In our September survey, one of the things asked for was to have contests/activities besides our regular articles here at the site. My response was that it was something we would look into once the season is over. Well, now’s the time and today is the day. I think this is a great idea. But it’s not something I can just snap my fingers and make happen. It requires participation from people besides me.
The two things that jump immediately to mind are a Do or Die pool for NFL games and an NBA fantasy league. With the football pool, you pick one team to win each week. If the team you pick wins, you advance to the next week. If the team you pick ties or loses, you’re out of the pool. Winner is the last one standing.
With the NBA league, we would draft a team and accumulate points on how the players do in real life.
We could do the NFL one with as many people as who wanted to enter. With the NBA one, we would need 10 or 12 people.
Please mention in the comments if this is something you’d be interested in. This is the only time I’m going to mention it so please respond today or tomorrow if this is something you want to do.
If Steve Cohen wants to go to $342M next year, he could possibly sign the following:
deGrom and Koudai Senga for the starting rotation, keeping Carrasco:
deGrom $44M
Scherzer $43.33M
Koudai Senga $10M
Carrasco $11.75M
Peterson $1M
Diaz, Chafin, Lugo, Rodriguez and Ottavino for the bullpen:
Diaz $18M
Drew Smith $1.2M
Megill $720M
Curtiss $775K
Chafin $9M
Joely Rodriguez $3M
Lugo $5M
Ottavino $7M
Lucchesi $1.15M
Keep the present infielders:
Alonso $15.9M
McNeil $6.2M
Lindor $33.8M
Escobar $10M
Guillorme $1.5M
Baty $720K
Sign Judge and Nimmo for the outfield, with Canha the fourth guy and McNeil, if needed:
Canha $13.25M
Judge $41M
Nimmo $20M
Marte $19.5M
Go with Alvarez at Catcher, and trade McCann (paying 1/2 his salary):
Alvarez $720K
Nido $1.6M
DH:
Vientos $720K
Vogelbach $1M
Cano gets $20.25M next year.
Luxury tax numbers and estimates for free agents listed above.
Trade or release Dom Smith, but hopefully getting a relief pitcher back for him.
Add another $5M for 1/2 McCann’s salary.
So we’re at $347M.
I’d be into the NFL pick’em pool. Not into NBA.
No to deGrom. I almost wish that someone else offers him more then the 30+million he’ll be getting if he doesn’t opt out. I don’t think he’s worth that amount anymore. We’re already stuck with Scherzer and his 43.3 million, and he’s certainly not worth that.
I’d rather have Walker then Carrasco myself, even if it might cost a couple million more. And what about Bassitt? For less then 20 million?
Megill and Peterson for the #5 starter; and I’m sure someone will be offering more then 10 million for Senga.
I think Dom Smith shouldn’t be traded or cut until ST, and see if he can DH this time around. At least he can pretend to play the OF while Vogelbach can’t.
Everything else looks good, although I think getting Judge is a pipe dream…….but if Cohen wants to throw big money around, for sure I’d go Judge over deGrom all day long.
Good job SteveS.
The football game looks like fun.
Instead of deGrom and Nimmo. Give me Carlos Rodon and Trea Turner. Yep, Turner can play center. Over the next five years, Rodon may outpitch deGrom and Turner is a superior bat with power and speed over Nimmo. Don’t be surprised if this happens. You can say you heard it here.
We should have signed Wheeler. That was a big miss.
It’s been a fun ride, and thank you Brian for putting this forum together and thanks to all of the contributors, especially the regular crew. M360 made the season that much more enjoyable for me.
Our Mets are in a challenging situation heading into this off-season, with a ton of huge question marks, key players who are becoming free agents, and really zero MLB evidence that there is minor league help on the way. Brian mentioned earlier this month about how lucky the Braves have been to strike gold with their trio of rookies. In comparison, our rookies look like a continuation of our long line of “can’t miss” prospects who have all missed.
They had a great draft this year and aside from the Rocker debacle, they had a good draft last year too. It’s too bad that Conforto didn’t sign somewhere last year, as we could have used that draft pick.
One item that I’d love to hear about from those who have a more tuned-in opinion is what about Bryn Alderson, Sandy’s son. He began his career working for his dad in Oakland and followed him here and he’s the Mets Director of Professional Scouting. Nepotism? Meritocracy? It does not smell right to me and I wonder what role he’s played and what are his responsibilities. What has he delivered and for what mistakes is he accountable?
IMHO, the long-range plan that Cohen is executing is about the players that have been drafted since he’s owned the company and how they will matriculate to the Show in the coming years. By all indications, the farm is promising, but is early in its fermentation. I have hopes for Alvarez but am skeptical of Baty and Vientos. Ramirez isn’t ready, but he seems like he could be a star and Jett Williams, Parada, and Tidwell are exciting prospects.
Heading into 2022, I was hoping for a WC berth at best. Their great season got my hopes up, but realistically, we’re still on the front end of the plan to build a Dodgers-like organization. Cohen thus far has really only committed that Lindor is a part of that plan. I agree with Chris’s points made earlier this week that the window to sign some of team to longer term contracts is probably shut. It would have been foresightful to sign Alonso, McNeil (I would have adamantly opposed it, to be fair, but I would have been wrong), deGrom, Diaz, (ditto), and Nimmo to longer term contracts. As it sits now, there will be little continuity from year to year until the farm produces talent at the MLB level.
Brian, I would be up for the Do-or-Die NFL pool but not the NBA fantasy league. At least not until the Spurs get better. (It is not such a great time right now to be a Mets, Broncos, and Spurs fan. Quite depressing, actually.)
I hope that:
Nimmo, Diaz and deGrom are signed.
Alvarez is the starting catcher.
Against RHP,1 have Baty and Escobar start. One at third base and the other one at DH. Therefore, trade Vogelbach and replace him with RHB as a 4th outfielder.
Against LHP, have Escobar and the new 4th outfielder share the DH position.
This this way, the DH position has more flexibility and can be also used rest other starters.
A quick decision has to be made regarding Carrasco’s option. Pick up his option. They can trade him later if they want.
Peterson is the 5th starter. Choose between Bassitt and Walker to finish the rotation.
Vogelbach, Carrasco, Nido (or McCann), Ruf, Vientos and Mauricio are the trade chips.
I’d be up for the NFL death pool. NBA fantasy league I could take or leave, but would do it if you need another team to fill it out.
On the comments to trade McCann, I don’t think he’s tradeable. No one is going to give up a player of even minimal value even if the Mets took all of his salary. The only possibility I see is doing a salary dump swap for another overpaid, underproductive player. I’d actually be fine releasing him and eating the last 2 years of his contract.
For those of you with a subscription to the Athletic, there is a fabulous article today by Tim Britton who is tearing into contracts with the article today to show what bringing back essentially the same team would cost the Mets in 2023 $. Its sobering, firstly because we know this team was not good enough and secondly because the cost is quite large.
Just in committed dollars and picking up certain options (but not Givens or Bassitt or Walker likely heading to FA) the value is ~210 M$, and 225 M$ with lux tax.
If you wanted to recreate the team basically as is buy signing the FAs to reasonable contracts, the number heads to about 375M$. We already know this team still needs better pitching and power, so even if you dont sign everyone as is expected, but make other FA signings that are critical to meet the pitching and hitting needs, well I expect that value will only increase from that number, much like I have suspected in previous posts.
There is *some* money that can be saved if you dump McCann and trade Escobar, but against the total expenditures both are small. The plain fact is, the 2023 Mets are gonna get better by adding key and expensive FAs or get worse and fall back to the middle of the pack position. Cohen could have come in and secured Alonso and Nimmo long term but didnt. As time moves forward failing to make those moves will be extremely more costly.
Its time to see if Cohen wants to win for real, or is ok with a modest rebuild and cost savings. The team is better served in buying free agents in the off season rather than trading away pieces in desperation at the trade deadline for a rental in my opinion.
Great – looks like there are 5 of us for the NFL pool. Check your Inbox to see a message from me.
Report that Theo Epstein will be the new president of the Mets!
Now this could get interesting!
Many reports say he passed on the chance to run the Mets.
Mets Report tweeted this yesterday, but it’s the only one reporting that it’s a good possibility. Could be nonsense, but Steve Cohen might pull a surprise.
What would be your priority?
deGrom (age = 34.3) for 3 years at 40 M$/yr = 120 M. Age at end: 37.3
Nimmo (age = 29.6) for 6 years at 20 M$ yr = 120 M. Age at end: 35.6
This is a great question that forces an uncomfortable answer. I hate to forego JDG, but I’d have to go with Nimmo here.