David Rubin - Rating Brodie’s Off-Season, OFF-FIELD Transactions – So Far

PC - Ed Delany

Obviously, the biggest bang that new GM, Brodie Van Wagonen could make was to bring in new, on-field talent- and he DID, including Robinson Cano, Edwin Diaz, Wilson Ramos, Keon Broxton, Jed Lowrie, Justin Wilson, Hector Santiago, Luis Avalan and Jeurys Familia (returning), while stocking the AAA ranks with recent major leaguers, as well (think Rajai Davis, Devin Mesoraco, Gerson Molina, Travis Taijeron, Danny Espinosa, Adeiny Hechavarria, Sean Burnett, etc.) 

Prior regimes found themselves scrambling to fill out the major league roster when injuries struck - which they always seem to do in Flushing - and brought in names that had no right to be on a major league roster, creating holes in the line-up and the bullpen that sunk the team (does the name Brian Lawrence ring a bell to anyone?) 

Realizing this, and taking great pains to bring in talent BEFORE the injury bug inevitably strikes may end up being one of BVW’s best moves and one that doesn’t (and hasn’t) receive the credit that it deserves.

Beyond the field level, the biggest moves that BVW has made have come in filling out the front office, in a way that none of his predecessors had done. 

First, bringing in Allard Baird was a stroke of genius! Baird’s hand-prints are all over the Boston organization, and the front office vet brought instant credibility to Brodie’s regime. As we all heard, loud and clear, Brodie was never a GM before- recognizing what he doesn’t know, hiring Baird (a former GM with the Royals & veteran of over 30 years in the game) and allowing him to help construct both rosters (players as well as off-field staff) mitigated that argument before it could take off.

A day before officially announcing Baird’s addition, Brodie announced that he had hired analytics expert, Adam Guttridge, as an assistant GM, the first time the team had elevated an analytics-based guru to such a high position in the organization. Guttridge did great work with the Brewers and Rockies, as well as providing analytics to both the pros and the NCAA via a company he started, NEIFI; his hiring proved that, when Jeff Wilpon promised that the team would focus more on analytics, he wasn’t offering hollow words.

Finally, Baird wasted no time in showing his influence, bringing over Jared Banner from the Sox to become the team’s Director of Player Development. While flaunting a huge payroll, the Sox have become known for their amazing work in player development, not just drafting great talent but enabling them to take best advantage of said talent at the minor and (especially) the major league levels. The Brooklyn-born Banner was a huge addition, as one of the team’s biggest failings has been their inability to get the most out of their minor league talent; Banner’s 10 years of experience with the Sox, coupled with Guttridge and Baird should provide for some great short-and-long-term success in this badly needed department.

As someone who has been highly active in the Training & Development business for over 30 years, I can tell you that providing talent with the coaching and knowledge to grow into their best selves is still one of the least-well-funded, and least-appreciated, areas throughout the business world. In baseball, it’s even more critical because it’s not like a recruiter can go across industries and take someone with great skills and teach them a new industry; if you aren’t a baseball player, you can’t fill their position with a great software developer! 

Now look at some of the brain trusts established in MLB – the Dodgers, Red Sox, Yankees, Nationals, Astros, Cardinals and Braves, to name a few, have built front office teams that are laden with cutting edge young talent as well as stalwarts of the game. They have all focused in equal parts on player addition from the major league ranks (trades, free agents) as well as the promotion of talent from their own minor league system. 

When you hear names like Walker Buehler, Mookie Betts, Aaron Judge, Anthony Rendon, Carlos Correa, Carlos Martinez and Ronald Acuna Jr, remember that key front office decision-makers in the talent development departments had to go to bat to both keep and promote these incredibly talented, one-time minor leaguers.

Over the next 5 years, as BVW gets acclimated to his new position and the need to make that big, headline-stealing splash has passed, the focus of his administration will be on the acquisition and development of new talent – and THIS is where these great new front office hires will have their chance to shine.

Additionally, with so many new ways to judge talent, it’s even more critical that development team members utilize an even sharper eye and be more resourceful in determining the suitability of young talent; seeing the additions of Guttridge and Banner, then, are even more exciting when viewed in that context. 

If you look at why the Red Sox have been so successful over the past 15 years, it’s been through a combination of spending money on free agents and minor league talent, combined with drafting and developing some amazing talent that has continued to pay huge dividends for them (either on the field or via utilizing them to trade for major league-ready talent). 

They’ve also continued to pull the trigger on trades at exactly the right time, an art which we will soon be able to judge for ourselves as Dunn & Kalenic rise in the Mariners organization versus what Diaz and Cano do for the Mets at the major league level, this season and beyond.

So, while we will thrill to Cano knocking in two runners with an opposite-field double in April, and jump out of our seats when Diaz successfully closes a 2-1 game for deGrom in May with 98 mph heat, it will be the behind-the-scenes machinations (Amateur Draft, minor league promotions and stat lines) that will tell the tale, long-term, for how well this organization will continue to be over the next 3-5 years. 

I’m very excited to see how this plays out, and remain very confident that these additions (not to mention retaining Omar Minaya and John Ricco, as well as the part-time additions of Al Leiter, John Franco and Jessica Mendoza) will position the Mets’ team to remain in play-off/World Series contention over the next 5 years, at least. And, if nothing else, Brodie has CERTAINLY made it more interesting to be a Mets’ fan!!!

Brodie’s Front Office Addition Rating:

(out of 5)

Big props for out-of-the-box thinking, knowing what he doesn’t know, recruiting from successful organizations and being proactive! I'm betting that these moves will prove to be bigger, in the long-term, then his excellent on-field additions will be. 

I look forward to seeing these great talent evaluators do just that.