Mets Must Write Their Own Story

A lot has been written this winter already about the path the Mets will take in rebuilding the roster.  Blog posts have likened the current state of the team to the Boston Red Sox, this time last year.  Others hope to see the Mets go the route of the St. Louis Cardinals.  I've even seen one or two articles talk about the free agent acquisitions made by the Detroit Tigers last winter.  Which will it be?  Which should it be?  In my opinion, none of the above.

I can't count the number of teams who've tried to emulate the New York Yankees' attempts to purchase a championship.  On an annual basis, the Yanks have boasted the highest payroll in the game.  It guarantees nothing...  Other teams have gone that route, to include the Mets, Angels, Dodgers and more.  Spend all you want, but its often the right players, not the "best" ones who bring home the hardware.

There are reasons the Mets can't just follow the paths of the other currently successful teams.  First and foremost, those teams don't play in New York.  Like it or not, there is something to be said about the media grind that goes along with playing in the big city.  Not everyone can handle it... Further more, those teams haven't had to endure the financial burdens the Mets have over recent years.  How that has impacting the decision making during Sandy Alderson's tenure, we may never know.

I want to see the Mets do their own thing, the right way.  You've committed to not over paying.  Okay, I guess.  But you had best find someone to take a chance on.  Give fans a reason to come back to the park.  This fan base doesn't have the patience to sit through an extended wait like the Pittsburgh Pirate's faithful apparently did. This is New York..we need action and we needed it two offseasons ago.

I'm not advocating a spend at all costs idea by any means.  I'm just no longer comfortable with the status quo.  I want to see the Mets finally complete the plans we've been hearing about for years.  Go get the young, under contract studs in exchange for some of the young talent we've stockpiled.  Bring in the aging veterans on decent contract to both support and tutor our youngsters.  Make it happen the way you've been preaching since you arrived.

Many of us bought in three years ago.  We've sat through the slim down.  Now we want the results we've been waiting for.  While I'd sign up for the results of the teams I mentioned above in a heartbeat, I want to see the Mets earn their own stripes.  Big market baseball on a mid-major salary scale.  You told me it could work, now prove it!

Who Should The Mets Move? Jon Niese or Dillon Gee

Photo Courtesy of @Lets86It

With the New York Mets set to enter the trade market this winter, they are going to have to trade something to get something.  If there is one area of strength within the organization, it is starting pitching, but the Mets don't seem eager to go down that path just yet.

Even prior to his need for Tommy John surgery, Matt Harvey was going to be untouchable.  The same likely goes for Alderson's star acquisition to date, Zack Wheeler, and the team's front office has stated it will not part with top prospect, Noah Syndergaard.  If those three aren't available, teams will have to look at the Mets only remaining Major League caliber offerings: Jon Niese and/or Dillon Gee.

If I had to chose, I would say that Jon Niese has the higher ceiling of the two.  The only lefty in the Mets rotation for much of the season, he remains under contract through at least the 2016 season with team options for both 2017 and 2018.  At minimum he's owed only $21 million over the next three seasons.  When in control of his pitches, Niese has a good fastball and an excellent curveball.  However, the issue with Jon remains health as he pitched only 143 innings last year and seems to often battle fatigue issues throughout the year.  Despite never having a major arm ailment, this may be a red flag to inquiring minds.

Dillon Gee is a different kind of pitcher.  Despite leading the Mets with twelve wins in 2013, Gee would probably be shopped as a young, consistent back of the rotation arm who has gotten better each of the past three seasons.  Like Niese, Gee remains under team control through 2016, as he is just entering his first arbitration eligible year right now.  That likely makes him a cheaper option than Jon.  Furthermore, with the exception of a circulatory issue in his throwing arm in 2012, Gee has been much more dependable from an injury standpoint.

Photo Courtesy of @Lets86It

Each pitcher has their upsides, with both having the capabilities to impact the starting rotation wherever they hypothetically land.  I have been a big defender of Niese, as I have long believed he had the stuff to be an ace at the Major League level, but he just doesn't have the consistency to put it together.  Gee on the other hand is what he is, a #4 starter at best who you can be certain is going to give you six or so effective innings every time he takes the mound.  There is a ton of value in that!

I suppose what I'm saying is that I would prefer to see the Mets part with Jon Niese at this point if I had to chose between the two.  I think the fact that he is a lefty with a higher ceiling may make him more attractive on the trade market.  Along with the fact that the acquiring team could have him under their wing for as many as five years at a reasonable price also serves him well.

For everything he does well, I just think Niese remains the bigger question mark for the Mets between the two.  His seemingly repetitive trips to the disabled list make me wonder if a major arm event is in the cards going forward.  The Mets have too many of those to navigate as it is, and while Dillon Gee could just as easily fall victim to the same fate, the writing appears to be on the wall for Niese. 

Whether either gets traded or where they might end up remains to be seen, however each of the Blue Jays, Rockies and Red Sox have had interest in Niese in the past.  Each of those teams have players that the Mets should be interested in this winter.  Does that mean anything at this point?  I don't know, but if it were my decision to make Jon Niese is the man I move this winter.

Like what you read?  Follow me on Twitter at @RobPatterson83.

Mets Have Already Started Tempering Fan Expectations

With the offseason less than a week old, the New York Mets wasted little time in trying to temper the expectations of Mets fans for this winter.  With as much as $50 million to spend and a variety of talent throughout the minor leagues, the Mets appeared poised to have a big winter.  However in recent days, the Mets  have instead floated the notion of following the models employed by the Boston Red Sox and the Cleveland Indians.

What do those two franchises have in common?  Well first and foremost they find themselves in the post-season right now, but more importantly its the way they've gotten there.  Instead of dealing out large contracts to premiere players, each has chosen to add multiple mid-level free agents to round out its roster.

On the surface this is the obvious route Sandy Alderson would take in building a better baseball team.  Hesitant to allocate significant money via long-term contracts, mid-level acquisitions provide him to opportunity to rebuild the team and maintain his business model.  It makes sense, and in all reality could work.  Lord knows there is far more than one way to build a successful franchise, but its not without its risks.

This will undoubtedly be spun by fans and the media as yet another excuse to spend money.  Those who make that claim could be correct.  After all, the Mets still play baseball in New York.  A big market city with big market expectations.  Long term contracts rarely work out for the better (See: Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez, etc.), but those are the type of players that will draw fans to the ballpark.  The Mets often reference attendance numbers impacting their payroll.  The only way mid-level free agent signing increase those numbers is if the team starts winning, and that is a big if.

Referencing the Red Sox and Indians is a bit of a cop-out because it cites a very small sample size.  There are plenty of teams who live in the mid-level free agent range.  The majority don't excel.  Whats to say the Mets will?  For three years now the team's front office has played a risky game of chicken with its fan base.  If this is the route they chose to travel this winter, both could be on a nasty collision course. We've sat through the bad contracts that have resulted in bad baseball, now its time for our patience to be rewarded.  A half dozen mediocre signings certainly aren't the reward we've been looking for.