Paul Articulates – Buck’s three biggest priorities in spring training

Wednesday, February 15th is the date we have looked forward to in anticipation.  That is the day that pitchers and catchers formally report to spring training in St. Lucie.  So after months of following the trade rumors, the free agent signings, and the hot stove prognostications, we can finally see the product of the off-season work hit the field.

Spring training used to be the place where players loosened up their arms and got into shape, but these days the players arrive in much better condition after months of off-season workouts and performance drills.  You have probably already seen video of some of our Mets favorites working out.   Spring training is also the opportunity for everyone on the team to get on the same page – with offensive and defensive fundamentals and strategies.  This year that part will be interrupted by the loss of players to the World Baseball Classic (WBC), which overlaps most of the spring ritual.  The WBC finals will be played on March 21st, just about week before the first regular season MLB game on March 30th.

Buck Showalter and his coaching staff have plenty to think about during the six week spring training period, as they have many new players to evaluate.  Here are the three things that I believe to be the priorities for the Mets coaching staff.

1) The pitching approach.  This year brings many new faces (arms) to the Mets pitching staff.  New acquisitions Justin Verlander, Kodai Senga, and Jose Quintana are the big names added to the starting rotation so there will be some evaluations of their preferences and their stamina.  But the big decisions are going to be about how to fill the relief innings after the starters have grabbed a towel.  We know that Tylor Megill and David Peterson will be vying for a spot in the rotation but are more likely to fill long relief and spot starter roles if Carlos Carrasco is healthy.  Beyond that, there are many new players to evaluate and this is where the early success of this Mets team may hinge.  With consideration of the age and arm health of the starters, they will likely be throwing only 4-5 innings, so that leaves 4-5 more innings to close the deal.  Who will be the first in from the bullpen?  Who will be the 6th, 7th, and 8th inning guys that set the stage for the sound of trumpets?  Who will stand out as the lefty-lefty specialist that can shut down the sluggers on the opposition?  There are several new names like Brigham, Raley, and Hernandez in addition to the more familiar names like Lucchesi, Nogosek, and Smith to evaluate.  Will it be Adam Ottavino or David Robertson in the 8th?  How much load can each pitcher handle if the bullpen gets called on six times in a week?  These are the make-or-break questions that will need to be answered by the end of the spring session.  Inevitably there will be many evolutions as the season wears on but it is always best to start with a plan.

2) The infield rotation.  The only real competition for a starting infield position will be third base where Eduardo Escobar aims to keep his spot but will face tough competition from prospect Brett Baty.  However, there are plenty of very capable infielders on the team that will be looking for playing time.  Buck will have to decide how much rest he will give each of the position players and how he is going to back fill.  He also has to give consideration to rotating some of the starters through the DH position since there is not a defined solution there.  Fortunately for Buck, these decisions are only tough because he has some very good players to consider.  Luis Guillorme was an outstanding utility player last year and he hit .273 on top of that.  Escobar can play multiple positions, as can new Met Danny Mendick.  Mark Vientos and Ronny Mauricio will want to make a name for themselves this spring, so look for them to press hard for a slot.

3) The DH position.  Last year’s DH platoon experiment was one of the least successful aspects of New York’s 2022 campaign.  Although Daniel Vogelbach brought some exciting moments to the team after the trade deadline, the right side of the plate was undermanned all season.  Neither Vogelbach nor Darrin Ruf nor any of the other call-ups ever put up a slash line that would make the lineup deeper.  With the addition of Tommy Pham to the outfield ranks, the three-headed catcher attack, and the depth of capable infielders I think Buck may decide to take a committee approach to the DH position.  That said, spring training always brings some surprises, so be prepared for someone to hit lights out in March and get his name inked in as DH.

Those are my three priorities.  I’m sure many of you would have put the battle for catcher on this list, but I think that is going to be an evolving story.  I can’t see former all-star Omar Narvaez watching from the bench in April, and I think that Tomas Nido has earned his stripes with the Mets.  They will mentor and tutor prized prospect Fernando Alvarez and eventually you will see Alvarez as the main guy – but that won’t happen in the spring or early season.