Photo: Bruce Beck
For those of us that have little ones, we have been busy with the preparation for Santa Claus coming on Monday. We had our children make out Christmas lists (i.e. shopping lists), and we’re doing all we can do to make sure this will be a special holiday for our kids and whole family.
The Mets are not in a much different position. They are entreated with the responsibility of building a shopping list, and they have to go out and get the players needed to make the 2018 season a special one.
To that end, our staff compiled a list of things we want Sandy Claus to leave under Mets fans’ Christmas trees:
Matthew Brownstein – An Identity
For Christmas, I would love Santa to bring the Mets an actual identity. I want to know whether this club is indeed invested in making this club as competitive as possible, or, if we are in fact heading for a rebuilding phase. There is no middle ground, yet, Sandy Alderson and company seem to expect fans to believe that with the roster currently constructed, health and changing luck will be the difference makers for 2018.
While I concede that the Mets dealt with a rash of injuries to several of their key cogs, so did many other playoff teams who had the requisite depth and ability to go out and add pieces via trades when those situations arose. With a near-barren farm system in the upper levels of the minors, a plunging payroll, and owners who are essentially playing a great game of hide-and-seek with the media and fans, it’s no wonder the masses are frustrated and venting their displeasure all over social media.
Josh Finkelstein – A NEW Second Baseman
As a Mets fan, I would like to get a new second baseman for Christmas. They desperately need to acquire someone at the position preferably ether in the form of Josh Harrison or Kipnis. The key word in the gift I would like is “new.” Jose Reyes would not fit this bill in the slightest. Jose Reyes is like when you ask for the new Madden game and your parents buy you Madden ’09 instead.
Ed Leyro – Good Health & Good Food
From a baseball perspective, I want good health for the players more than anything else. In 2017, most of the poor performances came from players attempting to play through nagging injuries, which in some cases (ahem, Yoenis Céspedes) lengthened the recovery time when they eventually went on the disabled list.
From a fan perspective, I want the Mex Burgers at Keith’s Grill to be great again. They dipped in quality and size last year and forced me to miss a few innings while standing in other lines for tasty burgers.
Michael Mayer – New Owners
Look I know this isn’t going to happen so I will get coal instead and like it. The reality is that the Mets currently have multiple holes on their roster and likely only $10-20 million left to fix it. That’s a pretty tough spot to be in.
Even if the Mets did spend say $20 million more in free agency that puts the Mets payroll hovering in the $145-150 million range depending on arbitration figures. The league average payroll for 2017 was $152,221,370, Mets fans expect more than league average.
The most frustrating part is that there are still good options on the free agent and trade market that could turn the 2018 Mets into contenders without breaching $200 million.
Dilip Sridhar – A Miracle
Dear Sandy Claus,
For Christmas I would like a Jason Kipnis playing second base for the Mets and I would love Todd Frazier at third for a short term deal. Frazier gives us some much needed defense at the hot corner and Kipnis would improve the offense quite a bit. I’d also like to see Jose Reyes on another team in 2018. Reyes posted a below average wRC+, poor Statcast numbers, and accumulated -25 DRS over his 2017 season. Take away his name and people would be rioting as to why he led the Mets in plate appearances.
Also, I would love for you to fix Matt Harvey. A healthy Harvey is a great pitcher and he deserves better than he is getting. He pitched his all out in 2015 and doesn’t deserve all the injuries to him or the backlash from fans. Thanks, enjoy the coffee I left out for you.
John Sheridan – Cheaper Tickets
Look, the time has long since passed when the Wilpons were willing to have a payroll commensurate with market size and championship window. Perhaps, the Madoff Scandal scared them to the point where they are not willing to push the Mets payroll to the brink to make the team relevant. Instead, they would rather keep payroll low, thereby helping them allocate money towards other Sterling projects like the Overwatch League and the Islanders Belmont arena.
So while I could go on and on about Kipnis, Howie Kendrick, Frazier, and getting rid of Reyes, I’ll instead focus on something a little more realistic. I just want the Mets to offer some cheaper tickets. Give me a reason to come to the ballpark because other than Noah Syndergaard or Jacob deGrom starts, it’ll be hard to find a reason. However, if the tickets are more reasonable vis-a-vis the product on the field, I will be much more inclined to go and enjoy a fun day at Citi Field with my sons.
Rob Piersall – To Feel Like a Kid Again
There’s something particularly special about going to a baseball game when you’re a kid, right? Seeing the bright lights of the stadium as you get off the parkway, the smells and sounds that come with being at the ballpark, the butterflies in your stomach and more importantly, the sheer love for the game.
Look, the Wilpons have nearly stripped me of my love for the Mets this offseason, but they own the team and that’s the way it is. But man, I really miss that feeling of going to games and thoroughly enjoying just being there.
If the season started today, unfortunately, that just wouldn’t be the case. Christmas is supposed to be a time for miracles to happen and wishes to come true.
This year, my only request is that I’d just love to see the Mets get their act together and make a move that would prove beneficial for their team. With all the negative backlash the Wilpons have received over the last several weeks, they could silence some of it by going out and improving their roster.
I just want to feel like a kid again and be able to go to a game without thinking about how much I detest ownership because they don’t spend. Make a move and change how I feel.
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Unsurprisingly, the MMO staff really seems to want the Mets to get their acts together. We look forward to seeing what you want in the comments section. Hopefully, Sandy Claus will all give us something fun for the 2018 season instead of another lump of coal.
Merry Christmas!
