I know I’ve been scarce on here for a while, but the truth is that it gets harder and harder to keep writing about the same old nothing burgers and trying to make a great lemonade out of a bunch of lousy lemons. You don’t believe me? You try doing this for 12 years, 10 months, and seven days. It ain’t easy I’ll tell ya…
So here we are almost three months into the offseason in what must be the slowest free agent and trade market on record. I mean seriously, can you recall a more quiet hot stove season going into the middle of January?
Of course the rumor mill keeps churning even though most of it is a bunch of hot air with little to no veracity in any of it. But I have to tip my cap to my staff who keep on pushing on regardless, much to the consternation of a few malcontents who feel the need to complain about anything.
You know I don’t mind all the rumors and speculation that keeps getting spewed out there, especially when it’s done right. For example, Kevin Kernan posted a teaser on Todd Frazier having been in contact with the Mets… And then he follows it up the next day with a great 1,000 word article filled with fresh quotes from Frazier completely validating everything he said.
I love that… What I don’t love is when Andy Martino then jumps into the rumor pool the next day with breaking news that “talks between Frazier and the Mets have advanced from where they were at the start of the offseason.” Yeah thanks, genius… we kind of figured that out yesterday from Kevin Kernan’s reporting. The things people do for some attention…
I love Frazier, I really do. He’s got the kind of power you crave from a third baseman, but he would be a massive upgrade defensively at the position as well. That’s not to say that Frazier is Brooks Robinson out there, he isn’t. But when you consider what the Mets have been trotting out at third base the last few years, it would refreshing to see a plus defender at the hot corner for a change and I’m sure many on the Mets pitching staff would agree.
But these are the Mets we are talking about and nothing is ever that easy. The end result of acquiring Frazier would mean that Asdrubal Cabrera gets to slide over to second base and destroy the Mets defense in other ways.
Remember when I said picking up Cabrera’s option could become one of those round hole, square pegs situation? This is exactly what I meant. Cabrera at second base might set a new record for negative Defensive Runs Saved and have us all begging for Daniel Murphy to come back. (Although some of you have never stopped begging.)
Ideally, the Mets should be able to sign both a second and a third baseman, and then let Cabrera fill a quasi super utility role. But I’m too exhausted to get into another tirade about how woefully inept the ownership of this team is. Perhaps on another day. Perhaps tomorrow. 😉
The one positive I could take out of this slow moving offseason is that it may be bringing some prices down. Perhaps that means we could land Frazier on a three-year deal for $30 million. That would be a steal for a player who has 131 homers and posted over a 16 WAR over the last four seasons. I don’t think a two year deal is possible, not with multiple teams also targeting the former Cincinnati all-star.
Adding a player like this could mean 3-4 extra wins for the Mets and who knows, if the starting pitching bounces back and Yoenis Cespedes and Michael Conforto meet expectations, it could mean a wild card. Hey don’t give me that look, stranger things have happened. Even BetNow Sportsbook agrees with me.
As it stands right now, with good health I can see this team winning 85-87 games, so even if all that came out of our offseason were a Todd Frazier and an Anthony Swarzak, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. And honestly, I still think they’ll add an Adam Lind type as well.
Anyway, those are my thoughts on yet another slow news day for baseball and the New York Mets. Have a great evening.
