The second issue facing the Mets is their continual disintegration into a division-worst type of team. The weekend double header victory was a short-lived pleasure as reality hit the team and its fans with an uppercut, a right cross, a roundhouse left and put the team on the mat, gasping for breath.
Fortunately, the impeccable judge of talent, Brodie Van Wagenen, was sure to correct this grounded yet sinking ship. And sure enough, he did...he added a .119 hitter, a former Met who was unable to remain with the club and a hard throwing pitcher who could strike out whomever he didn't walk. Reunions seldom work out as expected. Witness the recently deposed (or disposed) Juan Lagares. Anyone who thinks Todd Frazier is the answer had better not apply to appear on a quiz show. The strangest one of all would seem to be Robinson Chirinos. The last three seasons Chirinos has hit 17, 18 and 17 HRs but only once crossed the mediocre batting average of .250. At age 36 he's not likely going to improve (as evidenced by his .119 average for the 2020 season).
It's very difficult being a Mets fan anytime, but between now and the September conclusion to this hot mess the folks who rally behind the Mets are already going to be thinking football, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Post-season baseball is still a long term fantasy that's not going to be solved by an early influx of Cohen's money or a repeated ill-fated attempt by the GM to fortify his moribund team. In some ways it may have been more prudent for the trades now to be established parts for highly regarded youth. Instead we peddle away the few remaining youngsters from our own system under the PTBNL banner as well as a live arm in Kevin Smith.
The fall and winter will hopefully open up a great many new things to discuss regarding the Mets, but the wheel spinning actions taken now to add warm bodies to the roster will not generate the good vibes the club would hope fans would share with one another. The saving grace is the narly finished sale to Cohen who, hopefully, wants to win as much as fans do and who understands that money spent in establishing a competitive ballclub pays for itself in increased gate sales, ad revenue and ancillary profits on food and souvenirs. However, unless he empties his bank account in his first off-season, don't think the departure of the Wilpons and Van Wagenen will be fixed overnight. It took a long time to destroy the franchise. It's going to take a long time to rebuild it.
This team will defy quick fixes. The pitching is as bad as it has ever been. ERA near 5, and well over 5 other than Jake
ReplyDeleteYes we gave away young players for washed up old players once again. WTF is wrong with them? I really hope this also the last nail
ReplyDeleteIn the coffin for Brodie.
Also I read yesterday that Cohen has the necessary votes from owners, so as long Jeff doesn’t get involved then the sale should go through? Keeping my fingers crossed.
Also if Cohen spends a bit on free agency this offseason he may be able to get some pitching and realmuto. But Rome wasn’t built in a day
Brodie and Jeff have no clue - the Orioles and the Marlins - yes the Orioles and the Marlins - the two worst teams in baseball last year - have a better idea how to win baseball and build a team. They just cleaned the Mets clock th last two days. Will today be any different when our three new players get here?
ReplyDeleteBrodie has wiped out our minor league system of starting pitching at the AAA and AA level for next year. Cohen and new GM will have to sign pitchers just so we have a team next year.
ReplyDeleteLast winter, BVW put into affect what he called “the Mets way” and this program was aimed at getting all the minor league levels to teach the same thing and focus on fundamentals. I don’t think BVW is a bad GM, I think he was put in a bad spot by owners that just wanted to win and could care less how that happened but BVW deserves blame for stupid trades. Therefore, I don’t think Cohen should fire BVW right away, but rather give him one year of no pressure to “win right now” but rather rebuild the program and let’s see how he does.
ReplyDeleteI must question the manager situation more than the GM, but BVW not bringing Girardi in was a bad move. I guess that I’m not ready to pull the trigger on Brodie, but I wouldn’t let him make a trade just yet.
Cohen’s first trick, before even worrying about anything happening on the field, has to be a near-total re-vamping of the front office, analytics department, etc. I would think hard about keeping Tanous and his scouting/drafting team in place, and possibly the international scouting (they seem to have done OK down there), but Brody et al, likely including the minor league development guys, have to go.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn’t be surprised if Cohen hires a team President (who can have Jeffy’s old parking spot and office) to run that process and make the hires.
THEN they can look at the team. The cupboard isn’t totally bare at the big league level (upper minors a very different story). They not only have some talent, but a lot of it is home grown with fan appeal.
Nimmo, Alonso, Smith, Conforto, McNeil, Gimenez, Guillorme, and JD Davis are all relatively young, and all look like potential pieces of a winning team. Rosario still a question mark, but I’d definitely tell him to buy an outfielder’s glove and spend the winter standing 350 feet straight out from home plate to see if he might be able to fill the hole in
CF. Gimenez, unless he hits .200, is your starting SS.
Cano’s presence makes it likely that someone from the group above may have to go.
Not on this list, a Catcher. That’s a huge hole, even if you keep Nido (which I would, and give him a year to see if his 2020 improvements are trend or mirage.
We also need a CF (if it turns out that Rosario is not, in fact, the next Lagares), and pitching, pitching, pitching. (deGrom needs no introduction, Noah should be extended cheap while he recovers, and Lugo stays. Nearly everyone else is replaceable or improveable.
The team, unlike the front office, doesn’t need to be blown up. But the farm needs to be rebuilt, and focus on those three areas, C, CF, P, P, P, P... Hopefully, a smarter front office with a more long-term time horizon and a bit more to spend can fill those gaps by 2022, while this young core continues to improve, without sending away whatever prospects still remain.
We all agree that they need CF and a catcher as well as a couple of starters. I also want to upgrade 3b. I'd consider moving areas of surplus. Trade candidates include Nimmo, Dom Smith, Davis and Gimenez. Keep Alonso, McNeil, Rosario, Cano and Conforto. If DH, keep Smith. Think if we trade these three or four we can bring back talent to fill many needs. That's assuming we are active in the free agent market.
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