The Pirates are one of those peculiar teams.
Ray Davies of the Kinks knows the Bucs are on a low budget.
Always looking for cheap bargains.
The Bucs hate to spend bucks.
Spotrac has their all-in 2021 salary costs at around $54 million.
For perspective, Lindor + Cano = $54 million in 2022.
Bryan Reynolds had a great season for the Bucs in 2021.
The switch hitting CF hit .302 with 24 doubles, 90 RBIs, and 93 runs scored. 35 doubles and 8 triples, too. Hot dog!
But...he turns free agent in 2026 and is arb eligible in 2022. 2026 is a long way off - unless you are penny-pinching Pittsburgh. The owner there is probably breaking into sweats that 2026 is that "close" to his checkbook needing to open.
Why not see if the Mets can pry him loose with a couple of prospects, like Mark Vientos and Carlos Cortes, or Vientos and Ronny Mauricio, or Mauricio and Brett Baty?
Lots to give up.
And the Bucs would benefit from years of cheap there.
Perhaps they would instead want immediate MLB talent not too close to free agency; if so, substitute Dom Smith or JD Davis for one of the aforementioned prospects in any one of those deals.
Reynolds would immediately solve the Mets' CF conundrum, and if you put him alongside Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil and/or Khalil Lee, I'm getting to thinking the Mets might actually score runs in 2022.
I like it when the Mets actually score runs, myself.
GET BRIAN REYNOLDS. IF YOU CAN.
16 comments:
Agree about Reynolds and he'd be even better defensively if the FENCES WERE BROUGHT IN cause he'd have less ground to cover....right Tom? I'd also love Bryant as he could mix in many positions and no QOer problem.
Tom
I was thinking that perhaps the reason the Mets don’t bring in the fences in because they would actually help their players
Therefore they would have to pay them more if they improved thier stats
Any thoughts?
I would trade Mauricio for him but NO OTHER TOP PROSPECTS PLEASE.
Mack, I agree. I’d be OK with ONeil or Davis plus Mauricio for Reynolds.
Eddie, I at times have thought the same thing. You wonder…
This is a bad use of resources. Reynolds is a very good player that is a worse CF than Nimmo. You pay for the player and then extra for his surplus value, which you don’t need. And while he has had two good years out of the three, his middle year was .189. Why don’t you afford your own players the chance to rebound that the Pirates afforded Reynolds? If I were the Pirates, I’d say Alvarez, Baty, and McNeil start the conversation, maybe throw in a young pitcher if you want my All-Star CF that is controlled for four years and is cheap, nothing less. What’s your answer?
Don’t forget, you’re selling low on McNeil and buying high on Reynolds, but if I’m the Pirates (or a Pirates fan) with nothing to lose and giving up my young all-star outfielder, that’s my price. How bad you want him?
Gary, we have too many infielders, too few OFs. Bryant looks like a very desirable exchange target.
One of J.D. Davis or Dom Smith plus Mauricio would be fine with me. If he's a flawed CF defensive player, welcome him to occupy LF or RF.
Ronnie Mauricio is blocked by the Lindor move at short for what 4 more years. So yes, Ronnie is trade bait worthy unless he is groomed for another position here. It's possible but there would have to be some trades out of Queens first.
I think possibly that Mark Vientos could see 2022 ST, and possibly be starting on either third or left field in 2022 as well. I liked his 2021 season with AA and AAA Mets. It showed me development. He has vast potential in my eyes going forward and I wouldn't trade him.
Carlos Cortes could also be in ST 2022, he has some promise. I would not re-sign Baez because two friends (he and Lindor) playing middle infield together is way too expensive a financial tie-up for any one team to digest and really how much worse would any of the Cano, McNeil, or Cortes players actually be. The Mets no1 need is a really good top-end starter more and this is where serious money should be directed for 2022. The Mets need to start bringing up their best young talent (getting younger) and bringing them to ST 2022 for a look. Including some pitchers they have to see as well.
The Mets Rumor Mill
1. Marcus Stroman commanding $25.0 million a season, $100.0 million over four seasons. Rising Apple being the source recently.
Good luck with that. Does Marcus even have a winning record yet in MLB? Not sure. He appears to be missing a killer and dependable out pitch, if you ask me. That may not happen for him though. Should of by now.
He can be somewhat streaky of a starter as well. Let Marcus go elsewhere and pitch against us instead. Marcus has some "star appeal" to him, but it isn't really completed yet. He is not a kid either and will be 31 in May of next season. Strikeouts tell his story. To me, he's maybe a four starter on a great rotation. Could be better there. Mets need to rebuild without him and find a true lefty number two starter to put between Jake and Noah. It's common sense really.
2. Mets Top Trade Candidates at the Start of the Off Season/Rising Apple. Their list includes (seventh) Diaz, McNeil, Gsellman, Guillorme, Megill, Peterson, Dom Smith, (first JD Davis. My comments are these regarding this. The biggest weakness on these 2021 NY Mets was starting pitching. There wasn't a starter going second half of 2021 that had definite necessary MLB experience established. Megill I liked immediately, though he did struggle somewhat second half until his last excellent start he made. Without Noah and Jake, the team had no real life 1-3 starters going second half. Their best starters were an ASG arm weary Taijuan Walker, followed by two kid pitchers I really still like a lot in Tyler Megill and twice injured (side and a broken foot) David Peterson a recent past number one draft pick. It may have been the oblique barkings in 2021 we saw the results of with him. I would be surprised if not, because that is usually an annoying injury you just do not want to go on the IR with because as a player you think it will heal quickly and pass. But it does not. It's nagging.
I could see maybe trading from this list everyone except Megill, Peterson, and Diaz. Megill and Peterson have not peaked yet. We have no true idea of what they easily could become. Both have shown some promise that they could soon be primal. Edwin Diaz throws too hard and the Mets need him going forward either setting up or closing I think.
From the FA Mets list, I would re-sign just Syndergaard and Loup, while adding their 2021 salaries in to getting what the team needs to excel in 2022. Like what I said, a two lefty starter not Snell due to his own injury situations of recent. Too big a gamble.
Forget the Fences
When you move them in the Mets get actually two things. More homeruns and also higher ERA's for their own pitchers. Maybe a happy medium could work here?
What's my solution on this?
Leave the fences where they re and get you players into the weight room more. Just easy going on the leg lifts because tight leg muscles can equal more hammy type pulls and tears I have heard. Leg lift, but go easy on that muscle group.
It's just upper body stuff that will more significantly help with the homerun power.
Hypothetical Question Here
Let's assume that possibly Mark Vientos steps up and wins the 2022 third base position out of ST and maybe after playing some Winter Ball off season. He could do this. It is possible from what I have heard and seen in video (youtube) on him. He had a combined 25 HR/.281 BA/.352 OBP/.933 OPS. He's a big kid at 6'4" and will add more weight and muscle as he goes. His defense scouts say is solid and he is talented enough to play multiple positions.
So the big question then becomes: Who is in 2022 Mets left field, JD Davis or Jeff McNeil?
A: To me it is JD Davis, despite nearly all the Mets critics who would say either Jeff McNeil or Dom Smith.
Reasoning: JD played hurt with a hand injury most of the season and hit .281 BA with it. A torn hand tendon hurts a lot, trust me here. JD gutted it out as long as he could playing with it. It showed me something about JD. He is what I like to refer to as a "trench warfare" type player. He didn't want to let the team down. I like these players the most actually, because they give you 110% of what they have to give. Forget the three error game, it happens.
I like Mcneil and Smith, but healthy in 2021 what did they do to step it up when their team desperately need them to. Dom played well earlier on, but then faded a bit. While Jeff sort of never really got on track. What was so different from 2021 to make that happen?
So yeah, I go with JD in left (despite the critics) and I think that his homerun tally in 2022 will really escalate (a lot) once his hand is healed. I like these types of warfare players, as he is.
What would I personally like to see "not happen" this off season here?
1. No more huge contracts to players who have already made their mark (albeit while young) and wealth already, prior with another team. It's all about being hungry.
It's just this "psychology part" speaking to me with this.
These current star players will get their money through their agents but somewhere else and not here. But will their "enthusiasm, effort, and hunger" to prove themselves again with their new team translate over with them, or will there be a drop off in talent, consistency, and desire on their part? Good question. Each player is different really. It's a real risk we have all seen here as NY Mets fans over the past decade or so.
2. No more "geriatric signings" to especially pitchers on their last go round legs. It sometimes does look like they are merely padding their early retirements, I have to admit. Big names here are nice to have, but not at 100 years of age.
3. Getting too many of what I call "so-so guys" with lesser contracts and talent levels than what the Mets actually need to get. It's a poor man's wish and hope game. It seldom works out well.
More is not always more, it can be much less. Get like two more better players added onto the roster instead, ones who can play and win games for the Mets in even crucial situations like in 2021 when Jake went down. Instead of like six or seven of these "so-so guys" who by season end are playing cards down on the end of the dugout bench or in the bullpen. This should never have become a NY Met Tradition, but it has for some reason beyond any of my understanding.
Regroup your thoughts on this please Mets management, because it really never worked out well for this team. Want proof? Look at all the NY Mets free agents this off season and only like two or three should the team want back in 2022. Exhibit A.
4. Send the team's best young MiLB talent to Winter Ball. Let's see these kids play. You never know otherwise. Players that have solid talent and demonstrated it already in MiLB but not yet tasted MLB play necessarily, but easily could in 2022.
My list are these players possibly: 1. Mark Vientos 2. Francisco Alvarez 3. Khalil Lee 4. Josh Walker 5. Adam Oller / 6. Willy Taveras 7. Cole Gordon 8. Franklyn Kilome. Something like this anyway. Let's see them in game situations against MLB players and other teams' up and coming talent. See what they have. This is where any kind of a rebuild should always begin.
5. Start scanning other teams best younger starter lefty pitchers at both the MLB and AAA levels. It is a detailed and intense search, time consuming I am certain. One more lefty to add in with Peterson, but to be the 2022 Mets two starter.
Let's "GetR'done" in 2022. No more excuses!
Gus, any deals for me have to be fair. I am not giving up the sun, moon, and stars for anyone not named Ohtani.
Maybe This
Who starts on second base? Some say Javier Baez should be re-signed, while others say that Robinson Cano should start on second since he is under contract for two more years at Baez sized dollars. And then some say Jeff McNeil or possibly even MiLB Met Carlos Cortes from Mets MiLB.
It's a tough decision I think anyway. But I'd go with Cano.
The reason being this.
Once a Mets fan is able to come to the reality that second half 2021 was a complete disaster, something else should click in as well. That the Mets need to make some serious moves not only to get some new players, but also to get the club a little bit younger and on track for not only 2022 but beyond.
So taking all this into consideration, I might go with a lineup like this in 2022. 1B Alonso 2B Cano SS Lindor 3B Vientos LF JD Davis CF Lee RF Nimmo C F. Alvarez.
Breaking this down a little more.
With the above Mets starting eight fielders, they have some serious balance infused. First off, they have potentially five HR hitters starting if you include rookies Francisco Alvarez at catcher (Mets have nothing to lose at all with this idea) and then JD Davis (with his hand injury solved) starting in left field. Five. No way to tell yet on just how awesome Mark Vientos could be too. But I think he will be just that.
They also have speed at the top of the batting order with: (1) Nimmo (2) Lee (3) Lindor. But Francisco Lindor would have to hit a lot better than he did in 2021. Otherwise, he would have to move down to the seven spot as either. JD Davis or Robbie Cano would man the three spot. Both candidates are veteran savvy hitters. The (4) slot is all Pete, the (5) slot would be between JDD and Cano, whomever is not in the (3).
My point is this.
This order has speed at the top, power in the middle, and still good hitting at the bottom as well. Because Francisco Alvarez will be just 20 years old this December, I would keep him in the eighth batting spot until he gets his legs under him and shows that he is adjusted into MLB. Some will argue that bringing up to the majors any player who only has played A Ball (thus far) is a ridiculous thing to even try. I understand this opinion totally, I myself felt this way earlier on. But sometimes a player comes along that can actually do this. Eddie Kranepool made it up to NY Mets at age 18. This kid Alvarez has excellent skills already I have been told, and the Mets have literally nothing to lose at the catcher position, with either James McCann or Tomas Nido becoming trade bait.
Speed, power, youth, and veteran leadership for 2022.
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