Mack - FWIW

-Regarding the recent trade for another .230 hitting centerfielder, it's obvious this deal wasn't sent to Steve Cohen to receive his blessing.  This is an embarrassment that happened one day after it is announced that a big spender was being added to the equation. You know me and my obsession with tracking minor leaguers. I had both Taylor and Corona as blue star prospects. I had an additional star next to Corona's name because he is showing early progress as a much-needed outfielder. Frankly, I hope Brodie can come up with something better than this in the winter meetings. If not, he may be the first to go when Cohen gets the corner office.

-There is blogger chatter out there that our new White Knight of an owner signed off on that miserable Houston trade that Brodie once again got fleeced. Folks. Put the pens down. The league has to approve this deal before Mr. Cohen gets an office with a view. Some of you make it so hard for legitimate writers to be recognized by this sport.

I am reading a lot that has been written about when Cohen will be able to have the operating majority (51%) so he can begin to do the things he has done so well. Folks, everything you are reading right now is etched in silly putty. The first step is the league must approve the sale. I don’t see any problem here, especially since they already approved him as a minority partner when he, Bill Maher, and Jerry Steinfeld put down 20mil for a 4% stake each. That process takes time and the Winter Meetings will be long gone before Cohen can get his mitts on the team.  I also assume that he will then receive a certain amount of slots on the Board so he can put in his flunkies to replace the likes of Saul Katz and company. This also takes time. Past that, beat writers are write what they are being told by whistle blowers. I remember when everyone was writing that it was a lock that the Knicks were going to sign Duke’s Zion Williamson. Well folks, it didn’t happen that way. Now Giants writers are saying that they will get the 2^nd pick in the draft and Ohio State’s Chase Young is a lock. Oh yeah? What happens if Eli wins on Monday night? Here is my suggestion … go to bed every night thinking things are not going to change for another year. Also, assume that Brodie cares enough about his job in the future that he doesn’t sell off any more top prospects for aging pros.

-Wanna see what Cohen will have to work with in the 2020-2021 free agent market?

          Catcher: J.T. Realmuto, Mike Zunino, Yadier Molina

          First base: C.J. Cron, Yuli Gurriel

Second base: Cesar Hernandez, Marwin Gonzalez, DJ LeMahieu, Daniel Murphy (mutual option)

          Third base: Justin Turner, Zack Cozart, Jake Lamb

Shortstop: Andrelton Simmons, Jonathan Villar, Marcus Semien, Jurickson Profar

Outfield: Mookie Betts, George Springer, Yoenis Cespedes, David Peralta, Michael Brantley, Joc Pederson, Jackie Bradley Jr., Jay Bruce, Giancarlo Stanton (opt-out)

Starting pitchers: Trevor Bauer, Robbie Ray, James Paxton, Masahiro Tanaka, Jake Arrieta (club option), Marcus Stroman, Jose Quintana

Relievers: Blake Treinen, Alex Colome, Andrew Miller (vesting option)

=And lastly… MLB.com had a story declaring the all-time “value:draft pick by each team. They had this for the Mets:

        Mets: Nolan Ryan (10th round, 1965)

While Ryan was the Mets’ 10th-round pick In the Draft’s inaugural year -- there were multiple picks in every round starting in the eighth -- it wasn’t until 1972, following a trade to the Angels, that the right-hander came into his own. During an 83.5-WAR, Hall of Fame career that spanned 27 years, Ryan, who retired after his age-46 season, won 324 games, tossed seven no-hitters and racked up more strikeouts (5,714) than any hurler in baseball history.