By metstradamus | January 7, 2021 8:02 pm
Mets fans were getting just a teeny bit antsy as to the speed of the new master plan by Steve Cohen, Sandy Alderson, Jared Porter and the Mets to take over the world. Even though the big names were still out there, the impatience was growing into enough sauce to spread over your meatballs.
Well, that impatience has dissipated. The Mets had a plan. And it was put into action today.
This is 4/5ths the Gary Carter trade, and 1/5th the Mike Piazza trade. That final fifth is the part where people say “why did we trade for a shortstop when we had three shortstops?” Amed Rosario is a good player, and Andres Gimenez earned his status as a fan favorite. But nobody pines for Todd Hundley when they talk about Mike Piazza. Hundley was good on his own merit, but Mike Piazza is Mike Piazza.
This, to me, is the Carter trade. Putting aside the smaller differences between Kid and Frankie like age and position, this is a trade for a league superstar in his prime, which hasn’t happened often enough in the last 25 years. We’ll get more of Frankie’s prime that we got from Kid, but the Mets got two great years from Carter who was an important part of a World Championship. You’d sign up for that yesterday.
A Few Ironicies From This Mets Off Season Thus Far
ReplyDelete1. No mention (anywhere) of Matt Harvey coming back. I will presume that he has already landed somewhere in Hollywood. Maybe a Bond movie. Who knows. "The Man With The Golden Arm" no doubt.
2. Both really good competing young NYM shortstops Amed Rosario and Andres Gimenez will now compete in Cleveland Rocks for that same one spot on the infield. How lucky are they?
3. The Mets didn't really get their "fan favorite suggestions" this off season, like for starter Trevor Bauer, outfielder George Springer, and catcher JT Realmuto. But to me, all three were at least maybe somewhat overpriced for their talent levels and statistical accomplishments. But what the NYM management did do very shrewdly accomplish instead was outstanding. Three really perfect additions in SS Francisco Lindor, RP Trevor May, and starter Carlos Carrasco. And by doing so, it greatly solidified their chances for 2021.
I think Steve, Sandy, and Jared hit the "bingo button" with this off season already, and demonstrated that they "get it" here for certain with this team. Kudos go out to each one.
4. Since day one, when I first saw Francisco Lindor play shortstop on Cleveland, I always felt that he had to somehow know our own Mets shortstop Jose Reyes. To me, they are like best cousins because they play this game so similarly. Same high level skill set, same team spirit, same 150% effort, and the same big smile and high fives. Awesome. Not that's ironic.
I also had that thought about Jose. Lindor has more power, and steals less bases, but the enthusiasm for the game is a match.
ReplyDeleteI think Rosario and Gimenez will end up playing beside each other as the Cleveland keystone combo in 2021. They had an opening at 2nd base before shortstop and had not yet filled that. I see Rosario shifting to 2nd and Gimenez manning short. We'll see, but I'll be watching them :-)