Mets have no business experimenting with openers, six-man rotations

Openers? Six-man rotations? Not on my watch. The New York Mets are built to win without trying to outsmart the rest of the league. This team isn’t the Tampa Bay Rays where budget constraints force them into playing differently and thinking a little more creatively.

The Mets have the bankroll to supply them with the best players possible.

For this reason and more, the orange and blue have no business experimenting with openers, six-man rotations, or anything else that could end up messing with the team’s rhythm this year.

When an opener could make sense for the Mets

Rising Apple’s Adrian Cervantes recently covered three different options from the Mets’ bullpen to potentially work as an opener at some point this season. I’m not completely opposed to the idea of the occasional opener to try and fool the opponent or get through some tired arms when there are no other options available.

If the Mets have dip deep into their farm system for a guy to give them five innings, I don’t see how starting the game with a reliever for a frame or two and then rolling with a starter for the next four or five really hurts.

Outside of this, what are we doing?

The Mets have a lot of starting pitching depth. Why blow a single game by trying to flex your analytical muscle?

Both the reliever and starter are placed in an unfamiliar position. Even if planned and coordinated, it guarantees nothing in the way of victory.

When a six-man rotation makes sense for the Mets

A little less Mickey Mouse is the idea of going with a six-man rotation. We could even put a four-man rotation in the same category although I think baseball is probably ready to bury that idea completely. The only situation I could ever see the Mets starting someone on short rest is if it’s the final game of the season and Jacob deGrom is rested enough to give them a few good outs before his turn has come up.

As far as a six-man rotation goes, it’s a little more acceptable but not ideal for the 2021 Mets.

Rising Apple’s Mason Smoller recently covered the topic thoroughly. Definitely an idea to at least ponder when considering how much starting pitching depth the organization will have when Noah Syndergaard returns, I would personally prefer we get to see as much of the starters as possible.

A six-man rotation could allow starters to stay a little fresher and I wouldn’t be opposed to pushing everyone back even once a month. As a long-term plan, it doesn’t work. The Mets need deGrom every fifth day and the same can be said about a few of the other arms in the rotation. Skipping over a guy in favor of one of the arms in the chamber might be a more effective plan.

We haven’t seen the Mets reinvent the baseball wheel much in recent years. Not known for thinking outside the box in a good way (I’ll give them poor marks for hiring an agent to become the GM), there’s a chance somewhere down the line the Mets do come up with new innovative ways to win games.

In the meantime, win with what you have. Lots of depth both on the mound and in the field. Money to pay the best players. Starting talent capable of getting this franchise far.

I like baseball played more traditionally with five starters starting and a whole bunch of relievers relieving.

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Now if you’ll excuse me, this old man is going to go yell at some clouds.