Mets Monday Morning GM: 5 worst moves and decisions Billy Eppler made

3) Constantly delaying the promotion of rookies

Eppler handled the top Mets prospects with kids gloves wrapped in bubble wrap with an N95 mask on it. They couldn't have been more cautious with promoting the prospects no matter how obvious it was they deserved a shot. It was a running theme in 2022. Without mercy, it continued in 2023.

The real issue took place when the Mets needed a DH boost in 2022 and didn't even try Francisco Alvarez or Mark Vientos until it was too late. Would it have made a difference? The results from what they did decide aren't any better than the worst case scenario with the kids. It’s frustrating now at the end of the 2023 season to know the Mets didn’t try everything possible to win in 2022.

It's good to be cautious about promoting young players. Whether you don't think they’re ready, want to manipulate service time a bit, or just aren't a fan of what they bring, there are reasons to sometimes hold young players back. The excuses the Mets had never seemed strong enough when the options they had at the major league level failed so mightily.

This past year, Ronny Mauricio added his name into the mix of talented prospects with numbers deserving a look in the major leagues. Mauricio wouldn’t get called up until September when the Mets had already rolled themselves up into a carpet.