020, not 2021. Big difference.
Hey, he could have filed a grievance too years ago. From the Mets perspective, they traded for 1.5 years of a player. He has been throwing 85 pitch bull pens and opts out right when he accrued 6 years service time.
Its a business, and a grievance is a business decision. Not saying that its the morally right or wrong thing to do on either side. I’m also not blaming him, if I was him I would have filed a grievance against the Blue Jays years ago and may have opted out the same way he did this season. He had more to lose in 7/8 starts this year than he has to gain. Even if he threw to a 2.00 ERA this year his stock isn’t skyrocketing, but if he throws to a 4.00 his stock will go down.
However, I feel that the Mets would have a case to get him next year. Maybe it goes to arbitration and the arbiter rules he gets the mid point between $12m (this years salary) and his market value or QO value, and the Mets lose their right to QO him next year.
He wouldn’t have won a grievance against the Blue Jays his rookie season. As wild bill pointed out, the Jays had legitimate non-service time related reasons to start him at AAA in 2014 and then called him up cuz of injuries or underperformance by their incumbent starters. It wasn’t like Kris Bryant.
On the other side of that coin, since Stroman did everything right by the book, the Mets wouldn’t win a grievance against him regarding this issue either. The only way they would be able to get him for 2021 is by QOing him.
Also, if they do file a grievance, win or lose, you can kiss any chance they might have had of signing him goodbye.
Yeah its interesting. As a Mets fan I think he really jammed over the team.
By the book its legit, but the reason service time manipulation cases are heard is that they are looking at manipulation, not the mathematics of the days.
If they could find something where Stroman said he was going to opt out right at the 6 year mark and use COVID as an excuse, then the Mets could win.
If they won a grievance and got him for next season they’d just trade him to get something back.
Johnsmith – Stroman did jam the Mets. He never wanted to be a Met. Stroman is all about Stroman. I said this weeks ago; he’d rather go 2-0 with a 1 ERA in the World Series and lose, than go 0-2 with a 5+ ERA and win the World Series. Players want to win. Players like him want to win on his terms.
By the book it’s legit but nothing. If he did everything by the books the other side is SOL. The Cubs and Kris Bryant was probably the most blatant case of service time manipulation ever and they still didn’t rule in Bryant’s favor.
Also, how do you think it would look to potential free agents or draftees the Mets are trying to sign if they filed a grievance over this?
Finally. He didn’t opt out right at the 6 year mark. He only needed 9 days. It’s been 17.
JOHNSmith2778, Bryant is the only service time manipulation case that’s ever been heard. And “the mathematics of the days” are the manipulation.
It’s odd that so many people (not necessarily you) wave this off when teams do it as “smart business,” but when a player takes advantage of the situation, he “jammed the team.”. Good for Stroman for looking out for himself.
@gbs42 he did jam the team. And The Cubs jammed Bryant. But they were both allowed to do that.
Look, you’ve got a guy who was hurt, and doesn’t see a ton of time to ramp up after.
Maybe he thinks they would ramp him up from the bullpen and doesn’t want to go that route.
Then, thinks about how he’s in a division that plays the Marlins, goes to miami. Doesnt like the idea of that.
Then, looks at where the mets are, how they’re playing, and all the stronger AL & NL east teams they need to play against.
Finally, he considers what is the upside to playing? How’s it change his market? What’s the downside with all the big name pitchers going down with bigger injuries?
Hey, it stinks when you make a trade and don’t get the benefit you thought. But in a world where mlb/mlbpa bargained the opt out being good all season long, and where a player needs to look out for number 1, you can’t act surprised.
Even if it is true that the Jays did that, why should the Mets be punished for it? Or even worry about it at all?
@hiflew it’s not about rewarding or punishing the team. It’s about doing what’s best for himself and his family.
Code for: my calf injury is bad and I am hiding it by opting out. Sitting on IL for the entire season hurts his stock. Torn calf muscle on landing leg. He needs all the time off he can get.
I read through all these comments hoping someone had said what I was thinking. To take it a step further, coming back from the IL and struggling due to the injury would hurt his free agent stock as well. So he accomplished free agency while on the DL and protected his value by not performing poorly this season. Disappointing.
Pretty much.
Jays trading Stroman to the Mets looking better by the minute.
Playing tag with Cespedes. Marcus and the Wild Boar…
Marcus Stroman Opts Out of the New York Mets
Prediction: Mets will sign Stroman to a one-year $18m deal this winter.
Well that’s about the value of the QO so if they extend it then you’re probably gonna be right.
jimthegoat, yeah, they will have to extend him beyond on year. No way does he reject the QO and then sign for what is essentially the QO amount. Kay pitching well in limited work, Woods-Richardson on the horizon. If either guy pans out as a decent MLB pitcher, the Mets lose this trade big-time. They also further killed their organizational depth. Peterson has looked good though probably a mid-rotation ceiling. The only way for them to improve their rotation is to (over)spend.
Since he started the season and then opted out he is a FA this offseason? So he gets credit for a full season by playing 2 weeks as opposed to having his contract toll like someone like Price who opted out before the season.. Is that correct?
He only missed qualifying for free agency by 24 days last offseason. So he only needed the 2020 equivalent of that many days (comes out to about 9) to qualify for free agency this coming offseason.
I don’t blame him one bit.This season is a joke,anyway.He has an injury which could nag him for months.Plus family matters more than anything.
This looks like a scam to me. Guess I’m just a cynic
This trade is looking like a real win for the Blue Jays. I wouldn’t even give him a QO. Just cut your losses and let him go. You don’t win with a me-first primadonna like Stroman.
In fairness, the Jays aren’t really winning without him either. So maybe he wasn’t the biggest problem.
@hiflew but now they can take their chances on Anthony Kay and Simeon Woods Richardson instead of the nothing they were going to get if they held onto him. Heck, it wouldn’t surprise me too much if they brought Stroman back in FA next offseason.
“Heck, it wouldn’t surprise me too much if they brought Stroman back in FA next offseason.”
No thanks. I think he’s effectively burned that bridge with his twitter-twats
This trade depends on how SWR does… Ik kay has done good but don’t be fooled. He is bad. Not go in to last long. And if the meta resign stroman and he does good we won’t know who wins this trade for a whil.
Mets re-signing Stroman won’t make the trade look better for them. At least not on its own. He would have to leave money on the table to stay with the Mets.
where do you get that Kay is bad? he’s been productive at every level he’s played at. feel like he he has a floor of a 4/5 at the ML level
How can you possibly say that right now?
How do you see the Jays winning the Mets trade for Stroman?
Kay is a #4 in the rotation guy at best, although he can be a middle of the road reliever. And the chances of Woods Richardson even making the big leagues are 50/50 at this point.
Plus we know the Twins had a better offer to give if Atkins had just made the call.
Because we know that the Mets got basically nothing out of Marcus Stroman so worst case scenario for the Jays the trade was a wash.
The Jays won the trade by default of Stroman. But yes, Atkins not talking to the Twins was a huge blunder. Just like Donaldson. Just like Smoak. Just like signing Travis Shaw. Probably missing other misses. But the Jays managed to win this trade.
You’re making an assumption. How do we know the Twins had a better offer? Their GM spoke up that the Jays never got back to them but there was never any details as to what was offered.
Perhaps the Twins GM figured it was a better offer in his eyes? Of course they would believe that!
He hates the FO and is pretty biased.
JDGoat, Please don’t attribute words or evil emotions to me. I don’t hate anyone in the Jays FO. I think the board could have made a much better hiring decision than Shapiro and the inability to win anything in the years to come will prove my point.
Paul, we don’t. Atkins still should have had one of his assistant GM’s call the Twins. What is the problem with that take? Mets could have had the best offer, yes. Still, due diligence.
For sure. But if these were the players that the Jays FO wanted, good on them to pull the trigger.
We simply don’t know, and shouldn’t blame the Jays FO on this. Remember it takes two to tango. Maybe the dialogue didn’t really go anywhere with the Twins FO so the Jays moved on.
To me, it’s very hard to believe that the Jays FO would of turned down better offers.
Shapiro is well respected around the league, and actually has hardware to prove that he is capable in handling a top FO gig. (executive of the year)
Sure, he didn’t win a World Series and that’s the most important hardware but given that his fingerprints were still all over Cleveland’s 2016 team, that’s pretty darn good for the limited resources he had during his time in Cleveland.
That is where I disagree. When I look at the top Gm’s in the game, they don’t just compete, they win and some win more than once. Gillick, Cashman, Dombrowski,Sabean, Mozeliak
I like Shapiro’s process and leadership, but not as a baseball man at the big league level.
They turned down the Cards offer for Donaldson. It has been done. Now, whether that’s on Atkins or the owner is another story. However it has been documented locally that Atkins has done this before. Again, depends on who or what you believe.
If all Kay and SWR have to live up to is at least a 3.77 ERA, 4.15 FIP and 1.475 WHIP in 59.2 innings, then I have faith that at least one of them will outperform that.
Wow
He Played Them .. He Needed to accrue some time on the major league roster in order to become a FA so as soon as he got it WHILE ON THE IL – he opts out.. HE NEVER PLANNED ON PLAYING THIS YEAR
would not surprise me if this were true
I’m not a fan. This opt out thing was fine BEFORE the season started. If you were worried about your health and safety, you could have opted out before. But once you make a commitment, it should stick. There is absolutely no way that I will buy that he is doing this for his family or for his health or even because it happened to the Marlins because that was over two weeks ago as well.
It’s one thing to rehab at Citi or MCU and another traveling to Miami and Philly.
But he knew he would traveling to places that were hot spots like Miami BEFORE the season began. What changed? Other than him manipulating the system that is. I get that teams do it too, but that doesn’t matter. If your old landlord stole some of your stuff before you moved to a new place, that doesn’t give you the right to just steal stuff from your new landlord.
Your analogy doesn’t work at all. In this scenario, Stroman indeed did have the right to steal stuff from his new landlord.
You know what I meant. The point was not specific to this instance. I just mean that because any team did it with any player doesn’t give him the right to do it to this team.
You’re right, it didn’t give him the right to do that. He already had that right. The same way that the Cubs and Braves had the right to manipulate service time on Kris Bryant and Ronald Acuña.
They didn’t have the right to do it. It doesn’t specifically give them the right to do it in the CBA. They found a loophole that allowed them to do it. It’s just legalese, not a right.
If they don’t have the right to do it as you say, how did they manage to get away with it?
i tend to want to give the benefit of the doubt on the character of players, but this does it for me with Stroman. too many issues at this point to gloss over, and stringing his hometown team along to get his needed service time is the last straw. he can opt out if he wants, but don’t act like you didnt just say you were coming back long enough to get to free agency.
Well his free-agent value just fell through the floor. I wonder if you’ll see more guys opting out on bad teams?
How? He ensured that he’s fully healthy entering the off season. If anything I’d say he preserved his free agent value.
I’m not sure this is the case. He has no track record for 2020 and he wasn’t all that great in 2019.
Question? Did he qualify for service time for Free Agency already? Ironic that we are at the quarter pole and he announces.
Yes. Only had to wait 9 days before he opted out to qualify.
I wonder if some of these players who are opting out also have grievances against the MLB for not supporting backwards MLB enough. It’s their mindless protest attempt!
Hey there. How are you enjoying Acuna’s 913 OPS. Feeling stupid with your username yet? =D
I’m still confident he is overrated. Thanks for asking.
How long do you suppose you will argue with results? I mean if two years of back to back stellar production and now a continuation of it isn’t enough than what would be?
when he stops striking out 150 + times per season/or equivalent.
What if he struck out just 90 times but only had a slash line of .260/.330/.480?
Would that be better?
Fans like you make the decisions about players completely emotionally. You look at Acuna’s stats and look for a hole you can poke in it and for some reason that one hole negates all the rest that Acuna does for the Braves.
As a Nats fan I have no issues saying while both are great acuna is clearly better then Soto ! I can be objective
The real question is why does his opinion of Acuna bother you so much? He has a right to think Acuna is the worst player of the 21st century, just as you have the right to think Acuna is the greatest player since Babe Ruth. Neither of you is right and neither is wrong because they are both still just opinions.
@SCM can you really not tell that this guy/gal is trolling?
Just because I disagree with you does not mean I am trolling. I don’t care that much about what you think to troll. I’m just stating what I think and whatever happens after that, not my problem. Have a nice day.
I don’t think acuna is the greatest player I would just trade Soto for him in a instant with zero reservations!
As a Phillies fan I have no issues saying I’m jealous that neither is on my team.
@hiflew I meant “AcunaSTILLOVERRATED” is trolling. Is that your other account?
He is a regular on MLBTR who was previously named NoBumgarnerequalsnoNLCS. He may sound like a troll but he really believes this stuff. Notice how he replies. This is normal conversation.
@hiflew. Do you commonly interpret disagreement as being bothered so much? Why do you feel the need to inform me he is entitled to his position? Do you feel disagreeing with someone is equivalent to preventing someone their opinion? Why do you declare my position as being that Acuna is the greatest player since Babe Ruth? Did I say anything that could even SUGGEST that?
Does playing mediator make you “right” or something? How about you just leave acunaSTILLOVERRATED and I to our disagreement rather than attempt to be some go between. It’s not needed.
Did Marcus Stroman commit service time manipulation? No more than the Cubs did to Kris Bryant or the Braves did to Ronald Acuna. Just as you could say about the Cubs and Braves didn’t break any rules based on a technicality so you can say the same for Stroman. So if Stroman gamed the system just as teams do to there top young talent, he is no more guilty than they.
This really does suck for Mets fans though. All this time they were looking forward to a rotation that features deGrom, Stroman and the pleasantly surprising David Peterson and now the rug is pulled out from under them.
So you are arguing that what the Cubs and Braves did was wrong, even if technically not illegal, but since they did it, it’s okay for Stroman to be wrong too? If you see someone get away with cheating on their spouse, wrong but not illegal, does it make okay for you to cheat on yours? Integrity is a dying trait among people.
“So you are arguing that what the Cubs and Braves did was wrong, even if technically not illegal, but since they did it, it’s okay for Stroman to be wrong too?”
Yes. That is EXACTLY what I (and several others) are arguing. Also, we don’t even know that passing the service time threshold was the reason Stro opted out when he did. There are other players who opted out after the season had already started and didn’t have any service time-based reasons to wait a few days/weeks before opting out. There’s plenty of reasons why he would have opted out now as opposed to before the season started that don’t have to do with service time.
And yes… Cheating on your spouse should be illegal.
I didn’t say anyone is wrong or right. Neither the Braves, Cubs or Stroman. Someone may be inclined to think that Stroman is only playing by the rules MLB team ownership uses.
I ask YOU if it’s right or wrong. If you say it’s either, it seems you should condemn both. You should answer what is right and wrong since integrity is a dying trait that you are obviously not afflicted with but so many others are
BVW has brought in players without regard to starting the Service Time clock. So, on that issue he does have the moral high ground.
It would be funny if the whole Mets team opted out of the rest of the season.
There are plenty of players in the minors and scrap-heap players that would take a league-minimum salary job.
Rest up that arm. I’m hoping the Angels sign him this off season. I’ve enjoyed rooting for him as a competitor and a pretty class guy.
Class guy? Are you talking about Stroman? He played the system to get his service time! He is all about Marcus Stroman not his team.
it’s almost as if he wasn’t allowed to do that! It’s almost as if teams don’t do the exact same thing to their top prospects breaking in to the majors!
Mets stink and he’s been hurt. Why risk it I suppose? Let ur body heal.. he’s prob not hurting for money ?
And the jays make out like bandits. I really like sto, i really feel he is a guy that u hate when he is on the other team but like when he is on yours. The Twitter bitching is a bit rich tho
Stroman lied to the Mets fans by acting like he was going to contribute. Classless man.
DJ J- contribute to what losing? smh
So basically if Stroman was pitching for the Yankees he never would of never opted out because those games actually matter,
Typical yankeephile
Let’s be honest here. It’s about the contract. If he’s comes back from the calf tear and doesn’t do well it drastically affects the next contract. Hide behind Covid. But it’s about money.
Bad news and Mets pretty much go together like peanut butter and jelly. This is no surprise to Mets fans
Probably a fake injury anyway.
Brodie is just bad luck. Man the Mets got screwed again. Just a way to protect himself for coming free agency. Please Steve Cohen just get the deal done and hire some professionals.
Amazing abuse of the system
It may be his right, but I would has respected the decision more had he not rehabbed on the Mets’ dime only to opt out once he had enough service time to qualify for free agency. He could have opted out earlier if he was really concerned.
And he should give the Mets a free year of control because…?
Just saying it is disengenuous to portray it one way when it is just gaming the system like the Salsa dancer who can’t catch up with a fastball and wants a clean shot at a new contract. Buyer Beware next season for both of them….
I don’t know if he waited specifically because he wanted to be a FA (I can’t possibly know that) but if he did, of course he’s not going to admit it.
This should seal Brodie’s fate with eventual new owner. Horrible deal maker
Can’t blame this one on the GM. How was he was supposed to know there was a pandemic coming and last year’s mid season acquisition would op out of playing as a result. He gave up a pair of prospects for 1.5 years of Stroman, who lined up well behind DeGrom and Syndergaard. All that is now gone but can’t put this one of the guy.
The part I took issue with was his alleged trying to trade Syndergaard and then trade for Stroman to replace him. One was a clear win now move while the other was a clear rebuildling move. What exactly was he trying to do?
Jimthegoat, I don’t think he ever really was shopping Syndergaard, rather he was just taking calls from teams feeling out what it would take to obtain him, then the rumor filled rage took over, but they never really wanted to trade Thor. They were offered interesting returns that they turned down flat, so…
I put it on the GM. He should’ve known that two completely controlled pitching prospects would be worth more than 1.5 years of Stroman. Plenty of us said this at the time of the trade.
Cosmodeus you are exactly right!
BVM has the Midas touch! By that I mean he should be selling mufflers because every move he has made has damaged this team now and for the foreseeable future!
Stroman’s initial reaction when he learned he was being traded to the Mets says it all! COVID is just a convenient excuse for him but terribly sad for everyone else.
Just waiting for all the BVM organizational,family and friend trolls to contradict me. 🙂
Just hoping when the team is sold Van Lunchwagon is gone!
Sad this team is full of quitters, they had the potential to be good before all hell broke loose and every player they traded for ended up playing as poor as possible (Diaz/Strowman)
While I respect a player for putting his or his family’s health first today, is that really the case here?
No I do not belive so. Its a matter of not having a poor season going into free agency.
I hated the trade for Stroman the day it was made and I hate it now. I’d rather have the two young guys.
All mouth talked like he was special yet he never produced anything
Another terrible trade by the Mets. He’s always hurt and he’s an arrogant prima donna who thinks he’s an ace but has underachieved throughout.
Brodie has made numerous trades and signings and with the exception of Justin Wilson and JD Davis the rest have been busts. Minaya has disappointed me as well he should have advised better. Time to give the remaining kid prospects a chance. Mets are going nowhere this season.
Terrible trade. They should qualify him, why wouldn’t they? Any good pitcher is worth 17 mil or whatever it is on a 1 year deal. Some team will probably give him a lot of $. He took advantage of the rules. Good for him. If Mets wanted his services then pay the man so he is financially secure.
What a loser