Reese Kaplan -- Turn Out the Lights, the Party's Over

With the close of the 2021 Mets season the final humiliating nail went into their coffin when the crosstown rival New York Yankees got a walk-off entry into the playoffs at the 11th hour to give them reason to play in October.  For the Mets, by contrast, October is more about front office personnel, watching postseason ball on the TV and grousing with fellow fans about what might have been.

There was an audio interview done on Sunday during which J.D. Davis revealed he is planning to have surgery on the left hand which hasn't healed properly all year from the original injury.  The recovery time is not so drastic that it would threaten his start to the 2022 season, but he confessed he feels he's at best only a 50% chance of returning.  The Mets could cut him loose to open up a roster spot (stupid), trade him away for virtually nothing given his injury-riddled 2021 (also stupid) or they could keep him around as a potential low-cost power hitting option to fulfill future offensive needs as a platoon player or DH.  I'm betting on stupidity.  

It's not going to be until the end of the month when the World Series ends when the club learns who files for free agency, but there are quite a few prospective resources about to hit the auction lot.  Some are going to draw lots of attention like Marcus Stroman, Noah Syndergaard and even Michael Conforto.  Others may fly under the radar given the hardly noteworthy performances delivered during this season.  It's the in-between types like Jonathan Villar and Aaron Loup who are the ones most worth watching as they were highly credible in their given roles.  

More important than the players, however, is still the front office restructuring.  Sandy Alderson indicated to the press he may very likely find coaches prior to securing the front office personnel.  That approach is completely surprising both due to the Mets' traditional wait-until-the-last-moment approach to doing things.  The more puzzling aspect, however, is that generally the guys at the top of the front office food chain want to make these decisions and you're in effect talking about taking away this option from their prospective New York Mets game plan.  

Rumor has it that the Mets have already reached out to talk to Theo Epstein and are actively seeking permission to approach the Oakland A's Billy Beane who Alderson already knows well, and the Milwaukee Brewers' David Stearns.  These latter two are under contracts and would require permission from their current employers before the Mets would be allowed to engage them in talks.  Epstein is readily available and requires no such red tape to be sliced, but he's also going to be the most expensive of this trio.  

It is refreshing to see the Mets want to bring in some brains who have a concept of planning as part of their DNA which is something that's been sorely lacking during the Wilpon/Alderson/Porter/Scott years of front office lack-of-control.  Everyone who is a fan has their own idea about what the team should do, must do and better not do, but above all it is a business and it won't be as profitable as it could be unless the team becomes far more competitive within its own division.  

Before we go all hot and heavy indicating which players to keep, which ones to pursue and which should become former Mets, let's get the front office settled.  At least then there will be one throat to choke if things go wrong.