Centerfield

Mmmm. Ribs.

One of the keys to 2017 is what kind of pitcher Matt Harvey will be when he comes back. This little quote from Boras is encouraging though: Now that he has the feeling in his fingers, he has the ability to stretch out, lengthen out, throw, and get the ball off his fingertips while being able to have the feeling that he normally has to command the fastball. http://www.nj.com/mets/index.ssf/2016/11/scott_boras_gives_update_on_mets_ace_matt_harveys.html I think this is the first confirmation I've heard that the surgery worked and that the feeling in his fingers has been restored. Let's hope that this resolves the issues he had last year.

I know that the six HR game came against the Phillies, but man, that lineup could mash when healthy. Conforto (the April version who could hit), Cespedes, Walker, Granderson and Duda. Part of me wants to bring back everyone and just try it again. If Conforto could find himself, and Cabrera can sustain his second half... It's too bad that there is no room to fit in Jay Bruce. Maybe we could teach him to catch.

I really like Landslide, but I had to drop a Yo cover to fit in Sky Walker. I know it's corny, especially the subheading, but I like it.

I like literally every cover. The April Mets were awesome. I remember that three-run PH homerun by Cespedes. One of the great moments of the season. A great week of covers if you are Cespedes's agent. Walker's too. I wonder if maybe BG has been taking some kickbacks from agents on the timing of all this. I mean, this week of covers comes out just as the QO is on the table? I wasn't born yesterday pal.

I think the doctors told him if he played it could get worse. Worsening a back injury going into your walk year would be a no-brainer for me.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I find myself craving Dexter Fowler. Not to replace Cespedes, but to play alongside him. For the Mets, of course. Seems unlikely, according to an unnamed team source, who's actual quote is not in this article. http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/mets-free-agent-splash-yoenis-cespedes-walks-article-1.2864911 Cespedes or dick!

Got it. That makes sense.

I thought I did but I guess not. Just entered it again.

Colon was robbed.

I wish there were more racist, sexist, muslim-hating covers to vote for. That seems to be the thing to do these days. Today sucks. So does this batch of covers. Went with HumDinger, Matz Better and Hammers. I think the Dirty Dozen cover was the Jose Fernandez game I went to.

How generous was this description? He sliced a first-pitch fastball down the third base line, lifting the Scottsdale Scorpions to a 4-3 victory over the Mesa Solar Sox. That hit couldn't slice butter left out all day in an Arizona desert.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I'm thinking they sign Cespedes and Fowler, trade Bruce, then let Conforto and Granderson compete for playing time. I think I'd be cool with that. Especially if they traded Bruce for Buster Posey or Andrew Miller!

seawolf17 wrote: Centerfield wrote: *Seems to be resigned to our existing options at catcher. I think they have to say that, at least publicly. Otherwise you have no market for d'Arnaud at all. I would love to sit with him one day and be like "Seriously though. What's up with that stance?"

I like him too. I mean, he has his red flags. Speed guy, wrong side of 30, always played in pitchers parks and coming off a big year for him. But I like the OBP he brings to the table. But if you have Ces and Fowler (and presumably Conforto), then you are looking at trading two lefty-hitting outfielders in Granderson and Bruce. And I'm not sure Granderson has any value. It's frustrating. These pieces just don't fit nicely. On Edit: Looks like Fowler has draft pick compensation tied to him too. But I would guess if you are signing Fowler, you aren't signing both Ces and Walker, so maybe that is a wash.

He's about to become Rich Ian Desmond.

Also, one guy not on your list is Carlos Beltran. Coming off a strong year, no plans to retire. http://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/3971/carlos-beltran

Also, these covers remind me how important Matt Harvey was at the start of the year. By year's end I think I hardly gave him a second thought. I'm really hoping Matt comes back and returns to form. A Mets team with a dominant Harvey is so much more fun.

I went with "Bring it On", the only cover not to make light of Harvey's medical condition. Plus I like how pumped he looks in the pic. My favorite of the group is Sledge Hammer. Terrific headline, terrific picture. Our first great moment of 2016. I also went with Jackpot. Just like the way it looks aesthetically. I think I may be coming around on Newsday covers.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I remember how Antonio Bastardo looked like such a smart move last year. I was thinking that the biggest need the Mets have on the pitching side is a left-handed reliever that strikes some fear. Obviously they're not getting Chapman or Andrew Miller, but someone with a bit of a track record, who throws hard, would be nice. Someone like...Antonio Bastardo. We should have kept Niese and sent him back to Pittsburgh! On a (somewhat) serious note, 2017 is an odd-numbered year, and Antonio Bastardo is great in odd-numbered years: http://www.espn.com/mlb/player/stats/_/id/30105/antonio-bastardo

Bautista is an interesting case. In the event Cespedes leaves, he's one of the few guys with the upside to replace his production. But some real red flags to consider. *Obviously age. How many years do you commit to a guy who, not only is a risk to decline, but seems to be a year into it already? *Sucked until age 30, when he suddenly went from HR totals of 12, 15 and 13 to 54 in 2010. You have to at least consider PEDs no? *Not a very good fielder I don't know. It would seem to be that if Bautista was a Met in 2017, it would be the result of a panic move after having lost Cespedes. And Sandy Alderson doesn't panic.

And as only Sandy can do, says a lot without actually saying anything. But after John "Look at my cards!" Ricco, it's a breath of fresh air. Summaries: http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/11/jose-bautista-mets-rumors-cespedes.html https://www.sny.tv/mets/news/what-sandy-alderson-said-at-the-gm-meetings-on-monday/208338234 Mostly it's stuff you'd expect, but a couple of takeaways: *They're going to tender Lucas Duda. *Even before the Familia incident, they were looking at getting bullpen help. They are not shopping in the top end of the market, so no Chapman, Jansen, etc. *Seems to be resigned to our existing options at catcher. *Most importantly, the dialogue around Cespedes is far more encouraging than last winter. Last year we heard about his demands being north of our budget, and not having a position for him, blah blah blah. This year, Sandy's message seems to be they want him back, and they would prefer to get it done sooner so they can move on to backups if it's not going to happen. Probably the most encouraging quote of the night: “I wouldn’t have indicated our interest in having him back if I didn’t feel that we had the resources to make that possible.” Man. So sexy when he talks like that. *Says he hopes Walker takes the QO and would be open to a long-term deal with him as well.

Edgy MD wrote: Yeah, again. I'm sorry you're annoyed. I don't know how you can't see that it's relevant that a guy you're demanding be brought back is being incorrectly assessed. And that it's self-evident. Because it is. I try and be as brief as possible, because the more I write, the more you re-write and turn into something else. If I could type a single character, I would. That's the level of self-censorship I'm undertaking with you. But if I disagree at length, you twist everything I write into something I didn't write. If I disagree in brief, you're annoyed, because I don't give you enough material to twist into something else. It's pointless and exhausting. I'll just stay clear. I think the problem here is that you're not being honest with yourself. I mean, you're not being honest with me, but the more I think about it, I think you are lying to yourself as well. I think you are bright enough to capture the main idea of a simple post, and I think you are thorough enough to go back and read to make sure. I think you fully understand the difference between insignificant and meaningful error, and whether a distinction is worth mentioning. I think you understand everything I am saying but you can't help yourself from making these comments anyway. Why? Because you don't want the Mets to re-sign Yoenis Cespedes. And it irritates you to read people advocate for him all over this board. That is why you say things like "I'm not sure I'd say they have lots of outfielders who are not nearly as good as Yoenis Céspedes." or call him "an enigmatic presence on the base paths and on defense, mixing occasional excellence alternatively with maddening aloofness." Occasional excellence? Really? That's why you compare him to Bobby Bonilla, point out he's not an MVP candidate and remind everyone that he's worse than Odubel Herrera when it comes to fWar. But you won't admit you don't want Yoenis Cespedes. That's why you stretch to make impossible arguments as to why the Mets shouldn't sign him. And that's why it comes across as disingenuous. Now, I don't think it's anything personal. You didn't like any of the big name free agents last year as well. In fact, during the 15 years or so that we've been posting, I don't think I've ever heard you say, "You know who wold be awesome for this team? Big Name Slugger about to hit the free market. That's who!" And it was one thing when you used to justify it by saying you don't covet other teams' players, but this is our player. So just admit it. You want a team of scrappy home grown guys who don't make a lot. It's ok to say so. I don't know why you would want that, but hell, it's your preference. No one can tell you what you should like. Just do me the favor of being up front about it so I can stop wasting my time with logical arguments.

That's the other thing. Wheeler was no ace even before he got hurt.

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Mets extend QO for both guys. Rooting against Walker accepting. I'm torn on this. Like you, I kinda feel like Walker will regress a bit next year. But I'm also scared that none of our options would produce. Also creeping me out is that I was rooting for Murphy to decline last year, and now, I wish for all the world he had accepted. Incidentally, I bet he wishes he did too. Imagine the payday he'd get this year.