New York Mets: Should the Mets Upgrade at First Base?
By Dylan Smith
Should the New York Mets look to upgrade at first base, or do they have an in-house option ready to take the role? Could Peter Alonso be the solution?
The New York Mets are expected to be aggressive in the offseason as they prepare to be competitive in 2019. The Mets have room to upgrade at first, second and third base. With Jay Bruce and Wilmer Flores expected to receive most of the reps at first base, we are left to wonder, should the team find an upgrade?
The answer is NO.
General Manager of the New York Mets, Brodie Van Wagenen, is on record saying that top-prospect, Peter Alonso, HAS A CHANCE to be the team’s Opening Day first baseman. Personally, I believe that the Mets SHOULD give Alonso EVERY CHANCE to earn the spot. He has played well at every level of the Minor Leagues and deserves his shot to break into the Mets’ everyday starting lineup.
With the Arizona Fall League coming to an end, Peter Alonso finishes 2018 with a total of 42 home runs. Alonso crushed seven home runs during the Arizona Fall League and 36 between Double/Triple-A during the Minor League season.
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The Mets’ slugger has shown that he has the potential to be an impact bat, now he just has to prove it at the big league level. He can’t prove his potential without being given the chance. For a Mets team looking to add offense, they should seriously consider the option that they have within their organization.
There are concerns about his fielding ability, but throwing him into the fire may be the perfect medicine to get him to take the next step in his development. Alonso showed his ability to adjust during the Minor League season, as he first struggled after receiving the call to Triple-A, Las Vegas. After a few slow weeks, Alonso quickly turned his season around.
Now from a team point of view, the Mets should keep Alonso in the Minor Leagues for the first two weeks of the regular season, where Bruce/Flores could fill in. This would allow the team to have an extra year of control over their slugger. It’s not an injustice to Alonso, it’s more of an injustice to the fans, but the Mets need to “play the game” in order to get the most value out of their asset.
From what Peter Alonso has shown the organization, I believe that he will be the main first baseman for the New York Mets in 2019 because of his talent, and his attitude. Alonso was clearly bothered when the club did not promote him in 2018, but he continued to hit for the rest of the season and then took his hot bat to the AFL. The slugger finished his winter league stint tied for the league lead in home runs.
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I feel that the young righty believes that he has something to prove, and I think that it is reasonable to assume that this attitude will only help him continue to improve. I would not be surprised if Peter Alonso arrives at Spring Training in the best shape of his life and is ready to mash balls for the New York Mets. They are in dire need of a right-handed slugger.