One of the keys to the Mets early success this season is the emergence of their homegrown talent.
Former prospects such as Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom and Lucas Duda have developed into outstanding contributors, and the depth of their minor league system has enabled them to overcome unexpected and devastating injuries to David Wright, Travis d’Arnaud and Jerry Blevins.
“The primary basis for sustained success is a solid farm system,” Alderson said this past weekend, during a Q&A with author Steve Kettmann. “You can have all the money in the world, but if you don’t have a solid farm system, you’re not going to be able to sustain success.”
“Developing players is a function of scouting, player development, medical and rehabilitative services and strength and conditioning approaches,” he said. “There’s a lot of things that go into a successful player.”
“Blevins was great the first couple weeks of the season, and he’ll be great when he comes back,’’ Alderson said. “In the meantime, somebody is going to have to step up.’’
While Sandy Alderson has done a solid job retooling the Mets minors, most of the current team’s best players were drafted while Omar Minaya was the general manager.
“I give Omar, and the people who were involved at the time, a lot of credit,” Alderson said during the Q&A.
Joel Sherman of the NY Post recently published an article saying that it was myopic to hail Alderson for the Mets’ revival.
“Any GM would take working through three Jason Bays to have one Matt Harvey. The Mets were building their dreams this spring on what Harvey and Jacob deGrom could give them out of the rotation. They extended the contract of Juan Lagares because they saw him as a cornerstone on the rise and, for the same reason, tried to extend Lucas Duda. You know what those four players have in common? Minaya brought them to the Mets.”
“Which makes it interesting that in the first paragraph of the book — the very first paragraph — Kettmann writes it was Alderson’s priority when taking over the Mets was to “rebuild a barren farm system.” If a drought were this barren, it would be called an oasis.”
“Plus, players brought into pro ball from 2005-10 should be a significant part of prime-aged players in the majors in 2015. It is only now — with Montero and Danny Muno with the Mets, Logan Verrett with the Rangers and Cory Mazzoni being used to land Alex Torres — that we are seeing the first of Alderson’s players breaking through or becoming useful chips. And, of course, his administration should be praised for refining the skills of deGrom, Duda and Lagares, etc.”
“But those players’ presence, and that of Harvey and Familia and others, suggest Alderson did not take over a “barren farm system.” And if these Mets truly are “Revived,” then the co-author of that book is named Omar Minaya.”
