After all, the bright and active start to the
off-season has slowly reached a temporary denouement, perhaps a function of the
holiday season, perhaps a matter of “waiting for the market to come to him” or
perhaps waiting for the big fruit to land somewhere which might break the
logjam of transactions taking place. As
long as ample resources are available in the free agent marketplace many teams
might not be inclined to entertain trade offers.
The rationale of waiting does indeed have some merit to
it. After all, pricing is determined by
the desirability and scarcity of resources.
As long as a Nelson Cruz was available, for example, what is the need to
give up both resources and money to get a Nick Castellanos?
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| PC - Mack |
To be sure there’s still a lot of work to do. The Mets need at BARE minimum one more
outfielder and that is all only if you consider guys like Dom Smith or Jeff
McNeil viable alternative outfielders.
Throw two walking wounded in that mix – Travis d’Arnaud and TJ
Rivera.
If you don’t consider any of those
four professional caliber outfielders or harbor serious doubts Juan Lagares can
be penciled in for pretty much 81 straight games until at the earliest Yoenis
Cespedes is due back, then up that to two needed outfielders.
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| PC - Mack |
The bullpen work was off to a great start with the addition
by trade of Edwin Diaz and by free agency of Jeurys Familia. Joined by Seth Lugo, that’s a good
start. Robert Gsellman and the younger
pitchers are all very much works in progress and right now the only lefty of
the bunch is the short term trial of Daniel Zamora. One would think another lefty should be at
the top of BVW’s shopping list.
With
Andrew Miller off the boards, there are still available options in free
agency. Zach Britton, Jerry Blevins,
Tony Sipp, Justin Wilson, Luis Avilan and Oliver Perez are all there to the
highest bidder.
There are plenty of right handed options as well if you are
willing to go in that direction given the story already being spun about
reverse platoon splits of the existing relief corps. This group would include Craig Kimbrel, David
Robertson, Kelvin Herrera, Cody Allen, Ryan Madson, Adam Ottavino, Adam
Warren, Sergio Romo and many others.
There are many who would argue that perhaps the Mets are moving
in the wrong direction and should instead look at starting pitchers with Daniel
Zamora and career starter Jason Vargas into a reliever. He wouldn’t be the only pitcher in his
thirties to make that transition, particularly after his less than stellar
sequel tenure with the Mets.
The rationale
would be that if you added another good starter who might help you win every
fifth day while Vargas only plays in mop-up duty or blowouts. If he suddenly rediscovers how to pitch then
he could earn his way into emergency starter duty or when injuries happen.
On the FA starter market there are quite a few names worth
considering for this role, headed by James Shields, Dallas Keuchel, Ervin
Santana, Gio Gonzalez, Shelby Miller, Francisco Liriano, Hisashi Iwakuma,
Jeremy Hellickson, Ross Detwiler and even Bartolo Colon.
Until a large number of free agency signings begins to take
place there’s likely little movement taking place in on the trade front.
Consequently I think BVW ought to be pushing REAL HARD on the trade front now
for any prospective targets. The prices
will only go up afterwards.
18 comments:
Anyone Butt Bart.
I'm just mad about Ollie. But Britton would be better.
I would pick up a starting pitcher and move Vargas to the pen.
In the outfield, Castellanos or Adam Jones sounds nice.
Let's win a pennant. Has anyone seen Wilpon's checkbook?
Adam Jones is almost given to join this team because he is CAA client. I like it on small deal like 2 year 20 mil contract offer, but if he goes overboard on one of his old agency clients than i am gonna be pissed.
One thing is for sure if he has a good repore with his old clients they may actually want to come to our team, but hopefully he doesn’t overpay for their services. Like he did with the Cano deal.
I still like Boxberger and Strickland for 7th inning type guys, that way you can trade a Lugo for prospects.
Harper
Marwin Gonzalez
Supposedly, the Astros are very interested in Lugo. If he'd bring something of value in return, I would sign Robertson or Warren or similar to replace him before doing the deal.
Gio Gonzalez would look good in a Mets uni, especially with his NLE background. Then Vargas could be moved to the pen, or maybe Gio could, as the veteran LHP there.
For the OF, I would sign someone strictly as insurance, on a 1-year deal, since Yo will be back at some point and I don't see us trading Nimmo or 4to. Carlos Gomez might fit that role if he has anything left. He's coming off a down year, so he might take that kind of offer.
And, strictly on a MINOR League deal, I'd sign Jose as mentor to the AAA kids and insurance if we need a temporary fill-in in the IF.
Lots of good ideas above - get about 3 of them done, and this team should be adequately prepared.
I only want Jose in the minors, Bill, if he can accelerate the latin players' development.
Bill -
Nothing against Reyes, but I would just like this team to get past the old guard.
If we finally got past TC and Sandy, can't we get past Jose and Wright, too?
Dos Gonzalezes por favor.
I looked in my rear view mirror just now...Reyes and Wright were in it, getting smaller by the second. Just like their playing time and batting average already did.
I thought I emphasized strongly that I'd sign Jose ONLY to a MINOR LEAGUE DEAL. He seems to have had a very positive influence on Amed, and hopefully he can do the same for Guillorme, Gimenez, Cecchini, or other kids.
I would NOT plan on any ML time unless it's an emergency situation AND he's having an outstanding AAA season.
Machado, then sign Ottavino, start Lugo and put Vargas in the pen.
The Wilpon's needing to sell.
I want a unicycle for Yoenis, so he can pinch-hit!
I think we will see Cespedes return on September if the Mets are contending, as a pinch hitter, otherwise he will remain WRIGHT on the DL all season.
Sign Robertson, Pollock, and Cabby as infield insurance. I don't love Pollock but he fits and is much less expensive than Harper. Trade for Minor. Best 5 starts make the rotation with deGrom, Syndergaard, Wheeler set. Other two spots go to best of Matz, Vargas, Minor, Lugo, Gsellman with runners up to pen. This is a strong 25 man with solid offense and deep pen and rotation depth.
Yakking Starting Pitching
I have been saying something I see as a potential concern for the NY Mets 2019 season, starting pitching. I know that I am the only one mentioning this, to most the thought is beyond absurd because the top three starters are so good. But my reasoning is simply this, the one thru three starters are more than fine as we all know, true. However, the 2018 four and five starters although good when on, are inconsistent lately, meaning the 2018 season. 12-20 is not what the Mets will need again in 2019 from them. But it is entirely possible to repeat. I like both pitchers a lot. It's just that darn inconsistency issue with them both. Putting all the Mets marbles on a change in consistency for 2019, may not be a shrewd thing to do.
One of my most annoying suggestions here lately (you're welcome) has been to send either Steven Matz or Jason Vargas (the 2018 four and five starters) to the bullpen, and then acquire a new starter to round out the five man rotation. Either Matz and Vargas in the bullpen could be a big benefit to the 2019 NY Mets lefty thin bullpen. Both like I have said have shown outstanding ability in shorter sample sizes prior here.
From the "idea factory", somewhere between my sincere thoughts on food and dreaming about "I Dream of Jeanie", I was wondering to myself just this...What about Clay Buchholz on a minor league contract as a potential starter here in 2019+. Clay is a free agent.
I see this possibility of signing Clay Buchholz to a minor league contract as a very do-able thing. Almost a nothing really to lose type proclamation.
Clay is 34 years old, well established, has had serious pitching success prior, has fought through some injuries the last two seasons with oblique muscle type stuff, and he did go deep into September 2018 without a problem and was 7-2 on the Diamondback's mound starting last season with healthy pitching stats all around.
Clay Buchholz, I have watched pitch (a lot) when on the Boston Red Sox and I think here as a four or five starter that he'd be fine and be more than worth the effort to acquire.
The Mets get a quality veteran savvy starter with something to prove and the fans get the depth at starting pitching that they love to see from the NY Mets.
Could be a win/win situation Mr. Met. But you all decide.
The Outfield
Unless the Mets could get something of serious value for a pitcher like a Seth Lugo, Corey Oswalt, or Robert Gsellman, like a young up and comer outfielder with power game to him, I would stand pat with the outfielders here now, namely Conforto, Lagares, Nimmo, and Dominic Smith. With potentially Gator quarterback star Tim Tebow as the possible fifth outfielder.
Then come early September hopefully Yoenis Cespedes makes his grand re-entrance.
A guy I wouldn't mind signing (if anywhere near affordable) might be Evan Gattis.
Mets just added two more goys I never heard of. Caminero and Liriano. Don't ask me why, I have no clue. Probably for AAA.
So why not now Clay Buchholz?
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