Paul Articulates – Reactions to recent developments

I have been a Mets fan since I was 8 years old.  I have followed them through triumph and tragedy – they have always been “my team”.  There are other MLB teams that I like to watch, and I usually root for them to win as long as it does not impact the Mets’ season.  One of those teams was the Dodgers.  I mean “WAS”.  I don’t like the Dodgers anymore.  They are the greedy “Steinbrenner Yankees” of the National League that are pulling all the best talent into Chavez Ravine like it was a massive black hole.

I thought the Mets had a great shot at Roki Sasaki – their player development system and pitching lab technology promised him a great future.  I thought the Mets had the inside track on Tanner Scott – after all, the Mets still had the ability to bid high on top free agents.  Neither went our way in this past week, as they all gravitated towards the big bully of the NL.  Even Teoscar Hernandez, who seemed like a cast-off when so many other big money contracts were let, has come back to roost for a cool $66M in sunny south California.

The Dodgers are on a serious roll, using money and a great development system to attract talent, and then using the great talent to attract more talent.  After all, who doesn’t want to play for a winner?  That is as long as you can play.  How many spots are there in the lineup?  How many spots in the rotation?  Divvy up that $375M in salary next year and hope that being the best on paper translates to being the best on the field.

The Mets have not reached that level of critical mass, even with the signing of Juan Soto.  They don’t carry the intangible of being the default division winner with a clear shot at the World Series.  But they are building, and time will tell if this approach becomes more effective.  Certainly when Steve Cohen spent the money on Scherzer and Verlander it did not guarantee success.  The Mets seem to have fared better by building chemistry with compatible players and motivating them to play their best.  Only time will tell if this formula is a winner, but it seems to have a stronger foundation than in years past.

So this week we are celebrating the acquisition of AJ Minter and the re-signing of Jesse Winker.  Minter has always been one of those opponents you watched on the mound, wondering why we don’t have “more of them”.  Well, now we do.  He’s not Tanner Scott, but he is only 31 years old and has had some very good seasons recently.  I am hoping to hear about a few more acquisitions like that which will solidify the bullpen.  I am also looking forward to news that a quality starting pitcher is on a plane heading east instead of west.  The Mets still need more pitching depth just to compete in the NL East, let along the National League.  Winker strengthens the bench and creates some very healthy competition for the outfield, the DH position, and even first base.  Welcome back, Jesse.  

The Alonso drama continues to play out, with media pundits simultaneously announcing that he will reconcile with the Mets and that he will play for another team.  None of us really knows what is going on behind the scenes.  I would provide my opinion here, but it seems like when I do, things go the opposite direction.  Maybe I should pull a George Constanza move and say the opposite of what I am thinking.  Maybe not – I would like to retain some credibility around here.

In other news, the Mets have signed Elian Peña for a healthy $5M from the international bonus pool.  Peña is a highly regarded shortstop out of the Dominican Republic who may crack the top 100 prospects list before seeing a pitch in the US.  He adds to that list of infield prospects that includes Jett Williams, LuisAngel Acuna, Ronny Mauricio, Jesus Baez, Boston Baro, Colin Hauck, and Trey Snyder.  The Mets’ system seems to be filled with more potential stars than ever before.  Only time will disclose the real stars, as there is a lot to learn along the way.