Excuses 2020

[nymr83]

dumping Cano is the bigger deal. Lowrie makes a perfect backup utility infielder

[seawolf17]

I do think Cano will be better next season. I'm not ready to give up on him juuuust yet.

[Centerfield]

"Part of the motivation for adding Stroman at the deadline was with the idea that Zack might leave this winter. So effectively, we've already replaced Zack Wheeler..."

You winner is Andy Martino. Literally the first day of the off-season.

But one area that won't require much work is their starting rotation, which is likely to look like this next year: Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Marcus Stroman, Steven Matz and a fifth starter yet to be acquired. The July acquisition of Stroman was made with the intention of replacing either Wheeler or Syndergaard in 2020.

Full article.



https://www.sny.tv/mets/news/mets-2020-starting-rotation-already-coming-into-focus/310970356https://www.sny.tv/mets/news/mets-2020-starting-rotation-already-coming-into-focus/310970356

[Gwreck]

Hey, they want to replace Wheeler with Gerrit Cole, that's fine by me.



In all seriousness, I could accept a circumstance in which Wheeler is re-signed and Syndergaard is traded for a useful piece (say, if the Red Sox want to trade Mookie Betts). But it would be real dumb to break up this rotation otherwise.

[Vic Sage]

In all seriousness...

see, that's the problem. Why shouldn't it be a serious notion that the Mets sign Cole? I mean i know why its not, but $$ is not an acceptable answer for a NYC franchise with a mid-market budget.

[MFS62]

I cringe while I type this, but I fear the #1 excuse for failure in 2020 will be "We still have Mickey Callaway".

Later

[Ceetar]

Vic Sage wrote: In all seriousness... see, that's the problem. Why shouldn't it be a serious notion that the Mets sign Cole? I mean i know why its not, but $$ is not an acceptable answer for a NYC franchise with a mid-market budget.

Well, that speaks to Regan (or presumably, whoever we replace him with?)



Like, do you believe that whatever the Astros taught Cole is transferable? Or is there something to his routine, his daily coaching, etc. Will he be good for a few months and then start to degrade as Mets (or whoever) coaches don't know how to realign the fluctuations of the season with whatever it was that was making him awesome?

[smg58]

Stroman replaced Jason Vargas. We still have one more slot to fill.



Wheeler is the kind of player who should take the QO if he's offered it. If I were in on Cole (which I would be), I wouldn't risk spending $19M where I don't want to spend it (and maintain a status quo that isn't good enough).

[Gwreck]

Vic Sage wrote: In all seriousness... see, that's the problem. Why shouldn't it be a serious notion that the Mets sign Cole? I mean i know why its not, but $$ is not an acceptable answer for a NYC franchise with a mid-market budget.

For the record, I think the Mets should sign Cole, re-sign Wheeler, sign Rendon, and trade Syndergaard to the Red Sox for Mookie Betts (and if they have to include Smith or Davis too, fine).

[Guest 41Forever]

Tracky was saying JD Davis might be one of their better trading chips, especially to an AL team. He really doesn't have a position here unless Conforto is moved — which he also thought was a possibility.

[Centerfield]

Vic Sage wrote: In all seriousness... see, that's the problem. Why shouldn't it be a serious notion that the Mets sign Cole? I mean i know why its not, but $$ is not an acceptable answer for a NYC franchise with a mid-market budget. For the record, I think the Mets should sign Cole, re-sign Wheeler, sign Rendon, and trade Syndergaard to the Red Sox for Mookie Betts (and if they have to include Smith or Davis too, fine).

Now that would be an off-season.

[HahnSolo]

=41Forever post_id=23425 time=1569949073 user_id=69]
Tracky was saying JD Davis might be one of their better trading chips, especially to an AL team. He really doesn't have a position here unless Conforto is moved — which he also thought was a possibility.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

Vic Sage wrote: In all seriousness... see, that's the problem. Why shouldn't it be a serious notion that the Mets sign Cole? I mean i know why its not, but $$ is not an acceptable answer for a NYC franchise with a mid-market budget. For the record, I think the Mets should sign Cole, re-sign Wheeler, sign Rendon, and trade Syndergaard to the Red Sox for Mookie Betts (and if they have to include Smith or Davis too, fine). Now that would be an off-season.

I'd be on board with that

[Ceetar]

=HahnSolo post_id=23441 time=1569952775 user_id=63]
=41Forever post_id=23425 time=1569949073 user_id=69]
Tracky was saying JD Davis might be one of their better trading chips, especially to an AL team. He really doesn't have a position here unless Conforto is moved — which he also thought was a possibility.

[Vic Sage]

Vic Sage wrote: In all seriousness... see, that's the problem. Why shouldn't it be a serious notion that the Mets sign Cole? I mean i know why its not, but $$ is not an acceptable answer for a NYC franchise with a mid-market budget. For the record, I think the Mets should sign Cole, re-sign Wheeler, sign Rendon, and trade Syndergaard to the Red Sox for Mookie Betts (and if they have to include Smith or Davis too, fine).

yeah, fine. but seriously...



The Mets "core" are all young and under team control. The only big contracts that will still be on the books after next season are Cano and Degrom. There is absolutely no budgetary reason they couldn't replace Wheeler with Cole. But we react to that reality by saying "not only Cole, but we should keep Wheeler, and get Rendon and Betts too!" (a trio which would bust even a Yankee budget) as if a contract for Cole is similarly preposterous.

[Gwreck]

That point was made because these threads inevitably become a mix of discussing what the Mets should do, and considering what the Mets are likely to do.



I suspect we don't disagree on what they should do.

[Vic Sage]

i suspect we don't disagree on what they are likely to do, as well.

[Centerfield]

Here's one I wasn't expecting:



86 wins is plenty enough!



The actual quote:



"We have a lot of our quote-unquote needs already filled."



https://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/zack-wheeler-winter-meetings-steve-cohen-1.39393808https://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/zack-wheeler-winter-meetings-steve-cohen-1.39393808

[Guest 41Forever]

Here's one I wasn't expecting: 86 wins is plenty enough! The actual quote: "We have a lot of our quote-unquote needs already filled." https://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/zack-wheeler-winter-meetings-steve-cohen-1.39393808https://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/zack-wheeler-winter-meetings-steve-cohen-1.39393808

I wouldn't put much stock in quotes like this during this time of year. He's smart enough to not downgrade his players or team as a whole. He knows there are holes he has to fill. One of the things Tracky has been saying a lot in his podcast is that this group of Mets execs plays things close to the vest.

[Centerfield]

For me, Brodie has never demonstrated he's "smart enough" for anything. In fact, most of what I've seen from him are terrible decisions.



But how smart he may or may not be is not the subject here. His words of caution, like his bravado last year, are indicative of the Wilpon mindset.



The mindset can change. So can circumstances, like an infusion of money from Cohen. But what we are seeing here is not encouraging.

[Lefty Specialist]

Seems like they're content to coast through these meetings hoping to not be noticed.

[Guest 41Forever]

Lefty Specialist wrote: Seems like they're content to coast through these meetings hoping to not be noticed.

I think he learned from last year's "Come and get us" remark and is trying to be a little less brash.

[MFS62]

Lefty Specialist wrote: Seems like they're content to coast through these meetings hoping to not be noticed.

Hey Brodie! You inert piece of useless doggie doo-doo. We notice.

Strongly worded message to follow.

Later

[bmfc1]

https://twitter.com/martinonyc/status/1204580464188514304https://twitter.com/martinonyc/status/1204580464188514304

Holy crap, the Wilpons are so cheap/budget-conscious that they can't sign a 5th SP or a RP unless and until the GM trades his former client who he signed last year even though they didn't need him.

[Frayed Knot]

Lefty Specialist wrote: Seems like they're content to coast through these meetings hoping to not be noticed. Hey Brodie! You inert piece of useless doggie doo-doo. We notice. Strongly worded message to follow.

This is the reaction a half day into the meetings?

Really?

[LWFS]

Frayed Knot wrote: Lefty Specialist wrote: Seems like they're content to coast through these meetings hoping to not be noticed. Hey Brodie! You inert piece of useless doggie doo-doo. We notice. Strongly worded message to follow. This is the reaction a half day into the meetings? Really?

No.



It's the reaction 2 3/4 days into the meetings.



It's profoundly depressing that we apparently have to sell in order to afford a Porcello or Betances.

[bmfc1]

"It's profoundly depressing that we apparently have to sell in order to afford a Porcello or Betances." Definitely. And that the Mets can't afford even Porcello, Betances, Will Harris, and Robinson Chirinos. All 4 might not be enough but they would help and yet the current owner apparently requires the novice GM to trade one or two players before even getting one of those 4.

[Lefty Specialist]

We've already gotten our Christmas present in the slow, agonizing death of the Wilpon Era. It'll be slurry from here on in.