3 roster mistakes fans are already afraid Billy Eppler will make

2) NY Mets fans fear the DH plan of sticking with internal options

It has been reported that the Mets could tackle the DH spot in the lineup with internal options. Does this mean Daniel Vogelbach paired with Darin Ruf again? We have to assume Eppler will be run out of town if this is the case.

Vogelbach may, however, end up in a platoon with Francisco Alvarez and/or Mark Vientos. Even this is questionable as much as we’re all hopeful Alvarez and Vientos could be bit contributors to the team in 2023.

The Mets would need to move on from Vogelbach entirely to open up space for a major free agent signing. No free agent in their right mind is going to agree to join the Mets and be a part-timer. Vogelbach as nothing more than a bench bat is a flawed plan. In the era of the universal DH, it’s redundant to have such a limited player on your bench. Pinch-hitting opportunities aren’t as plentiful.

We all have to believe the Mets will, at the very least, bring in one bat from the outside. They need to. The offense sputtered in the postseason. As much as we have that lasting memory of Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt pitching duds, we can’t forget this club was one-hit by the San Diego Padres to finish the year.

Offense might not be the biggest element missing from the Mets. But if we already think the rotation is taking a step backwards, they’re going to need to stretch forward with the bats. Not having a better plan at DH might be a fatal mistake they spend all year trying to correct. Haven’t seen that episode before?

3) NY Mets fans fear the bullpen options will be underwhelming

Not much can save Eppler from getting dragged across concrete with the bullpen he ends up building. There are going to be at least two arms in there we would have liked to be better. With the way the Mets need to overhaul so much of the roster this winter, it’s making me appreciate what they had in 2022.

The Mets have brought in some decent depth guys to throw some relief innings. The challenge is making sure they aren’t in a revolving door, one behind the other. The depth chart has a ton of guys with a lot to prove. Very few have the pedigree to make us confident once the starters exit.

We may see Eppler spend wisely in free agency to build the bullpen, strike a deal for an awesome reliever, and raise our expectations. It’s the dream scenario. This could happen and still we’d have to expect some holes in the relief corps.

There aren’t a whole lot of very good relievers likely to end up with the Mets. The ones we do like, you make your pick, have some warts of their own. They’re too old or have enough of a track record of getting hurt.

New York will need to buy low with some relievers and hope for the best. Others may be names we already know and aren’t so sure about.

Eppler will need someone to blow on his dice. Building a bullpen isn’t easy. There may never be a first week in December of any offseason when we feel good about this situation.