Francisco Lindor named to All-MLB Second Team
Plus, a renewed look on how the Mets should handle their pending free agents
What’s Up with the Mets? 🍎
SS Francisco Lindor was named to the All-MLB Second Team for the third straight year (MLB.com)
Before the All-MLB Team was announced, Jose Iglesias a.k.a. Candelita appeared for a surprise performance of “O.M.G.” (MLB.com)
Carlos Beltrán said the Mets will be going hard after Juan Soto in an interview with a Puerto Rican newspaper (Sports Illustrated)
The Mets are an attractive landing spot for Soto beyond Steve Cohen’s deep pockets (New York Post)
The Mets are interested in Garrett Crochet its questionable whether or not they have a prospect match for the White Sox (Athletic)
Jett Williams left an Arizona Fall League game early with an injury after he crashed into a wall making a catch (Sports Illustrated)
Rumor Mill 💨
The Rockies are open to trading Brendan Rodgers and Justin Lawrence (ESPN)
The Blue Jays, Yankees, and Mariners are reportedly interested in Yoán Moncada (Francys Romero)
How should the Mets handle the free agents that made the 2024 season special? ✍️
One of my main issues when I play fantasy sports is that I stay a bit too loyal to “my guys.”
They will perform for me one year, so I stick with them even though I did not win. I draft them again, hoping for a different result, and then I am somehow disappointed when the different result does not happen.
Hope isn’t a strategy, as Steve Cohen likes to say.
The 2024 season was unquestionably a special season for the Mets and one that will forever live on in our hearts. There were a few obvious flaws that the team had, so it is tempting to beef up the bullpen and the starting pitching, add a dash of Juan Soto, and then run it back with the same team.
But much like my fantasy team and as tempting as that scenario is, unfortunately, baseball does not work that way, and the team has some tough decisions to make.
Obviously, the big one is Pete Alonso, who will have suitors on the open market, especially after Juan Soto makes his decision. There is always the possibility that Alonso comes back, but Soto is the clear priority right now. Once Soto is signed with the Mets or another team, David Stearns will have to balance the fans’ goodwill with what an Alonso long-term contract would look like and if it is truly in the team’s best interests.
The Mets will also have to make decisions on Sean Manaea, Luis Severino, Harrison Bader, José Iglesias, and Jesse Winker.
All of them contributed to the 2024 season in unexpected ways. Manaea, and to some extent, Severino, are more straightforward. The Mets are in need of starting pitching, and each proved their merit last season. Both would be fine options to bring back, but Blake Snell, Corbin Burnes, Walker Buehler, and Garrett Crochet could also fill those holes in bigger and better ways as well.
While depth pieces are often overlooked, they are vital to any team looking to make a deep run in the playoffs. Bader, Iglesias, and Winker all left their mark on the 2024 season. Bader’s defense, his local ties, and pink crop top added a bit of flair to the season.
Iglesias and OMG became the team’s rallying cry, and the two are forever entwined in Mets history. Ask any fan what they remember most about last season, and the answer will either be OMG or Grimace. The Mets caught lightning in a bottle with Iglesias, but he might have played himself into a starting role, and that role is not with the Mets.
Let OMG live on in our memories untarnished. If he returns and struggles, the vibes won’t nearly be as fun, and his star will dim a bit. OMG is perfect as a once-in-a-lifetime moment that will never be replicated.
But with his loss, Stearns would have to find another depth piece to fill his shoes and one that will seamlessly blend in with the vibe of the team. After all, the 2024 team did prove that vibes can go a long way, but they also need talent to back it up.
Speaking of vibes, I want to speak briefly about Winker.
After being a Mets villain in a previous life, Winker quickly became a fan favorite in a short amount of time. His brashness ignited the fanbase, and in every interview, he spoke glowingly of the organization. However, after listening to David Stearns’s press conference after the season, I didn’t get the sense he was very enthusiastic about bringing Winker back. I would argue he would be one of the easiest to bring back— he is a valuable left-handed bench piece that could platoon in a DH role. He thrived while he was here, and he shouldn’t cost all that much to bring back.
While there is the temptation to “run it back” with the same team with a few upgrades, that strategy rarely works out. Especially when the organization has a tremendous opportunity with $170 million coming off the books. The 2024 team was a beautiful singularity, but it is time for Stearns to be aggressive and build a team that performs beyond vibes and beyond what might’ve otherwise been lightning in a bottle.
Read our in-depth series on the Mets pending free agents: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5
Around the League 🚩
The Angels signed INF Kevin Newman to a one-year deal worth $2.5 million
Mariners play-by-play announcer David Sims, will be replacing John Sterling on the Yankees radio broadcast next season
With Tropicana Field damaged, the Rays will play at Steinbrenner Field next year which is the home of the Yankees Single-A team
The Giants hired former major leaguer Randy Winn as vice president of player development
The Red Sox signed LHP Justin Wilson to a one-year deal worth $2.25 million