We all know that the Mets have holes they still need to fill this offseason. Yes, holes at catcher and in the bullpen have been filled by James McCann and Trevor May, which is great. But there are still voids, especially at center fielder and in the rotation. We know that both should be priorities to be filled, but which would you argue is the bigger need — acquiring a real center fielder or acquiring a frontline starter?
Rob Piersall
I think the Mets should, and do, have their sights set on George Springer. He will provide a big boon to the lineup and give them a true center fielder for the foreseeable future.
While the Mets do need to bolster their pitching rotation, I think Springer should take priority, and they should look to Jake Odorizzi and someone like Garrett Richards to fill out the rotation.
Signing Springer, Odorizzi, Richards and a few other supplemental pieces is a wiser allocation of funds, and would avoid the headaches that come with a certain other frontline starter and his off field antics.
Mojo Hill
I also agree that the Mets should target George Springer. While Trevor Bauer would help the rotation on the field, Springer would bolster both the lineup and the outfield defense, and provide a much-needed right-handed bat as well. It’s a tough choice, but looking at what other outfield options are out there versus what other pitching options are out there, I would feel more comfortable addressing the outfield. I also feel like while Bauer has a high ceiling, Springer is going to provide more reliable value.
Mike Mayer
I think pitching is a massive need for the Mets given the current state of the rotation. That being said, George Springer feels like as close as you get to a perfect fit in free agency.
Mets need a real center fielder and right-handed bats, Springer checks both boxes. He’s still an above average center fielder and signing him also moves Brandon Nimmo to left, where he’s a good fielder. That improves two positions significantly defensively, which will help Mets pitching.
On the pitching end, in terms of free agency, I believe the Mets would be smarter to spread the money around – like signing Tomoyuki Sugano, Garrett Richards (insert your favorite secondary pitching option here), and a top reliever like Liam Hendriks or Brad Hand.
Spreading out the money on pitching instead of going big for Trevor Bauer allows them to fit two needs and sign Springer. I doubt the Mets – even with Steve Cohen – are looking to give out two $100 million plus deals.
Josh Finkelstein
So my answer really is dictated by the reality of the market. My answer is center field as I believe that George Springer would provide immense value to the Mets as a right-handed bat they could stick in the position they’ve needed to fill for many years that they neglected to this point.
If there were more options, I’d want a top-tier starting pitcher more, but I don’t believe Trevor Bauer is a safe gamble on a long-term deal for many reasons, both related to his career performance and his actions off the field. Outside of Bauer, the Mets would be forced to look to the trade market and I honestly don’t believe the Mets have the capabilities to make a big trade right now due to the state of their farm system.
Tim Ryder
I’m also among the George Springer crowd. Solid defense up the middle is an extremely necessary ingredient to any winning ballclub. The Mets have elite pitching. I feel like earmarking the lion’s share of their 2021 spending towards Springer would generate more value than adding another front line starter. Middle-rotation arms are readily available. Shore up those 3-through-5 deficiencies, reinforce the bullpen further, and add Springer.
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Sam Brown
I definitely believe the Mets should pursue Springer, the defensive struggles have been such a burden on the team for the past few years. It’s an area that must be targeted. While the Mets have to address pitching as well, I see more of a ceiling with Springer as he has shown that he can be good both offensively and defensively. Bauer had one stellar 60-game season, and a few okay seasons prior to that, but nothing that is worth what the rumored price shows. He has an upside, of course, since he just won the NL Cy Young, however, I have seen more proven consistency from Springer.
Dilip Sridhar
I’ll take Springer. I think it’s fair to say they’ll parlay Springer into trading for a pitcher. Bauer’s former teammate like Sonny Gray would seem to make sense. The Mets have a chance to add a legit right-handed bat who gets on base at a high rate and can play a premium position. That does not come around often. I say get Springer and get him soon.
John Jackson
George Springer over Trevor Bauer. Not only does Springer improve center field both offensively and defensively, but his presence would have a domino effect on the team as Brandon Nimmo can slot back to left field; a position he plays better defensively. His signing would also help the entire pitching staff as a whole since two outfield spots would be improved defensively due to one signing. While Bauer would no doubt improve the team, Springer’s presence would bring more value overall to the team at a price that may end up being slightly more affordable.
Rich Sparago
I think the Mets should target Springer over Bauer. Springer offers the Mets several benefits. The Mets need better defense in center field and need it badly. Springer had a DRS of 6 in center field in 2020, and a 7 DRS at the position in 2019. Contrast this to Brandon Nimmo’s CF DRS of -5 in 2020 and -3 in 2019. Springer is a right-handed bat, which, along with Pete Alonso, will nicely complement the Mets left-handed bats of Jeff McNeil and Michael Conforto.
Further, Springer will allow Nimmo to move to left-field, where he is better defensively (DRS of 2 and -1 in 2020 and 2019 respectively). The Mets LF defense has been a big problem (as has their defense overall) with J.D. Davis and Dominic Smith getting a significant number of innings in left field. While having Bauer would give the Mets a formidable top of the rotation with Jacob deGrom, the Mets can add pitching, though not of the same quality, through free agency or possible trades.
Sal Manzo
We know the Mets have a big area of need for starting pitching, and throughout the offseason I’ve been on the record saying that Porter and company should throw the kitchen sink at Trevor Bauer. With that said, if I had to choose between only Bauer or George Springer…the need for a top-tier centerfielder outweighs spending big on one starting pitcher.
It’s been mentioned multiple times here, but Springers’ plus defense as a centerfielder in the short-term paired with his plus offensive ability is something the Mets have been missing since the days of Carlos Beltran roaming center in Flushing. Bringing in Springer would stabilize the Mets up the middle on both sides of the ball, and cement a lineup that should already have pitchers worried for 2021. In short, make Springer the priority and bulk up starting pitching with “second-tier” level acquisitions like Jake Ordorizzi.
Patrick Glynn
I *like* George Springer. I think the Mets will *get* George Springer. But the Mets *need* a Trevor Bauer, or multiple starters who can combine to give you what someone like Bauer can. (I would also like to say I’m off the party the Mets should be able to have their cake and eat it, too.) Defensively, the Mets struggled at the center fielder position in 2020 (-5 total DRS, -3.4 UZR–both bottom five in the league), as they have for many years, but they also had the third-best offense by centerfielders with a 126 wRC+.
Despite their defensive struggles, the Mets centerfielders put up 1.6 fWAR–tied with the Astros. All-in-all, adding Springer in center and Nimmo to left feels generally like a wash offensively from last year and solely an upgrade defensively. That’s a lot for the upward of $150 million Springer is asking for.
On the starting pitching front, though? The Mets’ starters were last in the National League with a 86 ERA+. And that’s *with* Jacob deGrom. The starting pitching–along with most of the bullpen–was atrocious in 2020. What if Stroman has to miss a month or two again in 2021? What if Syndergaard gets delayed another month or two, or isn’t nearly the same pitcher when he comes back? The Mets can’t fill this rotation with Porcello/Wacha-type guys as a 3rd and 4th starters and expect success. Go get quality starters.
