We’re at the GM Meetings and now is a good time for a look back. At this time last year, the Mets were coming off a disappointing 77-85 season and didn’t have a manager, didn’t have a GM and were wasting time for the second straight year trying to hire a PoBO. Now, they’re coming off a 101-win season, have a finalist for Manager of the Year in Buck Showalter, have a GM who made a positive impact in Billy Eppler and have announced that they won’t be seeking a PoBO. That’s a ton of progress in one year.
However, the Mets have more work to do this offseason than you’d figure that most teams who won 100 games would have to accomplish, because of all of the free agents that they have. The good news is that there’s no lack of options and apparently no lack of funds, either. There’s every reason to expect the Mets to field a playoff-caliber team in 2023. And perhaps this squad will peak at the right time, too.
Yet we have to remember that the 111-win Dodgers, who went 42-18 down the stretch – a 115-win pace – lost in the NLDS. It’s not just talent, it’s not just playing great at the right time. It’s also about health, matchups and good fortune. A lot of planets have to align right to advance to the World Series and to win it all.
The Dodgers tied for the fourth-most wins in MLB history yet didn’t win the World Series. Hopefully none of you reading this thinks that the best team wins the World Series. Sometimes that happens but it didn’t happen this past season and it’s not a surprise when it doesn’t happen, either.
All you can do is make the playoffs and hope for a bite at the apple. Here’s to Eppler and company having as good of an offseason this year as they did last time, giving the Mets another shot.
Sometimes, I come here and feel like I’m from outer space. How can anyone not like the Diaz deal? First, the Mets didn’t have a fallback option nor are there any in free agency. Secondly, since when did elite prime aged closers become a roll of dice? I’m not talking about a run of the mill closer that hasn’t built a track record, I’m talking about about one of the best in the game at his prime. How many of those went down the tubes before say, 34 years of age? I don’t think Kimbrel or his ilks were ever disappointments.
And, while everyone looks at Nimmo’s 5+ WAR and deems him a must re-sign, I too would like him back but I can’t see more than a five year deal. Nimmo has alot of minor league experience playing centerfield, so the repositioning allowed him to become more effective. I kind of think of him as Charlie Blackmon-lite. A good player certainly, but, would I trade Edwin Diaz for him straight up? I don’t know… Would one have traded Mo Rivera for Bernie Williams, and Bernie Williams average 5+fWAR for 8 straight years! It’s hard to understand why specialized players seem to have little value, but Diaz is one of the best at his position and we have him. That helps a manager sleep at night.
Diaz, to me, is like worrying about the new color youre going to paint your car after a car wreck. The fact is, to me, closers are always the last piece of the puzzle to assemble because of the minimal time on the field. It wont matter of you are an elite closer, but the team cant win games. Right now, the starting rotation is a total shambles. I think the world of Max like everyone, but pinning your future on a guy nudging up against 40 as the lead author on a pennant-winning paper is as much hope as it is reality. No matter how much his “body is a temple”, father time has a 100% success record. So we have an elite closer, an exercised option for a 4th or 5th starter in Carrasco and a lot of question marks.
We dont have a center fielder. We have practically zero production at DH. Catcher is a gigantic question mark. And oh yeah, most of a pen to fill.
Closer? I mean its great and all, but it wont mean tiddly-winks if the rest of the squad cannot be fixed too.
It’s a puzzle Mr. Mayor. You put the pieces in as you find them.
I take it that by committing $20 million per year for an elite closer, the plan is to fill the remaining with players that allow them to compete at a high level.
Pitching is the name of the game, so I hope the Mets spend to keep and get pitching…and Nimmo. I’m not too concerned about the lack of power. We should expect that once Baty, Vientos, and Alvarez get settled in that they will provide more power to the lineup. It’ll also be interesting to see if Vogelbach hits better in his second year with the Mets.
I would ask Mauricio to play CF in AAA and use Marte for one year there.
Dave Groveman, I thoroughly enjoyed your list of the top 50 prospects in the Mets minor leagues. I compared it to a top 20 list written near the end of September on another site. Although the positions were a bit different, that site had the same top 10 with relatively similar evaluations.
It got interesting for me in the estimations of players 11-20. So, if you don’t mind, I would love your insights into the following questions:
1. Why so little love for Jake Mangum? You have him ranked 30, whereas the other had him at 17. I ask b/c I’m a fan of Mangum.
2. Joel Diaz was 15 on theirs, but only 44 on your list. What insights can you give on why the discrepancy?
3. Jesus Baez was 19 in theirs but only 47 on your list. What insights can you give on why the discrepancy?
4. Why so high on Senger? He didn’t make their top 20.
5. Why so high on Schwartz? Again, he didn’t make their top 20.
6. They have Vasil at 13, but you have him at 25. What insights can you give on why the discrepancy?
Thanks.
Looks like my answers didn’t stick when I tried to reply.
1. Jake Mangum is old. His ability to stumble is very small and he’s never played in the majors. I like him but it’s hard to rank him higher.
2. Diaz is an up-and-comer and I ranked him where I did because I have yet to see Top 20 stuff. In general I think these other lists don’t value floor as highly as they should.
3. Baez only played in the DSL and I refuse to be Vicente Lupo’d again.
4. Floor. Senger profiles as a very good backup catcher with good defense and hitting that should be better than that of Tomas Nido. I see value there.
5. Schwartz’s numbers in Brooklyn had a positive projection over the year and seeing him live left me impressed.
6. I like Vasil but just like a few players more than that other pundit. They probably don’t have Keyshawn Askew or Senger ranked as highly, if at all.
Thank you, Dave. That was very insightful and helpful. The big thing that struck me about your list compared to the other one is that you don’t simply follow the crowd. I value someone who is able to think or evaluate for themselves. Looking forward to more minor league analysis.
I maintain all sorts of arcane spreadsheets to track players but no system is perfect. Typically, I take my end of year rankings and combine them with five other site’s rankings to generate my pre-season list. You can expect some shifting towards the mainstream when that happens but certain “Gut” players will remain where I have them regardless. (See Keyshawn Askew)
This could very well be me wanting success for the sake of a Jersey. I may have been overly enthusiastic about Pat Strange for this reason as well.