OK, ALL YOU WOULD-BE METS GM'S OUT THERE by Tom Brennan
A 2016 New York Mets season has ended with the speed of a lightning strike.
So now, you're the GM. What is your 2017 team's 25 man Mets roster?
What are you going to spend to put that team on the field?
What configuration will win the Division since, as we've seen, Wild Cards are nothing to go wild about.
Think it through, and let's hear it, dear readers.
Heck, we could post really strong analyses we get in from you as articles on this website in the coming days if, of course you'd like us to. Ranting and raving kept to a minimum, please.
Avoid hot mics. You're the GM - so act like one :)
That's it. I'm done for now. You have your assignments.
Have a great day.
Mack’s Mets – the premier site for information on the New York Mets talent pipeline and dialogue on Mets prospects, Mets news, and Mets opinions.
13 comments:
Keep Lucas Duda but have a REAL plan B. He should be a bargain for a 30 HR hitter at around $6.5 million. That Plan B could be handing Michael Conforto a 1st baseman's glove, or letting Wilmer Flores have the position outright. I'd also get Travis d'Arnaud some reps at 1B to help keep his fragile body intact for once.
DON'T make a QO to Neil Walker. Have we learned nothing from David Wright, Lucas Duda and others from back injuries? He would likely take it to reestablish his value as he is in a poor negotiating position now until he proves he's healthy. I would Hand TJ Rivera and/or Wilmer Flores the job, (or Jose Reyes if, by some miracle, David Wright can play).
Cabrera
Sensing a theme here, Rivera, Flores and Reyes are your backup plans should Wright discover he can't play.
Find a catcher.
LF will go to Michael Conforto when Cespedes departs.
CF is a platoon of Lagares and Nimmo.
RF is Jay Bruce
Rotation is Syndergaard, de Grom, Harvey, Matz and Wheeler with Colon and Gsellman in the wings as backup starters. Lugo is trade bait.
Pen should include Familia, Reed, Salas, Robles, Blevins, Edgin and Smoker.
The challenge is to find a durable catcher who can hit and play the field. Wilson Ramos can hit but isn't durable. I'm not sure who that might be.
Also, you know how the story will be spun -- getting back Wright and Duda more than makes up for the power losses of Cespedes and Walker.
Reese, if they spin it like that, we won't win the Division.
You could have gone one step further beyond my homework assignment 11thand talked about your GM choice for 2017 manager :)
Sign Cespedes 5yr $125 mil
Trade Granderson
Sign and trade Bruce
Platoon Wright and Duda at first
2nd base is Flores/TJ/ Cecchini
SS Cabrera
3rd Reyes
Lf Cespedes
CF Sign one of Gomez/Desmond/Fowler
RF Conforto
C Sign Wilson Ramos/ Rivera backup Trade Darnaud for whatever you can get
Sign Bartolo
Zozo, a reasonable plan for most of the 25 man roster! Especially Cespedes and Bart.
1B: Duda, with Flores backing up. 2018 is for Smith
2B: Walker walks - no QO. Probably Reyes, but otherwise open competition for Flores, Rivera, Cecchini. KJ also in the mix. Savings for Yo.
SS: Asdrubal
3B: Unfortunately they have to let Wright try to stay healthy and reclaim 3B. Reyes backing him up. If Wright plays, Reyes to 2B.
C: Biggest need for improvement in trade or FA. Go get that solid veteran defensive C who can hit. It'll make a huge difference.
LF: Gotta ink Yo. 4 yrs, $100MM+. If not, it's a scramble to replace him.
CF: Lagares, with a bit of Conforto/Nimmo.
RF: Pick up the Bruce option. But then gotta trade either Bruce or Grandy. Could argue either way, but either of these guys will be here max just one more year before Conforto takes his permanent place in RF.
Bullpen: - always look for more quality depth
Let walk: De Aza, Walker, Loney
2018, more saving$ as Duda, plus Grandy/Bruce depart.
Mike - are you with Richard Camarti on trading for Wieters?
Nimmo's gonna be pissed, Richard! He hit .375 in Vegas after April. Hard to keep those first rounders down on the farm.
Great job, gents. I think I will post these up tomorrow AM. I'd hire any one of you as GM.
Personally, I like Walker option for one year if they're 90% to 95% sure he is 100%. He did great in 2016 at less than 100%.
The Mets, like most every other team, have multiple issues that require decisions, and not all of them can be done in the preferred order. So, I see two main issues that require contingency planning. These are Cespedes and Wight. Barring an unlikely splurge, the Mets cannot control the timetable of either, nor can they control the outcome of the DW question mark. So, I suggest the following:
1. Re-sign Duda and Bruce as hedges against Cespedes leaving.
2. Upgrade at catcher if possible without overpaying. Even with the Met offensive struggles and a Cespedes defection, defense comes first and some RH pop is most desirable.
3. Obtain another big bullpen arm that can provide Familia insurance or bump him to the 8th and Reed to the 7th. This can be done with a internal option should all the big arms be recovered and performing next spring.
4. With Cespedes back the OF will be overcrowded, which will require dealing Bruce or Grandy. I like Lagares/Nimmo in CF, with Grany/Conforto seeing time there if needed.
5. Walker had a very good year and provided veteran leadership but I only bring him back if DW retires and he is still available.
6. Colon would be a nice insurance policy but only on a one year deal.
Should they retain Cespedes, Colon, offer Duda arbitration, and shift one of their excess young powerarms to the back of the bullpen, the only real acquisition needed is at C, which they can trade excess assets to obtain. I m very high on 2017, with or without Yo.
Beautiful synopsis, TP. You're hired!
I have a bad feeling the Mets let Cespedes walk without much of a fight. As a fan I have mixed feelings about this guy. The problem for me is that I don’t like Jay Bruce much. He’s a lousy fielder and an all or nothing power hitter. No real dimension to his game. They need Cespedes.
And definitely the combination of Reyes/Cabrerra is an asset to this team.
signing cespedes, 2 yr contract extension with a 3rd year option and a 10 mm signing bonus. in total 4 year/104 fifth year option at 20 w 5 buyout, so 4/109 or 5 y/125
sign colon 1 yr 7.5 mm
pick up bruces option, then trade bruce + 4mm, TDA and Lugo to the KC royals for Salvidor Perez and chris young, yes that chris young.
QO offer to Walker with a 2 year 28 mm offer, up to him
pick up reyes option
rotation: Harvey, Matz, thor, Degrom, Colon, Wheeler (6)
c: perez, plawcki (2)
1b: Duda (6.7 mm arb) flores
2b, walker QO or reyes/flores
ss: cabera, reyes
3b: wright, reyes, flores
inf: (7)k johnson/flores
OF: cespedes, lagares, granderson, C. young, johnson (conforto/nimmo taxi squad for injuries)
bp: familia, reed, robles, smoker/edgin, colon, blevin
having the 3rd back up infielder might be a problem, worse comes to worse you dont have johnson and you keep another bp arm, colon can swing (irl and in the bullpen)
We used to have a judge in NYC who let really bad dudes out on bail, and short sentences...his nickname was Cut 'em Loose Bruce.
We used to have a judge in NYC who let really bad dudes out on bail, and short sentences...his nickname was Cut 'em Loose Bruce.
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