March 5, 2014

Sherman: The Time For Alderson To Act Is Now

In a late night addition to the New York Post, columnist Joel Sherman makes an argument for the Mets to enter an act now, not later, phase in franchise history.  With the teams young arms falling into place, it has become clear that the team's lineup is not sufficient.  With no position prospects set to contribute in even the semi-near future, the Mets will be forced to turn to the trade market if they're going to fill their needs and take this roster to the next level in the coming years.

Sherman quotes Sandy Alderson as saying:

“Patience is not a virtue unless you take advantage of it by exercising it well.  
Patience is only part of a strategy.”

Sherman takes that to mean that Alderson recognizes that the time to "stop stockpiling and start winning" has arrived.  I'm not so sure.  The Mets are prepared to enter the 2014 season with glaring holes in their roster.  Still, the front office refuses to part with any quality arms via trade.  So how are the Mets to fill these holes via trade if they're not willing to give up anything in exchanged?  I think there's a good bit of merit in the work that Alderson has done to date, but if he thinks hes going acquire players for scraps and manage to keep payroll down, he's got another thing coming.

Speaking of payroll.. Alderson told Sherman:

"You will get guys [out in the trade market] who no longer fit their 
organization’s payroll parameters."

For some reason (probably clicks), Sherman uses Jose Reyes as an example here and the notion that if the Blue Jays decide to clean house and Reyes becomes available, the Mets should look to acquire him.  Maybe they should..maybe they shouldn't, but the reality is the Mets didn't sign Reyes before they didn't feel he was worth a $100 million dollar contract.  Is it realistic to think they'll try to acquire him when he's three years older and there is still $70 million and three years remaining on the deal?  I highly doubt it.

Payroll remains the organizations achilles heal.  Until they surprise us and really open their wallets, we're forced to assume the money isn't available.  Its hard to envision Alderson making trades for expensive players who've worn out their welcome elsewhere, because the Mets appear to have stretched their own playroll parameters to their breaking point.  Perhaps this is part of the patience portion of the overall plan, but until I see otherwise, what are we supposed to believe.

I agree wholeheartedly with Sherman that the Mets have reached the end of the "build from within" segment of their rebuild.  At this point, taking the roster to the next level will require outside assistance.  Whether that come via trade or free agency, the organization is going to have to party with its resources.  Prospects are our most plentiful version of currency at this point, so the trade market may be the most efficient route, however I'm not sold on Alderson's front office making the moves until we see them.

1 comment:

  1. Not sure I entirely agree with this view. Sure, I'd like better everyday players, but if you look at what someone like Drew is requiring, I'm not going to trade for a player of his ability with a young arm. I know he's a free agent, but until people like Syndegaard, Montero, deGrom, and a few other arms show their stuff, Mets will get taken trying to move them. Look at how the Giants won, not the last one, but the prior one. I don't believe they had Posey yet, but their lineup included several utility players, like Aubrey Huff, Cody Ross and Freddy Sanchez., all picked up on the cheap, some at the trade deadline. They had Kung Fu Panda and Uribe on the left side, and ex-Met, Angel Pagan in center. This was not an all star lineup. The Mets basically gave up on Pagan, and then he's one of the top players on the Giants within a year or two. Pitching wins. Everyday players can be obtained at the trade deadline. Yes, I'd like a SS, and 1B to be decided. But at 1B, they have options, and the two WS teams this year had Drew, 6-54 in post season and Kozma, who hit even worse, and they were the top teams in their respective leagues, proving you can win with non hitting SS's. But they need to field big time. Pitching and defense are key. Since Jan 2013, the Mets lost to injury, at least in part, Santana, Niese, Hefner, Marcum, Harvey, Meija and Parnell. You can never have enough pitching. Trade the pitchers you don't want, not the ones you do.Maybe after spring training, the Mets will part with some minor league pitchers.

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