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.
Yep, settle that FO. Then decide on players.
ReplyDeleteJD Davis had one of the best slash lines on the team despite a damaged hand. How would he hit healthy? I would keep him.
The team's biggest issues, in no particular order;
ReplyDeleteHEALTH! What the heck is going on with the athletic trainers/sports medicine department(s)? I would hope a successful business man like Mr Cohen would see this shortcoming and make some changes?? Heck, if the team stayed reasonably healthy this year, they would have pushed the Braves for the division title, IMO (with no other personnel changes).
Hitting with RISP; not as sure about how to address this one.......maybe a return to fundamentals, such as smart base running, moving runners over, using the bunt and sacrifice flies, etc. I recall the Cardinals teams of the mid-80's and they always scratched out a few runs a game this way (why not try something new).
LHP; the team was atrocious this year against lefties (18-30, I think)......we are a bit too left handed, so add some right handed bats or at least hitters who can hold their own against left handed starters. Even a .500 record against lefties this year would have been a six game improvement (pushing the team's record to 83-79).
Overall, I think it is time for a different message from the top down.......new POBO, GM, Coaching Staff and Athletic Trainers.
Heck, the Giants were 77-85 in 2019 and two games under .500 during the "covid" season last year before erupting for a 107 win season this year........it can be done!
Mike, great points.
ReplyDeleteJoe D June 12, 2013 / "Is Sandy Alderson Baseball's Losingest GM?
ReplyDelete“Alderson is probably a surprise here,” he writes. “Alderson is known as the godfather of the modern sabermetric-savvy GMs, but the record is what it is. The A’s had a lot of bad years in the ‘nineties, and they spent far more on payroll than they really needed to.”
The trend continues now with the Mets as the biggest contracts that he’s doled out have been the least productive. This raises eyebrows only because Alderson was the one charged with turning around what many felt was Minaya’s biggest fault.
Found this interesting. Not an attack because I really like the guy, just the facts.