Mets

[Amazin69]

At least the Mets won't be bringing Trevor May back, as nowadays he's concentrating on his YouTube channel.

Trevor discusses the relative accuracy of one of his favorite baseball films, Major League.

[Amazin69]

He's back! He's back! Only a one-year deal, but he's back!

Alas, the "he' in this paragraph is only…Ryne Stanek. (Or "Stank", as I called him a time or two.). $4 million, plus another $500k possible in incentives.

[Amazin69]

Farewell, Candelita! We won't need "Joey Church" now that our Catholic Content Quota is filled by Nick Madrigal

Requiescat im Pace.

[Amazin69]

Cookie Crumbles to join the Pinstripes on a minor-league deal.

Heh-heh-heh. Suckers.

[Amazin69]

Cancel the Rettungssanitäter visit, Westheim! Pete is (allegedly) back on a two-year deal, details not specified in the report.

Y'all never thought you'd be so happy to see Vientos playing 3B again, I bet!



ETA: Apparently it's a $10 mn signing bonus, $20 mill for the 2025 season, and $24 million more if Pete elects the option to return in 2026.

A word of caution; this is similar to how Boras has structured other contracts, such as Blake Snell's Padres deal, and those clients generally decline the option. So if Pete has any sort of season, we may be right back here again next winter. But even so.

[Westheim]

My official reaction:

[LD84]

This is a smart deal for Alonso. He is a baseball archetype that usually does not age well. The power hitting 1B who is not all that athletic.

Up to this point, he has made a little over $40 million in his career.
He is coming off the worst two seasons of his career (and they are still good seasons and he was an AS in both) besides that year COVID 2020 season.

So he can now earn potentially 120% of his career earnings in just two years.

As am Amazing stated, if he has a great season. He can go back into free agency and perhaps get that one big pay day before he is in his mid 30s and begins to decline.

[Amazin69]

Not exactly a shocker: Gary Cohen is glad of the Alonso deal.

Ditto, ditto: Keith Hernandez feels much the same.

[Amazin69]

Joel Sherman says that (now that Swaggy V is back at 3B) the Mets aren't certain if they need to keep all three of Acuña, Baty and Mauricio in reserve, especially as there's another group of prospects (Jesus Baez, Boston Baro, Jett Williams) coming up behind them. So they're considering trading one of them.

Allegedly, they already tried to work a deal with the White Sux for Crochet and now they're talking with San Diego about Dylan Cease, because…well, have you seen our "rotation"??

I wouldn't think you could get a Dylan Cease baseball card for Baty, but what do I know?

Also, the Mets did offer Candelita a one-year deal, but he wants more security. We'll see.

[Westheim]

Brett Baty is a nice guy, but I'm sorta done with him. I'm not willing to trade Acuna. Mauricio ... well.... I mean, the shortstop slot is blocked for most of a decade, right?

I don't even want to look at the Mets rotation, I'm just merry that Pete is back where he belongs

[Amazin69]

Senga Says…he's really, really healthy and expects to contribute lots and lots of innings this year.

I mean 6, maybe 7. (Dare we dream of 8?)

Watch out for the Killer Grass, Kodai!

[Amazin69]

Good news! Drew Smith signs a one-year deal! The Legacy of Lucas Duda is still with the team that brought him up way back in 2018 (aka "11-1 don't mean squat!").

Of course, Dr. Smith is projected to miss most (and likely all) of this season due to Tommy John surgery. But the Mets hold an option for 2026, and he's definitely going to be ready by then! Long-term planning!

[Westheim]

I like Drew Smith. Whenever the Mets can scratch him off the stretcher.

Sorta like Senga.

Who's in our rotation again?

[Amazin69]

1. Senga, well-rested from those 5 IP last season.
2. Sean Manaea, at $25 mn per, which still seems rather a lot.
3. Frankie Mount-ass, who hasn't pitched well since he left Oakland in mid-2022
4. Clay Holmes, who has never held a rotation spot in the bigs, lost his closer job last season in the Bronx, and at 31, might be a little old to start increasing his workload by going 5 or (dare I dream?) 6 innings at a pop.
5. David Peterson, whom I still really like, but who has unfortunate bouts of reminding us that he is…David Peterson.

***********
6. Tylor Megill, who is probably better than some of the above, but still has an option left and so will probably start the season in Syracuse.
7. José Buttó, already the butt o' too many bad puns.
8. Paul Blackburn, who was both unimpressive and (I think) injured last season.
9. Griffin Canning, a career Angel, and who can't hide his Angel-osity by changing shirts.
******************
10. Scott, Christian vs. The Scalpel, recovering from Tommy John

A. Brandon Sproat, whenever he's ready…
B. Jose Quintana, available whenever the Mets sober up. (I mean, he's Quintana, but consider some of the options!)

Play Beethoven's 9th! ("Praise to thee, the joy-descended Daughter of Elysium!")

[Westheim]

So you'll forgive me forgetting about them every five minutes

[Amazin69]

PECOTA standings projections for 2025:

Los Bravos: 93-69
Metsies!: 91-71
Phightin' Phools: 85-77

Gno word on the Gnats (or Fish), but if we have to start worrying about them, we'll be really worried, of course.

[Amazin69]

Nimmo's foot still needs more rehab, and he'll miss the first week of exhibitions, but thinks he's on pace to be pain-free on Opening Day.

[Westheim]

So kinda like "oh, Senga will only miss the first month of the season" last year then, got it.

[Amazin69]

Yup, pretty much.

See also Key Bullpen Signing A.J. Minter, who still hasn't thrown off a mound since last August, I don't believe. Everybody is in camp now, right?

[Amazin69]

In better news, Senga threw a live Batting Practice on Saturday.

Smiles all around. No muss, no fuss, sounds like a plus.