All is quiet in Metsland… for now
All is quiet in Metsland… for now
After the GM Meetings ended early due to a stomach virus things have been relatively quiet across baseball.
What’s Up with the Mets? 🍎
According to Bob Nightengale the Mets do not believe they have a realistic chance at signing RHP/DH Shohei Ohtani
New York still remains interested in Japanese star RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto who is expected to be posted soon
Andy Martino reports that the Mets will announce the hiring of Carlos Mendoza as the next manager early this week
The team is expected to fill the third base position from within and they will not make a play for Matt Chapman (Heyman)
Rumor Mill 💭
The Rangers and Cubs are rumored to be landing spots for Ohtani if he does not sign with the Angels or Dodgers
The Cubs also have interest in free agent Rhys Hoskins
The Angels are interested in former White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson
Luis Arraez would be open to signing an extension with the Marlins but the two sides haven’t held any contract talks yet
The Yankees checked in on adding David Ross to their coaching staff but he prefers a managerial position after getting fired from Chicago
Metropolitan Park is the vision this franchise needs ✍️
Last week Mets owner Steve Cohen unveiled his plans for Metropolitan Park which will develop the land surrounding Citi Field, which has consisted of mostly chop shops for much of the Mets residency in Queens. The plans include 20 acres of public park space, community athletic fields, a food hall, and a year-round music venue. This is in addition to a casino and a complete renovation of the subway stop to make it an accessible train station which is long overdue.
The revitalization of the area will make gamedays at Citi an experience that goes beyond just the baseball game. Both the Mets and Citi Field will become a destination for baseball fans much like PNC Park is now. I visited PNC in 2021 and loved the whole vibe around the stadium before the Pirates took the field. Pittsburgh closes the Clemente bridge so fans can walk across it to the ballpark, and with the street closed fans could enjoy a block party before the game. There was music, vendors, food trucks, and a few bars and restaurants with outdoor seating all within a block of PNC. Hotels are also conveniently located so you could stay within walking distance and enjoy the fun game day vibes. The Pirates were obviously not good yet the streets were packed and fans were flocking to the area despite the poor performance on the field.
As much as I loved the experience it also made me sad that I would go back to Citi Field that looked boring in comparison. All it had to offer was a couple of bars in the back of the stadium and a tailgating option in the parking lots. This vision changes all of that.
Obviously parking might become an issue, especially given that people might be travelling to the area for a purpose other than attending a Mets game, like going to a concert or going to the casino, which is why public transportation will become that much more important. It is shameful that the Mets-Willets Point station has not been wheelchair accessible all this time. It makes it that much more difficult for a portion of the population to get to games so it is nice to see someone finally willing to make the investment to change that.
Plans always look good on paper and it remains to be seen if this vision will actually get built but once again it is nice to have an owner that is willing to invest not only in the team but also its neighborhood.
Hot Stove 🔥
The Astros are hiring Joe Espada as their manager to replace Dusty Baker