tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11227361687717143142024-03-15T21:11:55.266-04:00Mike's MetsA blog about the New York Mets and lifeMike Steffanoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08573922415294713184noreply@blogger.comBlogger496125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1122736168771714314.post-52494426068908199242024-03-14T16:01:00.006-04:002024-03-14T16:27:59.772-04:00Why We're Not Writing a Season Prediction Piece<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmNChXxfABf8bYpCSwV9Eai8lnFxXb8Wz4-Str6J3MzS_4ubF9kzd3fa9LipO4nDs6I86pv37RBWAh0lx1oOvVXtkRbC0LCbgfq4tiQanLtbcQ42jjjwVIa3P7WcdO5rr0JhKNMDE-iLO6b0EZsESbyH2q-p7YwtfkNxnd32sDfRUkFNGS5EcpuTHdGhq8/s250/magic8.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="250" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmNChXxfABf8bYpCSwV9Eai8lnFxXb8Wz4-Str6J3MzS_4ubF9kzd3fa9LipO4nDs6I86pv37RBWAh0lx1oOvVXtkRbC0LCbgfq4tiQanLtbcQ42jjjwVIa3P7WcdO5rr0JhKNMDE-iLO6b0EZsESbyH2q-p7YwtfkNxnd32sDfRUkFNGS5EcpuTHdGhq8/w200-h200/magic8.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>We're not in the prediction game here at Mike's Mets, but we are </b><b>looking forward to a fascinating — and likely pivotal — 2024 season.</b></div><br />I'm not into writing preview posts full of predictions for an upcoming season. I did them for a while on the previous version of this blog, which ran from 2005-2009. I didn't like making predictions even then, but I felt I had to. The local papers and many other blogs covering the Mets all did them. I guess I thought it was part of the "job" of covering a team. Eventually, it finally dawned on me that there was nothing that I <i>had</i> to do as long as I wasn't receiving a paycheck. These days, I only write about things that matter to me, and I find that I do a much better job sticking to that philosophy for myself and my readers.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">My feelings aside, it won't be long before bold predictions for the fate of the 2024 Mets start appearing. We're only two weeks away from baseball that counts. With all due respect to the efforts of the many excellent writers producing them for their respective publications, in addition to avoiding composing my own forecast piece, I won't be reading your predictions, either. They're all formulaic and usually completely erroneous. It's essentially the baseball equivalent of handing money to a fortune teller and expecting anything of value in return. If you were to save a bunch of these to read after the season, it would be shocking how wrong they all turn out. That's not the writer's fault. Nobody can foresee a fraction of the twists and turns a long MLB season will take.<span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Don't get me wrong. In some past seasons, it was easy to successfully prognosticate where the Mets would end up in the fall, at least as far as their win-loss totals. The teams were so bad that there was no way they would avoid losing around 90 games, skulking around the bottom of the NL East standings all season. It got more challenging when the team looked pretty good — a couple of injuries or underperformance could cost that club in the standings, particularly when the Mets broke camp with little depth to overcome those challenges.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Even some of the best Mets teams could be undermined by an avalanche of misfortune. The 1987 Mets were clearly still the class of MLB, but <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/goodedw01.shtml">Dwight Gooden</a> tested positive for cocaine before the season even started, and then injuries to key players piled up. The Mets watched the playoffs at home in those pre-Wild Card days. Then they made it back to the playoffs the following season, only to lose to an inferior Dodgers team in the NLDS. Such is baseball.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Although I avoid predictions, I can confidently state that the 2024 Mets are unlikely to end up either God-awful or the class of the NL. They could conceivably have a great year if a celestial being sprinkled the same stardust upon them that landed on the 2021 San Francisco Giants, who won 107 games after enduring four consecutive losing seasons. Quite unlikely, of course, and I wouldn't want the Mets to emulate those Giants, anyway. They fell back to earth in 2022 and 2023, with 81- and 79-win campaigns, respectively<a name="continue">.</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Under new PBO David Stearns, the Mets have assembled a deep roster that should allow them to avoid a disastrous season in a repeat of last year. Indeed, it could happen if they have really lousy luck. They've already lost their best pitcher, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/sengako01.shtml">Kodai Senga</a>, to begin the season. The rest of the rotation is full of question marks.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Meanwhile, the pitchers they assembled for the bullpen beyond <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/diazed04.shtml">Edwin Díaz</a> look interesting, but they also have much to prove. And the offense, at least so far this spring, looks not-so-great. The 2024 Mets are going to have to be able to win some low-scoring games this year if they are truly to contend. It's a good thing that Stearns has assembled some outstanding defensive players because this Mets team simply can't afford to give away too many runs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Much has been made of the Mets avoiding signing a "name" pitcher like <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/snellbl01.shtml">Blake Snell</a> and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/montgjo01.shtml">Jordan Montgomery</a>. I completely get it. It's <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/02/29/sports/the-mets-success-lies-heavily-on-sean-manaea-luis-severino/">hard to bet on getting a full and effective season</a> from <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/severlu01.shtml">Luis Severino</a> and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/manaese01.shtml">Sean Manaea</a>. And every time I read something about the Mets' pitching prospects closest to MLB, there always seem to be quotes from scouts or unnamed execs on how none of them are seen as top-of-the-rotation guys. Fans love to see that big horse running out there every fifth day. It's why the Mets gambled (and lost) so much last season, betting on <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/verlaju01.shtml">Justin Verlander</a> and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/scherma01.shtml">Max Scherzer</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Of course, neither of those two guys is beginning the season healthy. Fortunately, Scherzer won't be lonely on the Texas Rangers' DL. He has former Mets ace <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/degroja01.shtml">Jacob deGrom</a> to keep him company. If those guys want to kill time with a card game, they can call <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/colege01.shtml">Gerrit Cole</a> or <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/giolilu01.shtml">Lucas Giolito</a>. Yeah, it's great to have that horse under contract or even a proven innings eater like Giolito — until they get hurt. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It's not that I don't believe the Mets won't be aggressive in the future in chasing premium starting pitching. They went aggressively after <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=yamamo004yos">Yoshinobu Yamamoto</a> this past winter. But I no longer believe investing heavily in years and money for starting pitchers in their thirties is the smart way to build a roster. I mean, I miss the electricity of a deGrom start, but I don't miss those constant trips to the IL in 2021 and 2022. I don't miss Jake coming up way short of what the Mets needed in Atlanta in the final week of the 2022 season. And I'm not sorry that it's the Rangers and not the Mets paying deGrom big bucks to rehab from his second Tommy John surgery.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Speaking of that final week in Atlanta in 2022 and the ensuing Wild Card round against the Padres, it wasn't just deGrom who disappointed. Scherzer and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bassich01.shtml">Chris Bassitt</a>, who was brought in for games like that, also came up short against the Braves. And while deGrom redeemed himself against the Padres, Max and Bassitt were even worse in that Wild Card series, virtually giving the Mets no chance in Game 1 and Game 3.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I see the Mets in future seasons building a starting pitching staff of good, if not quite elite, young pitchers. We've been hearing good stuff about that <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/03/05/sports/what-we-know-about-mets-secret-lab-where-pitchers-are-looking-for-any-edge-possible/">pitching lab</a> down in St. Lucie. None of the current starting pitching prospects, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=scott-005chr">Christian Scott</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=hamel-000dom">Dom Hamel</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=stuart000tyl">Tyler Stuart</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=vasil-000mik">Mike Vasil</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=tidwel000bla">Blade Tidwell</a>, and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=sproat000bra">Brandon Sproat</a>, look like future Cy Young winners, but they all look interesting. The Mets have made significant progress in their organizational pitching development. I'm very hopeful that some of that group can be effective starters or even relievers for the Mets. And we're seeing some promising signs this spring that <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/megilty01.shtml">Tylor Megill</a> might be taking a step forward into being the decent pitcher we've seen glimpses of these last few years.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'd like the Mets to take a huge step forward in constructing bullpens. If they can build out some quality depth in their reliever corps — and show facility in finding arms and helping them be successful — they can conceivably do much better in today's game, where starting pitchers are no longer asked to provide more than 200 innings. Although, as previously stated, I avoid predictions, I can foresee a future where the Mets don't chase elite free agent starting pitchers already in their 30s, hand them 9-figure contracts, and then wait around for the almost inevitable injuries to crop up.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Look, it's fun to see a potential Hall of Famer take the mound every fifth day, but that's not the only way to build a pitching staff. I think the 2024 Mets mound crew will be a fascinating watch this upcoming season, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it all turns out.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">*************************</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A quick note here. I saw a piece on SI.com that didn't sit well with me. The author, Jimmy Traina, wrote <a href="https://www.si.com/mlb/2024/03/14/gerrit-cole-reporter-video-yankees">a piece</a> defending another reporter trying to get Gerrit Cole to answer a question while the injured pitcher was walking through an airport. I thought Traina actually made some good points with his arguments, but this struck me as really weak:</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">Nobody is going to like this take and I'm gonna get beat up about it pretty good, but I'm just gonna throw it out there and then I'll mute everyone who sends me a nasty message about it on X (formerly Twitter), but I will stand by everything I write here.</div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">With all due respect, Mr. Traina, muting everyone who sends you a nasty message on Twitter (Sorry, Elon, but X is a stupid name) is hardly standing behind what you write. MikesMets.com isn't the most high-profile site on the Web, but I still get my share of nasty stuff in the comments or on Twitter.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Unless someone goes <i>way</i> out of line (threats or truly offensive language), I don't mute them, block them, or anything like that. Even if, as is too often the case, the person saying the bad stuff didn't even react to something that I wrote, but something they thought I wrote because they couldn't get themselves to read what I actually said. It's frustrating at times and not always fair, but it's part of the deal of making strong points in a public forum.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Threatening to mute people before you make your point and "throw it out there" is pretty weak. It's not at all "stand[ing] by everything [you] write. Too many folks with a public platform worry too much about muting or blocking critics. I'm not a free speech absolutist by any means, but if you write for the public, put those rabbit ears away.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">*************************</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Before I end today's post, I'd like to send my prayers to <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/strawda01.shtml">Darryl Strawberry</a>, one of my all-time favorite New York Mets, and his family. I hope he completely recovers and gets back to his ministry as soon as possible. I'm looking forward to the ceremony when the Mets retire his number this June.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Be well and take care.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div><br /></div><div><div><div>Follow Mike's Mets on social media:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="16" data-original-width="16" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow us on <b>Twitter</b> <b><a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b></div></div><div> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MikesMetsBlog">@MikesMetsBlog</a>.</b></div><div><span> </span><span> Follow me on <b>Instagram</b></span><span style="color: #0000ee;"><b> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/MikeSteffanos/">@MikeSteffanos</a></b></span>.</div><div><span> Follow me on <b>Threads <a href="https://www.threads.net/@MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b><br /></span></div><div> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Spoutible</b> <a href="https://spoutible.com/MikeSteffanos"><b>@MikeSteffanos</b></a>.</div><div> Follow us on <b>Mastodon</b> <b><a href="https://mstdn.social/@MikesMets">@MikesMets@mstdn.social</a></b></div><b> or <a href="https://shea.social/@mikesmetsblog">@MikesMetsBlog@shea.social</a></b>.<div> Follow us on <b>Post News </b><span><b><a href="https://post.news/@/MikesMets">@MikesMets</a>.</b></span></div><div> Follow us on <b>Tribel</b> <b><a href="https://www.tribel.com/mikes_mets/wall">@Mikes_Mets</a>.</b></div></div><div> Follow us on <b>Bluesky <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/mikesmets.bsky.social">@MikesMets.bsky.social</a>.</b></div></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img class="statcounter" src="https://c.statcounter.com/12236556/0/8446a22a/1/" alt="Web Analytics Made Easy - StatCounter" /></div>Mike Steffanoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08573922415294713184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1122736168771714314.post-81594268469816208712024-03-03T13:52:00.005-05:002024-03-03T14:42:58.358-05:00Lowered Expectations, Part Deux<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzHbGnVmYPljb8QIabCUWrADyERJf62LUVAQDbThVY4TVwFALD1ia0eMnAwL98-3DhIN14WpHGv-e_lTbx69vgp-7SEfHL7EQi-qLvS4YUUoVTkLd6z8zkPWvklQTTkzy_Rz1dxjJlwK-BPKh80GoUMhZYFDXoJCeSagYS8PtgX9s0E6eN4rmjsohDvamq/s736/low_expect.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="736" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzHbGnVmYPljb8QIabCUWrADyERJf62LUVAQDbThVY4TVwFALD1ia0eMnAwL98-3DhIN14WpHGv-e_lTbx69vgp-7SEfHL7EQi-qLvS4YUUoVTkLd6z8zkPWvklQTTkzy_Rz1dxjJlwK-BPKh80GoUMhZYFDXoJCeSagYS8PtgX9s0E6eN4rmjsohDvamq/w200-h200/low_expect.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>A November parade is quite unlikely, but I'm oddly excited about the upcoming New York Mets season.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I was pretty confident in the Mets' chances heading into last season. While nothing is certain in baseball, I thought they were as close as it gets to a sure thing for making the playoffs. And that would have been a big deal. As I pointed out in a post that I wrote <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2023/02/it-all-begins.html">a year ago</a>, the Mets have only made the playoffs in consecutive years twice in their entire history: 1999 and 2000 under <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/valenbo02.shtml">Bobby Valentine</a>, and 2015 and 2016 with <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/collite99.shtml">Terry Collins</a> running the show. And that 2016 appearance was a one-and-done Wild Card game ouster.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The last time the Mets came up short on repeating playoff appearances was in 2007. It took a rather epic September collapse to put that failure in the books. They went 5-12 over their last 17 games, which felt even worse than that, as it included a 3-game winning streak in Florida early on. I still vividly remember watching <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/glavito02.shtml">Tom Glavine</a>'s atrocious performance in his last game as a Met on the season's final day. While Glavine somewhat infamously characterized himself as "not devastated" after that game, I honestly don't think I've ever had a lower point in more than a half century of Mets fandom.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If the relative suddenness of the collapse characterized the 2007 season, 2023 was more of a slow, season-long descent to Palookaville. That Mets club managed to parlay a record payroll into a 75-87 record. While the trade deadline figured into that disappointing number, the Mets were 50-55 when <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/verlaju01.shtml">Justin Verlander</a> won his final game as a Met just before being traded back to Houston. The Mets slipped below .500 for the last time in early June in Atlanta. After that, it was confounding how poorly they managed to play against mediocre or even just plain bad opposition.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I wrote about the way the season was going last June, in a piece titled "<a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2023/06/lowered-expectations.html">Lowered Expectations</a>." The title came from a recurring sketch that ran on the MAD TV show that ran on FOX from 1995 to 2009. The premise was a series of commercials for a dating service for "chronically rejected singles" who were "desirably impaired." Basically, the singles in these ads had given up on dreams of Mr. or Ms. Right and were just searching for someone with a pulse. I always thought that the concept was a perfect metaphor for Mets fans, who often found themselves vaguely hoping for a decent season rather than dreaming of a triumphal campaign. "Just don't embarrass me" is not the rally cry for fans of a top-notch franchise.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">What happened to the Mets in 2023 wasn't nearly as traumatic as the 2007 collapse, but it will still go down as one of my least favorite New York Mets seasons. Steve Cohen invested $340 million into that club in an effort to keep the good times going from 2022. Instead, we spent a season watching a team that wasn't bad in some sort of perversely fascinating way, like the 1992 Mets were three decades previously. My memories of last season was watching a club that was frequently quite boring to watch as they meekly went down to defeat — as uncompelling as watching paint dry<a name="continue">.</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I know there are folks who are accusing Steve Cohen of being "cheap" this past off-season. For me, I kind of understand taking a step backwards after watching more than a third of a billion dollars in payroll flushed down the drain. That kind of money can seem unreal, like Monopoly money, to those like me who debate a potential $20 purchase. But even to a multi-billionaire like Cohen, that isn't sustainable — even if the club had managed to secure a playoff berth. To spend that much cash and lose 87 games? Any sane person would recalibrate their efforts after that sort of fiasco.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When the Mets sold big at last year's trade deadline, it was reported that both Verlander and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/scherma01.shtml">Max Scherzer</a> were told that the Mets wouldn't be going all out to win in 2024. There was some sentiment that Cohen was just blowing some smoke up their respective asses to get them to agree to a trade, and that the wealthy Mets owner would spend big to turn things around. But I always thought this thinking was wrong on a couple of different levels. One, it would harm the Mets' dealings with future free agents if the club developed a reputation of being untruthful with their players in order to manipulate them. Two, it just glossed over the huge investment in players such as Verlander, Scherzer, and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mccanja02.shtml">James McCann</a> who were no longer here. The Mets are spending ~$50 million, plus the luxury tax penalty, on players who will not be suiting up for the club in 2024. Something had to give, and it did.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I understood from last year's deadline that this year's Mets club would be taking a significant step backwards in 2024, at least as far as dollars invested. That certainly is how it all played out this past winter. Yet I don't feel the complete lack of optimism that I felt in the post-Madoff years when I knew the Mets would be essentially non-competitive. I believe that, with David Stearns running the show, this could be a very interesting season for the Mets — even if they come up short of the playoffs. And, despite the lamentable injury to <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/sengako01.shtml">Kodai Senga</a>, I believe the Mets can still find their way to the playoff berth that eluded last year's club.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As the title implies, my expectations <i>are</i> undoubtedly lowered heading into the season. A lot has to happen for things to go well for the upcoming season in Queens. The Mets would need guys like <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/severlu01.shtml">Luis Severino</a> and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/manaese01.shtml">Sean Manaea</a> to stay healthy and pitch effectively. They would need to do what they have failed to do repeatedly in recent years — figure out how to take a bunch of random arms assembled over the winter and put together an effective bullpen. They would need a lot of luck keeping key players healthy and on the field, including Senga making a return and avoiding more mishaps.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I understand the skepticism in many quarters that surrounds the 2024 Mets. I don't think it's unfair to say that they don't look like a sure thing at all. But what I do find compelling about this club is the somewhat blank slate that David Stearns represents. I take into account what can be learned from his years in Milwaukee. I've followed his statements to the press all winter and through the opening of camp. It has helped to convince me that Stearns has quite a clear-eyed vision for the future of this club. One that goes beyond whether signing a more experienced DH or another starting pitcher can tweak out another couple of wins this season.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I won't pretend that it doesn't matter to me if the Mets compete for the playoffs this summer. 2024 will be much more gripping to watch if they are legitimate contenders for the postseason when September rolls around. But I'm confident that the details that might keep the Mets in competition all season are the same ones that would portend success in future years.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For instance, having that pitching lab up and running in full swing is going to be a game-changer going forward. I hope they can take advantage of it to pull some extra value out of the kids in their system and the wildcard potential bullpen pieces that Stearns's front office spent the winter accumulating.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Tim Britton had <a href="https://theathletic.com/5309068/2024/03/01/mets-pitching-lab-new/">a great piece</a> in <i>The Athletic,</i> noting some ways the Mets are already putting this technology to use. And this data will only become more useful to coaches and player development folks over the long term, as data is collected over time from pitchers in the organization. But, even in the short term, it can be useful to help Mets pitchers figure out what's working and what's not. Getting something of value around the margins of the roster could be what separates this Mets club from previous disappointing teams.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If the Mets can take strides this season in getting more effective work from the various bullpen pieces and pitching depth they assembled, it can go a long way towards keeping the team in the running all season long. Moreover, it will have positive implications for future seasons where, even if the Mets spend more, they can't purchase an entire 40-man roster in the free agent marketplace. I would feel much more confident about the Mets going forward if they could finally display some competence in pulling some real value out of lower-cost bullpen acquisitions and starting pitcher depth.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It will be also fascinating to watch the wave of prospects that the Mets control begin to establish themselves in the Majors. This goes way beyond whether <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/batybr01.shtml">Brett Baty</a> and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/vientma01.shtml">Mark Vientos</a> flop or triumph in their respective roles. It's much more than just the individual successes or failures that the young pitchers coming up in 2024 experience.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The equation with prospects is that there is always strength in numbers. Some will inevitably fail to perform or suffer injuries. But some have to succeed if sustainability is ever to be more than just a buzzword.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There is enough talent in the Minor Leagues that the Mets should see some of these kids make it. If that can just begin to happen this season, the future will look a whole hell of a lot brighter. If not, there's a real problem and major work still to be done within their player development system. But my strong suspicion is that the Mets have accomplished a great deal in upgrading that crucial department.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">All of this is why I find the upcoming season compelling, way beyond whether the Mets go ahead and sign another experienced player for their rotation, lineup, or bullpen. There will be real drama in just watching to see if progress can be made in key areas I've listed. It may not be pretty every day, but I very much doubt that 2024 will unfold to be as unwatchable and yawn-producing as last season turned out.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I expect that we'll start seeing progress in key areas, and that growth and evolution for the Mets should keep the team interesting, watchable, and in competition for October baseball. They still need a lot of things to go right to nab a playoff berth, but I think the chance of that happening is more than just a hopeless pipe dream.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Be well and take care.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div><br /></div><div><div><div>Follow Mike's Mets on social media:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="16" data-original-width="16" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow us on <b>Twitter</b> <b><a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b></div></div><div> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MikesMetsBlog">@MikesMetsBlog</a>.</b></div><div><span> </span><span> Follow me on <b>Instagram</b></span><span style="color: #0000ee;"><b> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/MikeSteffanos/">@MikeSteffanos</a></b></span>.</div><div><span> Follow me on <b>Threads <a href="https://www.threads.net/@MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b><br /></span></div><div> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Spoutible</b> <a href="https://spoutible.com/MikeSteffanos"><b>@MikeSteffanos</b></a>.</div><div> Follow us on <b>Mastodon</b> <b><a href="https://mstdn.social/@MikesMets">@MikesMets@mstdn.social</a></b></div><b> or <a href="https://shea.social/@mikesmetsblog">@MikesMetsBlog@shea.social</a></b>.<div> Follow us on <b>Post News </b><span><b><a href="https://post.news/@/MikesMets">@MikesMets</a>.</b></span></div><div> Follow us on <b>Tribel</b> <b><a href="https://www.tribel.com/mikes_mets/wall">@Mikes_Mets</a>.</b></div></div><div> Follow us on <b>Bluesky <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/mikesmets.bsky.social">@MikesMets.bsky.social</a>.</b></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img class="statcounter" src="https://c.statcounter.com/12236556/0/8446a22a/1/" alt="Web Analytics Made Easy - StatCounter" /></div>Mike Steffanoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08573922415294713184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1122736168771714314.post-54864399584846619882024-02-18T19:40:00.002-05:002024-02-18T20:10:51.919-05:00On Prospects and Analytics<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijvsHPdbFlg48bpFgN-jVMBPS1_LMlaa9rRNIAQo-D4t2I1ErJOH1G_6iglOgR7AYU4bxttVHbu-7PQ1P3px8xalRg0naQIZIpI_JjVPqNk1KFUibgTrqQo6SetNhrZOGJ2Lbl8bycVAMsa8u2ZU5oxWDKaAbj6ANFvsWH-V5yab3la0lSwNMWmFrC25Yo/s474/new_direction.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="474" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijvsHPdbFlg48bpFgN-jVMBPS1_LMlaa9rRNIAQo-D4t2I1ErJOH1G_6iglOgR7AYU4bxttVHbu-7PQ1P3px8xalRg0naQIZIpI_JjVPqNk1KFUibgTrqQo6SetNhrZOGJ2Lbl8bycVAMsa8u2ZU5oxWDKaAbj6ANFvsWH-V5yab3la0lSwNMWmFrC25Yo/w200-h141/new_direction.jpg" width="200" /></a></div></b></span><b>David Stearns has taken heat for moves he hasn't made this winter, but he is laying the groundwork for a transformational season.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Mets organization has no history of being a player development juggernaut. There have been some good homegrown players over the years, even a few great ones. But there has never been a significant era in the Mets' existence fueled by a farm system continually delivering talent to the major league club. Over many decades, this has been a primary reason why the club has been unable to sustain winning.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Even so, it's not hard to look back in Mets history to see the value in a productive farm system. The Mets' last World Series winner in 1986 featured a ton of homegrown players. By far, the best farm production in Mets' history came in the first half of the 1980s. <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/goodedw01.shtml">Dwight Gooden</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/strawda01.shtml">Darryl Strawberry</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wilsomo01.shtml">Mookie Wilson</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/dykstle01.shtml">Lenny Dykstra</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/backmwa01.shtml">Wally Backman</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mitchke01.shtml">Kevin Mitchell</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mcdowro01.shtml">Roger McDowell</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/aguilri01.shtml">Rick Aguilera</a>, and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/siskdo01.shtml">Doug Sisk</a> were all drafted and developed by the Mets. <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/darliro01.shtml">Ron Darling</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/fernasi01.shtml">Sid Fernandez</a>, and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/oroscje01.shtml">Jesse Orosco</a> were acquired as minor leaguers and debuted with the Mets. <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/myersra01.shtml">Randy Myers</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/e/elsteke01.shtml">Kevin Elster</a>, and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYM/1986.shtml">Dave Magadan</a> also played a few games for the Championship club, although their breakthrough as regulars came later.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>Large-scale success in player development fueled the longest successful era for the Mets. From 1984 through 1990, the club averaged 95 wins per season. It seemed as if there was a foundation in place for sustained winning. However, the talent pipeline only produced for a scant few years, drying up considerably in the second half of the decade. It's no accident that the winning dried up shortly thereafter. In the 38 years that have passed since they last hoisted a trophy, we've never seen anything close to the infusion of young talent we witnessed in the early 1980s.</div><div><br /></div><div>Why were the Mets unable to sustain the success of that early '80s farm system? A significant contributing factor is Fred Wilpon gaining control of the team. In 1980, Fred owned 1% of the Mets. When Doubleday Publishing sold the club after the 1986 season, Wilpon and Nelson Doubleday became 50-50 partners. Finally, in August 2002, Fred bought out Doubleday and became the sole owner of the club.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As Fred Wilpon's control grew, the club's fortunes declined. The Mets' success in the late '80s through 2002 was significantly less than their heyday, accumulating a mediocre .514 winning percentage. But things got worse in the period when Fred had sole control. From 2003 to 2020, their winning percentage was .491. In those 18 seasons, they only finished above .500 seven times. Despite witnessing the success fueled by the farm system in Frank Cashen's first seasons as GM, Wilpon never placed a priority on maximizing his club's talent pipeline. Investment there just didn't bring the instant gratification and praise for his ownership Fred craved.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Mets developed some good ballplayers during the Wilpon era, even a handful of great ones, headed by <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wrighda03.shtml">David Wright</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/reyesjo01.shtml">José Reyes</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/degroja01.shtml">Jacob deGrom</a>, and, for a brief, shining moment, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/harvema01.shtml">Matt Harvey</a>. But the Mets were never able to replicate the infusion of talent we saw in the early 80s. The consequences of this failure were a recurring theme over the ensuing decades of Wilpon's management<a name="continue">.</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For the most part, year after year, the Mets had to fill out the roster with players acquired through free agency. Depth in their system usually consisted of Quad-A types, has-beens, and retreads. When the Mets had to reach down to the farm for a pitcher to make an emergency start, the results were often brutal and ugly. When they needed to promote a position player to cover for an injury, we witnessed a lot of non-competitive at-bats by guys who really had no business being in the Major Leagues. Many a Mets season was sunk by injuries to key players and the paucity of depth available to cover for them.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Mets got better at drafting players in the waning years of the Wilpon regime. It still wasn't great, but there was improvement. When Steve Cohen purchased the team, the Mets were still far behind MLB's best teams when it came to investing in their player development. When the Mets finally opened their pitching lab last summer, Cohen spoke about how the Mets were years behind more progressive clubs in doing so. While there is no instant gratification in player development, Cohen is right in that building a successful talent pipeline is the only way to have more than fleeting success going forward.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">David Stearns is fortunate enough to be stepping into an organization that is much further down the road to being what it needs to be than the Mets were when Cohen took over in November 2020. But he was less lucky to inherit the consequences of last winter's spending spree, which produced an extremely suboptimal outcome and an overstuffed budget that didn't pay any dividends. The fanbase is understandably frustrated by 2023's outcome. A large percentage of them aren't inclined to grant Stearns's front office the leeway to spend this season evaluating what they have in house. I feel a bit of impatience myself, but it's tempered by the understanding that things have to change for the Mets if the club is finally to reverse decades of unsatisfactory results from their system.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm not one to dump on former GM Billy Eppler. He stepped into a situation that was quite chaotic after two GMs were handed pink slips in the space of a few months. This undoubtedly hampered Steve Cohen's plans to upgrade scouting and development. Eppler certainly didn't get everything right, but he stabilized the situation and made some real progress. One area where Eppler's front office came up lacking, however, was in their failure to create a situation where prospects had the maximum opportunity to thrive.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Young players such as <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/alvarfr01.shtml">Francisco Álvarez</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/batybr01.shtml">Brett Baty</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mauriro01.shtml">Ronny Mauricio</a>, and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/vientma01.shtml">Mark Vientos</a> received significant playing time over the past two seasons with varying degrees of success. However, there was never a discernible plan in place for any of these kids. They received opportunities due to need created by injury or lack of production from veterans. They often saw inconsistent playing time upon promotion.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Their results were quite mixed. Álvarez, by far, enjoyed the most success, but endured big slumps. Francisco finished with an anemic on base percentage of .284 and an OPS+ of 95 — not terrible for a catcher, but more than a bit disappointing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Meanwhile, Baty went from a top-100 prospect to somewhat of a flop, both offensively and in the field. Fans really wanted to see the Mets sign a third baseman this winter, as expectations for Baty plummeted.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mark Vientos had a somewhat promising September when finally awarded regular playing time, but struck out in over 30% of his ABs last season. There are still big questions whether Mark can make enough contact in the big leagues, particularly since his defense will never provide much value.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Finally, Mauricio will miss the entirety of the 2024 season, missing out on some hugely needed development time. Ronny has a ton of potential, but also only managed an OPS + of 77 with the Mets last season, striking out in 31 of 108 PA.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Essentially, the Mets didn't have a clear win with any prospect, including Álvarez. They have to do better going forward.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 2024, the Mets have several position player prospects relatively close to making their MLB debut. Trade pickups <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=gilber002and">Drew Gilbert</a> and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=acuna-003jos">Luisangel Acuña</a> are the closest, with <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=willia000jet">Jett Williams</a> not very far behind. We could very well see all of these guys in Queens this summer, along with some pitching prospects percolating up through the system. What I hope to see from David Stearns's front office is a more coherent plan for all of these kids, including the ones mentioned above that have already accumulated MLB service time.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">David Stearns has spoken of the rationale for not going out and signing one of the established DHs in the market. The primary reason was to create opportunity for young players. That answer won't win any popularity contests, but it's exactly the right thing for the 2024 Mets to do. In a way, the path of least resistance would be to sign a veteran in the hopes of finding a couple of extra wins in the quest for a Wild Card berth. That was the path the Mets always seemed to take in the Wilpon years — when they were trying at all. But doing the easy, popular stuff has failed to pay off for the Mets in decade after decade. So I'm willing to give Cohen and Stearns a break and some leeway in trying to forge a new way of doing things for the Mets.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I don't like losing, either, folks. Believe me. I've seen wa-a-a-a-y too much of it over the last five and a half decades of rooting for the Mets. But fixing things around here is going to involve more than just writing big checks and putting together a Stars and Scrubs type of roster again. Building organizational depth and giving kids a real chance to establish themselves is a sensible approach from a really smart guy. I'm on board, even if it doesn't immediately pay off this season. Changing the program may be a bit painful to watch at times, but the consequences of not changing things that just aren't working are even more painful to experience.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>I've prattled on quite a bit here, but if you'll indulge me for a bit longer, here's one more brief point. Steve Cohen has some understanding of the importance of analytics from years of making himself a billionaire. But now there is sentiment from a significant percentage of fans that the Mets have become too reliant on analytics, to the detriment of their success.</div><div><br /></div><div>I wasn't someone who bought into analytics for many years. Being just plain old has a tendency to make one's beliefs somewhat old-school. But learning about the way that smart clubs were integrating analytics into their decision-making processes slowly changed my thinking. That doesn't mean that I see analytics as some magical ritual that teams can perform to boost their win totals. Clubs that are succeeding with analytics are doing so because they have achieved a harmony between maximizing the effectiveness of whatever data they choose to incorporate and making sure the data is truly useful.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>There is always a delicate balance to strike when using data properly. Whether it is data used in internal evaluations or data given to players to help them compete better against other teams, there is a fine line between useful information and information overload. I am not on the inside of what is happening with the Mets, so I can't pretend to know what they have gotten right and where they have come up short. What I am reasonably sure of, however, is that the fault is not with the science of analytics, but rather with a failure to implement things properly.</div><div><br /></div><div>One of my many hopes for David Stearns running the show is that he fine-tunes the club's processes for utilizing analytics, figuring out what is working and what isn't, and then making adjustments accordingly. Again flashing back to the Wilpons, the Mets barely dabbled in analytics during those years. You can find ways to screw things up by ignoring analytics or using the science improperly. Let's hope that, under Stearns, the Mets finally find that sweet spot in the middle.</div><div><br /></div><div>Be well and take care.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div><div><div>Follow Mike's Mets on social media:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="16" data-original-width="16" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow us on <b>Twitter</b> <b><a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b></div></div><div> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MikesMetsBlog">@MikesMetsBlog</a>.</b></div><div><span> </span><span> Follow me on <b>Instagram</b></span><span style="color: #0000ee;"><b> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/MikeSteffanos/">@MikeSteffanos</a></b></span>.</div><div><span> Follow me on <b>Threads <a href="https://www.threads.net/@MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b><br /></span></div><div> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Spoutible</b> <a href="https://spoutible.com/MikeSteffanos"><b>@MikeSteffanos</b></a>.</div><div> Follow us on <b>Mastodon</b> <b><a href="https://mstdn.social/@MikesMets">@MikesMets@mstdn.social</a></b></div><b> or <a href="https://shea.social/@mikesmetsblog">@MikesMetsBlog@shea.social</a></b>.<div> Follow us on <b>Post News </b><span><b><a href="https://post.news/@/MikesMets">@MikesMets</a>.</b></span></div><div> Follow us on <b>Tribel</b> <b><a href="https://www.tribel.com/mikes_mets/wall">@Mikes_Mets</a>.</b></div></div><div> Follow us on <b>Bluesky <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/mikesmets.bsky.social">@MikesMets.bsky.social</a>.</b></div></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img class="statcounter" src="https://c.statcounter.com/12236556/0/8446a22a/1/" alt="Web Analytics Made Easy - StatCounter" /></div>Mike Steffanoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08573922415294713184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1122736168771714314.post-75136454115112729672024-01-29T16:42:00.004-05:002024-01-29T17:03:53.905-05:00The Defense Doesn't Rest<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW0eSuyneG0LhRuwqF31sqdTGDkzXjbkttvnDXVbxkoeEGezszqUYze3MAN7Z5AmBi1nPzyAr3EayYeeOOgavZaHpU68xyk1xwiaeaO7Rtr711-5tB9mbtXXLO5DdhLimkTrdapQNSYsbwSB056uaF_Xk0jgZTD7iQt5W9Qvd7rPUM621ywFtZfa1Y4uca/s524/goldglove.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="524" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW0eSuyneG0LhRuwqF31sqdTGDkzXjbkttvnDXVbxkoeEGezszqUYze3MAN7Z5AmBi1nPzyAr3EayYeeOOgavZaHpU68xyk1xwiaeaO7Rtr711-5tB9mbtXXLO5DdhLimkTrdapQNSYsbwSB056uaF_Xk0jgZTD7iQt5W9Qvd7rPUM621ywFtZfa1Y4uca/w200-h191/goldglove.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><b>A renewed emphasis on defense would be a good thing for the New York Mets.</b><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mike Vaccaro had an interesting column in the <i><a href="https://nypost.com/2024/01/25/sports/david-stearns-quiet-start-a-shift-from-the-debuts-of-past-mets-gms/">New York Post</a></i> about the rather dull first winter of David Stearns's tenure, compared with the splashier debuts of some other recent Mets GMs. Back in the offseason of 2004-05, Omar Minaya famously hit the ground running, signing <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/beltrca01.shtml">Pedro Martinez</a> and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/beltrca01.shtml">Carlos Beltran</a> in his first offseason in charge. In his inaugural hot stove as GM, Brodie Van Wagenen swung a deal for <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/diazed04.shtml">Edwin Díaz</a> that, unfortunately, also saddled the club with the Albatross of <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/canoro01.shtml">Robinson Canó</a>'s contract.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Contrast this with Stearns, whose biggest deals this winter was the signing of pitchers <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/manaese01.shtml">Sean Manaea</a> and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/severlu01.shtml">Luis Severino</a>. While I certainly understood the logic behind inking these guys, neither of the announcements made a chill run down my spine as I felt when I first learned of Beltran's agreement. The <a href="https://www.mlb.com/mets/roster/40-man">40-man</a> on Mets.com is loaded with the names of guys David Stearns brought in to deepen the roster. Some of these new guys could play an important part in what happens to the Mets in 2024. A few of them even fascinate me a tiny bit.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm intrigued by the defensive skills <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/baderha01.shtml">Harrison Bader</a> can contribute in the outfield, even as I acknowledge that he is likely to miss time due to injury and hasn't posted an OPS+ over league average since 2021. Bader is with the Mets on a 1-year contract. Those short-term deals are hard to find fault with, as the player won't be around long enough to cause any lasting pain, even if he doesn't really work out. What makes Harrison Bader interesting, and has kept him employed in MLB despite a lackluster batting line of <span style="text-align: left;">.243/</span><span style="text-align: left;">.310/</span><span style="text-align: left;">.396 over 7 seasons, is the elite defense he brings to the table.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">The Mets have a history of prioritizing offense over defense going back decades. Davey Johnson, still arguably the most successful manager in Mets history, would often sacrifice some defense to get a bit more pop in his lineup. For instance, he often started <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/johnsho01.shtml">Howard Johnson</a> or <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mitchke01.shtml">Kevin Mitchell</a> at SS when <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/fernasi01.shtml">Sid Fernandez</a> was pitching. There was logic to this choice, as El Sid was an extreme fly ball pitcher. But it was notable in the pre-steroid era when defense was still prized over offense in baseball<a name="continue">.</a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Omar Minaya's best Mets teams were offensive juggernauts that emphasized pop over defense, although this wasn't unusual in the dying days of the steroid era. Sandy Alderson, who followed Minaya, was also known for prioritizing offense in his roster choices. Minaya's and Alderson's clubs both included one very successful playoff run. What was more frustrating as a fan was all the Mets clubs that were not winners, did not score many runs, and still featured lousy defense.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">I had heard that Stearns prioritized defense going back to before he was hired by the Mets. I think this is long overdue for the Mets. Don't get me wrong, I'm not in favor of returning to a 1970s-style roster construction where the bottom 3 lineup spots featured virtually automatic outs — usually players who brought strong gloves to positions such as shortstop, catcher, second base, and centerfield. But, in our somewhat offensively-challenged era, defense wins some tight games over the course of a season.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">It is also beneficial for young pitchers trying to establish themselves in MLB to have confidence that their fielders can make plays behind them. Indeed, having their fielders make great plays that save them runs is uplifting to even veteran pitchers. Good defensive teams particularly help hurlers who don't pile up big strikeout numbers.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">It will be interesting to watch the evolution of this philosophy over the next few years. Despite the pessimism of some fans, I believe this dull winter is part of a deliberate plan to better position the Mets for future playoff runs. I think next winter will feature bigger names and a much higher fan interest level. There are also some prospects already in the Mets system who will be true contributors to future success, and even some actual stars.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">I want to root for Mets teams who are fun to watch and can score some runs. Offense is always a pleasure to watch when it's clicking. But I also want to cheer on clubs that can help their own cause with the leather. As David Stearns builds the rosters for these future clubs, I suspect his roster decisions will feature a real balance between offense and defense. For instance, if a below-average fielder is allowed to play a significant role, it will be because his offensive contribution is well above average. And it should be proportional to whatever he might cost the team in the field. I'm absolutely on board with that type of roster building.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">*************************</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">In <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2024/01/what-im-looking-for-in-24.html">my last blog post</a>, I wrote about what I want the Mets to accomplish this season. One of the most crucial is getting something more out of prospects with some strategic development. I should expand that to include players who are no longer prospects but have yet to establish themselves as successful Major Leaguers. This could be players drafted by the Mets or the lottery ticket types that Stearns has accumulated this winter.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">In <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/01/27/sports/mets-enter-2024-with-less-star-power-but-more-depth-in-rotation/">a piece</a> for the <i>Post</i> this past weekend, Mike Puma wrote about the pitching depth added this winter. As Puma points out, there is much more depth </span><span style="text-align: left;">— and much less star power </span><span style="text-align: left;">— on the roster heading into 2024. If you haven't read it, it's well worth your time, with updates on all the starting candidates. Puma's update on <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/megilty01.shtml">Tylor Megill</a> has been drawing a lot of interest in Mets circles:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote><span style="text-align: left;"><blockquote style="text-align: justify;">The largest strides this winter by any Mets pitcher might be from the right-hander, who is working out at Push Performance in Phoenix.</blockquote><blockquote style="text-align: justify;">Megill has developed a split-fingered fastball, a pitch he dabbled with toward the end of last season that now stands to become an important part of his arsenal.</blockquote><blockquote style="text-align: justify;">Megill has worked on using a split-fingered fastball.</blockquote><blockquote style="text-align: justify;">Mets' analytics deem it an "elite" pitch, but Megill must show it facing batters.</blockquote><blockquote style="text-align: justify;">Megill is said to have surpassed by plenty all that was expected of him this winter and is viewed as an important piece of the team’s rotation depth.</blockquote></span></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Tylor was an 8th-round pick by the Mets in the 2018 draft. While he has shown flashes at times, Megill can't seem to sustain them, nor can he stay healthy. I like that the club is working with the data from the company Megill is training with. It would be a massive win for the club if Tylor could develop into a rotation piece or even a solid relief option.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Multiply that success by achieving the same with other pitchers, including some other interesting arms the Mets have taken in later draft rounds in recent years. While it's nice to draft and develop a top-end starter, there are other ways to build a good rotation. I'm really interested in watching whether the Mets' pitching development can take a step forward this year.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">*************************</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Finally, I want to make a brief point here that isn't about the Mets or baseball. I've been increasingly dismayed over the years by all of the people who want to endow former NFL quarterback Michael Vick with a do-over for the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bad_Newz_Kennels">unbelievable cruelty</a> he actively and personally inflicted on dogs in his infamous dog-fighting scandal.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">I do not believe that Vick was adequately punished for his absolutely psychopathic behavior with 23 months in a minimum security prison. I do not think he should have ever been allowed to play NFL football again, profiting greatly by doing so. I do not believe that Vick ever showed genuine remorse for anything except having to go to jail and lose a lot of money, to which I can only say, "boo f***ing hoo." Vick never even directly apologized for what he did, skirting around the issue in later interviews.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">I believe in second chances, but I do not believe Vick has even come close to earning his. I may write a full post on this subject if time permits in the future. If I do, I will clearly label it as such for those of you who may not agree with me or are not interested in the subject. For now, I simply conclude with the statement that Michael Vick was, still is, and likely will always be a piece of absolute garbage who has not earned forgiveness for his blatantly evil behavior. And, if you happen to stumble across this Internet backwater, Mr. Vick, please feel free to go f*** yourself.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">For everyone else, please be well and take care.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><br /></div><div><div><div>Follow Mike's Mets on social media:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="16" data-original-width="16" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow us on <b>Twitter</b> <b><a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b></div></div><div> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MikesMetsBlog">@MikesMetsBlog</a>.</b></div><div><span> </span><span> Follow me on <b>Instagram</b></span><span style="color: #0000ee;"><b> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/MikeSteffanos/">@MikeSteffanos</a></b></span>.</div><div><span> Follow me on <b>Threads <a href="https://www.threads.net/@MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b><br /></span></div><div> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Spoutible</b> <a href="https://spoutible.com/MikeSteffanos"><b>@MikeSteffanos</b></a>.</div><div> Follow us on <b>Mastodon</b> <b><a href="https://mstdn.social/@MikesMets">@MikesMets@mstdn.social</a></b></div><b> or <a href="https://shea.social/@mikesmetsblog">@MikesMetsBlog@shea.social</a></b>.<div> Follow us on <b>Post News </b><span><b><a href="https://post.news/@/MikesMets">@MikesMets</a>.</b></span></div><div> Follow us on <b>Tribel</b> <b><a href="https://www.tribel.com/mikes_mets/wall">@Mikes_Mets</a>.</b></div></div><div> Follow us on <b>Bluesky <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/mikesmets.bsky.social">@MikesMets.bsky.social</a>.</b></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img class="statcounter" src="https://c.statcounter.com/12236556/0/8446a22a/1/" alt="Web Analytics Made Easy - StatCounter" /></div>Mike Steffanoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08573922415294713184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1122736168771714314.post-11204829950101385762024-01-23T17:47:00.002-05:002024-01-23T18:08:21.825-05:00What I'm Looking for in '24<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRzsx6-d93AlcZwYuBNqHtTvO-qO_8pAwbFxTXj6Koag-kfiN6d2ZlSIdhUGbB5jMN9xq9OCJA-U-Unjt6m5qp9N-uVOOuuof19j8ZprK2zC0EknkTrPRD-ZfVHle8uZDcHlGSyriBHx52u8eVVamDB_m-yGPk5jiH7nENV67tGECcyDdFFR4XYUG_5veK/s474/looking.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="316" data-original-width="474" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRzsx6-d93AlcZwYuBNqHtTvO-qO_8pAwbFxTXj6Koag-kfiN6d2ZlSIdhUGbB5jMN9xq9OCJA-U-Unjt6m5qp9N-uVOOuuof19j8ZprK2zC0EknkTrPRD-ZfVHle8uZDcHlGSyriBHx52u8eVVamDB_m-yGPk5jiH7nENV67tGECcyDdFFR4XYUG_5veK/w200-h133/looking.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>Spring training is almost upon us. Here's what I hope to see from the New York Mets this season.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Here in New England, winter has announced itself rather loudly these past couple of weeks. It hasn't affected me as much as in a typical year. I'm stuck in the house the majority of the time, anyway, after hip replacement surgery. I can't drive yet, so I don't have to deal with the adverse conditions on the road. I can't go out and shovel after the relatively minor storms that have hit my area. Still, as someone who holds no love for the winter, I wouldn't be sorry to see Old Man Winter dial it back a bit.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I've been trying to find productive things to do during all of the downtime that my rehab has "gifted" me. I hoped to write more about the Mets during this stretch, but it's been a rather dull winter for the club, particularly in comparison to the non-stop excitement of last offseason. And a lot of what has been going on in David Stearns's first winter at the helm has been happening in the background, out of sight of fans like myself.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I've written about my patience for what Stearns is trying to accomplish in digging out of the hole created by the extraordinary failure of the 2023 Mets. I <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2023/12/really-getting-better.html">genuinely believe</a> remarkable progress is being made to better position the New York Mets to finally exit the (occasional) Boom and (mostly) Bust cycle they've been stuck in for decades. I understand that 2024 will be a transition year. However, as I wrote in <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2024/01/why-2024-matters.html">my last post</a>, I don't give David Stearns and Steve Cohen a pass on making this a competitive season. Last year was such an ongoing bummer. This one has to be more fun for the fans and more helpful in building the brand that Stearns and Cohen hope to transform the Mets into.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With the lack of big-impact signings to think about lately, my mind has turned to what would constitute a successful season for the 2023 Mets. In a season that will begin with much lower expectations than last year, there still has to be something that builds momentum back in the right direction. While I'm sure that every Mets fan carries their own expectations for 2024, here are some of mine:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>A winning season.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This might sound basic, but my absolute baseline criteria for this upcoming season is that the Mets finish above .500. Stearns and Cohen have both spoken of seriously competing for a playoff spot. Last year, the Diamondbacks and the Marlins parlayed 84-win seasons into Wild Card appearances. It was tougher in the AL, where the Blue Jays were the lowest-winning Wild Card club with 89 wins. Still, being better than .500 at least ensures a team is in the Wild Card hunt. And the Mets really have to be in the hunt, or we're talking consecutive failed seasons, and that's a massive step in the wrong direction<a name="continue">.</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Look, you can make a scenario where the Mets finish below breakeven again, manage to flip some veterans for decent prospects, spend big next offseason, and turn the corner in 2025. I get it, but you're still sending the wrong message to free agents whom you're hoping to entice if your club is coming off of 4 of 5 losing seasons since Cohen bought the Mets — and that's where they would be if the club can't manage to win more than they lose in the upcoming season. I really do believe they need to show progress in 2024.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Turn the corner on building a bullpen.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I know that I beat on this drum a lot, but in this era of baseball, a team can't win if they can't figure out how to put together a relief corps that can deliver. And the Mets have seriously sucked at this for decades. While teams in much smaller markets with fewer resources manage to construct viable 'pens consistently, the big-market Mets rarely do.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There have been brief shining moments. Back in 2006, the Mets had an old starting pitching staff. <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/martipe02.shtml">Pedro Martinez</a>, who had been great in 2005, was breaking down. Omar Minaya scrambled all summer to plug the holes in his rotation. But the bullpen that season, along with a potent offense, held the club together. Despite their rotation, The Mets made it to Game 7 of the NLCS. As a fan, I hoped Omar could continue assembling quality relief corps. I was disappointed in this regard. 2006 proved to be the exception, not the rule.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Unfortunately, overusing their decent relievers — due to their inability to unearth more — led directly to the team's collapses in 2007 and 2008. Then, the entire team began to decline. Since then, the Mets have struggled to assemble a dependable bullpen year after year. As the number of innings from starting pitchers continues to decline, the Mets consistently handicap their chance of success with ongoing bullpen struggles.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When David Stearns was running the Milwaukee Brewers, they were a very small market club with noted success in putting credible bullpens out there. Stearns has been assembling the variety of low-investment arms this season that he used to build bullpens in Milwaukee. He apparently has a philosophy of trying to find a variety of stuff and arm angles with these pitchers. Tampa Bay has a similar philosophy in putting their bullpens together. Next comes work in the <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2023/08/advanced-biomechanics-meet-mets.html">new pitching lab</a> under the supervision of all the coaches and instructors the Mets have invested in.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The ultimate proof would be finding enough in their prospects and the other pitchers the Mets have assembled and hit on some of these guys as success stories. I would certainly like the club to add another experienced reliever or two to the bullpen mix. However, what would make me feel really good about the Mets going forward would be for them to simply succeed with some of these reliever lottery tickets.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Time to start having success with prospects.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We all understand that the backbone of a sustainable winner would be a prospect pipeline that actually produced viable Major League ballplayers. So far, only <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/alvarfr01.shtml">Francisco Álvarez</a> has shown enough to establish himself as the starter going forward. Even Francisco slumped quite badly over the last two months of the season and needs to show more consistency.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/batybr01.shtml">Brett Baty</a>, who had a chance to grab hold of the 3B job, failed to show the promise of Álvarez. While still highly regarded, repeating last season's struggles would probably signal the end of Baty's chances to be a regular in New York. As a fan, I hope that the investments in technology and brain power noted above could work in Baty's favor and that the Mets can still unlock the potential that made Brett a Top-100 prospect in the game.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/vientma01.shtml">Mark Vientos</a> accumulated 233 PA with the Mets last season. He struggled for most of the season with inconsistent playing time. Then, in September, all of the deadline deals allowed Vientos an opportunity to play almost every day. Mark slashed <span style="text-align: left;">.230/</span><span style="text-align: left;">.280/</span><span style="text-align: left;">.460 with 6 HR that month. While not world-beating stats, those were, by far, Vientos's best numbers in MLB. It should at least earn Mark a real shot with the 2024 Mets to show whether he can make frequent enough contact for his power to play in the majors.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Of course, the most exciting prospect with MLB time, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mauriro01.shtml">Ronny Mauricio</a>, is likely to miss the entire season after tearing his ACL in winter ball. He's an exciting young player with a real chance of making an impact with the Mets. I hope his rehab progresses enough that the Mets can do some work in preparing Ronny for 2025.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Down on the farm, the Mets have several position players who may see the majors in 2024. <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=gilber002and">Drew Gilbert</a> and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=acuna-003jos">Luisangel Acuña</a>, both acquired in deadline deals, will likely start the year in Triple-A Syracuse, one step away from Queens. However, the one who intrigues me the most, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=willia000jet">Jett Williams</a>, will only be a step behind in Double-A. Drafted out of high school in 2022, the 5' 6" infielder made it all the way to Binghamton last season. Jett is a great athlete with a terrific, mature approach at the plate who may just get a call-up at the end of this season if he continues to progress as he did last year.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And while the headliners in the Mets' system are mostly position players, there are pitching prospects who can toe the rubber in Queens this season. In <i><a href="https://theathletic.com/5220389/2024/01/23/which-mets-prospects-could-debut-in-2024-two-top-names-get-spring-invites/">The Athletic</a></i> this week, Will Sammon highlighted a couple of good ones: <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=vasil-000mik">Mike Vasil</a> and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=scott-005chr">Christian Scott</a>. Sammon wrote about how the new pitching lab is already helping Vasil to make the improvements necessary to graduate to the majors:</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>Inside the New York Mets' pitching lab in October, the high-speed cameras and sensors hooked up to prospect Mike Vasil helped inform staffers that the right-hander would benefit from a mechanical change.</div><div><br /></div><div>Essentially, Vasil needed to stay on his back side longer during the early stage of his stride so that he didn't go down the mound too quickly within his delivery. From there, Mets coaches designed throwing drills with weighted balls and ultimately created a program to help him build up throwing while also implementing the new mechanics. Vasil hopes the adjustment leads to more consistent velocity at maybe a tick or two higher. In the meantime, Vasil has also worked on a bigger slider to pair with a harder one, which may evolve into a cutter that helps him perform better against right-handed batters.</div></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">David Stearns is on record saying he believes any of the starters in Syracuse this season, including <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=hamel-000dom">Dominic Hamel</a> and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=stuart000tyl">Tyler Stuart</a>, could conceivably have a breakthrough season and find themselves with the Mets. There are also relief prospects who could make the jump.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Pundits opine that the Mets' pitching prospects lack high ceilings. But advanced teams have elevated some of their young pitchers above their purported ceilings by working to refine their talents with the sort of coaching and high-tech that the Mets have added to their development system. And make no mistake, if some of these guys can become MLB mid-to-back of the rotation starters or even effective relievers, that would still be a huge developmental win.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Whether it be position prospects or pitchers, I'm not looking for the Mets to succeed with <i>all</i> of them. That would be unrealistic. But my hope for 2024 on the prospect side is for the club to nurture some of these guys into genuine MLB contributors. If the Mets can accomplish that, they will have taken a giant step toward that elusive goal of sustainability.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Okay, that's it for now. We'll talk again soon. In the meantime, be well and take care.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><br /></div><div><div><div>Follow Mike's Mets on social media:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="16" data-original-width="16" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow us on <b>Twitter</b> <b><a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b></div></div><div> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MikesMetsBlog">@MikesMetsBlog</a>.</b></div><div><span> </span><span> Follow me on <b>Instagram</b></span><span style="color: #0000ee;"><b> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/MikeSteffanos/">@MikeSteffanos</a></b></span>.</div><div><span> Follow me on <b>Threads <a href="https://www.threads.net/@MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b><br /></span></div><div> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Spoutible</b> <a href="https://spoutible.com/MikeSteffanos"><b>@MikeSteffanos</b></a>.</div><div> Follow us on <b>Mastodon</b> <b><a href="https://mstdn.social/@MikesMets">@MikesMets@mstdn.social</a></b></div><b> or <a href="https://shea.social/@mikesmetsblog">@MikesMetsBlog@shea.social</a></b>.<div> Follow us on <b>Post News </b><span><b><a href="https://post.news/@/MikesMets">@MikesMets</a>.</b></span></div><div> Follow us on <b>Tribel</b> <b><a href="https://www.tribel.com/mikes_mets/wall">@Mikes_Mets</a>.</b></div></div><div> Follow us on <b>Bluesky <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/mikesmets.bsky.social">@MikesMets.bsky.social</a>.</b></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img class="statcounter" src="https://c.statcounter.com/12236556/0/8446a22a/1/" alt="Web Analytics Made Easy - StatCounter" /></div>Mike Steffanoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08573922415294713184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1122736168771714314.post-13663407766245643152024-01-18T19:43:00.002-05:002024-01-18T20:18:43.358-05:00Why 2024 Matters<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr9S8ClH_iZrdp1MnergknGEdTgspVwIAe3NRA9__bC4JsfvspIwFJv1ebFnf35SLTGlSYPe4TyXKiSvTXZzNdJdmHiiY1BD6zYbyjDQ-KvKLbWmdYbvepsEEboXS2WvUlyobsa53t8-GzTS0-4wNQB-oQOQbZJGFEKhgJDeaDZaKy-By4I0oEYVXu-R-p/s636/can.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="636" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr9S8ClH_iZrdp1MnergknGEdTgspVwIAe3NRA9__bC4JsfvspIwFJv1ebFnf35SLTGlSYPe4TyXKiSvTXZzNdJdmHiiY1BD6zYbyjDQ-KvKLbWmdYbvepsEEboXS2WvUlyobsa53t8-GzTS0-4wNQB-oQOQbZJGFEKhgJDeaDZaKy-By4I0oEYVXu-R-p/w200-h151/can.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Despite having to dig out of the mess created by the 2023 Mets, David Stearns and the Mets cannot afford to kick the can down the road to 2025.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I had hip replacement surgery last week. Just reading those words on the page makes me feel old. I turned 65 last October. I'm not at death's door, but I understand that the <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2023/10/seasons.html">clock is ticking</a> and I won't be around forever. I know this is somewhat of a cliché, but time really does go by remarkably quickly. I woke up one day, looked in the mirror, and was surprised at the old face staring back at me. It doesn't seem so long ago that I was still a relatively young man.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have a simple wish for my Mets fandom as I officially enter senior citizenhood: I want them to win at least one more title while I am both breathing and still holding onto my marbles mentally so I can truly appreciate the accomplishment. If I have to hear about a title from the person emptying my drool cup at an assisted care facility, that really won't do it for me.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As disappointing as the 2022 season ended, the dream of a championship seemed much closer in October 2022 than it does now. I knew there were major issues facing the club that offseason, such as the <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/degroja01.shtml">Jacob deGrom</a> opt-out and the impending free agency of <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/n/nimmobr01.shtml">Brandon Nimmo</a> and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/diazed04.shtml">Edwin Díaz</a>. Steve Cohen's Mets were in a position where they would have to spend prolifically and still could find themselves taking a step backward. When Cohen authored a historic spending spree last winter, it seemed that the Mets could at least tread water and make a second consecutive playoff appearance. Even despite the age of the club, it would take a cascade of injuries, underperformance, and just plain bad luck for the Mets to have a bad season.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As you know, the Mets stumbled into that worst-case scenario. There indeed were some miscalculations by the front office that gave the club less margin for error. Enduring a losing season while setting a payroll record makes second-guessing Billy Eppler's choices easy. While it still seems probable that Steve Cohen would have hired the finally available David Stearns even if Billy Eppler's club had enjoyed a much more successful campaign last season, Eppler's case certainly wasn't bolstered by the faceplant of the 2022 New York Mets.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But I harbor no residual ill will towards the former GM. Thanks to some of the work done under Billy Eppler, David Stearns is stepping into a much better situation than he would have if Brewers owner Mark Attanasio had set him free back in 2020 when the Mets first approached Stearns about the job. There is still a lot of work to be done, but the Mets have already come a long way as an organization these last three years, and even last season's disaster doesn't change that. And I'm heartened that David Stearns really seems to be the right guy to take the New York Mets to a more perenially competitive level<a name="continue">.</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Of course, not all Mets fans are enamored with Stearns presently. There is some sentiment that he brought a small market mentality with him to New York, the same sort of complaint that wound up driving Chaim Bloom out of Boston. I disagree with that, even though my age and recent surgery reinforce my sense of urgency that the Mets turn it around sooner rather than later. But I don't get a nickel-and-dime vibe from David Stearns — and decades of Wilpon ownership make me quite sensitive to any inkling of that particular vibe.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, one of the earliest truisms I was taught in my younger days was that actions have consequences. I have made both good and bad choices in my life. While I have enjoyed reaping the rewards of my better decisions, I have also, at times, paid a personal price for my more regrettable choices. While it's never fun to be in that position, I have always done my best to learn from my mistakes and try to take at least something positive out of them.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Mets made some bad decisions last year. Billy Eppler and Steve Cohen collaborated on the choice to greenlight a ton of spending, particularly on older players. <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/scherma01.shtml">Max Scherzer</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/martest01.shtml">Starling Marte</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/canhama01.shtml">Mark Canha</a>, and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/e/escobed01.shtml">Eduardo Escobar</a> were MLB senior citizens already under contract. Eppler more than doubled down by adding 40-year-old <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/verlaju01.shtml">Justin Verlander</a> on a huge contract, along with older veterans <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/q/quintjo01.shtml">José Quintana</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/roberda08.shtml">David Robertson</a>, and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/phamth01.shtml">Tommy Pham</a>. Eppler also elected to pick up the option on 36-year-old <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/carraca01.shtml">Carlos Carrasco</a> despite Cookie's massive fade at the end of 2022. I thought at the time that move might <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2023/03/thoughts-on-mets-opening-day-roster.html">come back to haunt the GM</a>, and it certainly did. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As previously stated, the reasoning for Eppler and Cohen's gamble was clear. They didn't want to lose the momentum of the 101-win season in 2022, but they had big pieces to replace or retain. They could have played it somewhat safer by going after the sort of players they have been during this current offseason, but instead, they took a big swing, and the baseball gods did not smile upon their efforts. Such is life.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But while David Stearns arrived with a mandate to build a perpetual winner, there were some consequences to be paid for all of the gambles that failed last year and the resulting dead money clogging the books. I really don't blame Cohen for not being willing to take the Mets' payroll further into the stratosphere. If last winter was about one huge signing after another, this hot stove season is featuring Stearns and company acquiring a different sort of player in their effort to make 2024 a step back in the right direction.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">From recent interviews, it's clear that David Stearns is committing to giving young players a chance. What happened to <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mauriro01.shtml">Ronny Mauricio</a> is really unfortunate, but the Mets still have prospects they need to get an accurate read on. <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/batybr01.shtml">Brett Baty</a> and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/vientma01.shtml">Mark Vientos</a> have been disappointing in the majors so far. But the Mets apparently still believe that Baty can be an above-average offensive player, and I would argue that Vientos was never given a real, true shot to show what he can do.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It has been head-scratching over the past couple of seasons to watch how the Mets have handled prospects. With some other young players likely to debut for them in 2024, I want to see a more cohesive plan on the part of the club to help some of these guys make it as solid pro contributors. Stearns is on the record that he wants to create real opportunity for some of these kids. Not only do I believe him on this point, it's exactly the right thing to do. Seeing a well-thought-out, cohesive process in place would frankly be a welcome change after two seasons that seemed to feature a lack of any plan.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We'll talk more about the kids going forward. As for the upcoming season, I know it won't look like a reincarnation of the 1986 Mets juggernaut. But, as a fan, I hold David Stearns to his word that this club will compete for a playoff spot. Even if the 2024 Mets aren't going to debut as World Series favorites, they really can't afford to have a second consecutive subpar season. The idea is to be attractive to desired players, coaches, and executives going forward. With Steve Cohen as owner and now Stearns as PBO, the Mets are moving in the right direction. But it's still crucial for the club to build a track record of winning on the field.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In my opinion, Billy Eppler wasn't a terrible GM. But there is a clear demarcation between the merely adequate and genuinely great when it comes to baseball execs. I'm hoping Stearns will bring something to the table to help this club compete for a playoff spot despite the decreased spending. I like the new emphasis on defense we've already seen. I want to see Stearns build a truly competitive bullpen out of some of the parts he's been assembling and a 40-man roster that won't wilt under the late summer heat. Stearns's mandate is to compete in 2024 while better positioning the club in 2025 and beyond. I fully expect him to do that.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Be well and take care.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div>Follow Mike's Mets on social media:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="16" data-original-width="16" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow us on <b>Twitter</b> <b><a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b></div></div><div> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MikesMetsBlog">@MikesMetsBlog</a>.</b></div><div><span> </span><span> Follow me on <b>Instagram</b></span><span style="color: #0000ee;"><b> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/MikeSteffanos/">@MikeSteffanos</a></b></span>.</div><div><span> Follow me on <b>Threads <a href="https://www.threads.net/@MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b><br /></span></div><div> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Spoutible</b> <a href="https://spoutible.com/MikeSteffanos"><b>@MikeSteffanos</b></a>.</div><div> Follow us on <b>Mastodon</b> <b><a href="https://mstdn.social/@MikesMets">@MikesMets@mstdn.social</a></b></div><b> or <a href="https://shea.social/@mikesmetsblog">@MikesMetsBlog@shea.social</a></b>.<div> Follow us on <b>Post News </b><span><b><a href="https://post.news/@/MikesMets">@MikesMets</a>.</b></span></div><div> Follow us on <b>Tribel</b> <b><a href="https://www.tribel.com/mikes_mets/wall">@Mikes_Mets</a>.</b></div></div><div> Follow us on <b>Bluesky <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/mikesmets.bsky.social">@MikesMets.bsky.social</a></b></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img class="statcounter" src="https://c.statcounter.com/12236556/0/8446a22a/1/" alt="Web Analytics Made Easy - StatCounter" /></div>Mike Steffanoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08573922415294713184noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1122736168771714314.post-21055217296811733462023-12-27T18:01:00.006-05:002023-12-29T19:09:35.212-05:00(Really) Getting Better<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCss2QDNnhISuhvdqizcpT2VwThbQL_Z2247YeSbTLOUa05Q7TMhzRiPdladgLWUCTrqDPG3Ad5SRo7i_OpgL6BqGSA6IPSa_16lpAK7Ie9KVjU7wSvyYB0WY0ScR1fbJhIZFI4tVXgA9r76HPpauezpEK9DlpoN349JMCLyOJQ2tT-JkqoSNJ0xgXFw1v/s800/ok.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCss2QDNnhISuhvdqizcpT2VwThbQL_Z2247YeSbTLOUa05Q7TMhzRiPdladgLWUCTrqDPG3Ad5SRo7i_OpgL6BqGSA6IPSa_16lpAK7Ie9KVjU7wSvyYB0WY0ScR1fbJhIZFI4tVXgA9r76HPpauezpEK9DlpoN349JMCLyOJQ2tT-JkqoSNJ0xgXFw1v/w200-h200/ok.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Although it hasn't always been easy to believe, I have to admit it's getting better for the New York Mets.</b></div></b></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When I was very young, The Beatles were still together making music. I remember when the album <i>Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band</i> was released in May 1967 when I was 8 years old, just in time to dominate the airwaves in the ensuing summer, which would become famous as the Summer of Love. It was the first rock music I was ever aware of, living in a house where the music of my Mom's generation and my Grandmother's Italian music dominated our stereo. There were many classic songs on <i>Sgt. Pepper's</i>, including the title song, "With a Little Help from My Friends," "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," and "A Day in the Life." When I got a little older and started acquiring my own music, the album remained in rotation of the stuff I listened to throughout my teen years.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One song from <i>Sgt. Pepper's</i> that has stayed with me was "Getting Better." It was a straightforward rock song on an album that tended more to the psychedelic stuff that continued a transition from the early Beatles sound that began with <i>Revolver</i>, the band's previous album. "Getting Better" was primarily written by Paul McCartney, with a disturbing verse added by John Lennon where he confessed to being "cruel to [his] woman" both physically and mentally. This darkened the song considerably and forever complicated my feelings about Lennon's genius, although John did conclude this somber admission on a more hopeful note:</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><i>Man I was mean but I'm changing my scene</i></div><div><i>And I'm doing the best that I can</i></div></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">The main part of the song was brighter and more optimistic. Paul's lightness contrasting with John's darkness was part of the tension of The Beatles, and this song showcased that edginess. It was the optimism of the early verses that stayed with me the most throughout the ensuing decades of my life:</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><i>I've got to admit it's getting better (Better)</i></div><div><i>A little better all the time (It can't get no worse)</i></div></div></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Those words have played in my head during many tough times. Sometimes, it was just whistling in the dark, trying to convince myself that things would get better when I really didn't believe that to be true. Other times, I felt optimistic that things were about to turn around.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In my Mets fandom, I have resorted to trying to believe things were getting better many times over the years. From time to time, things actually did improve. Still, those good times tended to end all too quickly. The last years of the Wilpon era stand out as truly dark times when the owners had little money to conceal their inability to grow a real organization. It was great fun when the club made it to the 2015 World Series. Still, it was hard to see it as anything more than just a brief, fabulous stretch of baseball where everything went right. When the penurious owners allowed <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/murphda08.shtml">Daniel Murphy</a> to sign with their chief Division rivals in Washington, I just knew things wouldn't end well, and they didn't<a name="continue">.</a></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The main reason I stopped blogging for over a decade was an inability on my part to feel that things could get better with Fred, Jeff, and Uncle Saul running the show. And it wasn't just because the Madoff Ponzi scheme unraveling left them broke. I felt that this financial disaster, as destructive as it was to how the Wilpons operated the Mets, gave them one last chance to reevaluate their failure to create the sort of infrastructure that teams in much smaller markets used to succeed in MLB against wealthier opponents.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">But, sadly, predictable as always, the Wilpons refused to change, instead trying to bluff their way through their lack of resources by claiming that things were fine and dandy. They weren't, of course. It was heartening in the early months of 2020 when Steve Cohen was first trying to purchase the Mets, then devastating when it fell through due to ridiculous demands that Fred and Jeff continue to run the franchise for five more years.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Still, it became clear in the spring of 2020 that the Wilpons would have to find a buyer, complicated by the arrival of COVID-19 and the ensuing shutdown of much of life as we know it, including baseball. The time on my hands, thanks to the pandemic and then my first back injury, got me back into blogging. But it was the feeling that it really, finally had a chance to get better with the club that inspired me to write about the Mets again, as <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2020/03/and-my-rose-goes-to.html">I dreamed about</a> what a new owner could bring to the club.</p><div style="text-align: justify;">2020 was almost over when Steve Cohen finally did succeed in buying the club, with Fred and Jeff mercifully exiting stage left. In the three ensuing years with Cohen running the show, there have been ups and downs. There have been enough setbacks with the club for folks who opine about baseball to claim that these are the "same old Mets."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Steve Cohen spent a lot of money last winter to try and retain the momentum from the club's 101-win season in 2022. But it proved to be a hugely expensive swing-and-miss, with a trade deadline selloff and yet another sub-500 season in Queens. The Mets <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2023/10/welcome-to-david-stearns-era.html">finally landed David Stearns</a> to run the show. Ultimately, the good from that hiring will cancel out the disappointment of the costly faceplant of a season that preceded it. With all due respect to Billy Eppler, who did some good things here, Stearns has a real chance to be an all-time great running Mets baseball ops.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The final disappointment of 2023 was missing out on Japanese pitcher <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=yamamo004yos">Yoshinobu Yamamoto</a> to a Dodgers club that had signed <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/ohtansh01.shtml">Shohei Ohtani</a> to a roster that already boasted stars like <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bettsmo01.shtml">Mookie Betts</a> and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/freemfr01.shtml">Freddie Freeman</a>. The Dodgers and the top Divison foe in Atlanta are formidable clubs and will likely be so for years to come. It's easy to look at them and wonder how the Mets could ever compete for an NL pennant, much less a World Series championship. It's tough to envision a time when we could look at the Mets with the optimism that it's getting better.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For myself, it gets easier to find the sanguinity for the Mets' future when I put aside the stumbles and look at the positives that weren't there just over three years ago when the Wilpons were still running the show:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li>An <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2020/11/when-you-meet-right-one-you-know-it.html">owner</a> with a vision for the future who is willing to be aggressive when it's called for and strategic when it's not. After so many years of the club trying to overcome their owners, Steve Cohen has proven to be a real asset.</li><br /><li>A President of Baseball Ops acknowledged as one of the best in MLB and who is familiar with the <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2023/11/the-ground-level-work.html">non-glamourous work</a> that is the foundation of strong operations.</li><br /><li>Investment in technology, such as the new <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2023/08/advanced-biomechanics-meet-mets.html">pitching and hitting labs</a>, will enable the Mets to compete with more advanced clubs.</li><br /><li>Hiring the right coaches and organizational people to take maximum advantage of the technology.</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It would have been great if the Mets had landed Yamamoto. It certainly would have made the club more competitive next year. Instead, we hear that the Mets will be doing smaller, short-term deals, making it hard to see how the club can realistically compete for a modest Wild Card berth in 2024. But that certainly should be a goal for David Stearns, who clearly understands that even the most patient element of the fanbase isn't willing to grant him a complete pass next season.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">David Stearns has made quite a few moves around the edges but still needs to add some quality to the meat of his roster. His front office must construct a serviceable bullpen behind <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/diazed04.shtml">Edwin Díaz</a> and find some lineup protection for <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/alonspe01.shtml">Pete Alonso</a> and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lindofr01.shtml">Francisco Lindor</a>. I understand the 2024 Mets roster won't be loaded with superstars, but it has to be a top-to-bottom improvement over 2023. Rookies like <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/alvarfr01.shtml">Francisco Álvarez</a> and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/batybr01.shtml">Brett Baty</a> need to get better. The Mets have a good deal of talent at the top of their system that will likely debut in 2024. The club must enable some of these players to make a successful transition.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Mets have a lot of work to complete the transformation of their organization. At last, however, there truly seem to be the correct folks in place to make it happen. As frustrating as it may have been, things are moving forward. If the Mets succeed in their club makeover and do what needs to be done, there is room to thrive against the top teams in baseball. If the Mets do things right, there is no need for their fans to feel like they will be forever relegated to second-class status. I understand there is much work to do, but I honestly believe — in a way I simply didn't not all that long ago — that the evolution from LOL Mets to a perennially competitive Mets team is well underway. It <i>is</i> getting better, and I'm thankful I'm around to see it happen.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>Be well and take care.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div>Follow Mike's Mets on social media:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="16" data-original-width="16" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow us on <b>Twitter</b> <b><a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b></div></div><div> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MikesMetsBlog">@MikesMetsBlog</a>.</b></div><div><span> </span><span> Follow me on <b>Instagram</b></span><span style="color: #0000ee;"><b> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/MikeSteffanos/">@MikeSteffanos</a></b></span>.</div><div><span> Follow me on <b>Threads <a href="https://www.threads.net/@MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b><br /></span></div><div> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Spoutible</b> <a href="https://spoutible.com/MikeSteffanos"><b>@MikeSteffanos</b></a>.</div><div> Follow us on <b>Mastodon</b> <b><a href="https://mstdn.social/@MikesMets">@MikesMets@mstdn.social</a></b></div><b> or <a href="https://shea.social/@mikesmetsblog">@MikesMetsBlog@shea.social</a></b>.<div> Follow us on <b>Post News </b><span><b><a href="https://post.news/@/MikesMets">@MikesMets</a>.</b></span></div><div> Follow us on <b>Tribel</b> <b><a href="https://www.tribel.com/mikes_mets/wall">@Mikes_Mets</a>.</b></div></div><div> Follow us on <b>Bluesky <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/mikesmets.bsky.social">@MikesMets.bsky.social</a></b></div></div><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img class="statcounter" src="https://c.statcounter.com/12236556/0/8446a22a/1/" alt="Web Analytics Made Easy - StatCounter" /></div>Mike Steffanoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08573922415294713184noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1122736168771714314.post-10315367603992998732023-12-18T17:52:00.006-05:002023-12-18T18:59:50.896-05:00Eating Your Vegetables Is Never Fun<p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi75kdIqA7SeiO17GlZ7EmgOFm5nxxbQF8jZqSSvx1b6kqCFjmRJjNygaaYNyhWKRvzfpc7jSa4YcXsocGl0dLkjft0aS6Uymx3_GkQXyn1oxInSngrnChh4szjBoirbZnCZIwSL5dxSfeaCa3CIXn3Yv27-Os849rZTvQjtDUux7fZQd4WBYiR8-VNgtUq/s500/vegetables.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="449" data-original-width="500" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi75kdIqA7SeiO17GlZ7EmgOFm5nxxbQF8jZqSSvx1b6kqCFjmRJjNygaaYNyhWKRvzfpc7jSa4YcXsocGl0dLkjft0aS6Uymx3_GkQXyn1oxInSngrnChh4szjBoirbZnCZIwSL5dxSfeaCa3CIXn3Yv27-Os849rZTvQjtDUux7fZQd4WBYiR8-VNgtUq/w200-h179/vegetables.jpg" width="200" /></a></b></div><b><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Last winter was a blast for Mets fans, at least until the Correa deal fell through. This year is less about immediate gratification, with a significantly reduced level of fun.</b></div></b><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">What a difference a year makes. The Mets were quite active at the 2022 Winter Meetings, signing top free agents at <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2022/12/abbondanza.html">a feverish pace</a>. This year, the Mets departed Nashville with little to show for their time in Music City besides minor league deals to reliever <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/scruban01.shtml">Andre Scrubb</a> and infielder <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/i/iglesjo01.shtml">José Iglesias</a>, along with a split deal to reliever <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/tonkimi01.shtml">Michael Tonkin</a>. Since then, most of the news has featured David Stearns doing organizational depth signings, primarily to minor league contracts with an invite to spring training. I certainly can't fault David Stearns for building as much depth as possible, but these aren't the sort of deals that will make Mets fans stand up and take notice.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There was a consensus around baseball that the free agent market wouldn't heat up until the big dominoes began to fall. The biggest finally did tumble, with <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/ohtansh01.shtml">Shohei Ohtani</a> signing a record <a href="https://theathletic.com/5106526/2023/12/09/shohei-ohtani-signs/">$700 million deal</a> with the LA Dodgers — despite skipper Dave Roberts committing the reportedly unforgivable transgression of actually talking about meeting with Shohei and his club's desire to sign him. Meanwhile, <a href="https://twitter.com/jonmorosi/status/1733230365685236099">rumors</a> of Ohtani flying to Toronto proved to be unfounded. Apparently, it was actually a <a href="https://santaclaus.com/">jolly old fat man in a red suit</a> and some hoofed friends doing a test run for later this month.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Dodgers always seemed to be the team that made the most sense as a landing spot for Ohtani. He preferred the West Coast, wanted to play for a winner, and never seemed a good match for the New York media market. Even if Ohtani decided he was okay with New York, the Mets simply have yet to establish themselves as a winner. Steve Cohen has invested a lot of money in the club in the three seasons since he took over from the Wilpons, but there is still only 2022's Wild Card round playoff appearance to show for it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There has been some reporting that the Mets were unwilling to make the investment that the Dodgers were making with Ohtani, to the consternation of some fans. But it's unclear whether this was simply a money decision or if Shohei never really showing any interest in the Mets factored in. Either way, I'm just not going to lose sleep over it. I'm also not going to jump on the bandwagon with those criticizing LA for making the deal. It's a lot of money, but I'm sure the Dodgers took into account Ohtani's unique marketing value as well as his extraordinary talent.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It wasn't that long ago that the Dodgers franchise was a complete mess — not all that different from where the Mets found themselves at the end of the Wilpon era. After Parking Lot magnate Frank McCourt was finally forced to sell the team in 2012, the Dodgers turned things around fairly quickly, partially aided by being in a rather uncompetitive division, at least then. After a nice run, the Giants were on a downturn, and the rest of the clubs played in relatively small markets.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">That's not to disparage what LA has accomplished. They've undeniably built an absolute juggernaut over the past decade. The Dodgers' ability to develop a ton of homegrown talent despite finishing at the top of the league year after year gives them a great deal of flexibility when they choose to go out and acquire talent, such as trading for <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bettsmo01.shtml">Mookie Betts</a> or signing Ohtani and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/freemfr01.shtml">Freddie Freeman</a><a name="continue">.</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Steve Cohen has been open about his desire to emulate what the Dodgers have done in turning their franchise into one of MLB's elites. You can understand why. LA has been unlucky when it comes to winning actual titles, but they've won over 100 games in four straight 162-game seasons and have won at least 90 every season going back to 2013. LA's talent pipeline keeps producing, and they also find a way to unlock talent in players where other teams have failed, as with <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/heywaja01.shtml">Jason Heyward</a> last year. That enables them to sign Ohtani and still be seen as one of the front runners for Japanese pitcher <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=yamamo004yos">Yoshinobu Yamamoto</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I understand that many of you fellow Mets fans out there are disappointed that Steve Cohen can't just land every coveted free agent by writing a bigger check than everyone else. I understand the temptation to buy into that thinking, particularly after last winter's spending spree that came just short of bringing <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/correca01.shtml">Carlos Correa</a> into the fold after signing <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/verlaju01.shtml">Justin Verlander</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/q/quintjo01.shtml">José Quintana</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=senga-000kod">Kodai Senga</a>, and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/roberda08.shtml">David Robertson</a> and retaining the services of <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/diazed04.shtml">Edwin Díaz</a> and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/roberda08.shtml">Brandon Nimmo</a>. Last year, it seemed like there was a stunning bit of news every couple of days. This year, it's a bunch of signings like <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kohlwta01.shtml">Taylor Kohlwey</a> and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lopezjo02.shtml">Jorge López</a> and trading for <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=ammons000rya">Ryan Ammons</a> and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/ramiryo01.shtml">Yohan Ramirez</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It's been almost three weeks since <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2023/11/the-ground-level-work.html">my last post</a>. Apologies for that; I had to put a lot of time and energy into taking care of some rather un-fun business that's thankfully almost done. Last time out, I delved into the importance of what Bill James has called the "ground-level work" — the unglamorous stuff that doesn't draw plaudits or headlines for an organization but separates the great teams from also-rans like the Wilpon Mets. While not much headline-grabbing stuff has occurred this winter, the ground-level work has been ongoing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When the Mets hired David Stearns to run their baseball ops, that was the most significant event of this offseason by far. But it also signaled the beginning of a bunch of ground-level stuff that will significantly impact whether the Mets can overcome all of these fits and starts to eventually become a truly great organization. The Mets hired Kris Gross, the highly-regarded scouting director of the Astros, to oversee their amateur scouting and Andy Green to run their player development. Eduardo Brizuela, who worked for Stearns in Milwaukee and has extensive experience in Latin America, will be a special assistant to Stearns here in New York. Kevin Mahala was hired to be the minor league hitting coordinator.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Mets have some decent prospects in their system, but the next step is to turn some of these kids into successful Major League ballplayers. It seems imperative that the club also finds a way to build the cost-effective bullpen that has eluded them into the Steve Cohen era. David Stearns's front office needs to uncover some talent that doesn't come at a 7 or 8-figure price tag as the Mets reconfigure their roster to something much less bloated and much more competitive.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As I'm sure many of you Mets fans out there are doing, I'm keeping abreast of all the Yoshinobu Yamamoto news, hoping the talented pitcher will sign with the Mets. It's been a roller coaster ride, a somewhat toned-down version of the bizarre Ohtani coverage. One day, I read something totally discounting the Mets' chances of landing him; the next day, there is news that the Mets are still very much in the running. Frankly, it's giving me a headache and is not helpful for maintaining a positive outlook. I simply refuse to invest much energy in following all the speculation. If Yamamoto does sign with the Mets, I'll be happy. If not, I'll survive.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Will Sammon had <a href="https://theathletic.com/5141512/2023/12/16/mets-yoshinobu-yamamoto-spending/">a piece in <i>The Athletic</i></a> this past weekend discussing the Mets' pursuit of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, which has received quite a bit of attention. Basically, Sammon's article states that, although Stearns will be aggressive in trying to sign Yamamoto, he does not plan on a commensurate spending spree if the Mets whiff on the star pitcher:</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>...if the Mets miss out on Yamamoto, they are not expected to simply pivot to the next-best available free-agent pitcher whether that be Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery. Somewhere in the next tier, Lucas Giolito would be of interest to the club in theory, but he also may end up commanding a deal beyond the Mets’ preferred range. To find matches with the club's line of thinking, keep looking lower.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Mets' roster — particularly the pitching staff — features holes, so they will remain active and spend money. But people familiar with the club's thinking expect them to continue to dole out one-year or two-year deals here and there. This isn't like last season when the Mets signed Justin Verlander but likely had Carlos Rodón as their pricey fallback plan; it sounds as if the Mets have a more focused approach for 2024.</div></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">Sammons's piece states that the Mets will go to great lengths to sign the 25-year-old Japanese pitcher but are not interested in the other top-of-the-market options if they can't coax Yamamoto. Apparently, David Stearns doesn't believe that the value they would bring is in line with what they would cost. In addition, Sammons cites some sources who offered insight into the Mets' thinking:</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>For one, Yamamoto presents a special opportunity for any club because he's about five years younger than the typical free agent and profiles as a front-line pitcher.</div><div><br /></div><div>Also, several people within the industry see a recalibration year as a need for the Mets.</div></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">The idea of a "recalibration year" is understandably not drawing rave reviews from the fanbase. Heck, I'm a relatively patient person who really wants to see the club build a solid foundation from which to build in the ensuing years, and I'm still a bit bummed over the thought of recalibration. But then I remember back to 2004-2005.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A while back, I wrote a <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2020/04/a-celebration-of-mediocrity.html">whole series of posts on the 2005 season</a>. After making it to the NLCS in 1999 and the World Series in 2000, the Mets had fallen on hard times. They were mediocre in 2001, and floundered completely from 2002-2004. When Omar Minaya was hired as GM after the 2004 season, he inherited a bad club with a poor farm system. The thought was that Omar would oversee a slow rebuild that would focus on putting together a talent pipeline for the next championship push a few years down the road. That certainly would have been the prudent approach, as the cupboard was bare down on the farm after the promotions of <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/reyesjo01.shtml">José Reyes</a> in 2003 and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wrighda03.shtml">David Wright</a> in 2004.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But, of course, Minaya was uber-aggressive, signing <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/martipe02.shtml">Pedro Martinez</a> and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/beltrca01.shtml">Carlos Beltrán</a> for 2005 and trading for C <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/loducpa01.shtml">Paul Lo Duca</a> in 2005 and 1B <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/delgaca01.shtml">Carlos Delgado</a> the following year. It almost worked, but the lack of any depth in the organization sowed the seeds of the back-to-back collapses in 2007 and 2008. Eventually, it earned Omar a pink slip and the organization another long dry period.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So, as much as I would like to see a really competitive Mets team in 2024, I'm willing to eat my veggies as Stearns tries to build something that's more than a house of cards with a few superstars. That's not to say I would tolerate an awful Mets squad on par with the post-trade deadline club last season. David Stearns has to find a way to locate some bargains and help some of the kids thrive in the majors. The 2024 Mets may not be elite, but they need to show positive signs for the future, be fun to watch, and compete for a Wild Card through the end of the season.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm really curious to see what David Stearns can do to make the 2024 Mets compelling while building the foundation of something much better. And I really do hope the Mets can somehow land Yamamoto here. I'm just not banking on it, and I'm staying away from the endless media speculation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I should be back to posting more regularly now. This will be an important winter, with or without Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Once he decides on his landing spot, we should see a lot more action beyond organizational-type signings,</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Be well and take care.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><br /></div><div>Follow Mike's Mets on social media:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="16" data-original-width="16" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow us on <b>Twitter</b> <b><a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b></div></div><div> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MikesMetsBlog">@MikesMetsBlog</a>.</b></div><div><span> </span><span> Follow me on <b>Instagram</b></span><span style="color: #0000ee;"><b> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/MikeSteffanos/">@MikeSteffanos</a></b></span>.</div><div><span> Follow me on <b>Threads <a href="https://www.threads.net/@MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b><br /></span></div><div> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Spoutible</b> <a href="https://spoutible.com/MikeSteffanos"><b>@MikeSteffanos</b></a>.</div><div> Follow us on <b>Mastodon</b> <b><a href="https://mstdn.social/@MikesMets">@MikesMets@mstdn.social</a></b></div><div><b> or <a href="https://shea.social/@mikesmetsblog">@MikesMetsBlog@shea.social</a></b>.</div><div> Follow us on <b>Post News </b><span><b><a href="https://post.news/@/MikesMets">@MikesMets</a>.</b></span></div><div> Follow us on <b>Tribel</b> <b><a href="https://www.tribel.com/mikes_mets/wall">@mikes_mets</a>.</b></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img class="statcounter" src="https://c.statcounter.com/12236556/0/8446a22a/1/" alt="Web Analytics Made Easy - StatCounter" /></div>Mike Steffanoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08573922415294713184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1122736168771714314.post-17445228712479851732023-11-28T18:01:00.006-05:002023-11-28T18:32:54.047-05:00The Ground-Level Work<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRLyV_M5xJdbyRis_1SaKg8H76RiqY6MrJdR4GpaSlB-Oq1slVE09zyk8659txlFpfVOsn8y4-0mjthl-nCvPr8E7tkuvz2d_vg9bbEVIclS5BQ-AT_j9C9GbNrN0rka1Rh3qPnfD1WQLj0dHTYJW64MVkEccXfR_UU_eOvMOf_ajomrf7oq6hwXi-r6C2/s750/WoodenQuote.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="750" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRLyV_M5xJdbyRis_1SaKg8H76RiqY6MrJdR4GpaSlB-Oq1slVE09zyk8659txlFpfVOsn8y4-0mjthl-nCvPr8E7tkuvz2d_vg9bbEVIclS5BQ-AT_j9C9GbNrN0rka1Rh3qPnfD1WQLj0dHTYJW64MVkEccXfR_UU_eOvMOf_ajomrf7oq6hwXi-r6C2/w200-h113/WoodenQuote.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Can David Stearns build the deep, competitive 40-man roster that has eluded the Mets for so long?</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Since the World Series ended, things have begun to heat up for the Mets. It kicked off with the news that Carlos Mendoza had been hired as the <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2023/11/some-thoughts-on-our-new-manager.html">new manager</a>, which became official at the news conference on November 14. On Friday of that week, we learned that the Mets had elected not to tender contracts to several of their eligible players: DH <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/vogelda01.shtml">Daniel Vogelbach</a>, Utitly Infielder <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/guilllu01.shtml">Luis Guillorme</a>, and relievers <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gotttr01.shtml">Trevor Gott</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/brighje01.shtml">Jeff Brigham</a>, and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/coonrsa01.shtml">Sam Coonrod</a>. Along with some of <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2023/11/the-next-mets-era-begins.html">the moves made earlier in the month</a>, the Mets 40-man roster is sitting at 28 players. We knew there would be massive changes to the team in David Stearns's first offseason calling the shots, and there certainly is plenty of roster room for those changes.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The only mild surprise in the non-tendered group was Luis Guillorme. Luis was a useful player over his six seasons with the Mets. He had a bad offensive season last year, although injuries limited Guillorme to only 120 PA. Luis has hit a combined <span style="text-align: left;">.270/</span><span style="text-align: left;">.359/</span><span style="text-align: left;">.331 in just under 500 PA in the previous two seasons, with a 98 OPS+. That's just under league-average offensive production from a guy who could fill in quite well at all the infield positions, including shortstop. Gulliorme played most of this season at age 28 and was paid $1.6 million in his second year of arbitration eligibility.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">My guess is that Stearns felt that Luis could be replaced for less money, which is certainly possible. What seems odd to me was picking up infielder <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/shortza01.shtml">Zack Short</a> off of waivers earlier in the month and keeping him on the roster over Guillorme. I understand the math. Zack Short will cost less than Luis Guillorme. He made $700,000 last season and won't even be eligible for arbitration until <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/new-york-mets/zack-short-35724/">2026</a>. Still, Short's offensive production with the Tigers was awful. Leo Morgenstern at <i><a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/11/mets-claim-zack-short-from-tigers.html">MLB Trade Rumors</a></i> had this to say about the young infielder when the Mets picked him up:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote><span style="text-align: left;">While his offense may never be a strength, Short draws walks well, and he can put his plus speed to work when he reaches base. Moreover, his defense might not stand out at any one position, but he is capable of covering second, third, and short, and even the outfield in a pinch. As long as he doesn't regress at the plate, his flexibility could earn him another shot at MLB playing time next season, especially since he is out of minor league options.</span></blockquote><div>It doesn't exactly make you salivate over the potential, does it? In his "best" offensive season last year, Short had an OPS+ of 73, only 3 points higher than Luis Guillorme's acknowledged bad year. Neither Luis nor Short have minor league options remaining. If they had to keep one player, I'd have preferred Guillorme for a bit more offense and his defensive abilities. Then again, Short may be long gone, too, by the time Opening Day rolls around next season<a name="continue">.</a></div><div><br /></div><div>As for the bullpen guys, only Jeff Brigham looked like a guy who could contribute for a while last season but was ultimately too inconsistent to be even a capable middle reliever. Gott walked too many guys, and Coonrod couldn't stay healthy. Putting aside the IL investigation that led to his departure, Billy Eppler's undoing as GM was the inability of his regime to find some gems among the discard pile of relievers to build a cost-effective bullpen.</div><div><br /></div><div>Next season will be a real test for David Stearns in bullpen construction. There aren't a lot of great options in the free agent marketplace to buy a bullpen. I don't think Stearns will try to sign <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/haderjo01.shtml">Josh Hader</a> to a contract, as enticing as it might seem to combine him with <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/diazed04.shtml">Edwin Díaz</a> at the back of the bullpen. Paying two closers top-of-the-market salaries doesn't seem like the best investment. Steve Cohen didn't invest so much in hiring Stearns for his new PBO to try to simply spend his way to a winner. Building an effective bullpen that doesn't break the bank is something that perennially strong teams are able to do consistently. It's been one of the admittedly many reasons why the Mets have been unable to be that kind of team.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is going to be a tough winter to land big free agents. The Mets are reportedly in hot pursuit of Japanese pitcher <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=yamamo004yos">Yoshinobu Yamamoto</a>, but so are the Yankees and many other teams. There aren't a lot of difference-makers available, so the ones who are will have plenty of suitors willing to toss a lot of money at them. I really hope the Mets can come out on top for Yamamoto, but I don't kid myself that Steve Cohen is the only one out there willing to spend what it takes. Unlike last year, where the Mets were able to spend their way to what was deemed at the time a successful offseason, it will be much more challenging this time around, no matter what the ultimate payroll turns out to be.</div><div><br /></div><div>While I certainly wouldn't bet against a big free agent signing or two, I foresee considerable action on the trade market. And I'm not thinking of <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/sotoju01.shtml">Juan Soto</a> here, even though it does appear likely that San Diego will trade him this winter. Soto is a great player, but giving up multiple prospects for a player with only one more season of control makes sense for teams who only need to fine-tune their rosters. The Mets need to bring in multiple players to compete next year. Soto just seems like too big of a luxury item for a team that needs to stock up on meat and potatoes for 2024. The farm system isn't yet deep enough to accomplish a Soto trade <i>and</i> make other deals that may be required.</div><div><br /></div><div>I mentioned earlier that the Mets currently have only 28 players on the 40-man roster. They're actually thinner than that if you look at the 28. <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/peterda01.shtml">David Peterson</a> will miss at least a chunk of next season after hip surgery. <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/megilty01.shtml">Tylor Megill</a> had a decent finish to the year, but it's fair to say the jury is still out on him. <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/reidfse01.shtml">Sean Reid-Foley</a> made a late return from Tommy John surgery and pitched well, but he hasn't established himself as a Major League caliber pitcher and has no minor league options remaining. <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lucchjo01.shtml">Joey Lucchesi</a> also came back from TJ. Lucchesi had a weird season — good for the Mets over 9 starts, but not very good in Triple-A. It's hard to know what to expect from the lefty in 2024. RHP <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/buttojo01.shtml">José Butto</a> also pitched well in limited starts for the Mets but was just plain awful with Triple-A Syracuse.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/reidfse01.shtml">Drew Smith</a> wasn't great last year but has established himself as a Major League reliever. Not so for <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bickfph01.shtml">Phil Bickford</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hartwgr01.shtml">Grant Hartwig</a>, and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/garrere01.shtml">Reed Garrett</a>. Bickford has a good arm, and Hartwig showed some promise, but I'm not sure why Garrett even earned a roster spot. Also on the 40-man is lefty <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/walkejo03.shtml">Josh Walker</a>, who really struggled in a short stay with the Mets, then ended the year on the IL.</div><div><br /></div><div>On the position player side, you have the aforementioned Zack Short, who has yet to establish himself as a legit MLB player. Ditto for <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/batybr01.shtml">Brett Baty</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/vientma01.shtml">Mark Vientos</a>, and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mauriro01.shtml">Ronny Mauricio</a>. You could put <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/stewadj01.shtml">DJ Stewart</a> in that group, too. Did DJ really turn the corner, or was it just a very hot month? Finally, you have prospects <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=ramire013ale">Alex Ramírez</a> and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=acuna-003jos">Luisangel Acuña</a>, both highly unlikely to break camp with the Mets.</div><div><br /></div><div>Essentially, you have a 40-man roster with 12 empty spots and a bunch of question marks among the 28 players who currently occupy roster slots. Even if Stearns and his team can make a flashy move or two, like signing Yamamoto, it will take a lot of <i>successful,</i> non-flashy moves if the Mets are really to compete next year. Some of it — maybe most of it — will be pretty boring.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's already starting, with the Mets signing some free agent pitchers to minor league contracts. Can they find a hidden gem or two in signings such as these? Their ability to identify some talent, then use <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2023/08/advanced-biomechanics-meet-mets.html">the technology they've invested in</a> to make some MLB ballplayers from this pool, will have as much to say about the club's ultimate success as any splashy move could. Such is the reality for a ballclub that has generally failed to build deep rosters, no matter the budget.</div><div><br /></div><div>When the Mets hired Jared Porter as GM in December 2020, Bill James — who knew Porter from their time together in Boston — wrote an excellent piece on the hiring. The article has disappeared from the web, unfortunately, but <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20201214200207/https://www.billjamesonline.com/the_mets_new_gm/">can still be found</a> in the Internet Wayback Machine archive. I'm sure James wasn't aware of Porter's harassment of women that came out after the hiring, but what Bill James wrote about ground-level and top-level operations was quite important and stayed with me long after Jared Porter became a bad memory.</div><blockquote><div><div>Theo [Epstein] used to talk about seeing baseball with both eyes, the scouting eye and the analytics eye. But there's another way to think about an organization, which is ground-level and top-level operations. Everything the fan SEES, everything they talk about on talk shows, everything that people like me in the public eye discuss, that’s all top-level stuff.</div><div><br /></div><div>The top-level stuff is important, but it's. . .what, 40% of what makes an organization work, maybe? An organization can't succeed if they trade away young players they should have kept and keep young players they should have traded away. They can't succeed if they have the wrong manager and they make player decisions that waste tens of millions of dollars.</div><div><br /></div><div>But what people who don’t work in the game don’t understand is, 60% of what makes an organization successful is the ground-level work. The ground-level work isn't one thing; it's a million things... It's making sure that you have minor league coaches and managers who can actually teach a 19-year-old third baseman how to plant his right foot and line up the throw to first base, and when to put the ball in his pocket because it's too late to make the throw, as much as you want to... It’s getting a Low-A pitching coach who can show a kid why you don't stand on the first base side of the rubber and throw a curve ball. It is having medical and training staff that can help you a little bit to maybe occasionally see an injury coming before it gets there, and having nutritionists and psychologists and Spanish speakers everywhere, and having English language instruction for people coming to America. It is doing everything possible to make sure that every player is ready to do what you will need him to do when he gets to the show level.</div><div><br /></div><div>It is WORK, in other words; it is organizing work so that everything gets done. It's ground-level work; that's 60% of why organizations succeed.</div><div><br /></div><div>I am not in any way knocking the Mets’ previous General Manager; the Mets' organization has had challenges in this area for decades. But what I am trying to say is that there are "Ground Level" organizations, and there are "Top Level" organizations. You can't win by doing one or the other. Some organizations—the Angels, the Mets, the Red Sox before the current owners bought the team—focus on the Top Level stuff, and let the ground-level stuff run on auto-pilot. Some organizations—the Pirates in recent years, the Twins, the Royals, do the ground-level stuff well, but don't do the top-level stuff well, or perhaps don't have the money that it takes to do the top-level stuff well. Some organizations do both things well; some organizations don't do either one well.</div><div><br /></div><div>But if you do the top-level stuff perfectly, absolutely perfectly, you'll still fail most of the time if you don’t do the ground-level work. </div></div></blockquote><div>Signing Yoshinobu Yamamoto or <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/ohtansh01.shtml">Shohei Ohtani</a> or trading for Juan Soto would be enormous moves for the Mets — top-level stuff, as James put it. But the ground-level work will ultimately make or break the 2024 season, with implications that stretch well beyond. As much as I love the big, showy move, I'm curious how David Stearns handles the ground-level work. As Bill James noted, the Mets organization has failed at this stuff for decades under the Wilpon ownership. And it has remained a problem seeking a solution with Steve Cohen signing the checks.</div><div><br /></div><div>Billy Eppler did many things right with the Mets organization, but he decidedly failed to find enough pieces to build the depth an organization needs to succeed. Eppler did a great job signing some big names last winter — top-level achievements. However, his organization failed to succeed at the ground-level work in identifying some players who could help the club and fine-tuning their skills to enable their success. The bullpen, starting pitching, and position player depth all failed in 2023. If David Stearns is to prove worth his paycheck, we won't see a replay of this in 2024.</div><div><br /></div><div>There is little chance that the Mets will enter the 2024 season with the level of star power that they broke camp with last year. But that star power didn't get them very far, anyway. They've made a lot of big hirings this winter beyond Stearns, and now we'll see if the organization can use that pitching lab and the new talent in their midst to take it to the next level with some of their talent. For instance, there are some pitchers in their org who could conceivably help the big league club as early as next year, if all of those talented people and technology that Cohen invested in can start to pay off.</div><div><br /></div><div>I understand that turning the Mets into a really successful organization will continue to be the work of years. But for all of our sakes, it's time to make some big strides forward and build a foundation for success. David Stearns and his team finding a way to field a truly competitive Mets club next season would definitely be a step in the right direction.</div><div><br /></div><div><div>Be well and take care.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Follow Mike's Mets on social media:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="16" data-original-width="16" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow us on <b>Twitter</b> <b><a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b></div></div><div> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MikesMetsBlog">@MikesMetsBlog</a>.</b></div><div><span> </span><span> Follow me on <b>Instagram</b></span><span style="color: #0000ee;"><b> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/MikeSteffanos/">@MikeSteffanos</a></b></span>.</div><div><span> Follow me on <b>Threads <a href="https://www.threads.net/@MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b><br /></span></div><div> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Spoutible</b> <a href="https://spoutible.com/MikeSteffanos"><b>@MikeSteffanos</b></a>.</div><div> Follow us on <b>Mastodon</b> <b><a href="https://mstdn.social/@MikesMets">@MikesMets@mstdn.social</a></b></div><div><b> or <a href="https://shea.social/@mikesmetsblog">@MikesMetsBlog@shea.social</a></b>.</div><div> Follow us on <b>Post News </b><span><b><a href="https://post.news/@/MikesMets">@MikesMets</a>.</b></span></div><div> Follow us on <b>Tribel</b> <b><a href="https://www.tribel.com/mikes_mets/wall">@mikes_mets</a>.</b></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img class="statcounter" src="https://c.statcounter.com/12236556/0/8446a22a/1/" alt="Web Analytics Made Easy - StatCounter" /></div>Mike Steffanoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08573922415294713184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1122736168771714314.post-9580910301051323852023-11-14T18:37:00.004-05:002023-11-16T13:02:20.204-05:00Some Thoughts on Our New Manager<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrughX3CxE2GaUeUS3QQ7rZRVd_XLg6Q-3_yPqniILQQu-Jgc8vuD1QorZNUZRCZKFPuDnBJPynQRvlX30izxMmwqB8nhCIAL-8Vs2YVslurmr-i4zRj4Cc6KVos6HPKWdO5Sa9hVGhpycXuVOKYkVEOskLCE90thmiKk7uOZ-I3rdvAikJvX2gzgnURBn/s634/mendoza.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="634" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrughX3CxE2GaUeUS3QQ7rZRVd_XLg6Q-3_yPqniILQQu-Jgc8vuD1QorZNUZRCZKFPuDnBJPynQRvlX30izxMmwqB8nhCIAL-8Vs2YVslurmr-i4zRj4Cc6KVos6HPKWdO5Sa9hVGhpycXuVOKYkVEOskLCE90thmiKk7uOZ-I3rdvAikJvX2gzgnURBn/w200-h173/mendoza.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>The new Mets manager had an impressive introduction to the fan base. Now the hard stuff begins.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I wasn't planning to watch Carlos Mendoza's introductory press conference but was home at noon, so I decided to tune in. He came across as knowledgeable and enthusiastic and has received good reviews in most things I've read. He clearly knows what he's getting into by taking a manager's job in New York. According to SNY, he'll make about $1.5 million per year for three years, with a club option for a fourth. So, even if Carlos lasts out his entire contract, he'll make less total money than Craig Counsell will make next year alone. Carlos Mendoza will need to enjoy some success as a manager if he hopes to get closer to Counsell's income level.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There was a bit of mild controversy when Mendoza spoke about his friendship with former Mets manager Willie Randolph and didn't rule out <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/11/14/sports/willie-randolph-responds-to-mets-bench-coach-possibility/">considering Willie for the bench coach job</a>. There are Mets fans of a certain vintage who still blame Randolph for the 2007 collapse. My opinion is that Randolph was sufficient as a manager. While he certainly wasn't a revelation running a club, that team crashed for much the same reason as the 2023 Mets did: the lack of a deep roster and an inadequate bullpen.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Randolph's biggest problem was that he had rabbit ears when it came to media criticism. For a guy who spent years in the glare of the New York spotlight, Willie just didn't seem to handle it very well. Willie is older and presumably wiser at this point. He also would be in a lesser spotlight as a subordinate if he's chosen to be the bench coach. I'm not sweating this one, however it goes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I do find it a bit strange that Randolph <a href="https://www.audacy.com/wfan/articles/willie-randolph-former-mets-manager-disappointed-not-get-another-opportunity">never received another chance to manage an MLB club</a>. Inferior managers than Willie had multiple chances, including his replacement Jerry Manuel, who managed for nine seasons in Chicago and New York. I followed the Mets very closely back then and found Willie Randolph to be a much better manager than Manuel. Don't get me wrong, Willie wasn't a perfect manager, but he had some strengths and deserved another shot.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Jerry Manuel suffered through his own collapse in 2008. In fairness, although I felt that Manuel would overuse hot pitchers in his bullpen to the point of physical abuse, like Randolph, he was a victim of a roster that lacked real depth, especially pitching.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">GM Omar Minaya got the Mets back in contention in 2005-2006 by getting some stars to come to New York, but the team was a house of cards that was always destined to fail. They got by in 2006 with a bullpen that was so exceptional it papered over some of the other roster ills — including a glaring depth in starting pitching that forced the club to hand out starts to a revolving cast of bad pitchers, including <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/soleral01.shtml">Alay Soler</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/willida07.shtml">David Williams</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/limajo01.shtml">José Lima</a>, and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gonzaje01.shtml">Geremi González</a><a name="continue">.</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Circling back to the present, I don't have any problem with Willie Randolph as bench coach if Mendoza elects to go there. I think Willie would do well in that role. He was very organized when running the Mets. He would likely do well as a second in command to Carlos Mendoza.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With Carlos Mendoza's hiring out of the way, it's time for David Stearns and his front office to begin to put together a deep roster that will give Mendoza a chance to find some success as Mets manager — the type of roster that might have enabled Willie Randolph to enjoy a better fate as Mets manager had Minaya provided one for him.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At his <a href="https://theathletic.com/5064080/2023/11/14/mets-carlos-mendoza-manager-takeaways/">presser</a>, Mendoza spoke about working together in partnership with Stearns and the rest of the brain trust. He mentioned the importance of "knowing that we're going to have each other's backs, good or bad," when dealing with Stearns.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For his part, David Stearns dispelled some of the chatter that he would seek to make a puppet out of his manager. As <a href="https://theathletic.com/5064080/2023/11/14/mets-carlos-mendoza-manager-takeaways/">quoted</a> by Will Sammon in <i>The Athletic</i>, Stearns made it clear he was not looking for that sort of relationship:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><blockquote><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>"These are two distinct jobs and they require two distinct skill sets," Stearns said. "I would not be a good major-league manager and I'm not going to try to be a major-league manager. That's why we hired Carlos, and he will do that job."</div><div><br /></div><div>"I'm going to try to do everything I can to support him and help him be as successful as he possibly can. He's gonna do that with me as well. That's one of the exciting parts of this, is that he has the ability, I think, to make us better in the front office — to push us, to ask us questions, and to help us consider the full picture as we seek to put the team together."</div></div></blockquote></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So, Mendoza did great in his first test in dealing with the media. Of course, it's only going to get harder as things go along. As for the coaching staff, we know pitching coach Jeremy Hefner will be back, but nothing else seems carved in stone at this point. And nothing really significant has changed on the roster to this point. I would expect that to begin to change quite shortly. We'll be here to write about all of that once things start to happen.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Be well and take care.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Follow Mike's Mets on social media:</div><div><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="16" data-original-width="16" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow us on <b>Twitter</b> <b><a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MikesMetsBlog">@MikesMetsBlog</a>.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span> </span><span> Follow me on <b>Instagram</b></span><span style="color: #0000ee;"><b> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/MikeSteffanos/">@MikeSteffanos</a></b></span>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span> Follow me on <b>Threads <a href="https://www.threads.net/@MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Spoutible</b> <a href="https://spoutible.com/MikeSteffanos"><b>@MikeSteffanos</b></a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow us on <b>Mastodon</b> <b><a href="https://mstdn.social/@MikesMets">@MikesMets@mstdn.social</a></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> or <a href="https://shea.social/@mikesmetsblog">@MikesMetsBlog@shea.social</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow us on <b>Post News </b><span><b><a href="https://post.news/@/MikesMets">@MikesMets</a>.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow us on <b>Tribel</b> <b><a href="https://www.tribel.com/mikes_mets/wall">@mikes_mets</a>.</b></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img class="statcounter" src="https://c.statcounter.com/12236556/0/8446a22a/1/" alt="Web Analytics Made Easy - StatCounter" /></div>Mike Steffanoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08573922415294713184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1122736168771714314.post-6104104826247217452023-11-08T17:15:00.008-05:002023-11-11T12:18:26.232-05:00I Asked for Craig Consell, But All I Got Was Carlos Mendoza<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP8fT3zRiYbr-80YWg2yIZEe1ejvGNVJo1-RUfZFoqXQIyeyS4cpNwP5ZZmr8YRhMN1FoX_yxf96aDjBFQcVGaX7HW2s35bVatKZFE0_BWmC7gb2vG97R4uLrLN5AsiLSqPXqY00hXsv2gxmr0g2NZF_lQYq5M8uMcp-PhodLV0m1wM1mmUaz59kDMcQbz/s496/gift.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="496" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP8fT3zRiYbr-80YWg2yIZEe1ejvGNVJo1-RUfZFoqXQIyeyS4cpNwP5ZZmr8YRhMN1FoX_yxf96aDjBFQcVGaX7HW2s35bVatKZFE0_BWmC7gb2vG97R4uLrLN5AsiLSqPXqY00hXsv2gxmr0g2NZF_lQYq5M8uMcp-PhodLV0m1wM1mmUaz59kDMcQbz/w200-h158/gift.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>A few quick thoughts on our new manager.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I read this weekend how impressed David Stearns and his front office mates were with Carlos Mendoza, and I was pretty sure that Mendoza would be the next Mets manager. It's not that I'm clairvoyant or particularly smart. It's just that everything I read about Craig Counsell made me skeptical of his taking the Mets job. He seemed most interested in the Mets' interest as a device to push his value up, which is certainly his right. I didn't foresee the Cubs jumping into the fray while jettisoning their manager, but it made a lot of sense once the dust settled.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If Craig Counsell really wanted to stay in Milwaukee, he could have done so and made plenty of money doing it. But Counsell was <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/it-just-became-clear-that-i-needed-a-new-challenge-craig-counsell-explains-why-he-went-to-the-cubs/ar-AA1jyddH">quoted</a> in the Milwaukee media that he was in a been-there, done-that mode when it came to the Brewers:</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">"I think as I was going through this process, it became clear that I needed and wanted a new professional challenge."</div></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">After spending eight years running the Brew Crew, Counsell probably felt that he achieved as much as he was going to there. His chances of actually winning a title were limited by running a club in baseball's smallest market. Although seemingly coming from out of the blue, the Cubs' job allows Counsell to have his cake and eat it, too. He makes a whole buttload of money yet stays pretty close to home. Of course, they aren't exactly erecting statues of Craig Counsell in Milwaukee, where he is <a href="https://www.si.com/mlb/2023/11/07/craig-counsell-park-sign-vandalized-manager-defects-brewers-cubs">no longer</a> nearly as beloved as he was last week. But the $8 million yearly salary will easily absorb any extra security required.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Getting back to Carlos Mendoza, I figured he would be the new Mets manager because he was clearly the second choice behind Counsell. My initial thoughts on the man are that he seems to be as well prepared for the job as any first-time manager could be. Other than that, I really don't know enough about the guy to predict his chances of success.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Much has been made about the Mets' recent history with rookie managers. It certainly hasn't been good. But I feel more optimistic about this choice, knowing that David Stearns has made it. Nothing I have read about Stearns leads me to believe that he would be swayed merely by a really good interview, as the Mets reportedly were by Mickey Callaway back in the day<a name="continue">.</a></p><p style="text-align: justify;">David Stearns understands the importance of getting this choice right. The Mets have lost a good deal of luster around baseball after 2023 went so poorly. Indeed, although I don't know how much chance there ever was of Craig Counsell <i>really</i> coming to New York, it certainly couldn't have helped that things in Flushing are once again in somewhat of a state of disarray. And that will make it harder to appeal to free agent ballplayers, too.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Hiring David Stearns was a needed step to <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2023/09/while-mets-were-idle-on-thursday-news.html">stabilize</a> the Mets' front office, even if a backward stumble was taken when Billy Eppler resigned under the shadow of an MLB investigation. Whether or not Carlos Mendoza will be able to succeed and stabilize the dugout staff will significantly depend on the support he receives from Stearns and his subordinates.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Buck Showalter took a ton of criticism for some of his moves last season, particularly in the bullpen, but he wasn't handed much to work with. Much of Mendoza's chances of making his hiring look like a good decision will hinge on the club's roster. And that will be much more David Stearns's doing than the skipper's.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">There's been a renewed debate over analytics, with Brian Cashman's Yankees organization currently being accused of depending too much upon the science in their decision-making. Over-dependence upon analytics often makes a convenient target of criticism. David Stearns is known to favor analytics as a tool in his own decision-making. Steve Cohen, with his background in hedge funds, is also a supporter of analytics and has worked hard to bring the Mets up to par with their own department.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Properly using analytics will be something David Stearns will control, and how well he does there will ultimately affect Carlos Mendoza's ultimate success or failure. While Mendoza has a very important job now, it is far from the most important on the club. If Stearns and the rest of his front office get things mostly right, Mendoza's chances of thriving in his new job go up exponentially.</p><div style="text-align: justify;">By the way, if you've gotten this far and haven't figured it out yet, the title was tongue-in-cheek. I'm fine with Carlos Mendoza — at least, I'm perfectly willing to trust in David Stearns's judgment and give him a chance.</div><p style="text-align: justify;">Be well and take care.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Follow Mike's Mets on social media:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="16" data-original-width="16" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow us on <b>Twitter</b> <b><a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MikesMetsBlog">@MikesMetsBlog</a>.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span> </span><span> Follow me on <b>Instagram</b></span><span style="color: #0000ee;"><b> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/MikeSteffanos/">@MikeSteffanos</a></b></span>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span> Follow me on <b>Threads <a href="https://www.threads.net/@MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Spoutible</b> <a href="https://spoutible.com/MikeSteffanos"><b>@MikeSteffanos</b></a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow us on <b>Mastodon</b> <b><a href="https://mstdn.social/@MikesMets">@MikesMets@mstdn.social</a></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> or <a href="https://shea.social/@mikesmetsblog">@MikesMetsBlog@shea.social</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow us on <b>Post News </b><span><b><a href="https://post.news/@/MikesMets">@MikesMets</a>.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow us on <b>Tribel</b> <b><a href="https://www.tribel.com/mikes_mets/wall">@mikes_mets</a>.</b></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img class="statcounter" src="https://c.statcounter.com/12236556/0/8446a22a/1/" alt="Web Analytics Made Easy - StatCounter" /></div>Mike Steffanoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08573922415294713184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1122736168771714314.post-67726479711074084342023-11-05T14:43:00.007-05:002023-11-06T19:05:47.202-05:00The Next Mets Era Begins<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMYfnEVDBxsi9H2ow5kP3oZroEqchN11S9E-gcoxkCs8RYHaHpoYZQeT-GgPGbTb2xDwvx9clxZu0zC4eAaItr4nYrgXQXEFoTjLEGN_wQoOZhDMC_Nat9wGHFszwao2UlNVz2m6nAtSjJvmoiElE7Djxj7DYoYbyjeaQkbs_AtCiQC9LurNdVOWsrD_Z9/s550/startbutton.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="508" data-original-width="550" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMYfnEVDBxsi9H2ow5kP3oZroEqchN11S9E-gcoxkCs8RYHaHpoYZQeT-GgPGbTb2xDwvx9clxZu0zC4eAaItr4nYrgXQXEFoTjLEGN_wQoOZhDMC_Nat9wGHFszwao2UlNVz2m6nAtSjJvmoiElE7Djxj7DYoYbyjeaQkbs_AtCiQC9LurNdVOWsrD_Z9/w200-h185/startbutton.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>With a managerial choice forthcoming and a roster badly in need of upgrades, David Stearns's first Mets offseason is ready to kick off.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The World Series is now over. The 84-win Arizona Diamondbacks managed to get to the Fall Classic by beating three teams that were much better than they were: the Brewers, Dodgers, and Phillies. Then, Arizona was lucky enough to draw the Texas Rangers in the World Series. While Texas had done well in the Playoffs — sweeping the Rays and the Orioles before eking out an ALCS win in 7 over the Astros — they were a flawed team with some injury issues. But the Snakes went down with barely a whimper, still claiming that they had "<a href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/38798779/diamondbacks-not-hanging-heads-no-world-series-title?device=featurephone">shocked the world</a>" by getting to the Series.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While I can't answer for the rest of the world, I know I wasn't particularly shocked. The nature of a tournament is that inferior teams can easily triumph over much better teams in a short series. Even a 7-game series is hardly a true test of superiority, but the best-of-3 and best-of-5 in the first two rounds are even less so. MLB would be better served by shortening the season and going to all best-of-7 series. Longer series in those first two rounds would give the best teams a more substantial chance of coming out on top. It certainly wouldn't eliminate upsets, however. There is no way it would happen, anyway. Teams wouldn't be willing to sacrifice the revenue from a few more home games to make this possible, and MLB certainly wouldn't want to play deeper into November.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This doesn't take anything away from what the Rangers and Diamondbacks accomplished. They both made it to the Playoffs, then played well and defeated their opponents. Their fans are rightfully proud of their club's achievements, especially Rangers supporters. But it is something to keep in mind for the future.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We all hope the Mets can finally become sustainable winners under David Stearns. But even if the club can make the Playoffs almost every year, they will come up short of a World Series win in most of those efforts. History teaches us that many in the media and a good number of Mets fans will look at every time they don't win it all as some sort of a moral failure. The truth is that it's just really hard to make it to and then win a World Series. True dynasties with multiple wins in a short period of time are incredibly rare<a name="continue">.</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But all of that is a worry for a future time. The Mets have missed the Playoffs in 2 of their first 3 seasons under Steve Cohen. In <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2023/10/waiting-for-hot-stove-to-ignite.html">my last post</a>, I noted that the Mets have missed out on the postseason in 29 of the last 35 years. There is significant negative inertia surrounding this franchise, and the lack of stability in the front office is working against reversing this trend. The hiring of David Stearns finally offers true hope of the Mets achieving stability with their front office. Now, the Mets need Stearns to build the Mets into a consistent contender like the Brewers were when Stearns ran that club.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The first order of business after the Series concluded was the Mets clearing some 40-man roster spots for the upcoming offseason. They placed six players on outright waivers: pitchers <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/battepe01.shtml">Peyton Battenfield</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/curtijo02.shtml">John Curtiss</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hernael01.shtml">Elieser Hernández</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/montebr01.shtml">Bryce Montes de Oca</a>, and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/reyesde02.shtml">Denyi Reyes</a>, along with OF <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/locasti01.shtml">Tim Locastro</a>. These moves don't merit much analysis. They were standard moves to create some roster space.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One that I found interesting was Curtiss — not that he pitched well with the Mets this season. He was picked up by Billy Eppler in April 2022. The Mets knew he would miss all of that season after Tommy John surgery. The hope was that he would help in 2023 as a late-inning reliever with some MLB experience and success. Curtiss only pitched 19.2 innings for the Mets, wasn't completely healthy, and wasn't very good. In essence, he was replaced on the roster by relief pitcher <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/murfepe01.shtml">Penn Murfee</a>, claimed off waivers from Seattle, and likely to miss most or all of next season recovering from Tommy John. I like the move, even if Curtiss didn't pan out. Before he was hurt, Murfee was an excellent reliever and represents a worthwhile gamble to help the bullpen in the future.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I was sad to see Montes de Oca go, although he might still be resigned by the Mets as a minor leaguer if he passes waivers. While the righty often didn't know where the ball was going, he threw very hard with ridiculous movement. When he was on, it looked like Bryce was throwing a whiffle ball up there. But he was a max-effort guy in his delivery, and this was his second TJ surgery. While he showed flashes, it was unclear if Montes de Oca would ever be able to throw strikes often enough to stick in the majors. And now there is also the question as to whether he can fully regain that terrific movement and velocity.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you're not familiar with the rules of the Injured List, it only exists during the season. The Mets have several players on the 60-day IL from last season, including closer <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/diazed04.shtml">Edwin Díaz</a> and three of the released pitchers: Curtiss, Hernández, and Montes de Oca. They don't count against the 40-man roster until the season concludes. That's why these moves had to be made now.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The next order of business will likely be the manager. SNY's Andy Martino reports that the likely top target Craig Counsell is <a href="https://sny.tv/articles/mets-managerial-candidate-craig-counsell-close-to-decision">close to a decision</a>. Counsell will reportedly <a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/11/craig-counsell-reportedly-looking-to-reset-market-for-managerial-salaries.html">allow the Brewers to match any offer that he receives</a>. While this is certainly his right, color me quite skeptical of Counsell coming here if money is the only real determinative for the choice. I have no doubt that Counsell can handle the job, but the media and fan base are vastly amplified from what he dealt with in Milwaukee. If he doesn't really <i>want</i> to be in New York, there's a good chance Counsell comes to regret the choice. But this is his choice, of course.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Martino reports that Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza would be the clear next choice if Counsell doesn't come to New York. I've read elsewhere that the Mets were really impressed with Mendoza's interviews. I don't know enough about the man to comment, other to say I'm not particularly concerned over the Mets going with a first-time manager, as long as they pick the right guy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Once the Manager is chosen, I suspect the off-season really gets going. While I'm sure Stearns and the Mets will pursue some free agents, I think trades will play a part in shaping a roster for next year. With so much dead money on the books, I believe Stearns simply has to go outside the marketplace to improve this roster enough to compete in 2024. He'll have to make some bargain signings pay off as well.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We'll be back here commenting whenever something goes down. In the meantime, please be well and take care.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: left;">Follow Mike's Mets on social media:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="16" data-original-width="16" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow us on <b>Twitter</b> <b><a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MikesMetsBlog">@MikesMetsBlog</a>.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> </span><span> Follow me on <b>Instagram</b></span><span style="color: #0000ee;"><b> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/MikeSteffanos/">@MikeSteffanos</a></b></span>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> Follow me on <b>Threads <a href="https://www.threads.net/@MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Spoutible</b> <a href="https://spoutible.com/MikeSteffanos"><b>@MikeSteffanos</b></a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Mastodon</b> <b><a href="https://mstdn.social/@MikesMets">@MikesMets@mstdn.social</a></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b> or <a href="https://shea.social/@mikesmetsblog">@MikesMetsBlog@shea.social</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Post News </b><span><b><a href="https://post.news/@/MikesMets">@MikesMets</a>.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Tribel</b> <b><a href="https://www.tribel.com/mikes_mets/wall">@mikes_mets</a>.</b></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img class="statcounter" src="https://c.statcounter.com/12236556/0/8446a22a/1/" alt="Web Analytics Made Easy - StatCounter" /></div>Mike Steffanoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08573922415294713184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1122736168771714314.post-55950436447726317492023-10-30T20:08:00.005-04:002023-11-04T17:21:36.979-04:00Waiting for the Hot Stove to Ignite<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Gj2eKUl7AnlIA5iLsy6XYJJMe7WJTjCvK2qEB0slxtSztP63fLmck8Uld1oO_MliiJy6mK0nwRy4gVXZmZoZC1dGfV9ykmX9RkCvshnFJvSfesrnq5OORYKzx95a4N9sBH1V2Vtuf_b2H9uZZBtkPswjFtrCauqiAaNFof2VAbRPRtKs2dy7ig8uVBIo/s550/stove.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="340" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Gj2eKUl7AnlIA5iLsy6XYJJMe7WJTjCvK2qEB0slxtSztP63fLmck8Uld1oO_MliiJy6mK0nwRy4gVXZmZoZC1dGfV9ykmX9RkCvshnFJvSfesrnq5OORYKzx95a4N9sBH1V2Vtuf_b2H9uZZBtkPswjFtrCauqiAaNFof2VAbRPRtKs2dy7ig8uVBIo/w124-h200/stove.png" width="124" /></a></div>As the World Series plays out, I find myself eagerly looking forward to what I hope will be a transformative Hot Stove season for the New York Mets.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />I haven't written much for the blog this month. I lost interest years ago in any MLB playoffs that don't include the Mets. Unfortunately, that is an all too common occurrence in my lifetime. Since the Mets fell to the Dodgers in the 1988 NLCS, they've completed 35 seasons, including this one, and made the playoffs only six times. There was a time when I would have some interest in the playoffs, rooting against teams like the Braves and Phillies, but I no longer feel strongly enough about any other team to waste the energy it takes to hate-watch their playoff series.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />I've reached a <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2023/10/seasons.html">significant age milestone</a> this month. As a result, I've become more contemplative than I used to be. I chuckled a bit at the <a href="https://theathletic.com/4959270/2023/10/13/atlanta-braves-phillies-nlds-playoff-flop/">overreaction</a> in the normally sycophantic Braves media over another early dismissal in the playoffs. Still, it didn't make me feel better about how the Mets season went.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />After beating Atlanta for the second consecutive time in the playoffs, the Phillies were anointed <a href="https://theathletic.com/4972923/2023/10/18/phillies-playoffs-dominant-nlcs-diamondbacks/">a team of destiny</a> — until they <a href="https://theathletic.com/4996987/2023/10/25/phillies-game-7-loss/">weren't any longer</a>. Twenty years ago, I would have watched them get bounced out of the playoffs with relish. But I didn't turn on game 7 of their NLDS series against the Diamondbacks or even check the score. However the Phillies or Braves feel about their seasons, they did better than the Mets did just by giving their fans a chance to watch their team play October baseball, even if they were ultimately left disappointed. I'll spend my energy hoping the Mets are part of the playoffs next fall.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Every year, as the cream of MLB's crop gets eliminated by clubs like the 84-win Diamondbacks or the Wild Card Rangers, there are a significant number of baseball scribes who either wring their hands over the upsets or give the upstart clubs like Arizona way too much credit. The Diamondbacks supplanted the Phillies as the team of destiny, but the Rangers have their own case to make in that regard. No matter how the World Series turns out, some team will be given a post-dated air of inevitability, as if the playoffs really couldn't have gone any other way. Meanwhile, other pundits will still bellyache about the MLB playoffs' "failure" in producing a matchup of great teams in its Fall Classic.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />I wrote about <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2022/10/playoffs-are-chaos.html">this subject</a> last October, and my feelings certainly haven't changed in the past year. When I was very young, I recall watching World Series games with my uncle. In those years, the best team in the American League played the best team in the National League. The World Series were the only playoffs that existed in Major League Baseball. The absolute best competing against the absolute best gave the Series a cachet that will never be matched by today's tournament-style competition. Hell, I remember the adults complaining when they split both Leagues into two Divisions to create an intermediate round of playoffs. This was blasphemy to the old-timers. But frankly, starting with four playoff teams still ensured that all of the included teams would be very good<a name="continue">.</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />I remember folks complaining in those years when a Division winner wasn't as good as the second-place team in the other Division, such as in 1978 when the AL West-winning Royals only had 92 wins, exceeded by both the second-place Red Sox (99) and third-place Brewers (93) in the East. But even in the old days, the two best teams in baseball could be in the same League, with only one getting a chance to play in the World Series. For instance, in 1962, the Mets' first year of existence, the Dodgers and Giants both finished the regular season with 101 wins. The Giants won a best-of-three playoff series to advance to the Series (where they would lose in 7 games to the 96-win Yankees) while the Dodgers went home.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />In 1994, MLB went to three Divisions in each League with a single Wild Card team added, although the strike/lockout canceled that year's playoffs. Once they did that, MLB playoffs were a true tournament, pretty much assuring that the World Series winner would often not be the best club coming into the playoffs but rather a team that got hot at the right time and got a few breaks along the way. With two Wild Card clubs in this year's playoffs, MLB will crown its eighth Wild Card champion this season. If you're a purist, you don't like that. If you're a Rangers or Diamondback fan, you likely don't care.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />As for me, I'm waiting for the World Series to be over and MLB's hot stove season to kick into gear. I've watched little of the postseason and have no plans for that to change. But I can't wait to see what moves David Stearns might make to create a Mets roster capable of carrying them back to the playoffs next fall.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />I understand that one of the big topics of discussion early on will be if Stearns can entice Craig Counsell to be the Mets' new manager. While I would love to see Counsell take the job, I'm not a big believer in the manager being a make-or-break choice for the club's ultimate success. It will be more critical for Stearns to create the deep 40-man roster that managed to elude Billy Eppler in his time at the helm.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Don't get me wrong, I'm hoping to see a strong manager in place who works well with the front office because that's part of the job requirement these days. But giving that manager a deep bullpen with which to maneuver and a strong roster of position players with the depth to overcome injuries will matter more than exactly who gets the manager's job.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />For me, the real action will start when the World Series ends. If you're planning to tune in, I hope you enjoy watching. If you are a fan of one of the teams, congratulations. I hope I have the experience sometime soon of watching the Mets compete in a Fall Classic, even if it's all been a bit diluted by MLB's endless playoff expansion and the awful FOX broadcasts.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Be well and take care. The Hot Stove will start heating up very soon, and we'll be here to write about all of it.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: left;">Follow Mike's Mets on social media:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="16" data-original-width="16" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow us on <b>Twitter</b> <b><a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MikesMetsBlog">@MikesMetsBlog</a>.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> </span><span> Follow me on <b>Instagram</b></span><span style="color: #0000ee;"><b> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/MikeSteffanos/">@MikeSteffanos</a></b></span>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> Follow me on <b>Threads <a href="https://www.threads.net/@MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Spoutible</b> <a href="https://spoutible.com/MikeSteffanos"><b>@MikeSteffanos</b></a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Mastodon</b> <b><a href="https://mstdn.social/@MikesMets">@MikesMets@mstdn.social</a></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b> or <a href="https://shea.social/@mikesmetsblog">@MikesMetsBlog@shea.social</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Post News </b><span><b><a href="https://post.news/@/MikesMets">@MikesMets</a>.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Tribel</b> <b><a href="https://www.tribel.com/mikes_mets/wall">@mikes_mets</a>.</b></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img class="statcounter" src="https://c.statcounter.com/12236556/0/8446a22a/1/" alt="Web Analytics Made Easy - StatCounter" /></div>Mike Steffanoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08573922415294713184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1122736168771714314.post-7473654144056098712023-10-25T16:27:00.007-04:002023-10-25T19:09:56.822-04:00Seasons<div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4a7fumghayo4_2Q-7fzDy4lVfuAK7ft3lsgLVh6h6jMfrwFQ6F4KbhtSE6MZkSi66cXu6gD3PsfS-v5sKAaJsK3zWGXvzl8g0YwGikPAuDv1gCD7WJ4expnDOx56Cm2mCJwjeJocytO4ZZ7AGPtKZupvIqvI4xHzqkL1Wgw5f2iYVIC8cq4Tp3m9mp3Ac/s600/time_pass.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="505" data-original-width="600" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4a7fumghayo4_2Q-7fzDy4lVfuAK7ft3lsgLVh6h6jMfrwFQ6F4KbhtSE6MZkSi66cXu6gD3PsfS-v5sKAaJsK3zWGXvzl8g0YwGikPAuDv1gCD7WJ4expnDOx56Cm2mCJwjeJocytO4ZZ7AGPtKZupvIqvI4xHzqkL1Wgw5f2iYVIC8cq4Tp3m9mp3Ac/w200-h168/time_pass.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>I've been aware of the time going by. They say in the end it's the wink of an eye. - Jackson Browne, </b><b>"The Pretender"</b></div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I turned 65 a few days ago. It's hard to believe that I'm officially a senior citizen, but I only have to look in a mirror to confirm the information on my birth certificate. I didn't do much to "celebrate" hitting my latest yearly milestone. Tacking another year onto my age lost its allure many, many decades ago when I became old enough to legally drink. Even that wasn't a huge deal, as things were much more lax in those days. The drinking age back then was 18. I was a tall, muscular kid who could easily pass as a few years older. I also knew all the local watering holes that weren't diligent about requesting ID and had been frequenting those places from about age 15.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Other than partying and girls, I didn't care about much else in those days. I was a Mets fan, but by the time I turned 18 in October 1976, the club was about to enter the most miserable stretch of its existence. They didn't command my maximum attention as they had in my earlier teen years. Even those Mets clubs were generally mediocre at best, but they still had <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/seaveto01.shtml">Tom Seaver</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/koosmje01.shtml">Jerry Koosman</a>, and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/matlajo01.shtml">Jon Matlack</a>. It was quite a jolt when Seaver was traded in June 1976, Matlack the following winter, and finally Koosman in the winter of 1978. Besides generally sucking, it felt as if the Mets had completely broken faith with the childhood version of me who had worshiped these men as Gods just a few years earlier.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The 1969 Mets, featuring the 1-2 combination of Seaver and Koosman, were the team that enticed the 10-year-old version of me into being a baseball fan. Those next few years, highlighted by the 1973 club that returned to the World Series, formed the backdrop of transition from childhood into adolescence. If you're much younger than I am — and I hope you are — it must feel like events from almost 50 years in the past were forever ago. But man, when I think about those teams, that time feels practically close enough to touch. When I read or hear some of the names of players from those days — <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/groteje01.shtml">Jerry Grote</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/harrebu01.shtml">Bud Harrelson</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/jonescl01.shtml">Cleon Jones</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/staubru01.shtml">Rusty Staub</a> — I can still distinctly smell the stench of the Clearsil that did so little to relieve the ravages of my acne-plagued complexion, mingled with the everpresent feeling of disappointment as the Mets mostly wasted the prime of those great pitchers. And all of this happened while I was enduring the awkward transition of puberty.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By the time the Mets were once again good enough to care about in the 1980s, my complexion had finally cleared, and my life was in a completely different spot. I was in my mid-20s, working a full-time job and living on my own. I married a young woman I cared about, but neither was mature enough to handle the responsibility. The greatest era of Mets baseball played out during the years of my pitifully short marriage and ensuing divorce. Those Mets clubs still form most of the highlights of my Mets fandom, but, like the competitive clubs from the first half of the 70s, that golden era of Mets baseball passed by almost as quickly as my marriage.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The 90s Mets clubs were largely forgettable. On a happier note, during that decade, I met Lisa — our relationship has <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2020/11/when-you-meet-right-one-you-know-it.html">endured</a> — and began a small business with my brother. The 1994 strike/lockout drove me away from the game for a while. As I transitioned into middle age at the turn of the century, the Mets became briefly interesting again. Sadly, that coincided with the Wilpons gaining complete control of the team, essentially dooming the first two decades of the new century. At least from my Mets fan perspective, most of those years of my middle age were wasted as the former Mets owners were unable to spend and unwilling to embrace the cutting-edge stuff that more successful teams were utilizing to find the winning advantage<a name="continue">.</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">That all changed in November 2020, although the club has struggled to transition from a perennial MLB joke into a consistent winner. Even so, say what you want about Steve Cohen, but his commitment to this franchise is in sharp, welcome contrast to what we saw from the Wilpons from taking sole possession in 2002 through selling the club to Cohen in 2020. I appreciated his words, as quoted in this <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/10/11/mets-remain-steve-cohens-clear-sports-priority/"><i>New York Post</i> article</a> from a couple of weeks ago when asked about potentially investing in other sports franchises:</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">"I gotta get the Mets right," Cohen said Wednesday at Sportico's "Invest in Sports" conference at the Times Center in Manhattan. "Once I get the Mets right and get the model down, then I can think about doing something else. … Maybe down the road, but I gotta get this right. And I haven't gotten it right yet."</div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">That sense of duty to getting the Mets where we all want them to be, combined with the self-aware honesty about how things have been going, was noticeably missing from the Wilpon era. There is no greater reason why most of my middle-aged years were spent rooting for bad Mets clubs, with rare exceptions. And that is quite stirring to me as I turn 65, with all that implies. The years of my life pass by relentlessly. Most of the last five decades were spent rooting for Mets clubs that seldom delivered special seasons. I want to spend whatever years I have left rooting for a club that can deliver. I appreciate Steve Cohen running the show because hoping for "good enough" is definitely not his modus operandi.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtBACXtXB_BEtAN38GRVwAQ8-Omjlj2nmS5iWbwytbnbM_IgHdZyNM5KoJnOConVzDnGPrvG7CiUoXzpfhQbPet1p72168nY8cl4Lo3QwigF8zF4VJDhZ20miVOSF5x54kQuC9TUVejtdE9OvtUK5lktuKLocPIO6DyhmZS_H-nW1QnPQbXQ9leS1zLxzo/s3066/1000401-EDIT.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2300" data-original-width="3066" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtBACXtXB_BEtAN38GRVwAQ8-Omjlj2nmS5iWbwytbnbM_IgHdZyNM5KoJnOConVzDnGPrvG7CiUoXzpfhQbPet1p72168nY8cl4Lo3QwigF8zF4VJDhZ20miVOSF5x54kQuC9TUVejtdE9OvtUK5lktuKLocPIO6DyhmZS_H-nW1QnPQbXQ9leS1zLxzo/w320-h240/1000401-EDIT.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Nutmeg and her younger dog sibling Devo on a hike</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Speaking of the swift passage of time, my girl Nutmeg is another poignant reminder of this. I've owned several dogs in my earlier life, but things got hectic during its middle years, and I didn't have the proper amount of time to take care of a dog. That changed in 2012 when we adopted a 2-year-old female Treeing Walker Coonhound mix that we named Nutmeg. She was a sweet girl, but her behavior wasn't the greatest at first. She was quite an active dog, and I realized the old adage "a tired dog is a good dog" really applied to her.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Since I worked out of my house back then, I could take a couple of hours or so out of almost every day taking Nutmeg on long, long walks and hikes. Allowing her to expend her energy on those walks and the stimulation of all of the scents for her to follow in the woods shaved away the rough spots in her behavior. She was sweet from day one, but now she was a dream. For me, she was also a welcome distraction from yet another era of bad Mets baseball. Before my back problems and arthritis slowed me down, I spent countless hours walking thousands of miles behind Nutmeg.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Nutmeg from those years loved every person and dog she met, literally without exception. All of the male dogs in the neighborhood had a crush on her. One big guy named Max used to show up at the back door quite often, looking for Nutmeg to come out and play. Another canine suitor used to wistfully watch Nutmeg walk away down the street after they encountered each other on a walk. Nutmeg always seemed to enjoy the attention of her admirers, and it was imperceptible if she preferred one over the others.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As for people, Nutmeg enjoyed any kind words and pets she might receive from folks we encountered. And if any of these folks had a spare dog treat hanging around to bestow upon her, she was always happy to accept it. When Lisa and I walked her in an area with many people passing by, Nutmeg would wag her tail and try to get the attention of all of them. My nickname for her in those years was "The Mayor." Everyone we met became her friends for life.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But along with the damage time has inflicted on my body, the relentless churn of the seasons has taken its toll on 13-year-old Nutmeg. As much as my recent physical limitations bother me, it also hurts a bit to watch Nutmeg's transformation into an elderly dog. Physically, she has lost a lot of weight and has some leg problems of her own, but she can more than hold her own on the shorter walks and hikes I can offer her these days.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But the most significant changes in Nutmeg over the last few years have been mental. Like senior humans do, dogs decline mentally as they age. My sweet old girl Nutmeg is still loveable, but she's become quite batty. She gets confused easily and is noticeably more restless than she was just 2 or 3 years ago. Although she still enjoys encountering other dogs and humans on our walks, her attention span for those meetings is quite short. After about 15 seconds, she'll wander off down the trail, having already moved on mentally. She is no longer the playful, affectionate dog that she was.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It makes me sad to see the decline in my old girl. But I still learn from her constantly. I do not have a patient personality, but I have learned to find patience I didn't even know existed within myself. Nutmeg will interrupt me constantly when I am doing something that requires concentration, such as writing. It's tempting to command her to "go lie down" and get back to what I'm doing, but I see the confusion on her old face and stop what I'm doing for a minute or two to give her some attention. Invariably, a look of contented happiness comes over that face, and suddenly, whatever she interrupted seems much less important.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Besides patience, Nutmeg's struggles with aging have taught me much about simple devotion. To me, that's loving something imperfect as perfectly as I can. And it's figuring out how to do my best to give Nutmeg whatever I can in however much time I have left with her. I realize that, in a way, being a Mets fan through so many frustrating decades has prepared me for this. I sure wish the club had given me more highlights over all these years of rooting for them, but it is what it is.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As I sail off into my "golden years," I am thankful for every minute I am given to enjoy whatever time is left with whatever is left of my girl Nutmeg. I am profoundly grateful that through the confusion she endures, she still seems happy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As for the Mets, I'm hoping that Steve Cohen's devotion to the ballclub he owns will pay some dividends and that the best Mets years of my lifetime are still to come.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Be well and take care.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: left;">Follow Mike's Mets on social media:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="16" data-original-width="16" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow us on <b>Twitter</b> <b><a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MikesMetsBlog">@MikesMetsBlog</a>.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> </span><span> Follow me on <b>Instagram</b></span><span style="color: #0000ee;"><b> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/MikeSteffanos/">@MikeSteffanos</a></b></span>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> Follow me on <b>Threads <a href="https://www.threads.net/@MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Spoutible</b> <a href="https://spoutible.com/MikeSteffanos"><b>@MikeSteffanos</b></a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Mastodon</b> <b><a href="https://mstdn.social/@MikesMets">@MikesMets@mstdn.social</a></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b> or <a href="https://shea.social/@mikesmetsblog">@MikesMetsBlog@shea.social</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Post News </b><span><b><a href="https://post.news/@/MikesMets">@MikesMets</a>.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Tribel</b> <b><a href="https://www.tribel.com/mikes_mets/wall">@mikes_mets</a>.</b></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img class="statcounter" src="https://c.statcounter.com/12236556/0/8446a22a/1/" alt="Web Analytics Made Easy - StatCounter" /></div>Mike Steffanoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08573922415294713184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1122736168771714314.post-41368074822164679572023-10-08T16:28:00.001-04:002023-10-08T17:03:37.641-04:00Another One Bites the Dust<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJCl7Bb-fWKvw5pXnGuZKtjWjYZyxmxOnvCQ8M7PJa4vEsamvjlJypE8K5uVx8LoHScXm1HQyMVsNgwO-yUglu3KWmqRNoh7hV9723pLnQ37mEh-E0GhGz5oYNPeqpx5Met_XZI6eF6bQrfyhtTYlTcUPkw2R071C1yVFQcLSiYvZU6bc33YLyHwUBeV0i/s800/dust.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJCl7Bb-fWKvw5pXnGuZKtjWjYZyxmxOnvCQ8M7PJa4vEsamvjlJypE8K5uVx8LoHScXm1HQyMVsNgwO-yUglu3KWmqRNoh7hV9723pLnQ37mEh-E0GhGz5oYNPeqpx5Met_XZI6eF6bQrfyhtTYlTcUPkw2R071C1yVFQcLSiYvZU6bc33YLyHwUBeV0i/w200-h200/dust.png" width="200" /></a></div>Billy Eppler, we hardly knew ye.</b></div></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I wrote a piece last month titled "<a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2023/09/while-mets-were-idle-on-thursday-news.html">The Mets Are Still Searching for Stability</a>." The Mets had just decided to hand pink slips to some director-level employees. At the time, it was speculated that the firings could be a sign that a new President of Baseball Operations was coming in, which proved accurate when David Stearns's hiring <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2023/09/the-one-that-didnt-get-away.html">was announced</a> a couple of weeks later. While the thought of Stearns coming on was exciting, one of the big hopes was that the constant comings and goings of key personnel would slow down a bit as the Mets transitioned to a more mature, steady operation. This made <a href="https://theathletic.com/4934972/2023/10/05/mets-general-manager-billy-eppler-resigns/">the news</a> of GM Billy Eppler seemingly out-of-the-blue resigning an unpleasant reminder that we just aren't there yet.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It wasn't that Eppler seemed irreplaceable. While I wasn't rooting for him to get canned, the idea of Stearns being gifted the opportunity to hire an up-and-comer of his choice to fill the GM role is actually intriguing. And it certainly was disappointing to learn that <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/10/04/buck-showalter-mets-brass-butted-heads-over-daniel-vogelbach/">Eppler pressured manager Buck Showalter</a> to keep <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/vogelda01.shtml">Daniel Vogelbach</a> in the lineup long after it became clear that Vogie didn't offer enough value to offset his limitations. Eppler did some really good things in his time as Mets GM, but his trades for Vogelbach and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rufda01.shtml">Darin Ruf</a> were clearly fails. And that's not a crime.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A consequence of having a job where you need to make big decisions is that you will face-plant on some of them. Mistakes are going to happen. But missteps become magnified when a leader can't acknowledge them, learn from them, and move on as quickly as possible. It's human to stubbornly cling to the hope that an important move will eventually pan out, but that's not an approach strong leaders utilize.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Let's be clear: Eppler's stubbornness in trying to validate the Vogelbach acquisition didn't cost the Mets their 2023 season. There were more significant reasons why they spent so much money only to finish under .500. It didn't impact the decision to hire David Stearns and place him above Eppler in the baseball ops hierarchy. That was clearly going to happen as soon as Steve Cohen got the person he wanted to agree to take the job — even if the club had played better and made the playoffs. But Eppler's failure to acknowledge the obvious sooner caused the manager unnecessary angst, made the fanbase quite unhappy, and made Vogelbach a target of fan outrage. It was a lose-lose-lose for everyone.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While I continue to give Billy Eppler credit for some good things that he accomplished here, the slowness of some of his decision-making and his failure to find value in filling out the roster doomed him as the ultimate decision-maker. On the other hand, reporting indicated that Eppler was a good administrator for whom people enjoyed working. And David Stearns seemed happy to have a capable man working underneath him in such a demanding job. This made Billy Eppler's sudden resignation incredibly puzzling when first announced but much less so when the news leaked that he was the target of an <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/10/06/mlbs-investigation-into-billy-eppler-what-we-know/">MLB investigation</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If MLB's investigation turns out to really be about the infamous "Phantom IL," it's a mystery to me why Eppler felt that he had to resign. Sorry, but it's one of the worst-kept secrets in the game: IL shenanigans are common across baseball. I'm sure there will be penalties for the Mets if this can be proven, but this is hardly compatible with the infamous 1919 Black Sox scandal or more recent ones involving international prospects. The idea that Billy Eppler needed to resign over improper use of the IL doesn't compute<a name="continue">.</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Unless there is <i>much more</i> going on than initial reports indicate — a markedly larger scandal than currently reported — something else would seem to be happening here. I would rule out David Stearns secretly wanting Eppler out. If he did, Billy would have been handed a pink slip when Buck Showalter received his. I believe the truth behind Eppler leaving would be one of three possibilities:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><br /><li>Billy Eppler wanted to avoid taking the demotion with his current club. While Eppler is unlikely to secure the top job with another club, it's arguably less embarrassing to go elsewhere and work under someone than take that role in your current organization after being the top guy.</li><br /><li>Although Steve Cohen has consistently expressed support for Billy Eppler, it's conceivable that Eppler had previously done something unreported that caused him to lose favor with the owner. Then, when news of this investigation broke, it represented a "final straw" situation for Cohen.</li><br /><li>Finally, maybe Eppler really did just fall on his sword, not wanting this investigation to get Stearn's takeover of Mets baseball ops off to a bad start. </li></ul><div><br /></div><div>We'll see how this investigation turns out. I'll breathe a sigh of relief if it is truly only about improper IL usage. Eppler resigning and Steve Cohen accepting that reservation so quickly makes me a bit nervous that there's more involved here, but that's just speculation mixed with the pessimism of a long-time Mets fan.</div><div><br /></div><div>The pundits are making a big deal out of <a href="https://www.newsday.com/sports/columnists/david-lennon/billy-eppler-mets-resignation-minhst6a">another important departure</a> from the front office. It's certainly a bad look that Eppler has joined a revolving door of execs that includes Jared Porter, Zack Scott, and Sandy Alderson, along with a significant churn among the directors who report to them. I don't blame baseball scribes for emphasizing all of the change. It's their job to write and talk about this stuff. But, while it's easy to lump them all together, it's not all the same with the executive turnover. However, it's absolutely crucial that they find the right GM to replace Eppler and enter into that period of stability that the club badly needs. If we're sitting here a year from now pontificating on why the new GM didn't work out, we have a real problem in Metsville.</div><div><br /></div><div>On the other hand, there is an opportunity here with Billy Eppler's departure. Billy Eppler was hired in 2021 because the Mets needed someone with experience running a ballclub. With David Stearns in the top job, the club is free to pursue a genuinely talented individual without requiring a top management background. That's certainly what I would look for if I were the Mets PBO. Billy Eppler brought some talents to the table, but he hardly looked like a future front-office star. But there are those types around baseball waiting to be elevated, as Stearns was when he became the Houston Assistant GM at age 27, then the Milwaukee GM at age 30.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By the way, there has been speculation on who wrote the anonymous letter to MLB reporting the Mets. I'm not going to indulge in that. I honestly don't care. Plenty of folks have departed the Mets organization this year, and it could be any of them. My hopes are only, as stated, that there isn't any bigger scandal lurking behind the improper use of the IL. Hopefully, we'll have more clarity by the next time I write here.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Be well and take care.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: left;">Follow Mike's Mets on social media:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="16" data-original-width="16" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow us on <b>Twitter</b> <b><a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MikesMetsBlog">@MikesMetsBlog</a>.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> </span><span> Follow me on <b>Instagram</b></span><span style="color: #0000ee;"><b> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/MikeSteffanos/">@MikeSteffanos</a></b></span>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> Follow me on <b>Threads <a href="https://www.threads.net/@MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Spoutible</b> <a href="https://spoutible.com/MikeSteffanos"><b>@MikeSteffanos</b></a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Mastodon</b> <b><a href="https://mstdn.social/@MikesMets">@MikesMets@mstdn.social</a></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b> or <a href="https://shea.social/@mikesmetsblog">@MikesMetsBlog@shea.social</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Post News </b><span><b><a href="https://post.news/@/MikesMets">@MikesMets</a>.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Tribel</b> <b><a href="https://www.tribel.com/mikes_mets/wall">@mikes_mets</a>.</b></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img class="statcounter" src="https://c.statcounter.com/12236556/0/8446a22a/1/" alt="Web Analytics Made Easy - StatCounter" /></div>Mike Steffanoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08573922415294713184noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1122736168771714314.post-595861917373970712023-10-02T17:45:00.003-04:002023-10-02T18:04:15.105-04:00Welcome to the David Stearns Era<div><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN5FHfy9x35PfweubEfoH_kNAF7Lh00EpeecBgp4TuvSstPK8dBTCgcMpa7dGhISLM4lIjei8gc_smxOYElBY6Ol72Eh9jgh1pyRd40vO0Z4nu9NYhU1v9RfU2VZQzkiy4CSQoy13Ues08UBEx_kYDkJncFmZaK_7rl8xV-tZSKK1d_isec7-LeF7-cS9L/s624/StearnsMets.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="624" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN5FHfy9x35PfweubEfoH_kNAF7Lh00EpeecBgp4TuvSstPK8dBTCgcMpa7dGhISLM4lIjei8gc_smxOYElBY6Ol72Eh9jgh1pyRd40vO0Z4nu9NYhU1v9RfU2VZQzkiy4CSQoy13Ues08UBEx_kYDkJncFmZaK_7rl8xV-tZSKK1d_isec7-LeF7-cS9L/w200-h193/StearnsMets.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The new President of Baseball Operations is officially on the job. Here are some quick thoughts on Day 1 of the David Stearns era.</b></div></b></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We've been talking about David Stearns for a while in this space, particularly since the Mets announced on September 12 that Stearns would, indeed, be taking the PBO job. What was especially gratifying was that, after almost three years of constantly reading why potential targets were afraid of taking on the job, Stearns confirmed today that he was eager to accept the position. This is even though Stearns <span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #313131; font-size: 14.85px;">—</span> a native New Yorker who grew up a Mets fan — understands all too well the pressures of the top job in this market.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you're new to this site, you can look at my last half-dozen posts to see my hopes for what David Stearns might bring to the table running the New York Mets, in particular, my <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2023/09/finding-value.html">most recent</a>. Regular readers don't need me to rehash those thoughts here again. Now that Stearns is officially in charge, I very much look forward to checking out the moves Stearns makes to try to fulfill the goals he articulated at his press conference: being immediately competitive while not sacrificing the long-term goal of sustaining winning. That mandate has been around since Steve Cohen purchased the ballclub. Having a talented leader like Stearns in charge makes that ultimate goal feel closer to attaining.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Of course, we won't see much in the way of moves until the playoffs end. If the World Series goes all the way to Game 7, that won't be until November 4 — and that date is contingent on not having rainouts push things a bit later. So David Stearns has a month to dive in as deep as possible on the Mets organization and prepare for free agency and potential trades.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For now, here are a few quick thoughts after watching the introductory presser:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li>Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I thought <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/10/01/david-stearns-buck-showalter-hit-job-made-for-awkward-first-mets-move/">this piece</a> by Joel Sherman in the <i>Post</i> was unfair, particularly accusing Stearns of ordering a "hit job" on Buck Showalter while being "not present at its execution." As Stearns noted at the press conference, he was officially a Brewers employee until today and could not talk to Showalter. Stearns did reach out with a phone call today to Buck, although he has yet to speak to him. Decisions to let a manager go are part of baseball. I feel bad for Showalter, who seems like a fine man, but Stearns didn't act improperly here, and Joel Sherman has been doing this job long enough to know better<a name="continue">.</a></li><br /><li>Stearns came across well at the press conference. He's obviously a very smart guy. Like many very intelligent people, Stearns doesn't go out of his way to "sound smart." He talked like a real person and didn't lean heavily on the baseball jargon or technocrat jibber jabber. He sounded warm and relatable as he spoke about his excitement about taking on this job. I can see why people enjoy working for the guy.</li><br /><li>When asked the inevitable <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/alonspe01.shtml">Pete Alonso</a> question, Stearns handled it well. He certainly didn't commit to a long-term contract for the slugging first baseman but alluded to Alonso's undeniable skills and popularity here. Everyone understands that, in a perfect world, the Mets would extend Alonso to a reasonable contract that doesn't carry too late into his 30s. However, other clubs and Alonso himself will have a lot to say about how this plays out. It definitely did not sound likely that Pete would get traded this winter, but, of course, there's always the possibility that another team would blow Stearns away with a great offer. I do expect he's playing for the Mets in 2024. It's anyone's guess what happens after that.</li><br /><li>Besides promising to cast a "wide net" in finding the next manager, David Stearns gave no hint about what exactly he's looking for in Showalter's replacement. It's going to be interesting to see which coaches keep their jobs. It certainly won't be <i>all</i> of them. Pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, who has survived regime change in the past, probably stays. The front office also seems to be high on hitting coach Jeremy Barnes. Eric Chavez will likely get an interview when that wide net casts out for a manager search. If he doesn't get picked, however, a new manager would probably want to choose his own bench coach.</li><br /><li>Speculation on Craig Counsell is fun, and he'd undoubtedly be a great hire, but I'll believe that the Wisconsin native is taking this job if and when there is an official announcement.</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Okay, that's a few quick thoughts on the matter. Now we get to sit back and watch other teams play for a title, hoping some interesting tidbits of news trickle out on the Mets over this next month. Here's hoping that the Mets start making regular playoff appearances shortly.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Be well and take care.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;">Follow Mike's Mets on social media:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="16" data-original-width="16" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow us on <b>Twitter</b> <b><a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MikesMetsBlog">@MikesMetsBlog</a>.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> </span><span> Follow me on <b>Instagram</b></span><span style="color: #0000ee;"><b> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/MikeSteffanos/">@MikeSteffanos</a></b></span>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> Follow me on <b>Threads <a href="https://www.threads.net/@MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Spoutible</b> <a href="https://spoutible.com/MikeSteffanos"><b>@MikeSteffanos</b></a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Mastodon</b> <b><a href="https://mstdn.social/@MikesMets">@MikesMets@mstdn.social</a></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b> or <a href="https://shea.social/@mikesmetsblog">@MikesMetsBlog@shea.social</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Post News </b><span><b><a href="https://post.news/@/MikesMets">@MikesMets</a>.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Tribel</b> <b><a href="https://www.tribel.com/mikes_mets/wall">@mikes_mets</a>.</b></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img class="statcounter" src="https://c.statcounter.com/12236556/0/8446a22a/1/" alt="Web Analytics Made Easy - StatCounter" /></div>Mike Steffanoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08573922415294713184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1122736168771714314.post-12077167121918177492023-09-30T16:32:00.006-04:002023-10-02T11:14:19.977-04:00Finding Value<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiibl9DRk2TT01UPNukyPrCG3DcxMx_hrxy_ceP78xIuDzAJic1GAUigfqRZDWrb1H6Y3N0u2GbYTRkWSw30m_CGaVG_0dg_Crr9qSsQqFdFM2ygSNsl-3otLbtSobhZGaRxDOkQ1wpxwbjRrRwWebBymM7ZfPtHaHk9sx7oiQ7-t4qktJWEGNeqvYh8WSF/s2011/value.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2011" data-original-width="2000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiibl9DRk2TT01UPNukyPrCG3DcxMx_hrxy_ceP78xIuDzAJic1GAUigfqRZDWrb1H6Y3N0u2GbYTRkWSw30m_CGaVG_0dg_Crr9qSsQqFdFM2ygSNsl-3otLbtSobhZGaRxDOkQ1wpxwbjRrRwWebBymM7ZfPtHaHk9sx7oiQ7-t4qktJWEGNeqvYh8WSF/w199-h200/value.jpg" width="199" /></a></div>If the Mets are to take a step forward under David Stearns, it will be because the organization finally figures out how to unearth value in building a deeper roster.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With the regular season all but over, we await the official beginning of the David Stearns era with the Mets. Although there has been plenty of speculation regarding <a href="https://theathletic.com/4858353/2023/09/13/what-can-david-stearns-track-record-tell-us-about-the-mets-future/">what that <i>might</i> mean</a> for the club, we won't <i>really</i> know what sort of changes Stearns might bring to this organization until the new PBO officially takes over. That should happen sometime on Monday. The time will depend on whether the suspended Mets-Marlins game from Friday needs to be completed to determine a Wild Card spot or seeding.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I hope Stearns's arrival will help the organization kick things up to the next level. There has already been a lot of improvement. The Mets team Stearns will take control of in October has been on an upward trajectory for a while despite this season's disappointing performance on the field. They've become a club that handles itself well in the MLB draft — no small achievement when you look at how bad they were in drafting amateurs in the early years of this century. Under Steve Cohen, they're also finally being aggressive with international signings. The Mets are looking to build on that strength with all the upgrades they made to player development over the last couple of years. Finding talent is nice, but the real goal is to take those talented kids and turn them into Major League ballplayers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Even for a club that drafts and develops well, it's crucial to be adept at getting talent onto the roster in other ways. An essential method of accomplishing this is to turn other teams' trash into your treasure. This is a subject that I've been writing about here for a while. The Mets have been mainly on the wrong side of this: <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/turneju01.shtml">Justin Turner</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/sewalpa01.shtml">Paul Sewald</a>, and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/montera01.shtml">Rafael Montero</a> are former Mets who went on to great success after the club cut them loose. This has been happening to the club for a while. I wrote a <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2023/02/remember-when-darren-oday-was-met.html">piece in February</a> about <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/odayda01.shtml">Darren O'Day</a> and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wheelda01.shtml">Dan Wheeler</a>, a couple of young relievers the Mets had in the aughts who went on to great success with other teams.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Tim Healey wrote a piece in <i>Newsday</i> a couple of weeks ago, "<a href="https://www.newsday.com/sports/columnists/tim-healey/paul-sewald-david-stearns-t4gpnmkd">The Mets' Paul Sewald lesson isn't what you think</a>." In it, Healey made a point about the club's mishandling of the reliever that captures my feelings:</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>You might think you know what comes next here. It should be a roasting of the Mets for letting another One Who Got Away get away, for not knowing how to get the most out of their own players, for being so inept or so enamored with others’ players that they don’t understand what is right in front of them.</div><div><br /></div><div>Wrong. Maybe the above is true, but their real Paul Sewald lesson is different — and crucial to incoming president of baseball operations David Stearns' overarching goal of building a perennial playoff team. The Mets need to be much better at turning fringe players into impact players.</div></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The "One Who Got Away" is <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2021/06/the-new-york-medias-awful-coverage-of.html">a popular subject</a> for the New York media, whether it's about Major League ballplayers like Paul Sewald and Justin Turner or prospects like <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kelenja01.shtml">Jarred Kelenic</a>. The Mets haven't covered themselves in glory over the past couple of decades in identifying these players. For instance, the Mets had a bunch of possibilities for the bullpen at the beginning the year, some quite interesting. As the season concludes, none of them looks like a long-term answer. But, as Healey points out, "[The Mets] beefed-up analytics department ... and newly opened pitching lab in Port St. Lucie, Florida, are reasons to believe that can change<a name="continue">.</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The analytics department came in for a ton of criticism this season, with belief in some corners that over-dependence on analysis was a significant factor in the regression that some key players experienced in 2023. But having as much <i>useful</i> data as possible to improve organizational decision-making is a good thing. It just needs to be supplemented by having the right folks in place to use available data properly. Great organizations know how to integrate data with human scouting and coaching to achieve the best possible results. The Mets organization has more distance to travel before achieving greatness. That's why David Stearns is here.</div><p style="text-align: justify;">I understand some Mets fans don't get why folks like me are so excited about Stearns being hired. Certainly, no one person can "fix" a struggling org by themselves. There is way too much to be managed for solo acts. What gives me some confidence that David Stearns can accomplish the task of elevating the Mets to the next level is that <i>he has already done this</i> in MLB with the Brewers. This distinguishes him from Chaim Bloom, just fired by the Red Sox, and beleaguered San Francisco Giants exec Farhan Zaidi.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">What Stearns represents to me is a Mets organization finally willing to hire the best possible person for the job after decades of "settling" for lesser names for reasons of cheapness and ownership's desire to have an oversized voice in baseball decisions. Stearns's success with the Brewers in finding value in building a deep roster denotes a skill the Mets can badly use. But, while that's vitally important, it's only a piece of the puzzle.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Besides bringing his own talents and intelligence to a job, an outstanding baseball operations leader these days has to be gifted at running a massive operation with a lot of moving parts. <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/09/28/how-baseball-gripped-david-stearns-and-led-him-to-this-mets-task/">A feature</a> on David Stearns by Howie Kussoy in the <i>New York Post</i> this week included a quote from an MLB executive who has worked with him alluded to Stearns's people skills:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">He's smart enough to use the data side, but to peg him as an "analytics" guy is not right. He has a great baseball mind. He's a good listener. It's consistent. It's authentic. When he talks to you, you feel comfortable, even if you don't like what he says.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">In the past three years under Steve Cohen, the Mets have brought many talented people into their organization. While it's still a work in progress, this front office is miles ahead of where it was in the final years of the Wilpon era. By committing to a man who is acknowledged to be one of the most talented executives in the sport, the owner is showing that he's not willing to compromise in his quest to help the club outgrow the old, tired LOL Mets label.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I read <a href="https://theathletic.com/4911000/2023/09/29/angels-squander-mike-trout-shohei-ohtani/">a piece in <i>The Athletic</i> yesterday</a> that honestly caused me to feel a bit of PTSD. The article by Sam Blum attempted to answer the question as to how the Angels managed to squander the prime of two of the best baseball players who ever stepped into a pair of cleats. The answer Blum offered was generally in being extremely cheap in spending on all of the behind-the-scenes infrastructure that tends to separate great teams from the rest of the pack.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It was the subject of <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2020/12/its-what-you-dont-see-that-matters.html">a post that I wrote almost three years ago</a>, where I quoted extensively from a Bill James piece complimenting the Mets' hiring of Jared Porter. This was, of course, before the sexual harassment stuff that led to Porter's termination. James differentiated between what he termed as "top-level stuff" — essentially the work of a baseball organization that is most apparent to the public — as opposed to "ground-level work," which, although much less public-facing, James asserted was "60% of what makes an organization successful."</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Wilpon-led Mets were terrible at ground-level work, primarily because the frugal ownership balked at financially investing in it. They failed to realize that investment in that area would eventually save them money down the road in free agent spending. Moreover, the increased success on the field that would have resulted would have brought it much more revenue, essentially canceling out some of the spending. As the old saying goes, Fred and Jeff were very much penny-wise and dollar-foolish. Turns out, at least according to Sam Blum, Arte Moreno of the Angels has that in common with the Mets' former owners:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">For many of those who have worked for Moreno... they'll tell you that good investments — the kind that don't make headlines, but that differentiate winning organizations from losing franchises — have been few and far between.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">"Everyone in that organization knows that you're going to be nickel and dimed," said one former Angels employee. "The overwhelming perception that I got was that winning games was not the top concern from (ownership). It's 'How can we make at least one penny more than we did the year before?'"</p></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Many of the investments that Cohen has made in the Mets have been in the ground-level work that, I believe, will make the club successful, despite the recent setbacks. The spending on payroll this spring — quintessentially top-level stuff — grabs all of the headlines. Because it didn't pay off this season, media types get to prattle on endlessly about the failure of 2023. It certainly was a failure as a season. But given all of the lesser-heralded stuff: the pitching and hitting lab and investment in the coaching and analytics staff, the Mets are miles away from what they were three years ago. Reading that piece about the Angels reinforced that for me.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now Monday the David Stearns era begins. The hiring of Stearns qualifies as top-level stuff. He will be extremely well-paid, and the media coverage will be extensive. But what makes this exciting for baseball nerds like me is that Stearns is gifted in the ground-level work that is so important, and he's working for an owner who understands that. He won't have to twist Steve Cohen's arms to convince him to invest in whatever's needed to finally convert the New York Mets into a winning organization.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Be well and take care.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: left;">Follow Mike's Mets on social media:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="16" data-original-width="16" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow us on <b>Twitter</b> <b><a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MikesMetsBlog">@MikesMetsBlog</a>.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> </span><span> Follow me on <b>Instagram</b></span><span style="color: #0000ee;"><b> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/MikeSteffanos/">@MikeSteffanos</a></b></span>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> Follow me on <b>Threads <a href="https://www.threads.net/@MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Spoutible</b> <a href="https://spoutible.com/MikeSteffanos"><b>@MikeSteffanos</b></a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Mastodon</b> <b><a href="https://mstdn.social/@MikesMets">@MikesMets@mstdn.social</a></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b> or <a href="https://shea.social/@mikesmetsblog">@MikesMetsBlog@shea.social</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Post News </b><span><b><a href="https://post.news/@/MikesMets">@MikesMets</a>.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Tribel</b> <b><a href="https://www.tribel.com/mikes_mets/wall">@mikes_mets</a>.</b></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img class="statcounter" src="https://c.statcounter.com/12236556/0/8446a22a/1/" alt="Web Analytics Made Easy - StatCounter" /></div>Mike Steffanoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08573922415294713184noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1122736168771714314.post-11345531873341072342023-09-26T00:08:00.008-04:002023-09-26T09:52:11.215-04:00Tuning Out the Noise<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJRs4Vl0QHocJB2O0TxZ5anlGEDPr6SWQxML4q7TNTcadj3MtyXWQ7FDj6_EqxW_RLyP33zfVwcVaedzqcizIyelI8a7frJ7qp8L3OJm2tZSAzH098j3pZ4fS2z42E_vkvLVjn_-TEToMF_SWip6A8mR5WZ3_O8eMT6d5BxBYgHvsH8V0sxeZEpp23gqiL/s423/notlistening.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="274" data-original-width="423" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJRs4Vl0QHocJB2O0TxZ5anlGEDPr6SWQxML4q7TNTcadj3MtyXWQ7FDj6_EqxW_RLyP33zfVwcVaedzqcizIyelI8a7frJ7qp8L3OJm2tZSAzH098j3pZ4fS2z42E_vkvLVjn_-TEToMF_SWip6A8mR5WZ3_O8eMT6d5BxBYgHvsH8V0sxeZEpp23gqiL/w200-h129/notlistening.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Don't listen when someone tries to sell you the "everything short of a championship is a failure" philosophy. It sucks the fun out of being a fan.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In May, back before the New York Mets' season turned to fecal material, I started writing a piece that ended up sitting on a back burner for most of the season. I always knew that I would get back to it. I just didn't think the entirety of spring and summer would pass before I did. I never conceived of the year going quite <i>this</i> badly for the Metropolitans, even as I began to suspect quite early on that this team wouldn't live up to all of the preseason hype. Even that didn't prepare me for the reality of a sub-.500 team, so clearly playing out the string as we head into the final week of this disastrous campaign. But, in a way, this reality check of a season reinforced the truth I hoped to convey when I began this piece.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The inspiration for this post came at the end of April while reading <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/04/29/payroll-surge-for-mets-padres-refutes-giannis-antetokounmpos-no-failure-in-sports-claim/">an item by Joel Sherman in the <i>New York Post</i></a>. He was reacting to a comment by the Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Bucks had just been ousted by the Miami Heat in the playoffs. Antetokounmpo's offense, in Sherman's eyes, was to claim, "There's no failure in sports." Joel assured all of us that there is, indeed, failure in sports and broadened the point out to include the Mets and Padres, two MLB clubs who famously spent big money this past offseason:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote>...what the Mets and Padres have done — hyperinflating their star power and payroll the past two years — has changed the context for them. They have entered a territory annually reserved for the Yankees and Dodgers. Essentially, championship or bust. Or, at minimum, play for the championship or bust. Getting ousted early in the playoffs or — imagine — somehow not even making a larger-than-ever postseason field would mark a season as a failure. Think about the reaction if, for example, the Mets didn't even make a six-team NL playoff group.</blockquote></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Yeah, just imagine that reaction. Oh wait, I don't have to. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A little background here. If you are a New York sports fan, you're unlikely to escape the mentality among those who cover the sport and many who follow it that any season that doesn't end with a parade down the canyon of heroes is an abject failure. Most of the New York sports media accepts and amplifies this thinking. And because so many in the press espouse the view, many local fans buy into it, too.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The recent roots of this belief derive from the run of success that the New York Yankees enjoyed from 1996-2000, winning four titles in five years. Even the current Yankees are victims of that success. Although they've been in the playoffs almost every year since then, they've won one solitary title during those years. None at all since 2009. This, of course, is completely unacceptable.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There isn't anything new about this thinking. As a Mets fan, I first encountered it in the 1980s. After the marvelous "Ya Gotta Believe" season of 1973, the Mets franchise had essentially collapsed as the heirs of original owner Joan Payson struggled to keep the lights on at Shea Stadium. In truth, the Mets clubs from 1977-1983 would have been better served playing in darkness. Only the sheer awfulness of the 1980 and 1981 Cubs kept the Mets from finishing in last place for all 7 seasons. The only year in this stretch where the Mets didn't lose over 90 games was 1981, when a strike limited their season to 105 games. This era nourished a broad pessimistic streak in me that can still dominate my attitude toward the Mets if I allow it<a name="continue">.</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>When things were at their worst, it seemed like the Mets would never be relevant again. Meanwhile, the Yankees were winning a couple of World Series and sucking up all of the oxygen in the New York baseball world with an ongoing battle between George Steinbrenner and whoever was his Manager du Jour. The low point came in 1979, with the Mets officially drawing 788,905 fans for the entire season in their huge ballpark. I went to several games that year, and the crowd was so sparse you could hear individual voices. I actually think the official attendance total was inflated.</div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Things began to change when the team was sold to a group fronted by Nelson Doubleday and Fred Wilpon in 1980. At that time, Doubleday was the majority owner. In that first season, Mets PR boldly proclaimed, "The Magic is Back." The Home Run Apple began as an offshoot of that slogan. However, the magic apparently got lost on its way to Shea somewhere in the endless suburbs of the Long Island Expressway. Mets fans had to endure four more losing seasons before things turned around in 1984, when the magic really did return in the right arm of a 19-year-old Doc Gooden.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><br /></div><div>During the darkest days, I only hoped my team would be relevant again someday. It felt like a miracle in 1984 when the team won 90 games and contended all summer before finishing a few games behind the Cubs. Then, in 1985, the Mets won 98 games but came up 3 games short against the Cardinals. That was quite frustrating in those pre-Wildcard days when you won your division or went home.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sure enough, when the Mets headed into the 1986 season, the local press loudly proclaimed that anything short of a championship would be a failure for those Mets. Unfortunately, after two consecutive disappointments, I fully bought into that thinking. The Mets won 108 games that season — still a franchise record — and clinched their first NL East title since 1973 on September 17. After a miserable 7 years of baseball and two near-misses, it should have been cause for pure rejoicing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But I didn't celebrate what had been accomplished in winning the division title. I mean, I was happy that they won it, but I had already been conditioned to believe that the only thing that mattered was a World Series title. Winning the division and then the thrilling NL Championship series against the Astros felt more like a relief than a triumph — particularly since they were constantly on the brink of losing that series.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The same thing happened in the World Series against the Red Sox. When <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/oroscje01.shtml">Jesse Orosco</a> struck out <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/barrema02.shtml">Marty Barrett</a> for the final out of Game 7, I could finally celebrate without reservation. At the same time, however, I couldn't help but feel that the "win or bust" mentality had robbed me of some of the pure joy I should have felt as a Mets fan who had lived through all of the terrible years and finally reached the pinnacle of fandom. The only other Mets World Series title came when I was not quite 11, and my baseball fandom consisted of blind hero worship with limited baseball knowledge. The 1986 title came when I was 28 and could fully comprehend the accomplishment. Just wish I could have let myself enjoy it more fully.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I promised myself I would never buy into a mentality again that falling short of a championship was a failure. I assured myself that the next title that the Mets won, I would enjoy it fully, no longer allowing the fear of coming up short to dominate my emotions. Of course, I'm still waiting for that next title, but I'm more convinced than ever not to allow anyone to sell me the snake oil Sherman was trying to peddle back in April.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I didn't get back to this piece before now because the season kept plummeting on a downward trajectory. As it became evident that this team wouldn't even sniff the playoffs, my thoughts on this topic felt irrelevant. However, as I watched the Mets barely show up for their series against the Phillies this past weekend, I started thinking about this subject again.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Joel Sherman claimed in his piece that the Mets and Padres spending spree had "changed the context for them." But Sherman wasn't writing a memo to those clubs' front offices and owners. They're not looking to Joel for direction as to how they should feel about their season. People who make their living running baseball teams don't accept an all-or-nothing mandate from sportswriters. They already understand there is luck and chance involved in winning a playoff series. They care about having the best process possible to put their team in a position to win.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">No, the audience for Joel Sherman's writing is baseball fans like you and me. It's our thought processes he's trying to influence. You're free to take this sort of thinking however you choose. I know that I'm not willing to buy into it. The lack of success for the Mets in 2023 sharply clarifies for me the value of a solid season, even if it does come short of the ultimate goal. Was October 2022 a disappointment? You bet. Would I trade this season right now for another just like it? In a heartbeat.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some folks like to see any season that comes up short of a title as the same as any other. They find little difference between the 2022 Mets club that went down in the first round of the playoffs, and this team, which was out of any realistic chance of the playoffs before the calendar even turned to September. Just two years, both without a parade at the end. But I'd rather be rooting for a playoff team that comes short any day than watching a season like this unfold. If you feel the same way, keep that in mind next time the media tries to hand you a cup of "championship or bust" Kool-Aid.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To be clear, I'm not a fan of participation trophies for everyone or teams that play without fire and spirit. When a club is very good, it is only fair for expectations to be high. But championship years are so rare. Even if Steve Cohen accomplishes everything he hopes for with David Stearns running the show — even if the Mets put a really great club on the field again a couple of years down the road — most years will still end in disappointment. If I'm around to see the Mets' next World Series win, I guarantee no one will enjoy it more than me. But in the meantime, I will do my best to enjoy the ride.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When I first began writing this in the spring, I emailed my friend Greg Prince of the iconic <i><a href="https://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/">Faith and Fear in Flushing</a></i> blog. I asked Greg how he felt about the championship or bust mentality that Sherman had written about. I liked Greg's reply so much that I asked for his permission to use it in this piece, which he granted:</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>Hi Mike,</div><div><br /></div><div>Sherman writing about what constitutes an unsuccessful season on May 1, the NBA angle notwithstanding, reveals what a dyspeptic personality he brought to his latest deadline, one that probably bore down on him after a pair of rainouts and nothing else obvious to write about.</div><div><br /></div><div>The columnists who were Yankee beat writers in the '90s likely have a skewed view of all or nothing at all. We’re Mets fans. We can't live our lives like that. Even with Steve Cohen investing, things happen, players are people and other capable teams exist. The Mets not being, say, 22-5 is unfortunate but not definitive.</div><div><br /></div><div>On the next ep of our podcast, we talk about something Jeff Passan said about Mets fans' panicky tweets — my co-host's idea. I told him I don’t worry about what Passan says about Mets fans, just as I don’t worry about what Sherman says about whether a team that spends can't afford to "fail".</div><div><br /></div><div>The day Sherman or Passan worries about what you or I write, I’ll give extra weight to their observations.</div><div><br /></div><div>Good to hear from you!</div><div><br /></div><div>Greg</div></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Great advice from Greg. The podcast that Greg was writing about is the <a href="https://twitter.com/NL_town"><i>National League Town</i> podcast</a> that he does with his friend and cohost Jeff Hysen. It's well worth checking out if you haven't already. The specific episode was from May 4.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you don't remember the Jeff Passan controversy from back then, <a href="https://awfulannouncing.com/mlb/jeff-passan-relationship-new-york-mets-fans.html">read about it here</a>, if you must. The gist of it was that the passion of New York area fans rubbed Passan the wrong way, and he couldn't decide whether he loved or hated us. Jeff is a midwestern boy, where they learn to choke down their emotions along with their Marshmallow Fluff and mayonnaise on Wonder Bread sandwiches. Personally, I couldn't care less how Passan feels about me.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Be well and take care. Try to enjoy all your seasons, even this one.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: left;">Follow Mike's Mets on social media:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="16" data-original-width="16" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow us on <b>Twitter</b> <b><a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MikesMetsBlog">@MikesMetsBlog</a>.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> </span><span> Follow me on <b>Instagram</b></span><span style="color: #0000ee;"><b> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/MikeSteffanos/">@MikeSteffanos</a></b></span>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> Follow me on <b>Threads <a href="https://www.threads.net/@MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Spoutible</b> <a href="https://spoutible.com/MikeSteffanos"><b>@MikeSteffanos</b></a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Mastodon</b> <b><a href="https://mstdn.social/@MikesMets">@MikesMets@mstdn.social</a></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b> or <a href="https://shea.social/@mikesmetsblog">@MikesMetsBlog@shea.social</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Post News </b><span><b><a href="https://post.news/@/MikesMets">@MikesMets</a>.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Tribel</b> <b><a href="https://www.tribel.com/mikes_mets/wall">@mikes_mets</a>.</b></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img class="statcounter" src="https://c.statcounter.com/12236556/0/8446a22a/1/" alt="Web Analytics Made Easy - StatCounter" /></div>Mike Steffanoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08573922415294713184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1122736168771714314.post-54674579076945615202023-09-19T17:31:00.007-04:002023-09-20T09:53:56.830-04:00A Step Back Might Be the Best Way Forward<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUMK_GTXMzcz-hEJ2Oew_gfL4MH2369Fq-YiVJdPF2zAx8-QPsIyBk3YO9WfN6V85k42EfVSR1vFFMIodceWh4yUZJMGBu6p_d-6E9wrAayat4ysJM_8kKP6wrV9l5ld_inoJC181NjEuCsx53xC--fYjQGnJrDbUIA2uIOT-x8_IsyLARXN7cDdyMXUnR/s650/footsteps.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="650" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUMK_GTXMzcz-hEJ2Oew_gfL4MH2369Fq-YiVJdPF2zAx8-QPsIyBk3YO9WfN6V85k42EfVSR1vFFMIodceWh4yUZJMGBu6p_d-6E9wrAayat4ysJM_8kKP6wrV9l5ld_inoJC181NjEuCsx53xC--fYjQGnJrDbUIA2uIOT-x8_IsyLARXN7cDdyMXUnR/w200-h164/footsteps.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>I'd love to see true creativity from David Stearns this winter in building a deep, competitive roster for 2024 rather than just handing out Steve Cohen's cash.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm 64 years old and have been a Mets fan since I was 10. After waiting for decades since the last championship, I'm selfish about wanting to be around for the next one. I'm not signing on for any 5-year plan back to the top for my team. Fortunately, that won't be an option for a club that now sports a deep farm system and an owner with a very big checkbook. On the other hand, I have nothing against the Mets taking a brief, strategic withdrawal to regroup. That may be their best plan of action for 2024.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">John Harper <a href="https://sny.tv/articles/mets-offense-evaluators-2024">wrote a column for SNY</a> discussing what it might take to field a truly competitive team in Flushing next season, concentrating on the club's offense. Harper based this column on conversations with five unnamed talent evaluators. I thought it was an interesting topic, as most writers pontificating on what the Mets might need to compete next season tend to concentrate on a starting rotation where the only two proven commodities returning are <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/sengako01.shtml">Kodai Senga</a> and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/q/quintjo01.shtml">José Quintana</a>. While putting together a rotation that can truly compete would obviously be Job 1 for David Stearns this offseason, he would also be tasked with finding more offensive clout for a club that didn't produce enough even before the deadline day selloff.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If the Mets are serious about competing in 2024, they'll need to upgrade their offense at 2B, 3B, both corner OF positions and DH. (And that's assuming they hold onto <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/alonspe01.shtml">Pete Alonso</a> for next year.) Some potential puzzle pieces are already here. <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mauriro01.shtml">Ronny Mauricio</a> has shown enough to be considered for an infield job next season, the exact position TBD. <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mcneije01.shtml">Jeff McNeil</a> has bounced back enough offensively to merit consideration in a multi-position role. <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/stewadj01.shtml">DJ Stewart</a> has undoubtedly earned the chance to compete for a combination OF/DH role next season, although striking out in 30% of his PA is worrisome. If <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/martest01.shtml">Starling Marte</a> can heal enough, he will get a starting job in RF.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Then you have guys like <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/batybr01.shtml">Brett Baty</a> and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/vientma01.shtml">Mark Vientos</a>. They'll be in the mix for jobs in spring training if neither gets traded. Neither has done much in 2023 to give themselves a leg up next year. In particular, Baty enjoyed an extended chance to win a job this season and has fallen far short of doing so. A slash line of <span style="text-align: left;">.212/</span><span style="text-align: left;">.282/</span><span style="text-align: left;">.314 with an OPS+ of 65 in 348 PA speaks for itself, </span><span style="text-align: left;">especially with Brett's defensive liabilities. Meanwhile, Vientos has slashed </span><span style="text-align: left;">.218/.262/.345 in 187 PA. Both youngsters have struggled to make contact, with Baty striking out 28.2 % of his PA and Vientos 29.8%. Even fellow rookie <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/alvarfr01.shtml">Francisco Álvarez</a>, who enjoyed a successful rookie campaign, has run out of steam as the season has winded down.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Getting back to <a href="https://sny.tv/articles/mets-offense-evaluators-2024">Harper's column</a>, John and his quintet of talent evaluators feel that the Mets would have to add an impact bat to their roster to have a chance of having a playoff-caliber offense in 2024. As Harper points out, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/ohtansh01.shtml">Shohei Ohtani</a> and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bellico01.shtml">Cody Bellinger</a> are the only two free agents who fit that bill<a name="continue">.</a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">I've gone back and forth on whether the Mets have a real chance of luring Ohtani here. If the Mets somehow did land the Japanese superstar, I would simultaneously be thrilled and terrified by the money and years involved for a player turning 30 next July. Honestly, more thrilled than terrified, but there would be enough of both to go around. While employing superstars on your roster is generally a good thing, there are also inherent risks when these players are going to get older and more and more fragile during the life of their contract.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Putting Ohtani aside for the time being, we come to Cody Bellinger. This is assuming that Bellinger declines his part of a mutual option for next season, which is almost assured. Bellinger will turn 29 next July — almost exactly a year younger than Ohtani. Cody will sign a very nice contract this offseason, but it certainly won't be as massive in years or dollars as Shohei's. After posting a combined OPS + of 66 in 2021 and 2022, Bellinger has enjoyed an offensive renascence in Chicago this season after the Dodgers let him go: <span style="text-align: left;">.311/</span><span style="text-align: left;">.356/</span><span style="text-align: left;">.534 with an OPS+ of 136.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">These aren't the numbers that Bellinger had in his first three seasons with LA, a combined slash of .</span><span style="text-align: left;">278/</span><span style="text-align: left;">.369/</span><span style="text-align: left;">.559 and OPS+ of 144 in a tougher offensive ballpark. He won NL Rookie of the Year and then an MVP in his third season as a 23-year-old. Then he hurt his shoulder in a fluke accident celebrating a playoff win in the pandemic season and was a shell of what he had been until this season. If you buy the offensive production from this year as something Bellinger can sustain, he's a legitimate star who can play all 3 OF positions and first base. I'm sure whatever contract he signs this offseason will reflect that.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">On the other hand, if Bellinger regresses a bit offensively, he could still be a nice player but not a real star. If that problematic shoulder that limited Cody in 2021 and 2022 becomes an issue again, he wouldn't be worth whatever contract he signs. Now, I know that's a highly pessimistic point of view. But age and injury were undoubtedly factors in the epic disappointment that was the 2023 New York Mets.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">As I read pieces like John Harper's or <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/09/18/signing-shohei-ohtani-doesnt-make-sense-for-mets/">this excellent one</a> by Jon Heyman in the <i>New York Post</i>, I agree that a serious run at contending next year will involve upgrading this offense. However, I wonder if taking on more significant risks on a roster already carrying plenty is the best solution for next year. The Mets have long-term commitments to <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lindofr01.shtml">Francisco Lindor</a> (8 more years after this one through age 37), <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/n/nimmobr01.shtml">Brandon Nimmo</a> (7 years through age 37), Jeff McNeil (3 years through age 34), and Starling Marte (2 years through age 36). The Mets will need to go out on a limb if they hope to keep Pete Alonso in orange and blue. Add more names to that list, and things can quickly deteriorate to the point where the Yankees find themselves now with an old, expensive position player roster.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">I'm not going to throw a tantrum if the Mets elect to pursue Ohtani or Bellinger, but I'd like to see a different approach from David Stearns this offseason than just taking on more large risks. Something more creative that helps the Mets to field a younger and more athletic roster that would be better suited to today's game. An approach that would allow for greater flexibility in the future as the club gets better situated to compete for a title.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">The Mets have a lot to accomplish in 2024. They'll need to decide which of the current baby Mets are part of the long-term solutions and which aren't. <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=gilber002and">Drew Gilbert</a>, obtained from Houston at the deadline, could be in the majors at some point next season, as could <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=acuna-003jos">Luisangel Acuña</a>, obtained from Texas. <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=willia000jet">Jett Williams</a>, who will play most of next season at age 20 but has an extremely mature approach, could also conceivably play for the big league club next year. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Rather than trying to draw on an inside straight and be successful in signing three pitchers for the rotation, key pieces for the bullpen, and a star bat, I'd rather see the Mets take a shot at finding some value around the margins and determining which of their prospects can help them going forward. David Stearns has a reputation as a genius and a huge contract because of that. I'd like to see something creative out of him rather than just an ability to buy a contender with a huge payroll.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Be well and take care.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;">Follow Mike's Mets on social media:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="16" data-original-width="16" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow us on <b>Twitter</b> <b><a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MikesMetsBlog">@MikesMetsBlog</a>.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> </span><span> Follow me on <b>Instagram</b></span><span style="color: #0000ee;"><b> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/MikeSteffanos/">@MikeSteffanos</a></b></span>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> Follow me on <b>Threads <a href="https://www.threads.net/@MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Spoutible</b> <a href="https://spoutible.com/MikeSteffanos"><b>@MikeSteffanos</b></a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Mastodon</b> <b><a href="https://mstdn.social/@MikesMets">@MikesMets@mstdn.social</a></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b> or <a href="https://shea.social/@mikesmetsblog">@MikesMetsBlog@shea.social</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Post News </b><span><b><a href="https://post.news/@/MikesMets">@MikesMets</a>.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Tribel</b> <b><a href="https://www.tribel.com/mikes_mets/wall">@mikes_mets</a>.</b></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img class="statcounter" src="https://c.statcounter.com/12236556/0/8446a22a/1/" alt="Web Analytics Made Easy - StatCounter" /></div>Mike Steffanoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08573922415294713184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1122736168771714314.post-35177039203513377852023-09-13T16:23:00.004-04:002023-09-14T19:05:11.465-04:00The One That Didn't Get Away<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdkX56mwkMDPIqOH70ENx8AyNHSeu3Kb_TFg4nrH5x5-3-VwDyVbujaOrbzH-36djFS7beMYAq4OopW6Epcba7TRsyRgMtfOg-_4kfjJoggyX2zVBjtt0CXhauyx8vfZ25BE5CqTcDPkxbY45ILbRIz66V8xuI_gaE1zNf1scFBTrSYpq8Di7mnmutt-lL/s1080/jaws.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="810" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdkX56mwkMDPIqOH70ENx8AyNHSeu3Kb_TFg4nrH5x5-3-VwDyVbujaOrbzH-36djFS7beMYAq4OopW6Epcba7TRsyRgMtfOg-_4kfjJoggyX2zVBjtt0CXhauyx8vfZ25BE5CqTcDPkxbY45ILbRIz66V8xuI_gaE1zNf1scFBTrSYpq8Di7mnmutt-lL/w150-h200/jaws.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Let the celebrations begin. David Stearns signing on as the new President of Baseball Operations signals the start of a new — hopefully much better — era for the New York Mets.</b></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">When last we met in this space, <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2023/09/all-stearns-all-time.html">I wrote about my concerns</a> that the hype surrounding David Stearns and the Mets was starting to feel like last winter's Carlos Correa debacle. Even though Correa is having a poor season in Minnesota, I never really got over the disappointment of how things turned out after the initial euphoria when the deal was announced. In my mind, there is a clear line of Mets misfortune running from Correa signing with the Twins through <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/diazed04.shtml">Edwin Díaz</a> injuring his knee in the WBC, culminating in the front office finally bowing to reality at the trade deadline and acknowledging a failed season. Looking back, it feels like the baseball gods were sending a message: this ain't your year, Mets fans.</div><span><a name='more'></a></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I hesitate to lean too heavily on words like "suffering" when referring to fandom. There is much worse suffering in this world than having your baseball team disappoint you, even a serial disappointer like the Mets franchise. I don't want to minimize real human misery. But man, the Mets just seem to find a way to crush their fan base time and again. Following up on a 100+ win season and record spending in the offseason with a dismal sub-500 sequel feels like "old Mets" under the previous ownership rather than the new Mets that Steve Cohen is spending a lot of cash trying to make a reality. This season has been a hard, nasty punch to the gut for Mets fans.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Then, the news came out Tuesday that David Stearns was, indeed, <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/09/12/david-stearns-is-the-right-man-to-lead-the-mets-into-future/">coming to the Mets</a>. It was a badly needed piece of good news for a franchise that had taken an enormous step backward in 2023. The bad mojo that began last winter with Correa's deal falling through is finally subsiding. The 38-year-old President of Baseball Operations coming on board signals the start of a new era in Mets history, with hopes that this one features more than ephemeral success. The fan base that has stuck with this team for so long really deserves that.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Of course, David Stearns is not a magician who can mutter some spell that will fix all that is broken with the New York Mets. He doesn't have to be. This is different from the franchise in disarray that it was when Cohen bought the team, only to see things get more chaotic with the hiring and quick firing of Jared Porter. Billy Eppler may have struggled to construct the deep roster necessary to succeed in MLB these days. Still, he's done many good things to stabilize the Mets after the initial year of upheaval with Porter and Zack Scott coming and going.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">After David Stearns's signing was reported, I noticed Mets fans on Twitter debating the new PBO's thin record in Milwaukee in signing and developing position players. While the Brewers have undoubtedly done a great job nurturing pitching prospects, the failure to enjoy corresponding success with hitters is noteworthy. But it's not like the Mets were looking for David Stearns to come aboard and "save" scouting and development<a name="continue">.</a></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Mets had some success in Amateur scouting and the draft predating Cohen's purchase of the club. Recent drafts have brought in some intriguing prospects. <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=willia000jet">Jett Williams</a>, drafted out of high school in 2022, has enjoyed a meteoric rise through their system this season after enduring a bit of a slow start. He's considered one of the top prospects in the game now. After Brooklyn's season ended, Williams was promoted to Double-A Binghamton, joining fellow 2022 first-rounder <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=parada000kev">Kevin Parada</a>. Prospects the Mets acquired with their deadline sell-off also rank highly. There is talent on the position player side of the Mets' farm system. It won't be on Stearns's shoulders to create something from nothing.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">On the pitching side, the Mets <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2023/08/advanced-biomechanics-meet-mets.html">opened their lab in June</a>. It will also help develop hitters. Although this lab was on the drawing board when Billy Eppler was hired, his regime made it a reality. While the current situation in the farm system finds Mets pitching prospects behind the hitters, the lab, along with some significant hires on the development side, should help remedy this in future years. There are already some exciting arms in the system, headed by <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=vasil-000mik">Mike Vasil</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=tidwel000bla">Blade Tidwell</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=hamel-000dom">Dominic Hamel</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=scott-005chr">Christian Scott</a>, and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=stuart000tyl">Tyler Stuart</a>, along with the recent return of <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=ziegle000cal">Calvin Ziegler</a>. It will be the job of the beefed-up development department and the pitching lab to turn some of these arms into Major League pitchers.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A person charged with running baseball ops for an MLB club isn't expected to handle everything by himself. As noted, the bones of a solid organization already exist here in New York. Although Director of Player Development Kevin Howard was one of the directors purged back at the end of August, there have been important hires on the development side beneath that level that bode well for the Mets bringing their development system in line with the clubs already doing it right.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">So, essentially, I'm not concerned that David Stearn's record in Milwaukee was spotty when it came to adding talent via the draft and international signings. I can't speak to why that was so and why Milwaukee, in the Stearns era, always seemed a bit lacking on the position player side. Stearns was a very young man when he took over that job. I'm sure he's learned some things. He certainly won't lack for resources in scouting and development, given Steve Cohen's goal to have a top farm system.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Stearns excelled at finding value and creating a deep roster in Milwaukee. The Mets can sure use some of that here. Many in the media have pointed out the similarity of Stearns with Dodgers PBO Andrew Friedman, who also came from a small market (Tampa Bay) where he learned to do the maximum with limited financial support. For the Mets to ultimately succeed, they need Stearns to do what Friedman has done in LA: take small market smarts, mix that with large market resources, and build a sustained winner. Although there will always be personnel coming and going in a baseball organization, Stearns's hiring should signal less churn and upheaval and <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2023/09/while-mets-were-idle-on-thursday-news.html">more stability</a> going forward than we've seen here over the last 3 years.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Stearns is still under contract with Milwaukee until the end of the regular season, so there won't be an introductory press conference until early October. I look forward greatly to that event, even though press conferences to introduce new executive hirings are generally not at all interesting. What makes this one different is that, for the first time since Frank Cashen came on board in 1980, the Mets have hired an acknowledged, gifted baseball mind to run the operations. This is by no means to disrespect some others who ran baseball ops for the Mets in the past and did their best. Sandy Alderson is probably the closest comp in the interim, and he was, frankly, decades past his prime by the time he came here.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I turn 65 in October. I was 28 when the Mets won their last title. I am increasingly aware that my chances of being around the next time the Mets win depend greatly on them getting their important choices right. There certainly is no more important choice than this hiring. I believe they got this one very, very right.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Be well and take care.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;">Follow Mike's Mets on social media:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="16" data-original-width="16" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow us on <b>Twitter</b> <b><a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MikesMetsBlog">@MikesMetsBlog</a>.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> </span><span> Follow me on <b>Instagram</b></span><span style="color: #0000ee;"><b> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/MikeSteffanos/">@MikeSteffanos</a></b></span>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> Follow me on <b>Threads <a href="https://www.threads.net/@MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Spoutible</b> <a href="https://spoutible.com/MikeSteffanos"><b>@MikeSteffanos</b></a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Mastodon</b> <b><a href="https://mstdn.social/@MikesMets">@MikesMets@mstdn.social</a></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b> or <a href="https://shea.social/@mikesmetsblog">@MikesMetsBlog@shea.social</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Post News </b><span><b><a href="https://post.news/@/MikesMets">@MikesMets</a>.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Tribel</b> <b><a href="https://www.tribel.com/mikes_mets/wall">@mikes_mets</a>.</b></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img class="statcounter" src="https://c.statcounter.com/12236556/0/8446a22a/1/" alt="Web Analytics Made Easy - StatCounter" /></div>Mike Steffanoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08573922415294713184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1122736168771714314.post-21818659358076783932023-09-09T17:28:00.005-04:002023-09-09T17:50:50.972-04:00All David Stearns All the Time<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOMiTPk_H0NSqpx05i7raa0UkUXnqNRakyF82-kXgWm9zno6kxGafJBs2aU8jBZ_mihfuyakczp4gyKiDewsSafCj60dI9UD0vD9sARbxAHWY-1l6WyG1a25IddXgowFpOfwpb-55tNo3EZfctTVSJb3rTvF_c868lRqEW43TDHuZkKSOs9m493RcUrgK2/s450/cash.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="450" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOMiTPk_H0NSqpx05i7raa0UkUXnqNRakyF82-kXgWm9zno6kxGafJBs2aU8jBZ_mihfuyakczp4gyKiDewsSafCj60dI9UD0vD9sARbxAHWY-1l6WyG1a25IddXgowFpOfwpb-55tNo3EZfctTVSJb3rTvF_c868lRqEW43TDHuZkKSOs9m493RcUrgK2/w200-h200/cash.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Rumors about David Stearns and the Mets swirl non-stop. I'm into all of it, but this reminds me a bit too much of last winter's sad Carlos Correa saga.</b></p><div style="text-align: justify;">When this season began, I thought my September would be consumed by the Mets' playoff push. Instead, I'm watching a club playing out the string on a disappointing season and hoping that I might see an announcement soon concerning hiring a new person to run the Mets' baseball operations. In <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2023/09/while-mets-were-idle-on-thursday-news.html">last week's post</a>, I mentioned a Peter Gammons tweet stating that the employees who survived the organizational purge felt that a PBO would be "named within two weeks." I was skeptical then that Brewers owner Mark Attanasio would allow David Stearns out of his Brewers' commitment early. However, we <a href="https://theathletic.com/4836144/2023/09/05/mets-david-stearns-president-baseball-operations-brewers/">subsequently learned</a> that Stearns' contract stipulated that he was free to negotiate with other teams after August 1.</div><span><a name='more'></a></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">So, Peter Gammons's timetable is now undoubtedly plausible. Multiple reports from various sources stated that the Mets were the favorites to land the coveted executive and that the Mets and Stearns were already <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/09/05/mets-pushing-to-land-dave-stearns-to-run-baseball-opts/">"down the road"</a> in their negotiations. The whole thing is becoming reminiscent of the debacle after the <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/correca01.shtml">Carlos Correa</a> signing, with the added significance that the Mets are playing a series against Correa's Twins team this weekend. Minnesota is currently in first place in the AL Central, while the Mets are barely clinging to fourth in the NL East. As I write this, the Mets have just dropped Saturday's second game of the set, ensuring a series loss to the Twins.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">While the Mets seem to have an excellent chance to ink Stearns to run the club, it's undeniable that another club like Houston could spoil the party for the New Yorkers. This is why, with the memory of how badly I felt when the Correa deal fell through, I refuse to allow myself any level of excitement about Stearns, no matter how positively a particular pundit feels about the Mets' chances. The Mets' job should be attractive to the New York-born Stearns. Steve Cohen can undoubtedly write a big enough check to land the talented Stearns. But there will be no party here at Chez Steffanos until an official announcement is made. We've learned our lesson well.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In today's <i>New York Post</i>, Joel Sherman had a <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/09/09/steve-cohen-must-land-david-stearns-for-mets-and-what-it-might-take/">good column</a> about why Cohen "must" land David Stearns, correctly pointing out that there is no real plan B choice for the Mets. It's undoubtedly true. With Cohen hoping to hire someone to lead his organization to the promised land of serial playoff contention, there really isn't an obvious choice if Stearns elects to go elsewhere.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The simple truth is that David Stearns will be banking a hefty paycheck no matter where he elects to spend his next few working years. If he decides on Houston — the city where his wife is from — he would be stepping into a mature, advanced baseball operation years ahead of where the Mets are now. The Houston media is much smaller, less relentless, and more positive than the New York crew. I don't write this to be purposely negative. It's just a fact that David Stearns can easily <i>not be</i> running the Mets in two weeks or, for that matter, at all<a name="continue">.</a></p><p style="text-align: justify;">When Steve Cohen did his presser in August, he acknowledged that he wanted a top exec in that PBO slot but also cautioned that it might not happen this winter. I don't think that was posturing on Cohen's part. It was simply that he understood that he might not land Stearns, and he wasn't going to hire someone else just to avoid the narrative of another fish getting away. I'm sure if Steve Cohen is comfortable that David Stearns is the right man for the job — and the reports that the Mets are down the road in negotiations with Stearns would certainly indicate that — he will do everything he can to lure Stearns to New York.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Sherman notes that an MLB executive theorized that Stearns would be looking at a potential deal of around 5 years/$75 million. That would likely make him the highest-paid executive in MLB. That's a lot of money and a load of pressure for the 38-year-old. It's likely to be a topic of discussion whenever Stearns does something that doesn't seem to be succeeding.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Sherman discusses some of David Stearns' strengths and weaknesses in the article:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Cohen has made it clear he will base his ownership on building a sustainable winner that spends plenty, but is buoyed annually by a high-end minor league feeder system and an ability to find useful or better players on the margins.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In Stearns' time with the Brewers, they have not drafted particularly well (Corbin Burnes is the main exception) nor garnered much internationally (though outfielder Jackson Chourio is currently ranked among the majors' best prospects). Stearns made two brilliant trades, in particular, for Freddy Peralta and Christian Yelich, and his group was expert at piecing together value on the margins to help Milwaukee stay in contention annually despite a small market and restrained payrolls.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Interestingly, drafting and signing international talent were not strengths of Stearns's tenure in Milwaukee, given Steve Cohen's oft-stated desire to have a top farm system. But the Mets are already solid in acquiring talent in the draft. They are working hard at getting better with international signings and in their player development. While I can't speak to why Milwaukee wasn't great in these areas, the resources of that organization were likely more limited. They've also been consistent winners for a while, which limited their access to the high-end first-round talent. But Tampa is in the same boat and excels at scouting and development. Anyway, David Stearns will have more than adequate resources in those areas.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">What intrigues me is the success that Sherman noted of "piecing together value on the margins." The Mets have struggled in that area. As much as anything, I believe this failure sealed their fate for 2023. This particular talent of David Stearns would be perhaps the most valuable asset he could bring to the Mets if he does come here. Building a deeper 40-man roster and finding some value for the bullpen and the bench would do much to ensure that we don't see a replay of this dreadful season.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">If Stearns doesn't sign with the Mets, we just might not see a PBO hiring. There was reporting last year that Theo Epstein and Steve Cohen did not find common ground that would enable them to work together. There haven't been any rumors at all linking the Mets to Jon Daniels. Cohen's desire to hire a PBO-type would seem to preclude a no-name dark horse candidate from popping up. What would be more likely, if he strikes out with Stearns, Cohen could possibly decide to replace Eppler in the GM role with a dark horse type.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I hope by the next time I write here, there will be a successful resolution with David Stearns to celebrate. In a season of relentless losing, we could all use a win.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Be well and take care.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;">Follow Mike's Mets on social media:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="16" data-original-width="16" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow us on <b>Twitter</b> <b><a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MikesMetsBlog">@MikesMetsBlog</a>.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> </span><span> Follow me on <b>Instagram</b></span><span style="color: #0000ee;"><b> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/MikeSteffanos/">@MikeSteffanos</a></b></span>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> Follow me on <b>Threads <a href="https://www.threads.net/@MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Spoutible</b> <a href="https://spoutible.com/MikeSteffanos"><b>@MikeSteffanos</b></a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Mastodon</b> <b><a href="https://mstdn.social/@MikesMets">@MikesMets@mstdn.social</a></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b> or <a href="https://shea.social/@mikesmetsblog">@MikesMetsBlog@shea.social</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Post News </b><span><b><a href="https://post.news/@/MikesMets">@MikesMets</a>.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Tribel</b> <b><a href="https://www.tribel.com/mikes_mets/wall">@mikes_mets</a>.</b></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img class="statcounter" src="https://c.statcounter.com/12236556/0/8446a22a/1/" alt="Web Analytics Made Easy - StatCounter" /></div>Mike Steffanoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08573922415294713184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1122736168771714314.post-26810286938108227882023-09-03T17:31:00.020-04:002023-09-04T00:47:45.442-04:00The Mets Are Still Searching for Stability<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyVNFc_SclnvLITaAxiQzVmsyFOSDTyoUBXPiMSj_oNYQKLQYUrDiN6aVIAMwOyYLLiGRFziFabR1r1s2xv5gpzPalVArWYDWgtzdktrxhNjESluW1ksm5O7QBBDj646_8aQZSM5d4AhBfNekcYmajzh9ZmeZCrtM946JMf1JwCDL8UHe9GAxMkl0lAZkt/s372/stearns.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="372" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyVNFc_SclnvLITaAxiQzVmsyFOSDTyoUBXPiMSj_oNYQKLQYUrDiN6aVIAMwOyYLLiGRFziFabR1r1s2xv5gpzPalVArWYDWgtzdktrxhNjESluW1ksm5O7QBBDj646_8aQZSM5d4AhBfNekcYmajzh9ZmeZCrtM946JMf1JwCDL8UHe9GAxMkl0lAZkt/w200-h200/stearns.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>The Mets' decision to let go of key personnel might be a sign that a President of Baseball Operations hiring is imminent, but it also signals that there is still a long way to go for organizational stability.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While the Mets were idle on Thursday, <a href="https://metsmerizedonline.com/mets-fire-director-of-player-development-kevin-howard-among-others/">news came out</a> that the club had fired several folks in their organization, including some who held high-ranking director roles. Among them were Kevin Howard, the Director of Player Development; Director of Pro Player Evaluation Jeff Lebow; Director of Performance Jim Cavallini; and Director of Baseball Development Bryan Hayes. I guess it's no surprise that heads were going to roll as the Mets wrap up possibly the most disappointing season in team history. That's quite an achievement, given how many hugely disappointing seasons Mets fans have lived through.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The implications of these pink slips are quite obvious. Rumors continue to circulate concerning former Brewers head David Stearns taking over baseball operations for the Metropolitans. One interesting nugget that I came across was this from Peter Gammons on Friday (Hat tip to <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkCHealey/status/1697693678817456546">Mark Healey</a> for the retweet)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">As several organizational changes hit the Mets yesterday, the feeling with those remaining is the new President of Baseball Operations will be named within two weeks.</p>— Peter Gammons (@pgammo) <a href="https://twitter.com/pgammo/status/1697594504688099359?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 1, 2023</a></blockquote><div><br /></div><div>I know Gammons still has excellent sources around the game. Still, I find it hard to believe that famously prickly Brewers owner Mark Attanasio, who reportedly has no love lost for Steve Cohen, would let Stearns out of his contract early. While Stearns <a href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/34889292/david-stearns-steps-brewers-president-baseball-ops">stepped down</a> from his PBO role with Milwaukee last October, he remains in an advisory role with the team throughout his contract. That reportedly is through the end of this season. The Brewers are currently in first place in the NL Central and will likely make the playoffs. And sure, some owners might just let a guy who's leaving anyway depart a bit early, but Attanasio doesn't seem to be that kind of guy.</div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, you can't overlook the possibility that there will be a PBO named within two weeks who <i>is not</i> David Stearns. The Mets in the Cohen era leak less copiously than they did under previous ownership. Still, it seems unlikely that the Mets would be having significant negotiations with anyone to run baseball ops, and nothing leaked about it. Whether it's Stearns or someone else, I'll believe someone is hired once there is an official press conference announcement.</div><div><br /></div><div>Firing directors of important departments allows an incoming PBO to place his own stamp on the organization. This season was quite a failure, but I couldn't tell you how much blame any of the reported firings deserved. But I doubt that this was about individual performance as much as just letting a new guy have the people he wants working for him.</div><div><br /></div><div>The biggest name was Kevin Howard, who was hired as the Mets' Director of Player Development in January 2021. Assuming that the hiring was by Jared Porter, Howard served under three separate GMs in his relatively short tenure. He also infamously bounced into an assistant hitting coach role in May 2021 when the Mets fired Chili Davis and Tom Slater, then back into the Player Development position after the season. A year isn't enough to judge Howard's work. He's just serving in a role where an incoming head of baseball ops will likely want his own person.</div><div><br /></div><div>According to reporting, Lebow and Hayes had both been with the Mets for 13 years. Cavallini had 5 years with the organization. I never enjoy seeing anyone lose a job, much less folks who have held those positions for over a decade. One thing I noticed about all of the departures whose names were reported: they all predate Billy Eppler's arrival in November 2021. There is speculation that Eppler might already be taking some direction from Stearns on what positions he would personally wish to fill.</div><div><br /></div><div>There is constant turnover in MLB organizations. People are let go for performance issues or move on to other jobs inside and outside baseball. But we've seen an awful lot of churn in the Mets organization since Cohen took over in November 2020. Given Cohen's ambitions for the club, the amount of folks going in and out of the org is understandable. And it certainly isn't shocking that an incoming PBO would want his people there. But I also believe that it's become crucial that Steve Cohen makes sure he has the right person running the show, whether it's David Stearns or someone else<a name="continue">.</a></div><div><br /></div><div>In <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2023/08/building-better-future-for-mets.html">my post last week</a>, I touched on former Rangers president Jon Daniels, who was fired by that team after running that club for a decade and a half. I also wrote about it at the <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2022/08/jon-daniels.html">time of the firing</a>. There was a perception around the game that Daniels and the folks working under him had become a bit too comfortable, missing out on innovations that were changing the game after his initial run of success. I can't speak to that personally, of course, but I understand how that can become a problem. On the other hand, the opposite of that — having key personnel turn over <i>too often </i>— can become a problem for the Mets if they don't get their PBO choice right.</div><div><br /></div><div>Given where the Mets were in December 2020, after so much difficulty getting their top candidates to even meet with them, I thought Jared Porter was the right choice for the job. <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2020/12/its-what-you-dont-see-that-matters.html">I wrote a piece</a> quoting extensively from something Bill James wrote praising the decision to hire Porter. That's not defending the inadequate vetting that allowed them to miss sexual harassment claims about the man, but other clubs he worked for missed them, too. But there is an alternate universe where Porter — who was quite qualified to run a big market organization — wasn't a sophomoric idiot with women and didn't need to be fired less than a month after getting the job.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then the Mets wouldn't have turned to Zack Scott to take over. Scott was a good baseball man, too, but didn't seem to me to be suited for the top job in New York, putting aside the whole issue of his dismissal. The upshot of all of this was that Sandy Alderson was more involved in baseball ops for a couple of years than he would have been. I've never been a Sandy hater, but his best days running a club were way behind him. Even when Eppler first took over the GM job in November 2021, Sandy still had a prominent voice in Mets baseball ops.</div><div><br /></div><div>Despite the huge payroll, I think the struggles to field a winning club this season can be attributed to all the coming and going and changes of direction of the past three years. Billy Eppler gets a lot of blame for this season, and much of that does fall on his shoulders, but he's brought some stability to this club that it needed. I believe that Eppler is fine in a GM role, provided the right PBO is making the right decisions above him. And I am intrigued by the potential of what David Stearns can do here after succeeding so well in Milwaukee without big resources. If Steve Cohen believes Stearns is the right person for the job and he accepts, I'm looking forward to less key personnel turnover and overall chaos. If the Mets are to become an organization that wins regularly, more stability, at least in the short term, is a necessity.</div><div><br /></div><div>By the way, if things don't work out with David Stearns, I wonder if Jon Daniels' name might come up as a potential PBO. It didn't end well in Texas for Jon, but he deserves some credit for the club's current success. Daniels is currently working as a senior advisor for the Rays. He's still only 46 years old and presumably has a future in MLB running another ball club. I hope Gammons's tweet is correct, and this will all be wrapped up by mid-September, but I fear we'll have to wait until October for a resolution.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">*************************</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A couple of quick notes on ballplayers. <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/alonspe01.shtml">Pete Alonso</a> has once again gone over the 40 home run and 100 RBI marks in <a href="https://www.mlb.com/gameday/mariners-vs-mets/2023/09/03/716742/final/wrap">today's finale</a> against the Mariners. I <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2023/08/bad-actors.html">wrote last month</a> about my worries that the Mets won't be able to re-sign their slugging first baseman to a contract. My fears are less about money and more about the fact that sluggers like Pete don't age well into their mid- to late-30s. Pete will turn 29 in December. While he's a top-notch slugger, he's not a great pure hitter or an elite athlete. But his skill set is valuable, particularly to these Mets.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">My hope is still that they can sign him to something along the lines of a 6-year deal for a high AAV. My worry is that Pete will be looking to sign something much longer in years. That doesn't make sense for the Mets. I think they want to avoid being in a situation where Alonso is in severe decline in his mid-30s with several years of big-money contract remaining. But man, on the right length deal, I can see Pete being a big contributor to this club for the next several years. Maybe he's not the cleanup hitter in my ideal projected future Mets lineup, but that power would still play batting 5th or 6th. I hope Cohen and the Mets can figure out how to keep him here on a deal that makes sense for both parties.</div><div><br /></div><div>Speaking of sluggers, no one I've read saw the success of <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/stewadj01.shtml">DJ Stewart</a> coming. While Stewart was once a first-round pick of the Orioles (25th overall), he wasn't a hugely hyped prospect. Stewart was a part-time player in five seasons with the O's, slashing .213/.327/.400 with an OPS+ of 97 — not great numbers for a bat-first OF.</div><div><br /></div><div>Despite going 0-4 with 3 Ks in today's win over Seattle, Stewart is still slashing .265/.348/.622 for the Mets, with 10 HR and 21 RBI in just under 100 ABs. Stewart is making a strong case for at least a part-time job with someone next year. Perhaps that might be with the Mets. I could see him taking a spot away from Daniel Vogelbach. Stewart provides power and has always taken his share of walks, but he runs better than Vogie and can play decent outfield and DH. Given how many fans loathe Vogelbach, the red-hot Stewart would easily win a fan vote for a roster spot next season.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've enjoyed watching Stewart relish his success with the Mets. He's the kind of guy easy to root for. But I'll hold back on going too crazy over DJ's potential. For one, Stewart has only amassed 114 PA in New York. He spent most of the season with Syracuse, where he hit a bunch of homers but slashed .229/.362/.516<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>in the supercharged offensive atmosphere of Triple-A this season. There was no sign that Stewart was on the verge of a massive breakout in MLB, or they certainly would have called him up sooner when they were desperate for offensive help.</div><div><br /></div><div>Maybe the Mets somehow unlocked something with Stewart, as the Dodgers have done with players like <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/muncyma01.shtml">Max Muncy</a> and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/tayloch03.shtml">Chris Taylor</a>. Or perhaps it's just a really nice month for a guy who always had some talent. We'll see if Stewart can maintain some production through the end of the season. Even if he does, that might not translate into future success as a part-time player. That's hard to do at the major league level. Just ask Vogelbach, who has been in that role this season and has yet to exactly run with it.</div><div><br /></div><div>But, speaking of Vogelbach, he got his OPS+ on the season over the league average. He's been actually pretty good for a while. Daniel has slashed .237/.348/.542 in August after hitting <span style="white-space: normal;">.275/.341/.450 in July. That's a longer track record of success than Stewart's hot run. While Stewart has been playing every day of late, Vogelbach has been a part-time player where it's harder to produce, as I noted.</span></div><div><span style="white-space: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="white-space: normal;">For what it's worth, given the premium on athleticism and versatility in today's MLB, even as a non-Vogelbach hater, I can't see how his offensive contribution outweighs his lack of defensive versatility and his lack of speed on the bases. Daniel would have to produce at a much higher level than that to justify a roster spot. The Mets should consider giving Stewart a chance for that spot in 2024</span> — provided they evaluate his success in the last month as more than just a fleeting illusion.</div><div><br /></div><div>Be well and take care.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: left;">Follow Mike's Mets on social media:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="16" data-original-width="16" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow us on <b>Twitter</b> <b><a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MikesMetsBlog">@MikesMetsBlog</a>.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> </span><span> Follow me on <b>Instagram</b></span><span style="color: #0000ee;"><b> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/MikeSteffanos/">@MikeSteffanos</a></b></span>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> Follow me on <b>Threads <a href="https://www.threads.net/@MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Spoutible</b> <a href="https://spoutible.com/MikeSteffanos"><b>@MikeSteffanos</b></a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Mastodon</b> <b><a href="https://mstdn.social/@MikesMets">@MikesMets@mstdn.social</a></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b> or <a href="https://shea.social/@mikesmetsblog">@MikesMetsBlog@shea.social</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Post News </b><span><b><a href="https://post.news/@/MikesMets">@MikesMets</a>.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Tribel</b> <b><a href="https://www.tribel.com/mikes_mets/wall">@mikes_mets</a>.</b></div></div></div> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img class="statcounter" src="https://c.statcounter.com/12236556/0/8446a22a/1/" alt="Web Analytics Made Easy - StatCounter" /></div>Mike Steffanoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08573922415294713184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1122736168771714314.post-20300522671439667622023-08-28T16:47:00.002-04:002023-09-03T17:32:35.637-04:00Building a Better Future for the Mets<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM2n0jLbvRC1VxmlEbM1_NIpMa9_EM0fLUZ6Yi2VY4RO5A2A9vZzZbI2HstGJklvU14qXxuFVjrqIikGqdxEQbQMxNOcAg9KAiooLiifipbDWnbprxUGM9xiAlYQUZs385qJb2BDxoMvrgVk4atQ80MtdABxlxMl0gTrur115Kp7nlA0dVIWg5MFB8Zn7S/s474/futurenext.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="474" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM2n0jLbvRC1VxmlEbM1_NIpMa9_EM0fLUZ6Yi2VY4RO5A2A9vZzZbI2HstGJklvU14qXxuFVjrqIikGqdxEQbQMxNOcAg9KAiooLiifipbDWnbprxUGM9xiAlYQUZs385qJb2BDxoMvrgVk4atQ80MtdABxlxMl0gTrur115Kp7nlA0dVIWg5MFB8Zn7S/w200-h100/futurenext.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>This week, there is more great info on the Mets pitching lab and the young pitching prospects who will benefit from it.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2023/08/advanced-biomechanics-meet-mets.html">last week's post</a>, I wrote about the Mets' new pitching lab in Port St. Lucie, based on Mike Puma's reporting in the <i><a href="https://nypost.com/2023/08/18/the-mets-new-pitching-lab-bought-by-steve-cohen-explained/">New York Post</a></i>. An excellent piece in <i><a href="https://theathletic.com/4794889/2023/08/22/mets-pitching-lab-analytics-steve-cohen/">The Athletic</a></i> (subscription required) by Tim Britton and Will Sammon came out a couple of days later, which went into more depth on the subject. The Mets hope that taking advantage of the latest technology can help them catch up to more progressive organizations that have been using it for years.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There was a bit of controversy that <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2023/08/bad-actors.html">I touched on</a> earlier this month concerning <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2023/08/bad-actors.html">Justin Verlander</a>. An anonymous (of course) Met cited in a Mike Puma piece in the <i>Post</i> labeled Verlander a "diva" who often complained about the Mets analytics department, which he felt was inferior to Houston's. The whole thing felt ridiculously obvious. Britton and Sammon touched on it in their piece, with a "team source" acknowledging the obvious fact that the Mets were playing catchup with clubs that have been doing this stuff for years:</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">New York, he said, was until recently several years behind the middle of the pack in adopting the latest trends in pitching development, to say nothing of how far behind it was behind industry vanguards like Houston and Tampa Bay.</div></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">The authors noted that Steve Cohen was quoted saying that the Mets were behind clubs that had pitching labs "six, seven, eight years ago." While the Mets can catch up to these teams as long as they continue to stay on the cutting edge of baseball trends, that will not happen immediately. There have been some blips along the way and a churn of employee turnover. Original plans to start a pitching lab that Tim Britton reported on back in <a href="https://theathletic.com/2485969/2021/03/30/a-pitching-powerhouse-inside-how-the-mets-aim-to-revamp-pitching-development-with-their-own-lab/">May 2021</a> were delayed. Most of the people they hired to implement it left the organization as the Mets endured some struggles building their front office. I remember getting excited upon reading Britton's early piece on the subject and then wondering what the hell had happened with the lab.</p><div style="text-align: justify;">As for the newly-opened lab, there is a fairly detailed physical description of it in last week's piece in <i>The Athletic</i>:</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">Occupying the space previously reserved for Barwis Physical Therapy, the lab, according to team officials and coaches, contains a single mound with force plates that can precisely measure the way a pitcher's mechanics work and how he generates power. (The lab contains a batter's box with force plates to measure the same things for hitters.) The hope is that a better understanding of a pitcher's mechanics translates to better workout plans, better pitch design, and better health. The plan is to have as many pitchers as possible, both from the minors and majors, visit the lab shortly after the season to help establish a more refined and tailored offseason agenda.</div></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">The data from this lab is part of the pitching development equation. <span style="text-align: justify;">Britton and Sammon detail the importance of the coaches and development people tasked with taking the data and interpreting it to the players in a useful manner. Fancy equipment and all the data in the world are useless if they can't be made to work in the real world. The Mets have struggled to develop starting pitchers and have been mostly unable to produce useful bullpen arms. Had the club been just a bit better at these tasks, the Mets would likely still be in a pennant race instead of dropping meaningless games to fellow also-rans like the Angels.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: justify;">As if this terrific piece on the pitching lab wasn't enough, Tim Britton followed up with <a href="https://theathletic.com/4798243/2023/08/23/mets-pitching-prospects-mike-vasil-dom-hamel/">another great article</a> on some of the Mets' young pitching prospects. Britton's coverage of the Mets is second to none and is, frankly, the reason that I maintain a subscription to <i>The Athletic</i>. The piece on the lab was an essential part of the story, but certainly only part of that story. Having technology and development people well versed in it is important. But you still need promising young arms to take advantage of it and progress into being Major League pitchers.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Britton's piece looks at <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=vasil-000mik">Mike Vasil</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=hamel-000dom">Dominic Hamel</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=tidwel000bla">Blade Tidwell</a>, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=scott-005chr">Christian Scott</a>, and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=stuart000tyl">Tyler Stuart</a>, Mets Minor Leaguers who represent the best hopes of the club to become Major League pitchers in the near future. Moreover, they're representative of the task of developing pitchers without the benefit of high draft picks. Vasil was an eighth-round pick, Hamel a third-rounder, and Tidwell a second-rounder. Scott (5th round) and Stuart (6th round) were primarily college relievers that the Mets converted back to starting pitchers.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">If the Mets are to eventually sustain success and still develop players, they need to have success with guys like these. While it would be nice if one or more took the <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/degroja01.shtml">Jacob deGrom</a> route and greatly exceeded expectations, it would be a significant development victory if some become mid- to back end of the rotation starters or even effective relievers. Taking advantage of the new pitching lab will undoubtedly be an important component of the development equation. Correctly identifying changes these young pitchers need to make to be more effective and successfully coaching these changes will be vital also.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2023/08/advanced-biomechanics-meet-mets.html">my post last week</a>, I referred to yet <a href="https://theathletic.com/3144548/2022/02/25/the-future-and-present-of-baseball-is-in-biomechanics/">another great piece</a> in <i>The Athletic</i> from 2022 by Eno Sarris and Alec Lewis that went into great detail on the use of biomechanics in MLB. There was a quote that I used from the piece that I'd like to circle back to here, where the authors offered somewhat of a roadmap for a club looking to best take advantage of the technology:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">Being able to measure the physical changes in a player before and after drills selected by their coaches is one thing. It's another to then use those measurements to create benchmarks with which to judge the efficacy of the coaches and the organization in developing players. It's a third thing to actually then make organizational changes based on hitting those benchmarks. It's maybe a fourth thing to understand your organizational strengths through this lens and then acquire players who will benefit the most from your ability to help them move better.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: justify;">Step one, measuring physical changes, is what this lab represents. Step two, creating benchmarks used to judge the effectiveness of coaches in developing players, is, I assume, what the Mets are working on now. Step three, making organizational changes as needed to better hit those benchmarks, will be the ongoing process of years for the club — although there's no reason that they can't get better and better at this starting now. Step four, understanding what the organization does best and then acquiring players</span> — through the draft and in other ways — best suited to benefit from these organizational strengths, is part of a process that will likely take a while. Moreover, success will significantly depend on the organization's ability to identify strengths and weaknesses correctly.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">When Jon Daniels <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2022/08/jon-daniels.html">was fired</a> last year, there was a real lesson in what happened to the man. He was once the wunderkind who led one of the most successful orgs a little over a decade ago. But the advantage the Rangers had over other clubs dissipated over time to the point where the Rangers endured a long rebuild that essentially didn't work. From what I've read, the perception from the outside was that the Rangers became somewhat stagnant and failed to change with the times. What was once cutting edge simply wasn't any longer.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">So, back to the Mets, it's wonderful that they are now owned by a guy who isn't intimidated by technology and analytics and wants to give his club every advantage. Even amongst the ruins of a failed 2023 campaign, there is hope for Mets fans like myself in that fact. I have no doubt that the Mets can catch up to clubs like Houston and Atlanta if they keep on this path. But they will also have to keep their organization fresh and their internal analysis of what they are doing honest and unflinching. With due respect, I look at what is happening with the Yankees now as an example of a team that has enjoyed success for a long time but needs to question its own processes and figure out how to change and adapt. There is tremendous upside in the Mets' future if they can avoid just becoming too comfortable with anything they're doing.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Be well and take care.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;">Follow Mike's Mets on social media:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="16" data-original-width="16" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow us on <b>Twitter</b> <b><a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MikesMetsBlog">@MikesMetsBlog</a>.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> </span><span> Follow me on <b>Instagram</b></span><span style="color: #0000ee;"><b> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/MikeSteffanos/">@MikeSteffanos</a></b></span>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> Follow me on <b>Threads <a href="https://www.threads.net/@MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Spoutible</b> <a href="https://spoutible.com/MikeSteffanos"><b>@MikeSteffanos</b></a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Mastodon</b> <b><a href="https://mstdn.social/@MikesMets">@MikesMets@mstdn.social</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Post News </b><span><b><a href="https://post.news/@/MikesMets">@MikesMets</a>.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Tribel</b> <b><a href="https://www.tribel.com/mikes_mets/wall">@mikes_mets</a>.</b></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img class="statcounter" src="https://c.statcounter.com/12236556/0/8446a22a/1/" alt="Web Analytics Made Easy - StatCounter" /></div>Mike Steffanoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08573922415294713184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1122736168771714314.post-56171965083725329862023-08-20T18:13:00.001-04:002023-08-20T18:32:37.931-04:00Advanced Biomechanics, Meet the Mets<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOsPDllbfgUhaeb8YZ9dQ32uUnHuV7FMvb4xCI6DNUllSOzoEYD4MZ3BBhXxwuDgqLLLazJb048-LXAlJ9OaPB0Qfzai6hWBrxAv9rWONLcTdQpOdg9R_10pNQjlnOhivx5yNUm3fof5m54HnZ3rXdelrveyOUq0SaS0jZQ5tS_kA-HwQ7Jv24ytG4SniM/s1200/biomechanics.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1200" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOsPDllbfgUhaeb8YZ9dQ32uUnHuV7FMvb4xCI6DNUllSOzoEYD4MZ3BBhXxwuDgqLLLazJb048-LXAlJ9OaPB0Qfzai6hWBrxAv9rWONLcTdQpOdg9R_10pNQjlnOhivx5yNUm3fof5m54HnZ3rXdelrveyOUq0SaS0jZQ5tS_kA-HwQ7Jv24ytG4SniM/w200-h150/biomechanics.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>The Mets pitching lab is open for business in Port St. Lucie. Now the challenge for the club is to properly implement the expensive gizmos they invested in.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One of my biggest frustrations when the Wilpons owned the Mets was how far the team had fallen behind other, more progressive organizations in taking advantage of analytics and technology. Teams in much smaller markets operating under relatively small budgets were miles ahead of a team playing in the greatest city in the world. It's been reported that the Mets' front office was frequently frustrated by their inability to convince ownership that investing in technology would ultimately make the organization more efficient in developing ballplayers. This reluctance pre-dated the nosedive the club's finance took with the collapse of Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme. The Wilpons were notoriously unwilling to spend on anything they couldn't understand.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In recent years I have become interested in comprehending why the Mets lagged so far beyond MLB's progressive teams in their efforts to sustain more than the briefest spurts of winning baseball. I started reading whatever I could find on the revolution analytics and cutting-edge technology brought to Major League Baseball. Some of the most interesting work was happening with pitching, where advanced biomechanical analysis was instrumental in developing pitching prospects into major leaguers. The most innovative organizations began building pitching labs utilizing this technology to get a leg up on their competition.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In his <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/08/18/the-mets-new-pitching-lab-bought-by-steve-cohen-explained/">newsletter</a> for Post Sports+ this week, Mike Puma reported that the Mets have finally joined these clubs this season:</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>Open for business since early June, the Mets' 360-degree pitching lab in Port St. Lucie, Fla., is among owner Steve Cohen's latest forays into improving the organizational infrastructure.<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>The lab is staffed by pitching development personnel, biomechanics experts and analysts with backgrounds in various disciplines.<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>One estimate put the number of teams using such labs around 10, so the Mets are hardly pioneers in this regard. But Cohen’s wealth — he's MLB's richest owner — could give the Mets an advantage in the amount of resources devoted to the lab.</div></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">In Puma's piece, he noted that Billy Eppler said that he pitched the idea to Steve Cohen of building the lab. I'm sure he did, but the idea of a Mets pitching lab under Cohen began before Eppler's arrival as GM in November 2021. In March of that year, I wrote about the Mets' plans to <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2021/03/building-better-pitching.html">build their own lab</a>, linking to an <a href="https://theathletic.com/2485969/2021/03/30/a-pitching-powerhouse-inside-how-the-mets-aim-to-revamp-pitching-development-with-their-own-lab/">excellent piece by Tim Britton in <i>The Athletic</i></a>. It took a couple of years to realize that goal, but the pitching lab is open for business. It's ready to help create the next generation of Mets pitchers and aid current Mets pitchers in refining their talents.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Needless to say, you shouldn't expect any instant results from the new lab. There's no magic in the technology, just the ability to better focus on what the ballplayers need to work on and track them over a period of time. This should help with the consistency of coaching these players receive as they move up through the organization<a name="continue">.</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Wake Forest has one of the most advanced pitching labs in college baseball. The description of their lab on <a href="https://www.wakeforestpitchinglab.com/">its website</a> provides an excellent brief introduction to what a pitching lab is and what it does:</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>The Wake Forest Pitching Lab is the biomechanics evaluation destination for pitchers at every level of the game. Our state-of-the-art facility, cutting edge technology and expert staff enable us to perform a comprehensive evaluation and analysis of a pitcher's mechanics and develop customized training programs aimed at reducing the risk of injury and enhancing performance. </div><div><br /></div><div>Our vision is to transform the future of baseball by combining baseball, science and medicine to revolutionize the way pitching mechanics are analyzed and taught.</div></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">If you have a subscription to <i>The Athletic</i> and wish to better understand how this fancy technology will be utilized by the Mets, there is an excellent piece by Eno Sarris and Alec Lewis from February 2022 titled, "<a href="https://theathletic.com/3144548/2022/02/25/the-future-and-present-of-baseball-is-in-biomechanics/">The future — and present — of baseball is in biomechanics</a>." Sarris has always been gifted at explaining technical concepts to folks like myself who don't hold a degree from MIT. As the two authors explain in their piece, technology such as radar guns and pitch-tracking devices measure <i>outputs</i>: what happens once a pitcher has completed his full delivery and released the ball. The latest technological advances are in measuring <i>inputs</i>: the components of a pitcher's delivery that allow him to impart velocity and spin to his pitches.</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>"The thing that's been coming is the science of, 'How do (the players) do it?'" Dr. Glenn Fleisig, the director of the American Sports Medicine Institute, said a few months ago in a phone conversation.</div><div><br /></div><div>Fleisig was referencing the search for inputs: What does a player do that leads to the pitch that registers 100 mph?</div><div><br /></div><div>We are now starting to know. New motion capture technologies are allowing teams to utilize biomechanical analyses for health, velocity and deception purposes.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Teams have woken up to this," Fleisig said. "The field of baseball has woken up to this. It's the next competitive advantage. That's what's happening."</div></div></blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">While some of the earliest technology that Sarris and Lewis wrote about allowed some measurements of inputs in a controlled lab setting, the newest stuff will enable measurements to be taken while the pitchers are throwing actual pitches off of a mound. The obvious advantage in usefulness is apparent. If a pitcher is coached to make a change in his delivery, the results of that change can be immediately tracked.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">While all of this practical data is wonderful, it will still depend on having coaches that can translate this information into something the players can easily digest and make use of in improving their game. The use of data has become somewhat controversial among the Mets' faithful this season. Data is neither inherently good nor bad. But it's only helpful when it is transmitted to a player in a manner that helps the player perform better without overwhelming him with data, leading to the dreaded paralysis by analysis.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Ben Brewster, a former minor-leaguer who founded pitching development outfit Tread Athletics, was quoted in the piece by Sarris and Lewis on the challenges for a team like the Mets who now have the technology and must figure out how to best implement it:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: justify;">What comes next seems straightforward. It's a matter of figuring out how to infuse all the different aspects of running a baseball team with the findings gleaned from limb-tracking technology.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">"I think the next frontier in (player development) is not in applying more technology," agreed Brewster. "All of this tech has gotten here really quickly. Everyone has slow-motion videos, Rapsodo, Trackman. A lot of orgs now use biomechanical analysis. The next frontier is learning how to apply it, implement it in the most optimal way."</p></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">A bit later, Sarris and Lewis sum up the challenge still ahead for a team looking to utilize technology:</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">Being able to measure the physical changes in a player before and after drills selected by their coaches is one thing. It's another to then use those measurements to create benchmarks with which to judge the efficacy of the coaches and the organization in developing players. It's a third thing to actually then make organizational changes based on hitting those benchmarks. It's maybe a fourth thing to understand your organizational strengths through this lens and then acquire players who will benefit the most from your ability to help them move better.</div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">By the way, although the biomechanical technology for developing pitching is relatively abundant, Sarris and Lewis also write about how the technology can be utilized for working with young hitters. I'm sure the Mets will be doing that, even if it won't get the notice that the pitching lab attracted.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This has been a dreadful season for the Mets. Investing many millions in older ballplayers has not paid off at all. The embrace of this technology under Cohen's leadership is promising in that it can ultimately help the club to develop more of its prospects and reduce future dependence on older free agents. How well the Mets can succeed in implementing all of this is something we'll do our best to keep an eye on going forward.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Be well and take care.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;">Follow Mike's Mets on social media:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="16" data-original-width="16" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow us on <b>Twitter</b> <b><a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MikesMetsBlog">@MikesMetsBlog</a>.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> </span><span> Follow me on <b>Instagram</b></span><span style="color: #0000ee;"><b> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/MikeSteffanos/">@MikeSteffanos</a></b></span>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> Follow me on <b>Threads <a href="https://www.threads.net/@MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Spoutible</b> <a href="https://spoutible.com/MikeSteffanos"><b>@MikeSteffanos</b></a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Mastodon</b> <b><a href="https://mstdn.social/@MikesMets">@MikesMets@mstdn.social</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Post News </b><span><b><a href="https://post.news/@/MikesMets">@MikesMets</a>.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Tribel</b> <b><a href="https://www.tribel.com/mikes_mets/wall">@mikes_mets</a>.</b></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img class="statcounter" src="https://c.statcounter.com/12236556/0/8446a22a/1/" alt="Web Analytics Made Easy - StatCounter" /></div>Mike Steffanoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08573922415294713184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1122736168771714314.post-29118946634711561412023-08-16T17:40:00.003-04:002023-08-16T17:57:25.170-04:00Bad Actors<div style="text-align: left;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1HmvXbJNocW-kxf2jQssDXmKZmiX86vpD5lSrQJp5uGIaPqFeYyYLXUTjXPCqOMhV7j4ZdWoj65XURgsY39rnFlZ0qD7PsNL-5Frn0YaI4TmB9YqH3oy1A4u8PIpNhxG9g7yTsmrUoKLkSdqd0P8F3LH1ULkxkFiQE9oKABIrkuF5ThExWWpdcu_Lt4zr/s550/actors.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="402" data-original-width="550" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1HmvXbJNocW-kxf2jQssDXmKZmiX86vpD5lSrQJp5uGIaPqFeYyYLXUTjXPCqOMhV7j4ZdWoj65XURgsY39rnFlZ0qD7PsNL-5Frn0YaI4TmB9YqH3oy1A4u8PIpNhxG9g7yTsmrUoKLkSdqd0P8F3LH1ULkxkFiQE9oKABIrkuF5ThExWWpdcu_Lt4zr/w200-h146/actors.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Bad Actor: a mean, ill-tempered, troublemaking, or evil person.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/bad-actor">Dictionary.com</a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As the 2023 New York Mets' season grinds down to what surely will feel like a merciful death, most of us Mets fans are hoping and praying for a 2024 season that is at least compelling, if not triumphant. How that plays out depends on who suits up for the team next year, and that, of course, will greatly depend on who is making what is sure to be a series of significant decisions this offseason. David Stearns, or whoever calls the shots, must hit on most of those calls. The implications of those choices go way beyond 2024 for the Mets. The idea of sustained winning still feels like the ever-elusive white whale for long-time fans like myself. And even Steve Cohen isn't going to stomach massive deficit spending forever.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As the trading deadline approached, I was preparing myself mentally for news that <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/alonspe01.shtml">Pete Alonso</a> had been shipped out of town. Apparently, the Mets were never very close to trading their premier slugger, but that certainly doesn't ensure Alonso will be manning first base for the next Mets playoff team. With Pete set to be an unrestricted free agent following the 2024 season, Alonso's future will likely be one of the first decisions the person running baseball operations will face.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Over the weekend, the <i>Post's</i> Joel Sherman <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/08/12/pete-alonsos-mets-future-complicated-amid-large-gap-in-valuation/">looked</a> at a potential deal to keep Pete Alonso with the Mets, pointing out that there is currently a gulf between the Mets' value on their slugger and what his representation is seeking. It's something I've been thinking about myself.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While Alonso is a good enough athlete who works hard to keep in peak shape, he is not the elite type of athlete that tends to age the best into his mid to late-30s. In 2025, the first year of Alonso's next contract, Pete will be 30 years old. I'm sure he will still be a very good player at the beginning of that contract, but I question whether a 35-year-old Alonso will still be mashing. Beyond that — and I'm almost certain Pete will get a deal that stretches well beyond age 35 — I'd be worried about his productivity. We've seen some sluggers fall off a cliff production-wise as they advance into their 30s.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you click over to Pete Alonso's <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/alonspe01.shtml">page on Baseball-Reference.com</a> and scroll down toward the bottom, you'll find B-R's list of "Similar Batters through 27," Pete's age through the 2022 season. I have to note that similarity scores are not destiny, but some of the names on the list underlined my concerns about going too deep with Alonso on a contract. <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/fieldce01.shtml">Cecil Fielder</a> was the top comp. Fielder's last season as a dominant power hitter was at age 32. By OPS+, you must go back further to Cecil's age 29 campaign. In Fielder's 5 years in MLB, age 30 or above, he slashed a combined <span style="text-align: left;">.249/</span><span style="text-align: left;">.343/</span><span style="text-align: left;">.458. That production declined rapidly.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Skipping over young, active players, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/davisch02.shtml">Chris Davis</a> was the next similar batter on the list who completed his career. He also played 5 seasons at age 30 or above, slashing an abysmal </span><span style="text-align: left;">.196/</span><span style="text-align: left;">.291/</span><span style="text-align: left;">.379 with an OPS+ of 80.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/clarkto02.shtml">Tony Clark</a>, who played a season with the Mets at age 31, played through his age 37 season. He slashed </span><span style="text-align: left;">.238/</span><span style="text-align: left;">.313/</span><span style="text-align: left;">.456 over those 8 seasons. Not terrible, but not dominant numbers in the steroid era, particularly for a first baseman. His OPS+ over that stretch was 97.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">One more name caught my eye. Mets fans who have been around for a while will remember </span><span style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/vaughmo01.shtml">Mo Vaughn</a> mainly as a punchline, but he was once one of the most feared sluggers in baseball. In his prime, 6 years from age 25 through age 30, Vaughn slashed </span><span style="text-align: left;">.315/</span><span style="text-align: left;">.405/</span><span style="text-align: left;">.569, hit 213 HR, and won an AL MVP. His OPS+ over those years was a ridiculous 148.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">But Boston let him sign with the Angels as a free agent following his age-30 season. Vaughn was decent </span>— but hardly MVP-caliber — <span style="text-align: left;">for 2 seasons in Anaheim, then missed the entire 2001 season with an injury. The Angels and Mets swapped disappointments, with pitcher <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/appieke01.shtml">Kevin Appier</a> going to Anaheim. Mo was decent with the Mets in his first season in 2002, then missed most of 2003 and all of 2004. The Red Sox had no reason to regret not signing their star long-term.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">As I said, similarity scores are not destiny. Davis, even in his prime, struck out more than Pete does. Mo Vaughn was, to put it charitably, a bit on the husky side in his weight. Alonso has 181 homers already in his time in MLB, while Clark only amassed 251 in a 17-year career. But it's the rare big slugger who doesn't decline pretty quickly as he advances through his 30s, and those are usually the exceptional athletes or others in the steroid era that had some artificial help in staying ahead of Father Time<a name="continue">.</a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">I'm a huge Pete Alonso fan, as I'm sure are the vast majority of Mets fans. While not quite the athlete that the great <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/strawda01.shtml">Darryl Strawberry</a> was during his Mets tenure, Alonso's at-bats are every bit as compelling as Darryl's. Even if Pete is traded this offseason and never wears a Mets uniform again, he will go down as one of the franchise's all-time greats. And I hope the Mets and Pete Alonso somehow agree on a deal that will keep him with the club long-term. But there would be something even worse than seeing Pete mashing in another uniform: having his career with the Mets come to an end that mirrors what happened with <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/canoro01.shtml">Robinson Canó</a>.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br />It was painful watching the once-great Canó sink so low that it was better to pay him to go home than keep giving him ABs, and I never really felt any personal fondness for Robbie </span><span style="text-align: left;">Canó. If the Mets hand Pete Alonso an 8 to 10-year deal to stay in orange and blue, I strongly suspect things will end that way. But I would be surprised if Alonso could be tempted to sign for a much shorter term. If I were Billy Eppler (or David Stearns) and Steve Cohen, I would take a shot at signing Alonso to a 6-year deal with a high average annual value and see if that worked. If not, I would trade Alonso this winter, when his value would be at his highest. Given that the Mets are unlikely to be championship-caliber in 2024, that would be the move most beneficial for the Mets' future.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">One note here. I do not at all buy into the rumors being touted by a couple of talk radio guys about Alonso being a bad clubhouse guy. That rumor has already been debunked by guys who cover the team, including going into the locker room. It still irks me that these jackasses felt the need to do this in what can very well be Pete's last season with the Mets. I will probably not get the chance to head out to Citi Field this season, but if I do, I will stand and cheer for this man who meant so much to this team through some trying seasons. Pete is not a perfect player, but he was pretty great and fun to watch.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Whether Pete stays or goes, the lesson here is that the Mets try to extend their best players while they are still under team control. That's when it makes sense for a guy to sign a deal that ends in their mid-30s or a bit before. A prime example would be <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/alvarfr01.shtml">Francisco Álvarez</a>. If I were the Mets, I would offer this kid a 10 or 12-year deal this winter that would still only carry into his early 30s. I believe Francisco will be eligible for free agency at age 28. Buying out some of his free agent years would make sense for the Mets and offer some certainty to the young catcher. If </span><span style="text-align: left;">Francisco Álvarez even approaches the star potential he has shown this season, w</span><span style="text-align: left;">aiting until he approaches free agency will put the Mets in the same boat with their young catcher that they currently find themselves with Pete Alonso.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Pete Alonso wasn't the only 2023 Met accused of being a bad actor in the clubhouse. An extended analysis of the Mets' disastrous season by Mike Puma in the <i>New York Post</i> noted friction between some Mets and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/verlaju01.shtml">Justin Verlander</a>. Verlander's sin, according to Puma:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote><span style="text-align: left;">Verlander and Scherzer had a strained relationship as Tigers teammates, and a source said even as the pitchers worked toward harmony with the Mets, there was occasional discord. Verlander was a "diva," according to this Met, causing Scherzer to grouse about his fellow three-time Cy Young award winner. Verlander often complained about the Mets' analytics department, which he deemed inferior to the one that served him in Houston.</span></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">This was interesting in that, apparently, Verlander felt that he wasn't getting enough from the team's analytics department, which often comes under fire on Twitter as asserting itself <i>too much</i>. For myself, I still see whatever problem there is the same way as I noted in <a href="https://www.mikesmets.com/2023/08/the-lost-season.html">my last post</a>:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote><span style="text-align: left;">I respectfully disagree with folks that want to hang all of this on overdependence on analytics. The truth is that the most successful clubs can integrate analytics and scouting into one coherent operation. Both disciplines have their usefulness. Neither are the be-all and end-all. I can't pretend to have any inside view into the Mets organization. However, it wouldn't surprise me if there is still a struggle at times to consistently get analytics and scouting working together on the same page.</span></blockquote><p>Now, Verlander's complaints about the Mets' analytics department may have pissed off <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/scherma01.shtml">Max Scherzer</a>, but I would be curious to find out how the analytics guys themselves reacted to Verlander's complaints. If I was running that department and got word of Verlander's thoughts, I would have contacted him and requested a sit down with the man at his earliest possible convenience. A healthy analytics department would welcome helpful criticism as a chance to improve the way they do their job. Don't get me wrong, being praised is always wonderful but, if you really want to get better at what you do, it's constructive criticism that helps you do that.</p><p>I'd love it if someone out there with access followed up on this. And frankly, if no one spoke with Verlander about his concerns while he was here, I hope Cohen, who had a personal relationship with Justin, follows up himself. I know he cares about having the best possible analytics department.</p><p>Be well and take care.</p><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: left;">Follow Mike's Mets on social media:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="16" data-original-width="16" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwT7UguX3TPFEgqn2MqtBT3lThdxa38mEPf0dEot9n0ryskpIChaF4cQTBy0ESS33qy1KDfafs0cU1_vQNcp595wxh6mPd_nvsiX6l8ZZexb92-ddlyNwcSPktBlvivJzdNB3-MYFujaa/s1600/icons8-twitter-16.png" /></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> Follow us on <b>Twitter</b> <b><a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MikesMetsBlog">@MikesMetsBlog</a>.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> </span><span> Follow me on <b>Instagram</b></span><span style="color: #0000ee;"><b> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/MikeSteffanos/">@MikeSteffanos</a></b></span>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span> Follow me on <b>Threads <a href="https://www.threads.net/@MikeSteffanos">@MikeSteffanos</a>.</b><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow Mike's Mets on <b>Spoutible</b> <a href="https://spoutible.com/MikeSteffanos"><b>@MikeSteffanos</b></a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Mastodon</b> <b><a href="https://mstdn.social/@MikesMets">@MikesMets@mstdn.social</a></b>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Post News </b><span><b><a href="https://post.news/@/MikesMets">@MikesMets</a>.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Follow us on <b>Tribel</b> <b><a href="https://www.tribel.com/mikes_mets/wall">@mikes_mets</a>.</b></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img class="statcounter" src="https://c.statcounter.com/12236556/0/8446a22a/1/" alt="Web Analytics Made Easy - StatCounter" /></div>Mike Steffanoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08573922415294713184noreply@blogger.com2