OT: Mets 2026 Season Thread

[Zak57]

I don't think the Adley package was all that much of an overpay, maybe a slight one. Eyanson having a great year but Witherspoon has been terrible even though a high pick. Catching is really tough to find so they're always going to go for a premium.

 

[cubuffsdoug_rivals]

This season has been awful. Almost every move that Stearns made went wrong. However, this team wasn't going to be that much better with Nimmo, Pete and McNeil. They're a total of 4.6 War for this year.

The team's winning percentage with and without Soto this year, inmy opinion, was the most important statistics for this awful season.

The one consistent factor is Stearns, and he's still around to make important decisions. Players have come and gone, but Stearns is still making bad decisions that dig a deeper hole for the organization.

Bullpens are generally inconsistent from year to year. The Mets bullpen era was half a point higher last year with Diaz having one the best seasons in franchise history.

There are going to be plenty of relievers in free agency. Signing the right guys is the what the FO gets paid for.

I'm more worried about hitting next season. If Bo decides to become a free agent, which he probably will. Then he will be the best hitter on the market and we're not resigning him. It's a lean FA market for hitters next year.

We're going to have to really rely on Polanco, Simian, Baty and Vientos, unless we make some trades. Aside from Polanco maybe having a bounce back, the rest are who they are.

I don't trust Stearns to sign anyone of quality in the BP. He has a track record of sh*tting the bed when it comes to pitching. Don't expect Stearns to sign any quality position players because they will cost too much for his taste, and anything more than 2 years is too rich for him.

 

[Knight Shift]

We are college football fans. We have learned what it is like to root for strangers. We will adapt, if those strangers win.

Respectfully disagree. While GS has his issues as HC, he has kept a core of players together on both sides of the ball- most importantly, the playmakers in the QB, the RB and the WR, among others. And yes, college football players have a much more finite time period to be part of the team.
Maybe I'm old fashioned and I have to get over my sentimental ways about the way it was. At this immediate point in time, it's weird having to cheer for Lindor, Baty and Alvarez. But the new guys, namely McLean, Ewing and Benge, have provided a ray of hope for the future, and let's hope the dolt in charge does not trade them away.

 

[Zak57]

Did he not sign Weaver, Minter, Raley, trade for Braz? All good moves and the pen was one of the bright spots this season.

 

[Knight Shift]

Did he not sign Weaver, Minter, Raley, trade for Braz? All good moves and the pen was one of the bright spots this season.

They're all gone sir. . . . .

 

[Doctor Worm]

The Mets nine man pitching staff as it currently stands:

STARTERS:
Nolan McLean
Christian Scott
Zac Thornton
Sean Manaea
Robert Stock

RELIEVERS:
Devin Williams
Daniel Duarte
Kodai Senga
Bryce Conley (I have no idea either.)

Need four more. One will be Jefry Yan, a rookie lefty who turns 30 this month. He reportedly has hit 101 on the gun, so there's that.

The other three will likely be names we will recognize from the Syracuse/Queens shuttle.

They will also need another position player. On the Syracuse roster, there are a ton of guys with MLB experience to choose from.

 

[yesrutgers01]

Respectfully disagree. While GS has his issues as HC, he has kept a core of players together on both sides of the ball- most importantly, the playmakers in the QB, the RB and the WR, among others. And yes, college football players have a much more finite time period to be part of the team.
Maybe I'm old fashioned and I have to get over my sentimental ways about the way it was. At this immediate point in time, it's weird having to cheer for Lindor, Baty and Alvarez. But the new guys, namely McLean, Ewing and Benge, have provided a ray of hope for the future, and let's hope the dolt in charge does not trade them away.

Agree with you here - as college football fans- we do associate our teams with the players we watched develop. And then we watch them at the next level. It is so different

 

[yesrutgers01]

Did he not sign Weaver, Minter, Raley, trade for Braz? All good moves and the pen was one of the bright spots this season.

And did he not F up everything else so badly that the couple of good "complimentary" moves he made, had to be traded away. IF Stearns made a real "roster" in his vision- not a !b that never played the position, not a SS that cant play anywhere in the field, a 2B that has become bad at everything- then we would be contending and he would keep these guys for a WS run and then he gets credit for good signings- but once you do a fire sale to move guys- you no longer get to say "hey, I signed them in the first place"

 

[Doctor Worm]

Honest answer - Here is my historical Stearns timeline. I thought it was a great hire. Year 1- hit some lightning in a bottle. Seve, Manaea worked out and Senga was looking like an Ace. Though- Councell not really considering to follow him over gave me just a little hesitation. OK- but we ended on a good note. I stayed a bit status quo until Stearns big moves were Montas and Manaea but he really wanted no part of Soto and already trying to push Pete out. OK- well, let's see how the season plays out. Starts strong even though his two big pitching signings were no where to be found - but last year's trade deadline was the kicker for me- every move he made sucked or made no sense that he got no SP's. That was just irresponsible in so many ways. And the trade deadline is what lost the season- not the players on the field. Season collapse. Like many- just get rid of Stearns now. So, we see how it plays out- Every move he made just looked terrible on paper. His reasoning -run prevention was just something he said to try to justify it. So- at that point- I was completely done with this idiot.
But, I hear posters like yourself and Zak- both very reasonable and knowledable. And fairly respected sports people on TV and radio - all say, he has a plan, give him time to let the plan work. So, before the season- you can go back and see- I said I didn't like any of his moves but, I will give him the chance to have his plan work and no sense in crying over players that are gone...So, I was going to give him time to prove he has earned his condescending smirk.
And from day 1- I had to ask myself and each of you "what was I thinking, he has no plan" - he has built this group of players like a rookie fantasy league coach. By May- I went back to where I am now- he is a f-ing idiot.
And now, even worse- not 1 single move has worked out and I don't see a plan for the future either.

So please help me out, along with 90% of Met fans- Answer this- "what does he do right? Why should we actually believe he has a real plan?"

At this point- there is nothing he can do right.

Since you asked, I offer my totally uninformed thoughts on Stearns' overall strategy, which I know is different from a plan, but it's the best I got.

I believe that Stearns arrived with a "win now AND in the future" strategy. The key was to maintain future financial flexibility, which meant avoiding long term deals, or at least being very judicious about who gets them. Instead, use Cohen's financial muscle to attract free agents with shorter deals at massive AAV.

Stearns knows that he is already saddled with the long-term contracts of Lindor and Nimmo. He also knows that a possible salary cap structure is on the horizon. So he has to be very careful here.

Then Cohen blows that strategy out of the water by signing Soto to a record setting 15 year deal, the baseball equivalent of forever! Now Stearns knows he REALLY has to tread lightly going forward. I believe that right then and there, he decided that Alonso was not getting a long term contract, no matter how well he did on his 2024 one year deal. The numbers just didn't work. (He probably should have been honest, rather than spew this "run prevention" crap, which we later learned was a lie when he signed Polanco.)

Which brings us to 2026. I believe that Stearns felt he could sign one big money free agent, and it would be Kyle Tucker. He would blow Tucker away with a middle-term deal at huge AAV. Tucker was young enough so that he could sign another big money deal upon contract expiration. Seemed like a sure thing.

Based on that assumption, Nimmo would be expendable. When Stearns had a chance to dump the five years of Nimmo's bad contract, in exchange for three years of Semien's even worse contract (but which would expire two years sooner) Stearns jumped at it. Financial flexibility.

And then of course the Dodgers swooped in with an insane offer to Tucker, which he accepted. Stearns quickly pivoted to Bichette and made him an even insaner offer. Three years with two opt-outs - who ever heard of such a thing! Bichette took it, and Stearns may be hoping he opts out, but my guess is he won't, given the CBA uncertainty.

Obviously a lot more stuff happened, most of it bad. But IMHO these are the core issues that has brought us to today. Stearns' Financial Flexibility strategy has failed - at least so far. Who knows, maybe in the long run we will be hailing his wisdom in cutting Alonso and Nimmo loose, enabling the Mets to sign other guys (within the new salary cap) to help boost the Mets back into contention.

But in the words of the economist John Maynard Keynes, "In the long run we are all dead."

 

[Knight Shift]

 

[Doctor Worm]

Ladies and gentlemen, your NEW New York Mets!



Dedniel Nunez you've already met. He was pretty good until he blew out his UCL last year and got a visit from Tommy John. We welcome him back.

Jefry Yan I posted about earlier. 30 year old rookie who has hit 101 on the gun. Apparently he is known for his amusing celebrations on the mound. We can all use some amusement.

Nate Lavender was a highly regarded rookie who too was visited by Mr. John. Was out most of two years. I am looking forward to see what he's got.

Chayce McDermott is the most obscure of the players acquired today. having been acquired for minor league catcher Ben Rortvedt. But at age 27 he is the most MLB-ready, and has had some MLB experience, so here he is.

Xzavion Curry had been up and down last month, and is back up. You probably remember him because he has a really cool first name.

Christian Pache is the only non-pitcher in the group, he will replace Tyrone Taylor. Journeyman, good glove, not so good stick.

The astute reader will note that this is six players to fill five vacancies. The even more astute reader will note that by rule, they can't bring back Curry yet because they just sent him down - UNLESS it's to replace a player who has been placed on the IL. So we can assume that one of the nine pitchers left on the roster is headed for the IL. The excitement never ends.

 

[RUforJERSEY]

I would have liked if one of the highly regarded infielder picked up today had been a 3B. A glut of SS'. 3B not so much. I read that they've even been playing Mitch Voit at SS since he made the jump to AA.

 

[Doctor Worm]

I would have liked if one of the highly regarded infielder picked up today had been a 3B. A glut of SS'. 3B not so much. I read that they've even been playing Mitch Voit at SS since he made the jump to AA.

That is the least of my concerns. Very few prospects play 3B when they are first drafted or signed. They play SS, because that is where the best athletes get put. SS is the premium position with the highest value among infielders. Many organizations draft SS with the intention that they will be moved to other positions down the road.

Rojas, their highest rated prospect, started out as SS but has played mostly 3B this year.

FWIW, Mark Vientos started out as SS.

 

[Zak57]

And did he not F up everything else so badly that the couple of good "complimentary" moves he made, had to be traded away. IF Stearns made a real "roster" in his vision- not a !b that never played the position, not a SS that cant play anywhere in the field, a 2B that has become bad at everything- then we would be contending and he would keep these guys for a WS run and then he gets credit for good signings- but once you do a fire sale to move guys- you no longer get to say "hey, I signed them in the first place"

I was answering CU who said he had no faith Stearns can build a good pen so only showing how he did so that.

Worm gave a great recap and pretty much where I'm at.

 

[rureadyforsomefootball]

This has to spell Lindor isn't in the future plans to play SS anymore. Maybe a move to 2nd or 3rd? If not then a trade. Too much young SS traded for to be blocked I'm hoping.

 

[Zak57]

This has to spell Lindor isn't in the future plans to play SS anymore. Maybe a move to 2nd or 3rd? If not then a trade. Too much young SS traded for to be blocked I'm hoping.

Lindor may or may not be moved but anyone acquired yesterday doesn't have much to do with it. Organization is trying to stockpile talent that's it.

 

[cubuffsdoug_rivals]

Zak, nothing from Stearns makes me believe he can turn things around. That's my fear.

 

[yesrutgers01]

Since you asked, I offer my totally uninformed thoughts on Stearns' overall strategy, which I know is different from a plan, but it's the best I got.

I believe that Stearns arrived with a "win now AND in the future" strategy. The key was to maintain future financial flexibility, which meant avoiding long term deals, or at least being very judicious about who gets them. Instead, use Cohen's financial muscle to attract free agents with shorter deals at massive AAV.

Stearns knows that he is already saddled with the long-term contracts of Lindor and Nimmo. He also knows that a possible salary cap structure is on the horizon. So he has to be very careful here.

Then Cohen blows that strategy out of the water by signing Soto to a record setting 15 year deal, the baseball equivalent of forever! Now Stearns knows he REALLY has to tread lightly going forward. I believe that right then and there, he decided that Alonso was not getting a long term contract, no matter how well he did on his 2024 one year deal. The numbers just didn't work. (He probably should have been honest, rather than spew this "run prevention" crap, which we later learned was a lie when he signed Polanco.)

Which brings us to 2026. I believe that Stearns felt he could sign one big money free agent, and it would be Kyle Tucker. He would blow Tucker away with a middle-term deal at huge AAV. Tucker was young enough so that he could sign another big money deal upon contract expiration. Seemed like a sure thing.

Based on that assumption, Nimmo would be expendable. When Stearns had a chance to dump the five years of Nimmo's bad contract, in exchange for three years of Semien's even worse contract (but which would expire two years sooner) Stearns jumped at it. Financial flexibility.

And then of course the Dodgers swooped in with an insane offer to Tucker, which he accepted. Stearns quickly pivoted to Bichette and made him an even insaner offer. Three years with two opt-outs - who ever heard of such a thing! Bichette took it, and Stearns may be hoping he opts out, but my guess is he won't, given the CBA uncertainty.

Obviously a lot more stuff happened, most of it bad. But IMHO these are the core issues that has brought us to today. Stearns' Financial Flexibility strategy has failed - at least so far. Who knows, maybe in the long run we will be hailing his wisdom in cutting Alonso and Nimmo loose, enabling the Mets to sign other guys (within the new salary cap) to help boost the Mets back into contention.

But in the words of the economist John Maynard Keynes, "In the long run we are all dead."

I agree in most part. But it also proves the point that this guy has no effing clue. Never a backup plan in place.

Even with the potential of a lockout and then a salary cap- The way this Commissioner has dropped to his knees for anything the Dodgers do- and I am not blaming the Dodgers- but just like he put in a Cohen tax- he should have done something about these insane deferred contracts. But because we know he is in bed with them, I would be absolutely shocked if there is not some sort of grandfather clause on a salary cap. Same thing holds true with a floor. How can a team like the Pirates with a 40m payroll, all of a sudden try to find a way to a 120m payroll over night?

And the Semien idea that 2 years less but higher annual- once you figure in the luxury tax on top of his extra annual- it actually almost covers one of Nimmo's years.

There is really an argument against everything this idiot tries to sell us.

 

[yesrutgers01]

I would have liked if one of the highly regarded infielder picked up today had been a 3B. A glut of SS'. 3B not so much. I read that they've even been playing Mitch Voit at SS since he made the jump to AA.

Does anyone need to ask why Stearns is loading up on SS- you all realize his next number one goal is to get rid of Lindor.

Stearns is completely Ash'ing the organization

 

[yesrutgers01]

BTW- we had a fairly team friendly contract with Weaver for next year- And he was one of the top RP's on the market- Stearns really couldn't get more for him?

 

[yesrutgers01]

Lindor may or may not be moved but anyone acquired yesterday doesn't have much to do with it. Organization is trying to stockpile talent that's it.

Does anyone need to ask why Stearns is loading up on SS- you all realize his next number one goal is to get rid of Lindor.

Stearns is completely Ash'ing the organization

I had not seen your post before posting my thoughts. Same page- Stearns really does want anyone that predated him gone or castrated.

 

[Doctor Worm]

 

[Doctor Worm]

This has to spell Lindor isn't in the future plans to play SS anymore. Maybe a move to 2nd or 3rd? If not then a trade. Too much young SS traded for to be blocked I'm hoping.

Not true. The reason that the Mets load up on shortstop prospects is the same reason that everyone else loads up on shortstop prospects.

BECAUSE SHORTSTOP IS THE POSITION THAT THE BEST PROSPECTS PLAY!!!

(And yes, I am shouting.)

I decided to test this hypothesis. I checked MLB Pipeline Top 30 overall prospects. 12 of them are infielders. Wanna know how many of those 12 infielders are shortstops?

TWELVE. All of 'em. Five of the twelve are listed at SS plus another position, which suggests that they are being off shortstop, which makes sense because you can't have a team of all shortstops. But clearly, shortstop is where the talent is.

That said, I have no idea what the Mets are planning for Lindor. But I wouldn't read anything into the events of yesterday, other than the Mets are looking to stockpile as much young talent as possible.

 

[Doctor Worm]

I saw an article today that the Mets had a deal done to trade Clay Holmes to the D-Backs for a couple of unnamed prospects. But the Mets backed off when they didn't like one of the medicals. They then pivoted to the trade with the Cubs for Jefferson Rojas.

If Rojas becomes a perennial Met All-Star, we will remember that bit of trivia. If he busts, we won't.

 

[Leonard23]

 

[MadRU]

 

[Zak57]

I had not seen your post before posting my thoughts. Same page- Stearns really does want anyone that predated him gone or castrated.

SS is the most important position in the IF. Again I have no idea what they'll do with Lindor but having a lot of SS bodies in case one hits is a good thing not a bad thing. Lindor is showing a lot of defensive lapses the last two years so I don't know if he's in decline or its mental but eventually he'll need to be replaced. Yesterday was trying to get the most talent into the farm as possible and go from there. Can always trade these guys for a player as well.

 

[Zak57]

I saw an article today that the Mets had a deal done to trade Clay Holmes to the D-Backs for a couple of unnamed prospects. But the Mets backed off when they didn't like one of the medicals. They then pivoted to the trade with the Cubs for Jefferson Rojas.

If Rojas becomes a perennial Met All-Star, we will remember that bit of trivia. If he busts, we won't.

I saw that as well and that Patrick Forbes would have been involved.

 

[RUforJERSEY]

deGrom vetoed a trade to the Braves. Good for him

 

[BigEastPhil]

SS is the most important position in the IF. Again I have no idea what they'll do with Lindor but having a lot of SS bodies in case one hits is a good thing not a bad thing. Lindor is showing a lot of defensive lapses the last two years so I don't know if he's in decline or its mental but eventually he'll need to be replaced. Yesterday was trying to get the most talent into the farm as possible and go from there. Can always trade these guys for a player as well.

Plan should be to move Lindor to 2b eventually.

Heard Rojas / Stafola ( Pitt player in weaver deal)to SS and 3b or vice versa

 

[rureadyforsomefootball]

Does anyone need to ask why Stearns is loading up on SS- you all realize his next number one goal is to get rid of Lindor.

Stearns is completely Ash'ing the organization

Exactly what I said earlier. The Load of SS is suspect for Lindor's future.

 

[Zak57]

Plan should be to move Lindor to 2b eventually.

Heard Rojas / Stafola ( Pitt player in weaver deal)to SS and 3b or vice versa

Yeah that wouldn't be a bad move.

Most people think Rojas probably lands at 3B long term. Stafura should be able to stick at SS defensively but he's going to have work on his contact rates and strike out less in order to make it. Really interesting prospect and he's a monster Mets fan so easy to root for as well.

 

[rureadyforsomefootball]

WTF? How is that possible?

 

[MadRU]

 

[MadRU]

 

[RuBird]

Who needs Peralta, Holmes, Ralley, Weaver, Taylor, etc etc….. We still have Senga, Benge, Ewing, and Torrens and a fully stocked minor league system

 

[MadRU]

Manaea hitting 95 on the gun. Mostly 93-95. Big improvement.

 

[RUforJERSEY]

He will get some AAA at bats before the season ends.

 

[Doctor Worm]

Nate Lavender's extended family made it to Cleveland tonight for his potential MLB debut. He did not disappoint. The "hold" is not an official stat, but he got an "H,1" in the box score. As did Duarte. As hopefully will a bunch of other guys soon.

Kodai was the Kloser! (Although with a four run lead, he was just a Kinda Kloser.) His fast ball was in the 97-99 range. Maybe he can lose his secondary pitches, which were being mashed all year, and become an effective setup guy with his fastball and the ghost fork.

 

[MadRU]

Nate Lavender's extended family made it to Cleveland tonight for his potential MLB debut. He did not disappoint. The "hold" is not an official stat, but he got an "H,1" in the box score. As did Duarte. As hopefully will a bunch of other guys soon.

Kodai was the Kloser! (Although with a four run lead, he was just a Kinda Kloser.) His fast ball was in the 97-99 range. Maybe he can lose his secondary pitches, which were being mashed all year, and become an effective setup guy with his fastball and the ghost fork.

Great interview with Lavender, seems like a great guy.