Often we will include a feature where our writers discuss what is happening, but this year we want more involvement from the readers.
We have combined two traditional features, “Hot Stove” and “Open Thread” into this year’s “Hot Thread” which will run every Tuesday at 6:00am EST.
Considering the recent market activity and knowing your team’s needs, what would your next move be? Hope we have sparked your interest! Tell us in the comments below.
Last week’s transactions:
Miami Marlins signed RH reliever Pete Fairbanks. 1 year, $13M.
Baltimore signed RH reliever Zach Eflin. 1 year, $10M.
White Sox signed LH reliever Sean Newcomb. 1 year, $4.5M
Cubs signed RH reliever Jacob Webb. 1 year, 1.5M with second year team option for $2.5M.
Last week’s rumors:
Mark Vientos has been linked to trade rumors on numerous sites.
The Mets have met with RHP Framber Valdez.
The Mets could try to trade for more international bonus pool space before the next signing period opens.
Who is left out there?
Big name position players like Bellinger, Bregman, Bichette, Realmuto, and Eugenio Suarez are still out there.
Old Mets favorites like Tomas Nido, Wilmer Flores, Starling Marte, and Michael Conforto are available.
This week’s questions:
1. The relief pitcher market seems to have heated up recently. What is next for the Mets? With Fairbanks getting $13M, is it too pricey to get another middle inning guy?
2. Jarred Kelenic is an available free agent. Should the Mets try to get the once-coveted prospect back on a lowball offer after he failed last year in Atlanta
3. It's not just the failure of David Stearns to sign a big name. It seems to be every GM's failure. Do you think this is a classic group agent stall?
29 comments:
I read Kyle Tucker may want 10 years, 400 million. That’ll slow things up.
Bo Bichette rumored two be getting 350 million from the Blue Jays.
What’s the difference between second round Bo and first round Jett? 5 very important inches.
1. I don't see Stearns handing out big money and long contracts for reliever pitchers
I see guys like Dylan Ross and Ryan Lambert being promoted plus one of the excess starters heading to the pen
2. Definitely a yes for Kelenic
It can't hurt to make him a UT-OF. Plays ++ defense especially in center
Let him live in the lab beginning the day after he signs
Deserves a chance from the team that drafted him in the first round
3.
Yes I do
The template that all agents are doing is the Scott Nora's model
I read this about Kelenic: Kelenic has a nice walk rate to work with, sitting between 7.1-9.9% over his career, and he has a cannon of an arm in the outfield while providing league average defense.
Why not? He’s a project.
One key…in his career, he has swung at just 32.4% of first pitches, a low, Vientos-like rate. It doesn’t work for Kelenic.. In a whopping 56% of his PAs, his ABs end on 2 strikes, where he hits a horrific .136/.210/.229.
Seems that Much more aggression on strike one can fix him.
Kelenic swings at 32% of first pitches. Bichette swings at 42% of first pitches. Since Kelenic is a lesser hitter than Bichette, he should swing at MORE first pitches than Bichette, not far less. So…I would target Kelenic to increase his first pitch swing rate by 40%, raising the rate from 32% to 45%.
What have you got to lose?
Hey Tom
9am opening this morning
Sup boyz? Imai news today… he has until Friday to sign, so high includes a physical. New Years is Thursday… today is Tuesday. He will be a Met.
I’ll take Kelenic back, but I’m sure it will have to be a minor league deal. Stearns wasn’t married to him like we are. I saw him as a minor leaguer, said he wasn’t ready. Can’t touch a curveball with a tennis racket.
I think that the Mets are in trouble. They let all that talent go assuming they could pick up the pieces needed to complete the rebuild. Now those pieces have become way too expensive. They are either going to overpay or face the fans' wrath by limping into a season with an incomplete or inexperienced roster. I am expecting a 70 win season.
I would take any of Kelenic, Flores or Conforto back but especially Chris Bassit.
Kelenic minor league deal with invite
Conforto 5 million dollar deal for 4th OF
Flores 5 mill for backup corner IF
Bassit 2 year 26 mill deal
If any of them can make us through half the year and they have some good stats, we can trade them if any of our youngsters are ready take their spots?
Hopefully some News today on IImai signing with the Mets today?
You don’t trade a bat like Vientos’. You won’t be able to replace it. Even as yiur DH, he can be a difference maker. Leave him alone. Trade the ones that have to sell out for power: Williams. Trade the ones that hit .200 in both August and September: Ryan Clifford. Trade guys that can be good players someday, but we don’t know when: Acuna.
Imagine could be a nice add
None are Stearns boys
Vientos DH
Bregman 3B
Bellinger CF
Gus, at first glance, Luisangel Acuna is having a good winter season. Eight home runs. And he’s sitting in the 280s. But his average is only 60th best in the Venezuela league, where Wilfredo Tovar is hitting 50 points higher, and the league leader, who is hitting 90 points higher than Acuna, is 38 years old and only a brief major leaguer. I remain of the opinion that ignoring Acuna’s wonderful contribution in late 2024, he is a dime a dozen utility player.
It will be fascinating to see if the Mets stock up on veterans (if so, then why not keep Pete?) or look to Phil a few spots with shorter duration veterans, anticipating the kids to come in. But Williams most likely should not be hitting home runs, because it’ll drive his average down in the major leagues, and I agree with you on Clifford being a player where the jury is still out. Ewing should be really good, but he hasn’t done it about AA yet, and I’m confident about Jacob, but you gotta put a ditto there, no games above AA yet.
And we’ve seen a number of guys like Eric Campbell and Matt DD who tore up AAA for a stretch of time and did very little at the major league level. I would hate to think that our four top hitting prospects won’t pan out, but that’s always a possibility. As my brother would say, trade them.
Mark Vientos can really flash the leather as a DH as well as anyone. If you catch my drift. Unless he turns into a first base of average defense, make him a DH and a part-time fill-in at positions.
Follow my plan a few comments earlier
+1
Good news from Twitter:
“ The Mets have agreed to sign 14-year-old Cuban catching prospect Alex Verdecia as part of the 2029 international free agent class, with a signing bonus expected to exceed $1 million, per
@bkfan09”
———————
He should be ready to go in ten years!
Not Sure why everyone seems to be so down on Clifford, He is close to the same age Pete was when we drafted him in 2016. He can easily develop into a 30 Homer first baseman for us in a year or two and would still be younger than Pete was when he first made the team. No, I dont think he will be a better power source than Pete, but he can easily be a Pete Light. Unfortunately we Let Pete go and will probably never get that power back at first base.
Dean, I will give you my personal reasons and cannot speak for anyone else, but I am one of that crowd.
I was excited when I heard that they had him swing earlier in the count and that he had good results. But, then the league adjusted and he hit .203 and .201 thw next two months. Three true players have never been my thing. Don’t even like Schwarber as he had one good year - his walk year, what a coincidence - but that’s it. It’s important that a player is more well rounded offensively and not just a boom, bust, bust, bust, bust hitter that hits .200 and doesn’t move runners along or bring them in from third base.
I would have signed Pete to a three year deal, max. He’s slow, he fails in the late innings because he can’t lay off a good slider and I like his defense, except he needs to play closer to first to underhand the ball to the pitcher.
Gus
I choose to not write about it but Pete didn't want to play with certain players anymore
Mack, there seems to be a bit of that bubbling to the top. It will come out…
Mack & Gus, if I didn’t like my coworkers and could get paid handsomely elsewhere, I’d have to go
Stearns is too busy rummaging through the bargain bin to see this.
Vientos in September 2025: .184/.262/.303 Trade him.
Where's Baty???
But would you loudly proclaim your love for everyone and say you'll sign for 6 big-$$$ years?
LOLLLL, love has its price
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