Good morning
I know all of you go to your phones all day trying to get some information on a new Met that was signed or traded for.
Cool your jets because the signing of a top chip is very rare before Thanksgiving.
Oh, some team could sign some players, but I don't expect the big names I will outline here to go early.
No, this is the time to make your first offer, which is close to never your last.
Me?
I would target five top pitchers with the hopes of landing two. Four via free agency and one via trade:
They are Max Fried (31), Corbin Burnes (30), Sean Manaea (33), Blake Snell (32), and Garrett Crochet (25).
I would dance in the street with a thong on if the Mets landed both Burnes and Crochet, but I would be happy with any of these guys.
But I want to target Crochet here and the team that owns his current contract.
The White Sox have a lot of projected starting pitchers in their pipeline... RHP Jairo Iriarte and LHP Ky Bush arrived in Chicago in 2024... RHP Mason Adam's and #1 prospect, LHP Noah Schultz finished this year in AA and their #2 prospect, LHP Hagen Smith finished at the A+ level.
Chicago targeted top pitching in recent drafts and their future looks secure in their future rotations.
However...
Simply put, their bats suck.
Their highest batting average in their 2024 starting lineup was .254.
Home runs? 20
RBIs? 70
The infield? .246/.241/.228/.254
Outfield? .229/.224/.206
The Mets have a lot of young, team controlled bats that could be attractive in a deal for Crochet or a deal for him and CF Luis Robert.
My guess going forward is a Stearns led Mets is going for the gold in 2025, which would mean multiple prospects would be sent to Chicago.
Robert is 27 years old and will be a free agent in 2026. This could line up perfectly with one of the multiple Mets CF prospects.
Yes, he had a bad year last season, but he went down in early April and didn't return until June. Go look at his 2023 stat line to show what he can do when healthy.
And what about his defense out there? Well, in the past he did win a Gold Glove.
I have no idea which Mets prospects could follow him in 2026. My first guess is Jett Williams. Second guess is Nick Morabito.
Am I wrong here?
Good Morning Mack thanks always for your effort and articles in this site!
ReplyDeleteI would love a Trade to get both Crochet and Robert ( with also taking the salary of Benettendi) it fits our team and the WS goal as a glove
I could see a package of: Williams, Tong, Mauricio and Clifford to get the Sox engaged
Morning AM. Thanks for your kind words
DeleteLove your idea of adding Bene...
Trading Williams might be tough after his string of injures. Replace him with Parada AND Morabito
I am intrigued with both Crochet and Roberts. Roberts has options after both 26 and 27. I would really concentrate on signing Manaea over the other three pitchers. Less years for less money = less risk. Bring along Acuno at second. Then figure out the first base \ third base situation.
ReplyDeleteStearns not only needs to go for the gold, he needs to WIN gold.
ReplyDeleteHere is something that I thought of last night: would you prefer Crochet+Benintendi for $21MM, or Manaea+keep your prospects for $21MM? I say the latter.
ReplyDeleteFor me... now... prospects are untested
DeletePlaying the Dodgers this season gave me a taste
I want the Vets now
I know that I have floated the Benintendi angle all week, but I’ve changed my mind. The only way I like it better is if the White Sox attached the most international money the Mets are allowed to add: $3.1MM, allowing me to sign Elian Diaz and go after Sasaki. In that scenario, it’s worth it. Understand, that doesn’t guarantee anything…
DeleteHmm...
Deleteah so... good idea
Cohen & Co. met with Soto yesterday and reports were that it was detailed and went well.
ReplyDeleteNot sure I would want Benintendi. Would prefer to keep Nimmo in left. And how many of these current prospects are non-tradeable? If I am dealing with Chicago, I would be talking Crochet and Roberts. If they would bring in adding in Benintendi with Marte?
ReplyDeleteThe cost to acquire Crochet is too high in my books. Let's go after Burnes or Freid and keep Manaea .
ReplyDeleteMack.
ReplyDeleteWho will need to be added to the 40 man roster by Tuesday to be protected in the December Rule 5 draft? Thoughts anyone?
Ritter?
DeleteHamel?
Vasil?
No. I PROTECT NO ONE
I'm still not used to off season discussion's like this. Too many years of hoping for anything to happen and now this WOW. Thank you Steve! Me I'm still on the fence regarding Soto but can't complain if we get him or not because there are so many other options. Pitching wins post season games and I would not only love to get Fried but also take him away from the Bravos. The WS trade scares me because of both Crochet and Roberts injury history. What to do what to do but this is really fun thnking about especially because any scenario you come up with could happen which was never our MO.
ReplyDeleteI have to ask for a reality check.
ReplyDeleteHow many of you expected the Mets to get as far as they did?
How many of you think that this team will overperform again if Alonso, Manaea, Severino are not replaced with the right players who have the right mentality and ability to play in a high pressure environment?
Even with Soto, Crochet and Roberts, do the Mets match the Dodgers?
The best thing for the Mets is get the best players they can using money, see where they are and then, if the right trade comes along do that.
Matching the Dodgers will take more than one year.
Comment is the year!
DeleteReality check. I have said and said again, I wouldn’t mind a reboot for this year, signing Soto and Sasaki and no one else while letting the kids show themselves and get experience. Then in 2026, know what you have and go for it.
DeleteIf we take benintendis salary back with crochet and Roberts and we don’t sign Soto. Then we have a 4 man outfield/DH combo.
ReplyDeleteI would take his money back if we did and
Acuna
Baty
Prada
Clifford
Vasil
For them 3 plus some international signing bonus money?
If we do get Soto then we would have to find a taker for Marte with salary relief going with him?
I really like trading either Marte or McNiel for jordan Montgomery
Sign me up Zozo.
ReplyDeleteHate that I get in so late in the conversation but
ReplyDeleteJett… 5’6 and everyone Hope he is altuve when there is literally 1 altuve
Acuna may even be smaller
If we can get 6’5 Crockett for either of these guys or both as a headliner we should all drive them to the airport
To me there are only 3 untouchables with a slight 4th
Sprout
Tong
Binge and maybe McLain
If I can keep them from any trade we did well
Crochett and Robert would increase talent and reasonable salary
Do whatever including bringing back salary to get those guys
Try to keep Sproat, Tong, Dohm, and Santucci. Any other pitcher and hitter prospects can go in the right package.
ReplyDeletesorry . . late to the party again as I was on the road travelling all day today... and I usually don't like to re-post previous comments, but my thoughts on the White Sox deal haven't changed since I last wrote:
ReplyDeleteI initially thought adding Luis Robert Jr. would be a great idea with spotty info that he was a good power hitter and a centerfielder. When I look closer, I am a hard no on this guy. In his best year of 2023, he hit 38 home runs and 36 doubles, mostly from the #3 hole in the order. His homers and doubles yielded just 80 RBI or 42 RBI that was not himself. That is one non-homer RBI every 4 games for the guy that was 12th on the MVP ballot. And he refuses to take a walk. In that same 2023 career year, he walked just 30 times and struck out 172. No thank you.
As for Crochet, his 2024 numbers look good, but he has just 2 decent years, three years apart, and one as a reliever and one as a starter. Mark Fidrych had one really good season as well. There are a lot of pitchers that showed one and done. I wouldn't have any issue with trading for him, but three top position player prospects is too much. I have heard things like Acuna, Gilbert, and Clifford in a package. Nope, not for a starting pitcher with injury history. Yeah, he may turn out to be Wheeler, but a Fidrych seems just as likely. Think Shane Bieber. Anybody glad we didn't trade for him at his height?
(You may see these again :-)