Despite the rotation depth, Alderson needed to aggressively act at the trade deadline to secure the club’s first postseason berth since 2006. The Mets became the first team in major league history to reach the World Series after ranking last in the majors in runs scored on July 31.
Trades that brought in rental bats Yoenis Cespedes, Kelly Johnson and Juan Uribe as well as relievers Tyler Clippard and Addison Reed in all cost the Mets eight minor league righthanders, the most prominent being 2011 supplemental first-rounder Michael Fulmer, who joined the Tigers in the Cespedes deal. John Gant and Casey Meisner also could have factored in the Mets’ Top 10 Prospects had they not been traded.
It was a testament to the drafting and development of young pitching that the Mets could part with so many arms and not compromise their future. Core prospects including shortstop Amed Rosario and the first-round trio of first baseman Dominic Smith, shortstop Gavin Cecchini and outfielder Brandon Nimmo remain as part of a healthy system presided over by DePodesta.
Source: Baseball America
Sandy deserves this award for the way he finally woke from his deep, deep slumber to make the obviously necessary moves to complement an outstanding rotation.
He transacted, at last.
I’ve read many people talk about how he should employ that strategy again — pick up what he needs in late July. And truthfully, it could possibly work again, he still has a few potential chips. But let’s not pretend that it should be a plan moving forward. Trading guys like Fulmer for rentals is not sustainable. If you look at the Mets system, there’s no pitching. Five years and SA hasn’t really brought in much talent, certainly nothing close to what he inherited.
Anyway, that’s another topic.
This morning I figured out what the new slogan for the 2016 Mets should be:
“Shhhh! Let’s pretend last season never happened!”
Can’t you see that festooned like a bed sheet across the grand rotunda?
It sure seems like their approach this winter. Keep the budget low. Don’t bring in top talent. Don’t address weaknesses — despite the huge amounts of money they made last season from merchandizing, SNY, season tickets, etc. Just keep doing business the old way.
My whining aside, hey, it’s still early. To SA’s credit, he recognized that the Mets had a shot last season and he rolled the dice. Maybe he’ll be smart enough to see the same thing this winter, and realize that tanking the first four months is not a great way to compete for the second WC. Nor is it a way to put an exciting product on the field. No offense is boring. Last time I looked, we’re fresh out of Fulmers. But come July, I guess we can give away Wheeler.
This was never going to be an easy winter. It was always going to be a test of the Mets GM. There’s still time. I just wish he’d at least pick up the #2 pencil.
If he signs Zobrist today for 4/$52, how would you feel? I’d think, well, if this is part of an orchestrated series of moves, I guess it’s fine. Zobrist is a good baseball player. But if it is “the move”? I’d find it strange.
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Would it be any stranger than inking Cuddyer as “the move” last year?
Alderson finally earned my respect when he began to make his moves on July 24th. Prior to that date he was frustrating, too conservative and indecisive. After that date, he only made one blatant mistake and that was the trading for O’Flaherty. Nobody is perfect and the final season results were good. Sandy expertly utilized his farm system to win a pennant and gain a World Series berth. There were also miscues and misevaluations in 2015. Those are not forgotten and is why Alex Anthopoulos, of the Toronto Blue Jays, was more deserving of the award. In any case, congrats to Sandy for winning the award.
Congrats to Alderson, who had the right approach, overall, in helping get the Mets to the World Series—even though he was hamstrung by the Wilponzis.
That being said, I am concerned that we keep hearing about finances and “expensive” free agents—though the market is what it is. What other big-market team sends out similar messages? Will the Mets’ ownership allow a significant boost in spending, with the increase in revenues they have reaped? I doubt it.
The Wilpons still owe hundreds of millions of dollars and continue to need the banks to refinance their loans on a regular basis.
How much did they get from going to the World Series? I don’t believe you should peg it above $50 million. Is the more responsible thing to spend that money on the 2016 team or to pay down their debt? I know people will whine that they “owe” it to the fans to reinvest in the team. As a fan, that’s what I’d like to see them do. But that’s certainly not my expectation.
Besides, they can’t expect to pocket an extra $50 million on a regular basis from here on out. So, unless they can get a FA to sign a one-year deal, they’re not likely to have a big free agent splash. And it’s equally unlikely that they set aside that money for future payroll and raises to the young pitchers.
Such a posture reinforces the broad impression the Mets did not belong in the WS, and more lucked their way into it more anything. It is a sad state of affairs. As defending NL champions, it would seem we have the target on our back, but I bet every major forecast come next March puts the Nats ahead of the Mets.
Not sure that I follow.
Is it because you can’t plan on the extra money each year that the perception becomes that it was luck? If so, I’m not sure you can fight that. I mean, coming into 2015 everyone thought the Nats were a slam dunk to make the playoffs and look how that turned out.
If that’s what you’re saying, my suggestion would be not to fight the perception. It’s just good business practice.
If you mean something else, please elaborate.
Its basically that the Mets did not earn their way to represent the NL in the WS. A review of all the major prognosticators at the start of the playoffs showed only 1 person, Adam Rubin, picking the Mets, and you know why. Look, Alderson made the right moves and we got there; that is a fact. I still think most people would say the only reason is because the Nats lost the East, not because the Mets won it.
The fact we will be losing offense in ’16 on a couple of big fronts with no plans to replace sends the message we dont care whether we go back or not. It is better business to pay down debt, but at a time when a team was so close to having a parade, it is a shame not to invest. Sometimes it takes money to make money…now would seem to be one of those times, it seems we will not be in the market to improve that bit needed to do so. Hence, the Mets will not be considered favorites to return at any level and will return to the normal posture of struggling to see the post season rather than being prohibitive favorites to go back.
The four starting pitchers are a huge advantage going into the season. They will keep the team in contention and the better the offense gets the better the odds for repeating.
Oh I completely agree…its just the offense is getting worse, by some stretch.
I promise I’m not trying to be argumentative.
I don’t give a flyin’ flip what other people think about the 2015 Mets. The reality is they played in the World Series and 28 other teams didn’t.
And I’m over trying to win the offseason. Everyone was so amped about what the Padres did last offseason and look all the good that did them.
My main goal in the offseason is to avoid moves that make me go — WTF — like the Cuddyer one last year. I’m quite content to sign a reliever or two, see how the first 60-70 games of the season play out and then go and get what we need, assuming we need anything major.
Im in agreement with you Brian.
We can look at the paths of the 2014 Royals and 2015 Mets. Neither really were predicted to represent their leagues. But the 2015 Royals came out as the best team in the AL and fought to the top and won it. They saw the needs to fill the holes and did it. THey dumped Billy Butler and brought in a consistent professional hitter. They invested and continued to understand the importance of the pen. And they got the starting pitching. As we embark on the defense of our League Champs status, we have unbelievably strong starting pitching, the envy of the MLB. We have a pen that is clearly in shambles, a weak middle infield, and the loss of professional hitters. The present rumors are that Alderson is planning on going ahead with pretty much what we see…but we have seen that already…and it wanst good. Id like, and hope, that we see more.
And yet another crappy off season beginning for Alderson…
Tendering a contract and paying 6 million for a middle reliever in Reed? Bringing back the knucklehead Mejia? It seems Alderson is looking to have a nice long off season vacation once again. When will he wake up and finally do something? The guy has absolutely no brain and no creativity
At least he tendered a contract to Tejada, who many fans and bloggers were stupidly calling for him to be non tendered