Acuna looked extremely overmatched at the plate. So I wouldn't "give" him anything. I'd actually explore a trade with the Rangers for Marcus Semien. The Rangers I'm sure would love to get out of the remaining three years on his deal, but Semien is still one of the best defensive 2nd baseman in the game with 20 HR potential. Feels like a McNeil for Semien wouldn't be crazy and could work for both teams
He hit .303 at Triple-A last season, despite being bounced up and down and sitting for long stretches in the bigs. And in his late-season cameo subbing for Lindor in 2024 he hit .308 with three jacks in 14 games.
He tore up the Venezuelan winter league pretty good in-between, too: .337 3 HR 17 RBI in 30 games.
So, yeah — he didn't hit much with the big club last year. But how good is anyone going to be at their job if they only get to do it once in a while?
Anyway, we need his glove. And I was struck by something Lindor said about Acuña: "He needs the bright lights." Francisco clearly loves playing with him, too.
Those are the FA pitchers available. I’d be more fixated on what they can trade for like a Joe Ryan or Pablo Lopez. I’d also love to see Sandy Alcantara in the blue and orange as we have pieces desired for both teams. Miami of course is rub as you’d be seeing a guy you traded for 13 games a year who might hold a grudge and we’ve seen that crop up over the years as they become Met killers. Miami has surplus arms a they develop pitching in that organization very well. Defensively I’d also get back to Boston and Jarren Duran. He is the odd man out In their outfield and can play center field. He probably should be a corner guy but he can fly and also hit as he collected a .280 average I believe this year (could be wrong there) but also added 18hrs and 84 RBIs. While also adding 11 triples. He would be a base stealer once Anton gets ahold of him too. I look for McNeil to be traded and possibly possibly Nimmo but that’s highly doubtful with his no trade. This team needs to get better and relying on kids to come up and be stars is not reality. Looking at Benge and Williams here as I see many Mets fans clamoring for. Benge didn’t have a great year in AAA either. That’s a lot to ask. I’d also add next year might be the last year of baseball for a long time with the CBA coming up and both sides being far far apart. Might as well go for it.
1. think Alfonso is already in the Met organization so make him the infield coach to teach Alonso how to throw and have LOTS and LOTS of infield practice EVERYDAY for all infielders
2. Alonso is streaky and if he doesn’t ask for the moon, resign him. Otherwise you will see Philly and Yankees go after him. N that would be very nasty for Met fans
3. Nobody ever mentions Mandy the manager. He is a check the box manager - in love w lefty-righty matchups no matter how bad the batter is —- can you spell Vientos? Please trade Vientos not make him DH. Manager needs to be more creative - where are the bunters (keep Acuña), hit and run plays, wheel plays to avoid double plays, (thank god for 1st base coach!! )- in short Mandy is a very pedestrian manager and is horrible usage of relief pitchers. KEEP HIM ON A SHORT LEASH and if his ways don’t get better, yank him FAST and put Carlos Beltran in there - he already works for the Mets!
4. Yes we need pitching so be sure to get at least one #1 for the rotation. And yes, talk to the Miami Marlins.
5. I know ppl won’t like this next comment, but McNeil is a perfect utility guy. 1 more year on his contract use him he plays all over the field - guys like him don’t fire on trees and you won’t get much for him in a trade
6. Nimo (again u won’t get much for him without eating a lot of his salary, put him in lead off spot - he has experience there and does a very decent job knowing the strike zone. Lindor can slip to 2nd spot - Lindor!s ability to get a hit or home run is more VALUABLE if someone is IN BASE.
Clay Holmes worked. Canning was fine as a reserve piece. Montas was asinine & many people knew it. Who knew Senga and Mr. Vowel would do so little?
They also needed another pitcher at the deadline. If they got a decent pitcher instead of Montas, a replacement-level guy even, they easily might have made it to the playoffs.
Anyway, granted, they need to pick up at least one excellent pitcher. Pitching wasn't the only problem. By the end, the fielding repeatedly was a problem. Compare the steals. Shows what good coaching can do. A good defensive CF is important.
They also had problems hitting. Even the studs (yes, even Alonso) didn't show up for chunks of time. The 0-70 was symbolic here. Law of averages, that's ridiculous.
But it showed up other times, too. If the Mets want to be a 90-win team, to be considered to be a World Series contender seriously for an extended period, not just hope things go their way "for that special year," they need to address that too.
They also have outfield issues. Nimmo is not great a great defender and has a noodle arm. Taylor is a great defender who has trouble with the stick. Soto is just so so in right.
As much as a love Alonso, unless he agrees to moving to a primary DH then it's time to move on. I'd rather sign Schwarber for similar AAV/years to be a DH than Alonso to play 1B. You just can't say "we need to improve defensively, and then play Nimmo, Soto, and Alonso.
Outlook not promising. Free agent pitchers: slim pickins and the price will be mighty high. Vientos obviously should be the DH with Marte gone, unless they can get value in a trade. I'm afraid my boy McNeil is over the hill and will probably be the last man on the roster, unless some decent value can be found in a trade, which I doubt. Don't know how much Acuna and Mauricio are valued by other organizations...not sure they can get a quality starter in a trade since they won't part with Benge or Williams. I'm willing to bet that come April the pundits will be screaming that Stearns hasn't done enough.
Great analysis. I'd give Acuna the 2b job to see what he can do over a season.
Acuna looked extremely overmatched at the plate. So I wouldn't "give" him anything. I'd actually explore a trade with the Rangers for Marcus Semien. The Rangers I'm sure would love to get out of the remaining three years on his deal, but Semien is still one of the best defensive 2nd baseman in the game with 20 HR potential. Feels like a McNeil for Semien wouldn't be crazy and could work for both teams
I'd agree that a 20 game trial is more realistic than "a season". He does look overmatched and as I recall didn't hit much in the minors either.
He hit .303 at Triple-A last season, despite being bounced up and down and sitting for long stretches in the bigs. And in his late-season cameo subbing for Lindor in 2024 he hit .308 with three jacks in 14 games.
He tore up the Venezuelan winter league pretty good in-between, too: .337 3 HR 17 RBI in 30 games.
So, yeah — he didn't hit much with the big club last year. But how good is anyone going to be at their job if they only get to do it once in a while?
Anyway, we need his glove. And I was struck by something Lindor said about Acuña: "He needs the bright lights." Francisco clearly loves playing with him, too.
I'd be up for that. We just gaven't given him a real chance to play everyday.
Those are the FA pitchers available. I’d be more fixated on what they can trade for like a Joe Ryan or Pablo Lopez. I’d also love to see Sandy Alcantara in the blue and orange as we have pieces desired for both teams. Miami of course is rub as you’d be seeing a guy you traded for 13 games a year who might hold a grudge and we’ve seen that crop up over the years as they become Met killers. Miami has surplus arms a they develop pitching in that organization very well. Defensively I’d also get back to Boston and Jarren Duran. He is the odd man out In their outfield and can play center field. He probably should be a corner guy but he can fly and also hit as he collected a .280 average I believe this year (could be wrong there) but also added 18hrs and 84 RBIs. While also adding 11 triples. He would be a base stealer once Anton gets ahold of him too. I look for McNeil to be traded and possibly possibly Nimmo but that’s highly doubtful with his no trade. This team needs to get better and relying on kids to come up and be stars is not reality. Looking at Benge and Williams here as I see many Mets fans clamoring for. Benge didn’t have a great year in AAA either. That’s a lot to ask. I’d also add next year might be the last year of baseball for a long time with the CBA coming up and both sides being far far apart. Might as well go for it.
My suggestions:
1. think Alfonso is already in the Met organization so make him the infield coach to teach Alonso how to throw and have LOTS and LOTS of infield practice EVERYDAY for all infielders
2. Alonso is streaky and if he doesn’t ask for the moon, resign him. Otherwise you will see Philly and Yankees go after him. N that would be very nasty for Met fans
3. Nobody ever mentions Mandy the manager. He is a check the box manager - in love w lefty-righty matchups no matter how bad the batter is —- can you spell Vientos? Please trade Vientos not make him DH. Manager needs to be more creative - where are the bunters (keep Acuña), hit and run plays, wheel plays to avoid double plays, (thank god for 1st base coach!! )- in short Mandy is a very pedestrian manager and is horrible usage of relief pitchers. KEEP HIM ON A SHORT LEASH and if his ways don’t get better, yank him FAST and put Carlos Beltran in there - he already works for the Mets!
4. Yes we need pitching so be sure to get at least one #1 for the rotation. And yes, talk to the Miami Marlins.
5. I know ppl won’t like this next comment, but McNeil is a perfect utility guy. 1 more year on his contract use him he plays all over the field - guys like him don’t fire on trees and you won’t get much for him in a trade
6. Nimo (again u won’t get much for him without eating a lot of his salary, put him in lead off spot - he has experience there and does a very decent job knowing the strike zone. Lindor can slip to 2nd spot - Lindor!s ability to get a hit or home run is more VALUABLE if someone is IN BASE.
Interesting thoughts. I'm not big on Beltran -- he didn't earn anything in my book.
People have criticized Mendoza, and I have heard one or more people on podcasts or otherwise say they wouldn't have opposed his being fired.
Among your suggestions, I like the one about giving Beltran a chance sometime or other. After a time, his particular sin should be forgiven.
Clay Holmes worked. Canning was fine as a reserve piece. Montas was asinine & many people knew it. Who knew Senga and Mr. Vowel would do so little?
They also needed another pitcher at the deadline. If they got a decent pitcher instead of Montas, a replacement-level guy even, they easily might have made it to the playoffs.
Anyway, granted, they need to pick up at least one excellent pitcher. Pitching wasn't the only problem. By the end, the fielding repeatedly was a problem. Compare the steals. Shows what good coaching can do. A good defensive CF is important.
They also had problems hitting. Even the studs (yes, even Alonso) didn't show up for chunks of time. The 0-70 was symbolic here. Law of averages, that's ridiculous.
But it showed up other times, too. If the Mets want to be a 90-win team, to be considered to be a World Series contender seriously for an extended period, not just hope things go their way "for that special year," they need to address that too.
They also have outfield issues. Nimmo is not great a great defender and has a noodle arm. Taylor is a great defender who has trouble with the stick. Soto is just so so in right.
As much as a love Alonso, unless he agrees to moving to a primary DH then it's time to move on. I'd rather sign Schwarber for similar AAV/years to be a DH than Alonso to play 1B. You just can't say "we need to improve defensively, and then play Nimmo, Soto, and Alonso.
Outlook not promising. Free agent pitchers: slim pickins and the price will be mighty high. Vientos obviously should be the DH with Marte gone, unless they can get value in a trade. I'm afraid my boy McNeil is over the hill and will probably be the last man on the roster, unless some decent value can be found in a trade, which I doubt. Don't know how much Acuna and Mauricio are valued by other organizations...not sure they can get a quality starter in a trade since they won't part with Benge or Williams. I'm willing to bet that come April the pundits will be screaming that Stearns hasn't done enough.
Jeff is ready for the golf course. He's had a great career though and I think he made the right decision in picking baseball as his occupation.