Since his call up in the 2017 season, Jeff McNeil has quickly made his mark on the New York Mets. Even as he has garnered headlines for his strong hitting, knobless bat and defensive adventures around the diamond, it almost feels like he still is one of the more underrated players in the game.
In only 248 games played, McNeil has accumulated 9.2 bWAR, tied with Todd Hundley for 33rd all-time in Mets history. He is ahead of such names as Lucas Duda, Ron Hunt and Rusty Staub. His .319/.383/.501 career batting line is good for a 139 wRC+. He has been excellent, and one of the real bright spots on two Mets teams that have disappointed. There are no more questions if McNeil is the real deal.
Assuming an on-time start to the 2021 season, McNeil willmstill be only 28 on Opening Day, and won’t be eligible for free agency until 2025. He’s a high-end lefty hitter in his prime making a pre-arbitration salary who can passably play defense at three positions. Players like McNeil are not only on championship teams, but are the reason championship teams are championship teams.
It is obvious that McNeil fits in with the Mets moving forward, especially with the pending sale to Steve Cohen promising changes in how the team will try to compete. The question is how and where does he fit in?
McNeil’s primary defensive position for the past two years has been left field, but it’s hard to imagine keeping him there being the best thing for the team. That’s not necessarily a knock on his abilities, but rather more that left needs to be Brandon Nimmo’s home. With how Dominic Smith hit in 2020, it’s hard to imagine him not being penciled in as the DH in 2021, assuming that change is made permanent.
Even with Steve Cohen’s deep pockets, it’s hard to see the Mets benching Robinson Cano in favor of McNeil in 2021. That is especially true since Cano just put up his best offensive season since 2014 and is going to be chasing down 3,000 hits. As long as he can still be serviceable with the glove and he hits his weight, I don’t see Cano losing his starting role next year.
For the immediate future, third base seems to be the best choice for McNeil. He has shown the ability to handle the position defensively and has a bat which plays at third. J.D. Davis’ disappointing season in 2020 perfectly opens the door for a change, and outside of a 36-year-old Justin Turner there aren’t any intriguing names in free agency. That is unless the Mets go big and sign DJ LeMahieu and move him to the hot corner.
So, there it is, problem solved. McNeil is your everyday third baseman. But of course, it’s not that simple.
For the past several years, the Mets utter lack of pitching depth has come back to bite them. There are very good pitchers available both as starters and relievers as free agents this season. But if the Mets want to bring in a pitcher or two with a trade, it might be worth considering parting with McNeil.
7 comments:
I believe that Jeff clearly demonstrated he can't play 3B. He was awful there and had to be moved. Lot of errors. The arm isn't strong enough. The Mets sorely need to stop doing that as an organization.
I love him, love his hitting approach, his energy, but he needs to play LF on this team.
Davis is no joy at 3B, either, but he can throw the ball. I don't think the Mets can solve all the defensive problems in one off-season. Or, for that matter, that all defensive problems have to be erased. Sometimes you live with a guy because of the bat.
I think I'd like to see J.D. have a real season at 3B, so long as Mets upgrade defense at C, CF, SS, 1B.
I see the Cohen thing as a two-year plan.
Jimmy
Jimmy,
Great thoughts as always. I agree - you need to fix the defense one position at a time. Could 2020 be the fix of Dom at 1st and Gimenez at SS? Then perhaps this winter the Mets could try to fix CF and C.
I love Jeff and other players. I'd love him to stay. But 26-34 means this team needs fixing. Lots of fixing, mostly at pitcher. They screwed up the pitching fixes, mostly, in 2020 - they cannot repeat that mistake in 2021. The goal for 2021 should be a 100 win team.
This is awful idea McNeil is the real captain of the future Norway you trade him
He was born to hit
There are a ton of great comments on the Mets360 sites about this article, including a couple of my own opinions (that yes, McNeil would be the best guy to trade). I'll opine just a bit about the comments that are posted here.
I think they need to fix the up the middle defense first. A real centerfielder is needed. I think George Springer should be the top priority FA signing. (maybe on a par with Marcus Stroman, who also happens to have a gold glove). Catching comes next - McCann is the guy there. Pitching comes next.
I believe SS is already solved - Gimenez earned a starting shot in 2021. I don't know what the issues are with Pete . .his average wasn't great, but he is the real deal and will be an excellent MLB hitter. Use 1B and DH to get the best from both Alonso and Smith (along with some LF for Smith).
I would either leave Davis at third for the year (McNeil is not a 3rd baseman), or trade him for a guy like Kris Bryant.
Tom, I don't think the Mets are a 26-34 team. Hell, if Noah was healthy, they would have made the playoffs. Or Strohman, for that matter. What were they, 2-17 in starts by Matz-Porcello-Wacha?
No question, it's a team that needs work. And a little luck.
Defense up the middle. A new catcher -- I'd be happy with McCann, concerned about size and length of contract for 30-year-old Realmuto -- and a centerfielder who can go get the ball. Gimenez at SS.
I love Cano, and part of that admiration comes from the appalling way he's been treated by fans and dim-witted bloggers. He didn't make the Diaz trade. Robinson needs to DH more, play 2B a couple of times a week, continue to hit. If Mets could move him, by including a player in the deal or eating some money, I'd do that; looks unlikely.
Again: If Cano and Diaz played to their established norms in 2019, and if Noah wasn't a total bust, the Mets would have taken the NL East and been WS contenders. They might have been the Nationals. I appreciated that they tried to win; it was a new feeling in town after the debacle of Sandy's soporific tenure.
But I digress.
This team isn't that terribly far away. The bullpen needs continual upgrades, endlessly; that's the game today, and it's not easy. Sandy traded for 12 RHP and they all were bad. Not easy to do! Bauer would help a lot, though I don't love a one year deal if Mets have a two-year plan. Signing him would be a hell of a loud statement.
For most of the time when Sandy was GM, three of the teams in the NL East were not even trying to compete. Braves, Phillies, Marlins, all punted. The window was wide open. These days, it is a much tougher prospect. Marlins have those young arms. Braves are beast. Phillies are weird, but dangerous, like the Mets. The Nats might be in trouble. But overall, not the cakewalk it used to be.
Jimmy
Jimmy, Good stuff, and I agree with you about everything before you stopped digressing :-) (Altho I would give Cano more like 4 starts at 2B per week)
Where I disagree is Bauer. He is just not as good as he showed in 2020 and is not worth the money he will command coming of an arguable Cy Young award. Both too much baggage and not enough long term results. (I could go on for quite a while about his portfolio, and will if you are interested, but . . .)
My three SP pick-up for 2021 are Stroman, T. Walker, and Z. Plesac, with Syndergaard coming back mid-year.
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