NY Mets Monday Morning GM: 1 place David Stearns has yet to prove himself

Blockbuster video has been out of business—with the exception of one location in Bend, Oregon—for a good part of the 21st Century. Blockbuster trades aren’t out of style, however. New York Mets fans wouldn’t know. It has been a while since the club has made such a mammoth deal with another ball club. Acquiring Francisco Lindor prior to the 2021 season is far and away the biggest of all during the Steve Cohen era. Under the guidance of David Stearns, the biggest is so small you don’t even call the insurance company about.

Stearns has been savvy more than flashy with his trades. From player for cash deals to whatever you’d classify Jose Siri for Eric Orze (increasingly expensive questionable outfielder for affordable pitcher yet to prove himself at the big league level? Nah, too long!), he has made them all.

Except, he hasn’t made a headline grabbing deal just yet. It’s not all because of who the Mets are. Operating with a much different financial mindset than he ever could for the Milwaukee Brewers, he hasn’t needed to use prospects to acquire his Christian Yelich. Grading Stearns’ ability to make a massive trade is impossible because Mets fans just don’t know how smart or clueless he could be in this area.

The Mets are coming to a fork in the road where a big package of players might need to get traded for a proven player

This offseason had a much greater urgency to make a massive trade. Last year was about acquiring fliers with upside. It worked incredibly well. This year should have been more brazen. Alas, the strategy didn’t waver all that much. Juan Soto was an exception. Bringing back Pete Alonso was necessary to legitimize the lineup. For the most part, Stearns’ actions were about keeping the team together with a few minor changes along the way.

The idea of a February or even a March trade does loom with one necessary addition needed in the rotation. Behind Sean Manaea coming off of his terrific season and a hopefully healthy Kodai Senga, we have larger question marks about the staff he has built. Trade speculation has been a major talking point over the last few weeks as pitchers and catchers creeps up on us. All the while, the rumors haven’t gone far beyond speculation.

Several key young players are entering a make or break type of year. Luisangel Acuna, Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio, and, let’s even include Tylor Megill in there, are arriving at their final option year. Two of the three position players are bound to get sent to the minors. Megill’s role specifically will have him stretched out in Syracuse in case they need innings from a starter due to an injury. It’s a gluttony of players yet to fully establish themselves at the major league level who’ve all, in some capacity, shown they can be really good.

Stearns needs to know when to pull the trigger, which bullets to use, and pick the right target. You don’t want to use a silver bullet on a stack of tin cans in a field. 

General Managers are often defined by the free agent signings they make and the trades they pull off. So far, the trades have had little risk to them with most of them being smaller. One of these days, we’ll get that knee-shaking trade. Then we’ll know our beloved POBO a little more.