As we sit here on Wednesday morning we see the Mets once again sitting at the bottom not only of the NL East in the standings but also owning sole possession of the absolute worst record in all of baseball. Everyone understands the injuries that have derailed the Mets from their expected path, but at the same time there are any number of slumping and underperforming players who are quickly making themselves into very expensive DFA considerations as the season hits its six week mark.
Going forward there are three primary approaches that can be taken to address the missteps that have plagued the team almost since spring training. None are completely right nor completely wrong. The best approach might even be a hybrid of all three. However, folks are certainly losing patience awaiting offense, pitching and fielding to occur regularly at a professional level. David Stearns and his boss need to decide which route to season salvation makes the most sense.
Path 1 — Waiting
Thus far the David Stearns “fix what’s wrong” approach involves a lot of waiting while occasionally adding roster members from other teams’ DFA lists rather than making significant changes. The philosophy here is that the thinking putting together this team was valid and once everyone is healthy it’s indeed possible that the next 120+ games will unfold dramatically better than what has been seen already. Everyone knows the quality players like Francisco Lindor, Jorge Polanco and (to a lesser extent) Luis Robert can bring to the team, but if their bodies are not allowing them to compete regularly then the patience exercised by the leadership is something the fans and media are expected to embrace and accept. Hmmn...
Path 2 — Find Major League Players
The theoretically easiest thing to do is to find players on other teams that are theoretically available in trades and who will bring major league pedigree to replace the AAAA coterie of less than solid players getting multiple ABs and innings pitched. Rumors have already started that the Mets could be persuaded to part with Freddy Peralta who, if not extended, will walk away as a free agent at year’s end anyway. Other players in that boat included free agent to be David Peterson and previously non-regulars Brett Baty and Mark Vientos. Unfortunately there are not a lot of solid options ready within the organization behind them and perhaps just the pitchers are viable chips at this point of the cellar dwelling season.
Path 3 — Promote the Kids
The riskiest approach yet the one which costs the least in terms of player personnel and salary dollars is the promotion of higher performing AAA players (and even AA players) who could theoretically displace the afterthought roster additions and laying the groundwork for future trades of current roster members once the youngsters show they belong in the big league. The names here are not new. A.J. Ewing picked right up in AAA where he’d left off in AA and the Mets currently are sporting just one established star player in Juan Soto accompanied by suddenly progressing Carson Benge. Another outfielder is most definitely needed.
Similarly, after a very slow start Ryan Clifford has come alive and it’s entirely possible to shift Mark Vientos to DH to create space at first base for the young slugger to take root with the Mets. Pitchers like Jack Wenninger is already showing what he can do while Jonah Tong is still learning how to pitch beyond merely racking up strikeouts and Zach Thornton is too new to AAA to draw conclusions.. Jonathan Pintaro and Anderson Severino are dominating for Syracuse where some of the major league relievers most certainly are not doing the same for the Mets.
Which approach the Mets can or will take is very much a matter of debate, but the clock is ticking with no improvements showing for the first path of waiting for everything to resolve on its own.
Well, they promoted the right kid last night, in AJ Ewing.
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