Q and A - A Team Review

From David Barnaby - Hi Mack!

I'm a lifelong Mets fan (born in 86!) and a long time reader.  First I just want to say how much I enjoy your site.  I'm writing this to both share my observations of the direction of this team, this past off season and where this season and the following off season might take us.  

I'd give Alderson a B for this offseason. I think the Dickey trade was perfect, as much as I am sad to see R.A. leave.  I think the Marcum and Lyon singings were good and I really like the trade for Cowgill.  What every Mets fan knows is that we needed at least one established righty batting outfielder to help balance the team and stretch the offense.  This wouldn't have been a placeholder move.  It would have been made to help the team win in 2014 but also to help give protection in the order, especially for Ike batting 4th, and help put a better product on the field in general this year.  It wasn't a great market this year but this is where Sandy fell flat.  He still did pretty well for us this off season.

On to this year...  I am very happy to see Ike Davis showing the plate discipline that he did in 2010 and 2011.  He has been laying off the outside breaking balls he was whiffing on, taking the ball the other way and taking walks instead of fishing for bad pitches.  He looks in great shape and is showing real patience at the plate which he'll need since his protection in the lineup isn't impressive.  I really want to see Ike hit 260+ with 35 or more homeruns and gold glove defense this year, we need him to become a cornerstone for the future.  Wright is Wright, he'll play hard and with a more consistent Ike behind him will hopefully have better pitches to hit.  I'm going to freak if he doesn't start for the NL at the all-star game this year, he got freaking robbed last year by the Giants fans (also he was robbed of the golden glove!)  Tejada will be ok offensively with solid defense and Murphy isn't a star but he is one of those guys who is a real pest in the lineup and makes the people around him play harder.  

I'm hoping we see d'Arnaud by June.  I'd love to see him bat with a nice high average and maybe 10-15 HRs though the end of the year.  I'd also like to sign Buck to a 2 year deal as his mentor/backup after this season.  

I actually think the outfield will be better then last years but it will still be the biggest weakness we have.  I'm excited to see  what Cowgill and Spin can bring to the table. I hope Duda can mash the ball to up his trade value because I don't want to see him playing in the outfield next year.  I want to trade him in the off season.  

For the pitchers, I hope Marcum and Santana are pitching well around the all-star break.written before last night)  I'd like to eat all the money on the contracts and trade them to contenders for the best possible prospects we can, regardless of the prospects positions.  I want to see continued growth and success from Niese, Harvey, Wheeler, Gee and hopefully Montero who I'm hoping comes up in September.  

This leads us to the offseason.  I've been patient and generally happy with Alderson's management of the team but this off season will be make or break time.  We need two big bats.  I say we open up the bank and outbid, and inevitably overpay for one.  There are several possibilities but I'm going to say Ellsbury.  He plays center, bats leadoff and has had some incredible seasons, though I'm not going to count on him hitting 32 HRs in Citi! I'm betting this will cost about 110 over 6 years.   It doesn't have to be Ellsbury necessarily, Choo could work and be cheaper as well but let's make a splash.  Still we're not going to just make a splash and call it quite like Omar used to do...

After that we need a real right handed slugger to put in the outfield and it will have to be someone we can get via trade because Hunter Pence is the best right handed outfielder in FA and he doesn't get it done for me.  I want Stanton and I think we can get him without compromising the team.  Package Flores, Syndergaard, Duda, whatever prospects we got at the previous deadline for our veterans and whatever other prospects we need to get it done (this is assuming that Wheeler, d'Arnaud and Montero have been promoted and we give up nobody else form the MLB level except for Duda.)  This fills multiple needs for the Marlins with players that are blocked, further away or don't fit in with our team's plan.  It still represents a lot of talent and the Marlins can play all of them at their proper position. 

After that you just need to shop for bullpen improvements and depth.  This all adds up to opening day 2014.

1. Ellsbury

2. LF Platoon (I thing Valdespin/Cowgill will make a great and feisty platoon like the 2B platoon of the 80s)

3. Wright

4. Davis

5. Stanton

6. d’Arnaud

7. Murphy

8. Tejada

Rotation 

1. Harvey

2. Neise

3. Wheeler

4. Gee

5. Montero

Bench: Lutz, Turner, Baxter, Buck

This would be a team that can be in contention to win it all every year for the next 5-6 years.  I'd  probably give contract extensions to Davis, Stanton and d'Arnaud as well as the pitchers.  Promoting so many to the MLB level and trading for Stanton will leave the farm empty but with this young and cost controlled a team you immediately redouble your efforts in the farm so by the time this group of players are starting to get on in years or too expensive you should have a stacked system ready to keep you competitive.  

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on my big hypothetical plan, seeing the continued development of our young players and prospects this year and getting back to being a winning team.  Sandy needs to make at least 2 big acquisitions this coming off season, it's do or die time for him.  

Best, 

Dan

Mack - first, thank you for your email, Dan. It's so nice to continue to see the intelligence level of our readers here (would love you as a writer also).

I have to say I thought this was Michael Scannell writing under a different name.

First thing first...  everything changes after last night. There will be no return for Johan Santana.

I'm already past the 2012 win-loss results. The Mets world is fighting Gettysburg. I'm Sherman working on his March through Atlanta.

The easiest path to playoff success is Giancarlo Stanton, but it would cost the Mets dearly. I only have four untouchable Mets... Wright, Wheeler, Harvey, and d'Arnaud.. Duda, Flores, and Syndergaard would not be enough to get him. It would cost you either Niese or Davis in that package.

All I would do THIS year is speed thing up JUST A LITTLE. The team needs their future rotation in place earlier, while, at the same time, let them develop secondary pitchers.  I bring up Wheeler May 1st.  I pitch Mazzoni in AAA, Montero, Pill and deGromm in AA and Syndergaard in A+, with bumps at the all-star break. This gives the Mets Wheeler and Mazzoni this year, MOntero in September and an ETA of Syndergaard  OD 2015.

I also wold put Jack Leathrsich on the same fast track that Josh Edgin was o and that would get him in the Mets pen by September. I would fill the Laffey move to a starter on opening day to Familia and I would start the conversion of Tapia to a 7th/8th ROOGY or closer.

Again, a little faster but designed to heighten the organizational talent.