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Mets Monday Morning GM: 3 reasons fans might be unimpressed with David Stearns
Feeling underwhelmed? You're hardly alone.
David Stearns is automatically a divisive figure in the New York Mets organization. Anyone who assembles the roster will suffer through scrutiny and praise whether they’re worthy of it or not. In an offseason with a different feel than the last few for the Mets, many have been left unimpressed.
The results on the field will ultimately decide whether or not it was a successful winter. It’ll do little to change the lack of satisfaction from what has been done. If you’re someone with doubts about the Mets, these three reasons might be why.
1) The Mets overpaid for defense while ignoring the need for an offensive upgrade
A lot has been said about the defensive upgrades the Mets made this offseason. Harrison Bader getting $10.5 million seems a bit extreme even if it matches what the Toronto Blue Jays gave Kevin Kiermaier. Bader’s offensive output and ability to stay healthy is below Kiermaier’s track record. He might dazzle us on defense, but for three or four plate appearances a night, he’s a pricy number nine hitter.
Bader isn’t the only defensive upgrade the Mets added. Joey Wendle, on a much more affordable and acceptable deal, came to the team for $2 million. It’s actually more than what Gio Urshela ended up getting at $1.5 million. The Mets rushed to sign Wendle this offseason to replace Luis Guillorme. It turned out to be a mistake as it seemed to factor in as one of the reasons why they no longer had room for an offensive upgrade they could bring to the roster.
Wendle isn’t such a bad addition and we couldn’t have expected Stearns to wait on Urshela who signed late in free agency with the Detroit Tigers. Bader, on the other hand, remains an overpay for a roster that already has Tyrone Taylor to supply them with defensive gifts.
Meanwhile, the Mets have so many questions at the DH spot. DJ Stewart and Mark Vientos don’t both need to be on this roster. Then there’s third base where Brett Baty will receive very little competition.
It seems as if the Mets have some of those same questions with the lineup as they did at the end of last year. Three spots—DH, third base, and center field—have the potential to be black holes. And if Starling Marte isn’t anything like himself, we can add right field in there, too.
Too much emphasis on the defense without adding any significant upgrades to the offense doesn’t look good.
2) The Mets didn’t pull off enough heists in trades or free agency
The trade the Mets pulled off with the Milwaukee Brewers is the kind of genius move we should expect someone like Stearns to make. Coleman Crow, an injured pitcher, was sent to the Brewers for Tyrone Taylor and Adrian Houser. Taylor is a controllable outfielder with good defensive skills and some pop in his bat. Houser is a more than acceptable number five starter with the capability to be slightly more.
Beyond this thievery, the Mets didn’t really pull off any other major heist.
There wasn’t a low-key free agent move made by the team that looks bound to be a steal. They paid Luis Severino and Sean Manaea market value for pitchers coming off of not-so-great seasons. The Shintaro Fujinami hype could work out for the best. However, struggles with two teams and in both a starter and reliever role last year shouldn’t have us retiring his number quite yet.
Stearns excelled most with the smaller moves and it’ll probably be what impresses us most. Actively adding on the waiver wire and trading those players away for cash considerations was wise yet mostly insignificant in the grand scheme of things. All it really does is build up a good repertoire with other organizations—some of which may have an internal change by the time the Mets can reap any benefit.
3) The Mets lacked creativity when it comes to the bigger moves
No rabbits were pulled out of a Mets cap this offseason. Stearns didn’t invent a new way of circumnavigating the luxury tax penalties like the Los Angeles Dodgers did with Shohei Ohtani. It was a very straightforward offseason. The big payoff will come if all of those hard-throwing relievers can find their command.
Creativity (and Steve Cohen’s wallet) is what saved the Mets. Willingness to pay portions of the contracts traded away at last year’s deadline, specifically with Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, helped achieve the goal of bettering the farm system. Somewhat limited by those salaries on other rosters (injured lists, too), Stearns was limited creatively. What is this, Hollywood?
We have to believe Stearns has a little black book of creative ideas he’d like to implore next year when the team has more money to spend. Targets such as Juan Soto may need it.
For the most part, it was a very “blah” offseason for the Mets who did get better but maybe that’s only because they finished last year with Carlos Carrasco and Daniel Vogelbach on the roster.
Willing to take some chances this offseason, there is room for things to work out well. The trouble is the Mets took a lot of short-term risks. The 2024 season could use a miracle.
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