9 Comments
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James Schwartz's avatar

One thing I’d like to see more of is the Dominican player Soto is. He is much more animated playing in this WBC than he has been for the Mets or anyone really in the big leagues. I like seeing him more animated and playing like he enjoys the game. I also hope we get the bat he has shown so far for his country. They can’t get the guy out and should he play this way for the Mets all season I’d have to believe they have their first MVP. IF Senga is back to ‘23 form and Holmes gives us what he did last season with a little more length this is shaping up to a serious rotation that can go toe to toe with any in the league. I am certainly getting excited by what I’ve seen so far. Manaea can go have surgery and the five man rotation can live on. The season is almost here!

Joel's avatar

Animated, I like it. With improvement from Holmes and Peterson and a '23 Senga, they'll win a lot of games. Especially if they install Baty at first and keep Tauchman as I've been telling Stearns for a few weeks now.

Matthew Davis's avatar

Anyone else get nervous with Soto sliding headfirst into home?

Joel's avatar

Some. But on the other hand, there's a school of thought that Soto's shortcomings in the field are due to a lack of passion rather than ability so I'm inclined to be glad about his energetic play.

Kevin J. Rogers's avatar

Normally, I would say yes. But he knew exactly what he was doing. Great slide. I don't think it's something he would have done with a major league catcher in a better position to block him.

Kevin J. Rogers's avatar

Vientos should have stayed in camp. Were I in his cleats, I would have told Mendy, "Skip, give me as many reps at first as you want. I'm ready to take it on." And then go out there and play my way into the position.

But as it is, it's tough to see him on the Opening Day roster. And it's tough to see him moving for value right now, too. It must be a real issue for Stearns.

On the flip side, I love what I've seen from Holmes both in camp and in the WBC, and Senga really does look like he's gotten over some kind of mental hump. His simplified delivery was very clean, very efficient.

However it shakes out, we're looking really good in the rotation. The only real question mark right now is Big Sean. But if he can get sorted before Opening Day, we have options for handling it.

I really like where we are.

Peter Mat's avatar

With Senga time will tell, but if he is right it is well worth the patience.

Joel's avatar

So glad they didn't trade Senga this winter when his value was at an all-time low. Quibble: calling Vientos a "slugger", that's a reach at this point. There's an iffy website out there that calls each and every position player a "slugger", lamentable. If I'm Stearns I'd approach him about a voluntary stint in Syracuse, pointing out what it did for Alvarez.

Larry Kahan's avatar

How many times have we heard GKR talk about the dangers of sliding head first into home plate? That's all the Mets need, is for their $765M investment to get hurt, especially in an exhibition tournament!