Mack – FWIW – Lindor, Arenado, Betances

I was on the phone the other day with one of my friends in Queens who has been a Mets fan since 1962. He called me to ask me what my opinion was on Francisco Lindor. I told him that I believe he currently is the premier shortstop in the game, but I don’t think he’s a fit for the Mets. He was astounded by that statement.

Now, let me stop here. My friend does not follow the minor leagues and has no idea who or what an Andres Gimenez or Ronny Mauricio is. I told him that shortstop is the deepest position we have in the pipeline and, because he doesn’t follow the minors, he thought I was nuts. In his world, I was saying that Amed Rosario was better than Lindor.

He also doesn’t understand the guts of a trade. He’s just looking at the player, not the $17mil you have to pay him in 2020. More than this, you don’t trade with a team and say, okay, I will trade with you for Lindor and, in return, I will pay him what you had agreed to pay him. More would be needed in this trade, like two or three excellent players. So, we would lose top chips, plus have to pay $17mil for a player that becomes a free agent in 2022.

It’s not a player for player deal. There is much more to trading.

He didn’t like my answer and abruptly ended the telcon.

There is a lot of fan chatter out there about trading for Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado. Even writers here have jumped on that bandwagon. I simply haven’t.

Look, we are building a world class team here with young, exciting talent. Do we really want to pay someone turning 30 $35,000,000 a year for six seasons? We already have one huge dinosaur infield contract (Robinson Cano) to live with, We also have a future superstar in this game (Jeff McNeil) that can play either of these positions. Why not live with what we have until either Mark Vientos or Brett Baty arrive in Queens? 

I haven’t even added to this the chance that one out three headed monster shortstops (Amed Rosario, Andres Gimenez, Ronny Mauricio) could be moved to third.

Folks, I love bringing in superstars, but not at this cost, especially when the infield seems to be developing just fine for the future.

The Dellin Betances move surprised me. A good surprise but still, a surprise. This wouldn’t have happened without the reorganization of the Yoenis Cespedes contract.

I also don’t think the Mets have to look outside their organization anymore for help in the 2020 pen.

What I do hope they do is clean out the 40-man squad of some of the dead wood still on the payroll… my candidates would include Tyler Bashlor, Walker Lockett, Corey Oswalt, Jacob Rhame, and Paul Sewald. I’ve got bigger fish to fry than this spilled milk.

I also know there is new talent a brewin’ down under… Ryley Gilliam, Stephen Villines, Adonis Uceta, and Yeizo Campos will be the contenders for the 2021 pen and need a full season in Syracuse to get ready for the accent to Queens.

Lastly, Betances and new Mets manager Carlos Beltran are close friends. Their wives are close friends. Beltran manages a New York baseball team. Betances now plays for the same New York baseball team. Betances is a born and bred New Yorker. Do you see where I am going here?

I expect this to become a long-term relationship.