Mike Friere - Are We Good Enough? (Part One)

The term "emotional roller coaster" is an interesting one and it is usually saved for people who enjoy some drama in their lives.  I am sure that everyone reading this article can think of a few people in their lives who match this description.  However, the term can also be used to describe larger groups of people (teams) and how their erratic performance can feel like you are riding a roller coaster.  Our very own Mets DEFINITELY meet that standard and the first 20% of the season is living proof (I can only imagine what our new manager must be feeling right now).

With that said, the hot start followed by the ugly stretch of games that brought us to this point are what they are.  Sure, you can use a variety of explanations to address WHY (injuries, poor performance or perhaps a curse of some sort), but that won't change where we are, will it?

Thinking about this turned my thoughts to the current roster and if it is truly "good enough".  What that means within the context of this article is "playoff or championship caliber".  If that isn't clear enough, ask yourself how many of our players would play a prominent role on a contending ball club like the Astros, for example.   In short, if the player(s) in question would find a spot on a "good" roster, then they are "good enough" for this discussion.

This will be the first in a series of articles that will look at the Mets' roster and attempt to ask the question "are we good enough" from top to bottom.   This is a valuable exercise because it should highlight exactly how much work the Front Office has to do to get the team where all of us would like them to be.

For "fun", let's start behind the plate with our CATCHERS.   I may get accused of "cherry picking" here, but it is actually worse then I thought.  Without going into ALL of the gory details, just know that our Catchers to date have an average OPS of .522, which is almost unfathomable.  According to those in the know, that OPS is considered VERY POOR, but I think we suspected that already.  Hell, Rey Ordonez had a career OPS of .600, if that tells you anything.

Here is a list of Catchers who have played for the Mets this year;

Travis d'Arnaud (Injured - 60 Day DL)

Kevin Plawecki (Injured - 10 Day DL)

Jose Lobaton

Thomas Nido

Do you see anyone on this list who would start for a contending ball club?  Without sounding too negative, I do NOT and I think this position is in dire need of an upgrade.  Identifying the issue is easy enough, but how do the Mets fix the problem and how long will it take?

1.  TDA has one year of arbitration left in 2019 before he hits free agency in 2020.   Even when he is healthy, he isn't "good enough", in my opinion.  I would non-tender him in the off season and look for a better option.

2.  KP is a bit younger and the Mets control his rights through the 2022 season, so he is not going anywhere for quite a while.  He has had his own durability issues, I see a solid back up player when I think about his future so he may play a role but not as a starter.

3.  Jose Lobaton is a journeyman type and as far as I can tell, is only signed for this season.  He deserves a hearty pat on the back for helping the team through a tough time, but he isn't part of the future.

4.  Thomas Nido is still a developmental player, with the Mets controlling his rights for the next few years, sort of like KP.  While he has shown that he isn't ready YET, he is still relatively young for the position and could blossom if given some more time at  AA and/or AAA.   I would hold onto him in the short term, but his potential would not prevent an outside acquisition if I were in charge.

Farther down the minor league "ladder" there may be future prospects who will eventually step up and contribute, but that is not likely to occur in time to save the 2018 season.   So, any internal solutions are still a couple of years away, at best.

Based on the lack of depth, I think the Mets need to go outside of the organization to address the lack of catching options.  The intent of this piece isn't to explore all of the available players that can be obtained in a trade or free agency.   But, someone like Wilson Ramos from the Rays could be a short and medium term solution in a 2018 trade acquisition.   Or, Yasmani Grandal (Dodgers) could be a target in free agency after the current season ends, if he is not resigned by his current club.

To summarize, the Mets simply cannot continue with the current state of things behind the plate.  The problem needs to be addressed as soon as possible for the rest of 2018, as well as the following season.