Joel Sherman is a nagging hysteric disguised as a sports reporter. Steve Cohen is not pulling a Wilpon. Running a baseball team is complicated and he will get better at it. Joel Sherman will, however, never change.
Sidenote2: Isn't it strange how some people wanted the Mets to "do more" at the deadline. Which means, obviously, trading guys like Mauricio, Alvarez, or Ginn for a 60-game rental. And yet these same people LOST THEIR MINDS when BVW traded Kelenic for 4 years of Diaz.
Totally see your point. To be fair, though, there is room for nuance here. Disliking the Kellenic deal because you traded two #1 picks for a reliever (when there were plenty of free agent closers available) while also having to take on the worst contract in the sport doesn't automatically make you opposed to trading prospects at all. In this case, there's an argument to be made that the Mets were within striking distance of a division title (they were in 1st place, after all), and there were good rentals available that went elsewhere (Bryant, Kimbrel, etc), while their division rival Atlanta filled several holes. So it doesn't seem totally incoherent to dislike the Kellenic deal while hoping for a more active trade deadline this year.
I think the 2019 team was better than the 2021 team and, with average seasons from Syndergaard and Diaz, the Mets take the Division and possibly make a run in the playoffs. The Kelenic trade brought them 8 years of two quality ML players (Cano, at the time, sure seemed like a good hitter, albeit overpaid). They also dumped like $30 million in contracts on that deal. It's just strange to me that people wish we traded for Scherzer and 60 games, giving up at least Alvarez in the process. I mean, the Mets could have gotten Kimbrel (he'd be well rested!), Bryant and Baez and I don't think that gets them past the Braves. That deal would have cost Alvarez and Ginn, at minimum. How can people be in favor of that rental . . . in this season, without Jake . . . and hate the Diaz trade? One answer is the Cult of Sandy.
I hear what you're saying, but I just don't believe that Robinson Cano is a quality MLB player. I didn't think he was at 36 and he definitely isn't at 38. AND he is still owed $40m in 2022 and 2023. He hit .256/.307 in 2019. In 2020, he hit .316 b/c he was back on steroids. In fact, the best thing Cano has done as a Met is test positive for PEDs so he saved Steve Cohen $20m that he was able to spend on taking on the final year of Lindor's Cleveland contract.
I'm certainly not arguing that the Mets, given the info they apparently had at the time about deGrom, should have traded away more prospects this season for more rentals, but what I don't understand is giving up a first round pick for 2 months of a guy having a down year who has a career .302 OBP. I think you either go for it, or you hold your chips and wait until next year. These half-measures are terrible for the long-term viability of a franchise.
Having said all that, I am rooting like hell for Baez to smell a big contract and go on a tear this last month plus. #LGM
Sidenote: I found the media coverage of Baez to be schizophrenic. When he plays well, he's the greatest player on the planet!!!! Then he does nothing for 3 games and it's media silence.
I'm not one to declare "it's over" prematurely -- there are no prizes for being the first to give up, even if you are correct -- so there's always hope. The Mets need to get through these three games against the Giants, hopefully take two, then get 15 straight vs. the Nats & Marlins. If they can close the gap to three games after that stretch, they'll have 20 games left on the schedule. I think that's my goal if I'm the Mets. Close the gap over the next 18 games and see where we're at. The Braves need to falter.
Joel Sherman is a nagging hysteric disguised as a sports reporter. Steve Cohen is not pulling a Wilpon. Running a baseball team is complicated and he will get better at it. Joel Sherman will, however, never change.
Agreed.
Sidenote2: Isn't it strange how some people wanted the Mets to "do more" at the deadline. Which means, obviously, trading guys like Mauricio, Alvarez, or Ginn for a 60-game rental. And yet these same people LOST THEIR MINDS when BVW traded Kelenic for 4 years of Diaz.
Totally see your point. To be fair, though, there is room for nuance here. Disliking the Kellenic deal because you traded two #1 picks for a reliever (when there were plenty of free agent closers available) while also having to take on the worst contract in the sport doesn't automatically make you opposed to trading prospects at all. In this case, there's an argument to be made that the Mets were within striking distance of a division title (they were in 1st place, after all), and there were good rentals available that went elsewhere (Bryant, Kimbrel, etc), while their division rival Atlanta filled several holes. So it doesn't seem totally incoherent to dislike the Kellenic deal while hoping for a more active trade deadline this year.
I think the 2019 team was better than the 2021 team and, with average seasons from Syndergaard and Diaz, the Mets take the Division and possibly make a run in the playoffs. The Kelenic trade brought them 8 years of two quality ML players (Cano, at the time, sure seemed like a good hitter, albeit overpaid). They also dumped like $30 million in contracts on that deal. It's just strange to me that people wish we traded for Scherzer and 60 games, giving up at least Alvarez in the process. I mean, the Mets could have gotten Kimbrel (he'd be well rested!), Bryant and Baez and I don't think that gets them past the Braves. That deal would have cost Alvarez and Ginn, at minimum. How can people be in favor of that rental . . . in this season, without Jake . . . and hate the Diaz trade? One answer is the Cult of Sandy.
I hear what you're saying, but I just don't believe that Robinson Cano is a quality MLB player. I didn't think he was at 36 and he definitely isn't at 38. AND he is still owed $40m in 2022 and 2023. He hit .256/.307 in 2019. In 2020, he hit .316 b/c he was back on steroids. In fact, the best thing Cano has done as a Met is test positive for PEDs so he saved Steve Cohen $20m that he was able to spend on taking on the final year of Lindor's Cleveland contract.
I'm certainly not arguing that the Mets, given the info they apparently had at the time about deGrom, should have traded away more prospects this season for more rentals, but what I don't understand is giving up a first round pick for 2 months of a guy having a down year who has a career .302 OBP. I think you either go for it, or you hold your chips and wait until next year. These half-measures are terrible for the long-term viability of a franchise.
Having said all that, I am rooting like hell for Baez to smell a big contract and go on a tear this last month plus. #LGM
Sidenote: I found the media coverage of Baez to be schizophrenic. When he plays well, he's the greatest player on the planet!!!! Then he does nothing for 3 games and it's media silence.
I'm not one to declare "it's over" prematurely -- there are no prizes for being the first to give up, even if you are correct -- so there's always hope. The Mets need to get through these three games against the Giants, hopefully take two, then get 15 straight vs. the Nats & Marlins. If they can close the gap to three games after that stretch, they'll have 20 games left on the schedule. I think that's my goal if I'm the Mets. Close the gap over the next 18 games and see where we're at. The Braves need to falter.