The Mets have made many costly free agent mistakes over the years. At the time, signing Jason Bay, Bobby Bonilla and others seemed like a good idea. They had a track record of success, were still in their prime and coming off a good year. Hindsight is 20/20 so it’s easy to now point to the warning signs. Who in this year’s free agent class do you think should be red flagged? For me it’s A.J. Pollock. There are just too many recent examples of center fielders not aging well – Grady Sizemore, Jacoby Ellsbury, Carlos Gomez, Dexter Fowler, et al. Some, like former Mets Carlos Beltran and Curtis Granderson, and Yankee Brett Gardner, can find longevity in a corner OF spot. Odds are, this is where Mike Trout will be down the road. The 35-year-old center fielder has gone the way of the $3 stadium beer.
Other than a Machado signing…
UT/INF wander about: Cabrera or Marwyn Gonzalez fit the bill—the nice part aboiut Gonzalez is that he carries an OF Glove as Well. There’s a 400-600 ab Job that needs to be done. Gonzales is punchier as a RH Bat—I would like them to sign Marwyn.
Catcher: I’d save my powder for non-catchers, personally. I have no interest in anchoring a Batting Order to a Catcher. I’d certainly not trade players for a C. All of you Past Lucroy Guys—note the quick wear and tear….btw, I’d now Kick the Lucroy Tires.
Machado: he’s a perfect Match. Frazier can be an IF Wander’bout…and a RH First Base guy if it all lands that way. Massive Overpay on a short term—- 4years/200k…..the guy gets back out to market at 29…thats the buy-sell. Personally, not interest in 8/10/12 years. It’s a big spend…it’s directed at the time frame this team is in—Machado gets 5-6 years of pay for 4….How confident is He in himself? Throw in a 5th year option—get it done.
Bullpen: at least two arms…one needs to be a Late Leverage Guy, and I’m good with a Familia return.
I want a Major League Roster and Bench every single game. One too many is far, far better than what they’ve been doing.
Agree with many comments out there—you either attack the opportunity of this Starting Rotation or you sell it off.
I do love Hot Stove, but I also believe in leaving some room and resource to perfect the team in June and July….after a big winter stocking stuffer.
Eraff I’ve been asking for Gonzalez for months in multiple posts here. Machado probably will not leave money on the table for fear of a drop off or serious injury. But I do like the idea. But where is this money going to come from? Sounds like a 200 million dollar payroll to me. Sad to say the Coupons are KMart shoppers so that leaves you with a deficit of 45 million or so u need to pare down and you didn’t address catcher.
Forgot to add if our new GM knows what the 2019 payroll will be
I mentioned Catcher.
Sorry yes you did. Realmuto by trade or signing Grandal? If you had a choice which way would you go? Agree that the Mets should not pay for an over the hill another injury waiting to happen catcher
The Mets are not going to sign Machado because they never would pay that kind of money. Having said that, Ramos, Familia, either Miller or Britton and Ottavino.
Mets had 19 blown saves last year and if they can cut it in half, that would have meant the Mets would have won 88 games just by fixing the BP.
I do expect Bruce and Frazier to have better years and with the addition of Ramos, full year of McNeil, and improving Rosario, etc they should be in contention all year with that pitching staff.
Andrew Miller is one I would stay away from. A relief pitcher who’s going to be 34 next season, whos’ performance dropped off big time in 2018, and who has a lot of mileage on his arm.
Now it is the two headed monster, Ricciardi is gone.
MLBTR’s writeup of the Mets:
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/11/offseason-outlook-new-york-mets-9.html
Super good assessment of the situation. I cant help but ask how relief arms and a power hitting righty solve the speed and horrific defense issues. Maybe that just was all ducks quacking and its back to HR uber alles.
Chris, I’m not in love with Frazier, but if they get three good relievers and Realmuto, I could live with it as the off season.
I don’t see all the love for Marwin Gonzalez and Maldonado. What are they going to do to move the needle anyway?
Miami made it clear the Mets do not have the prospects for Realmuto. I would rank that as extremely unlikely.
So the player positions won’t be getting younger or faster it seems, even though a more complex offensive threat was what most in Mets-land clamored for. Defense (27th in MLB) won’t be improving much either. So its the same team with the hope that relievers will be the answer, oh, and a super U infielder.
Fascinating.