Mike Freire - Fleeting Thoughts

Good Morning, Mets' fans!

By the time this article posts, the first Spring Training game of the year will be scheduled to take place in Arizona between the Mariners and the A's.  So, we can finally exclaim that baseball is BACK!  Well, our beloved Mets don't actually play a game until Saturday when they host the Braves in St Lucie, but you get the general idea, right?

Perhaps I am just a bit "old school" but I still get more excited for the start of the baseball season then any of the other major sports.  Yes, the season is long, but it is nice to know that there will be a steady supply of baseball games between now and next Fall.  Here's hoping that the Mets' are in a much better place in 2019 (fingers firmly crossed).

1.  Isn't it interesting how the media operates?  Yankees starters Luis Severino was asked a bunch of questions recently on the heels of his recent contract extension.  One of the topics was Jacob DeGrom, since he is a member of the cross town team and he is also trying to secure a contract extension of his own.  

During the interview, Luis was asked about a rumor that Jake might limit his  innings in 2019 in the event the does not get the aforementioned extension.  Luis stated that he did not agree with that approach and that he would not do that himself in a similar situation.

Do you feel any outrage here?  I am not defending a member of the Yankees, but I don't see the controversy either.  Of course, the local "fish wrap" writers went nuclear with the article and spun what was said into Luis "bashing" Jake, etc.  

This resulted in a follow up interview with Luis where he softened his stance by stating that he wasn't speaking about anyone specifically, just his own work ethic (other then naming Jake in his original response, of course).  That made the situation worse since Luis now looks like he changed his story, or that he somehow "backed down".

Not to make this about larger societal issues (even though there are parallels), but I just don't get the media anymore.  A fairly benign situation was made into a much larger story in an effort to increase reader interest (i.e. advertising dollars), despite who it may have offended and/or victimized.  

What happened to the days when the media reported the news, as opposed to massaging and distorting the facts?  It really makes me question what is printed and presented to the masses.

2.  On the topic of Jacob DeGrom, I am not sure whose idea it was to float the notion that he would limit his innings in 2019 if he didn't get what he wanted (contract extension).  Yes, it is probably a negotiating tactic that has been used before, but didn't get the coverage that this story did.  However, it sounds very "Matt Harvey-esque" if you ask me and that separate saga didn't end very well.  I don't know Jake personally, but it seems out of character.

I prefer that all of the details of the negotiations stay private, since it does nothing to help either side by "putting it out there" before things have been wrapped up.  

This is an unusual negotiation since Jake has relatively fewer miles on his arm then other pitchers at his age, but he is still going to be in his mid-30's by the time a reasonable contract extension expires.  Plus, while he is coming off of a Cy Young season, the Mets still have two more years of control (arbitration) so there isn't any urgency on their side of things.  

Jake is likely to "come back down to earth a bit" in 2019 (simple regression to the mean) so waiting a bit longer is probably a prudent thing to do.  I think there is some middle ground here and I would be surprised if something doesn't get done between now and the start of the 2020 season.

***On a side note, Zack Wheeler will be a free agent sooner then Jake and will need to be dealt with first.

3.  Like most Mets' fans, I am quite fond of the 1980's, specifically the 1986 season when our favorite club won their last championship (only 33 years ago and counting).  That team was extremely talented and fun to watch, perhaps due to the "swagger" that they brought to the field every day.  

I am under no illusions that the 2019 version of the Mets will be anything close to the juggernaut that won 108 games and the aforementioned title.  But, what I do like is that our new GM seems to have a bit of that swagger himself.  It has carried over into his public messages that use terms like "division favorites" and "expected to win and make the playoffs".

Some may cringe when they read that, feeling like they are providing bulletin board material for their rivals.  Simply put, I am not one of them.  Do you really think that our divisional opponents are not already motivated to bury the Mets if they get the chance?  Were they going to take it easy on us until they read Brodie's quotes over the past few weeks?  

I think winning starts at the top and I want my GM to have confidence and an expectation of success.  It doesn't take the place of executing on the field once the season actually starts, but if don't expect to win then you probably won't.

4.  As I was about to wrap this article up, news of Manny Machado's contract with the Padres was reported by multiple media outlets (10 years and 300 million dollars).  My first take is that the contract is similar to what was rumored at the start of free agency, it just took a bit longer then expected.  So, are we still upset and suspecting collusion among the owners?

My second reaction is "what the heck are the Padres thinking"?  On the surface, Manny is a very good player and he is just entering his statistical prime so adding him to your lineup is a positive development.  However, that is a LOT of money and a very long window for a player who will be 35 years old (turning 36 during the year) by the time that contract ends.  

Plus, there are rumors of a possible attitude problem and questions about what position he will play (supposedly he prefers Short Stop, but he is a much better player defensively at Third Base). Not to mention his noticeable splits between Camden Yards and Dodger Stadium last year (-138 OPS points).

Overall, I appreciate the Padres aggressiveness and it will be fascinating to see if Manny lives up to the contract and helps them become relevant again.

***Good ol' Bryce Harper HAS to be next, right?

That's all that I have for today.  Until next time, I hope all of you have a safe week and that you enjoy the official start of Mets' Spring Training (hey Brodie, Dallas Keuchel is still out there......just saying).