Monthly Archives: March 2022

Michael Conforto STILL Remains Unsigned

29 Mar


MLB.com:

Last December, more than two dozen present and former Mets players filed into the Phoenician in Scottsdale, Ariz., to celebrate their teammate Michael Conforto’s wedding. The party, they said, was a memorable one. Since that time, most Mets have shied away from contact with Conforto, understanding the sensitivity of his situation as baseball’s most prominent remaining free agent. He is the only unsigned free agent that Fangraphs projects for more than a single Win Above Replacement in 2022.

“Obviously a confusing time [for him], probably a frustrating time,” said Conforto’s longtime teammate, Brandon Nimmo. “I’m just wishing him the best.”

Conforto only has himself to blame for remaining unsigned. In 2021 he turned down a longterm deal with the Mets, had a subpar 2021 season and still turned down a QO by the Mets because he expected that some dumb GM would sign him to a $100M-plus deal this offseason. I say at best he gets a 2-to-3 year deal no more than $50M at this point.

Mets Avoid Arbitration with Pete Alonso as 1st Baseman Signs 1-Year, $7.4M Deal

22 Mar

Pete Alonso
ESPN.com:

First baseman Pete Alonso and the New York Mets are in agreement on a one-year, $7.4 million contract to avoid arbitration, sources familiar with the deal told ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

Alonso, 27, is coming off a season in which he led the Mets in every major batting category: hits (147), home runs (37), RBIs (94), batting average (.262) and on-base percentage (.344).

Even with the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Pete Alonso has hit 106 HR’s for the Mets in 3 seasons. If he stays healthy and continues to put up 30 to 40 HRs a year, I can see a $300M long-term deal in the near future.

No, The Mets Should Not Pursue Michael Conforto

20 Mar


Conforto already turned down a $100M deal from the Mets last year and now there’s all this talk about re-signing him to a 1-year deal because he’s still out there on the free agent market and there’s only 3 weeks left until the regular season starts. But screw that. While Conforto always gives 100 percent in the field and is an above-average right-fielder, he’s also way too streaky a player who had awful season last year. So while I understand the sentiment many Mets fans feel about bringing Conforto back home, if Brandon Nimmo can finally stay healthy and we get a big year from Dom Smith, with the new additions of Marte and Hanra, I think that we’ll be fine in the outfield.

Mets Lose Out On Kris Bryant

16 Mar

Kris Bryant
ESPN.com:

Third baseman Kris Bryant and the Colorado Rockies are in agreement on a seven-year, $182 million contract, sources confirmed to ESPN on Wednesday.

Bryant is headed to his third team in eight months after spending his first six major league seasons with the Chicago Cubs, who traded him to the San Francisco Giants last July.

Acquiring Bryant for even 1 year would’ve put the Mets over the top and I really thought Steve Cohen would pull it off. But 7 years for a guy who be past his prime was clearly asking for too much.

Mets Acquire All-Star Pitcher Chris Bassist in Trade with Oakland A’s

12 Mar

Chris Bassitt
NYPost.com:

With options on the free-agent starting pitching market thin, the Mets on Saturday opted for a trade. In another “win now” move, the team acquired right-hander Chris Bassitt from the Athletics for pitching prospects J.T. Ginn and Adam Oller, sources confirmed. The move gave the Mets their second new rotation piece, joining Max Scherzer.

Bassitt, 33, went 12-4 with a 3.15 ERA in 27 starts last season, which included his first career All-Star appearance.

This is definitely a ‘win now’ move because Bassist is in his walk year, which while giving him extra motivation to pitch well in 2022, doesn’t bode well for the Mets longterm. Either way, this trade relives me of my biggest concern which was acquiring a quality 3rd starter and makes me more excited for the season.

Baseball’s Back as MLB and MLBPA Agree to Terms

10 Mar


NYPost.com:

At long last, it’s time to play ball. After a lockout that spanned 99 days, MLB and the MLB Players Association reached a tentative agreement on Thursday afternoon, The Post’s Joel Sherman confirmed. The two sides finally found the common ground to reach a deal for a new collective bargaining agreement, paving the way for the regular season to begin by next month.

Following a contentious battle that blew past multiple league-instituted “deadlines” over the past week-plus — which threatened to do further damage to the sport the longer it lingered — baseball has labor peace once again. Both sides need to ratify the deal, but that is the expected outcome.

This is great news. And I’m sure that with a few double-headers here and there, they can get in a full 162-game season in too.

Mets Expected To Show Heavy Interest In LHP Yusei Kikuchi After Lockout

7 Mar

Yusei Kikuchi
SI.com:

SNY’s Andy Martino first reported that the Mets showed interest in Kikuchi prior to the lockout and that the southpaw was a “possibility” as both sides had dialogue in November. And MLB writer Mike Marino initially said the Mets are expected to “go hard” for Kikuchi after the lockout ends.

Kikuchi, 30, would be an ideal fit in the Mets’ rotation as a high upside, innings-eater that throws in the upper-90s. He would also project as the lone lefty of the group and is a versatile option that could potentially serve in a long relief role if needed to do so at any point.

While the Mets do desperately need a 3rd starter, Kikuchi’s second-half last year does really worry me. And again, I think the Mets should pursue Zack Greinke.

I Don’t Care About Elizabeth Benn’s Gender

3 Mar

Elizabeth Benn
ESPN.com:

The Mets have hired Elizabeth Benn as director of major league operations, making her the franchise’s highest-ranking female baseball operations employee ever. Benn has worked for Major League Baseball since finishing a master’s degree in philosophy at Columbia in 2017. She has had roles in youth programs, labor relations and baseball operations with the league.

Several women hold prominent roles in front offices across the male-dominated sport, including Marlins general manager Kim Ng. The crosstown Yankees have had two women serve as assistant general managers in Ng and Jean Afterman.

All this noise about the Mets making ‘history’ by hiring a female Director of Baseball Operations and I honestly could care less. I mean, good for her. But the only thing I care about is if she’s qualified to help my team win its first World championship in 36 years. If she is, great. If she isn’t and she’s just here to check off a quota box, then she shouldn’t have the job.