For the first Mets post of 2018, I have invited back some old friends…Mel and Ed. In case you’re unfamiliar with them, these two Mets fans can best be summarized as the consistently cynical, “sky is always falling” fan (Mel) and the unendingly optimistic, “they’re just one good player away” fan (Ed)…
Shai: Welcome back guys. What do you think of the Mets offseason so far?
Mel: Has it started yet?
Ed: That’s not entirely fair, Mel. The Mets have made some moves.
Mel: Sorry, haven’t really been paying much attention. Did we convince Daniel Murphy to come back yet?
Ed: Not quite. But they did sign Anthony Swarzak.
Mel: Great, 8 years in the game and only two good seasons. Fantastic.
Ed: He was great last year. He’s really a fine addition to the bullpen.
Mel: Sure, fine, I have no issues with him. That’s a good start. Who’d they get in the outfield?
Ed: Well, nobody yet.
Mel: Third base?
Ed: Nope.
Mel: Starter or reliever ready to step in when more pitchers go on the DL?
Ed: Nada.
Mel: Never heard of him.
Ed: Look, this happens every year. We go into the offseason with high hopes, Sandy Alderson tells us nothing is going to happen, it gets quiet for months, and then suddenly he goes out and gets someone we wanted. Just last year he said there was no way Cespedes was coming back to the Mets, and then poof he was back on the Mets.
Mel: And then poof, he missed half the season.
Ed: Can’t blame that on Sandy.
Mel: Sure, but remember 2016? While we waiting for them to do something real we had to convince ourselves that getting that other guy was a good move. What was his name? Alejandro Oy Vey?
Ed: De Aza.
Mel: Same difference.
Ed: Look, all I’m saying is that the best free agents are out there, some top players are available by trade, and even though it’s a month away from pitchers and catchers reporting, there’s a lot that can still be done.
Mel: Oh yeah, the Marlins are having a garage sale, right? Think they’ll make Stanton available?
Ed: The Yankees got him.
Mel: Who’d they give up for him, Frazier and Gleyber?
Ed: Neither. They got him for almost nothing.
Mel: And the Mets didn’t have almost nothing?
Ed: I just heard that we’re talking to the Pirates about a trade for McCutchen.
Mel: Would they get a time machine in that deal?
Ed: The roster is better than you think.
Mel: Great, who’s going to catch this year.
Ed: Not sure yet. Most likely it will be d’Arnaud and Plawecki again. But before you comment on them, check out their stats from last September. They were probably the best catching duo in baseball for that month.
Mel: Excellent! My stocks did great in December, I’m still going to ask you to pay for dinner. What about first base?
Ed: Well, that’s not really set in stone. Could be that young kid, Dominic Smith. I know he had a rough start, but he showed some signs that he could be pretty good. Otherwise, they may bring in a free agent.
Mel: Like Eric Hosmer?
Ed: Like Adam Lind, or maybe Lucas Duda!
Mel: I’d prefer Donovan Smith.
Ed: Dominic.
Mel: Whatever. Second base?
Ed: Not so sure about that one either. It might be Asdrubal Cabrera, or they might bring back Jose Reyes.
Mel: You mean because the team was so good last year?
Ed: Hey we got Rosario at shortstop. Everyone thinks that kid is going to be good, especially if he cuts down on his strikeouts.
Mel: I’ll withhold comments until the middle of the season. What about a third baseman?
Ed: David Wright might be back?
Mel: To doing what?
Ed: I’m serious. And if not him, Asdrubal Cabrera could be used at third.
Mel: I thought you said he was the main option at second base. It takes the guy an hour to go from first to third, I doubt he’s going to play more than one position, no matter how tight the Coupons are trying to be with their money.
Ed: Wilpons.
Mel: Sure.
Ed: Don’t overlook the outfield. Cespedes, smooth-fielding Lagares, and Conforto, when he returns.
Mel: Is that the Mets 2018 slogan, “Mets Baseball: when our good players return we might really have something”? I guess that’s better than “Small market baseball at big market prices.”
Ed: All I’m saying is that is that despite the date, the offseason is far from over, and I think they’re going to make some surprising moves before spring training.
Mel: What’s the most surprising thing they’ve done so far?
Ed: Well, they did bring Omar Minaya back.
Mel: Aaaaaand this conversation is done.