Isn't it usually around this time of year that a certain movie is aired. One in which a certain 'evil corporate guy' is faced with meeting the ghost of Christmas past, present, and future? Well, anyway, it got me thinking.......
(Ok, now it's got me thinking about how much I still love Bill Murray, but that's getting off topic). I'm thinking more and more about what direction I feel (guess) that the Mets have been going in for the past 3 years. Yes, we've seen from recent years that the most consistently winning teams all have a nice balance of good player development/scouting, free agent signings, and good trades. We've also seen a change in the times when it comes to locking up young talent. Teams are working harder to control their top prospects futures, not just in player development, but in keeping them with their organization long before arbitration or free agency come about. One player that quickly comes to mind is Giants Catcher Buster Posey. Instead of spending the next 3 years in arbitration with their All Star, and the 5 years wondering if they might lose him in the free agent market, the Giants decided to pass all of that, and simply lock him up until 2021 (still with an option for 2022). Now, we come to the New York Mets.
Is it just me, or our beloved Mets using "Team Control" over a player simply to save money, without putting as much thought into winning as we want them to? Maybe I've paid way too much attention to it, but it seems like, over the past couple years, all I've heard about in Metland is the team efforts to keep Harvey and Wheeler in the minors a couple months more then they needed to. I've heard about the recent issues of the Mets "by absolute coincidence of course" not calling up Tejada back to the majors until a day after what would have given him a year earlier of arbitration/free agency. So, now here we are. It's almost spring of 2014.
Back in groundhog day once again (ahhhh, another Bill Murray movie reference thrown in.) Despite still having a 32 homerun season not too long ago (Ike Davis and his now yearly arbitration), The Mets are reportedly wanting to go with Lucas Duda (first/pre/cheap arbitration year)as their starting first baseman. Despite being the active 2nd best hitter on the roster (now that Byrd has flown to Phily), Daniel Murphy (yup, in yearly arbitration) is constantly in daily trade rumors, with backup options for his position being EY Jr (first/pre/cheap arbitration year), and Wilmer Flores (not arbitration eligible until I believe 2017). I'm starting to feel as though, out of pure desperation, and fear of absolute chaos affect from the fan base, the Mets at least locked up David Wright, and Jonathan Niese (the only MLB ready lefty starter in the organization) to long term contracts to reward their performance. And, as we enter Spring 2014, the top 2 pitching prospects, Montero and Thor, reportedly have a slim to none chance of starting season in the rotation (ahhhhhhh, super 2 !!!!!! ). (Given, Montero is the first guy rumored to go if the Mets find a buyer willing to give up a starting outfielder or starting SS). More then just an article, I think today I'm more about conspiracy theory, and posing of questions to the readers.
So I ask you, are the Mets, in the NEW YORK market (not the Marlins, Rays, Pirates or Royals)a team that is willing to lock up future stars like Harvey (please get healthy), Wheeler (please stay healthy) and d'Arnaud (ditto Wheeler)?.
Do the Mets, using the reported genius of Sandy Alderson, have the ability to trade just the right amount of future talent (Montero, deGrom, Flores, Gee, Plawecki/d'Arnoud, Puello) to acquire the right pieces for a winning ball club? And, last but not least........Are the Mets willing to supplement any further needed talent, outside of homegrown and traded for players, to sign another $100 million dollar player to put them ahead?
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