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Newsday is saying that the Mets appear to be opting for free agent catcher James McCann over J.T. Realmuto. The thinking is this:
The Mets signing McCann would mean passing on J.T. Realmuto, by far the top backstop available on the open market and arguably the best catcher in baseball.
Realmuto and McCann have been comparable hitters the past two years — since the start of McCann’s breakout in 2019 — but Realmuto comes with a longer track record of success and greater overall ability, particularly defensively. Realmuto is nine months younger than McCann, who is heading into his age-31 season.
McCann, though, presumably would be cheaper and likely would agree to a shorter contract. If they fill their catcher hole with a less-expensive choice, it leaves the Mets more flexibility to go big in other areas of need: centerfield (George Springer is the top free agent) and the rotation (NL Cy Young Award winner Trevor Bauer is the best option available).
Any team that signs McCann to a multiyear contract would be betting that his recent improvements, which have been drastic, are sustainable.
If this is so, then it looks like Cohen money is not inexhaustible and that the Mets must still make good financial decisions even under new management. Which is probably a healthy thing.
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- Bru
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