Posted on the Wall Street Journal website yesterday, Jared Diamond shared a great point about the state of the Mets and GM Sandy Alderson:
Alderson can no longer ask for patience. He cannot afford to keep talking about a plan without delivering on those promises. The time for meaningful progress has arrived.
I feel that fans have heard enough over the years from the Mets’ brass about how the team is going to get better and what it will take to get there. I think the time is now to make good on those promises. There are some viable players on the market that can come in and gel with the Mets youngsters and give the team an opportunity to be competitive again, but I am still not sure at what cost.
The Mets say that they are looking for those impact players that can come in and fill the team’s needs, strengthen their weak areas and help to bring them out of mediocrity and back to life again. What does Alderson need to do to make good on what he has been spoon feeding the fan base and what questions will be answered when he is all said and done? The hope is that good quality talent will be roaming Citi Field come 2014, but it all depends on the organization actually taking action and changing the complexion of the team.
Diamond states that the Mets are highly unlikely to forfeit their top tier pitchers for one bat, but they can go after lower tier players that can make somewhat of an impact and not deplete the farm. I agree because I am not in favor of shipping pitchers like Zack Wheeler or Noah Syndergaard away for a bat. Matt Harvey won’t be ready until the 2015 season and the Mets truly need their great young pitching in his absence to keep them competitive and in the games. In fact, I am somewhat reluctant to trade any of our young high end prospects, but I understand that in order to make the team meaningful again in a short period of time, the younger players are all they have that can be used as trade chips.
The organization may be able to get away with signing ballplayers that were linked to the Biogenesis scandal like Nelson Cruz and Jhonny Peralta. Other teams may be reluctant to sign them and their asking price may just suit the Mets. So Alderson may find himself in the best possible scenario with them two, but of course he has to pull the trigger and get it done. The time for talk is over and now it’s time for action.
We don’t have to purge our farm system to make the Mets contenders; especially after sacrificing the last three years to rebuild our system and make it respectable again. It will take crafty deals to bring in the quality players that will improve the team while we continue to develop our younger players into quality major league talent.
This task is now in Sandy Alderson’s hands. He has to make sure that by the time 2014 rolls around, that the fan base will have not only a different looking team, but a better performing team that will draw them back to Queens. The time is now and the promises need to be delivered on.
