No Harper or Machado? No problem for Mets’ general manager Brodie Van Wagenen.
On Monday at Citi Field, Van Wagenen was asked why season ticket holders should be inclined to re-up for 2019, despite the team making a “big splash.”
“Hopefully the fans recognize we did make a big offseason splash,” he said. “We spread it around a number of different players, from free agents to trades. There’s a lot to be excited about. We’ve not been quiet about our belief in this team and our players have expressed the same.”
The Mets this winter have added Robinson Cano, Edwin Diaz, Jeurys Familia, Wilson Ramos, Jed Lowrie and Justin Wilson among others as they set out for a postseason berth in 2019.
Despite the lack of pursuit of a Harper or Machado and fans on Twitter pining for the superstarts, Van Wagenen is pleased with what New York has done this winter.
“I think fans always have a right to their opinion and I encourage them to have an opinion,” he said. “[But] I hope the fanbase recognizes the amount of work we’ve done this offseason, the # of needs we addressed and they see this is a complete team with depth and talent, and one that can succeed going forward. Ownership has given time the support to build and execute this plan.”
With a plethora of free agents still out there, the Mets might not be done either. Van Wagenen did not discount the Mets from being active, even going into Spring Training.
“I think there’s always opportunities, whether that’s trade or free agency,” he said. “As long as we continue to have an open mind and keep our eyes and ears on the ground for where talent exists, we’ll always look for opportunities.”
