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One item the Mets need to weigh during the administration of new owner Steve Cohen is whether they should spend more than their assessment on players because his wealth allows it.
For George Springer, the answer was no.
The Mets let Springer’s camp know last weekend that they were ready to move up to six years at $ 120 million, but no more. At this point, the Mets were pretty much out of the game, as Springer headed for the six-year, $ 150 million pact he made with the Blue Jays on Wednesday.
If the Mets had matched that – added $ 5 million a year to their bid – they believe they had a good chance of landing the center-all-star outfielder, helped by the lure of Springer’s proximity to roots. in Connecticut.
But Mets officials felt the Blue Jays were willing to extend their tenure because they had, up to this point, been excluded from larger objects they had pursued, including Francisco Lindor, who had been obtained. by the Mets.
The Mets also weighed in throughout:
1. If Springer were signed, would that prevent them from also retaining Michael Conforto? It comes down to how much even Cohen is willing to spend. Conforto will be a free agent after the 2021 season, as will Lindor. In an ideal outcome, the Mets would retain both.
But if they do, they also have $ 20 million in Robinson Cano per year coming back to the bottom line for 2022-2023. Also, they have to keep or replace, probably, two starters because Steven Matz, Marcus Stroman and Noah Syndergaard are all entering their running years. Cohen said the Mets would spend like a big market team, but “not like drunken sailors.” The Mets wondered, if they had all of that on the payroll, would it be wise to have two offsets doing as much in the long run as it would have taken for Conforto and Springer?
2. If Springer had been willing to take the $ 120 million, the Mets would have gotten it, or hoped for DH in the Netherlands in 2021. But the lack of clarity in this area obscures their pursuit of central field. Adding a full-time center-back would move Brandon Nimmo to left field and force the Mets to decide whether Pete Alonso or Dominic Smith will play first base without DH. The Mets could move Smith between left and first and have two of three, among Alonso, Nimmo and Smith, starting. This would give depth, but not fully utilize their bats.
Non-Springer central field market representatives ask the Mets how many bats will be available if the NL does not make it to DH in 2021.
3. Since getting Lindor and Carlos Carrasco, the Mets have been trying to figure out how to split the rest of what Cohen is going to spend this offseason: on another big chunk or tackling a few areas?
Outside executives who dealt with Jared Porter in his final days as the Mets general manager said he presented that the Mets are focusing heavily on the 20-30 roster because they are worried about the depth for the long season, but also that this might be the best way. (rather than another big expense) to produce more wins.
The Mets would love to tackle central field, even if only to add a right defense or bat to complete Nimmo. They could pivot to remarkable defensive end Jackie Bradley Jr., despite being a left-handed hitter. Or they could be looking for a straight, smaller room like Albert Almora Jr. They want to add some readings to the pen, preferably a southpaw who can work late in games. Brad Hand, who led the majors in saves last year, tops their list. They want an additional stock of starting pitchers, although they would like to have more starting alternatives that have minor league options. The fact that Joey Lucchesi, obtained earlier this week from the Padres, still has two minor league options made him even more appealing to the Mets, who started this offseason with huge concerns about having Triple-A alternatives when the injury, poor performance or fatigue hit the major. roster of the league during the 2021 campaign.
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