The offseason has begun, and teams are gearing up to sign and/or trade for some of the biggest names on the market, including Jacoby Ellsbury, Shin-Soo Choo, Asdrubal Cabrera, and our old friend Jose Reyes. It will be a chance for teams to make a name for themselves, whether they are a team as rich as the Dodgers or as poor as the Astros. So where will the Mets fall this offseason? Will they lay low, or will they sign top dollar? Nobody quite knows yet, but there is definitely a chance to get out of the dumps, and make the playoffs.
Going into the 2014 season, the Mets’ main goal should be to find and to build a solid outfield, and get a shortstop to replace Ruben Tejada. As mentioned by Julian McCarthy in his most recent article, Stop waiting on Matt Harvey, the Mets should try to sign Jacoby Ellsbury, who has World Series experience, and Shin-Soo Choo for their outfield. They should also either sign Asdrubal Cabrera or trade for Jose Reyes to play shortstop. All four would be solid counterparts for the Mets, and they have all shown that they can hold the spotlight, which is a major part of playing in New York.
The Mets could also use a first baseman. Ike Davis has truly ended up to be a bust for the Mets. He cannot hit, run, or throw; and in 2013, he struggled to hit for power. So who would be a solid, bona fide player for the Mets to sign to play first base? There are many players out there, some of whom include Mike Napoli, Kevin Youkilis (both with World Series experience), and Justin Morneau.
The Mets may also keep their wallets closed this offseason, as they have been doing throughout the “Sandy Alderson Era”. The Mets have a top 15 farm system, and they have many young players whom they can bring up at any time (i.e. Brandon Nimo, Noah Syndergaard, etc). So, the Mets might just keep it calm this offseason, and continue as a team in the rebuilding process.
The Mets can easily make two names for themselves this offseason. They have enough money to become a top-dollar contender; or they can just keep doing what they have been for the past couple of years, which is keep their wallets closed and remain a team in the midst of the rebuilding process.
Personally, I hope the Mets spend their money and compete, rather than keep quiet and rely on their farm system for the 2014 season. This would not only serve as a joy for Mets fans to watch, but for all baseball fans in the New York area, as the Yankees are most likely going to lose fans, since they will not have their “Super Squad” to put on the field. But most importantly, the Mets need to make some major news this offseason, so the big story wrapping up the offseason will not be about how Bobby Bonilla and Jason Bay are the two highest paid Mets outfielders. The Mets’ financial issues are behind them, and their frugal spending habits over the past few years should have added plenty of money to their bank account. It is time to stop saving for a rainy day, and let the sun shine bright on Citi Field.
Look… I’m frustrated too, but I mean… the Mets aren’t saving for a rainy day. They have owners who have lost a lot of money and are unwilling to invest right now. I’d love Alderson to have an extra $25 Mil to spend but can we say that adding Choo, Ellsbury, Peralta, Montero, Halladay and Jiminez would actually make us win? Can we say that if we trade for Carlos Gonzalez or Andre Ethier or Jose Reyes we will not regret the move by August of 2014?
The Mets are fielding a team below the “Major Market Poverty Line” and I hate that, but we can’t say Alderson is trying to save for tomorrow. He’s simply working within a budget. He’s got $35 Mil to spend… he will spend (at least) most of it.
Spending and revenues go hand in hand. Unless you get lucky, if you spend less, you draw less (with less revenues).
If Mets are exciting and stay in race until at least early September, attendance (and revenues) increase. They need to figure that out. Ain’t easy, but hopefully, they spend more and it works out.
I understand what you are trying to say, but Alderson promised us when he took over the Mets that he had a four year plan in the making, and he would build it around David Wright, Jose Reyes, Johan Santana, and Jason Bay. He is now going into his fourth year as the Mets GM, and the team still seems to be four years away from contending, not to mention the fact that Reyes, Santana, and Bay are not even on the team anymore.
Im with David here. SA is clearly not building a rainy day fund for the future. He walked into a 5-alarm financial fire, and made a prediction when the fire would be out based on the data at the time. As time moved on there has been, unfortunately, a change to that reality. Yes, he said 2014, yet clearly the environment here at the end of 2013 is not what the forecast called for. I dont blame him for that. Who knew Jason Bay would be THAT bad? That Johan would face double AC tears? That Reyes really was as happy to leave as to stay? Virtually all of the changing variables went south. I mean, when did we all think Harvey was gonna go down for count?
Agreed. The big problem the Mets have is the Wilpons lost a lot of money in a ponzi scheme. It is still unclear how much money they lost and how much they are willing to spend on the Mets this year. The fiscal limitations placed by ownership forces the Mets to act like a smaller market club. That being said I do believe there are ways to get better without blowing up the budget. For instance, the Rangers have a glut of talent up the middle they may be willing to deal Elvis Andrus and eat some of his salary.
I plan should never be spend money this offseason. It should be acquire talent without having restraints of a tiny budget. There is a big difference. I hear a lot of “The Mets better spend money” Haven’t we seen enough of the Jason Bay, Oliver Perez, Bobby Bonilla, Vince Coleman signings to show us that getting the right players regardless of money is more important than just spending for the sake of spending. If they don’t get players this off season because the best players available are flawed and asking for 100 million dollar contracts and they wind up with lesser players instead i’m ok with that. You can’t force the issue, no matter how impatient we are, you don’t win by spending for the sake of spending
I agree…any spending needs to consider revenue impact. You sign the Bays, you’ve added cost and no revenue. Good signings add revenue, hopefully disproportionately more than the costs being added, so there is yet more $$ to spend.
Ultimate goal for Wilpons is to raise franchise value, so same rule of quality signings applies.
It is not my problem that the Mets lost their money in a ponzi scheme or have mismanaged their business. I won’t support it with my money either by showing up or buying merchandise. I haven’t bought a ticket since Fred Wilpon told Steve Phillips to denigrate Alex Rodriguez and have him give us Steve Trachsel and Kevin Appier instead.
Sandy Alderson is there for major league baseball, not the Wilpons. And he is not accountable for the product on the field. It would be nice if people understood that, but they don’t.
Baseball is supposed to be fun and entertaining. Mets “baseball” isn’t either. So as George Carlin said, put the team away until they can win again because it is not worth watching.
What upsets me the most is that the Dodgers were in a similar financial position 2 years ago and were forced to sell the team by Bud Selig. Since Selig is buddies with Wilpon, this didn’t happen with the Mets, and so here we are, and look at the Dodgers now.
The bottom line is that they do have the money to spend now and just choose not too, and as long as the Wilpons are owners, their payroll will never be where it should for a NY market. That is a disservice to it’s fanbase and to New York. If you can’t, or don’t want to spend like a big market team, then let it go and move to KC.
I really hope this offseason they prove us all wrong and make a splash and bring back the confidence in Mets fans, I’m just not optimistic they will…
Did u say they could bring up Nimmo? He just finished low A ball. We won’t be calling him up for a couple years! It’s time to spend!
I would also pass on both Kevin Youkilis and Justin Morneau. You mention how Bay and Bonilla were / are two overpaid Met outfielders now is not the time to overpay for two different older players who are past their primes.
I would be overjoyed if they just signed Peralta, Byrd, Hart, Granderson, Hawkins, and Harang for, say, $35 million.
The Wilpon’s don’t have a rainy day fund. They are under financial stress. They have $30M to spend to maintain last year’s budget. There is no talk of spending the new television money. Even if they spend, they have to spend wisely. Alderson is responsible for that and the burden falls on his shoulders. The Wilpon’s should do Met fans a favor and sell the team since they don’t seem to have the financial resources to make the team competitive.
Dan! Where do you get this idea that the Yankees are going to lose fans? With how many injured stars this season out they still managed to draw 3.3 million fans. If A-Rod gets suspended that’s 25 million more for them to spend on free agents. Why on Earth would Mike Napoli who just won a World Series sign with the Mets? Fantasy baseball. There’s no logic to your request. Youkillis couldn’t stay off the DL all season so you want the Mets to go run out there and sign him for what? 6 million? So he can watch games from the luxury boxes? God help us if you’re the GM of the Mets. Mourneau suffered a severe concussion that took him nearly 2 years to recover and he’s just a shell of what he used to be. I guess you’ll sign him him for 2 years at 8 million per year? Anthopoulos will NEVER trade Reyes back to New York. For one you don’t need him if you sign Ellsbury and Choo. Second Reyes makes 16 million this year and 22 million in ’15 and ’16. If the team signs all the players you’ve listed that puts their payroll for 2014 at 120 million. Sorry but unrealistic.I have no problem with signing Choo and Ellsbury who are not only huge upgrades but are proven players who know what it takes to win on a consistent basis. Sign Peralta 3 years at 10 million. Don’t sign ANY high profile starters. Dice-K or Harang as a 4th or 5th starter at minimum salary while adding incentives for innings and wins. Package Murphy, Davis and Lagares for CarGo and your outfield is set for the next 4 years. Payroll would be about 90-95 million. Definitely feasible. Expectations and hopes this happens? None.
I understand what you are trying to tell me. But you cannot just live in the past and expect every player whose had a recent injury to get injured again. Look at Reyes for example, he always got injured on the Mets, and in 2012 with the Marlins, he played in 160 games. Ergo players such as Youkilis can still play at full potential, with out injury. And for what I said about the Yankees, Jeter will never be “Jeter” again, they are losing Granderson and Rodriquez, Rivera and Pettite retired, they have barely and “superstars” left on their team. Plus, look at 2009. In the beginning of the season, the Yankees got off to a slow start, and fans were not showing up. When they got back on track and started playing well, thanks to A-Rod, fans showed up. However, they will not have the same star power as they did in 2009, so it will be a struggle for them to win, and they will not be able to put as many people in the seats as they usually do.
Yes Dan the Mets need to make some good news this off season. The best news would be if the Wilpons sold the team and were no longer the owners of the Mets.
We are trying to build a young team, so why bring in guys over the “hill” already. Bring in guys to contend for spots, be it in infield, outfield or rotation. I think our bullpen is coming along well with guys like Black, Edgin, German, Familia and such. WE need to do the same at SS, 1B and outfield.
Though, at the same time, we need to have the star power and the guys who are “over the hill”, this way the young guys can learn from the experience of the veterans who have been to the World Series.
Yankees payroll is under 100 million as of today. If A-Rod’s suspension is upheld that’s another 25 million dollar deduction. Didn’t Youkillis have the same potential to play a full season last year? The Yankees were desperate and took a chance that his back would not be an issue. What happened? Back injuries to the average person are difficult enough to deal with. Let alone an athlete who places stress on it swinging a bat, running or playing third base. How many games did Reyes play this past season Dan?