Sandy Alderson and the New York Mets continued to rack up a slew of negative headlines on Monday in Florida.
The Mets 2015 season was nothing short of magical. The city genuinely turned to a Mets town for that postseason run. The owners of the team saw the excitement, and they also saw the green that came along with it.
Rumors were flying around the team earlier this offseason. They were intrigued by Shohei Ohtani, talking to the Tigers about Ian Kinsler, and looking to add a veteran starter to contend in 2018.
Yet here we are. The cross-town rival Yankees just traded for the reigning NL MVP, Giancarlo Stanton, a player the Mets know well. He also just so happens to have the largest contract in MLB history.
You see, the Yankees just invigorated the city that they took back from the Mets this year and did so by adding more to an already stacked roster. They did not do what the Mets did after the 2016 season, which was to bring in no new talent and settle for retaining the players that barely achieved them a Wild Card berth to begin with.
So after a bad weekend of news for the team, what will the Mets answer be?
It looks like there will not be one.
It’s hard to believe that the men who own the #Mets could have witnessed how ga-ga the city was for them in 2015, and observed how ga-ha it was for the #Yankees this year, and not be willing to spend to remain a part of it. Why even own the team then? What’s the point?
— Mike Vaccaro (@MikeVacc) December 11, 2017
I guess it’s sometimes true that not making a move can be the right move. It’s true that it’s often foolish to make a move just for the sake of making headlines, but the Mets, as only the Mets could do, made negative headlines on the day Stanton was introduced in Pinstripes.
First, there was the Matt Harvey for Jurickson Profar rumor, courtesy of FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman.
Matt Harvey for Jurickson Profar has been discussed. Nothing firm.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 11, 2017
After tendering Harvey a contract just weeks ago, would the Mets really sell him at his lowest value for a player who is a .229 hitter at the major league level?
Of course, Harvey has had his share of arm injuries, and surely that has hindered his effectiveness, but Profar has had Tommy John surgery along with a shoulder procedure.
And if that news was not enough to have Mets fans holding their breath, more broke from the Winter Meetings today.
#Orioles also talking to #Mets about Matt Harvey, sources tell The Athletic. #Rangers’ interest noted by @Evan_P_Grant and @JonHeyman.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 11, 2017
So what are we doing here? How does this make any sense? Why would the Mets move a guy like Harvey for a reliever on the Orioles or a failed prospect from the Rangers?
Your guess is as good as mine. It couldn’t get worse for Mets fans could it?
Yeah, it could, and it did. The Mets money restrictions came back up again today, and it just went to show the difference between the Yankees and Mets organizations.
Not great optics when the NY team nine miles down the road invests $265M in one player and a day later #Mets are scared by an overheated market for relief pitchers.
— David Lennon (@DPLennon) December 11, 2017
The Mets are now reportedly not going to spend top money on a reliever. Nor will they be spending their money on a starting pitcher.
Alderson intimates Mets won't acquire a starting pitcher https://t.co/P97QdbSRUT
— MetsBlog.com (@metsblog) December 10, 2017
And while they’ve been active in the trade market for a second baseman, there was this.
Alderson on trade possibilities: "Our minor league system right now is not brimming with prospects."
— Mike Puma (@NYPost_Mets) December 10, 2017
So let’s summarize. The Mets were not expecting such a heated relief market in a league that has become centered around bullpen depth and quality. The Mets farm system is not strong enough to make trades for a second base upgrade.
The Mets will not be adding a veteran starter to a rotation that had only one pitcher that lasted the entire year. Conversely, they prefer to move one of their starting pitchers from an already thin rotation for a relief option that is cheaper than the available free agents.
It is a tough time to be a Mets fan. Right now, nothing surrounding this team is making any sense.
