Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Despite the bitter end to the season, 2022 was still a special year for the Mets. The team won 101 games and made the postseason for the first time since 2016. It saw dozens of unforgettable moments and outstanding individual performances from players like Pete Alonso, Max Scherzer, Jeff McNeil, and Edwin Díaz.

Still, there is a sense of unfinished business around the Mets as they enter 2023. While there are several new faces like Justin Verlander, Kodai Senga, and José Quintana, the core of the team remains mostly the same as it was a season ago when they lost the division in the final week of September and were eliminated early from the playoffs by the Padres.

Few players represent the heart of the team more than Alonso, who is now entering his fifth season in a Mets uniform and has been apart of all of the ups and downs of the last four years. Alonso took questions from the media in Port St. Lucie on Wednesday to reflect on last season and speak about his and the team’s expectations for 2023.

When asked what he had to say to Mets fans ahead of this season, Alonso had a simple message: “Buckle up.”

Pete Alonso's message to Mets fans on the 2023 group:

"We're very, very hungry. It's going to be a really special year, so buckle up." pic.twitter.com/qP8zslu9g9

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) February 15, 2023

Alonso will once again be a driving force of the Mets offense in 2023. The 28-year-old is coming off a season where he slashed .271/.352/.518 and hit 40 home runs with a league-leading 131 RBIs. Without elite power elsewhere lineup, Alonso’s ability to hit long balls is especially critical to the team’s success.

Alonso, who is set to hit free agency in two years, was also asked about his contractual situation coming off the heels of the Mets extension with his longtime teammate Jeff McNeil. While Alonso acknowledged he doesn’t know what the future holds, he reiterated that he loves being a Met and playing in New York.

Pete Alonso says he loves being a Met but isn't sure what his future holds regarding his contract https://t.co/JqcxPrikA2 pic.twitter.com/FUVc8AVQH8

— SNY (@SNYtv) February 15, 2023

Alonso’s potential extension will be a fascinating subplot to the season, but, for now, the focus will turn to how the team looks in spring training, how they will adjust to the new MLB rules, and how Alonso and others will perform in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. With Opening Day only 43 days away, it is time to buckle up indeed.

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Brandon Nimmo has made it clear that his goal was always to return to the New York Mets, and now he wants to focus on winning a World Series with the team that drafted him.

After a career-year in many offensive categories, Nimmo entered free agency as the best outfielder available on the open market behind New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge. A host of teams, including the Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays, were interested in Nimmo who also held talks with the Yankees.

However, having drafted him with the 13th overall pick in the 2011 MLB Draft out of Wyoming, the Mets were determined to bring back their leadoff hitter and leader in the clubhouse and were able to get a deal done with Nimmo eventually signing an eight-year, $162 million contract. As a result, the 29-year-old should now finish his career where it started in Queens.

Nimmo was re-introduced to the media at Citi Field during a press conference on Thursday, and the outfielder touched on the special feeling he has knowing he will likely spend the rest of his major league career with the team that drafted him.

“To be able to start your career with someone, and to be able to finish your career with the same team, that’s something really, really special,” Nimmo said. Not many players get to do that. Feels good to put this jersey on and know it’s not coming off.”

Nimmo set career-high marks in 2022 in games played (151), runs (102), hits (159), RBI (64), and doubles (30). He also tied for the National League lead with seven triples and ranked fourth in the NL in runs scored, fifth in on-base percentage (.367), and 12th in walks (72). Having also improved his glove in the field, Nimmo was a hot commodity this winter but he always had his eyes on returning to a place he has made home.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

“Towards the end, the Mets just made it very, very clear that they wanted me back,” Nimmo said. “And from the beginning of last year, I’ve expressed my interest in staying here, and what it would mean to be able to finish my career being a New York Met. I’m just so thankful to be able to be coming back. Last season, we had a great season and came up a little bit short of the ultimate goal.

“I’m here to try and see it through from start to finish. This organization and the Cohens have made it very, very clear, Billy (Eppler) has made very, very clear the goal is to win here. And that’s a big reason why we decided to stick around.”

It has been no secret that the Cohen family, led by owner Steve Cohen and his wife Alex, have transformed the culture within the Mets organization. They’ve made it a place where players want to go and play, and they’ve also strived to ensure that the fans and former players feel connected to their team once again. It was widely reported that Cohen himself got involved in negotiations at the end to ensure that Nimmo did indeed remain a Met.

“The Cohens have been nothing but family to us right from the top,” Nimmo said. “And, to be honest, I think that’s something harder to find throughout the league with ownership. But the Cohens have been in it right from the beginning.”

Having lost Jacob deGrom to the Texas Rangers in free agency, Nimmo will take on an even more important role in the clubhouse in 2023 and beyond. He will also continue to be an important piece of this roster and lineup going forward as the Mets try to win a World Series. That ambition was the driving force behind Nimmo’s decision to ultimately commit the next eight years of his career to the one team he’s only ever known.

“Honestly, when I look back on it and finally get a chance to, being drafted out of Wyoming – a lot of chances had to be taken on that,” Nimmo said. “To be able to give me all the tools that I needed to kind of hone that raw ability through the minor league system to now – here we go – we’re signing this contract and gonna be in New York for the rest of our career, and wanting that to culminate in a World Series. You can’t draw it up any better than that.

“This would be – looking down the lineup, looking at the starting rotation – this is somewhere we can go and we can win, and we can continue to win. That’s always a huge motivator in free agency, is ‘where can I go and compete for a World Series Title?’ The great part is I didn’t have to go anywhere.”

The post Returning To Mets ‘Really, Really Special’ For Brandon Nimmo appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

We transcribed what we heard for you during the now famous Willie meeting. The cast of characters includes CEO Fred Wilpon and his son COO Jeff Wilpon, general manager Omar Minaya, manager Willie Randolph, and Anita the hot waitress from the Diamond Club restaurant. 

Fred: (pounds his fist on desk) So how do we fix this team? Let’s start with first base…

Omar: I love the guy… he’s a leader… We need more guys like Delgado.

Willie: (looks at Omar with bewildered eyes) huh… he batted .145 on this road trip and .212 on the season…

Jeff: Shut up Willie! Who cares what you think, pass me the damned chips!

Fred: I agree, Delgado is a leader… he’s made more trips to the mound than Peterson and Willie combined.  What about second base?

Willie: Castillo is killing us…

Jeff: Are you nuts? The guy plays with sore knees… he grimaces on every play… I’d like to see you play like that!

Omar: I totally agree with you Jeff. It’s because of his grit and determination that I signed him for 4 years. He’s a cornerstone of this franchise. (Omar smiles and then gulps down the last of his frozen margarita) Maybe if you’d stop jerking him around every week and leave him in the damned two hole, you’d be able to appreciate his talent like me and Jeff do.

Willie: (rolls his eyes and turns toward the 60” plasma TV which is tuned to SNY and is airing Beer Money)

Fred: That brings us to Reyes at shortstop.

Jeff: Oh please dad, did you have to bring up Reyes… you know what a sore subject that is with me. Ever since Willie brain-f****d him he hasn’t been the same.

Willie: (jumps up out of his seat) He wasn’t hustling damn it!

Fred: Sit down Willie! Anymore outbursts like that and you’ll be coaching first base for the Savannah Sand Gnats!

Omar: (whispers under his breath) I should have hired Felipe Alou damn it… what was I thinking…

Fred: Let’s skip over Wright at third base and go to Schneider behind the plate. Did you see that great play he made blocking that wild pitch in Colorado?

Omar: The guy’s the best non Latino defensive catcher I ever laid eyes on.

Willie: What are you talking about? He leads the league in passed balls and our pitchers are second in the league in wild pitches!

Jeff: Geesh Willie, I wish you’d show half as much emotion in the damned dugout! Go down to the Diamond Club and ask Anita to fix us up some of those hot pastrami sandwiches… with extra cheese… and don’t forget to grab some extra napkins!

Willie leaves the conference room and bumps into Amanda, the teenage host of Mets Kids Clubhouse.

Amanda: Hi Willie, how about a few words for this weeks edition of Kids Clubhouse?

Willie: Outta my way bitch, I ain’t got no time for that…

Meanwhile, back in the conference room.

Fred: Omar, you know how much I love you, but you screwed up royally when you let that guy into our proud franchise. He has been nothing but a nuisance and no matter how hard we let SNY bash him, he’s still here… what will it take to get him to resign?

Omar: I’ve tried everything Fred. I fired the only coach he picked out in Rick Down… I threw Rickey Henderson into his lap… I kept Julio Franco as long as I could… I signed Guillermo Mota… I even had Jay Horowitz reach out to Gary Carter… nothing I do seems to work.

Jeff: Well we gotta do something! I’m not going to go down in history as the first New York team ever to fire an African American manager… This is the city that broke the color barrier for crying out loud!

Fred: Speaking of which, besides naming the rotunda after Jackie, I was tossing around the idea of a Jackie Robinson bobble-head doll day in July…

Omar: Great idea Fred! It may help to ease the tension with the fans.

The conversation is interrupted by Anita the hot waitress from the Diamond Club restaurant. The intercom on the desk blurts, “Mr. Wilpon, Willie Randolph is on his way back with the pastrami sandwiches you ordered”.

Jeff: Did he remember to get the extra cheese?

Anita on Intercom: Yes, he did sir.

Fred: Shoot, he’ll be back in a few minutes and we have resolved nothing… What do we do?

Omar: Let me go out there and appease the fans. We’ll say he has our full support and in the meantime I’ll speak to Jerry Manuel and the “Jacket” and see if they could get the players to try easing up on the fire and determination a little more. If we play our cards right this city will be hammering for him to step down by next week.

Willie enters the room with his hands full of food for everyone.

Willie: Here you go guys, enjoy!

Jeff: What the hell is this? (as he unwraps his sandwich) This is swiss cheese I hate swiss cheese, I wanted cheddar!

Twenty minutes later, Willie and Omar address the media in a press conference.

The post What Really Happened During The Meeting Between Willie and the Wilpons appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

I believe the Mets will be a far greater offensive team than they were last season. For one, they will have Luis Castillo for the entire year and not just August and September like last year. The two hole in the lineup had become a game of musical chairs going back to spring training of last year when rumors first surfaced that David Wright was going to take over that spot in the lineup. Eventually he did play a few games at the number two spot, along with Jose Valentin, Paul Lo Duca, Ruben Gotay, Endy Chavez, Carlos Beltran, Shawn Green, well… you get the picture.

Filling that two hole with Luis Castillo finally gave the Mets something they had been lacking for almost two years. Castillo brings a solid presence at the top of the order who can take a couple of pitches and allow Jose Reyes to do what he does better than anyone in the game. Even when Castillo is down in the count he has the ability to bear down and either leg out a hit or drive one over the infield. He has a great sense for the game, and is also one of the best bunters in the league. In the last five years he has drawn more walks than strikeouts, and only fanned 45 times last season in 550 at-bats. Despite his balky right knee, he was still a threat on the base paths, and stole 19 bases last season on a bum knee. His knee is now fully healthy again after having it scoped out. Defensively, only a very few are better. By seasons end, he was considered the best defensive infielder on the Mets.

Re-signing Luis Castillo was largely viewed as a no-big-deal signing. Nothing could be further from the truth. It was a big deal, and it may prove to be one of the wisest decisions Omar made in the off-season.

One of the last things I saw on my TV during the last Mets game of the season, was Luis Castillo sitting alone in the dugout in obvious mental anguish after the Mets collapse. He sat and stared at the ground filled with anger, disappointment, and all the same emotions us Mets fans were feeling. I didn’t see anyone else out there in that dugout… only Luis Castillo. The others ran into the clubhouse faster than you can say choke.

Luis Castillo is a winner. For two months he played his heart out for the Mets and he was justifiably rewarded for his efforts. There are a few more reasons why I believe the Mets will their division in 2008. Tomorrow I will lay out my case for Carlos Delgado.

The post The Mets Really Needed A Second Helping Of Castillo appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Today is the final day for All Star voting! 

If you are a REAL Mets fan, than I implore you to vote today for Paul Lo Duca.

He is the heart and soul of the New York Mets and we owe it to ourselves to show him how much we appreciate the impact he has made on our team.

I’m sure there are those of you who think there are catchers more deserving for the All Star nod, but until Major League Baseball adopts a better way to vote, the current system is just a popularity contest.

We need your help to get Paul Lo Duca to San Francisco.  If you truly bleed orange and blue, then please help us get the word out!

Mets Merized Online has just sent a bulletin to almost 20,000 of our Myspace Friends from our very popular Mr. Met page imploring our readers to vote now and vote often!

I encourage all of you to spread the word, because together, we can make a difference!

Remember that you can vote up to 25 times per email registration.

Click here to vote!

The post Do You Really Bleed Orange And Blue? Then Prove It! appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Please forgive me. I’d like to write this in advance to all 8 of you that will read my blogs this season. 7 of those 8 will be my friends who will be reading just because I will make them. As for the rest of you, well, I’ll say it again. Please forgive me. I may write a few things this year that you may disagree with. I may write some things that will anger you. But with every time you disagree or get angry, you will be enlightened another time. Or you’ll at least laugh a little bit. I also, like most fans, think that I am actually a part of the Mets Organization. I will say things like “Why can’t we get a groundball” or “We have to start hitting the ball in the gaps”. I know that I am not but its easier, so stop hating.

With that said, I’ll get right to it. The New York Metropolitans have done barely anything to improve the team this year. With every move they made, there was another move they didn’t make. As an overly critical fan, I realized that with every positive development, there was an equally negative regression.

Here are the Pros

We picked up a crafty, veteran, right-handed bat in Moises Alou. He will help Wright see some better pitches. Yeah he’s forty but he’s still 15 years younger than El Duque 

Acquisitions of Scott Schoeneweis, Ambiorix Burgos, and Jorge Sosa highlight a list of relievers that fortify the bullpen. They will have to memorize Rick Petersen’s triangle of peak performance theory before they even pick up a baseball.

Re-signed important role players such as Tom Glavine (phew), Jose Valentin, Endy Chavez (my boy) and yes Willie Randolph. He wears a uniform too.

Bye Bye Cliff Floyd. You could have cemented yourself in Mets history in game seven last year but a strike out was way more appropriate. Cliff’s a good guy and all but so was Mo Vaughn.

Uh yeah that’s about it. I don’t know maybe Anderson Hernandez learned to hit by now?

In the Middle

Chan Ho (hit it out of the) Park. Considering we only gave him 600,000 dollars and he could potentially be an inning eater, I can’t disagree with the signing too much. But then again he is really bad and watching him pitch in a big spot gives me anxiety already. The same type of anxiety I got when…

Steve Trachsel was pitching. Or should I say throwing. This guy is why I take Paxil every day. I mean he came in there every 5^th day and pitched his little heart out. He gets an “A” for effort. But in the major leagues “effort” means as much as “potential”. About as much “potential” as Kaz Matsui had. 

Here are the Joes (worst show ever), I mean Cons.

Starting pitching. Absolutely nothing was accomplished. Wasn’t Barry Zito supposed to be a New York Met this year?  I mean that’s what I thought. 126 million dollars is a lot of money to spend on a number two pitcher.  In the long run that was the best choice, but we could have definitely used another arm and it is by far the biggest question heading into the season. Maybe Heilman could be a starter this year? HAHA just kidding.

Bye Bye Bradford. The knuckle scraping righty killer wasn’t worth the 10 million the Orioles gave him…. NOT (Borat brought it back). Omar apparently didn’t see his value as much as I did. 

Bye Bye Victor Zambrano. Actually that’s a Pro. My bad.

We picked up a crusty, old antique in Moises Alou. He could be Reyes’s grandfather. This guy stays on the field about as much as JD Drew and Carl Pavano combined. Maybe he should get the same trainer as Guillermo Mota?

Our best reasonably aged offensive acquisition was a tie between Damion Easley and David Newhan. I couldn’t decide who was better. I racked my brain for hours but I just couldn’t. Sorry.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * 

Now I realize there is so much a General Manger can do. There are only so many players available and you don’t want to be handing out long-term contracts like Bill Belicheck hands out dirty looks. Overall I think that at best, we stayed the same. Which in hindsight isn’t so bad. Mets fans want Championships to brag about, and unless you have a ring on your finger, you have to improve by adding new blood to the team. We have the core of Jose, David and Carlos as position players but starting pitching is more important than anything. Can the likes of Mike Pelfry, John Maine and Oliver Perez step up and give the team what it needs in 2007?

We may just have to hope that our 3 perennial MVP candidates carry us again in 2007. Maybe our patience will pay off. I hear there is a big lefty from Minnesota that might be available in 2008. Something tells me he will be worth a 126 million dollar price tag. But until then, we will just have to be optimistic and wait for Pedro to come back in August. Did anyone else hear that he is throwing 95 mph again?

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