Never afraid to be candid in his brief time as a Major League general manager, Brodie Van Wagenen spoke with SNY’s Steve Gelbs today and stated, “…[I]nternally, we would argue that we’re the favorites in the division right now” (Twitter link, with video). Van Wagenen expressed pleasure in being able to add a pair of back-end relievers (Edwin Diaz, Jeurys Familia) as well as a pair of middle-of-the-order bats (Robinson Cano, Wilson Ramos). That said, the rookie GM also made clear that the Mets aren’t done adding this offseason and indicated that they “still have some real money to spend.” Unsurprisingly, Van Wagenen didn’t dive into specifics about who else might be a target, but it seems that there’s still work to be done as the Mets look to reemerge as contenders in an increasingly competitive division.
A few notes on what could yet be in store in Queens…
- The Mets at least discussed the possibility of making a run at Mike Moustakas last week, tweets Mike Puma of the New York Post. However, as Puma notes, it’s not clear whether the addition of Ramos has lessened their desire to add another free-agent bat. The 30-year-old Moustakas hit .251/.315/.459 with 28 homers between the Royals and Brewers in 2018 — his fourth consecutive season of above-average production at the plate (by measure of park-adjusted metrics OPS+ and wRC+). The Mets already have Todd Frazier, a former client of Van Wagenen from his days as an agent with CAA, lined up to play third base next season. Frazier, 33 in February, struggled to a .213/.303/.390 slash line in 472 PAs with the Mets last season, though he still turned in above-average defense in 954 innings at the hot corner.
- Van Wagenen also told reporters today that teams have been calling about catchers Travis d’Arnaud and Kevin Plawecki for the past month (Twitter links via Anthony DiComo of MLB.com). Interest in both catchers has increased, per the GM, since the club agreed to terms with Ramos. Either d’Arnaud or Plawecki could be a logical trade candidate, especially given that both are out of minor league options. DiComo, though, notes that Van Wagenen has repeatedly talked up d’Arnaud’s versatility and indicated that d’Arnaud could be utilized in either left field or at first base in addition to his work at catcher. While the GM has suggested that the Mets could carry three catchers, it’d be a less clumsy roster structure if the Mets were to find a trade partner for either Plawecki or d’Arnaud and dedicate that would-be third catcher spot to a more traditional utility option.
- Also via DiComo (Twitter link), Van Wagenen implied that the A.J. Pollock may no longer fit into the Mets’ plans, suggesting instead that Ramos gives the Mets the right-handed, middle-of-the-order bat the team sought. Whether there’s some degree of posturing there remains to be seen, but Pollock was always at least somewhat of a stretch as a fit on a roster that already includes Brandon Nimmo, Michael Conforto, Yoenis Cespedes and Juan Lagares. While Cespedes will miss significant time in 2019 as he recovers from surgery on both heels, a long-term deal for Pollock would’ve eventually presented some degree of a logjam. On the other hand, that’d only be the case if all those options were healthy, and the majority of them have had some notable injury issues in recent seasons.
walls17
Bless his heart
MetsYankeesRedSox
Let’s Go Mets!!!
sluman46953
i knew it no pollock !!!!!
Cat Mando
Well, cod and haddock are just as good.
Sorry…..I’ll see myself out.
mateodh
it bothers me that Pollock didn’t come up with the Angels.
mike 96
Is Pollock slang for polish person?
Phanatic 2022
HA
fox471 Dave
Well played, cat mando
Norm Chouinard
I am not so sure. BVW didn’t tip his hand with Ramos.
@DaOldDerbyBastard
If there’s any situation where d’Arnaud is playing the outfield, we’re screwed.
savagedeluxe
Lol
ghost of dave kingman
Is pot legal already in NY???
savagedeluxe
#marwingonzalez
Norm Chouinard
SS/3B/1B/CF are sub standard bats for their positions. Not to mention 50 games where Ramos won’t catch. He needs another middle of the order bat.
bush1
Exactly, it’s not like this lineup is scary now. Plus really who knows what Cano at his age will give the Mets. I’m sure he’ll have good stretches, but I bet bad one’s too. He probably played so well last year because it was a short year for him.
Day1Mets
Our lineup was never meant to be scary, just produce some runs.. Our rotation on the other hand is supposed to be scary. Our 3rd pitcher would be the Cubs ace.
bush1
I’m not hating on the Mets I actually want them to do well, but there offense was so bad last year I just have a hard time believing Cano and Ramos as the “middle of the lineup” make that much of a difference. They’re absolutely upgrades, but not guys I’d want to have as the 3/4/5 hitter types. And that’s what this article insists on.
xmadxtiox
Agreed!!
deweybelongsinthehall
The problem with their staff of aces has been health. If they stay healthy, if Wheeler continues. like last year, if Matz finds himself…a lot of ifs but at least their fan base truly has hope.
hojostache
That’s a fair point because they need to prove they can produce. However, the Mets are probably better off than some fans realize because Alonso was a top prospect who has crushed in the minors, now they have a full year of McNeil (who even if he regresses a bit is still a quality hitter), Nimmo should be a .360+ OBP guy, and Rosario made some strides to not wave at as many breaking balls 2 feet off the plate….okay…that was more than a bit of sarcasm for Amed. I have some concerns about Frazier at 3B because he is a .220BA (at best) batter, though his defense should still make him a 1.5-2.0WAR player.
My biggest issues with the Mets is their 25 man roster, which has some talent, but somehow also lacks a lot of depth despite having some young talent for the bench. There are still too many question marks…Cano could be a ticking time bomb, but I hope I’m wrong. There is also the issue that his contract will prevent one or more of the Mets’ young arms to be traded eventually bc they won’t be able to afford extending them.
No one knows if Cespedes will be able to come back and/or if he’d even be effective. Having Lagares start in CF is passable ONLY if he can stay healthy. I’ll trade a gold glove caliber guy up the middle because the Mets’ pitching staff needs better defensive behind them. He worked with HD Martinez’s hitting coach in the off-season and supposedly improved his approach…so maybe he can crack .700-.725 OPS. The downside is he hasn’t been able to stay healthy and slotting Nimmo in there means they have ZERO depth in the OF and relying on Cespedes to be healthy is a recipe for disaster. Obviously they need another righty bat (or a lefty with good splits)….but they missed out on the best options. Marwin could fit in nicely….yes he is a gamble, but the bigger issue is quite a few teams view him as a Zobrist type and will likely overpay him either in years or AAV….and the Mets are still run like a small market club once you factor in all of the insurance money they have pocketed instead of reinvested in the club.
Overall, I think the Mets will have an offense in the 12-15th (in the majors) range. They will live and die on the health of their pitchers…which uhm….is also a complete crapshoot.
Typical Mets…too many question marks, too many guys needing to produce better than expected to be competitive, and they STILL aren’t raising their payroll despite relentless lip service that they are “all in” for the next 2-3 years. It’s the same Mets until they actual PROVE they are willing to increase the payroll, spend the insurance money, AND get rid of one of the single worst baseball decision makers in baseball…Jeff Wilpon. They guy was born on third, thinks he hit a triple, and believes he is amazing at evaluating talent. Anyone who follows the team and/or beat writers knows he is their next biggest problem next to their small market mindset.
johnq
If opening day were tomorrow…
The starting lineup would consist of (in no particular order): Nimmo, Lagares, Conforto, Alonso, Cano, Rosario, Frazier, Ramos, DeGrom. The bench would be D’Arnaud, Plawecki, McNeil, and take your pick of 2 remaining minor leaguers from the 40-man (my money is on Guillorme and Evans).
Of those starting players, 6 of them project to hit .260 or below (Lagares, Alonso, Rosario, Frazier, Ramos, DeGrom).. Of those 6, 4 of them will likely hit between 200-220 (Alonso, Rosario, Frazier, DeGrom). Lagares, Rosario, and DeGrom also have poor extra base hitting potential to go with the low average. So the Mets have 3 projected ‘black holes’ in the lineup and 2 players who can hit for power but can’t consistently put the bat on the ball.
The lineup is still relatively weak and the NYM absolutely could use a decent corner IF. In fact, the perfect fit for this team is Machado, but I can’t fault a GM for refusing to give someone a 10 year $300M contract. Plus, with the Yanks involved, there is no way the Mets get him unless they substantially outbid the Yankees. That’s the nature of where we fall in the pecking order for NY baseball.
Moustakas offers a decent MLB caliber player that strengthens the team by replacing Frazier at 3B and moving him to 1B/bench.
Pollock is not a good fit because he’s going to want a multi-year deal similar to McCutchen. Not a big deal for the first half of 2019, but come July/August and 2020-2021, which 4 WAR 20-something year old OF are you going to sit to allow the 32 year old Pollock and 33 year old Cespedes into the everyday lineup? The Mets would have to make a trade to make this work. Cespedes would be the best trade candidate, but the Mets would have to absorb at least $15M of what he is owed to make that happen and even then they’ll get some B-level prospects – mind you this is after they’re paying Pollock about $15M a season. That means the Mets would be forced to trade either Conforto or Nimmo and most likely take on salary in the process if they want to turn them into a viable IF, since quality IF are more rare than quality OF. All in all, I don’t think that signing Pollock and orchestrating a trade of Conforto or Nimmo for a 3B/1B at the deadline or 2019 off-season makes the Mets better and it certainly doesn’t make sense from the GM/business standpoint.
deweybelongsinthehall
If you even believe Cano’s stated age. The Mets are a work in progress. They chose to be all in and I’ve referenced them as the Mutts so let’s see their line up on opening day.
mikeyank55
Remember last years opening day
lineup? The Mets are an urban renewal project, always attracting old misfit parts that will break down by the end of May.
Wagon wheel is making noise as the new guy however Mutt and Jeff will NEVER commit the resources for a sustainable rebuild. So they will shoot their load—way short in a competitive division—and their fans will be disappointed AS ALWAYS.
bastros88
lineup doesn’t have to be scary, with the pitching staff they have, just get them enough runs to win games, they don’t need to be leading the league in every offensive stat
callingoutdummies247
You’re already writing Alonso off as sub standard? Rosario batted .256 and league average was .246… better than average plus he turned it on second half. He gives you great D and a stolen base threat. 3B and CF need help. CF won’t be an offensive issue when Cespedes gets back and either Nimmo or Conforto get pushed over. I’d like to see Moustakas at 3B and live with Lagares in center
deweybelongsinthehall
I’m actually still a Frazier fan between his defense, ability to hit in the clutch, clubhouse presence, etc. If he becomes a giveaway, there will be suiters. The Mets though will have to pay most of the remaining salary even without anybody coming back in return. Solid bench player for a playoff team. Reminds me of the Dodgers last year getting David Friese (sorry for any misspelling).
mikeyank55
Hey Dewey. Fraizer is on the downside. Don’t be in denial. He’s a great guy however Father Time needs to be respected. He has no ability to sustain consistent offense. Remember him for who he was and hope that then end is gentle.
Norm Chouinard
Nimmo and Conforto are a stretch in CF. I’d rather have Lagares even with the deficient bat. Rosario has poor contact skills which is a problem if he is not drawing walks or hitting for power. If your first baseman is barely better than a league average hitter, he is substandard at the position. Of course if could all come together for Rosario and Alonso, but I wouldn’t like to see them hit higher than 7th until they takes that next step. The lineup is meh without one more middle of the order bat.
johnq
I wouldn’t write Alonso off, the guy has a lot of potential. However, the reality is he hit something like .250-.260 in AAA and is probably going to struggle to put the bat on the ball in the big leagues. I wouldn’t be surprised if he hit about .220 in his first big league season, with the first half hovering closer to .200 and the second half hovering closer to .240-.250. The raw power and potential are there but you should expect a learning curve with him.
Elfod325
The perfect fit, if the Mets can get him, is Nick Castellanos. He’s a FA after the season so it won’t cost a ton in a trade and it avoids the eventual logjam a long term deal for Pollock would create. Ok maybe the fit isn’t perfect since it’s force Nimmo to play CF and cast is an average to below average defender, but he adds another impact bat and can probably be had with prospects the Mets still have…
Ejemp2006
Castellanos is WAY below average in the field. The Mets should try to swing a trade for Puig, include one of these surplus catches in a deal?
Danny B.
I wouldn’t trade the ball boy for Puig. LA can keep that clubhouse cancer on the West Coast.
jdgoat
How is Puig a clubhouse cancer?
deweybelongsinthehall
Used to be JD but either through maturity or due to the current team mixture, he changed last year and wasn’t selfish. All accounts I read were positive.
stubby66
I truly believe that D’arnaud would be a perfect rebound for the Brewers and give them Bickford for him.
Danny B.
I would like to see the Mets trade d’Arnaud for Freddy Peralta.
Christian Larsen
Peralta is far more valuable
pinstripes17
Yeah and I’d like to see Sonny Gray traded for Tatis but it ain’t happening.
rjtfd
Or a box of donuts?
jbigz12
Would you also like to see Todd Frazier get dealt for Corbin Burnes?
Mjm117
METS ARE BACK!!
MetsYankeesWhiteSox
In fourth place.
YakAttack
They left?
Danny B.
Introducing MetsYankeesWhiteSox, another MLBTradeRumors troll.
Samuel
Same old troll, Danny.
Under Tulo article…….
“MetsYankeesWhiteSox 34 mins ago
I love Hanson. I was the only one on these threads months ago advocating for him to be the starting 2B (my old account baseball1600 was banned)……”
deweybelongsinthehall
Pretty sad to get banned on a baseball site but some probably walk with their chests out proudly.
mikeyank55
Did they ever leave the cellar? Come on. Get real. Do you always fall easily for a smoke screen.
Hey Danny B-pipe down Mets fan in hiding.
Danny B.
@mikeyank55
Who the fu(k is hiding!?!?!? I’ve said many, MANY times that I was a Mets fan. Go jump off a bridge and make this world a better place.
bestno5
So was slim shady
goldenmisfit
Favorite to win the National League east? So besides being daring he is downright delusional. Which actually explains a lot, of all the people the team interviewed for the general manager job he was the only one who said that his team could win right now.
MetsYankeesRedSox
youtu.be/5vRpTC6L-28
dimitrios in la
Can you IMAGINE the pressure in this clubhouse next year?
Danny B.
Stop trolling.
bush1
Apparently he views a 36 yr old Cano and Ramos as Ruth and Gehrig or something. “Middle of the order bats”. Lol
mikeyank55
And NO bar behind Cano like Nelson Cruz means-swing and miss time off a slow cano bat.
mikeyank55
Yes Golden…and he promised Mariners management a World Series. Notice that in Robbie Canos five best years he played
In ZERO playoff games. Even with his photo on the scoreboard at Safeco, despite Jay Z singing he got NO WHERE.
Danny B.
I would give Moustakas a 1yr, $18 million pillow contract. Wouldn’t want to commit to a third baseman beyond 2019 because Nolan Arenado will be a free agent after the 2019 season.
Out of place Met fan
Why pay him 18 million? You get the same production from Frazier at half the cost
Danny B.
NO WAY!!! Did you look at their 2018 numbers??? No comparison. Moustakas is leaps & bounds better than Frazier.
Out of place Met fan
Both are low average, high strikeout, HR hitters. Frazier actually has better defense. All told they are both slightly above average regulars.
In no way is Moustakas a player worth $18 million. Especially when they already have a very comparable player for half that price.
mikeyank55
First the Mets won’t spend the money. Then there is the issue of how this lineup will produce without a real bat in the 4 hole.
Don’t hold your breath on Arenado coming to Flushing next year or we will miss your posts.
Last, Wagon Wheel is the
Most entertaining Mets management figure since Bobby V. You’ve gotta love the bravado quotes.
The latest one, that there’s been interest for their two catchers is hilarious. I mean one can’t hit and the other can’t catch.
Time for the first nomination for 2019 SNL host:
Wagon Wheel. He can play a dual personality being the agent that pushed Cano on the Mariners and the agent that pushed himself on the Mets to take over the terrible contract.
Cat Mando
Danny B…….you told braves25”'”And the Mets 3rd baseman is not Fraziee [sic], nice try, its mcneil who hit 329.
Change your mind already?
Danny B.
Not at all. Moustakas is a better player than McNeil. McNeil could always play all around the INF as a Super utility guy and get 400 PA a year.
Cat Mando
“Not at all. Moustakas is a better player than McNeil. McNeil could always play all around the INF as a Super utility guy and get 400 PA a year.”
So you lied here mlbtraderumors.com/2018/12/mlbtr-live-chat-417.htm… on the comment section to try and win the argument.. Got it
MetsYankeesRedSox
BAM!!
aka pwned!
jbigz12
It appears Danny has been caught in a web of lies. Besides that just look at some of those comments. BVW is the best GM in sports after a few months. McNeil or Frazier is better than Donaldson. And to put the cherry on top Diaz is better than Mo. I’d Say you were trolling but I believe you actually think all of that.
hojostache
Mets fans WISH it was McNeil…but Calloway has already stated on the record that Todd Frazier is their starting 3B. McNeil should still get 400+ ABs playing around the infield, but a real team would recognize McNeil is the better all around option and they would look to trade Frazier. Frazier should easily earn his contract and then some making $9m and likely putting up 1.5-2.0WAR (mostly from his defense), assuming 1 WAR is still valued around $8m.
Michael corbett
There is not 1 other player playing in the MLB that has been cheated as bad as mike moustakas. In 2017 he did everything right and in return he got a garbage contract compared to others with numbers similar to his. Then he take the 1 year to play for the royals again because no one wanted him. Why? I have no clue. So then he has no choice to sign that 1yr contact after he was 110 percent convinced after the 2018 he would get atleast a 3 year 55 million contact but nothing developed. This is the only case in baseball whete i actually seen a player deserve a multi year contact but nothing developed and i still can not figure why when i see andrew mccutchen get 3 years and 60 something million. Maybe owners know something bad about moustakas or maybe hes just the unluckiest mlb player ever. Also i want the people to know i wrote this becausr im a die hard whitesox fan and grew up watching moose and i always thought he was there best player but hosmer got his, cain got his and moose must really be stressing right now. Hang in there moose good things happen to good people
phenomenalajs
Moose is a good player and was a big reason KC won in 2015. As for being screwed, he was a victim of the market. Unfortunately, you can’t change your mind with a QO and accept it after you realize your market has dried up. Also with a QO, you are essentially no longer a true FA, but a trade piece for a draft pick and international pool funds.
I like Moose, but it’s possible the Toddfather could bounce back. I don’t see the Mets getting him.
johnq
Moose wasn’t “cheated.” In no world is Moose worth 3/$55. His bat is substandard for 3B and he plays middling defense. All-in-all, he’s a decent starter but nothing special. Bring that down to 4/$50M and remove the strings attached for the QO and he would have had a contract.
mikeyank55
Hey Danny. You need to get off the Meds.
Let’s make this crystal clear: NO QUALITY free agent will sign with the Mets for two reasons:
-they won’t offer the money.
-no Respectable player will sign with a team with owners packing any respectable reputation.
Danny B.
Maybe if you learn to stop trolling a$$ho!e, you might actually have a chance of salvaging a life that your parents clearly failed to provide.
frankthetank1985
Moose is an interesting idea. Then Frazier could play first. Not a bad idea. As much as I would want pollock, he has a point that there would be a logjam when (if) ces comes back. Lagares is decent enough to start season with and see what happens. He was doing pretty well before he got hurt last year too. If he stinks then u can make a trade during the season. Getting a bat and glove like moose and a lefty pen guy I think would do the trick for the Mets. Then they would be pretty solid in all areas with a great rotation.
Samuel
I like Moose a lot……
But McNeil can play some 3B if necessary. Mets need to try to break in Alonso @ 1B. He’s 24. Need to see if he has anything. He’s a potential RH bat. If he can hit .240 with power they can carry Lagares gold glove in CF.
Hold onto the money. Players get injured and/or have bad years. Like all teams, Mets will need to bring in a few guys as the season progresses.
Right now work on finding a couple of LH relievers. Then assemble in ST. See how everyone fits.
By the way, I believe they talked Moose and decided to move on.
frankthetank1985
Very good point.
mikeyank55
Wagon Wheel s aghast this morning at Chitifield. He stopped by the ATM on the concourse, dipped his card and the message on the screen read, “Sorry that there is no money left for free agents. You’ve spent your allowance and now we will see how you did.”
jbigz12
Mike you might want to stop running your mouth until your Yankees spend some money. Just an idea. To this point all they have done is be outbid on the player most Yankee fans though would “take significantly less to play there.”
rmullig2
If they can get anyone to take d’Arnaud’s full contract off their hands they should consider it a win. They don’t need to get anything back for him.
hojostache
Travis’ contract is why they should Plaw, who I believe has a <1$m contract. Plaw showed some improvements at the plate and he calls a pretty good game. The Mets need another SP, BP, and OF…so any of those would be great. If a lower prospect is needed too…so be it.
Cat Mando
TdA hasn’t been tendered a contract yet, has he? He is projected to make $3.7M in this, his last arb year.
mlbtraderumors.com/2018/11/mets-to-tender-travis-d…
alien
lots of club sees TDA value under 4 mil. and KPlaw under 2 mil as a bargain.. Mets can get decent prospect or 2 for them..
alien
i would take international bonus pool and/ or cash consideration for TDA or Plawecki.. use that cash towards another premier bullpen guys like D. Rob..+ Sip or Wilson.. and maybe Jones as fourth OF.
or package one of our catcher plus Peterson for Jose Leclarc
braveswin
I think Cano will end up at 1B.
Samuel
Yes……
If Alonso washes out.
McNeil then goes to 2B and they use a backup SS as a utility infielder.
IronBallsMcGinty
I think Moustakas could be a plan B for the White Sox if they don’t sign Machado. At least short term.
shelteredsoxfan
If the Sox don’t land machado or Harper they should just sit back and do nothing. The worst thing they could do is undo their rebuilding efforts on stopgap type players
dust44
I think Pollack still ends up on the Mets personally. The need a CF who can hit. I don’t c Moose making sense with Frazier, McNeill and there spoken desire to try Alonso out at some point next year. Worse case Alonso can’t hit his weight and Cano or Frazier end up at first with McNeill taking second or third from them. They have the kid at short that has struggled at the plate. Not sure how they justify playing Laguarus in center who has proven he doesn’t hit well. If they r truly going for a playoff spot then go sign Pollack
its_happening
Good ploy by Van Wagenen to say he’s fielding calls for his other catchers. If 1 of the other 29 teams calls he will deal. In reality, he’s not getting calls for those two. He said that to drum up interest. Well played.
G Vanlue
I imagine that at least half the clubs in MLB would be happy to have Plawecki, given how bad the catching position is around the league- he’s young, generally healthy, fairly average on offense and defense, and he’s cheap and controllable. I don’t know how much a team would be willing to give up for him. but he definitely should be generating some calls.
its_happening
You can find a Plawecki type player anywhere and everywhere. He’s not a “fairly” average offensive player. If he was there’d be no reason for the Mets to sign Ramos. Nobody wants D’Arnaud. Mets GM faking excitement to entice a dumb GM to make a call.
hojostache
Really? Plaw tied with Russell Martin for 17th in WAR for catchers…with 1.3. The position is REALLY weak, so his low average bat and pitch framing actually makes him a useful piece when you consider his low salary and multiple years of control.
jbigz12
Plawecki put up a 94 OPS+ you want to know what the ML average is? 100 you wanna know what the average is for a catcher? Less than 94. Plawecki has a fine bat for a catcher and he’s controllable. They’ll field some calls there. Ramos is a top catcher. You can still upgrade the position if the incumbent isn’t a terrible player.
lowtalker1
Mets are not even the top 3 team in the nl east
NewYorkMetropolitans
they are better than the Phillies aand marlins for sure. Stop trolling
phnxdark23
Not sure how Mets are “for sure” better than a team (Phillies) that finished above them last year, has made some significant improvements already, and is still a favorite to land one of the blockbuster deals. I think they likely will be, but don’t take that for granted just because you made a few moves early. Not everyone who disagrees with you is trolling.
jakec77
Time to stop trying to win back page. From here on out, Mets need to focus on depth. They need a LH reliever, they need a 6th and 7th starter who can be stashed either at AAA or as a swingman in bullpen. A utility player who you can live with at 1b and corner outfield.
Wait out the market, see who falls through the cracks.
jbigz12
I’d argue the Mets need a 5th starter. Not a 6th or 7th. Vargas stinks.
NotaGM
Pollock aiming but best to settle a 1yr deal to prove himself
Goose
100% agree. He seems to forget he has health issues but wants premium dollars. He also finished the year poorly after coming back from last year’s injury. I like the guy but he needs to either lower the ask or go incentive.
darthbusey
Why should he lower his ask?
McCutchen just got 3 years and 50 million, for crying out loud.
jbigz12
And pollock should get no more. He’s a major health risk. Brantley got 2/32 and one could argue pollock is a greater health risk though he does play a more premium defensive slot.
didi gregorious nose
Mc plays 150 plus games hes never injured
alien
already rejected QO.
NotaGM
#nimmowillsuck2019
Say Hey Now Kid
I’m ok with Lagares starting but they still need a 4th outfielder (who will become a starter when Lagares inevitably gets hurt). Who should they go after?
darthbusey
Not much out there.
Maybin, Jon Jay, Austin Jackson, Granderson., Carlos Gomez, Craig Gentry.
darthbusey
More depth, please. Want to see at least 3 or 4 more bullpen arms, including two lefties, a veteran shortstop, a lefty hitting corner infielder in case Alonso bombs, etc.
bush1
Since when is Ramos considered legit middle of the order bag? That’s ridiculous. Sure, he hits well for a catcher but as your middle of the order power source?! Lol. They’re kidding right!
darthbusey
I hope by “middle of the order” they are talking like 6th in the lineup.
bush1
You would hope, but the way they’re talking about an older Cano and Ramos was like they’re the Bash Brothers are something. Lol. They’re obviously upgrades, but less than ideal “middle of the order bats.”
didi gregorious nose
Why not go into the cubs forums? U keep repeating the same caca all over about cano… i would b more worried about the brewers if i were u
didi gregorious nose
Umm why wont u just go into a cubs forums? U keep repeating the same caca all over about cano and ramos jeez can we see them play first?
i would b more worried about the brewers if i were u
bush1
I do. The Cubs have done a ton of terrible transactions too and I call them out constantly. Why would you need to see Cano and Ramos to know they’re not middle of the lineup bats? Have you not seen them or know where they’re at in their careers? I like the Ramos signing but he’s not a heart of the order bat. Listen man, I just call it as is. So quit being so sensitive. I crush the Cubs too on their stupidity.
Bozo
Wild prediction: stealth signing of Harper,
swanhenge
I dont like the Mets at all, but that would be awesome.
Bjoe
Moustakas over Frazier everyday.
G Vanlue
Moustakas is a bit younger and was better offensively the past couple of years, but they’re close enough that Frazier could easily outperform him next year. And signing Moustakas would mean adding salary and also probably eating some of Frazier’s salary in a trade- so it might cost the salary of a good reliever, for a fairly marginal improvement.
tobuild
I actually like the thought of keeping Lagares in center. Provided he plays defense like he always has, I think he’ll add enough value with his glove. Then when Cespedes returns, they can rotate the four outfielders depending on the situation. I just don’t think Pollock is a good fit.
rjtfd
Lagaras is the better out of their current OF for center unfortunately he’ll never make it to allstar break. Cespedes not coming back anytime soon at least not of he can help it. He’s a dog and he got his money.
Nimmo will be in center and Davis will be brought up for one of the corners.
I still think VW going to find a bat for CF before season starts. I like VW at least he is doing something wether good or not as compared to Anderson last few years did zero.
didi gregorious nose
Idk man player w health risks mysteriously stay healthy on walk years or is it me?
rjtfd
Not you at all. Contract years and players show up for the most part. Cespedes is proof. There’s a reason he wasn’t picked up for how long in his prime.
Phanatic 2022
Why not list his wrc+ number instead of just saying it’s above average?
kenly0
Imo, I think they should pass on Moose. I love everything that they’ve done so far. But, they still need Pollock. I believe Nimmo will be a bust. Then, wait out the market and get someone like Josh Harrison. They would then be loaded and have a backup plan at every position except SS.
1B Alonso, Cano, Dom S.
2B Cano, McNeil, Harrison, Cecchini
SS Rosario, Cecchini
3B Frazier, McNeil, Harrison
C Ramos, Plawecki
OF Conforto, Pollock, Nimmo, Lagares, Cespedes
Not sure if any of the IF’s could play LF or not. But, that’s a roster that could do some damage over the course of a full season.
bad bruce
As a Mets fan I was happy with each move they had made as they made leaps from last year, but how much is that really saying? Take this year with a grain of salt.. if the Mets finish 3 or 4 you need to blow this team up. I would rather see 3 terrible years knowing we’re rebuilding than 3 mediocre years trying to strike lightening in a bottle like we did in 2015. Don’t sign any outfielder for more than 2 years, especially someone like Pollock. Best case scenario we finish with 87+ wins, that means we either stayed healthy or our young guys put it together. Then you sign in the loaded 2019/2020 FA.
ThatBallwasBryzzoed
I can see moose going to the Mets. They dont have anyone at 3rd or 1st. Hes a good enough defender to learn 1st quickly.
pjmcnu
Pollock is in no way a stretch, unless you’re only talking about money. Roster-wise, he’s ideal. The only true (even competent, really) CF out of the batch of named OFs is Lagares, and he’s a bottom of the order bat, at most. The correct move is to sign Pollock for CF & top of the order, Nimmo in left, Conforto in right. When Cespedes comes back, Nimmo drops to 4th OF, Lagares to 5th. Done. If the Mets are truly willing to spend NY/big club money, that’s the obvious play, with any additional money spent on the pen.
jbigz12
A 3.5 WAR player a guy who posted an OPS over 850 should be your fourth outfielder? I have a strong inkling that Nimmo is a decent enough athlete to be a decent CF with enough reps and an off-season to work on it. You might as well trade him if he’s going to be your 4th outfielder.
kenly0
Nimmo will be a bust and is nothing more than a 4th OF.
jbigz12
Thanks.
IloveMACfootball
Machado is a perfect fit for the Mets at 3b.
hojostache
In a Bizzaro world I’d even put Machado at SS and see if Rosario can play CF. The kid is very athletic and his bat is improving. This is the Mets though…so they are more likely to demand players carpool to work than sign a guy to a $300m contract. I’d be SHOCKED if they sign a player for $100m+ this off-season. Outside of deGrom and Syndergaard….I doubt they will even attempt to hand out a big contract because “Cano is an all-star, but he makes $20m+/yr,”….or something to that effect.