Mike Freire - Fleeting Thoughts

Good morning once again, Mets fans!

This will be the fifth installment of my Fleeting Thoughts series and I can probably stop counting the entries and focus more on the content.  Sort of like the Mets' "brain trust" this past year who would have been wise to tune out the external noise (fans, media) and really focus on the best way to spend their payroll, such as adding quality players who actually stay healthy!

Perhaps that was a bit of an unwarranted "cheap shot", but I will never understand the Jay Bruce, Jason Vargas and Anthony Swarzak signings, no matter how the rationale is presented.

But I digress......so let's get on with the rest of this article.

1.  For the official record, I have never tried "Crack" or "Crystal Meth" but my previous job certainly brought me into contact with folks that have.  It would be an understatement to say that their decision making was a bit compromised and their behavior was extremely erratic.  When I take an unbiased look at the Mets, it makes me wonder if following this team is like being on one of the listed drugs. 

The temptation is always there and you tell yourself that the last time is indeed the last time, while making promises to "do better" in the future.  Yet, when the next opportunity comes along, you find yourself hopelessly involved in the lifestyle again!  Think of someone like Frank Gallagher from the show Shameless for a good example of what I am talking about.  My "drug" of choice are the Mets and as disgusted as I am right now, I am already thinking of ways that 2019 will be better!  Maybe I need an intervention? 

2.  Speaking of the 2019 season, there is so much to be determined right now that it is really hard to speculate on what may or may not happen.  I think the coaching staff is safe for the time being, but there could be major turnover in the front office, the scouting staff and of course, with the roster. 

Instead of getting lost in the weeds, it is easier to prioritize the different issues and focus on the most important one first, prior to working your way down the list, so to speak.  In my head, settling the Front Office should be the first off season move that takes place, since it will influence the rest of the decisions that will take place.  

3.  ASSUMING that the Mets truly want a strong General Manager with NEW ideas (yes, I know that is quite a leap), who would you pick if you were in charge?  I won't pretend to know who all of the candidates are, but I would focus on candidates who are a part of a forward thinking, SUCCESSFUL organization such as the Red Sox, the Cardinals, the Yankees or even the Cubs (who are in the same lineage as the Red Sox, I suppose).

Doing the same thing over and over again gives you the same results.  In the Mets case, that isn't a good thing, so it is time to try a different approach.  My early vote is for Ben Cherington who was Theo Epstein's successor in Boston (2011 through 2015) and is now the Vice President of baseball operations for the Toronto Blue Jays.  He may or may not want to leave Toronto, but he should be on the Mets' short list.

4.  This may not be a popular opinion, but I really wish David Wright would hang up his spikes already.  Yes, he is on the comeback trail and it is admirable that he hasn't quit, despite all of the setbacks he has had to endure.  But, do you really think he is capable of playing at the major league level at this point?  Or, could he even come close to what he used to be capable of?  I prefer to remember him in his prime as opposed to a shell of his former self, which is likely what we are about to see.  Early returns are not promising to put it bluntly.

Sadly, I wonder if the Wilpons are allowing this story to develop in order to "sell" the idea of David's last "appearance" as a Met before he rides off into the sunset?  Or, as Mack has previously stated, maybe this is the reason Jose Reyes is still around?  One last glimpse at what was supposed to be the left side of our infield for fifteen plus years.

5.  In an effort to close this out with a more positive vibe, it was nice to see the Mets beat the Yankees this past Monday night.  Jake looked solid and we actually scored some runs for him!  Heck, it makes you wonder how much better our offense would be if we played in a band box of a stadium like our crosstown rivals.  If nothing else, the relatively meaningless win split the season series with the Yankees, which is a "win" in an otherwise down year.