Reese Kaplan -- Calendar Keeps Moving & Mets Still Do Nothing

So have things improved with the roster construction.  Ummm...no!

One of the pitchers that the Mets were rumored to be considering for fortification of the bullpen was former San Francisco Giant John Brebbia.  He has put together a decent career that started a bit late in the majors at age 27.  He started off with the Cardinals and then made his way to the city by the bay.  

He is a career 15-15 pitcher with a 3.42 ERA showing good control (2.7 walks per 9 IP) and fanning over 1 per inning.  We fully understand the song and dance about not wanting to offer up multiyear contracts to hamstring future flexibility but the White Sox just signed Brebbia to a one-year deal.  Were the Mets asleep at the switch yet again?

Recently people started pondering the reunions possible with former Mets players.  While there is some validity to embracing what you do know versus what you don't, there's also a reason players depart for performance issues, dissatisfaction or the prospect of what they could net in trade to another club.  

The former Mets still out there include, of course, relievers David Robertson and Adam Ottavino who both played for the club as recently as last year.  Throw in Aaron Loup and Noah Syndergaard as a few others.  

Then there are the offensive players.  Tommy Pham did well in New York while Travis Jankowski demonstrated why he was always a 5th outfielder.  Eduardo Escobar who fought Brett Baty, Mark Vientos and a few others for third base starts is still looking for work.  Justin Turner is also currently unemployed.

New blood is possible with aforementioned folks like J.D. Martinez, Jorge Soler, Rhys Hoskins and many others.  We understand that longer term deals go against the message repeated about not tying the club's hands nor blocking future promotions from the minors.  

That sentiment makes sense for someone like Jorge Soler who is not the one-and-done type of contract.  Hoskins could be in that boat given his need to demonstrate he's fully over his missed 2023 due to an ACL injury.  Martinez at his age is most likely at worst a one year done and one year option.  

Right now folks are very hesitant about Brett Baty given his 2023 performance, Mark Vientos for the same reason and Starling Marte due to his multitude of injuries and migraine issues last season.  Many advocate the club doing their best with Steve Cohen's wallet to finance solid offense to add to the club, but then voices about giving younger players opportunities to show what they can do is a contradictory viewpoint.

The same applies to pitching.  No one expected Josh Hader but Aroldis Chapman being quite a bit older might be a good setup partner for Edwin Diaz as John Franco did for Armando Benitez (well, the low-budget Pirates agreed to pay Chapman $10.5 million, so he too is off the table).  At some point former star closers turn into support for younger stud performers.  The problem here, of course, is the money required for this type of roster addition.  Even the elder statesman David Robertson is likely to command $8 million or more (a step down from his 2023 $10 million salary).  

While the younger pitchers in the Mets organization may indeed have a bright future, none seem ready right now to fight for a job out of Spring Training.  Nate Lavender is a curious possibility and no one knows how ready Bryce Montes de Oca will be after missing last season.  Outside help is needed and stronger than many of the AAAA types accumulated thus far.  

Again, I do not hesitate to say, tick...tick...tick...