There are a lot of New York Mets fans that are upset now, having seen the front office wave the white flag on a season that began with such promise. When you send away an ace and a closer and there are more on the horizon before the deadline, it’s like knocking over your King in chess.
But it is not over. Maybe 2023 is over, because realistically the Mets not only have to make up the 6.5 games to the last wild card spot, but they also have to leap over four other teams that are above them and trying to overtake that last spot. Some of those teams will fail and drop down; but probably not all of them.
The reason I say it is not over is because there were two tactics in play in the Steve Cohen regime. One tactic was to build the player development organization into a world class machine that could pump out talented, well trained players to sustain a dominant MLB team. The other was to buy some short term A-list players to try to win in the short term. The second tactic failed, not because of design, but because of the players involved. Some got hurt, some underperformed, and the inconsistency ruined the winning attitude that teams need to go on a roll.
Tactic number one is still in play and is actually being bolstered by the movement of some of the short term A-listers. We have very strong prospects in the system as you have read on this site; and now we are adding to that list with acquisitions from the “sell-off” of the A-List assets. Sure, there are no sure things and some of these prospects won’t reach their lofty potential. But some will, and the Mets will be all the better for it. They will have team-controlled, talented and enthusiastic young baseball players competing for a shot at being an every-day performer on an exciting team. Guys like Alvarez, Baty, and Vientos are just the first wave and they are learning the ropes this year. Others are a year or two away but when they move up you will see speed, power, and pitching that will bring you back from the emotional lows you are feeling today.
We have to respect the attempt at a short term push to win. It cost the owner a lot of money that is now benefiting players wearing different uniforms. But is shows the outright commitment to winning baseball in Flushing. When the team gets there, it will be worth the wait. So keep your Mets hats – you will wear them proudly in a season in the not-too-distant future. In fact, keep your Lindor or Alonso or Nimmo jerseys. They are not going anywhere and will lead the parade of underclassmen into battle.
Mets fans are strong and handle adversity well. Stick with it.
10 comments:
I agree with Paul
Someday the Mets will win the World Series
And some of you will see this while you live is a Pod bubble on the planet Venus
Well, Plan A failed once Edwin jumped. Others also were hurt or faltered. This team pre-season had almost NO chance of not securing a Wild Card, but found away to NOT achieve it.
Adding two top 7 prospects is a very good thing. Too bad neither are pitchers.
News just in ... Steve Cohen has purchased a Pod bubble on the planet Venus for all of his loyal Mets fans. Scheduled installation in 2026. Schedule your Uber Space trip now.
There are dreams and then there is a thing called reality.
The Justin Verlander move was supposed to be the move to cinch the 2023 World Series. But Justin Verlander was not the solution. On paper, it was a fabulous idea. In reality, we forgot that old pitchers can get hurt too.
Here's how I see things. Feel free to not agree.
The 2023 NY Mets had more than pitching issues happening to it all season long. The Edwin Diaz injury was horrible. The Mets had players hitting "way under their normal batting averages", and sometimes I saw a true lack of hustle that was there in 2022. To me eyes, it looked like something was internally and fundamentally wrong with the player's attitudes. The hustle and desire was not there like it was in 2022. But why?
Possible Remedies:
1. Clean house. This NY Mets franchise took a major fall in 2023 from 2022. They need a New GM. A new manager. A new pitching coach (way too many arm injuries). A new batting coach. Why not go back to Eric Chavez for Batting Caoch (for goodness sakes). And if Eric Chavez wants to be the Mets' manager too, then fine. The Batting Coach know his players the best offensively. The manager guides it all in like a ship.
2. The NY Mets need not just two, but rather three new and really good (non-geriatric) starting pitchers added into their rotation mix for 2024. It's not at Syracuse currently to make call ups. At least one a lefty starter because this team has not one good lefty starter. Forget starting David Peterson and Tyler Megill. They struggle too much to be consistent game to game. Plus, they are getting older now. Maybe they could short relieve? But not sure yet.
Syracuse's Jose Butto doesn't have it yet either. The only starter close to here, who could maybe be ready come 2024 ST, is righty Mike Vasil (age 23). But only with some well guided off-season work and tutoring. So you have Kodai Senga and maybe Mike Vasil for 2024. And quite frankly here, I never saw anything that terrific in the lefty Jose Quintana acquisition either. Maybe Josh Walker gets another shot for the bullpen.
3. So the Mets need three good starters for the start of the 2024 season. Accept this. However, it does mean that some starting positional players here now on this Mets team will have to be used for trading purposes. To my eyes, Pete Alonso almost looked like he played injured after he got hurt, and possibly didn't rest his injury long enough before returning. And Brett Baty also lost power-stroke following his injury I felt. I'd recommend more weightlifting build-up workouts for him this off season. But not so much bulk added that it impedes his bat quickness, which is outstanding. This kid has it. It's just a matter of a little more time with him. Trust me here.
The guy I personally wouldn't mind seeing traded away from here is actually shortstop Francisco Lindor. His batting average is kind unworthy of the money he makes here. Realistically the middle infielder position has the largest volume of players who could start there, and on all MLB teams. I'd go with either Ronnie Mauricio or Jett Williams on Mets 2024 shortstop myself.
The catcher position is a little more offensive in the power department now with Francisco Alvarez behind the Mets dish. But the 2024 Mets outfield could understandably use a new left and right field homerun power infusion for next season as well. Starling Marte is older now, and Jeff McNeil isn't a true power bat for left. There is not one outfielder of notice at Syracuse currently.
In any event, the Mets will need to trade good players to get the good players back here that they need more to be able to make a run at the 2024 Playoffs. Whether it means trading Alonso, McNeil, and/or Lindor to attain this, may be the case.
It all begins with a stronger pitching staff and MiLB player development. The NY Mets need to reboot their team thisoff season. 2022 may actually have been a mirage season.
Trade McNeil? It means selling low.
Mack,
How far away is Acuna from playing second or center field for the Mets?
2024-2025 ?
Do you all realize that the Mets have a .238 team BA right now and the Yankees a .231 BA at current.
Mets win in one category! Sound the trumpets. Get Kenny G on the phone! Is he still alive?
Mack:
How any Mets GM can say now that this 2023 NY Mets team is not a total rebuild, is way beyond my understanding. It's a pretty lousy sub-500% team right now really.
Reasoning:
They auditioned one below average Syracuse relieving pitcher after another this season, trying to find one that was at least adequate. But failed to find one. Maybe Grant Hartwig?
Taijuan Walker and Chris Bassitt were 21-9 between them in 2023. But had few decisions actually. The offense was maybe half as good this season as it was in 2023. And a bullpen where the names on the back of shirts changed almost every other day out of desperation.
Few of the Syracuse players really have a chance to make the Mets in 2024. There is no saviors there. Maybe Mike Vasil. But he needs more work.
I have watched baseball for a long, long time. And this is definitely a total rebuild, if ever I saw one. But you will need the right GM who sees this because Billy Eppler obviously does not.
You have to give a little to get back a little more. I think trading a Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil (now that Angel Acuna is onboard and Jett Williams), Francisco Lindor, or a Starling Marte is a possibility heading into this off season. The 2024 ST Mets team should be a lot of new faces.
LOL what has you done for me lately?
Paul's Articulation
The Mets may need to trade Lindor and/or Alonso to get back the level of pitching that they will need in 2024 in the one and two starter slots.
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