Reese Kaplan -- The End is Near (Thankfully!)

We're heading into the final two weeks of the so-called regular baseball season and it would appear that despite the many permutations of lineups, pitching rotation, bench and bullpen that the Mets will once again be watching October baseball from the comfort of their sofas.  For some of us that result is aggravating, for some it is depressing, but for others it is an acceptable end to the watered-down, wasteful, wobbly and wretched Wilpon era in Queens.  Remember that this debacle is their last hurrah and for that historical significance we should all be lighting up smokes of our choice and downing copious amounts of adult beverages not in disgust but in celebration that the losing era should be coming to an end.  

Right now it's difficult to figure out what needs to change most for this ballclub, but the starting pitching keeps sticking out like a sore thumb on otherwise healthy pitchers.  Going into 2021 the Mets have Jacob deGrom, maybe Seth Lugo, maybe Steven Matz, maybe David Peterson, maybe Franklyn Kilome...  Wow, that's not exactly going to made hearts aflutter among the offensive members of the opposition (past deGrom and Lugo).  

The main thing we all have to realize is that a new owner isn't a guarantee of instant contention for the postseason.  There are so many holes in the Mets beyond starting pitching such as defense, speed, centerfield, catcher, middle infield decisions and third base -- that no magic wand filled with ill-gotten gains is going to fix it overnight.  It's going to take more than words like abracadabra or Simon says to make things right with the Mets.  

I know I sound like a broken record, but it would seem that the right option to approach success is rebuilding the horrific minor league system.  Now the development of players is only one aspect that needs to be addressed.  It would seem that a lot is going wrong down there as witnessed by the mostly mediocre results that have been eventually pushed up the ladder out of necessity due to injuries (or this year opting out).  

However, changing coaches or development routines is only part of the matter.  They also need to embrace the fact that good players exist all over the world and using high draft picks for relatively solid contact hitters without power or speed is not a formula for long term success.  Where are the Mets' versions of Bo Bichette, Juan Soto and other YOUNG ballplayers with strong skills and the ability to deliver when they are mere babes under 27 years of age?  

The other approach that needs significant change is the pitching choices the club makes.  Somehow velocity seems to overwhelm every other aspect of their choice of hurlers.  Who here remembers the skinny but gasoline firing Gerson Bautista who was a part of the package that went to Seattle?  He has an abbreviated major league career with an ERA of 11.48 that would make Rick Porcello and Michael Wacha look like Cy Young contenders by comparison.  Just as I've always advocated small ball for hitters, I am a much bigger fan of strong control and low WHIPs for pitchers.  You can't blow a fastball by a good hitter, but you can leave his bat frozen on his shoulder when you're capable of working every crevace of the strike zone.  

The other question related to the minors is who is working on the players down there.  First came the firing of popuar Edgardo Alfonzo and then the promotion of Luis Rojas into the managerial role.  Regardless of how the latter has done with the lineup pencil in his hand, the fact remains when you remove strong personnel from where they've succeeded it makes sense that the lower levels of the minors are going to suffer as a result.

However, it's not just the lower levels that are questionable for the Mets.  When was the last time the upper levels have been strong contenders with solid rosters?  I've seen quite enough of the AAA entry when they used to be in Las Vegas and would venture here into El Paso.  I don't see them from the stands now that they're closer to home in Syracuse, but the results are equally bad.  Again, fixing the minors is a necessary step to ensuring future major league success.

Of course, to most fans, they want to see big dollar contracts offered to J.T. Realmuto, Trevor Bauer and George Springer.  Yes, these additions will help in the short term but is the club really looking for a one-year-at-a-time approach or should they be thinking more about long term solutions?  If you play Steinbrenner reincarnated and attempt to buy the pennant, it could work, but it could also represent the second edition of Jason Bay and Oliver Perez (as a starter).  

I'm happy there will be changes coming.  I'm reserved in my opinion of the likely buyer, Steve Cohen, until the November approvals take place and he actually gets to sit in the big chair at business meetings concerning the team.  I'll be more impressed if he looks at the club as more than what happens in Queens and tries to improve it overall.  However, I'm not holding my breath.  The junior Steinbrenner approach will likely happen and will give him instant good publicity until/unless the expensive players acquired inhibit the club from future moves due to payroll excesses and we wind up seeing new versions of Eric Campbell, Ruben Tejada and Anthony Recker filling out the roster.