Being an MLB General Manager is a tough job, particular if it’s for the NY Mets. Between the hyper active Big Apple media, the knowledgeable and rabid fan base, and the organization’s history of melodrama, it’s enough to keep a baseball executive up at night. Sandy Alderson, by most accounts, has done an admirable job, from tearing down an under-performing team with bloated contracts, to rebuilding the minor league system, to making key mid-season trades that helped get us to the 2015 World Series. However, his toughest job may be immediately in front of him.
While the 2016 Mets have been beset by injuries, slow starts, and slumps, their pitching has kept them in the thick of things. However, it has become abundantly clear that they’re going to need more offense in order to reach the playoffs again. A lineup that was projected to be solid got off to a torrid start in April had the wheels come off with injuries to captain David Wright, cleanup hitter Lucas Duda, primary catcher Travis d’Arnaud and first man off the bench Wilmer Flores. As if that weren’t enough to overcome, Curtis Granderson got off to a slow start, Yoenis Cespedes and Neil Walker went through slumps, and Michael Conforto completely stopped producing as of May 1.
Alderson nimbly traded for the veterans Rene Rivera, James Loney and Kelly Johnson to keep the team afloat, and to his credit, they have all contributed. However, now that it appears Wright may miss the season, Duda may be out another month, and Conforto still hasn’t found his swing, Alderson needs to really put on his thinking cap.
A month from now, half the teams in baseball will be prepared to discuss trades, but right now, most teams still think they have an outside shot of chasing a wild card. The Mets don’t want to part with any of their power arms and the high minor league cupboard is somewhat bare between recent promotions and trades. So, what’s a GM to do?
1- Call the GMs of teams that are clearly out of contention – the Braves, Reds, Padres, Phillies, Brewers, Twins, A’s, Angels, and Rays – and find out who might be available and at what price.
2- Keep a close eye on Las Vegas to see what players might be able to contribute, namely Dilson Herrera, Gavin Cecchini, Brandon Nimmo, Travis Taijeron, TJ Rivera, and Ty Kelly.
3- Monitor Conforto and determine if he’d benefit from a short term demotion.
4- Watch Flores and determine if he’s best off serving as a regular or sub player.
5- Keep tabs on d’Arnaud to make sure he finds his stroke and stays healthy, otherwise an upgrade may be needed behind the plate.
6 – Monitor the bench players and subs to make sure they continue to be our best options.
7 – Maintain dialogue with pitching coach Dan Warthen. Keep tabs on the starters’ health and work loads.
8 – Formulate a plan for when Zack Wheeler returns.
9 – Continue to make sure we have the optimal bullpen in place with Josh Edgin and others a phone call away.
10 – Further determine if what we have is adequate for the playoffs or if a trade is necessary.
11 – Kick the tires on Cuban slugger Yulieski Gourriel, former Met favorite Jose Reyes and quickly assess if either or both would help boost this struggling Mets lineup.
12 – Decide what field position or lineup spot is in most need of improvement. Then weigh that against what available players could most improve this team.
At any given hour the WFAN phone lines are queued up with Mets fans calling with what they think is the obvious solution. It’s fun to speculate, but clearly Alderson’s upcoming work will include endless hours of assessments and judgment calls before he can pull the trigger on any moves that might benefit this team.
I’d prefer if Sandy tries to find a permanent solution for third base, Wright is finished and the team needs to move on. No more projections please. The Rockies seem to always have good offensive players but no pitching. But if the teams continues to struggle offensively will Alderson give up one of the SP kids?
Agreed. He has enough family telling him that he will be a cripple if he keeps putting himself through 3 – 4 hours of preparation before each game, and that the natural pain-avoiding adjustments made to a world class athlete are damaging for the long term.
The captain needs to retire for his own life. I wanted him to own all the records, but he has a half-century of living to do. He’s a great guy.
Just a pet peeve, but for years Sandy has been routinely, reflexively credited with “rebuilding the farm system.”
I don’t see it. unless you are satisfied with a system that ranks below average and at this moment offers almost no valuable trading chips. He’s had almost six full years here. These are his players. This is his system. And the experts are not particularly impressed. He needs to stop getting patted on the back for a job at which he hasn’t really been all that successful.
I do agree that it’s a very, very difficult job.
Well, I think you have wait to see what impacts Herrera, Nimmo, Cecchini, Rosario, Smith, Beccera, etc make on the roster. The system was highly rated til all their top pitching prospects graduated, including Fullmer. The jury is still out.
Let’s hope the Mets reap the benefits soon.
What he said
Eric, I agree with your comment, which fully supports my point. Let’s not give him credit for “rebuilding the system” prematurely. By my reckoning, bloggers were praising him for achieving this about 12 minutes after he arrived.
Smith and Cecchini and Nimmo might all turn out to be stars.
Herrera = Justin Turner like guy
Nimmo = 4/5th OF
Cecchini = utility/bench
Rosario = starting every day SS, star potential
Smith = hard to call
Beccera = could be good, not an Alderson draft
Exactly right IMO. Look over the top 30 prospects on MLB pipeline. After Rosario, who is a legit ball player and heir to SS, the pickins are slender. I guess Smith, but hes not lighting the world on fire. After that there is a little hope here and there, of what most likely will be platoon and back up major leaguers, maybe an every day guy.
I agree that Alderson made a couple of really smart trades to bring in Wheeler, TDA and Thor, but his draft picks haven’t all been the best. When I say he rebuilt the farm system though, that refers to more than just drafts and trades. He brought in more scouts and coaches, put systems in place and set a tone for how an organization should be run at all levels. While the Mets will always have dramas, since Alderson has been here there’s no more Tony Bernazard taking his shirt off and challenging players to a fist fight type nonsense going on. There is now also more careful consideration given to position changes, promotions, etc. Previously, guys were switching back and forth between starter-reliever until they wore their arms out.
They should at least kick the tires on Gourriel. If they determine that he can hit major league pitching, he fills an immediate need.
Jimmy—I share your opinion that and “The Troika” have been over-credited…but I also recognize :
– was unfairly Criticized, as well—more talent than credited
– Focused on Arms and Long Development Early On
-He has Traded away a fair # of Prospects to Build and Patch his current team
There are several Prospects at The A+ Radar, and above. His #1’s have all progressed and advanced. I am willing to bet that eventually emerges as a Cornerstone…and I can’t dismiss the Production, Progress and Promise of the 3 outstanding position players at AAA–Nimmo, Herrera and …plus , The Wunderkind who just popped to AA @ 20, and @ AA— a Prospect that I don;t “love”, but another 20 year old Kid who’s productive and competitive at a High Level.
There are also a variety of Players and Pitchers with definite chances…doing what guys at that level do when they are not “Just ad At Bat HOF’ers”…. they’re scrapping for a shot. I don;t “like” …I “Like” Plawecki….Maybe becomes a continues to fail.
Pennant race teams don’t have reinforcements by the Handful…. the do have a few handfuls of hopefuls, including Young PLayers.
I just think this is true of nearly every organization in baseball.
Sandy inherited some high end talent — Harvey, deGrom, Matz, Familia, etc — and also wisely, astutely traded away some veterans for more prospects at a time when they were intentionally tanking. The guys he traded for included Herrera, Wheeler, d’Arnaud, Beccera, Syndergaard. When you look at pure “draft and development” — the ability to identify and draft young talent — it’s not been an impressive haul.
I’m not saying they are incompetent. There are currently 8 teams in the system, hundreds of players. Some of them are promising, and some will have productive ML careers. But again, that’s true of every team in baseball. I just don’t believe that he’s done this aspect of the job — building the farm system — with stirring success. And yet time and time again, I’ve read dozens pieces (over the past five years) that make this same baseless assumption.
Herrera may be the only impact player to step in but that would mean moving Walker to third. It is a move I would not make right now. Nimmo is interesting if Conforto was demoted in order to work out his hitting problems but for starters I would play D’Aza who is established before I would play Nimmo.
Flores fizzled fast and the Mets really need a third baseman now. Reyes for starters but Valencia and Gourriel for strong considerations.
TDA needs to hit and hit soon similar to what he his last summer. If not, it may be time to move on. Is TDA another Ike Davis?
There is some urgency for the Mets. They must make the playoffs. The starting pitching can’t be wasted. Alderson has his work cut out for him.
Oh no, Sandy actually has to work for his paycheck!?! The horrors!!!
There’s no job in the world I’d rather have than Sandy’s and a lot of you reading this feel the same way I’m sure. It’s one thing to yell get Reyes! Because you like him and think he might help the team but it’s a whole ‘nother thing to consider it from all angles – the many alternatives, other things impacted, the potential ramifications. This is a pretty serious decision.