MACK - My Thursday Observations

 

Good morning

The Mets went into camp with eight starters vying for five slots. Sean Manaea, Kodai Senga, and David Peterson seem like a lock. That leaves Frankie Montas, Clay Holmes, Tyler McGill, Paul Blackburn, and Griffin Canning fighting out for the last two slots.

Well, scratch Montas even before game one of the exhibition season. Felt tightness during first side session and now shut down 6-8 weeks. Add ramp up and rehab sessions and you're looking at a return of around May 15.

My guess is this is very good news for Megill. I know his manager loves him and a strong spring would easily make him the SP5... or higher.

Imagine one of your starters just came off a season where he hit 54 home runs and stole 59 bases?

Got a better LAD one... Kirby Yates will be paid $13mil in 2025 to pitch out of Da Bums pen... and the luxury tax they will have to pay because they signed Yates... $14.3mil.

Kevin Parada has come to camp 15 pounds lighter and bulked up to boot. Gave up off-season sweets. Great for him. Let's hope we see the college version of the projected star.

There was an entire different level of excitement on at the complex on Sunday. The Mets have never had this level of new arrival. My fractured memory says Carlos Beltran walking out for the first time to the warmup area was a big event, but nowhere near Soto big.

What passed me off was the microphones trusted toward Starlin Marte and asking him multiple questions on what it is like coming to camp knowing the front office was still trying to trade him.

Fucking press. Oh. Wait!

Lost my computer this week.."Back Screen OF Death". Less than 1-year old. Fucking China. Under warranty but has to be mailed away to Wuhan or some shithole like that for 3-4 weeks. The best Best Buy can do. Fucking Worst Buy. 

Can't do cut and pastes and other good stuff I find. Left to my own wits.

Frankie Montas

On Lat strain - " it's definitely a lot of frustration.  It's not how you start, it's how you finish."

Pete Alonso

"I'm stoked.

This is a very special place and what makes it special is the people here. It's no secret that David and Steve came down and met with me.  I respect that so much and I appreciate that."

Acknowledged he hasn't had his best years lately and said he couldn't expect a long-term deal in free agency this winter.

"For me, this was the best opportunity. "

On Soto - "he definitely makes us better. I'm just really thankful he ended up with us because it seems like anytime you play against him he takes a big hit or takes one up top or makes a game changing play.

Was he close to going somewhere else? - "for me, this was it. It would be fantastic to eventually get a long-term deal with the Mets. This is such a great organization and there are some great people here."

Was there pressure affecting him in a contract year last season? - "there is pressure every year. This is the big leagues."

Re: the Mets all time home run record - "of course I've given it thought. To be able to have that would be special."

Steve Cohen

On Pete Alonso - "we wanted him back. He’s a great Met. We had a great conversation over a few hours and, frankly, Pete did all the talking.  Scott Boras was there and Scott didn't say a freaking word the whole time."

On winning two to four World Series in the next 10 years - "why not set a high goal and try to make it?"

On what would constitute a successful Mets season? - "we have to make the playoffs. That's the minimum. 

"I think it's a team that's gonna produce runs.  I think our pitcher's gonna surprise people."

"I'd like to get below the Cohen Tax. I'm sure it's about me, but there's a lot of Cohens out there."

"I'll compete under any circumstances. You tell me the rules and I'll compete against them."

On Vlad Jr. - "he's a great ballplayer. I'll worry about that next year. You can't have too many long-term contracts because you lose your roster flexibility."

After being told that Vlad turned down an extension- "I'll let my baseball people worry about that."

On ranking 18th in home attendance last season- "I didn't like it. That really bothered me."

"You try to be somewhat measured but, in the end, you have to make decisions."

Drew Smith:

On returning to the Mets - "it's the only organization I've known.  It's nowhere else I want to be."

Started playing catch last week... best case scenario would be coming back before the end of the season.

About vibes in clubhouse - "I've been in the clubhouse for about three minutes but for what I see so far, and the moves they made, the team looks great."

Jeff McNeil:

On spring training - "you always come into Spring Training wanting to win a World Series.  If you don't, you shouldn't be here."

On Kodai Senga - "looked good in live BP today. Hopefully he can be healthy all year for us."

Carlos Mendoza:

On Kodai Senga - "he looked good (hit 96 in one inning live BP)

On Starlin Marte: 

"He is willing to do whatever it takes to help us win baseball games."

Francisco Lindor:

On becoming captain - "if it does happen, it would be fantastic. It would be an honor. It would be a privilege."

On kick-starting good vibes - "Winning. Not go 0-5."

On Mendoza giving him days off this season - "MLB does a fantastic job of putting days off on the calendar. So, we'll see."

On playing with Juan Soto - "I feel like I have a lot of things to learn from him and so does he. He has a lot of things to learn,  not just from me but a lot of guys around here. "

On advice to young infielders - If there is one thing I could tell them to do, it's work. Put your head down and work."

On Pete Alonso returning - "I'm just happy he's here with us and I'm happy he got good money."

Jose Inglesias:

"It hurts because we started something that definitely isn't finished yet. It took a lot of work for us to get where we got. That's what hurts. I definitely get that it's a business. But it definitely hurts. It's a special relationship and culture with the organization, the players, and the fans. 

It's not over until I sign with someone else."

Juan Soto

"We have a great group of guys here. On paper, we have a really good team."

On Pete Alonso: "he's one of the best pure power hitters in the league."

"I'm really happy to know where I am going to be for the next 15 years."

On where he will be hitting:

"Wherever he needs me. I'll be there.  I'm here to help the team to win."

On how to deal with NYC pressure:

"Winning games."

"I'm looking to improve my defense and baserunning."

"I never said I could be the guy.  You need a whole team to go all the way.  When you look around,  teams that win the World Series have really good players with youth  and everything.  I think it takes more than one guy. "

Sterlin Marte

On being back with his teammates:

"It definitely felt really special today. I just have to go out there and compete whenever my number's called to help in any way possible."

On his thoughts on possibly being traded this spring:

"I don't know. At the end of the day, that's something out of my control. That's in the control of the front office."