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Sandy Alderson Reiterates Team’s Intention To Be Buyers At Deadline
This is what we learned early Tuesday evening; Matt Harvey will not be starting Saturday’s game, and the Mets reiterated they will be buyers at the trade deadline. Sandy Alderson said so. And most joyous to my ears, he stated there will be no deviation from The Plan.
Earlier in the week, I made a case why the Mets do not need to land a right-handed bat at the deadline. Fact is they are doing just fine. As of Sunday, the Mets’ top four RBI producers had more RBI than the top four RBI leaders of all their division rivals. Then when it comes to starting pitching, if you’re looking beyond this season, the Mets have no real need to acquire another top line starter.
Their greatest need in 2012, will still be their greatest need in 2013 and beyond. Most critical to the Mets is getting bullpen help. The Mets have no potential hopefuls in the system to fill that need this season or next. Sandy Alderson has long acknowledged that, and will now set out to negotiate an acquisition because it is his only choice. That’s why the Mets will be buyers at the deadline, and that is why he will target relief pitchers this month. Not because Sandy Alderson is necessarily appeasing the fans and chasing a playoff spot. The bullpen needs to be reconstructed under any scenario.
Outside of Josh Edgin and Bobby Parnell, everyone currently manning the Mets’ bullpen is deletable, and most likely will be by the Fall. And once the season is over, it will be back to the drawing board trying to reconfigure another cast, just like Alderson attempted prior to this season by signing former Blue Jays cast-off Frank Francisco and by picking up Ramon Ramirez.
More and more my sense is Sandy Alderson is solely focused on the 2013 season. I gather he’s willing to let the chips on the 2012 season fall as they may.