Gwreck

512 games through the first 4 years.

October 12, 2016. After the Mets are eliminated in the NL Division Series. Reasoning: Matz already had Tommy John surgery, in 2010. Of course that doesn't mean he won't need it again, but we do know the odds are in his favor there. As per an ESPN article from April 2015, 235 MLB pitchers underwent TJ surgery from 1999-April 20215. Only 32 underwent a second TJ surgery. Syndergaard: I am of course terribly frightened that he will need it some time in the future. But yet I also have hope that he's like Kershaw or some other freak of nature and will just be dominant forever. I do realize this is not a scientific projection.

The final answer I had was Dave Magadan. Alfonzo Elster Bobby J. Jones Pelfrey Strawberry Innis Magadan (Murphy) (Parnell may also soon join this list)

Hit a grand slam that was the difference in a 6-2 win over Milwaukee on 6/10/14. Also appeared in 4 other wins.

She probably took the picture.

Wilson and Leach both left the Mets via trade. (and Leach did not come up through the Mets minor league system) Hodges was a free agent at least once, re-signing with the Mets. And he left via release, not free agency.

Correct. I didn't know that one until I looked it up to be sure. Innis signed as a free agent with Minnesota in the 1993-94 offseason but never pitched a game for them.

Correct Alfonzo Elster Bobby J. Jones Pelfrey Strawberry Close Reyes Gooden (like Reyes, he signed an extension and hit free agency later than the soonest-possible date) No Fernandez Missing the two hardest ones.

Yes to Elster. No to Fernandez, who reached the majors with the Dodgers before being traded to the Mets.

Yes to Alfonzo and Pelfrey. Reyes did sign an extension that bought out one of his free agency years but we can count him for #8 on this list as well.

Daniel Murphy was first signed* by the Mets, played only for the Mets organization, reached the major leagues as a Met, reached free agency while never signing a contract extension, and then departed as a free agent (and not via trade) Who are the other Mets who have departed this way in the last 25 years? I count 7 others besides Murphy. *Amateur free agent or via Draft

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: I would like to hear from the Nay-sayers. I voted "dislike." 1. I wanted Niese to be the fifth starter this year, not Colon. Niese is substantially younger, and brings more left-right balance to the rotation. 2. Nobody knows if Zack Wheeler is going to step right into the rotation and be a great pitcher after Tommy John surgery. Plus, I'm sure there will be a need to limit innings at least for Matz and Syndergaard. Niese has value for the entire 2016 season. 3. Niese has a team-friendly contract not just for 2016 but also for 2017 and 2018. He would have been just as tradeable after 2016, and after the Mets had a better idea of what they are going to get from Wheeler. 4. I wanted the Mets to acquire players this offseason without having to give up valuable assets. Neil Walker would have been a fine acquisition after the 2016 season when all he would have cost would have been money. Instead, he's cost 3 seasons of control of Jonathan Niese at a reasonable price. 5. I generally disapprove of the moves the Mets have made this offseason. The failure to adequately upgrade the offense is inexcusable, in my opinion. I suppose one could suggest that in a vacuum, the Walker trade is fine. As part of the larger plan, not so much.

You can complain about Megdal all you want but let's not pretend the facts aren't there. The Mets ownership is not spending money commensurate with their market position. That is a fact.

Especially given that no money has been spent on adding premium talent.

Who is Derek Jeter?

Wow, how strange: National League Team in one of the very largest media markets in the country makes playoffs after five consecutive losing seasons. Plays well, but falls short of championship. Goes out, adds significant players in free agency in order to improve team. Oh, wait. Did I say strange? There's nothing strange about that at all.

Best start: 1-hit shutout against San Diego in 2010; was the second game of a doubleheader. Leadoff double in the third was the only baserunner. Also, I believe that game featured the last time a triple play was turned against the Mets. Strangest plate appearance: Pinch-hit with 2 outs in the bottom of the 11th inning in a game in 2012. Hits a triple into the gap but is stranded at third as the tying run.

Edgy MD wrote: Wright and Duda (for a few weeks) will be the last guys to have reached the bigs under Omar. Mejia, too, if he returns. Didn't Wright reach the majors under Jim Duquette?

Because it costs them a valuable starting pitcher, while Zobrist would have cost only cash? (He didn't get a qualifying offer)

Mets Guy in Michigan wrote: I think each winter meetings we seem to go into woe-is-me mode when other teams head from the hotels with shiny new toys and we're looking at the same toy box. Since we're a month out of playing in a World Series, I have to give our guys the benefit of the doubt and assume they know what they're doing. I am willing to give the Mets' baseball staff the benefit of the doubt, and if they don't come home from the winter meetings with a new player, all is not lost. But it is also a fair observation that they did not have a World Series caliber team going into spring training 2015 and it took big in-season acquisitions to get there.

I'd almost consider waiting the year and just getting Walker as a free agent. He reminds of Murphy without the stupid mental errors and actual good defense.

I don't mean to sound dense here, but why does everybody think that the Mets won't acquire him? -Do we think that the baseball executives aren't smart enough to realize this is the right move? -Or is it that we're still in a "believe it when we see it" mode with respect to how much money the Wilpons actually will spend?

Wait a second, here: Matt Harvey cannot become a free agent until after the 2018 season. Jacob deGrom, after the 2019 season. Syndergaard and Wheeler, after the 2020 season. Matz, after the 2021 season. By 2020, we'll already be done with 5 years of Jason Heyward's contract. Ben Zobrist's 4 year contract will be a distant memory. David Wright's contract will expire. Granderson will have retired. How again, exactly is it that the Mets could possibly not be going all-in on offense right NOW!!!? Aren't these next 5 seasons a huge opportunity to set up a dominant team, the likes of which we've never seen before?

I think it's also key to remember as well that the Mets don't need to envision Heyward as a long-term centerfielder if they sign him; they need him to play there regularly for 2 years. When Granderson's contract is up, he can move back to right field.

Edgy MD wrote: Carlos Beltran only got seven years, and he spent a good chunk of it rehabbing or playing hurt. And yet, despite losing some time to injury, Beltran remains one of the best free agent signings the Mets ever had. They got 5 healthy seasons in which he was no worse than a solid everyday regular, and of course at times substantially better than that. Yes, they also got 2 seasons interrupted by injury - although he was still a valuable player when on the field. That's a reasonable expectation of return, I think, on a long term contract.