Well, scratch GM off your list of things for the Mets to add by the end of the year. The Athletic‘s Will Sammon said of David Stearns, “He won’t hire a GM to replace Billy Eppler this offseason, he said, because there was too much going on.” Let that sink in for a minute.
If there was too much going on – wouldn’t you want to hire a person in a big position to help lighten the load? Instead, the time spent on conducting a GM search can be better spent elsewhere. And how much time was spent on the managerial search? The Mets interviewed fewer than 10 people and made the hire five days after the completion of the World Series.
With a PoBO in place, a GM isn’t worth five days.
While you can argue that the Mets were working on managerial hires longer than five days, as Buck Showalter was let go over a month ago, Eppler resigned on October 6, also over a month ago and about five days after they jettisoned Showalter. If hiring a GM was any kind of great need, the Mets could have easily done that by the Winter Meetings, even if they prioritized a manager. But they didn’t.
Instead, they signed Eduardo Brizuela to be a VP/special assistant. According to Sammon, Brizuela, “brings an impressive, 16-year track record in the international field, minor-league operations and player acquisitions.” How long did it take to decide on this hire? Why is this more important than a GM?
Actions speak louder than words. For all of the people who had some philosophical take that a club needs a PoBO and a GM because there’s so much going on now that there needs to be two people where there used to be one – well, none of this supports that notion. In an offseason where there’s so much uncertainty on how the club will proceed, the Mets have decided that a PoBO can handle the GM job.
I don’t pretend to know anything about Brizuela. My hope is that he’s a home-run hire. Assuming they add a GM following the 2024 season, my hope is that person is a great hire, too. The more good people in the organization, the better. There’s no luxury tax or draft pick penalties for having a large (even bloated!) front office, so hire all of the best and the brightest. Sammon said there were more personnel moves on the way.
Just not a GM.
GM is a hugely important job, much more so than skipper, like it or not. Its not a job you can just hire as the front office all needs to be strongly synchronized. Cohen waited years to get the PBO he wanted. I dont think they are gonna be threatened into rushing any major FO hire. Right now the Mets need players and thats happening right now. I expect them to hire a GM as soon as it is feasible under the conditions and time frame Stearns deems appropriate. The team is required to field players and have a dugout leader. Can Stearns manage it all? For now he will have to. I think its important to remember, these position hires all work on an internal time frame that none of us are party to. Lets hope it works. Thank god we dont have to deal with drech of the Wilpons and the hopelessly out of step Alderson, who is responsible for setting the team back ages.
Baseball America put out its top Mets prospects for 2024, and I don’t have a subscription so I don’t know who’s listed and where, I gathered from my he scraps that Jett Williams is #1. That isn’t much of a surprise, but assuming Gilbert is second, Mauricio should be third, and that puts Acuna anywhere from fourth to who knows?
I hope Acuna can rebound and be thee top prospect others felt he was. While he wasn’t even the top prospect on the Rangers, MLB ranked him 44th overall for a reason.
1. Jett Williams SS
2. Ronny Mauricio 2B
3. Drew Gilbert OF
4. Luisangel Acuna SS
5. Ryan Clifford OF
6. Christian Scott RHP
7. Blade Tidwell RHP
8. Colin Houck SS
9. Mike Vasil RHP
10. Kevin Parada C
It’s certainly a very interesting list. Glad that Acuna isn’t ranked first because .. well, I’ve stated numerous times why. Interesting to see Scott so high and Vasil make the list at all. And Parada at 10 is certainly a shocker.
Thank you Brian. Parada has no business being ranked that low. Not only did he did get injured and we don’t know if that healed completely, but assuming that doesn’t matter, he played in Brooklyn and offense there is a punchline. Another Wilpon special, building a ballpark without taking into consideration wind currents coming off the water. If Clifford and Parada were switched, I wouldn’t bat an eye.
Speaking of Clifford, his supporters expect him to be better than Alonso…. hmmm….
And lastly, I predict Alex Ramirez to be back on this list this year. Possibly one of the reasons the player development people were let go, Ramirez was on specific orders to learn to take more pitches. This messed with his approach and probably his head. I’m expecting a major rebound next year.
Also, on Mendoza, usually when the Mets make a move I’m always behind it and buy the Kool-Aid. This time I am not….
Mendoza is probably thanking me, LOLLLL
It seems plausible to me that one or both of these things are happening. Stearns wants to see and assess firsthand the people, processes, and tools that he has inherited. He would have kept Eppler around but since he’s already gone, he’ll take advantage of the opportunity to see things directly.
Additionally, Beltran may be a candidate longer term for the GM role. I believe he’s been named a special assistant (again?) to Stearns. I would not be surprised if he’s the Mets GM in 2025.
I don’t see the vacant GM slot as a huge problem. I liked reading what ChrisF said about Alderson. Alderson was an albatross, compounded by handing his nepobaby an important role. Bryn Alderson was the director of scouting and then an assistant GM. He’d never held a baseball job outside of an organization his daddy ran. He was canned in February, 2023 and it does not appear that he’s landed anywhere yet.
Stearns probably has a bunch of deadwood to evaluate and I think it’s wise that he’s not delegating those observations.
Parada? He reminds me of Vientos.
Good, no GM. Stearns will play GM now and he will have his fingerprints on the 2024 roster. Let’s see what he can do.
No more hiding like he did in Milwaukee. New York is a much tougher place to hide. He had such a great record in Milwaukee. Well, he got lucky, he had Burnes and Woodruff leading his pitching staff for years with Hader in the bullpen. Those players can make anyone look like a genius.
It feels like he got some marching orders from Cohen. Back the truck up and go get Yamamoto and Ohtani. It also feels like the are going to cave on Alonso and will overpay him.
Hey, at least this drama is positive. Better than Alderson shopping in the dumpster.
From SNY.tv tonight:
“Scott Boras, who is representing Alonso, told reporters Wednesday that the Mets categorized the first baseman as a “core player.” Stearns said he prefers to keep those conversations private — Boras and the Mets met for about an hour — but offered this about his slugger, “Pete’s a really good player. He’s been a good player and a high-producing player for the Mets for a long time now. We’re fortunate to have him. I’m looking forward to seeing him play this season and I’m not going to predict the future.”
Stearns added, “I don’t anticipate him getting traded. I don’t draw lines in the sand and I’ll never say never but I think it’s fair to say I don’t anticipate him getting traded.””
Doesn’t this sound much like a vote of confidence? I mean, what else should a GM say, ‘we want to move him’? I’m not saying that Alonso will be moved or should be moved, but even Baseball America has Baty as the first baseman of the future and Mauricio at 3B while having Alonso as the DH. I read an article yesterday where Boras said that Alonso is committed to improving defensively. I’m glad to know that and truth be told, I think Pete is pretty good. I just don’t see the power lasting for many more years at the current level. However, I’m not moving him unless I see a minimum of two upside arms, and another one.
I’ve no issue with Stearns being the GM. Teams always fill in with asst GM or VP titles to overseas various areas of the organization’s operations. Willing to give Mendoza the benefit of the doubt because we have no choice. The World Series had Bochy and Baker, not exactly untested managers with little to no managerial experience. Who from the prospect list could make it to Citifield in 2024? We’ve lost Peterson for 6-7 months after hip surgery. Nice opportunity to move on from his inconsistent pitching.
Coaches notes:
Hefner is expected to stay with the Mets, a league source confirmed to The Athletic. SNY first reported that Hefner would stick around. Within the industry, several executives view Hefner as a bright mind who is adept at handling a pitching staff while also possessing the scouting acumen to help a front office.
Joey Cora, who coached third base the last two seasons under Buck Showalter, joined the Detroit Tigers, a league source said. First base coach Wayne Kirby’s contract expired.
The status of other coaches remains unclear.
https://theathletic.com/5046128/2023/11/08/mets-musings-gm-meetings-pete-alonso/
I was disappointed when I read that this morning. I really liked Cora and hoped he would stay on. Im not sure what to make of Hefner. Everyone seems to think hes the bees knees, yet our pitching pretty much stank from start to finish last year. I guess not being an insider really limits all this to total speculation. I wish Cara the best in Detroit.
I aso saw Ron Washington is leaving ATl for the top step in Anaheim.
Gus ^: It would be a mistake to not resolve the Alsono situation in this offseason. Right now they have leverage over him. I hope he isn’t traded. I hope they don’t over pay in $ and years. The front of the uniform says Mets not Alsonso.
Woodrow^: Why ? You are a drive-by commentator. If your opinion is valuable then support it.
Brian^: Hefner has respect in the industry. The Mets are fortunate to happen. I’m surprised he wasn’t in the running for the Mets manager.
Parada’ s defense by all accounts is not up to par. Does he have a position? In addition to not hitting very well he strikes out a lot. No position,a lot of Ks, sounds like Vientos!
NY Mets winners of NL Silver Slugger Award
1984: 1B Hernandez
1985: C Carter
1986: C Carter
1988: OF Strawberry
1989: 3B Johnson
1990: OF Strawberry
1991: 3B Johnson
1992: P Gooden
1998: C Piazza
1999: C Piazza
1999: 2B Alfonzo
2000: C Piazza
2001: C Piazza
2001: P Hampton
2002: C Piazza
2006: OF Beltran
2006: SS Reyes
2007: OF Beltran
2007: 3B Wright
2008: 3B Wright
2016: OF Cespedes
2022: 2B McNeil
2023: SS Lindor
That’s 23 in 30 seasons. Did the Silver Slugger award exist prior to 1984?
Piazza won it 5 times
Strawberry, Carter, Beltran, Wright and Johnson won it twice each
Nobody else won it 2 or more times
Assuming the SS Award did not exist prior to 1984
Thanks to Immaculate Grid, I know that the Silver Slugger Award was instituted in 1980
“Shohei Ohtani was among seven players who turned down $20,325,000 qualifying offers from their former teams Tuesday and remained in free agency to pursue more lucrative contracts.
In addition to Ohtani saying no to the Los Angeles Angels, others who declined offers were outfielder Cody Bellinger (Chicago Cubs); pitchers Josh Hader and Blake Snell (San Diego), Aaron Nola (Philadelphia) and Sonny Gray (Minnesota); and third baseman Matt Chapman (Toronto).”
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/38897870/shohei-ohtani-6-others-reject-qualifying-offer-stay-free-agents