Is Mark Vientos a Melvin Mora or a Michael Conforto in 2023?

The 2000 New York Mets made it to the World Series and 15 years later they did it again in 2015. The 2000 team was made up of mostly veterans while the 2015 club was relying on rookies and second-year players. The current team has a lot in common with the 2015 season in this way with Mark Vientos hopeful to follow in the footsteps of someone like Michael Conforto.

Vientos has been one of the more highly-rated Mets prospects for several seasons and yet the question has always been about where he eventually fits into the picture. The universal DH gave him another possible role and we’re seeing him utilized there this season.

It’s still not a perfect fit for Vientos. He can have a larger role somewhere else as a possible first baseman. Instead of being a Conforto for them this year, what if he’s more like Melvin Mora in 2000?

The great NY Mets trade debate about Mark Vientos will be louder than ever

The Mets have plenty of candidates to be like Conforto in 2015 to help spark the offense, get into the lineup regularly, and help lead the team to victory. Vientos is hardly alone in this way but he stands out with no clear position.

Back in 2000, the Mets lost Rey Ordonez for the year and turned to Mora for help regularly at shortstop. They didn’t view him as an actual shortstop and at the trade deadline he was packaged with several others in a deal with the Baltimore Orioles for Mike Bordick. History showed the Mets would’ve been better off keeping Mora and maybe adding a defensive replacement to the roster. Mora quickly grew into a productive hitter in Baltimore while Bordick barely helped lift the team at all.

For the Mets, their biggest offensive need is to figure out the DH spot. In 2015 when the Mets needed an outfield upgrade, Conforto became a solution. Vientos is one of the obvious contenders for regular starts at the DH spot, however, he might be able to fetch the Mets a more proven and better player in a trade deadline deal.

What to do. What to do. What to do.