Can you please explain what Stearns meant by positioning the new trade acquisitions for success.I didn’t understand when he said it at the presser and I still don’t understand it today.
I think it's one of those slogans that sounds good but doesn't mean anything concrete. It's assumed that when a new player joins a team the manager will talk to him about his role, but other than that, what?
We will probably never know the answer to this question because it is probably many factors and too “ inside baseball “stuff for our ears.The Mets are well known around baseball for having wonderful owners in Alex and Steve Cohen.Essentials such as living arrangements and making players ease into their new situation are often made easier by team leaders and team personnel who deal with these types of transition.Finding yourself in the cauldron of a pennant race in New York City is not something any of these players were worried about.These athletes live for being involved in big moments.For whatever reason the players did not perform to the back of their baseball card.The front office tried but only in the case of Mullins did I feel the trades were a reach.Baseball as are most things in life are delivering results and I fully expect that the Mets will put 2025 in the rear view mirror and experience success in 2026.It is said so often but this offseason is the most important in Mets history.So many questions and few answers yet.LFGM.
When Rogers starts getting tattoed, then I would worry. Otherwise re-sign the guy. Most of the hits I remember when doinks that dropped in, not rockets to the gaps. Soto needs to read the sentence "It does not matter how hard Ball 4 is" 100 times a day. And yes, keep three lefties. They are all post 30, and at least one will spend some time on the DL. Besides, with a 42 man bullpen (or how ever many they are now using), there is room for him. Need a coaching staff that needs to know how to handle a bullpen.
Yeah. It was in one of bullpens in 2024. New pitching came in to some team, posted that, team cut walks in half. A lot of guys are radar gun happy. Doesn't matter if you are throwing 99 if it is a ball. Throw strikes. How many times did Soto walk a guy going for a strikeout instead of just getting outs?
The Mets must, must, must pursue Bellinger. If Benge had hit in Syracuse you could argue he's ready, but he didn't. If they can buy low on Helsley, I'd take a chance on him. While Rogers' stats look good, it seems to me that every time I looked up he was allowing inherited runners to score. Hard to be sure how much overuse was a factor but looking at Peterson, Holmes, and Soto, it sure is tempting to attribute their decline to overuse. Unless they acquire a quality starter over the winter, there's not much reason to hope they'll be a better team in 2026. At least we found out that McLean is the real deal.
Got to be careful with Bellinger. He's opting out of $25 mil in 2026 and 2026 will be his year 30. He'll be looking for long term. They're already locked in with 2 OFers long term. If they sign him long term they may end up with MLB's first grandfather outfield 😀. I realize he can also play a decent 1B but that clashes with the Petey issue.
At the time of the trades most of the press felt that the moves in the bullpen were good Ryan has the most upside if they can get him straightened out!
*If Diaz stays or goes and then re-signs they need an 8th inning guy. Diaz should not be used for more than 3 outs going forward. And that 8th inning guy should be able to swing into closer on days Diaz is not available. But we all know that. Hensley fits the bill if he's willing to take on that role. He's already gone through his change of scenery and change of job description issues. He may do it on a prove-it contract.
*Mullins was traded for on July 31. He hit .290 for the month of July with an .868 OPS with Baltimore. Obviously, Stearns was taking a shot that his hitting, to a decent degree, would carry forward. I don't know what else, if anything, was on the table for CF. I'm pretty sure there was no Willie, Mickey or Duke available at any price.
The pitching moves were okay, though you can argue they gave up too much in the process. The other argument is that they needed a starter. And, yes, fans in hindsight were probably open to giving up something for one. Anyway, Stearns is a wiz, so why couldn't he do it?
Mullins was stupid, especially if that is all you are going to do.
Can you please explain what Stearns meant by positioning the new trade acquisitions for success.I didn’t understand when he said it at the presser and I still don’t understand it today.
I think it's one of those slogans that sounds good but doesn't mean anything concrete. It's assumed that when a new player joins a team the manager will talk to him about his role, but other than that, what?
We will probably never know the answer to this question because it is probably many factors and too “ inside baseball “stuff for our ears.The Mets are well known around baseball for having wonderful owners in Alex and Steve Cohen.Essentials such as living arrangements and making players ease into their new situation are often made easier by team leaders and team personnel who deal with these types of transition.Finding yourself in the cauldron of a pennant race in New York City is not something any of these players were worried about.These athletes live for being involved in big moments.For whatever reason the players did not perform to the back of their baseball card.The front office tried but only in the case of Mullins did I feel the trades were a reach.Baseball as are most things in life are delivering results and I fully expect that the Mets will put 2025 in the rear view mirror and experience success in 2026.It is said so often but this offseason is the most important in Mets history.So many questions and few answers yet.LFGM.
When Rogers starts getting tattoed, then I would worry. Otherwise re-sign the guy. Most of the hits I remember when doinks that dropped in, not rockets to the gaps. Soto needs to read the sentence "It does not matter how hard Ball 4 is" 100 times a day. And yes, keep three lefties. They are all post 30, and at least one will spend some time on the DL. Besides, with a 42 man bullpen (or how ever many they are now using), there is room for him. Need a coaching staff that needs to know how to handle a bullpen.
'It doesn't matter how hard ball 4 is"?? What does that mean? He overthrows?
Yeah. It was in one of bullpens in 2024. New pitching came in to some team, posted that, team cut walks in half. A lot of guys are radar gun happy. Doesn't matter if you are throwing 99 if it is a ball. Throw strikes. How many times did Soto walk a guy going for a strikeout instead of just getting outs?
The Mets must, must, must pursue Bellinger. If Benge had hit in Syracuse you could argue he's ready, but he didn't. If they can buy low on Helsley, I'd take a chance on him. While Rogers' stats look good, it seems to me that every time I looked up he was allowing inherited runners to score. Hard to be sure how much overuse was a factor but looking at Peterson, Holmes, and Soto, it sure is tempting to attribute their decline to overuse. Unless they acquire a quality starter over the winter, there's not much reason to hope they'll be a better team in 2026. At least we found out that McLean is the real deal.
Got to be careful with Bellinger. He's opting out of $25 mil in 2026 and 2026 will be his year 30. He'll be looking for long term. They're already locked in with 2 OFers long term. If they sign him long term they may end up with MLB's first grandfather outfield 😀. I realize he can also play a decent 1B but that clashes with the Petey issue.
All true. But no decent alternative unless we accept .220 from center field.
At the time of the trades most of the press felt that the moves in the bullpen were good Ryan has the most upside if they can get him straightened out!
*If Diaz stays or goes and then re-signs they need an 8th inning guy. Diaz should not be used for more than 3 outs going forward. And that 8th inning guy should be able to swing into closer on days Diaz is not available. But we all know that. Hensley fits the bill if he's willing to take on that role. He's already gone through his change of scenery and change of job description issues. He may do it on a prove-it contract.
*Mullins was traded for on July 31. He hit .290 for the month of July with an .868 OPS with Baltimore. Obviously, Stearns was taking a shot that his hitting, to a decent degree, would carry forward. I don't know what else, if anything, was on the table for CF. I'm pretty sure there was no Willie, Mickey or Duke available at any price.
The pitching moves were okay, though you can argue they gave up too much in the process. The other argument is that they needed a starter. And, yes, fans in hindsight were probably open to giving up something for one. Anyway, Stearns is a wiz, so why couldn't he do it?
Mullins was stupid, especially if that is all you are going to do.