Reese Kaplan -- Patience is Beyond Thin to Address the Roster

It's another week and once again we are left scratching our heads regarding how the roster is being built.

Conversations alive this past seven days indicated that the Mets might be looking to add a bat for the DH role.  Yay!

Then word came down that multiyear deals were really not on the table unless they are structured like the one given to Sean Manaea where there's a player opt-out after year one.  That clause stands to minimize the long term capital commitment but also provides some risk in that a player who excels might very well try to sell his services to a higher bidder in 2025.  

Given that philosophy, it's really not all that surprising to see expressed interest in red hot with the Rays Robert Stephenson to bolster the still beleaguered bullpen, but he wound up getting a three year offer from the Angels which is 2 more than apparently the Mets are comfortable providing.  It's somewhat understandable in Stephenson's case as his great several months in Tampa may be sustainable but they also may be like an extended hot streak that will end.  (For an offensive equivalent, look at the tail end of the season for D.J. Stewart).  

So going forward we're again wondering what the front office is doing about building for alleged contention in 2024.  No one expected them to make a run at Josh Hader with Edwin Diaz already on board.  The fact he went to the Astros doesn't bear direct impact on the Mets unless they are fortunate enough to face Houston in the World Series.  Plenty of arms are still out there for the pen including former players like Adam Ottavino, minor leaguer (for the Mets) Michael Fulmer, David Robertson, Aaron Loup, etc.  Thus far nothing has happened.

On the DH front, the obvious choices for short term investments are J.D. Martinez and Justin Turner.  Neither at this stage of their careers can hope for more than a one year deal with an option for a second year.  A lot of buzz has floated this past week about the significantly younger (and inconsistent) Jorge Soler, but at age 32 the man is likely looking for a four-year deal.  

That whole approach of an established bat may in fact help protect the middle of the order better than banking on the younger players like Mark Vientos, but didn't we also hear we were going to see these folks get a legitimate shot finally to play regularly?  So which is it -- bring in someone applying liniment or someone still green?

Right now the main criticism of the front office is the less-than-aggressive stance they've taken towards free agency and the pretty much limited approach to the trade market.  Yes, we know about the deal with Milwaukee bringing in a 5th starter and a reserve outfielder.  Somehow this level of deal might be considered smart but it's not changing the core of the lineup nor the pitching.  

Pitchers and catchers report on February 14th.  By my calendar that is a mere 23 days away.  There are still holes-a-plenty and skill sets that are unproven or simply missing in action.

Tick, tick, tick...