Good Morning, Mets’ fans.
I hope that everyone is doing well on this fine October day, or at least you
are enjoying some “nice” Fall weather. It is as hot as a furnace here in lovely Florida, but I am hopeful that things will change before we get to the holiday season.
With that said, the weather isn’t the only thing that is “hot” of late, if you are also a baseball fan in addition to being a Mets’ fan. Within my usual thoughts will be a quick recap of both Championship Series, to date.
So, let’s get on with this article.
1. You really can’t complain about the baseball playoffs, so far (other then the fact that the Mets are not participating, I suppose). I think the four best teams in baseball are currently battling it out to make it to the World Series, which is pretty cool. That includes the Dodgers and the Brewers who are deadlocked at 2 games a piece (I am writing this on Wednesday morning, so by the time you are reading this, Game 5 of that series should be over).
Clay Bellinger basically saved the Dodgers “bacon” last night in extra innings. If Milwaukee wins that game, they take a commanding lead in the series, but instead, you now have the equivalent of a best of three series. Much like the start of the NLCS, the Brewers have “home field” advantage in what looks like a seven game series waiting to happen.
2. The ALCS has also been entertaining, with the Red Sox currently enjoying a 2-1 advantage in games played. Much like the previous entry, the two teams will play another game tonight (Wednesday), along with their Game 5 on Thursday night so we will have a much better idea of who will emerge from this scrum by then.
After Game 1, I was thinking that the Astros would roll over the Red Sox, but to Boston’s credit, they battled back and now look to be in control. Much like any championship team, you don’t really learn what they are about until they have their back against the proverbial wall. So, Game 4 will be a huge indicator of the Astros’ chances at a repeat. It is pretty crazy that a 108 win team and a 103 win team are going at it and it isn’t even the World Series yet.
3. Shifting gears slightly, there has been a lot of Manny Machado chatter on this blog of late. Specifically, some folks desire to sign him to a monster contract to shore up a position on the left side of our infield for the foreseeable future. I am less specific on the actual position because it is to be determined if he wants to play SS or 3B moving forward.
After much thought, I am against signing him this off season and that may be a moot point anyway, since it seems like he is not a fan of the Mets’ organization if rumors are to be believed. My point is a simple one, in that his talent will not match his costs moving forward. Plus, I am confident that we have multiple options to cover the entire infield for the next few seasons. Heck, we may actually have a surplus of talent by the time we get to 2020 or 2021, so adding to that would be a misappropriation of our funds. I would prefer to address the bullpen and sign Jake long term and see what is left to spend after that (but I typically change my mind as the off season progresses).
4. Lastly, I have added some comments to different articles over the past two weeks and I have used the term “second generation contract” while doing so. Most of you are probably up to speed on that term, but to be sure, this is what I am referring to. “Star” level players usually get paid quite handsomely once they have established themselves and they get past the arbitration process (i.e. free agency).
In MOST cases, the player is pushing their late 20’s or early 30’s by that point and you are basically paying for what they have done, as opposed to what they are likely to do on the back half of their career. I am not a fan of those contracts because the player almost always fails to “live up” to the deal and the fans/team are not happy. However, if the player is young enough (like Manny Machado or Bryce Harper), OR if they are a “face of the franchise” type of player (Jacob deGrom), they you sometimes bite the bullet and do what you have to do. Just realize that the downside is much greater then the player outperforming the contract.
Well, that is all for today......other then to say to Fred and Jeff "find a GM already"!
Stay safe out there, folks.
18 comments:
Morning Mike -
I am still knee deep in Biketoberfest in Daytona, trying to bury my mother-in-law. Finally found a hotel room left with hot water and Wifi. Will leave town on Saturday... Sunday morning post will be short... then back to normal.
As for your post...
there are 3 types of Mets fans:
1. under 25 that dream of big players and will go to games under any ownership, even the current one
2. old dudes like me that gave up years ago waiting for this ownership to change, have the past business knowledge to know that the numbers will never work here, and just follow the team because we have nothing better to do at our age,
3. and then there are the 25-54 year olds that are beginning to wake up and smell the dead roses.
We can talk all day about dream deals for players like Machado, but they simply aren't going to happen.
1. too much dead money on the books
2. ownership that will not eat contracts
we have to live with this mess and not repeat the mistakes of the past...
*** Build the best team you can through the 2020 season with what you have... then try not to make the same mistakes
Build an organization from within
Adding Machado and Realmuto would not stop the Mets from being built within.
They would be surrounded by Nimmo, Alonzo, Rosario, MacNeil, Conforto, Wheeler, deGrom, Matz, Syndergaard.
I dont see how that could not be classified as an organization built from within.
IF we signed Machado, how long before he'd be dying to leave?
The #1 target should be Realmuto...Machado sounds like another cespedes waiting to happen..get Realmuto, a couple of decent relief pitchers and go to battle in19
Wow, I really can not believe how many fans are looking for any excuse to poo-poo Machado.
He is one if the best players on the field each and every day he steps foot on it.
He does not have a history of health problems (like the bad contracts many speak about).
The "terrible" things he has done have been against the opposing team as part of his desire to win.
This is NOT a Cespedes who had a history of selfishness and injury issues.
The only thing I can guess is that the organization has beaten its fans into submission over the past 10+ years. Now fans that used to hunger for a perennial playoff contending team have reduced their acceptance level to merely making the best team possible out of players it can acquire cheaply.
Such a shame.
Plus he is only 26 yrs old.
AND his age is the same (give or take a 1/2 yrs from the rest of the core listed above)
This is setting up your team for the next 5 years!
It is NOT adding another 30+yr old to a core of 30+ yr olds
I bet that Machado (if he came to the Mets would end up being tgecreincarnation of Bobby Bonilla - just more expensive
Based on what exactly?
Just a feeling?
That should not be enough.
Definitely not what a serious organization should base an opportunity as important as this.
I’m not poo pooing Machado - I’m just saying with the Mets luck
Well, we're all guilty of putting the cart before the horse. Not even the custodial staff will be signed until they find a GM.
I can’t believe how many people throw Cespedes under the bus, he literally led the Mets to the World Series in ‘15. Now it’s pretty clear why he didn’t hustle, my man was playing on NO feet and was still trying to get out there every day. In retrospect he needs to be given a whole lot of credit for going out and playing even though he probably shouldn’t have been
A lot of fans here want Realmuto but fail to realize the cost associated with it. Mainly Alonso, Gimenez, Dunn and possibly more.
Now, as a snake drinking my own poison here, what is the point of bringing a catcher who will potentially hit 20 hrs, drive in 80 runs while losing the 1B of the future who can hit 30+ hrs and drive in 100 runs?. Now, add Gimenez, our best prospect and Dunn, out best pitching prospect and it doesn't make any sense.
You can't trade for a so called key player by trading another key player in Alonso. Another building block player like Gimenez and a possible #2,3 or 4 starter. All with at least 6 years of control for a player that has 2 years of control.
But then, the Mets are stupid so that makes it possible.
BTW, for all the stuffed suits coming in to interview for the GM position, and if that is the best they can do, Mets might as well make Omar the GM again and be done with it.
I still like and appreciate what Cespedes has contributed.
But, that doesn't change the fact that there was an a knowledge gamble due to his history of selfishness and injuries on the Athletics and Redsox.
I am for Realmuto if Machado is acquired.
In that case Rosario could hopefully replace Alonzo as the trade chip since the young Machado would take Rosario's place.
Bob,
Machado ranked as a below average shortstop and he is only 26. His future and value to the Mets is at 3B. If he is not willing to go back to 3B, pass.
He can play at least the 2019 season at shortstop.
Come 2020... Gimenez, Machado, or other..... whatever is best for the team.
At that time, moving to 3rd can be faced
Fortunately for Alonso, it appears as if the Mets have his back in this quest to improve that facet of his game. Ricciardi expresses faith and patience in the young slugger’s process, as per Harper.
“He’s never going to be a Gold Glover but he can play the position. And I think his power is going to play at the big-league level, which would be very valuable,” he said. “With the work he’s done, he’ll be every bit as good as Lucas Duda was [at first base].”
An MLB scout weighed in on the subject and gave a perfect example of the give-and-take, hope-for-the-best nature of judging prospects’ ceilings.
“For me, he’s still below-average defensively — agility, footwork, handling throws — but you can see he’s gotten better […],” the scout said. “I’ll say this; the way he hits, you’ll live with his defense at first base.”
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