Meet the Mets (For Mets Fans Only!)

Wow. Not surprising but now that it's out there, so sad. There will probably be articles about "what might have been" for David Wright. I think he'll serve the Mets in some capacity in the future. He was a great captain just like Jeter. Both faced the media and represented their teams in good and in bad times. They were loyal players and thoughtful men. They never embarrassed themselves or their teams and displayed tremendous grace. One of the great Mets to wear the uniform. 


What a great end to a game.  I couldn't believe it. 


Indeed! Haven't seen a walk-off in a while. I love the way Conforto is finishing the season. Should do wonders for his psyche in 2019. And to state the obvious, the more ABs Dom Smith gets, the better his swings. It would be great if he approaches 2019 as a fight for survival, especially with Alonso as the presumptive first baseman of the future. His now-aggressive mentality (swinging at the first good pitch he sees a la Jeff McNeil) seems to be working for him. 


a lot of guys never got to play in World Series.  At least David Wright will always have this:



And this is what Wright had to say last year:

“I don’t ever want anyone to think I’ve had anything less than an amazing experience playing baseball,” Wright said a few weeks ago. “If you are inclined to feel sorry for me, please don’t. Baseball has given me an incredible life.”  
https://nypost.com/2017/05/04/mr-met-david-wright-deserves-better-ending-than-this/

I think the reason Wright is even more of an iconic Met than guys like Seaver, who was clearly the most talented player the team ever had, is that he grew up as a Mets fan.  He grew up rooting for all the AAA players in Norfolk.  He was a great player for several years, but he was also one of us.  As he said in his press conference today, he's always bled blue and orange.


There's talk that Calloway will start Reyes alongside Wright on 9/29. It'll be the last start for both on the Mets. I sure hope that happens.


NotoriousEAM said:
There's talk that Calloway will start Reyes alongside Wright on 9/29. It'll be the last start for both on the Mets. I sure hope that happens.

 Calloway has announced that is his intention for 9/29.


I admire Wright but agree with and follow his advice not to feel sorry for him.  He's had a long career by unforgiving professional sports standards, been highly compensated, is beloved by fans and sports commentators, and has experienced some team as well as personal glory, albeit not a championship (something most team sport athletes, great or not, do not achieve in an era when pro leagues have 30 or so teams).  I don't know when it was exactly but there came a point long before this week when it was realistically clear that DW could not play pro baseball anymore. The long pretense of a comeback was not good for the team.  


bub said:
I admire Wright but agree with and follow his advice not to feel sorry for him.  He's had a long career by unforgiving professional sports standards, been highly compensated, is beloved by fans and sports commentators, and has experienced some team as well as personal glory, albeit not a championship (something most team sport athletes, great or not, do not achieve in an era when pro leagues have 30 or so teams).  I don't know when it was exactly but there came a point long before this week when it was realistically clear that DW could not play pro baseball anymore. The long pretense of a comeback was not good for the team.  

 Saw a couple of shots of him in the dugout during yesterday's game with a big smile on his face.  I've got to believe that as emotional as the press conference was, it's a relief for him to know he's going to have closure and a proper sendoff.  Some of the things he said yesterday made it clear that he's been in a lot of pain during the rehab.  When he begins his life as a guy not enduring the rigors of professional sports, you'd hope he can be healthy enough to get through a normal life without a lot of pain.


They just showed this during the Mets-Gnats telecast. Epic.



Can Swarzak just not pitch for the rest of the year. Please?


Nice W tonight for the Cy Young race. If Jake can beat the Bravos on Wednesday, he can finish 10-9 and I think the optics of a winning record and double-digit wins, after all his struggles, just might be enough. Here's hoping.


Video tribute to Lucas Duda at Citi tonight. I wouldn't think it necessary or expected, but a nice gesture by the Mets.


It looks like the mets added 10 relievers in September and yet the bullpen still blows every game.  5 good starters isn't worth crap if the pen can't pitch.


FilmCarp said:
It looks like the mets added 10 relievers in September and yet the bullpen still blows every game.  5 good starters isn't worth crap if the pen can't pitch.

This is the #1 priority for the offseason.  Get some help for the bullpen.  These guys are all free agents going into next year:

Zach Britton, Jake Diekman, Jeurys FamiliaJoe KellyCraig Kimbrel, Adam Ottavino, David Robertson, Justin Wilson, Cody Allen, Jerry BlevinsBrad Brach, Jesse Chavez, Tyler Clippard, Zach DukeKelvin Herrera, Shawn Kelley, Ryan Madson, Andrew Miller, Bud NorrisWily Peralta*, David PhelpsFernando Rodney*, Sergio Romo, Tyson RossTony Sipp, Joakim Soria*, Adam Warren

https://www.mlbdailydish.com/2018/9/7/17780982/previewing-2018-2019-mlb-free-agent-class

There are at least a couple of guys in there who can improve the bullpen.  And at least a couple who won't be getting offers for long term commitment.


"If Aaron Nola threw 90 consecutive scoreless innings, he would still not catch Jacob deGrom for the ERA title." -- Buster Olney


In a perverse sort of way, I think the absurdity of the Mets' record in deGrom's starts is actually helping his case for the Cy Young. It's making people notice how consistently good he's been, and how many innings he's pitched where one mistake could cost him the game.


ml1 said:
In a perverse sort of way, I think the absurdity of the Mets' record in deGrom's starts is actually helping his case for the Cy Young. It's making people notice how consistently good he's been, and how many innings he's pitched where one mistake could cost him the game.

 The guys in the booth keep emphasizing the "duress" factor and I think its valid.  Pitching almost every inning with no margin for error really says something about you.


bub said:


ml1 said:
In a perverse sort of way, I think the absurdity of the Mets' record in deGrom's starts is actually helping his case for the Cy Young. It's making people notice how consistently good he's been, and how many innings he's pitched where one mistake could cost him the game.
 The guys in the booth keep emphasizing the "duress" factor and I think its valid.  Pitching almost every inning with no margin for error really says something about you.

I've been very impressed all year with how deGrom has conducted himself.  To my knowledge he's only lost his temper once, after a bad ball/strike call cost him the 3rd out of an inning against the Nats, and he proceeded to give up a couple of runs.

There have been games where I've seen him talking in the dugout between innings with teammates and smiling during the most frustrating circumstances.  Games where it was still scoreless late in the game and his team had squandered a bunch of scoring opportunities.  Last night he was laughing and joking with Freddie Freeman after his at bats.  I think it's remarkable how he can have such intense focus before each pitch, but seem so relaxed between batters.


and lets give a nod to Freeman to his repeated good vibe gestures to Jacob throughout the game.


ml1 said:


bub said:

ml1 said:
In a perverse sort of way, I think the absurdity of the Mets' record in deGrom's starts is actually helping his case for the Cy Young. It's making people notice how consistently good he's been, and how many innings he's pitched where one mistake could cost him the game.
 The guys in the booth keep emphasizing the "duress" factor and I think its valid.  Pitching almost every inning with no margin for error really says something about you.
I've been very impressed all year with how deGrom has conducted himself.  To my knowledge he's only lost his temper once, after a bad ball/strike call cost him the 3rd out of an inning against the Nats, and he proceeded to give up a couple of runs.
There have been games where I've seen him talking in the dugout between innings with teammates and smiling during the most frustrating circumstances.  Games where it was still scoreless late in the game and his team had squandered a bunch of scoring opportunities.  Last night he was laughing and joking with Freddie Freeman after his at bats.  I think it's remarkable how he can have such intense focus before each pitch, but seem so relaxed between batters.

 My hunch is this is precisely why he is so damned great this year.  Focus when needed, relaxed when not, not letting stuff you cannot control get to you--hell of a recipe for success in life, let alone elite pitching.


My brother read that if the Mets had scored three runs for DeGrom each time he pitched he would be 26-1.    As much as we are heaping praise on DeGrom, it is time to recognize how bad the approach is to hitting in this organization.  They only started coming around when they promoted McNeil and suddenly could get men on base.  I am happy to let the rest of the league pursue the .230 home run hitters.  I would rather a line up of 280-300 hitters hitting singles and doubles.  It is one of the reasons that I like Flores.  I know I am alone in this, but he was one of the best hitters on the team this year.  Could improve, of course, but he hit all year.  It's no good to start hitting in August when you are 20 games out.  Just like I won't applaud Vargas for pitching well 3/4 of the way into the season.  

  The magic of Cespedes was that he was supposed to hit for average and power.  We will never see that, I fear.  

  I'd like to see the impossible this off season - addition by subtraction, almost regardless of salary.  Goodbye Reyes, Frazier, Jackson, Plawecki, D'arnaud, Cespedes, the entire bullpen except Lugo and Gsellmen.  Let Bruce, Nimmo, Conforto, and Legares (remember him?) try to figure out the outfield while Smith and Flores fight out first.  I don't know what free agents are available for third, and I'd like to see Realmuto catch.   If Alonso really is ready for first, I'd trade both Flores and Smith for bulpen help or via a three way deal to help get Realmuto.  

   Of course, not much of this can happen because Cespedes, Frazier and Swarzak are going nowhere.



On to Hot Stove discussions! After Cespedes' surgery on his other heel, he may be out until July-ish. Should the Mets go after another outfielder? What would it take to get Lucroy? Will we ever find a closer? How many first basemen are the Mets going to have in 2019?


NotoriousEAM said:
Should the Mets go after another outfielder? 

No. Even without Cespedes, the Mets will go into 2019 with 4 big league OF under contract.

 

NotoriousEAM said:
What would it take to get Lucroy? 

Don't want him.  He'll be 33 next year, and has been declining the past couple of seasons.

 

NotoriousEAM said:
Will we ever find a closer? 

Closer is the most overrated position in all of sports.  We need a lot of bullpen help for sure.  But not sure the priority should be to go after one guy to be closer.


NotoriousEAM said:
How many first basemen are the Mets going to have in 2019?

Probably about five.  I can already see Flores, Smith, Bruce and maybe even Alonso spending some time there.  And who knows who else might fill in here or there.  1B is certainly a big question mark, and potentially a real weak spot next year.

 


So the Mets will go into next season with the Plawecki/D'Arnaud (assuming he's healthy) combo, again? Assuming Reyes is gone, who is Rosario's backup? Flores? Do you think the Mets need to make one acquisition to get the fan base excited? They will potentially return a team virtually intact that was 10 games under .500. 


The Mets need a catcher, but not Lucroy.  They need Realmuto.  And a good third baseman.  That's where I'd put my money.  There and the bullpen, but bullpens are tough.  You over pay someone who was good this year just to watch them flop next year.  I'd almost rather give 10 young guys from the minors a chance to rotate with Lugo and Gsellman as the anchors.  Contractually they are stuck with Swarzak.



NotoriousEAM said:
So the Mets will go into next season with the Plawecki/D'Arnaud (assuming he's healthy) combo, again? Assuming Reyes is gone, who is Rosario's backup? Flores? Do you think the Mets need to make one acquisition to get the fan base excited? They will potentially return a team virtually intact that was 10 games under .500. 

I don't think we would assume that.  I would be very surprised if d'Arnaud gets a tender from the Mets.  I don't know who else the Mets will have at C, but I'd think Mesoraco would be in the mix.  FWIW, Lucroy was a -0.7 WAR in 2018 in 126 games, and Mesoraco was +0.7 in only 84 games.  So They'd probably be better off next year with a Mesoraco/Plawecki combination than a Lucroy/Plawecki combo.  The best fit for the Mets among free agent C might be Wilson Ramos, although he's been on the DL quite a bit the past couple of years.

I'm not sure what they do about a backup SS.  They have a lot of 2B/3B guys in their system, but not a lot who can really play SS at a MLB level.

I hope they don't go after a one big name just to excite the fans.  I think the prime need is bullpen help, and those aren't going to be exciting acquisitions.  But even if they're not exciting, those are the deals that are likely to make or break any possibilities for contending in 2019.



I agree. Mets fans will get excited if they're 5 games over .500 on Memorial Day. I think most are smart and optimistic enough to know we have a great starting 3 and shoring up the bullpen with reliable arms will go a long way toward that.


Is D'arnaud in an option year? I thought Mesoraco was a rental? The Mets have him for next year? If so, I'm happy with Mesoraco and Plawecki. I agree with ml1's bullpen analysis. A closer in the traditional sense is the flame-throwing dude who makes everyone dread seeing in the 9th inning. In the end, however, is securing the win and if it takes three different guys on three different nights to close a game, so be it. We should be so lucky to have this kind of problem!


NotoriousEAM said:
Is D'arnaud in an option year? I thought Mesoraco was a rental? The Mets have him for next year? If so, I'm happy with Mesoraco and Plawecki. I agree with ml1's bullpen analysis. A closer in the traditional sense is the flame-throwing dude who makes everyone dread seeing in the 9th inning. In the end, however, is securing the win and if it takes three different guys on three different nights to close a game, so be it. We should be so lucky to have this kind of problem!

 d'Arnaud would have to be tendered a contract for the Mets to keep him.  They do not have to do so.  Mesoraco is a free agent, so he'll only be back if both he and the team want him to and can agree on terms.


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