The Mets have already added one of the best left-handed hitters in the game this offseason, signing Juan Soto to a 15-year, $765MM deal. However, Jon Heyman of the New York Post suggests they were recently in on another big lefty bat: Joc Pederson. That was, of course, before Pederson agreed to a two-year, $37MM deal with the Rangers early on Monday morning.
Presumably, the Mets were interested in Pederson as a designated hitter. Coming off an excellent 2024 campaign, he would have made a strong replacement for J.D. Martinez. Like Pederson, Martinez became a free agent at the end of the season. If the Mets are still in the market for a DH after losing out on Pederson, their options are somewhat limited. Martinez might be the best true DH left in free agency. They could, of course, pursue an outfielder like Anthony Santander or Teoscar Hernández, but those two are looking for significantly more money than Pederson, and, presumably, they would prefer to continue playing the outfield.
However, if it’s really just another big bat the Mets are looking for, the best solution could also be the most straightforward: re-signing first baseman Pete Alonso. Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported on Sunday that the Mets are still “pushing hard” to re-sign their homegrown slugger. If that’s true, it’s difficult to imagine Alonso ending up anywhere else. Teams like the Yankees and Astros have already filled their holes at first base. And when the Mets set their sights on a target, they’re not easy to outbid.
Nightengale also notes that the Mets “like their internal options” at third base – in other words, he implies they aren’t likely suitors for star third baseman Alex Bregman. However, it’s not clear if that is at all contingent on the team re-signing Alonso. If Alonso is back in Queens next season, Mark Vientos is the obvious candidate to play third base. Vientos was one of the team’s best hitters in 2024, while also providing capable defense at the hot corner. Yet, if Alonso signs elsewhere, Vientos is likely to move across the diamond and take over at first. Simply put, there is a massive difference between Vientos and the next-best option at third base, which seems to be former top prospect and unproven big leaguer Brett Baty. The other internal options include Ronny Mauricio, who spent the entire 2024 season on the IL, and Luisangel Acuña, a second baseman/shortstop who has never played third base professionally. It’s hard to believe the Mets would feel confident going into the season without a more reliable player at third base.
It’s easier to accept the notion that the Mets are done adding to their rotation, which Will Sammon of The Athletic suggests is the case. After agreeing to a three-year, $75MM deal with Sean Manaea, the Mets have now signed three notable free agent starters: Manaea, Frankie Montas, and Clay Holmes. Those three will join Kodai Senga and David Peterson in the rotation, with Paul Blackburn, Griffin Canning, and Tylor Megill offering additional depth. Top prospect Brandon Sproat is another arm who could start for the Mets at some point in 2025.
With Senga and Manaea occupying the top two spots in the rotation, the Mets don’t have a bona fide ace like Zack Wheeler of the Phillies or Chris Sale of the Braves. However, their starting pitching depth looks like it’s going to be an asset. They would surely find room for Roki Sasaki if the NPB superstar chooses to sign in Queens, but otherwise, the Mets seem to have all the starters they can carry to begin the 2025 campaign.
Getting Soto is obviously great but that rotation looks pretty bad if you want to win a WS.
Starting pitching doesn’t matter as much anymore with starters only going 7 innings, at most. I’d rather have a great offense than great starting pitching. Look at the Rangers and Dodgers.
World of difference between the Mets offense and the offense that won the WS for those 2 teams especially if they don’t bring Alonso back. Those rotations also didn’t look spectacular on paper but they performed when it mattered most. At the end of the day pitching always has and always will win rings.
Dodgers were down 2-1 in the NLDS to the Padres, their pitching shut the Padres out 18 consecutive innings if I recall correctly.
It was the bullpen in game four and Yamamoto in game five. Pitching won that series. But if you recall in the WS against the Yankees, it was a walk-off grand slam from Freddie Freeman in game 1 and a five run comeback in game 5 that won it for the Dodgers.
And Aaron Judge’s all-time boot. Judge let Buckner off the hook and will take the reigns from here. I guess the point is, takes good starting pitching, a good bullpen, good offense, good defense, good manager, good health and a little luck, have to put it all together to win the World Series.
Oh brother. Judge’s error was bad but in no way does it compare to Buckner. Context matters.
Definitely. The Red Sox were in position to win the World Series when Buckner’s error occurred. The Yankees were not when Judge made his.
You forget the Mets almost went to the WS. Adding Soto and hopefully not bringing back Alonso is a plus plus. I see Holmes in the bullpen and Sproat mapping the rotation. More relief signings and they’ll contend. They have kids ready to play in Marciano and Acuna. Gilbert shouldn’t be far off.
pheno, the game was tied 5-5 at the time Buckner had the ball go under his glove. Yes, they were up 3 games to 2, but by then their two run lead had slipped away on a single by Mitchell and Stanley’s wild pitch.
That error is Buckneresque but your probably right in that the Yanks still had to win two in LA, but will be remembered the same as a DOINK!
Not sure about that. Personally, I think the Mets pitching staff overachieved last season and got hot in the playoffs. I don’t see that happening again, The offense was good. Mark Vientos is the real deal and a superstar in the making, adding Juan Soto sets the course for the future of the franchise, but as of today it feels empty to me, we need another big bat period, be it Pete or some other big bat but we need more power. Love my Mets but we are not even the best team in the NL east. Manager is legit.. Nimmo, Mcneil, Marte are all aging fast. I do feel though that the Mets are not yet done spending the big dollars!!
I feel that the clubhouse had a lot to do with the team’s success. The roster is full of top-notch character guys, and they feed off of each other’s successes. I don’t think the roster is as empty as you feel it is. I think the focus should be less on paper statistics, and more on how this group performs as a team.
Re-sign Pete, trade McNeil to the Mariners for a Nintendo 64, and keep mixing in the farm talent.
Lmao at think judge blunder was worst than buckners some people should literally be jailed for their ridiculously stupid takes that are wrong.
Judge’s error lost the World Series for the Yankees. Yankees win game 5 and still have a shot to win the series if Judge makes that catch.
Red Sox win the series if Buckner makes that play, so the gravity of the error in that sense is magnified but Red Sox were still alive to play another day. Yankees went home.
@Badfinger Yes, very different. Judge made the mistake (at least, according to the superb video Jomboy put out) of taking his eye off the ball for a tiny fraction of a second to see where the runner was in order to know where to throw, and it cost dearly.
Still, it wasn’t the proximate cause of the Yankees losing the WS. They were already down 3 games to 1, and it took two more Yankee errors to let LAD tie the game—which still had four more innings to go.
Everyone knows this.
Less well known is the following—and why blame Buckner at all given the terrible physical shape he was known to be in? It would be like your manager sending his 36 yo catcher to steal a base in the 9th then blaming the guy with the 23 fps sprint speed for getting thrown out. Put the blame squarely on McNamara who was so sure of the win he would later say he didn’t put Stapleton in as a defensive sub, something he’d done many times during the regular season, because he wanted Buckner on the field as the Red Sox celebrated.
It was all on McNamara.
@padam After signing Manaea the Mets are up to a projectable 87 wins, and that figure is
a) mildly conservative
b) only counts the current roster and leaves a blank at 3B where even with Mauricio there for the year you can reasonably expect to add 1 win
c) has the bench contributing 1 win thanks to the modest talents available there on the current depth chart
d) has Marte currently as the primary DH adding just 0.5 wins.
The number of upgrades still possible, at 3B, DH, the bench, the pen, and even the rotation (if they go to a 6-man) make it easy enough to see a 90 win team even without adding a major upgrade. One thing is odd, though. DH is the most obvious position to upgrade and it got late early as far as FAs go there. I guess bt Nimmo, Lindor, and Alvarez cycling through it on occasion with Marte as the primary (oof) is not the worst DH set in the world, but for a team with half a lineup even before their good hitters begin missing games, a team that knew it would be going over the LT threshold when Soto signed and surely knew it would be targeting 90 wins, Stearns’ approach to DH doesn’t make all that much sense.
@ 7Line Yeah, the Mets are currently short both a TOR and a bopper at DH, but they’ve let most of the candidates for those absences go elsewhere.
If they add a 30+ year old in either spot they improve for 2025, sure, but hamstring themselves in multiple future seasons. Cohen has hard limits on payroll, as high as that payroll number might be, and we’ve seen those limits affect the Mets every year during the Cohen era.
Add Bregman or Burnes and that’s one more $20m-plus player to grow old at the same time Lindor and Nimmo do, and probably for several seasons, at least, while the decline from year to year is a near-certainty.
Do any other teams carry three guys making $80-85m combined at age 34 and older, that would be part of the cost beginning in 2028 of adding either Bregman or Burnes? Add to that for 2025-2027 Diaz and Senga, and McNeil in 2025-2026 and that’s a lot of decline phases to overcome, phases that hit the Mets already in 2024, where only Lindor stayed ahead of father time.—otherwise, with their old players the Mets got something like 5 wins for $120m in 2024 from age 30 and older players they’d gotten through either multiyear deals or through FA for 2024.
Also, unlike the 1985 Cards, the Red Sox got their act together after adversity and had a lead in game 7.
When you start measuring intangibles, let us know. In business I’ve seen great groups of guys perform miserably badly, and jerks go well together, as has probably everyone.
The 1977-78 Yankees apparently hated each other as much as any team has, and they ran through three managers in 1978, but still won the WS both years.
I didn’t infer that the Red Sox were a better team than the Cards. They had the lead in game 7. I have no idea if they were good guys or hated each other. I tend to think that “chemistry” is almost non-existent as a factor in team play.
There are without question situations in which winning deodorizes everything. The question is will the team face adversity, and when it faces adversity how will it respond. Teams full of guys that point fingers usually fall apart.
So your counter argument to pitching always wins rings is “unless you have 1.5 billion dollars and 3 hall of famers in their prime.” Congratulations you’ve just discovered the definition of the word, ‘outlier’. Pitching wins period. Mets fans are dense 🙂
Check 2024 Celtics and Mets for intangibles. Also, any KC Chiefs team from the last 7 years. Statistically, none of these teams were “the best” on paper. But all of them went deep into the playoffs or won rings. Cohesion, support, chemistry all make a huge difference.
Comparing clubhouses or even people’s dispositions from the 1970’s until now is like comparing apples to sausages. The sport, media coverage, technology and humanity have all evolved too much.
Acting like the Mets have zero pitching is even more dense.
Def resign Pete. Keep McNeil because despite two off-seasons in a row the guy still hit 326 three years ago and is a career .288 hitter, 353 obp/783 ops. He has ops 836 or better 4 seasons out of 7. and an obp 381 or better 4 out of 7, as well. Yes he has regressed the last two years but I would not be surprised to see his numbers go up in 2025 and he can play second, third and both corner outfield spots and is solid everywhere.. There’s no reason to trade him considering all of that and the fact he’s only due 15.750.000 in 2025 and in 2026 with a club option in 2027.
Yankees have Judge (33 when the season starts), Stanton (35) and Cole (34) clocking in at 40, 32 and 36 million=108 mil in 2025.Judge is signed through his age 39 season, Cole through his age 37 season and Stanton has three years left through his age 37 season plus a club option in 2028. So over the next three years those three players equal over 100 million a year between them each year. Fried will be 31 in a few weeks and he just got 8 years at 27,250.000 per through his age 38 season. Also, Mets are not in on Burnes, that would be shocker, and I doubt they’re in on Bregman other than as leverage in their negotiations with Alonso.
I’m not sure the Mets make the playoffs with that rotation and a poor defense,
I think if they sign Alonso they could get third place in their division and maybe the 2nd WC.
what do you mean? Do you think defense doesn’t matter ? Havent heard this line of thinking in a while lol
It definitely matters, but its impact has become greatly overrated IMO
What are you talking about with a poor defense? That rotation is expected to rank in the top 10.
The Phillies were in the WS with one of the worst defenses in baseball in 2022. In 2023 they were in the NLCS with a worse defense.
“Poor defense?” They have GG defense at SS and CF, above average defense at C, at least average defense at 2B, they seem intent on getting away from Alonso, and moving Vientos removes a -10 glove from 3B and makes 1B roughly average.
Did I mention there’s a CFer in LF?
—Do you have ANY idea what you’re talking about?
Is there any basis for the assumption that Vientos is an average 1b? He has very limited experience.
@fred
that’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard. Using the bullpen to get you thru a short series with days off in- between is one thing, but it’s not sustainable over the course of 162 games. That’s the reason why the Dodgers laid out contracts in excess of a billion dollars to secure Ohtani, Yammy, Snell, and Glasgow.
Imo it seems that the Mets are shopping on the cheap since signing Soto. I wonder what promises were made to Soto, if any, relating to the improvement of the rest of the roster this winter.
I don’t think Soto cared, he got his money.
If its not in writing, no promises were made that matter. Besides, no one believes his decision was based on anything but the $$$$$$!
It doesn’t matter when you score 10 if you are giving 11 runs. Pitching is what puts the ring in your finger.
I don’t disagree, itsme, but if they have a good first half you can bet your bottom dollar that Stearns will aggressively pursue another arm, if not two. He was too passive at the deadline last season… had the Mets picked up Scott and/or Adam, they very well might have beaten the Dodgers in the NLCS.
It’s true, Flagstaff… plus, hindsight is 20/20. There’s no way on July 31 that Stearns could have known that the Mets were going to have the run they had. In fact, it kind of looked like it might go the other way at the time.
My bigger point, though, is that the 2025 Mets have no such questions. They are going for it, 100%, and unless things unexpectedly go south over the first three months they are going to be dealing for major pitching upgrades this time around. As well they should…
I disagree.
It’s serviceable at worst but with high upside, no?
Senga if healthy is an ace.
Manaea was great, esp the last 4 months of the season.
Peterson was very impressive for long stretches of last year, sub 3 ERA and was a dawg in the playoffs.
Montas is not far removed from pretty great numbers.
Holmes has one of the best pitches in all of baseball.
Sure I’ve already drank the Kool Aid on Stearns/Hefner/Pitching Lab/Analytics Team but I’m confident the Mets ability to can help transition Montas and Holmes into guys who can put away quality innings.
They have more depth options than last year. It’s a matter of staying in the playoff race to be able to make moves for the stretch.
Starters are barely getting through 5 in the playoffs, so it’s just as important to get key relievers, whether that’s now or at the deadline.
I wouldn’t worry too much about the current construction of the team as it relates to the playoffs.
100%, Lalo.
itsmeheyhii,
The rotation is solid. The top 5 all quality pitchers/arms/stuff and backed by what many view as among the premier pitching gurus in the baseball – Jeremy Hefner and the Mets pitching development apparatus and resources.
They then have depth options in Megill, Canning, Blackburn, Butto, and pitching prospects Sproat, Tidwell ready in 2025 and possibly McLean late in the season and other arms they have on the 40 who will battle for spots/call ups.from AAA.
And lastly, if Sasaki chooses the Mets, they will roll out the red carpet to make him and his family comfortable as they transition to MLB as pitcher and support system.
@Ray
Dude, really? one of them hasn’t started in over 8 years. you have no idea what you’re getting with Holmes. The rest all have question marks. You’re lucky the Braves have done nothing this winter but your still looking up at them and the Phillies.
Yet smarter people have them with 2nd highest World Series odds.
Knicksfancavsfan
“Dude, really? one of them hasn’t started in over 8 years. you have no idea what you’re getting with Holmes”
Of course we do: we’re getting a guy who averages less than 1 hr/9 and top 5 ERA and top 10 in IP for all relievers since 2021.
Worst case scenario we signed one of the best relievers in the league on a good deal, best case scenario we just stole a starter for reliever money.
I dk what you can learn from 4 starts in 2018 which was before he developed that sinker that is in the 100th percentile… literally best sinker in the league.
We’re not responsible for how Pittsburgh and Yankees used him.
@Piazza
Most bullpen guys are failed starters. The Yanks usually do an amazing job of taking struggling starters and turning them into hard throwing relief pitchers. In the case of Holmes, he was a struggling starter that the Pirates turned into a struggling relief pitcher that averaged over 7bb/9. With the Pirates he was throwing 6 pitches. Yanks scrapped them all and reduced his repertoire down to the slider (thrown 20-45% of the time) and the sinker (thrown 55-80% of the time). His walks dropped down from 7/per9 to 3/per9. He could get by with just 2 pitches because he’s normally only pitching 1 inning. As a starter he’s going to need to add more pitches unordered to turn a lineup over at least 2 or 3 times. I wish the best for him but if he struggled to get his other pitched over for a strike 7 years ago then why assume he can do that now??? And true, if he fails then you can send him back to the pen. But now you’ve committed 3/$38 for a set up guy and leave a gaping hole in your rotation. I don’t know how anyone can truly say they know what to expect from him as a starter. It’s much easier to transition from a starter to a reliever than vice versa. In the case of former Yankee reliever, Mike King, it was an easier transition because he’s throwing the same 4 pitches he was throwing as a reliever as he now throws as a starter. The only difference is that he cut back on the slider and sinker by 5% and increased the percentage of change ups by 10%. He just needed to be stretched out but had the array of pitches to turn over a lineup more often. But sorry, you have 3 question marks in your pitching rotation and with Cohen’s big pockets it’s a shame he didn’t sign at least 1 guy that profiles as a true number 1. Corbin is still out there and yes he’s going to warrant a 8/$240 likely but if you’re comfortable giving Soto +5/$805 then bite the bullet and bring Corbin in to give you that true workhorse you need.
@Knicks,
I wouldn’t worry about Holmes. He’s smart, focused, hard working and was throwing other pitches in his bullpens with the Yankees as prelude to his desire to return to starting which he never wanted to relinquish.
He’s already working on the transition back to starting and adding different pitches. The Mets believe he can be successful and have backed that up through their evaluation of implementing it before they agreed to sign him. They applied science to Holmes’s mental make up and skills not guess work. Holmes was a starter in the minors and has surely grown as pitcher and person since.
Seth Lugo started far more games in the majors than Holmes, but was far better as a reliever and was largely used as one with the Mets.. His last Mets starts came in 2020 – 7 with 5.15 ERA. .At 33, he signed with the Padres for 2023 to return to starting at and has been quite good at it since.
@long
So what you have is “hope”. That’s my point. I genuinely hope it works out for him.
Less not forget that Stearns has a method to selecting his pitchers, and it has seemingly proved successful. Couple that with the Mets pitching lab, we have to assume there is method to his “madness”. Dont be surprised when Montas and Holmes finish the year with sub 4 eras. Could the Mets use another arm, absolutely. But I for one am not a GM, and would be surprised if anyone on these forums knows what Stearns knows. I think the Mets pitching will again surprise a lot of folks around the league.
Padres should have been in on Alonso but frankly have been an absolute disappointment as an organization this offseason.
Not Prellers fault, don’t really blame the Seidler family, as I don’t know how much true control they have.
Now to the rest of the Preivate Equity group( have the Helu’s been pushed out?) think about this, How rewarding would it be to see a WS parade in SD?
How rewarding would it be to see San Diegos only remaining professional sports team hoist the trophy for San Diego?
The Mets and Cohen are trying for NY.
Don’t hide behind the narrative of Peter Seidler’s passing as an excuse not to spend money.
This team was on an amazing trajectory.
The Padres put themselves on the map internationally.
All I want for Christmas from the Padres is a meaningful move, let me preface this, a positive, team improving, meaningful move.
Bring home to SD a Championship, the Mets have with NY. I belive the Padres can bring one home.
itsmeheyhii:
This is an overstatement. However, I would love for them to add a frontline starting pitcher.
@Ray
I’m not trying to troll anyone but I just can’t see how you can say the rotation is “fine”, 1-5.
Manaea- Solid.
Peterson- Solid.
Senga- Injury prone and missed most of 2024.
Montas- Had a 4.84/4.71 era/fip. Hasn’t been solid since pitching with Oak in ’22.
Holmes- Hasn’t been a SP since he pitched in 4 games back in 2018.
@Ray
I said nothing about 1-3 being fine. I did 1 and 2 are solid. Off the other 3, 1 missed almost all of ’24, the 4th had been below average for the last two seasons and the 5th hasn’t started in over 6 years.
@Ray
If ANY pitcher missed an entire season, especially an arm related issue and had previous injuries dating back to when he was in Japan NO, I would not label them as “fine”.
That’s what many said last year. They have eight potential starters and in better position than last year. Their farm is stacked so they can make a trade if and when needed.
Sign Pete.
They will, because it seems like no other team is seriously interested. Who else would sign Alonso?
@Bronx
Quite a few teams SHOULD have the $$$ to throw a lower 4/$100 mil deal at him. I suggest that the RedSox, Jay’s, San Fran, Angels, and Rockies could use either a 1b or DH.
The Rockies? They’re pretty happy with their 1B, one of the few positions they are.
Knicksfan……just because they have money doesn’t mean they need Alonso. Sox and Jays definitely don’t need a 1B or DH.
@KFCF I’m not sure about the Rockies or Angels. Angels roster is filled with righty bats, they need some lefties.
@seam
Between Blackmon and Bryant the Rocks got all of 14 homers from the DH spot. Blackmon has retired, and I’m sure they wish Bryant would do the same. They really could use another power LHH but they could still use another prodigious RHH too to go with Tovar and Doyle.
@harry
The Jay’s got all of 7 homers from the DH position. The team was bottom 5 in homers and bottom 8 in runs scored. They could use a legit 40 homer guy to help Vlady, although I guess you haveto keep the length of the contract in stride with the timberline Vlad transitions to full-time DH of they extend him.
But why would they offer less than his demand, knowing it will be turned down? What if that is his demand, but no-one thinks he’s worth that?
@Knicks,
Two things you fail to consider – Whether Alonso wants to play for this team or that – he wants to win a championship – and that he doesn’t want to DH, doesn’t like doing it, wants to be everyday first baseman..
Red Sox have Casas. Devers might be moved to DH/1B if Breslow can move Yoshida in a trade.
@Long
Good point and let’s see what the Mets offer and how much he wants to remain a Met.
Yeah, let’s buy the decline phase of Dave Kingman, cheap!!
Then he’ll be sitting on the couch as ST begins, and will eventually either sign a pillow contract WITHOUT player options, or continue sitting on his couch throughout 2025.
“ youre asking the wrong question“ yeah Mr Einstein, almost every team would sign him to 2/20, but everyone knows that he’s looking for a big payday. Teams don’t wanna spend that much for him, even if they have a need for a 1B. Lmfao I have to spell out everything here
That’s unknown. What is known it that his current market is non-existent.
Again… Alonso is looking for a big payday, no question. Almost all Teams who have a need for a 1B don’t wanna give him 5+ years and a aav of 27+ mil. That’s what I meant with my first comment. Even the Yankees had almost zero interest. That’s why the potential buyers are very limited.
@Raymond,
I haven’t heard the Mets talk about it publicly. They don’t about negotiations and they may indeed be more in the driver’s seat here insofar as Pete risking the Mets could move on to Bregman or some other route.
In my view, this Alonso process needs to end soon. Can’t keep waiting on Alonso who’s holding them up. Alonso should swallow his ego, and make decision what he wants to do.
@stymee
The market is the market. Of course, teams have submitted offers. They’re just beneath what he’s seeking.
Which team need a 1B? Or would move their current 1B for Alonso? What is Alonso even offering? Power? Sure. What else? His D isn’t good, he isn’t hitting for a high average and he isn’t fast. Yankees, dbacks, Astros had a need, Mariners, Nats and let’s say the Jays still have a need. Mariners are cheap and won’t sign him, probably not even for 5/100. Idk about the Nats and Jays. The market for him is very limited imo. As a 1B or DH.
He’d go home to Tampa and play for the Rays for 2 years 20 million, no state income tax.
4/110M
The owner is probably too cheap to pay him that
No brainer! Polar Bear is still the heart and soul of this club.
Mariners need Alonzo or Bregman. If not, their momentum is going in the opposite direction heading into next season. That lineup needs a boost !
Sadly, Mariners are cheap as f
Manaea and Peterson were solid in the rotation, Senga hopefully gets back to 2023 form, that leaves 4 & 5 and Montas and Holmes should be fine in those spots. Resign Pete 4/100 with a 5th year team option, Acuna at 2B and trade McNeil for bullpen depth or bench depth. Last remaining items sign Scott and Stanek for the bullpen and call it an offseason.
Keep McNeil. If Acuna, Mauricio, or Baty forces there way into the lineup, great. Depth is needed. And there’s the DH spot
Can Always juggle, McNeil can play 3rd, ACUNA at 2nd…. Baty in the wings… sign a DH, switch hitter, Santander to hit behind Soto, if Pete goes else where… Nimmo left fielder but certain days, Santander plays left Nimmo can DH…
This ‘trade McNeil [[ at low ebb, when we don’t actually have a 2Bman, because Acuna had a terrific 19 PA before putting up a .600 OPS the rest of the year incl the postseason ]] makes zero sense.
As for handing off 2B to the kid whose 754 PA for the Mets in 2023-2024 in AA and AAA summed to around a .638 OPS just because he had a good 5 games in MLB then contributed almost nothing?
What could possibly go wrong?
They should take a hard line with Pete, they offered him a nice extension he declined, the market for his services has dried up, this was Alonso’s doing, 5yrs/100m max.
@Patriot
Why take a hard line with a beloved player when you just gave an assassin with zero history with the team $805 mil? Cohen has the money right? It’s all about the family right? Give him the same offer you gave him initially? It’s a business, but squelch any chance of bitter feelings and give him 5/$120 including a $20 mil signing bonus. And then take a Mets family picture with Cohen squeezed in-between the old and the new players with bags and bags of cash surrounding them like an old No Limit Records album cover.
They made that offer before Goldschmidt, Walker and Santana changed the value of a 1B. $20MM seems appropriate, and market value.
Santana is going into his age 39 season, Goldy age 37 season, Walker age 34.. Santana has never hit more than 34 hrs in a season and hit 30+ only twice in 15 years, last time six years ago and is a career 242 hitter with a 785 ops whose absolute best year is only slightly above Alonso’s worst. Walker is a gold glove but he is also 34 and a career 250/330 obp/793. Goldy is an excellent hitter but again, age 37 season and last year he hit 245/302 obp/711/ops with 22 hrs and 65 rbi. None of them set the value of a 1b. Goldy is on a one year at 12.5, Santana 1 year at 12 and Walker got 3 at 20 per. Hell Belli is looking like he’s gonna play first again and he’s due 27.5 in 2025 and 25 in 2026, and dude fell off a cliff after 2019. Alonso def gets between 27-30 per, depending on the years I’m guessing 3-5 but could be six. You’re not getting Alonso for 20 mil regardless of the legth.
Exactly!!! Pay Pete already!!! But I have a bad feeling that the longer this drags out the more bitter Pete is getting. It seems to me that the Mets just don’t want Pete back and my feeling is that they are hunting for Alex Bregman. No one is talking about it but somewhere in the making of the new look Mets, they are internally looking to get more athletic. Just my hunch, I love Pete, but would take Bregman over him right now!!!
Too much sugar or coffee?
Negotiate against yourself! Brilliant!
Pete gets his best offer the Mets beat it, done.
Why are you signing Pete when even 5/100m makes zero sense, particularly when you have a very real need at 3B and a much better player is available for a similar AAV?
To be worth it, Pete would have to put up around 12 wins over the life of the deal, ie he’d have to be exactly what he was in 2024 for 5 more seasons, and with no decline whatsoever.
Has there been one player in Pete’s age cohort who did that for ages 30 through 34? Good luck finding him in the expansion era, and there’s nothing about Pete that suggests he can even begin to do that.
The ONLY deal that might make sense for the Mets is a pillow contract, say 1/25m, with no player options—particularly if Pete is willing to DH for much of the season—after which they cut bait regardless, move Vientos to 1B, making a final decision next offseason on Mauricio or Baty at 3B and either promote one of find a 3B in FA.
If I am the Mets and Alonso, I would come up with some kind of a lifetime contract:
$25M signing bonus, 1 year/$20M w/ annual $12.5M buyouts on $20M club options or something like that.
So, worst case scenario it’s 1 year/$57.5M but best case scenario its like 9 years of options picked up to make it 10 years/$225M- which is actually all in line with how the Mets valuated Alonso when they offered him around $22.57M AAV on that extension that he has either already fully turned down or not yet accepted.
I would love if they could build that kinda stuff into contracts, but either the MLBPA doesn’t allow it or its heavily frowned upon and it’s almost entirely based on Plate Appearances, etc. to keep it simple and not truly performance based- though I know some guys who look like they’re on their way to breaking certain records have bonuses for like, 500 HR’s or whatever.
I think the idea is to protect players from a team tanking and benching a good performer from getting 30 HR or whatever. More teams are out of it than in it as the season draws to a close.
Or worse (from Wikipedia):
“Injuries reduced Cicotte to a 12–19 record in 1918, but in 1919, he rebounded to win 29 games and once again led the league in wins, winning percentage, and innings pitched, as well as in complete games. His 1919 salary was $6,000, but he had a provision for a $10,000 bonus if he won 30 games. Legend has it that as the season drew to a close, owner Charles Comiskey ordered manager Kid Gleason to bench Cicotte for 5 games, denying him a chance at a 30-win season and the bonus money. “
With all due respect, I disagree that is “easy” to stipulate that a manager has to play a star player rather than a sub. “We were resting Cicotte for the WS”. “We wanted to play Jay Johnstone instead of Hank Aaron so we could see if Jay was for real”.
It’s difficult to prove intent when the alternatives are viable. Prove in a court not just on a chatroom. You see how all of us, as well as the other 3000 baseball chats, have statistics to “prove” Bob should have started game 3 instead of Jim.
mlb.com/glossary/transactions/incentive-clause
Not trying to rip you but this is an absolutely insane proposal. If they offered it, Pete would 1000000% just opt out after year one and collect $57.5 million and hit the market again next year. Failing that, he would just opt in every year as 10/$225 million is an insane overpay for Pete. This offer wouldn’t benefit the Mets in any way.
Just offer him four or five years at $25 million/year. No one is offering him more than that. If he takes it, great. If not, move on. There is no reason to overpay. Dodgers, Yanks, Nationals, Blue Jays (barring a crazy Vlad trade), Rangers, Braves, DBacks, Giants, Padres, Astros, Angels, Red Sox, Cubs, Phillies all have no use for Pete and the rest of the teams in the league wouldn’t pony up for a big Pete contract. He has no leverage.
Wait, are you saying that Alonso is the second-best slugger in baseball? Or are you talking about Soto?
Hey, I love Pete but I don’t even consider him a top-1o slugger right now. Judge, Ohtani, Soto, Vlad, Yordan Alvarez, Ozuna, and several others are better. I know that Pete has hit a lot of homers since 2019 but he was really ordinary last year and I just don’t think he commands the respect around the game that you’re according him.
That is a bad incentive
RBIs and runs scored is better.
There is a difference
In some situations he needs to try to just hit a 1B or double. Hit better with RISP. Hit the ball where it’s pitched and hit to the opposite field.
Lot of oxygen wasted on “NYM rotation isn’t good” etc. As if the roster on 12/24 Is what the final team will look like.
Even considering LAD how many times have you heard some team ‘ is the best team on paper’ You have to win the game on the field IRL it is a marathon not a sprint
Not sure what data you’re looking at Leo, but I don’t agree that Vientos provided “capable” defense at 3B last season. Fangraphs does not agree and never has. He’s been pretty bad, actually. So that’s one of the issues with signing Alonso. Then the only place for Vientos would be third, unless they wanted to DH him.
If he can’t play 3b and his best position is 1b it’s not a stretch to simply put him at DH. The team isn’t wasting his value that way.
No young player wants to be a 100% DH or close to it.
Lindor is trying to help Vientos for a second year off-season. He can help him a lot with mental game, preparation, footwork, glove work and hitting.
NYM has serious reservations on how Alonso overall game will age and his defense is just average. LH 1B are better. A 1 year bridge type would probably be better long term for the team.
A player like Santana(could have been) or Brandon Belt (if not retired) or similar player would alloy Vientos to play 1B and 3B and you could where he is better
@rememberthecoop,
Vientos did solid job and has cannon for arm and made some highlight reel plays as well. I saw him with my own eyes game after game and I’ve been watching big league baseball and the Mets since Nolan Ryan was still one.. Vientos will only get better having already improved to be a credible big league third baseman in his first real big league season. He made some rookie mistakes but growing pains are an expected part of the process.
@Raymond,
They’re misinformed and/or their rivalry distorts.
@Ray
I disagree. I was a big Torres fan, and they ran him out of town, citing his poor defense and base running skills as the reason. He’s the best 2b option on the market, yet he’s unsigned. and his position is unfilled. Yanks have made attempts to try and address our defense and base running. So I’d put defense as my 3rd concern, but it’s still something that needs to be addressed. But honestly, unless you’re as stagnant as a traffic cone, 1b is the least of your teams positional worries.
Anyone who doesn’t believe defense and fundamentals isn’t important in every sport I don’t want managing or coaching my team
He has the arm strength; I never implied that he didn’t. He was bad at third but can he improve? Of course.
He literally only made 5 errors last year. Fangraphs is a biased group that stats and projections are often way off. Hes not the best Fielding 3b in the league but he’s definitely capable and at least average and getting better.
Metsin4
Yeah I agree he definitely passed the eye test but the metrics people use to disparage his defense is OAA which is a range metric IIRC so basically he fields the balls he can get to well but he can’t get to as many as he should
Errors doesn’t tell you anything about the range a player can cover. In theory you can make fewer errors if you have the range slightly better than a statue
You don’t judge a fielder’s value based solely (or mainly) on errors. He’s definitely not “average” but could be over time. In your world, where errors only count, then sure, what does FG know, huh? But wait, why do you say FG is biased? Why would they be?
And I’m not a Yankees fan.
He is bad at 3B. -6 DRS, -4 FRV with bad range.
@rememberthecoop That’s right, of course. Vientos is among the worst 3Bmen in baseball, and that’s after EIGHT years of its being his primary position in professional baseball.
‘But hey! My eye test and that arm [the arm which is the only reason he could stay at 3B for even 3/4 of a season] show he’s better than those damned computers that count and measure every single ball hit to Vientos at 3B and compare it with every other ball hit to 3Bmen throughout for the past decade for speed, direction, distance from his original position…’
I’m not a big fan of what computers are doing to the value of human beings, but it’s ridiculous to prefer to not understand there are things they do far better than we do.
Heck, even the vaunted eye test shows Vientos to be a terrible 3Bman.
Meanwhile, though, he’s roughly average in the half-season he’s played 1B in pro ball. It should tell the casual fan something that the Mets have no interest in keeping him at 3B, a position at which they have no obvious candidates.
@Trill
That would be a terrible one-year deal for the Mets from a CBT standpoint. And not a chance Boras gives up that much leverage in a potential long-term contract. Alonso will get paid and it will be better than 5/125. So will Bregman. Sasaki needs to come off the board in January.
Still loving that YankeesBleacherCreature and I can only reply to each other indirectly lol….. anyway yeah look I know that proposal I made is insane by traditional thinking, but I am looking at how Alonso’s future and age is viewed.
Also lets bet real here- plenty of players with serious long term question marks or peripheral data points indicating they’re due for a quick and steep drop off in performance still get big money multi-year deals for their past performance- almost like the league knows they owe the players finally reaching free agency some chunk of that sweet, lucrative free agent money, so someone steps up and gives them that contract even though it seems like nobody really wants to….
I think of Swisher’s 4 year/$56M deal with the Guardians…. trying to think of others like that, where consensus seemed to be that a player was likely nearly washed up and a long term deal would be a bad investment… but some club went ahead and gave them a deal worth tens of millions anyway.
Alonso is that guy this year, for sure.
And so as others said, I think 5 years/$125M would be that compromise “we gotta give him *something*” kind of a long term free agent deal and it’ll likely be the Mets.
But we see each other’s replies/comments and can sometimes respond to each other and he claims he didn’t mute me. I can actually respond to him directly below this.
Look- I’ve muted plenty of people, plenty of people have muted me.
shrug.
@Trill Probably something with the site’s coding.
RF: If someone mutes you, you can’t see their comments.
For some reason, there is a Suppress Dialogue option that YBC selected when posting.
Alonso has to make a decision not hold up the Mets decision-making on first, third, possibly DH, left hand hitting addition(s), bench, and even on the youngsters and perhaps on Jose Iglesias. Every decision impacts others in part or in full.
The Mets are free to make their decisions at any time. Just like the Braves and Freeman. Besides, they have several options for 3B. The time to worry about consistency is the trade deadline, not spring training. If they are ever going to find out what they have in these young players, April,May and June is the time.
@Raymond Flagstaff
If Bregman was 5/125, the Yankees would snatch him up in a heartbeat.
What the, it’s a Christmas Miracle! I can directly respond to this comment from YankeesBleacherCreature!
As much as I dislike the Astros in principle, yes, I think for 5 years/$125M the Yankees and Bregman would get a deal done quickly- but if that was his price point he’d still be an Astro.
Well I have Marching Polar Bears at Eutaw St and they are advocating the Orioles sign Pete Alonso…however some Orioles fans are not buying that…I buy it….I think he is terrific and at the very least ….he stays Healthy and that is half the battle these days
Stearns alredy proved his moves work out last yr
But the rotation is rly questionable
BP is weak
I think its almost inevitable alonso returns bc nobody seems interested in him.
If jett gilbert clifford are ready, mets lineup could be all set to go for 2025
@Johncoltranw,
Clifford is unlikely to be ready in 2025. He has to reign in his rather high K’s and raise his batting average. The former should help the latter. Figure he’ll be ready at some point in 2026. He has to polish his game and continue to develop defensively.
So, no one is interested in Alonso, with good reason, “let’s bring him back!”
The rotation isn’t remotely questionable once they signed Manaea. There’s Senga, who the Mets clearly believe is due to return to something akin to his 2023 line, and there are three more starters who rate to be at least a little above average. After those there’s Montas and at #6 there’s a half dozen guys who would be #4-5s for the weaker teams, plus Sproat, who may take 2-3 years to be promoted, but who might also be up in June 2025.
Why would “jett gilbert clifford” (or Acuna) be ready when none of them had a good 2024 season in the minors?
Jeff McNeil can play a very solid third base along with second base or a corner outfield spot. If the Mets want Luisangel Acuna to play, he could play second, with McNeil playing third. Although, in my opinion, Acuna should be starting the season as the everyday centerfielder, the Mets don’t seem to agree with me.
I was thinking this earlier. If pete wont take a lesser deal, I’m hoping they stay away from Bregman and just go w mcneil until prospects are ready to contribute. Many saying the offense isnt that good, but are underestimating or undervaluing soto lindor Vientos Nimmo and then the upside of Alvarez and at least one prospect making an impact. If they dont sign alonso, theyll still get a DH im guessing.
@ray i think vientos is legitimate and have a lot of faith in him.
Absolutely agree!!! Juan Soto, yes fantastic for our long term future but we need another big bat period otherwise I am not sold on this lineup. Vientos has arrived, Alvarez has not as of yet, he needs help to adjust his all out swing but that will come later. Get Pete back but I am even more intrigued by Alex Bregman!!
@Michael,
McNeil really shouldn’t be playing third other than emergency. There’s a reason he hasn’t played there in the majors since early in his career. For one, he doesn’t have the arm.
@Raymond,
McNeil’s been utility/super utility in one form or another since his big league debut. He’s played everywhere but catch.
We also need his lefty bat. We’re short on those.and need to add another even with McNeil.
@Michael McChesney Jeff can’t play 3B. The Mets have had various needs there ranging from mild to critical, and they haven’t given him even one full game there since 2020, when he played 75 innings, and in 2019, when he played 154 innings there.
6 innings in the last 4 years and they’ve never played him there even once except in direst emergency, and even then it wasn’t for long?
Squirrel cannot handle the hot corner. No shame in it. He’ll probably never play another inning there in his career short of the team plane crashing.
The Mets have numerous prospects who project to be ready by mid season 2025. Guys like Williams, Gilbert, Mauricio and more. Because of this they look like great candidates to make a big trade at July’s deadline.
The team could use a lefty bat probably more than a righty bat. Pederson did appear to make some sense to them but they have other outfielders.
If they could I would love to bring Pete back on a 1-2 year high AAV deal let him try to regain his value with opt out after 1st. Save the prospects for a pitcher trade and then sign Vlad next year and if Alonso opts in he can be the DH year two if they sign Vladdy.
You guys are obnoxious. Good gosh man. Have a good one.
Why so grumpy ? My comment wasn’t even directed at you.
@reyday,
Alonso doesn’t want to DH..
Then he better hit the first year and opt out.
: )
No hate here, but prospects are just prospects…we need a legit bat in this order, Get Pete back, though I would actually prefer Alex Bregman!!
Vlad Jr is overrated and his weight issues could derail him. Another defensively challenged player.
He’s looking for Soto – light $ and he’s not worth it. He is FA in 2026.
Let someone else sign him
NYM shouldn’t be hasty They should assess their team the first half and then they can bring up AAA help and or make a trade
I never see him mentioned in any rumors, but I would love to see Winker back with the Mets. Have him DH against RHP. On days with a LHP starter, you can use Vientos at DH and plug in Mauricio (or someone else) at 3B. Winker would be very cheap and has an almost .850 OPS in his career against RHP. Plus he fit the clubhouse very well last year.
I haven’t heard the Mets leak info on any negotiation issues. Mets They don’t do that.
Winker hasn’t shown he is consistent and you can’t rely on him just because he’s lefthanded, his attitude too often is a negative
I realize NYM has an excess of IFs but Iglesias is very valuable in all the ways that helps wins games. There is probably a good chance Acuna and Mauricio don’t make the team out of spring training and they may only be in the team by mid season
We need two more upper tier starters and hitters. Right and left. I wouldn’t count on Vientos (sophomore slump). And keep adding arms for bull pen. Let’s go Steve!
His sophomore year was last year and he definitely didn’t slump.
No it wasn’t
Sign Pete and trade for LuisCastillo
Sign Pete and trade HIM for Luis Castillo.
@nwwh,
That’s overkill. They already have their rotation and are in the running for Sasaki. If they trade for Castillo and get Sasaki that’s 7 starters, all of whom have earned the right to start, including the 3 who signed here for that., and Senga who did several years ago and has ace stuff.
This rotation is garbage. I put more faith in the Athletics rotation. I hope they can score 10 runs a game because their starters and bullpen are atrocious. Stearns failed big time and everyone will see when they don’t make a wildcard.
Almost all of their starters are projected to have ERA’s in the low or mid 3s. I don’t think you know what atrocious is.
3 of their starters are career 4 era guys add in a failed starter who moved to bullpen coming off blowing double digit saves.
Zonedeads
I’m assuming you just wanted to be negative and ofc you can slice stats to paint whatever narrative you want.
For ex you used career stats instead of last years because it suited your negativity.
@Piazza
Ok then, use last years. 2 out of the 5 look solid and the other 3 are, at best, incomplete. You have 1 guy who missed most of the entire season. 1 guy who has had a high era/fip around 4.50 and another who will be pitching in a role he hasn’t pitched in one 6 years. He can’t throw his sinker and slider only for 6 innings. He had to add pitches he hasn’t needed to throw in 5 years and couldn’t throw them for strikes. That’s an experiment at best.
You mentioned that about Holmes above but didn’t respond to my response. It’s not his fault he was put into the bullpen, all he can do is go out and perform…and he’s been a top 5 BP arm in ERA and top 10 in IP for 5 seasons.
If you want to judge a guys entire potential based on 4 games started 8 years ago when he was a rookie then go ahead but it’s pointless.
He has a different pitch mix now than he did then and I’m sure he’s gonna develop further – prob needs to work on a 4 seam or 2 seam/cutter to keep them off the slider and to work up in the zone.
IF ONLY HE WAS GOING TO A TEAM KNOWN FOR WORKING THAT STUFF OUT amirite?
I’m not worried about Montas. His arm is great, I’m fully confident they can get him under control.
No reasonable person can fault the Mets for a freak calf sprain on a pop up. Injuries happen.
Career stats mean more than one year. You ever see anyone get paid based off one year?
“Career stats mean more than one year.”
-Thanks, this is useful info
“You ever see anyone get paid based off one year?”
-uhhhhhhhh what? This is the essence of 1-year prove it deals, which are everywhere…. They’re a Boras Salvage Special
Holmes hasn’t made a start since 2018 and even then it was spot starts. Last season he had a 3.14 ERA. The last 3 season he has a 2.85 ERA. Top 25 in baseball. Do you know how many closers have a worse closing percentage the last 3 seasons?
Pathetic troll with literally nothing better to do
Agree that bullpen help is needed, but the Mets rotation is solid. It’s not going to blow anyone away, but with that offense, they won’t need to. Team OPS+ of 108 last year and added Soto. May bring back Alonso or another piece (as mentioned in the article above). Should have a top 10, maybe top 5 offense at the end of the day.
I think they’re going to go with a six man rotation when it makes sense to. Just speculation on my part. Senga, Manaea, Peterson, Montas, Holmes is five, and you have Megill, Blackburn, Butto (though I think he should stay in the bullpen), and possibly Sproat as starting options as well. No true ace but their 3-5 starters are solid enough to win some games.
I would not say garbage but definitely overrated!!! Last year was a complete fluke and I am not sold that they will repeat the same numbers. Mets used to be about tremendous pitching talent but they are now drinking the “just get into the playoffs” kool-aid.
You must be an NBA fan
Mets have too many position players for spots and needs available – and I’m including prospects and bringing back impact 2024 Mets Iglesias and Winker.who were so valuable on and off the field and bled orange and blue, really want to return.
I think Winker is especially needed for lefty power bat DH and pinch hitting,
Would love both back. Not sure if it makes sense to bring back Iglesias when you have Acuña, Mauricio, and McNeil already but I would love it if only for the vibes. Could transition to a bench coach down the line.
Gonna be hard to find spot for Iglesias for the reasons you cite and I’ll add because he bats right-handed.
But on another level he belongs on the Mets. He was such a force of good vibes and leadership, and played well till he fatigued from overuse.
Mauricio is going to need a bunch of time in the minors this season after missing all of 2024, and he doesn’t have much experience at third..Down the road he’s important for his power and versatility, as well as switch hitting and aggressiveness on the basepaths if his repaired knee doesn’t slow him down.
Jaysus. Winker put up a line for the Mets of 243/318/365. He was awful. He was also in the bottom 10th percentile in the field.
He’s a ‘power bat’ who has slugged a combined .354 over the past three seasons. Come on.
Mariners would sign Alonso in a heartbeat if they weren’t probably looking to extend their young arms and Cal Raleigh.
100% and good for the Mariners, it is the right move for their future!!
Hearing possibility of a trade with Padres. McNeil, Peterson, Butto, and Acuna for Cease and Cronenworth.
Don’t see the Padres wanting to take on McNeill’s bloated contract. Although Cronenworth is not much of an upgrade and while he is cheaper his deal is longer.
Having Cease, Senga, and Manaea at the top of that rotation would make it one of the best.
Now for fans of both teams saying that won’t work.
Thats what I’m talking about!! I’m not sold on the current rotation at all, not good enough!! Mets have the money and are not paying Pete because they don’t want too. I have a feeling Mets are angling for Corbin Burnes!!
How come they don’t have thumbs down button
It won’t work. You’re trading away key parts of the present and future for one year of Cease whom they could try to sign next offseason and Cronenworth doesn’t improve the Mets.
Next offseason doesn’t help them now. A ring on the finger is worth two on next years FA market.
“McNeill’s bloated contract.”
McNeil only has 2/$31.5 million left on his deal with a $2 million buyout for 2027. How is that bloated? He’s worth about 2 WAR a year and can play second base and corner outfield. He’s also played about 200 games at 3B in the minors and majors.
“Although Cronenworth is not much of an upgrade and while he is cheaper his deal is longer.”
Cronenworth is owed $72 million over the next six years. He’s the dud in this trade, not McNeil. Every team in the league would take McNeil’s “bloated” contract over Cronenworth’s.
McNeil had a 1.6 WAR and falling with 110 games at 2B last year Age is biting his behind. He has 1 game and no starts at 3B in the last 3 seasons. He is a 2B that can play other positions in a pinch.
Cronenworth had a 2 WAR playing mostly 1B which depresses WAR. Do the calculations for a full year at 2B or even LF. With the positional adjustment for playing the same number of games at 2B as McNeil played it’s 3.2 WAR.
McNeil is guaranteed $16.75 million per year. For a guy that will be playing at 33 and his performance is catering, its a bloated contract.
Cronenworth has an AAV of $11.83 million.
That $5 million difference is a $10 million savings to Mets payroll.
Cease is good but FA next year there is no way NYM makes that trade. Straight up Peterson is just as good as Cease. Croneworth has inconsistent results and his contract is no bargain.
NYM isn’t trading Butto, Acuna and Peterson
Mets fans are as delusional as Yankees fans. Peterson is not in the same class as Cease.
I don’t remember Cease helping the Palesox or Padres to a World Championship.
In the 2024 playoffs Cease didn’t pitch against ATL and against the LAD he had a 14.40 ERA in 5 IP
Peterson pitched 11 and 1/3 innings in the playoffs in 2024.
In a month here I have seen good commenters and bad ones. I have seen good trolls and bad ones. You are the latter in both cases. Try your trolling with someone that doesn’t understand baseball.
Hot takes on NYM lineup frequently overlook or diminish Alvarez. Assuming they do wind up signing Alonzo – if Alvarez can take that leap as Vientos did, that lineup is an MFer
Agreed, he is only 22 yrs old!! slight swing adjustment and he becomes a killer!
“Slight adjustment” for a kid who looked more lost than any one player in baseball, and that includes Brett Baty. Sure. He’s almost there.
Alvarez and Vientos are young players and will have growing pains -SOs, defensive issues etc. Vientos may have a lesser year and Alvarez with better health should hit more HRs.Lindor for a 2nd off-season is helping Mark.(Alvarez needs to improve throwing out base runners) For a C nagging injuries will effect their offense. Torrens should get his share of starts.
Even if Acuna makes the team and McNeil is still around they should re-sign Iglesias. Not because of the OMG and stuff but because he has great fundamental skills and gives max effort.
It probably would be good if NYM could trade McNeil and Mate but I wouldn’t give them away and might wait till mid season
It’s not my money and I know the years are the issue, but the Mets should put the same extension offer they gave Alonso a couple years back (7/$189M, I believe) back on the table. If Boras believes he can still get more than that, he’s delusional.
It was 7/$158M. That makes more sense and Pete should take it if it’s offered.
I don’t think there’s any need to offer Pete that much. What team out there is offering him a mega deal? You can eliminate half of the teams in baseball right off the bat because they don’t spend that much. And of the teams that do spend, nearly all of them already have first base covered. I’m struggling to think of any team that would even offer him a big deal. The only team I can see doing it is the Marlins in order to raise payroll, but even that seems crazy.
The entire comment section is on shrooms where Pete’s concerned.
Yeah, 158m for a 2=win 1Bman turning 30.
Re-sign Alonso, put Taylor in RF and DH Marte. If not, then platoon Baty and Meneses
Soto is in RF.
Ok, then put Taylor in CF and Nimmo in LF
That’s the plan
It’s not March 27!!!
Talk is Cheap.
They need to sign Pete and get another #1 or #2 starter in that rotation if they do not sign Roki Sasaki. Their starting rotation is average at best. They need Pete to protect Soto in that lineup. And they should go sign Tanner Scott for their setup man behind Diaz. I do think they will make more moves knowing that they just paid all that money to Soto and if Soto doesn’t like or feel the team is doing enough in the next 5yrs then the Mets will have plenty of money when Soto opts out of his contract in 5yrs or demands a trade.
Jesus, what a mouthful this sentence is:
“They could, of course, pursue an outfielder like Anthony Santander or Teoscar Hernández, but those two are looking for significantly more money than Pederson, and, presumably, they would prefer to continue playing the outfield.“
“Of course” interrupts unnecessarily when it could begin the sentence. “Presumably” belongs between “would” and “prefer” without any commas.