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New York Mets: Enough with the Justifications

By Joseph Romano

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 20: General Manager Brodie Van Wagenen and Chief Operating Officer Jeff Wilpon of the New York Mets, talk on the field during batting practice moments after Van Wagenen held a press conference before an MLB baseball game against the Washington Nationals on May 20, 2019 at Citi Field in the Queens borough of New York City. Mets won 5-3. (Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 20: General Manager Brodie Van Wagenen and Chief Operating Officer Jeff Wilpon of the New York Mets, talk on the field during batting practice moments after Van Wagenen held a press conference before an MLB baseball game against the Washington Nationals on May 20, 2019 at Citi Field in the Queens borough of New York City. Mets won 5-3. (Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images) /
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The New York Mets just missed out on a 2019 postseason berth and the 2020 offseason is primed to be a vital one in sustaining the future viability of the current roster. Therefore, important decisions must be made or else they will slink back into mediocrity.

A trademark of the New York Mets offseason rhetoric has long been the act of justification of inaction or half measures as the best option. Brodie Van Wagenen is attempting to sell the fanbase on the moves he is planning.

These moves will determine the Mets’ future – whether or not their window will close or be opened further. However, they will also be dictated by an increasingly slim payroll above all else.

One year remains on the ghastly albatross of the Yoenis Cespedes contract and with other money coming off of the books it appears that it is time to spend. It should be stated that a championship-contending team does not, to any extent, need a high payroll to properly build an adequate roster.

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Yet, the Mets have squandered all of their trade assets and crippled their farm system, thus they have been forced into a situation where spending is the only option. To trade any more assets than they already have would completely deplete the prospect core.

Therefore, when a name such as Anthony Rendon or Gerrit Cole is floated in regard to the New York Mets, it should not be brushed off as a luxury that they simply cannot afford. Rather, it must be thoroughly pursued, as such an injection of talent is the life force that will propel this team to success.

Rendon is an MVP candidate and the acquisition of such a talent cannot be pushed aside because they signed Jed Lowrie. Lowrie had seven at-bats in 2019, while Rendon reached an OPS above 1,000 in 646 of them. If this organization is resigned to saving money, then at least accept it and own it.

Having Jed Lowrie cannot be an excuse for anything considering there has been no proof that he can actually play in the last year. It is true that optimally Jeff McNeil would be the optimal third baseman, yet having an outfield of J.D. Davis, Brandon Nimmo, and Michael Conforto is simply untenable. Having a probable DH playing LF is too deep of a liability to assume when Nimmo would be out of position playing CF.

Next. Revisiting Joe Kelly deal after first season. dark

This team’s foundation is half measures of being fine with players playing out of position or making up for a lack of relievers with starters. This offseason they must admit what they are to themselves and do what they can to fix it.

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