Mike Freire - Fleeting Thoughts

I am not sure about anyone else, but this time of year can be pretty empty if you are a baseball fan AND your favorite team is not in the playoffs.  Yes, I enjoy watching championship baseball, but it isn't quite the same as watching your team play in a meaningful series.  The roll that the Nationals are on is reminiscent of the Mets' efforts in 2015, at least until they ran into the Royals.

This "lull" will continue through the end of the playoffs, right up to the start of the "Hot Stove" season when fans of all 30 MLB clubs begin to dream about how next year will be the year that they turn things around. The holidays serve as a temporary distraction before the new year dawns and each team sends their pitchers and catchers to Florida or Arizona for Spring Training.  Heck, the Mets will open their 2020 Grapefruit League schedule against the Marlins in a mere 116 days, or just under 17 weeks!

In the meantime, there are a variety of other topics we can discuss.

1.  Roughly a month ago, the Mets parted ways with Mickey Callaway and began their search for a new manager (thankfully).  I went on the record as saying that Joe Maddon would have been my choice as a successor, but he went "home" to the Angels instead.  My second choice was Joe Girardi, but he decided to take the Phillies offer instead of waiting for the Mets to make up their collective minds.  At this point, it feels like the team took too long to make their decision and all of the good candidates are off the board.

Or, maybe they are being savvy and they will end up with the manager that will best fit into the management style that the new Mets' front office desires (i.e. group input and analytical decision making).  In that vein, it seems like Eduardo Perez is the best fit for what the team is looking for.  He is a baseball veteran, he has some managerial experience, he relates well to today's ballplayer and his broadcasting experience makes him a natural with the media.  Hopefully I didn't jinx his chances by mentioning him in this article like the last two managers I wanted.

2.  On a side note, I find it interesting that the Mets are being criticized for taking too long to find a new manager.  Had they jumped on one of the veteran (retread) managers early in the process, I am sure that the message would have been that the inexperienced BVW was too hasty, etc. Or, if this were the Yankees conducting this search they would have been lauded for taking their time and finding the perfect fit.  I should definitely know better then to expect anything else from the mainstream media at this point.

3.  Andres Gimenez just completed his Arizona Fall League season and he absolutely RAKED his way to the batting title, along with the best OPS.  The rosters in this league contain quite a few top rated prospects, so his accomplishments are noteworthy.  It also begs the question "what do we do with him" once he is ready to ascend to the major league roster?  The Mets have quite a bounty of middle infield options, to include prospects and expensive veterans that are blocking young players from getting promoted.

In addition to Andres, you also have fellow prospect Rony Mauricio who will encounter a similar problem in another season or two.  While the team has a lot of options around the infield, they do NOT have a lot of options in the outfield, specifically center field.  Why not teach one of the young infield prospects how to play center field while they still have developmental time in the minor leagues?  Gimenez could be a candidate, but I think Mauricio would be a better choice since he is farther away from the major leagues and has more time for the transition.

4.  This may sounds blasphemous, but it's about time for the National League to adopt the Designated Hitter rule.  Both leagues need to play by the same rules and it would add another layer of excitement to the senior circuit, along with some positional flexibility.  It was rumored to be close in the last year or so, but it may end up taking a bit longer via the collective bargaining process.  Nonetheless, imagine what that would do for the Mets' roster.

Robinson Cano and JD Davis getting more at bats with this avenue available to the new manager.  Plus, players like Jeff McNeil would potentially have a more permanent position in the field (i.e. second base).  I still think BVW made the Cano deal with the idea that the NL would have a DH by the time Cano reached the back end of his contract, but that's just a guess on my part.

Lastly, my wife and I recently relocated to the North Georgia mountains after retiring and leaving Florida earlier this year.  While it is a welcome respite, we are only 90 minutes north of Atlanta and I am firmly in "Braves Country" so wish me luck!

Until next time, stay safe out there.