Reese Kaplan -- So the Mets Are Considering an Early Baez Deal?

There are always players in baseball whose behavior on and off the field draw legions of fans and repel just as many.  Think about Armando Benitez, Yoenis Cespedes and Bobby Bonilla to name a few.  When they were good everyone was in their fan club.  When they were bad, well, the media and fans' torches likely singed their uniforms.

The Mets today have another such player in mid-season acquisition Javy Baez from the Cubs.  There is absolutely no debating the man's talent.  During his pre-Mets career he has twice been an All Star, once finished 2nd in the National League MVP voting, has hit as many as 34 HRs in a season, driven in as many as 111, and stolen bases in double digits every full season that he's played.  Throw in a Gold Glove at shortstop for the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and you have an all-around player that most clubs would very much like to have in their lineup every day.

What was interesting upon his acquisition by the Mets is that except for the days his buddy Francisco Lindor was recuperating from injury, he was pushed to the other side of the diamond, playing second base.  He certainly looked far better there than most second base options the Mets have tried lately.  

For the Mets, however, it is not a question of his defense so much as it is his offensive production with his bat, his legs and his infectious intensity.  Many detractors of his don't report that in his 47 games as a member of the Mets he hit .299.  For comparison's sake, his career batting average is .264.  During that time he also slugged 9 HRs and drove in 22 which would suggest he was on his way to an outstanding full season of production.  He added 5 SBs for good measure in less than 1/3 of a season worth of playing, too. 

The issues with Baez are two-fold.  First, does he really want to be a second baseman after earning his stripes as a Gold Glove shortstop?  The fact he would pair with his good friend Lindor might make this arrangement palatable, but there are other clubs looking for improvements at shortstop who could be competitors for his services.  Look no further than across town where Gleyber Torres has moved to second and the Yankees are seeking a replacement at shortstop.  

The other big issue to consider is his failure as a contact hitter.  You don't hit .299 with mirrors, but at the same time his combined Chicago/New York strikeout total was 184 which led the league in this dubious category.  He's always been something of an all-or-nothing type of swinger and you would have to bank on his good swings far outweighing the ones that miss the ball entirely.  That's a hefty gamble.

Cost-wise, he's not going to come at a bargain price.  Right now folks are talking about a $150 to $200 million contract.  Now that's far below what Lindor received, it's more than even Jacob deGrom makes and he holds a pair of Cy Young Awards.  No one is committing to a term for this type of contract, but assuming it is 5 years, those per-season prices are eye popping.  

The other issue with retaining Baez is what you do with the surplus of other infielders on the roster or thought to be in the running to be brought back.  You have Jeff McNeil, J.D. Davis, free agent Jonathan Villar, Luis Guillorme and others.  In addition, don't forget that some of your shiniest prospects are currently infielders like Mark Vientos, Brett Baty and Ronny Mauricio.  

While I cannot dispute the positive side of a Baez signing, I do realize that even Mr. Cohen's pockets are not filled with a never ending supply of moolah.  At some point you need to set a budget and address many needs on your team, not just take the most ostentatious ornament to decorate your company's Christmas tree.  

Perhaps the good side of a Baez acquisition is that it opens up the prospect of trading pre-2021 hot hitter like Jeff McNeil to address some other needs.  It also creates the opportunity to once again trade away the future by dealing prospects.  Right now I'm undecided about decision to try to do an early deal to secure Baez be a part of the Mets for the foreseeable future.