Reese Kaplan -- Use 2020 Season to Prepare for 2021

Let’s play a game in which we’re going to be the NY Mets front office and have just received word that a 2020 season will be played in ultra-abbreviated form.  The second spring training commences on July 1st and that means games will begin around the 24th of July.  How do you best approach this short season when there will be no fans and apparently no consideration for the missed time that will impact accrued player personnel time?

As much as the somnambulant fan base needs to be lured back into baseball relevancy and the traditional way to get baseball blood flowing is to contend for a pennant, is that really the best plan of attack for the Mets in this oddball year?  Sure, everyone would be much more interested if they were indeed part of the expanded playoff round robin tournament working towards a fake World Series, but in the long run is that the best approach for the team to take?

Personally, I would be having multiple meetings internally to determine who, if anyone, on the current roster with an expiring contract is on our radar for 2021 and beyond.  Do we really think that a Jed Lowrie or Yoenis Cespedes with their non-existent contributions to the 2019 seasons and thus far the 2020 seasons are going to be worth trying to retain after this pandemic taste of baseball is over?  Methinks they are not.  If that is the case, what role should they play on the current team?

Similarly, you have players who are going to be on their last contractual gasp in 2021 before hitting free agency for the first time.  Steven Matz is a good example since Noah Syndergaard is medically unable to contribute right now.  If he is going to be part of the future, then you need to ride him hard to get the most out of him to help you decide what to do with him when the off-season arrives.  Some clubs would try to sell early in the Branch Rickey model of divesting yourself a year too soon rather than a year too late. 

Others would point out that there is precious little pitching available now with Syndergaard down for the count and the free agent additions of Michael Wacha and Rick Porcello suddenly becoming a once-every-five-days part of the conversation.  Both of them signed one-year deals for the 2020 season that has yet to begin at rates less than half of what they earned in 2019.  Will they be available again for similar bargain prices in 2021?  Will they be hitting the road a’la Lowrie and Cespedes?  It’s important to see what they can offer.  After all Porcello is a 12 year veteran including the 2020 season yet began the year at just 31.  Wacha isn’t quite the long-term healthy success that Porcello has been for most of his career, but he’s still under 30 and earning just $3 million.  That’s a lot less cash than is in the bank account of oft-injured Mr. Matz.  

Another player you need to think twice about for the future is spare outfielder Jake Marisnick.  He’s not earning all that much but is eligible to be a free agent after the 2020 season ends.  How much do you want to give him in playing time if he’s not going to be here and he's not worthy of a compensation pick should he sign with another team?

Wilson Ramos is in a similar boat (though at a much higher price point).  If the pitchers don’t like throwing to him and he’s earning $10 million, would you want him here for another season or would it be better to buy out his option and find someone else to man the tools of ignorance?

Surely there is plenty of room in the starting lineup for the infield of Pete Alonso, expensive Robinson Cano, improving Amed Rosario and steady Jeff McNeil.  There is also going to be playing time found for Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo.  Then you have the odd pieces who can hit like J.D. Davis and Dom Smith but who do not have a place to play on the field other than the short-lived DH experiment.  

Personally, I would like to see them use this 2020 season as an audition for 2021 and not to go all-out trying to win an asterisked pennant for 60 games constituting major league baseball.  That achievement is sullied by the virus and the labor strife anyway.  Let the Marlins win for all I care about the bragging rights for a few hot weeks.  I am thinking long term about what’s best for the club.  Towards that end I want to see the folks play who might be here once the locker room closes on 2020.