The Mets simultaneously had a good and bad off-season. The Mets came into the off-season with several needs: 1-2 relievers, starting pitching depth, a center fielder and either a 2nd or 3rd basemen.
The Mets signed:
- Anthony Swarzak – Right Handed Reliever
- Jay Bruce – Corner Outfielder
- Adrián Gonzalez – First Basemen
- Jose Reyes – Middle Infielder
- Todd Frazier – Third Basemen
- Jason Vargas – Starting Pitcher
So the Mets really accomplished everything on their check list. The main gripes that fans, and myself, have had with with the off-season, even with how active the Mets have been, especially compared to other clubs, is:
- Before the Mets signed Frazier and Vargas, it felt like the Mets were assembling the same roster from the previous seasons.
- The Mets oft optioned for the “sorta fix” rather than the actual fix. For example – Jay Bruce is a nice signing. Cain would have been the truer fit to the need.
- The Mets spent a lot of money, but went with the cheap option multiple times, especially highlighted with not going for Cain or Darvish. Will the saving of money be worth not being guaranteed the wins.
In the end, Mets fans can claim both a good and bad off-season, as they have already been doing on twitter, claiming the narrative that matches their opinion about the Mets before the start of the off-season.
The Mets are cheap! They only got players because the market came to them and got the lower tier players at every opportunity (this matches the ideas that owners do not spend money and ignores the amount guaranteed given out).
The Mets only sign their own players! Bruce and Reyes again! (this ignores the signings of multiple non-Mets).
The Mets actually filled their gaps! Why are you complaining? (this ignores that the Mets still have a glaring LHP hole in the bullpen that must be addressed or Blevins will fall apart by July).
They addressed their needs. It’s annoying that they still went with lower tier players in the largest market in the United States. It’s great they signed player to team friendly deals but it’s annoying that they lean heavily on former Mets. The Mets have increased their depth! What is the quality of the depth? The Mets simultaneously had a good and bad off season.
