Paul Articulates –When the suspense is just killing me

The Free Agent signing period has now been open for eleven days.  As expected, there have only been some minor signings around the league because everyone is positioning to achieve the best deal.  Only a few players accepted their qualifying offers (no Mets), and there have been many moves made by the teams to manipulate their rosters for the flurry of deals that are soon to come.

One move that was particularly curious on the Mets part was to leave only 33 players protected on their 40 man roster when the deadline hit for the rule 5 draft.  For those of you not familiar with these rules, another team can grab your minor league player during the December Rule 5 draft if that player is not protected on the 40-man roster and has met a minimum amount of time in your system (this year the threshold is four or five seasons, depending on the age they signed their first contract).  The deadline for protection was November 15th.  Keeping 7 slots open when you could have protected more is either a heinous act of omission or a calculated move indicating that there are many wheels turning.  The Mets’ front office is way too smart to call this an act of omission, so something is up.  As the title suggests, the suspense is killing me.

Let’s recap some things that we do know:

1) Qualifying offers were provided to Jacob deGrom, Chris Bassitt, and Brandon Nimmo.  All three rejected the QO as expected.

2) Dominic Smith and Sean Reid-Foley were non-tendered, meaning that they are now released to free agency.

3) The hot young prospects we have been talking about for months, Alvarez, Baty, Vientos, and Mauricio are all on the protected 40-man roster as are Kahlil Lee, Jose Butto, and Bryce Montes de Oca.

4) The Mets added a few players who were released by their parent organizations, including Elieser Hernandez (MIA), Stephen Ridings (NYY), William Woods (ATL), and Tayler Saucedo (TOR).

That leaves 17 pitchers, 3 catchers, 8 infielders, 3 outfielders, and 2 DHs on the roster.  That math says 33 players are on the 40 slot roster, leaving seven openings.  Unprotected players from the minors that meet the time qualifications may be poached.

Here are the players left exposed in the Mets’ farm system:

• Outfielders: Jake Mangum (CF), Stanley Consuegra (OF), Carlos Cortes (LF), Jaylen Palmer (CF)
• Infielders: William Lugo (3B), Jose Peroza (3B), Luke Ritter (1B)
• Catchers: Nick Meyer, Hayden Senger
• Pitchers: Javier Atencio (LH), Dedniel Núñez (RH), Jeffrey Colón (RH), Brendan Hardy (RH), Luis Moreno (RH),  Junior Santos (RH), Jordany Ventura (RH), Josh Walker (LH)

Many of these players spent a majority of 2022 at AA or lower as other prospects rocketed by on their way up.  However, there are some notables on this list.  Jake Mangum was an outstanding center fielder with range, speed, and posted an .804 OPS across the A, AA, and AAA levels last year.  In 138 at-bats with AAA Syracuse to end the season, Mangum batted .333 with 14 XBH and an .836 OPS so he was finding his way against good pitching.  Lugo hit with some power between St. Lucie and Brooklyn, but never moved to the AA level last year.

Snapping back to the subject, I am left wondering why the Mets left so many openings on their 40-man roster, choosing not to protect Smith, Reid-Foley, Mangum, or any of the other guys.  Are deals imminent with some of the starting pitchers we wish to retain or others in the FA market that we covet?  Is a trade in the works that will bring multiple players to New York?  Is that big bat in the DH spot that everyone hoped for last season just about to be announced?

I certainly hope so.  In the Cohen era, we don’t expect to get coal in our stocking like the Wilpons left us.  Knowing that Steve and his capable brain trust are furiously working behind the scenes puts me on the edge of my seat.