Tag Archives: Winter Meetings

Dec 11

Why Are Mets Even At The Winter Meetings?

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Why are the Mets even at the Winter Meetings? We knew all along they wouldn’t land Giancarlo Stanton, but even Adam Lind might be out of their league. The Mets’ plan is to wait for the price to drop for a quality reliever or a second baseman.

So basically, what the Mets’ roster looks like today is pretty much what it will look like on Opening Day.

STANTON: Mystery is over. (Getty)

STANTON: Mystery is over. (Getty)

GM Sandy Alderson said the Mets wanted bullpen help, but Brandon Morrow and Luke Gregerson are now off the board – at $11 million a season which the Mets were never going to pay – and reportedly their first target Bryan Shaw wants three years, which they’ll never give.

The Mets’ plan is to wait out the market and hope somebody falls into their lap.

“We are not going to chase players. There are a lot of guys out there,’’ Alderson said. “We think there are some values out there to the extent the market gets overheated. I don’t think we will jump into the inferno, but we want to improve our bullpen.’’

Yeah, and I want to win the lottery.

Ian Kinsler and Jason Kipnis have been mentioned as possible trade targets, but Alderson said: “Our farm system right now is not brimming with prospects, so in that sense, making a trade isn’t as attractive. On the other hand, making a trade, giving up a minimal number of talented players for maybe someone who can help us on a shorter deal or what have you, there are pluses and minuses to each approach.’’

What that means, is the Mets are willing to trade but only if they don’t have to give up anything.

So, they aren’t going to sign any free agents and won’t make any trades. What they will do is hope for their pitchers to get healthy.

Yeah, that sounds like a plan.

Dec 07

Mets Have No Plans To Add Starting Pitching

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With the start of the Winter Meetings just days away, there’s been precious little information about the Mets’ pitching. There was an article in The Post about Matt Harvey dating yet another model, but there’s been nothing about his health and ability to pitch in 2018.

DE GROM: One of the few answers. (AP)

DE GROM: One of the few answers. (AP)

What the Mets have said in the wake of Japanese free-agent Shohei Ohtani blowing off them and the Yankees, is they likely won’t add starting pitching but instead focus on relievers, who are routinely less expensive than free agents CC Sabathia or Jason Vargas, or even bringing back R.A. Dickey.

Hell, even if they signed all three that wouldn’t be enough to make the Mets a contender again.

The Mets don’t know about the status of Harvey, Steven Matz and Zack Wheeler. They are contemplating limiting Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard to twice through the batting order before turning the game over to the bullpen. That’s at least three innings a game from their bullpen, which is way too many.

The Mets hope hiring a new trainer will keep their pitchers healthy, which sounds like a good idea, but who are they kidding?

It’s going on five years and the Mets’ vaunted starting five hasn’t yet made one uninterrupted turn through the rotation. Yet, GM Sandy Alderson is betting on a new trainer to make that happen.

Dec 13

Wright Deserves Opportunity To Call Future

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Last year at this time, Mets GM Sandy Alderson projected 130 games for third baseman David Wright. Prior to the Winter Meetings, Alderson again said Wright was his third baseman, but failed to put a number on the games he thought he might play.

WRIGHT: What's he thinking? (AP)

WRIGHT: What’s he thinking? (AP)

That’s just as well considering Wright played 37 games last year and 38 in 2015. Wright has been seeing his doctor in California and receiving treatment. The Mets are saying he should be ready by Opening Day. Let’s hope so, but there are no guarantees. None. There never is when it comes to health.

Of course, I want him to return full strength, but we must realistically accept that might not happen and simply hope for the best. He deserves the opportunity of testing his back and drawing his own conclusions.

I don’t know what will happen, but believe Wright has been too good a player, and too good an ambassador to the Mets and the sport not to get the chance to call the shots on his future. Of course, he’ll get plenty of advice from his doctors; his wife, Molly; and the Mets from the Wilpons to Alderson and maybe manager Terry Collins. He might even call some of this former and current teammates to find out what they are thinking.

He’ll get plenty of advice from the press but none from me because I’m in the camp believing he accomplished enough to be given the chance to plot out his departure from the game on his own terms.

Wright, who’ll be 34 one week from today, has already earned $125 million in his 12-year career, and since he’s not reckless with his behavior, the presumption is he has enough to live on comfortably if not lavishly for the rest of his life. He’s signed through 2020 and will make $67 million through then.

The only thing Wright wants from the game is the game itself. It’s not about money, but determining his future and continuing to compete. I believe when Wright gets to spring training he’ll know enough about how he feels and what he can do. I can’t imagine he’ll force the Mets to put him on the Opening Day roster if he’s not physically able.

Unlike last season, the Mets are hedging their bets by holding onto Wilmer Flores and extending Jose Reyes. It would be terrific to trade for Todd Frazier. No trades are imminent on anything involving the Mets, but maybe something could happen in July. Hopefully, the season progresses to where they are in it by then and the trade deadline is meaningful.

Wright pressed the envelope with his health in the past, but the thinking is he learned and if he can’t play he’ll come to that conclusion gracefully. Numbers never meant anything to him, so I can’t imagine he’ll hang on to pad his stats.

Behind the scenes, I’m sure the Mets are talking to Wright about what he’s thinking and how he’s feeling, but so far there hasn’t been any pushing and that’s a good thing. He deserves to do this without any pressure from them.

The only pressure he’s getting is coming from within and that’s more than enough.

Dec 08

Alderson Still Searching

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The Mets left Washington this morning the way they often do after playing the Nationals – empty handed. The Mets’ big off-season move consisted of extending Yoenis Cespedes, which they did before leaving New York, but their other objectives were left unfulfilled.

ALDERSON: Still has work to do. (AP)

ALDERSON: Still has work to do. (AP)

They failed to deal Jay Bruce or Curtis Granderson, bolster their bullpen or find a catcher. However, Alderson said the Winter Meetings shouldn’t be defined by three days of lobby fishing in a swanky Washington resort hotel.

“I think we laid some groundwork, as they say, and I’ve had conversations that will continue when we get back to New York,” Alderson told reporters this morning before leaving. “We were pleased with the face we had some dialogue. We’ll pursue things over the next couple of weeks.”The Mets want to trade Bruce (who’ll make $13 million in 2017) and/or Granderson ($15 million). Alderson said the preference is dealing Bruce – although many teams like Granderson – but if he could swing also swing a deal for Granderson, make no mistake, he’ll jump at the chance to save $28 million.

The Mets want to trade Bruce (who’ll make $13 million in 2017) and/or Granderson ($15 million). Alderson said the preference is dealing Bruce – although many teams like Granderson – but if he could also swing a deal for Granderson, make no mistake, he’ll jump at the chance to save $28 million.

However, Alderson’s phone isn’t ringing for either.

“Outfielders, hitters, there’s still a quite of few of them out there. Clubs are still trying to sort out their priorities,” Alderson said. “I think when there’s that kind of supply, things are going to go a little a slower initially as everybody considers their options.”

It’s slow going for the Mets because most teams would rather sign a free agent than give up prospects or players. This could drag into January and might not get done until spring training it at all.

While Alderson insists his priority is a playing time situation in the outfield, reportedly he won’t entirely spend the savings on the bullpen. There are reports Jerry Blevins wants at least $5.5 million and that the Mets are interested in Texas’ Jeremy Jeffress, 29, who had a 2.33 ERA in 59 games last year and is arbitration eligible.

ESPN reports the Mets’ current payroll to be $146 million.

Dec 07

Wheeler To The Pen Has To Be For Right Reasons

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The first thing I thought of after hearing the Mets were considering using Zack Wheeler out of the bullpen was “don’t let this turn out to be another Jenrry Mejia.”

You’ll recall the Mets bounced Mejia from the rotation to the bullpen, without leaving him long enough to grasp either role. Consequently, Mejia’s trade value deteriorated and he eventually injured his arm. He appeared to get it together as a closer until he screwed up his career by violating MLB’s PED policy.

WHEELER: A new role? (Getty)

WHEELER: A new role? (Getty)

Wheeler in the pen is an intriguing idea, but it has to be done for the right reasons. If it is because they are apparently deep with young starters and woefully thin in the pen, made more so with the anticipated suspension of closer Jeurys Familia, then I can see that logic. If it is because Wheeler only has two really good pitches, then that’s a justifiable reason, also.

However, if the reasoning is what manager Terry Collins said at the Winter Meetings, which is to shave innings off Wheeler’s total before he moves into the rotation later in the year, then that’s not good enough. It’s not good at all.

Wheeler said all the right things today at Citi Field during a coat drive.

“I’ve started my whole life, and obviously, I’d like to do that,” Wheeler told reporters. “But they’re looking out for me, innings-wise and stuff like that. I’ve been out for two years, so … whatever’s best for my health is what’s fine with me and the plan going forward.”

The Mets wouldn’t be looking after Wheeler if they bounced him around. If they are serious about the bullpen, they have to go all in. That means use him there in spring training and stay with it the entire season.

GM Sandy Alderson said this is currently in the bounce-it-off-the-wall phase.

“There’s no reason for us to say, `Well, he’s got to be a starter,’ ” Alderson told reporters. “Now, he may feel that way himself. But, it may be that coming back after two years you have to be careful. You might not be able to pitch him back-to-back [days]. It might have to be two innings at a time. But, I don’t see any reason to just eliminate that possibility.”

Wheeler hasn’t pitched in two seasons, so the Mets don’t know what to make of him physically. As a starter, he’ll have a more consistent schedule and workload, so that’s a plus.

There are too many variables that tax a pitcher’s arm coming out of the pen, especially if that’s a new role for him. That makes it risky.

Pitchers have made the transition from starter to reliever and been successful. I’m not saying the Mets would be making a mistake. The mistake would come if they waffled and changed course, especially without knowing his condition.