One question on the minds of the New York Mets is where will
Zack Wheeler sign during the Winter?
There have been rumors of the Chicago White Sox, Philadelphia Phillies and even the New York Yankees.
There have been rumors of the Chicago White Sox, Philadelphia Phillies and even the New York Yankees.
In my opinion, the Atlanta Braves can be an option since Zack is from Georgia. The Yankees can really use Zack since they’ve had problems with their starting rotation being the weak part of the team during the last several years.
The Yankees have not been able to develop that frontline type of pitcher that can be the ace of their rotation in their farm system for many years. Zack would fit in well with their starting rotation and would be the number three starter behind Paxson and Severino.
There is no way that the Mets would want to face Zack if he is a member of the Phillies or the Braves since they are in the same division.
The Phillies are in dire need of help in their starting rotation and Zack would make the Phillies a wild card contender. It would make the National League East much more interesting.
The Mets would like to have Zack back, but he would come at a high cost and would be out of the Mets price range plus they are wary of being so close to the luxury tax threshold.
The Mets would still be a contender even if leaves, because they would still have a formidable starting rotation. They would rather spend free agent money on their bullpen, centerfield or perhaps at third base.
Zack is due a very good paycheck. He is under thirty with talent and he is coming off of two straight productive years. I think Wheeler will pitch like the pitcher he was back in 2018 when he went 12-7 with a 3.31 Earned Run Average in 29 starts that season.
He really stepped up during the second half of that season. His last eleven starts of that year consisted of a 9-1 record with a 1.68 Earned Run Average and 73 strikeouts over 75 innings. He went 11-8 with a 3.96 earned run average last year.
In other baseball news Hensley Meulens was named the bench coach for the Mets. He was a member of Bruce Bochy’s staff last year. Meulens had interviewed last month for the San Francisco Giants Manager position that went to Gabe Kapler.
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Zack has been inconsistent for the Mets, but if he had pitched for another team all these years and the Mets were the lead suitors, we'd all be drooling over the Mets getting him.
ReplyDeleteI think that he is a guy who is not a ticket-selling machine. Duda wasn't either. I think ownership might want to bring in a fresh face, especially if $$ gets as high as it is getting.
I would not rule out the two Texas based teams. Both are in desperate need of starting pitching and to Wheeler, the fact that there's no income tax in Texas has to be appealing.
ReplyDeleteHis injury history cannot be completely overlooked, especially if you are investing 20+million dollars per year in his arm. That and he is maddeningly inconsistent (I am sure my bias is showing right now) for someone who will get paid like an ace.
ReplyDeleteOn pure talent, I would take him....but I don't like him as much with that contract attached.
Atlanta makes a lot of sense when you conisider he is from Georgia. But, a dark horse could be the Angels........they want to give Joe Maddon some new toys and if they can't get Gerrit Cole or Strasburg, Wheeler would be an obvious choice.
I do not see Wheeler being a Met in 2020.
ReplyDeleteI stand by my 'add Lugo to the rotation' plea and spend what is left on a new CF and members of the pen.
Zack has been inconsistent, but he is the 3rd best pitcher on the market.
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