The Mets have spent an insane amount of money on free agents this offseason. Just yesterday, we were talking about adding on the margins. So, what does Steve Cohen do? He swoops in and grabs Carlos Correa, the top free agent in this class, according to Keith Law, on a 12/$315 deal.
Earlier, it was reported the Mets checked in on Correa, only to find out he was well on his way to signing with the Giants. He was set to sign an even-bigger deal with San Francisco, which was supposed to be signed on Tuesday. Instead, the Giants postponed the news conference they had planned to officially announce the deal.
Because the Mets had already communicated with Correa’s agent, Scott Boras, the two were able to quickly come to an agreement.
Correa is expected to play third base for the Mets. He will be in his age-28 season in 2023, meaning this deal will take him thru his age-39 season.
It’s a New York-hating world out there and they’re really going to hate the Mets now. Can we start Spring Training early?
Stunned is a word. I texted several friends who are long time Yankee Fans and said “So this is what being the Ultimate Evil of baseball feels like?”
At the major league level the Mets benefit from having Eduardo Escobar and Jeff McNeil able to play in different roles. The team now has Eduardo Escobar penciled in as the DH but the Mets will be able to share that role with almost everyone on the team able to get rest by starting a few games there. I still think Francisco Alvarez and Omar Narvaez are the starting catcher duo and that James McCann will soon be gone.
The bigger impact is that to the upper levels of the minor leagues. Carlos Correa not only comes to lock down the third base position but, he does so for a long time. This means that Brett Baty, Mark Vientos and Ronny Mauricio are all on the block or looking for new positions.
Brett Baty: The Mets #2 prospect had a short audition in the outfield and didn’t look bad in his limited outings. If the Mets decide to hold onto him there is a reasonable chance that he could be able to take the spot of Mark Canha in 2024 if the Mets decline his option. The Mets could use a left-handed power bat if Baty stays with the team.
Mark Vientos: The path for Vientos becomes really muddy now. Ultimately he can return to AAA and play third base but his defense there is poor. I would like to see the Mets shift him to first. This might be the best defensive home for him and give him slightly more versatility. In terms of his path to be a Met, that’s less and less likely. He could still be a long-term DH answer but I am now predicting that he’s traded before the end of the offseason.
Ronny Mauricio: First of all, his stock is considerably up after getting a winter league MVP award. Unfortunately, he cannot cut it at shortstop and now third base isn’t an option. If Mauricio is to be a Met his path is also through the outfield. With Baty also shifting, this would mean putting Mauricio in Center or Right Field but I think he has the legs and arms to handle that.
If the Mets are now looking to trade some prospects… They’d better pull back some high-end youthful pitching in return.
Makes the decision not to trade top 10 prospects last year at the trade deadline look bad. Did Eppler and Cohen not know this spending spree was coming?
It makes me wonder how insane the Cubs demands for Contreras were.
Love the deal, love the brashness of Steve Cohen. Need to understand the medicals of course. We now have an infield to match the Braves. We can now play our youngsters – Baty, Vientos and Alvarez in the DH slot, no pressure on them and potential for huge offensive upside. My only question now is will he lock up Alonzo and McNeil?
Hopefully the Mets doctors who were scared of Kumar Rocker’s medicals feel better about Correa’s.
When I read yesterday that there were some “medical issues” with Correa that concerned the Giants, I wondered if Uncle Steve would suddenly swoop in, but to wake up this morning and see that he actually had was stunning. What’s surprising is that Correa got one year less and consequently less money from the Mets. I hope we get the “rest of the story” soon.
I wonder what the Mets are considering in order to upgrade left field. It would appear that an all-star at every position is the goal. Bless you, Uncle Steve!
Right now Escobar is shifted to DH but his ability to play 2nd base means you can have McNeil shift to left field if you’d like as well.
Yeah, Canha must be feeling the heat. It was one thing when he could look at Escobar and feel like he belonged on the team. But when Alonso and Marte are 4-win players, McNeil and Nimmo are 5-win players and Correa and Lindor are 6-win players — Canha and his 6-week hot streak look out of place.
Hard to believe!
Youngsters? Alvarez to C/RHDH? Escobar traded? Baty to LF primarily? Vientos traded? Mauricio to 2B/OF?
Weird vibe with the comments so far.
To me:
* Alvarez to AAA for more seasoning behind the plate. Can wait until June.
* Baty to LF, slowly, and maybe some ABs at DH. Depends on him. Clearly Mets saw same things I did with him at 3B — that he’s not good at it.
* Escobar to utility role, needs to break out the old 2B glove.
* We know that Vientos can’t play 3B, either.
* No role for Ruf, which we knew.
* To me — and maybe this is debatable — but no need for Guillorme, either. His place in lineup hurt the Mets offense whenever he was in it. Upgrading offense isn’t entirely about addition. Subtraction works, too.
* Holding onto prospect was still smart. Ohtani is next. And always smart to keep those chips until you have a *good* deal in front of you.
* Mauricio had a great winter and starting to play other positions. Soriano ended up in LF.
Nobody is ever truly blocked. That’s a myth. Talent always finds a way.
Oh, I guess that Cano contract wasn’t an issue after all! Which means that all the haters were completely & totally wrong about that part of the deal, too. “But in 5 years!”
Hey, I never really wanted Correa. He’s never been super durable. But, yeah, the Mets are serious about getting better and they just got did, by a significant amount. And Steve Cohen is getting richer on his investment, which is going to appreciate rapidly.
McCann, Ruf, Guillorme (maybe). Some chips to flip. Maybe for a prospect or two.
I don’t see the vibe as weird at all.
For many months now, we were told that the plan was to spend more now as a way to be a WS contender while waiting for farm system players to be able to replace expensive veterans. And now we just signed a player to a 12-year deal that blocks one of those farm system guys. I really like signing Correa. But it leaves me wondering – along with, even as to a much, much lesser degree the Narvaez signing – when they’ll let the farm system guys they’ve been touting for years the opportunity to play.
As for your insistence on bringing Cano to the discussion, if you told us back in late 2018 when the deal was made that in late 2022 we would have a $400 million payroll, my guess is that the comments then would have been different. You do recall that Fred Wilpon was the owner back then, right? And there were no indication at the time that he was going to sell. The plan then was to turn the operation over to Jeff Wilpon.
Ha, funny. No indication that Fred was going to sell? Were you not paying any attention? You see how old he was. No interest in a rebuild, in win-now mode.
It’s as if you typed, “I’m really worried about the 2034 team.”
I didn’t *drag* Diaz trade into conversation. Payroll is part of the topic here — it’s relavant –except when all criticism of Wilpons was banned at 360 for a couple of years.
Do me a favor – link a story from late 2018, early 2019 that discussed Fred Wilpon selling the team to an outside entity. My recollection was that he wanted to turn the team over to his son. But when you provide the link, I’ll admit I was wrong.
In late 2019, the first attempt to sell to Cohen came to light. Here’s what was written in Forbes at the time:
“What still looms beneath the surface at the moment may be most interesting of all, and tell us more about how the next five years will go. Have the Wilpons truly changed their minds about wanting to own the Mets for generations?”
https://www.forbes.com/sites/howardmegdal/2019/12/04/will-the-wilpons-really-sell-the-mets-a-history-lesson/?sh=7fa0f7252ac6
I guess we can generate a very nice package for Liam Hendriks now.
I am stunned with Correa signing and to a smaller extent with the Ottavino and Narvaez signing. The roster has so much depth. Now right, and it can change with a blink of an eye, Escobar will be the DH/2B, Canha LF/DH and McNeil 2B/LF. Now they have trade pieces to entice another team, with a young, top of the rotation, starting pitcher, for a trade. Cohen really wants to win and hell with the financial cost.
Sometime back I put the OD payroll at 380M$ and feel vindicated in seeing that spending big was the likely outcome to win now and hold blue chip prospects. Also as Cohen did the the “Dodgers East” comparison, recall that Boehly and Co nearly *tripled* the payroll in the first 5 years. It’s just then the Dodgers went from a little over 100M to just under 300M. That was 2012, so just adjust for inflation. Cohen is doing exactly as promised. As remarkable as this is, just recall that it’s a decade later and the team had an unprecedented FA loss this year and FAs ain’t cheap after the contraction in recent years. It’s astonishing to see as a Mets fan and astonishing in total numbers but relativistically it’s what apex predator teams do.
Apex Predators would be a great intramural team name. Or rock band name.
I should add that we should appreciate that the Mets were going to seriously downgrade defensively at 3B with Baty in 2023. Since, you know, he can’t really field. His poor glove was going to be a big problem, IMO. Combined with Alvarez catching (I never imagined him getting more than 60 games behind the plate), that combination represented a significant issue defensively. A team with championship aspirations shouldn’t like to get worse in any area. Now the defense at 3B becomes significantly better. I like that.
My opinion was that Bret Baty was going to be in Triple-A in 2023 while Eduardo Escobar played 3B. Escobar finished 2022 on such a strong note, I didn’t see the Mets looking to replace him.
Yeah, the only path to Baty playing third in 2023 was a scenario where the Mets were trying to stay under $300 Mil
Stunning indeed…
Here’s another crazy thought, do the Mets turn around to the Giants and offer them Lindor to try to sell high (assuming he’s not on his no-trade list)? His success last year was fueled by an elevated babip, posting a .301 mark after a 5 year previous average of .275, so regression back to an average 100 OPS+ hitter seems likely to me.
While he’s not a weak link, we’ve seen that for most part Lindor is pretty forgettable at the plate and no one thinks he carries a lineup. Correa though is an impact hitter and Correa > Lindor in almost every aspect except for durability.
A chance to swap a terrible contract for a bad contract i suppose.
Very interesting point indeed. I don’t see it but that could work especially if it brought back some talent.
I agree that this spending is mind numbing. However, I don’t see it as definitely blocking and of the kids. While money is no matter right now, it will be at some point over the term if these long contracts. For Cohen or a prospective new owner down the road. I like the idea of more seasoning for the keepers. Also, I suspect Baty and Mauricio could be decent corner outfielders. I would not be giving those guys away. I would include Vientos in a deal for Hendricks.
Baty and Mauricio should learn leftfield and rightfield his year in the minors because they have the arm for right. Mauricio also play second and there is enough speed to play centerfield. Vientos doesn’t have the speed for the outfield. He is just a first baseman and DH. It is impossible to cracked this roster with his limited versatility. Furthermore, unless McCann and Nido are traded ( FA Narvaez can’t be traded until summertime) then Alvarez will be back in AAA. He needs catching experience and there isn’t opportunity on the major league team. So three prospects have to learn a new position and the best prospect has to hone their skills in the minors.
I disagree that there’s not an opportunity for Alvarez. The three catchers on the roster had OPS+ marks of 72, 71 and 55 last year. If that’s not opportunity, then what is?
There is certainly a need in the catching offense and Alvarez would be my first choice but I don’t want him to be a DH exclusively. He needs the game time experience and I would like to have him get that on the major league level but I don’t see that happening and that is a shame. McCann and Nido need to be traded and therefore Alvarez will have an opportunity.
From 2015-19, Lindor had a .300 BABIP in 3,244 PA. Then came the Covid year and then the trade to the Mets and the big extension. Then in 2022, he has a .301 BABIP. Those two years happened (2020 and 2021) but I’m not sure they’re necessarily the best judge of Lindor’s true talent level. I’d put him closer to a 120 OPS+ guy than a 100 guy. Still not a guy to carry a team.
I don’t believe there’s a chance he gets traded but I’m interested in the no-trade stuff. Sportrac lists Lindor with 15-team no trade clause 2021-2025. I couldn’t find anything on which clubs he’s blocked. I guess those typically don’t get announced until a guy is actively being shopped.
Stunned is a good word for it. Disbelief as well. I was tracking the issue with the medicals but didn’t think anything of it until a co-worker told me this morning that the Mets snagged Correa and I initially scoffed in disbelief.
My initial thoughts were likely what many Mets’ fans of a certain age felt: that we spent a chunk of our Mets fandom lamenting the Yankees for ruining baseball by trying to buy championships. But this was pre-Madoff and the years of painful austerity changed at least my perspective. That and old age and the utter failure of all of my favorite sports teams for decades.
Now? Spend that money, Steve. Hate the Mets, other teams’ fans. See you in the blue and orange soon, Shohei.
I’m here for it.
Ohtani in the rotation and at DH next year! He replaces Carrasco and Voggie! Wow!
The other billionaires could spend, spend, spend, too! But most don’t!
IMHO, Correa wanted out of the SF deal. SF didn’t do anything to void the deal, but they tripped some clauses that enabled Boras/Correa to go elsewhere (right into Cohen’s waiting arms.)
I think it would be analogous to buying a house. You make an offer, it gets accepted, and then there are a handful of clauses that enable either party to vacate. Obviously not passing an inspection (physical for the player, home inspection for the house) are reasons to void, but I bet there are standard timing clauses and SF opened a loophole.
My two cents on how it went down.
As for Correa, I am sure I’ll get over it by the time he’s producing, but I am kinda neutral. He’s an amazing talent – full stop. I don’t like his involvement with the Stros’ cheating, although I don’t know what his specific role was. It pains me (a little at least) that the Mets under Cohen are now the type of team that I’ve always hated – ones that spend money to buy talent. I hated the Yanks during the Steinbrenner years. I was happy when the NBA voided the Chris Paul trade for the Lakers. I have loved seeing the Dallas Cowboys struggle despite their high payrolls.
I get it – we’ve suffered for so long and we deserve it. And there is nothing stopping the other owners from spending like that. Anyway, those are my initial reservations and I’m sure I won’t feel this come April.
I’m probably like a lot of the commenters here in that I not only love our Mets, but enjoy reading about the games history. I will say though, that I never really “hated” the Yankees under Steinbrenner for buying up free agents and pennants. I did lament how cheap and poorly run the Mets were though, during that time period. If I’m not mistaken though, while the Yankees were quick to deal with the new BB reality of free agency, they really didn’t win consistently again till they got smart with trades and developing there farm system.
But I am shocked like everybody else here about this off season. Still need some young high-end pitchers for the high minors though; that’s what I would trade a combination of veterans and “some” of our top prospects for.
Smart ownership is a major key; not just throwing money around, but being smart about it.
Football, I agree 100%. Cohen is wealthy and no dummy…and wealth does not always equate to brains. Yes, he is pleasing many long term Met fans like us, and at this stage, before they actually play, that’s great. My gut is that he sees this spending influx, and associated huge operating losses, as just a temporary extension of the purchase price to realign the franchise, build the brand, and build the system. Ultimately, they’ll need the system to deliver low cost controllable players that perform at a high level. We know that area needs work, and even quality systems have a crap shoot component given that you never know how a player will perform in the show until they get an opportunity in the show. Bringing in starts helps the brand, but perhaps (and hopefully) the behind the scenes investment in the system will actually help the franchise more in the long run. I’d really like to see Alvarez, Mauricio, Baty, others etc. have key roles on future teams, as well as some portion of the recent draftees, especially Allan and the newer pitchers.
The Mets are odds-on favorite to sign Ohtani next off-season.
Next year’s possible starters?
1B Alonso
2B McNeil
SS Lindor
3B Correa
LF Baty
CF Nimmo
RF Marte
C Alvarez
LH DH Ohtani
RH DH Vientos
Rotation: Scherzer, Verlander, Ohtani, Senga, Quintana.
We’ve all railed on the evil empire across town as their high payroll produced playoff teams year after year. Now I get it and I like being there. The Wilpons were penny pinching for the most part filling in 2nd and 3rd tear FA and hoping for lightening in a bottle. Ever look at the stats of getting struck by lightening, other than it is better than winning MegaMillions? McCann is now gone although we still need to pick up about $7 million of his deal these next two years. I have Baty at AAA continuing to learn an outfield position and consistently hitting at that level of pitching. He was far from ready to be up last year. Alvarez needs to be the RH DH as his bat is ready. He can catch 60 games and have a season long tutorial on improving behind the dish. Can you imagine that with his ability to hit he will still likely bat at or near the end of this order? Hendricks coming over locks down the pen and our blocked prospects are perfect bait if we can also score another outfielder who is more ready than Baty or Mauricio to serve in that role. If we are keeping Escobar as a super bench player we still need to keep Guillorme, who had a breakout season and plays three positions in the infield. Let’s remember that every team has injuries so the more versatile our team is, the easier to plug someone else in and keep on a roll. What an off season. Been waiting 60 years for an owner like this. Long live the new evil empire. LGM
Cohen for Wilpon is the best Mets trade ever. What a difference 10 years can make:
2013 Opening Day Lineup
Jordany Valdespin, 2B
Collin Cowgill, CF
Marlon Byrd, RF
Ike Davis, 1B
Lucas Duda, LF
John Buck, C
Justin Turner, 3B
Ruben Tejada, SS
Jonathon Niese, P
2023 Opening Day Lineup
Brandon Nimmo, CF
Jeff McNeil, 2B
Pete Alonso, 1B
Francisco Lindor, SS
Carlos Correa, 3B
Starling Marte, RF
Mark Canha, LF
Omar Narvaez, C
Justin Verlander, P