Are you all done popping champagne and setting off fireworks over the Mets acquisition of Griffin Canning to become a leader in the 2025 starting rotation?
My initial reaction was similarly negative and underwhelmed until I took a breath and realized that he’s not a Corbin Burnes substitute. He’s not even a Frank Burns substitute. What he is for the Mets is another arm available when the injuries and ineffectiveness from Cy, er, Frankie Montas and company need some time off.
The second thing that occurred to me was that by stacking the deck with lower level major league pitchers and AAAA minor leaguers it is opening up the possibility of making trades that could include the likes of Jose Butto, Tylor Megill, Blade Tidwell and others who you might have been totally against sending away as part of a transaction because there was no depth behind them.
Don’t get me wrong. You still have the unproven ace-in-waiting in Brandon Sproat, ex Pirate Max Kranick, and various other pieces in differing stages of professional development and health. Remember Christian Scott? Yes, he’s a part of the mix but is out of action for 2025.
Then you have guys like Joander Suarez who has a very live arm but no sense of pitching rather than merely throwing. Then there’s long-injured Paul Blackburn, too. Yes, he’s no solid rotation arm, but for an occasional spot start due to injury or piled up doubleheaders you can live with him.
Right now there are still some very solid arms out there in free agency but evidence has shown that major league clubs are willingly paying way more for them than you would consider reasonable. That then makes the trade route worth exploring.
Right now the biggest problem for the Mets, their fans and the media is the seeming inaction taken by the front office who some perceive feel they are one and done after securing Juan Soto for the rest of his career.
Yes, they did add Clay Holmes who may or may not succeed as a starter after flourishing as a reliever, and Frankie Montas who had a hot end of 2024 but whose career metrics don’t suggest quality starting pitching. Outfielder Jose Siri is supposed to be a power hitting replacement at minimal cost for the departed FA Harrison Bader. None of these moves with perhaps the exception of Holmes seemed to make the fans happy.
Obviously the unknown resolution to Pete Alonso’s free agency, the Roki Sasaki international bidding war that is also open, the suitors for other key free agents like Corbin Burnes, Jack Flaherty, a possible return of Sean Manaea, the missing-in-action Jose Quintana and a collection of others make people wonder what exactly the Mets are waiting to have happen before they take more conspicuous steps towards improving the 2025 roster.
14 comments:
Gladly it is 7 weeks to pitchers and catchers. Right now, we have a rotation the Chicago White Sox would be proud of. Sasaki would immediately change that. Then, add to the pen.
Interesting minors signing in Anthony Gose. Now 34, he is a fireballing lefty after giving up hitting. Wasn’t he the guy the Mets turned down and demanded Syndergaard instead in the Dickey trade? P.S. he fanned less as a hitter than Parada does now.
I remembered the same thing regarding Gose as soon as I read it.
It will be interesting to see if a Goldschmidt signing happens because then I'm thinking a Vlad signing next year WOW. Sasaki would be great but just don't see it with the other Evil Empire in the mix.
I seem to recall Gose being a Met before - was it last off season - but only for a short while. Wondering where the relievers have all gone. Seems like everyone is in a holding pattern for now. I can see a long lockout coming in two years as only nine teams have passed the Luxury Tax threshold and MLB is becoming a league of super teams and then everyone else. That’s not good for the game.
It bothers me that the Dodgers seem to be favorites to sign every major free agent.
What were people here and elsewhere saying a year ago, when we added Manaea, Sevy and Q?
Trust in Stearns, and let Hef work his magic.
Ray, I’m pretty sure around the league people agree with you.
Bill, Stearns got the players but he cannot control how they perform or if they will stay healthy. His luck was golden this past season but we don’t know if it will be again next season.
I have a stupid idea: can Marte play first base next season? I wonder if he’s open to it to play everyday…. Yes, he will suck at first, but seeing how he is not much of a right fielder, might it be appealing to him to get a new deal as a dual position guy?
I have heard a lot stupider ideas...hell, I've had a lot stupider ideas. Interesting, although I am not giving up on Pete until the ink is dry on a contract for somebody else.
I am glad that everyone hasn't signed all the free agents yet. January would be very boring if there was nothing to talk about.
The Yankees have been reported to have signed Paul Goldschmidt to a $12.5 M, one year contract. Pete is still waiting.
Yankees will officially be in the Vlad chase next year. Would be very j treating to see Uncle Steve & Hal go at it again…. Do we sign Pete or go for Vlad next year?
His "luck" has built contending teams in Milwaukee for years, often with players rejected by others. And he did it with small-market budgets.
When he takes chances that don't work out, he cuts his losses and moves on.
It's more than a one-year thing, and much more than "luck".
I'd reach out to Toronto this off-season and see what it would cost playercwise to trade for Vlad now
Post a Comment