New York Mets: The pros and cons of Jose Bautista

With all the Mets rumors regarding Jose Bautista, it’s time to consider both the pros and cons of what the former all-star would bring to the team.

Would it be a good idea for the New York Mets to bring in Jose Bautista? It has been rough times for Bautista over the past season and a half.

Once upon a time, Bautista was the league reject going from team to team before finally breaking out for the Toronto Blue Jays. Bautista is not far removed from massive home run total seasons including when he hit 54 of them in 2010.

But after hitting the free agent market in 2016, Bautista who was seeking a big payday had to settle for a one year contract to return to Toronto. 2017 was not a typical Bautista year but he was able to hit 23 home runs and drive in 65 runs.

So why should Met fans want Joey Bats and the New York Mets to link up? Well for starters it would give the Mets a much-needed power bat in the lineup. The Mets are 26th in the league when it comes to home runs hit.

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Granted they do play in Citi Field which has always been a pitchers park, it would not hurt to insert a potential 20 home run bat into the lineup to offer guys like Asdrubal Cabrera protection.

Another thing that the Mets would benefit from signing Bautista would be his versatility. Many people do not know but Bautista was originally a third baseman when he debuted in the big leagues.

His ability to play the corner outfield spots and possibly some third base would be huge as the Mets would find ways to get his bat in the lineup. A potential lineup of Yoenis Cespedes, Jay Bruce, and Bautista could make a lot of pitchers stay up all night before facing the Mets.

The Negative

But of course with pros, there are always cons. Signing Jose Bautista does come with its’ fair share of them. For starters, Bautista is 37 years old and did not put on a good audition with the Braves.

One reason teams were hesitant to sign Bautista in the offseason was because of fear of a physical decline. Of course, you have to worry about that due to the fact that he is over 35. Plus in just 12 games with the Braves, Bautista would put up just 2 home runs while hitting just .143 in 35 at bats.

Also, we mentioned the potential playing time Bautista could get due to versatility, but that really only works when the lineup is not at full health. With Cespedes and Todd Frazier on the shelf, there’s plenty of room for Bautista. But once those guys get back, then what?

It’s hard to imagine those guys losing at-bats. It’s even harder to imagine guys like Michael Conforto and Bruce losing at-bats as well. Not to mention the players who would lose at-bats due to the team being cluttered.

Brandon Nimmo has done a great job this year where ever needed. But how much will he be needed if the Mets brought Bautista aboard? Plus would Bautista want to join the Mets?  He would probably be the odd man out in a fully healthy lineup.

Next: How the Mets missed out on drafting Mike Trout

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It was interesting to see the Mets throw themselves out there in terms of being interested in Bautista. You could make your case why it’s smart and why it’s not. At the end of the day, we all just have to wait and see.