Please use this thread to comment on any Mets-specific topic you wish.
Two days in a row without a loss – it’s been awhile since we could say that!
Please use this thread to comment on any Mets-specific topic you wish.
Two days in a row without a loss – it’s been awhile since we could say that!
Help,help,the sky is falling!
Couple of points for discussion:
1) What do we think about the Theo Epstein storyline on SNY today?
2) What do we think about the possibility of a player strike next year?
The Mets are at an existential crossroads at this very moment.
Will they shake the sins of the past, the Wilponian curse that has descended on this franchise and reinvent themselves as an organization, or will they continue to spiral into mediocrity and frustration while the better organizations, those with intelligent leadership, continue to out-preform us predictably year after year?
As a fan for my entire life, I would like to see that change. I realize that it is rare, but eve Cohen has the energy and the resources to effect the improbable. We all hoped it would naturally occur when he bought the team… but as it turns out, it is a hard nut to crack… to buck the forces of inertia, reverse the tides, and reestablish a new current.
It may mean a complete overhaul of the roster for next year. Out with the under-performing, ill-fitting pieces, and in with a new vision for the team he wants to see on the field every day. Godspeed to the change-makers.
Wobbit, Im with you. There are few players so “special” on the team that they deserve to be thought of franchiseable. Pete Alonso, Jake deGrom, and Franciso Lindor are about it. I think Lindor is moveable too, except that contract is not moveable.
The present core of players are fine, but together have produced nothing special. I cant believe people worry about the status of Jeff McNeil, JD Davis, or Dom Smith, or Luis Guillorme for example.
At the same time, the reverence for Alderson astonishes me. He’s a mostly failed Mets GM with a losing record and 1 singular bright spot based on 2-3 months of anomalously good play. He has not created a dynasty of any sort, except the one where the team escapes post season play. I’d fire Alderson as my first move. I thought the new era of ownership would see “Sandy Unchained,” but really he’s still the same “do more with less” guy that ran the team to failure for a decade with outdated approaches to the game. His failure is the failure of this team. People complain about Rojas, but the real issue is an tone-deaf relic of a GM/President from a different world at the helm.
So, stand tall Steve Cohen and make this your team. The long-term failure of “rebuilding for it” (Trademark ChrisF) is perfectly clear.
Gents,
A few questions/points.
– When have the Mets not been at an existential crossroads?
– The Mets have transitioned from the Wilpons to the wealthiest owner in baseball, less than 12 months ago
– I remember hearing somewhere that Rome was not built in a day. I’m old, but I’ll have to take someone’s word on that one.
– Cohen brought in Alderson as a short resource, essentially as stated by Alderson himself. This was done for some very basic reasons…Cohen had zippo experience running a baseball franchise, Cohen had familiarity with Alderson, and Alderson is old among them
– despite a rocky offseason (again) with a somewhat surprising hire/termination (again), the new owner moved quickly with terminations, outside expert assessments, and more terminations
– None the less, the Mets were able to assemble a squad that most considered favorites to win the NL East
– A premium star player was acquired and extended with a franchise record contract, a la “big market teams” that Met fans yearn for
– Management (mostly) refrained from frivolously parting with prospect capital
– Mr. Met has refrained from flashing vulgar hand signals at fans
– the black jerseys have returned
Also –
– the best pitcher in baseball has been outstanding when on the field, but missed significant time with assorted injuries
– two other quality starters have/will wind up missing significantly more time than expected/projected
– the offense has completed, collectively, and unexpectedly stunk, despite near consensus that the lineup was at worst competent with the possibility of being a high level offense
– the Mets remain quite close season is not over
It seems to me this is much more on the current group of position players as opposed to the franchise zen or the current management group. Even if they come back and win the NL East, this group is not an upper tier team. Outside of caving on the Lindor deal (which should be less of a loss with the richest owner in baseball) and parting with PCA for a rental, they have done a good job of positioning for success going forward. Like any other franchise in sports, health risk and performance risk are really tricky/lucky issues.
The problems for the future:
JD Davis: where does he play, can he hit? Valuable as DH.
Dom: he’s not a quality OFer. Valuable to some team at 1B.
Stroman: worth $40 M?
Conforto: not worth what Scott Boras will ask.
Syndergaard: September may give a clue to his value.
McNeil: 140 games at 2B? Not really strong enough.
Diaz: Can we steal a good player for him, then sign a free agent closer?
Can you elaborate on your point about McNeil? He has a career OPS+ over 130 and even in a down year this year while fighting through injuries is at 105. How is that not strong enough?
I don’t mean that he’s not a strong player… if he focuses on line drives and not try to hit homeruns, he is a valuable offensive weapon. I mean his body seems too fragile to withstand the rigors of everyday middle infield. He missed almost two months, and now he runs at half speed. Sorry, but that hurts the team.
i know injures are part of the game, but I love top of the lineup players who can run hard and make stuff happen with all out hustle. If the Mets have other players who are durable and can play hard, we can afford one who can’t, I guess.