Fan Shot By James Reddicliffe

Sign Trevor Bauer

Pitching wins championships–just look at the most recent World Series champions. The Dodgers have Kershaw, Buehler and a slew of talented arms. The Nationals featured Scherzer, Strasburg and Corbin, while the Red Sox had Sale and Price. Currently the Mets’ rotation is a big question mark. Jacob deGrom is the best pitcher in all of baseball, finishing third in the Cy Young voting this year and winning the award the previous two seasons.

Behind deGrom you have Marcus Stroman as a lock; he slots in nicely as a mid-rotation piece, but is a pitcher who should not be counted on as your number two guy, especially if you have championship aspirations. In 2019 he pitched to a 3.22 ERA across 184 innings, to go along with a WHIP of 1.31, which would be production the Mets should be thrilled to get in 2021. Noah Syndergaard has ace quality stuff, but is inconsistent and likely won’t be back until the middle of the season.

So who else is there behind those three? A whole bunch of uncertainty.

David Peterson was incredibly impressive as a rookie but he only pitched 49 innings, and his minor league numbers were more middle of the road than Rockstar; however, you can slot him in as a likely rotation member. Beyond that, Steven Matz looks like he could be non-tendered, and Rick Porcello and Michael Wacha were lackluster in their Mets’ auditions. While signing rebound guys like Corey Kluber or Mike Minor could pay dividends, there is no guarantee they will bring even league average production.

How confident would you be starting the year with a rotation of deGrom, Stroman, Peterson, Kluber and Matz? The answer should be not at all, especially in the gauntlet of the NL East. The Mets must sign Trevor Bauer.

Coming off his first Cy Young season, Bauer is going to be expensive and is known to be a unique guy, with strong opinions. The fact stands that he has the best pure stuff on the market, and just finished a season where he struck out 100 hitters in 73 innings and had a 1.73 ERA. He’s pitched at least 175 innings each season since 2015 and his career ERA is 3.90, WHIP of 1.265 and 9.7 K/9.

Even if he ends up somewhere between his most recent season and his career line, the Mets will receive solid value from him. Now picture the Mets with Bauer added to their rotation, and it looks something like this; deGrom, Bauer, Stroman, Peterson, Matz/ Porcello or some other flyer. When Thor returns, you have a rotation that is as deep and as good as any in the league. That is the difference between contenders and wannabes.

Sign George Springer

You could argue the Mets already have a full outfield with Michael Conforto solidly in right, Brandon Nimmo in center and Jeff McNeil/ Dominic Smith in left. While that is a formidable offensive group, the defense in center and left would leave something to be desired, particularly with Nimmo in center. It is also an exclusively left handed hitting group. Enter George Springer, a true center fielder who is as solid as they come. The lowest OPS he’s had in the past five seasons is .780, with his last two seasons coming in at .974 and .899 respectively.

The three-time All-Star is also a capable defensive center fielder, who would push Nimmo to left field, further strengthening the entire outfield defense. While some might prefer to trade for Francisco Lindor, Springer doesn’t cost anything but money, leaving the Mets with additional assets that give them a deep roster, or freeing them up to trade someone like Smith or Nimmo for help in another area. The Mets’ 2021 outfield could be one of the best in the business if it looks something like Conforto, Springer, Nimmo/ McNeil.

Sign James McCann

Many reading this would argue that it should be JT Realmuto who the Mets sign and I understand that–he is the better player. While Steve Cohen has deep pockets, I don’t think the Mets will spring for Bauer, Springer and Realmuto, and, besides, there still needs to be a few dollars to address the bullpen and potentially the bench. In my mind, Bauer is the key and Springer gives you a ton of flexibility around the rest of the diamond–and the ability to move assets for other players.

While McCann is not on Realmuto’s level, he is a big upgrade on Wilson Ramos. At 30 years old he followed up his All Star 2019 season with a .289/.360/.535 batting line and his characteristic strong defense in 2020.  As a more affordable, and likely shorter-term commitment, McCann makes all the sense in the world for the Mets.

So there you have it, three moves that will make the Mets World Series contenders, and none of them require surrendering assets. I’m not saying the Mets should not address the bullpen, or consider trades or other players on the market. I am saying that with these moves they do become one of the best teams in baseball, regardless of what else they do. The opening day lineup could look something like the below.

1. Brandon Nimmo (LF)

2. George Springer (CF)

3. Michael Conforto (RF)

4. Pete Alonso (1B)

5. Jeff McNeil (2B)

6. J.D. Davis (3B)

7. James McCann (C)

8. Andres Gimenez (SS)

9. Jacob deGrom (P)

Or some version thereof, depending on the DH, and how you want to configure your L/R splits. Couple the lineup with a rotation of deGrom, Bauer, Stroman, Thor and Peterson and things look good. Regardless of what you think of the assessment, I believe we can all agree that it will be great to be at Citi Field again, enjoying a beer and a hot dog and rooting on a winning team. LGM!

* * * * * * *

Have something you want to say about the Mets? Share your opinions with over 25,000 Met fans who read this site daily. Send your Fan Shot to [email protected].