Mets

[Spocky Ramone]

Ya know...considering the deals the Mets have given players like Bonilla, Vaughn, Cuddyer, Bell, etc. I don't see why they can't make this happen.

Madoff

D Wright wants it, fans want it...and you can probably put him in right or left after Grandy's contract expires (maybe Conforto to right in the future--his D was solid in left).

Bullseye!

Plus, with the talk of the NL going to a DH sooner than later (Manfred suggested it could be on the table as early as for the 17 season--it will completely end my baseball fandom, but from a business standpoint)...

I would be shocked if it's that soon, I prefer NL ball as well, as I'm sure most NL fans do.

I get that the guy may not be for the dataheads...but the eyes saw some magic last summer.

Dataheads don't get that numbers don't tell the whole story. One of the big shortcomings of saber metrics is the belief that anybody can close games. Pitching in the 8th inning vs the 9th is the difference between working with a net and without one.

Others are loading up and as many have pointed out, no studs on the horizon. In general, gettin' quality outfielders is an issue for many teams nowadays.

And right handed power bats aren't exactly a dime a dozen either

And while I appreciate much of what Alderson has done here...he's also been pretty dag lucky. He didn't even really want to trade for Cespy, and got lucky in my opinion with the Wheeler and Dickey deals...

He got somewhat lucky, but he also made his own luck. He traded Beltran (at the time still an above average player) for a highly rated but unproven pitcher. Giants were shooting for the moon, can't blame them for that. Hopefully Wheeler pans out, but he's got a long way to go. He was showing real promise towards the end of 2014, then Tommy John. He traded Dickey (with a Denton Young to his name) to the Blue Jays, also with designs on a championship, so can't blame them either. We got back unproven commodities again, so far things are looking good on that front, but we still have a ways to go (see Ray Fosse and Steve Avery). While there was a luck component, Sandy seized on the opportunities that presented themselves. He sold high, and got back some good bets, but gambles nonetheless. Now we are going for broke, I hope we don't wind up on the short end of a trade without a WS to show for it.

make this team legit for the next few years, please?

I will bring the milk and sugar

Lastly, like what Bama said about the impact of his bat on the rest of the lineup. Murphy in particular truly benefited from the lineup addition.

What you said!

 

[mjmaherjr]

reports mets and Cespy getting close !

 

[mjmaherjr]

DONE !!!!!!

 

[Sleek718]

Ken RosenthalVerified account
‏@Ken_Rosenthal
Three years, $75M for Cespedes from #Mets.

smart. big bucks for Ces, no long term...interesting. Think he really wanted to be here too. let's hope the love affair continues!

 

[mjmaherjr]

and if he opts out after 1 so be it. Great move !!

 

[MainMan]

Shocked. But thrilled.

Granderson
Walker
Wright
Cespedes
Duda
Conforto
D'arnaud
New SS whose name I forgot
deGrom, Harvey, Noah, Matz, Bartolo/Wheeler

 

[mjmaherjr]

Shocked. But thrilled.

Granderson
Walker
Wright
Cespedes
Duda
Conforto
D'arnaud
New SS whose name I forgot
deGrom, Harvey, Noah, Matz, Bartolo/Wheeler

and improved bullpen

 

[Sleek718]

bugged...

he can out after one year.

no trade clause.

interesting contract. Ces can cash in big next year, or make up the 25 mil difference in the years after the contract that the five year offer from the nats would have guaranteed.

so interesting.

and the starting pitching...Noah and Matz...if they can make the kind of progress the others have after two years?

how do we raid the Yankees bullpen?

 

[mjmaherjr]

LOVE the creativity of the contract to get it done

 

[Sleek718]

LOVE the creativity of the contract to get it done

until of course Cespedes has like 40HR, 318 avg, 125 RBI and wins a gold glove and WS mvp...

imagine the contract he could seek? haha.

but the present is encouraging indeed.

i love that he wanted to be here and that Wright spoke of him as a good teammate. Maybe it was meant to be, a Mets deity?

 

[bamafan]

Now was the time to spend on hitting while we have cheap great young pitching cause when it's time to pay pitchers we won't be able to afford hitters will have to rely on young players.

 

[Andrew]

Shocked. But thrilled.

Granderson
Walker
Wright
Cespedes
Duda
Conforto
D'arnaud
New SS whose name I forgot
deGrom, Harvey, Noah, Matz, Bartolo/Wheeler

It's funny but I have no interest in learning the shortstops name. Frankly I was fine with Flores and Tejada. Same for the new outfielder. I can't forget Bastardo's name.

 

[DaTiger]

I don't think Wright will hit that high in the lineup. More like 7 or 8. Maybe on opening day, but that is it.

 

[MarkRedman]

Shocked. But thrilled.

Granderson
Walker
Wright
Cespedes
Duda
Conforto
D'arnaud
New SS whose name I forgot
deGrom, Harvey, Noah, Matz, Bartolo/Wheeler

and improved bullpen

Love that name - Bastardo
I've called some of my friends that name for many years
Now my only hope is that he can get people out

 

[SI1996]

Shocked.. Shocked the Wilpons approved. I love the opt out after the first year. We get a motivated power hitter.

Not saying it happens day 1 but given Collins affinity for left/righty bats in the lineup, I say it turns into:

Grandy
Wright
Conforto
Cespedes
Duda
D'Arnaud
Walker
Cabrera
Pitcher

 

[we are sju]

Awesome! Even if he has a great year next year he would have to opt out of $50 million dollars, so won't be an easy choice. Either way great for coming season.

 

[Spocky Ramone]

Nice job putting the team together by Sandy. We have a ton of flexibility for 2016.

Our starting outfield should be Conforto in left, Cespedes in center, Grandy in right. We can play Lagares out there a bit, and see if he's 2014 (solid bat, gold glove) or 2015 (Teflon, bad d, hopefully due to a now-healed injury). If he doesn't return to form, no worries, but if he does, he's positioned for 2017 is Cespedes leaves. Also not as dependent on Conforto, hopefully he escapes the sophomore jinx.

I think Wright hits second in the lineup. What if the back is an issue? We have clutch Wilmer to back him up. Walker can also play third. And the team is very high on Dilson Herrera and Matt Reynolds as the future Backman/Gardenhire. They also have another shortstop in the minors who they like, although the name escapes me. As far as current up-the-middle, both are switch hitters and have some pop in their bats.

I think streaky Lucas continues as he has for the last 2 years - 25+ taters, 90+ rbis, lengthy slumps, game wrecking ability (see game#4 2015 NLCS).

I like d'Arnaud, but I hate the "one glaring weakness". If he continues to rake, look for the Mets to move him to another position in the future (a la Craig Biggio). Plawecki was starting to heat up when Travis returned, and he looked good behind the plate. I think in a few years, both are in the lineup every day.

Nothing to say about the starting pitching that you don't already know.

They went over Bastardo on FAN yesterday. He dominates Freddie Freeman and Bryce Harper. Familia is awesome, and I like Reed as an 8th inning guy. I wouldn't mind seeing Clippard back, they just need to rest him at some point because he ran out of gas late in the season. And good news! Jenrry Mejia will be back in time for game #99. He will undoubtedly be suspended after game #112.

The thing I like best is that guys want to be here (except maybe Matt Harvey). Wheeler called the front office and told them he wanted to be a Met when rumors of a pending trade surfaced. Yoenis wants to be here. Clutch Wilmer's position need not be documented here. Thor came out and said he loves NY and wants to retire a Met.

And what of Matt Harvey? I think he has a major season. I'm talking a Denton-esque performance this year, which will guarantee that the Mets will trade him after he rampages through the Canyon of Heroes (Kool-Aid much?). I hope he stays - if he does, he could be a Met all-time great. If he goes to the Bronx, he'll be just another hired gun.

Seems today's theme music for me is a Led Zeppelin selection.

 

[Andrew]

Nice job putting the team together by Sandy. We have a ton of flexibility for 2016.

Our starting outfield should be Conforto in left, Cespedes in center, Grandy in right. We can play Lagares out there a bit, and see if he's 2014 (solid bat, gold glove) or 2015 (Teflon, bad d, hopefully due to a now-healed injury). If he doesn't return to form, no worries, but if he does, he's positioned for 2017 is Cespedes leaves. Also not as dependent on Conforto, hopefully he escapes the sophomore jinx.

I think Wright hits second in the lineup. What if the back is an issue? We have clutch Wilmer to back him up. Walker can also play third. And the team is very high on Dilson Herrera and Matt Reynolds as the future Backman/Gardenhire. They also have another shortstop in the minors who they like, although the name escapes me. As far as current up-the-middle, both are switch hitters and have some pop in their bats.

I think streaky Lucas continues as he has for the last 2 years - 25+ taters, 90+ rbis, lengthy slumps, game wrecking ability (see game#4 2015 NLCS).

I like d'Arnaud, but I hate the "one glaring weakness". If he continues to rake, look for the Mets to move him to another position in the future (a la Craig Biggio). Plawecki was starting to heat up when Travis returned, and he looked good behind the plate. I think in a few years, both are in the lineup every day.

Nothing to say about the starting pitching that you don't already know.

They went over Bastardo on FAN yesterday. He dominates Freddie Freeman and Bryce Harper. Familia is awesome, and I like Reed as an 8th inning guy. I wouldn't mind seeing Clippard back, they just need to rest him at some point because he ran out of gas late in the season. And good news! Jenrry Mejia will be back in time for game #99. He will undoubtedly be suspended after game #112.

The thing I like best is that guys want to be here (except maybe Matt Harvey). Wheeler called the front office and told them he wanted to be a Met when rumors of a pending trade surfaced. Yoenis wants to be here. Clutch Wilmer's position need not be documented here. Thor came out and said he loves NY and wants to retire a Met.

And what of Matt Harvey? I think he has a major season. I'm talking a Denton-esque performance this year, which will guarantee that the Mets will trade him after he rampages through the Canyon of Heroes (Kool-Aid much?). I hope he stays - if he does, he could be a Met all-time great. If he goes to the Bronx, he'll be just another hired gun.

Seems today's theme music for me is a Led Zeppelin selection.

Great writeup but please no more Clippard or his friend he recommended O'Flaherty.

 

[bobo]

A CESPEDES FOR THE REST OF US!

Jerry Seinfeld
✔ ‎@JerrySeinfeld
"I reached for Cespedes, but so did another team. As I rained money upon him, I realized there had to be another way. A one-year opt out."

 

[beast of the east]

Great job by Sandy.

If Cespedes opts out at this salary, it's because he had an awesome season. If he ha an awesome season, we are likely headed back to the playoffs. If that happens again, increased ticket sales will pay his salary, and the Mets will extend him, and Cespedes will want to stay. Win win.