Mets Monday Morning GM: 3 signs David Stearns lacks faith in the farm system he acquired

2) The acquisition of Jose Siri practically eliminates Drew Gilbert from being on the Opening Day roster

No, Drew Gilbert will not be competing for an Opening Day roster spot in any seriousness. The recent trade for Jose Siri assures us a preference for veterans over young up and coming kids. It’s probably for the best because if the Mets don’t have a backup plan for Gilbert, they’re in deep trouble.

Gilbert never got his full year in Triple-A which has become a must for many of the Mets youngsters. In particular, the position players are getting a lot of time to develop in Syracuse these past years. When are they going to rename that stadium after Mark Vientos?

This doesn’t suggest Stearns is low on Gilbert as greatly as his actions with Acuna hint at. The 24-year-old outfielder played only 56 games in Triple-A last season and hit .215. In fact, he has only 189 total minor league games of experience. He’ll get his shot in the sun, just not yet.

The Siri trade doubles down on eliminating any thought fans may have had of Acuna moving into center field immediately. Jett Williams is affected in a more minor capacity. He’s a little further from the big leagues than Gilbert with fewer candles on his birthday cakes and less playing time as a professional. It would take a monster year in the minors plus injury in the majors for him to come up.

We’ll know more about how Stearns feels with these guys based on whether or not he trades them.