OT: 2018-19 NY Mets Offseason "Hot Stove" Thread

[Doctor Worm]

Now that it's officially offseason in NYC, it's time to start an offseason thread. So here goes!

IMO the three hot topics are:

• Who will the GM be
• What players get dropped prior to camp
• Free agents/trades

For GM, the interview process has begun. The expectation is that a GM will be named before the winter meetings in early November. But it's hard to produce a good result from a flawed process, and this process is as flawed as it comes. Daddy Fred wants an old-school type while Jeff wants a quant guy. More importantly, the current troika is probably going to still be around, looking over the new GM's shoulder and whispering in the bosses' ears. And the new GM will almost certainly inherit a manager whom he may or may not want.

As far as who gets unloaded (not counting the six FA's, none of whom I expect back) the one who I think is in most jeopardy is Flores. He is due to make about $5M in arbitration. He plays a position that ultimately has Peter Alonso's name on it. $5M is a lot to pay for a pinch-hitter. D'Arnaud is also arbitration eligible and I'm pretty sure he won't be tendered.

There is also the issue of clearing out space on the 40 man roster for newcomers. The good news is that they don't have many upcoming rookies who need to be protected. That's also the bad news.

On the topic of free agency and trades, I think the shopping list is clear:

• Catcher
• Righty bat, preferably CF
• Frontline closer
• Lefty relief specialist

As always, the question is how much will the Wilpons be willing to spend. The problem is that the Mets have a ton of money tied up in guaranteed contracts - especially if you include Cespedes and Wright in the calculation, as I assume the Wilpons do. Also there a bunch of guys, headed by deGrom, who will be receiving big raises in arbitration. So I expect the discretionary budget to be limited. C'est la vie.

 

[Zak57]

The more we hear about the GM search the more I wish I wasn't a Mets fan. Wilpons are going to screw this one up pre usual. Just hire Chain Bloom and let him hire and fire whomever he wants. Not happening though so we'll get a puppet.

 

[Doctor Worm]

The more we hear about the GM search the more I wish I wasn't a Mets fan. Wilpons are going to screw this one up pre usual. Just hire Chain Bloom and let him hire and fire whomever he wants. Not happening though so we'll get a puppet.

What makes it worse is that we will likely have dueling puppeteers. We know Fred and Jeff don't see eye to eye on this. Plus you've got the current threesome hanging around. I am particularly concerned about Minaya, whom we know has the Wilpons' ears. I would say to the Wilpons that if you like these guys so much, pick one and give him the job. Otherwise, sayonara.

 

[Andy117]

The stove will not be hot this offseason.

 

[redking]

Wilpons must go.

 

[rurahrah000]

I don't know who I hate more - Flood vs. Ash vs. Jeff Wilpon

 

[nutfromSEC117]

I’d rather stick my face on a hot stove then watch another Giants game !

LGM !!! Machado

 

[Unionst]

Wilpons must go.

The worst owners in baseball, including the various Marlins’ owners.

 

[Doctor Worm]

Wilpons must go.

They ain't going anywhere. May as well get used to it. They have better job security than Ash. His buyout is only $10M. The Wilpons' buyout is $2.1 Billion, give or take a couple hundred million.

 

[bdodger3]

I like the concept suggested by some of hiring a President of Baseball Operations with a GM working beneath the Pres. The GM focuses on day to day and shorter term issues while the President not only supervises the GM but strategically focuses upon the long term as well. Generally too much bureaucracy is not my philosophy but this system has worked well for other organizations.

Of course nothing will work if the Wilpons interfere in a material way. They need to let the professionals perform. As other posters have pointed out, having Ricco, Minaya, DePodesta, and Collins whispering in the Wilpons' ears undercuts any new GM or President hire.

I fully expect the Wilpons to screw things up.

 

[Zak57]

I like the concept suggested by some of hiring a President of Baseball Operations with a GM working beneath the Pres. The GM focuses on day to day and shorter term issues while the President not only supervises the GM but strategically focuses upon the long term as well. Generally too much bureaucracy is not my philosophy but this system has worked well for other organizations.

Of course nothing will work if the Wilpons interfere in a material way. They need to let the professionals perform. As other posters have pointed out, having Ricco, Minaya, DePodesta, and Collins whispering in the Wilpons' ears undercuts any new GM or President hire.

I fully expect the Wilpons to screw things up.

DePo left years ago to work for the Cleveland Browns.

 

[megadrone]

At least during the Charlie Finley years, the A's were a one headed beast with a farm system that produced a lot of talent. Fred and Jeff can't agree -- otherwise i'd suggest no GM and let them interfere with no in-between.

 

[bdodger3]

DePo left years ago to work for the Cleveland Browns.

You are correct Zak. I meant Ricciardi. Cannot keep the "excellent" Mets front office straight.

 

[RU at the shore]

If I were the Mets, I'd start by going after Robertson and Britton as FA.

 

[ruready4somefootball]

If I were the Mets, I'd start by going after Robertson and Britton as FA.

We don't want the same baggage you tried to unload for de Grom and any other front line pitcher that you needed to still be playing now,lmao.

 

[Proud NJ Sports Fan]

Mets should fold

 

[Plum Street]

Maybe wilpon’s will hire Hobbs as GM.

 

[ruready4somefootball]

Mets should fold

YankeeAl, I think when you don't show up for DAYS after your prediction turns into the EPIC FAIL, you forfeit your right to post smack. As far as getting into a fight over the Yankee game, I call bullshit for an excuse why you went into hiding, no one is buying,that is all.

 

[Proud NJ Sports Fan]

YankeeAl, I think when you don't show up for DAYS after your prediction turns into the EPIC FAIL, you forfeit your right to post smack. As far as getting into a fight over the Yankee game, I call bullshit for an excuse why you went into hiding, no one is buying,that is all.

The only epic fails are Chris Ash, the Mets and Mets fans saying the Yanks failed.

 

[Plum Street]

Wilpon’s are cheap. Hobbs is the best fundraiser in the land. It’s a natural fit.

 

[Plum Street]

Seriously, willpon’s need to get out of the way. It seems like no great GM wants to work for them. If they don’t agree to get out of the way, their best option may just be putting Minaya back in that seat , and I am not joking. I think he’s the best they could attract under current arrangement.

 

[rurahrah000]

Wilpons need to do what Dolan has done the last few years. Get out of the way.

 

[shields]

Didn't Proud write Yanks in 4? Just as bad as prediction by Bruce Beck.

 

[Section124]

The Mets offseason will be an EPIC FAIL. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

 

[RUfromNJ]

No Doug Melvin please. I’d like current Indians GM, Mike Chernoff (the son of WFAN’s Operations Manager and former Rutgers great, Marc Chernoff)

 

[ruready4somefootball]

The Mets offseason will be an EPIC FAIL. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

At least when the Mets made the WS in 2015, and got knocked out in the WC game in 2016, we Mets fans admitted and clearly knew it was a failure and step back,not epic because we didn't improve our team in the off season as usual. The Yankees were up 3-2 on the soon to be World Champs Houston in 2017, blew that, added the NL MVP and got smoked by the Bosux, yet Yankee fans refuse to acknowledge it was a HUGE step backward. Smack talking the Mets doesn't change how their season ended. Pround/YankeeAl, even went into a week long hibernation rather than face the music,after his Yankees Upset alert,Yankees in 4,Boston Sucks prediction and "supposedly"was evolved in one of many fights between Yankee fans and Yankee haters,heard he got his butt handed to him lol. Since we have posters that love to bring up old threads,I say the New Core 4 won't win several WS in the 5 years that were predicted,already 0-2.

 

[ruready4somefootball]

The Mets offseason will be an EPIC FAIL. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

I don't doubt that,sadly.:weary:

 

[Section124]

At least when the Mets made the WS in 2015, and got knocked out in the WC game in 2016, we Mets fans admitted and clearly knew it was a failure and step back,not epic because we didn't improve our team in the off season as usual. The Yankees were up 3-2 on the soon to be World Champs Houston in 2017, blew that, added the NL MVP and got smoked by the Bosux, yet Yankee fans refuse to acknowledge it was a HUGE step backward. Smack talking the Mets doesn't change how their season ended. Pround/YankeeAl, even went into a week long hibernation rather than face the music,after his Yankees Upset alert,Yankees in 4,Boston Sucks prediction and "supposedly"was evolved in one of many fights between Yankee fans and Yankee haters,heard he got his butt handed to him lol. Since we have posters that love to bring up old threads,I say the New Core 4 won't win several WS in the 5 years that were predicted,already 0-2.

Someone got triggered there! :smiley:[cheers]

Any intelligent fan knew the Yankees needed to upgrade their pitching staff to improve. That is why it was not an EPIC FAIL. There will always be crazies on both sides but you win with pitching.

 

[ruready4somefootball]

Someone got triggered there! :smiley:[cheers]

Any intelligent fan knew the Yankees needed to upgrade their pitching staff to improve. That is why it was not an EPIC FAIL. There will always be crazies on both sides but you win with pitching.

Lol, yup triggered, as I said in another post, I don't know how they rate farm systems, and why the Yankees are rated so high, or any other teams for that matter. In my mind,if you bring up your own home grown to play on the MLB level that should count for something, and probably lowers your ranking right there, and if other teams give you the players you need because they covet your young talent that is a true sign of what the true worth of your farm system really is,hence the Yankees only got bottom of the rotation pitching down the stretch,not front line that they needed to still be playing.

 

[ruready4somefootball]

Didn't Proud write Yanks in 4? Just as bad as prediction by Bruce Beck.

But it was in 4, right?:bomb::boom::fire:

 

[Doctor Worm]

Update on the GM search: According to the Bergen Record there are currently six candidates in the pool:

• Doug Melvin, Brewers advisor
• Gary LaRocque, Cardinals director of player development
• Kim Ng, MLB executive
• Chaim Bloom, Rays VP of baseball operations
• DeJon Watson, Nationals special assistant
• Dave Littlefield, Tigers VP of player development. (Latest name to be mentioned.)

Jeff Wilpon and John Ricco are conducting the interviews, with Omar Minaya assisting in the search. But Daddy Fred will likely be the decider. So we'll see...

 

[Zak57]

Anyone besides Bloom on that list is basically a fail. Ng/Watson #2. Littlefield would be a large disaster.

 

[cicero grimes]

I agree with the other posters who suggest hiring Hobbs as GM. He and Jeff can than interview Ash for the manager job. Being blown away by his baseball knowledge they can hire him on the spot. Their common agent can broker the whole deal.

 

[Doctor Worm]

Update on the GM search: According to the Bergen Record there are currently six candidates in the pool:

• Doug Melvin, Brewers advisor
• Gary LaRocque, Cardinals director of player development
• Kim Ng, MLB executive
• Chaim Bloom, Rays VP of baseball operations
• DeJon Watson, Nationals special assistant
• Dave Littlefield, Tigers VP of player development. (Latest name to be mentioned.)

Jeff Wilpon and John Ricco are conducting the interviews, with Omar Minaya assisting in the search. But Daddy Fred will likely be the decider. So we'll see...

Anthony DiComo of mlb.com now reporting that Watson is out of the running and we are down to five. Melvin and LaRocque are old school, Bloom and Ng are more into analytics, and I'm not sure where Littlefield is. Ng is looking to become MLB's first woman GM.

Fred and Jeff will be handling the second round of interviews.

https://www.mlb.com/mets/news/mets-general-manager-candidates-down-to-5/c-299080580

 

[FrankZ]

Metsblog.com

Only site needed for our Metsies. LaRocque out too.

 

[cicero grimes]

NY Post was reporting Thor's agent is also in the running.

 

[rags]

Until the coupons sell the team (or the majority stake) this team will never win a championship ..they may luck their way (all their starters stay healthy and pitch to their potential) into one or more world series like a few years back, but they'll never get the brass ring..

and i am still waiting for steve henderson to blossom into a stud that made it worthwhile to trade tom terrific, which i sense will be a deja vu moment when they trade deGrom or Thor to save a few shekels.

 

[Doctor Worm]

Until the coupons sell the team (or the majority stake) this team will never win a championship ..they may luck their way (all their starters stay healthy and pitch to their potential) into one or more world series like a few years back, but they'll never get the brass ring..

If you can "luck your way" (to use your term) into the World Series, you can luck your way into winning it.

In 2015 the Mets made it to the World Series where they lost 4-1. In three of the four losses they had the lead in the eighth inning or later. Was it the Wilpons' fault that they coughed up those leads?

 

[ruready4somefootball]

If you can "luck your way" (to use your term) into the World Series, you can luck your way into winning it.

In 2015 the Mets made it to the World Series where they lost 4-1. In three of the four losses they had the lead in the eighth inning or later. Was it the Wilpons' fault that they coughed up those leads?

It's the reason why I don't think their that far away from the playoffs again. Two moves,a solid catcher and closer, I believe everything else is either ready to develop into Major League players or can be obtained in the off season.

 

[Andy117]

If you can "luck your way" (to use your term) into the World Series, you can luck your way into winning it.

In 2015 the Mets made it to the World Series where they lost 4-1. In three of the four losses they had the lead in the eighth inning or later. Was it the Wilpons' fault that they coughed up those leads?

It's the Wilpons fault that it wasn't followed up with better results. They could have signed Murphy, a real CR and put a serious investment into the bullpen. They choose to be a small to mid market team and because of that they'll never get consistent winning.