Former Indians and Rangers general John Hart, an analyst for “MLB Tonight” during the World Series, spoke with Justin Terranova of the New York Post about the World Series, but also asked Hart the following:
Do you think the Mets will make a significant move this offseason?
If they had a healthy Matt Harvey to go along with Zack Wheeler it might be different, but I think they are a year away. There are some pretty significant holes among the position players. That doesn’t mean they aren’t going to jump out, if they target the right guy, who they think can help next year and down the line.
The thing of it is, who is the right guy?
The right guys is a player that will cost you either top prospects or top dollar, neither of which the front office has the stomach for.
On Thursday, Mets manager Terry Collins said that the front office needs to “find us somebody who can keep the opposing pitchers from pitching around David Wright. That’s one of the things we will be looking for in the offseason.”
In other words, Collins is pining for a true cleanup hitter and yes, having one would surely change the complexion of the lineup.
But the reality is that there are no true cleanup hitters available in the free agent market that can fill one of the Mets needs at shortstop, right field or first base.
You could say Carlos Beltran would fit the bill, but who really believes the Mets would even consider that option? Beltran will get as much interest from the Mets as Jose Dariel Abreu did.
The Mets are already at negative-40 in the home run department. They’ll need to add 40 home runs just to get back to the point they were before they traded Marlon Byrd and John Buck. Quantum physics…
If the Mets want a legit cleanup hitter it will have to come via a trade and most likely that would put Noah Syndergaard on the table.
After all why would any team trade a bonafide cleanup hitter for Rafael Montero after J.P. Ricciardi appeared on ESPN and projected Montero as a No. 4 starter in the majors?
You think that didn’t get around to every front office in baseball?
Think again.
