Awful front office hire - CHECK
Missing out on their top FA target due to cost - CHECK
Are the Wilpon's still running the Mets? 😁
Home /
Mets Thoughts / Opinion: Mets Are Still in Great Shape Even Without Springer
Opinion: Mets Are Still in Great Shape Even Without Springer
While they would have loved to slot Springer into center field everyday, this offseason has already been a success and there are plenty of moves yet to be made.
If the season were to start tomorrow, the Mets would comprise one of the best lineups in the National League with
Dominic Smith in left field and
Brandon Nimmo out in center.
MLB Network released their annual “Top 10 Left Fielders Right Now” last night, and Smith was ranked sixth on that
list. Last week, Nimmo was
ranked fifth on their “Top 10 Center Fielders Right Now”.
Considering the fact that
Michael Conforto was ranked ninth on that same list for right fielders last year (and is coming off a career-year), it is fair to assume he will crack this year’s top-10 ranking as well.
With all that being said, can we really knock the Mets for not signing Springer when they already feature three top-10 outfielders at their respective positions?
There is no doubting that Springer would have been an excellent fit for the Mets, but they wanted to sign him on their terms and the Blue Jays needed him more. Now the Mets will pivot to some of their secondary options and luckily there is still plenty of talent to chose from.
Jackie Bradley Jr. has always been the top defensive center fielder on the market and as Metsmerized’s
Mike Mayer reported weeks ago, the Mets have been in contact with the 30-year-old free agent.
New York could pair Bradley with
Jake Marisnick, adding a pair of elite defensive outfielders who could form an exciting center field platoon. With the money that would have been allocated to Springer, the Mets could potentially land both Bradley and Marisnick, while still having some left over to spend on an elite reliever like
Brad Hand.
Kike Hernandez has also been mentioned as a potential target for the Mets, as the former Dodger has thrived in a super utility role, with the ability to play everywhere but catcher.
Both the free agent and the trade market are currently saturated with talent, giving New York the freedom to explore all options and search for the best deals.
Let’s also not forget that 2021 is not the end all be all for this team. Steve Cohen expects to be competitive every year and without Springer on the books long-term, there is now even more room to extend players like Conforto and
Francisco Lindor, while also being able to spend in free agency next offseason as well.
While it would have been great to see the Mets land yet another superstar this offseason, there is no reason to cry over spilled milk at this point. This franchise is in far better shape than they have been in some time and missing out on a single free agent does not change that in the slightest.
Clearly, the Mets have had a great off season, and will continue to force other teams to pay more than they would have in the past with a Mets ownership ready to pay way more. Get used to the new owner on the block, and your jealously is showing more than a dress wearing women's undies in a wind storm.
