Mets Season Preview: What could’ve been done differently this offseason?

Feb 22, 2015; Mesa, AZ, USA; Chicago Cubs manager

looks on during a workout at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Mollie Galchus, Staff Writer:

Mets give up Terry Collins, Dillon Gee, and the new-and-improved scoreboard. They get Joe Maddon in return.

As a fan, I rarely pretend to be the general manager of a team. I’d rather just enjoy the team the Mets actually have, instead of planning out intricate plans the Mets could have done, but never do. Here goes my offseason scenario:

First I’d give up Terry Collins. Collins seems like a genuinely nice and pleasant person, but he often leaves Mets fans scratching their heads after he makes questionable moves. Second, Dillon Gee should’ve been traded. Even without Zack Wheeler, the Mets have a lot of pitchers, so why not include Gee in a deal with Terry Collins? Gee is already familiar with playing for Collins, so it really seems like a no-brainer. Third, the Mets have a great new scoreboard at Citi Field that I’m sure the not-yet-finished, newly renovated Wrigley Field would enjoy. Though Wrigley Field got their first Jumbotron today, there’s always room for another Jumbrotron!

That’s enough about what the Mets would be giving up. Now let’s get to what the Mets would be getting in Joe Maddon – the subject of a collage on my birthday cake last year. Maddon is one of the most interesting people in baseball. Last year he made sandwiches for his team in the clubhouse, and another time he made bread in his very own bread-maker. Ron Darling recounted during a broadcast that Maddon once brought a penguin into his office. That’s in addition to the boa constrictor he arranged to have appear in the locker room. Maddon can be seen holding interviews with a bird on his shoulder, bringing in a rainmaker to get his team out of a slump, and living out of his RV during spring training. A very interesting man.

Seriously though, in a perfect world the Mets would have acquired a proven hitter whose offense would be a given – not a “maybe” like Michael Cuddyer.

I don’t know if I would have given up a highly valued prospect to get Troy Tulowitzki, though. I guess you can say that it’s a pretty good thing I’m not the general manager of the New York Mets.

But, instead of wondering what could have happened, I’m going to go into the season fairly confident that the Mets’ offense will show an improvement from last year.

Next: What Ryan Punzalan would've done differently