I'm with you, but...giving up more than one blue chip prospect for a rental (Cease) would be a mistake. I think sooner or later Stearns needs to come off his stance of refusing long term contracts for pitchers 30 or older. And that's because it's very unusual for a proven star pitcher to come on the free agent market when they're under 30. Which means that the Mets can never sign a top free agent pitcher because in this market they can get 5 year deals. Which leaves them hunting at the margins for turnarounds like Severino last year and Montas this year. Stearns may not like it (neither do I) but you have to adjust to the market. Otherwise, you lose out. David and Uncle Steve: approach the Padres with a sign and trade for Cease. If you can sign him for, say, four years then it'd be worth sending them 2 or maybe 3 top prospects. I'd try to hold on to Jett W. if at all possible.
Great analysis. There are questions for sure, but David Stearns isn't one of them. The man knows his business.
I think you're right, though: we're done for now at $301.9 million. Cohen went the extra mile for Pete, and that's it until the summer unless the Padres come with a sweetheart deal for Cease or King, and Stearns can clear a contract somehow in the process.
Personally, I think I'd rather have King. There's something in Cease's mechanics which really bothers me. I think it's the hard recoil in his left knee as he delivers the ball over the semi-stiff front leg. Every time I see it, something in my head hears "pop."
Don't get me wrong, he has a great upright delivery: balanced, dynamic, decent arm angle, great plant, and the way he extends his glove side and rotates his hips through gives him tremendous power. His stuff is vicious.
Last year went well on the pitching front. They had to work some with the relievers. Some went bye-bye. The starters also took time to get into a groove. Also, the outlook would have been significantly different if Senga did not get hurt. We should factor in injury possibilities. Even Houser was useful as a reliever for a key stretch. Overall, I'm wary of Sean M. (who knows if even he won't have hiccups?), Senga coming back, Peterson (who overachieved), and question marks. Still, last year's result does make me more willing to trust the process.
I'm with you, but...giving up more than one blue chip prospect for a rental (Cease) would be a mistake. I think sooner or later Stearns needs to come off his stance of refusing long term contracts for pitchers 30 or older. And that's because it's very unusual for a proven star pitcher to come on the free agent market when they're under 30. Which means that the Mets can never sign a top free agent pitcher because in this market they can get 5 year deals. Which leaves them hunting at the margins for turnarounds like Severino last year and Montas this year. Stearns may not like it (neither do I) but you have to adjust to the market. Otherwise, you lose out. David and Uncle Steve: approach the Padres with a sign and trade for Cease. If you can sign him for, say, four years then it'd be worth sending them 2 or maybe 3 top prospects. I'd try to hold on to Jett W. if at all possible.
Great analysis. There are questions for sure, but David Stearns isn't one of them. The man knows his business.
I think you're right, though: we're done for now at $301.9 million. Cohen went the extra mile for Pete, and that's it until the summer unless the Padres come with a sweetheart deal for Cease or King, and Stearns can clear a contract somehow in the process.
Personally, I think I'd rather have King. There's something in Cease's mechanics which really bothers me. I think it's the hard recoil in his left knee as he delivers the ball over the semi-stiff front leg. Every time I see it, something in my head hears "pop."
Don't get me wrong, he has a great upright delivery: balanced, dynamic, decent arm angle, great plant, and the way he extends his glove side and rotates his hips through gives him tremendous power. His stuff is vicious.
I just worry about the strain on his knee.
Last year went well on the pitching front. They had to work some with the relievers. Some went bye-bye. The starters also took time to get into a groove. Also, the outlook would have been significantly different if Senga did not get hurt. We should factor in injury possibilities. Even Houser was useful as a reliever for a key stretch. Overall, I'm wary of Sean M. (who knows if even he won't have hiccups?), Senga coming back, Peterson (who overachieved), and question marks. Still, last year's result does make me more willing to trust the process.