From The Desk… 5 Things Mets Still Need, Two More MLB Teams, Robinson Cano, Edwin Diaz, Winter Meetings

Good morning.

Five things  the Mets still need to do to contend in 2019 –

         

   1. Get a catcher

Cano improves the infield and Bruce helps clear up the corner outfield logjam. The Mets could use a short-term upgrade over Juan Lagares in center field -- remember, once Yoenis Cespedes returns from his dual heel surgeries, that'll push Michael Conforto to center full-time -- otherwise catcher stands out as the club's most glaring positional need. Their catching depth chart:

Travis d'Arnaud: Currently rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and may not be ready for Opening Day.

Kevin Plawecki: Hit .240/.315/.370 in 2018 with below-average defensive numbers (per Baseball Prospectus).

Tomas Nido: MLB.com's No. 10 Mets prospect. Went 10 for 84 (.167) in his brief MLB cameo in 2018.

Mack – I not only don’t see much here but I don’t see an easy road to find a replacement. Miami’s Riamuto would cost us one of our top starters. And Grandal would cost us a #2 draft pick. That leaves Ramos who I would make a strong attempt to sigh to a three year free agent contract. Our pipeline is very light here so we need to make every effort to sign him.

Adding Two Teams   Could Simplify Baseball Structure –

                       With expansion sneaking back into the conversation, Major League Baseball has a golden opportunity to turn back the clock without sacrificing a dollar of revenue.

How about adding two teams, creating a network of 32, and dividing them into four eight-team leagues? The four league champions could meet in a Championship Series that would determine the two teams worthy of that year’s World Series.

Sources say Mets doctor performed minor knee surgery on Robinson Canó after 2018 season –

                    

    Dr. David Altchek, the Mets’ medical director, performed arthroscopic surgery on Canó’s right knee after the 2018 season, while Canó was still a member of the Mariners.

The surgery was considered minor, and Canó, 36, is expected to be a “full go” for spring training, sources said. He leads the majors with 2,078 games played since his debut in 2005.

Mack – You have to assume that the Mets would never had gone forward with the trade for Cano if their Doctor didn’t sign off on the success of the operation.

Jeff Sullivan/Fangraphs  on Edwin Diaz –

                         

          Diaz is sensational. Diaz should give the Mets something they didn’t have. He throws a million miles per hour, and he just struck out 44% of his opponents, plus he’s not yet 25, and he has another four years of team control. This is where the real value is — Diaz is cheap, but if he were a free agent, he might look for $80 – 90 million. All that Mariners overachieving in 2018 was due in large part to their shutdown closer. The Mets are getting a weapon. Diaz is coming off one of the best relief seasons in recent memory.

And lastly…

                                  

                             

I, and the other writers here, will be following the Winter Meetings that start this evening in Las Vegas.

                                   We will immediately post up any Mets transactions through the use of ‘Open Thread’ posts without any delay regardless of when another post started or is ending.

                                   Please keep checking back for the next three days to see how many more strings BVW pulled.