You ask, we reply. The Submit is fielding questions from readers about New York’s largest professional sports activities groups and getting our beat writers to reply them in a sequence of commonly printed mailbags. In at the moment’s installment: the Mets.
Why aren’t the Mets going after Joc Pederson? They may reconfigure their complete group round such an acquisition, needing solely a prime catcher. — D. Kirsch
The lefty-swinging Pederson would handle the middle subject query and provides the Mets a greater likelihood to win in 2020, if there’s a season, however he’s additionally getting into his stroll 12 months. Including Pederson would most likely imply buying and selling Brandon Nimmo or Dominic Smith, each of whom are underneath membership management for added seasons, so in that context the deal for the Mets could be an “all-in” try to win now. The Mets would additionally seemingly must commerce one other wage to tackle Pederson’s pro-rated $7.75 million. In abstract, it looks like a troublesome match. The Mets are more likely to stick with their plan of utilizing Nimmo and Jake Marisnick in middle and using Smith’s bat off the bench.
Why don’t the Mets transfer Jeff McNeil to second base and J.D. Davis to 3rd and use Robinson Cano as a utility participant? — Nick
One other reader requested, in a variation of the query, whether or not Pete Alonso may very well be shifted to 3rd base, permitting Smith to play first with McNeil at second. However Alonso hasn’t performed third base since school, and it most likely doesn’t make sense to mess with a man who simply hit 53 dwelling runs and is dedicated to enhancing at first base.
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All that is primarily moot as a result of Cano’s massive contract (he was due one other $96 million over 4 years earlier than MLB’s shutdown) ensures he’ll stay within the beginning lineup except he turns into an albatross. Within the second half of final season, Cano was among the many group’s higher performers, posting an .880 OPS.
Cano, 37, was specific in spring coaching that he nonetheless needs to play daily. He’ll seemingly get that chance so long as he can keep wholesome and avoids reverting to kind from final 12 months’s first half, when he was among the many best outs in baseball. If the Mets acknowledged what they’d in McNeil from the beginning, it’s seemingly the commerce with the Mariners for Cano would have by no means materialized — and stud prospect Jarred Kelenic would possibly nonetheless be within the group.
Which participant has the shortest shelf life throughout this stoppage? — @ametsfan54
When the shutdown started it appeared like a boon for Yoenis Cespedes, who nonetheless hadn’t appeared in an exhibition recreation, leaving it murky whether or not he could be prepared to start the season. However as this layoff extends, you begin to marvel how a lot Cespedes’ baseball abilities could be eroding as he strikes nearer to the two-year anniversary of his final main league look. Others who can’t be having fun with this down time are hitters resembling Alonso, McNeil and Davis, all of whom carried momentum into the spring after massive seasons final 12 months. One concept is many pitchers will profit from the layoff due to the decreased put on and tear on their arms.
Submit your Mets questions right here to be answered in an upcoming Submit mailbag
Will the Mets assure that ticket costs for 2021 is not going to enhance, thereby not lowering the worth of the 20 p.c bonus credit score? — George Maloney
From a enterprise standpoint, I don’t see how the Mets (or any sector of the sports activities and leisure business) can assure a lot of something at this level. However as we sit right here in early-Could, it’s arduous to examine costs growing for tickets, as groups can be determined to lure followers again into the ballpark, particularly if this season is performed in empty stadiums. The economic system as a complete can have a big say: Will followers have the disposable earnings to contemplate shopping for tickets at higher costs than beforehand?
Might Yoenis Cespedes and Noah Syndergaard be dealt throughout this 12 months’s commerce deadline if there may be one? — Joseph De Simo
If Cespedes returns to the lineup and produces, there may very well be a marketplace for his providers, particularly provided that the assured portion of his contract can be a pro-rated $6 million. However Cespedes, within the ultimate 12 months of his contract, would even be a rental. The Mets must weigh the potential return in a commerce in opposition to protecting him. Syndergaard isn’t going to pitch till June 2021 on the earliest, as he rehabs from Tommy John surgical procedure. Groups typically don’t commerce for rehabbing gamers due to the danger concerned.
In the event that they determine to play video games at Citi Subject with out followers, are the Mets nonetheless going to play that silly music each time they rating a run or the “clap music” when deGrom has two strikes on the hitter? — @TommyS9767
I like the concept of utilizing Zoom to place cheering followers on the large display. However the gamers can do with out all the opposite bells and whistles of gameday which might be extra directed on the fan expertise. A decreased decibel stage most likely isn’t a foul factor.