Some Final Thoughts Before Opening Day

Hello, Syracuse? Please hold

for Mr. Eppler...

Spring training is almost over, and the 26-man roster is set. We share some observations on the choices the Mets made.

Although I had Brett Baty on my potential Opening Day roster, I did note that I wouldn't be surprised if Billy Eppler's front office made the decision to start Baty off in Syracuse. So, when the news came that Baty was being sent down, I wasn't surprised, but I was a bit disappointed. Sending Baty down was definitely the "safe" choice for Eppler and company. However, I was hoping for a bit of boldness on their part. For all of the reasons set down in my post on Baty from earlier in the month, I thought that he gave the Mets a great opportunity to upgrade their offense a bit.

Thoughts on the Mets Opening Day Roster - Position Players

With the MLB regular season merely days away, we look at the position players who will break camp on the Mets' 26-man roster.

In our last post, we attempted to forecast which pitchers might travel south with the Mets when they open the season in Miami on March 30. This time, we'll look at which position players will join them in the "Magic City" when things get underway next week. While there are far fewer decisions to be made with the 13 position players the Mets will likely carry, there certainly are a couple of tough choices for Buck Showalter, Billy Eppler, and the rest of the club's brain trust.

Thoughts on the Mets Opening Day Roster - Pitchers

It's getting down to crunch time for roster decisions. We're looking at which 26 players will break camp with the New York Mets, beginning with the pitching staff.

It seems like spring training just started, but we're only a week and a half away from Opening Day in  Miami. The Mets must decide which players begin the year on the 26-man active roster. They have some really tough decisions to make.

Brett Baty Should Be the Opening Day Third Baseman

Brett Baty has displayed a Major League-ready bat and a mature attitude this spring. He looks ready for the next step. Will the Mets let him take it?

Syracuse is an underrated city, at least when the lake-effect snow machine is turned off. There's a lot to do there. You'll find the famous university and the Erie Canal Museum in town. They have a zoo that currently is featuring twin baby elephants. There are a ton of nearby outdoor recreation spots if you're so inclined. And, best of all, there is baseball to be watched. The Triple-A Syracuse Mets will open their season in a mere couple of weeks.

Please Move the WBC to the Fall

Feel free to care or not care about the World Baseball Classic. Just move the damn thing to after the baseball season, please.

I remember writing about the World Baseball Classic during my original blogging run. The first tournament was played in 2006, when the Mets looked like a real competitor for a title for the first time in half a decade. The idea of players ramping it up to play a tournament in March seemed absolutely insane to me then, and my attitude hasn't changed over the years since.

Prospecting for Gold

The Mets' top prospects are having a productive spring training. The toughest challenges still lie ahead.

God help me. Did the Post's Joel Sherman really grab for the clickbait gusto, dipping his ladle into the tired waters of the Jarred Kelenic well yet again? Tragically, yes. Although Kelenic's struggles — and the terrific season Edwin Díaz enjoyed in 2023 — have combined to dim the usefulness of this story recently, Sherman assures us that the deal can still turn out to be a big winner for Seattle. After all, back in 2020, Sherman actually compared Brodie Van Wagenen's folly with the Nolan Ryan for Jim Fregosi deal, as if young Kelenic was Cooperstown-bound before he even took a major league AB. Joel's most recent piece didn't go quite that far, but I can't believe he's still trying to get some mileage from this stale saga.

The Pitch Clock Is Working

I was skeptical of the pitch clock when it was first proposed, but it's undoubtedly improving MLB games.

I'm 64 years old and have been a Major League Baseball fan my whole life. Like most folks my age, I'm already quite set in my ways. The only thing keeping me from going full-on miserable curmudgeon is that I've also learned not to take myself too seriously. When I heard about all the rule changes coming to MLB this season, I wasn't entirely on board with what they were proposing. In particular, the idea of a clock on a baseball field seemed antithetical to a sport that has operated without one for over 150 years.