Upon review, I find that yes, the Mets had a killer deadline. They added Clippard, Johnson, Uribe, and then Cespedes. The easiest improvement in baseball is from awful to average, and the Mets went from awful to slightly above average at 2 positions, while adding length to their bench and adding a quality bullpen arm who's flourished in a set up role. More importantly, I can't get over their rotation for the next few years. I honestly can't come up with a fanbase or front office who wouldn't be envious of the Mets' rotation for the next few years.
To wit, here is a potentially dominant front four, along the the last year they're under team control:
- Matt Harvey (2018)
- Zack Wheeler (2019)
- Jake DeGrom (2019)
- Noah Syndergaard (2021?)
It's like the Oaklans A's big 3 of Mulder, Hudson and Zito... if you added current day Sonny Gray to the mix.
Quick... name a team that's better positioned for the 2016-1018 seasons.
I didn't think you could.
Lots of talking heads in the NY area have discussed how Sandy Alderson should have done more, and how the Mets should be sporting a higher payroll (I've seem terms like 'commensurate with the NY market' bandied about). However, the Mets kept their 4 most important assets, kept payroll flexibility for the next few years to build an offense, and are actually one of the most compelling stories of this year. Other than 1986, I can't remember a better time to be a Mets fan.
The Last Place Oakland A's (man, between Sandy Alderson and Billy Beane, I'm sensing a pattern) had a great deadline. Gone are:
- Scott Kazmir (FA at the end of the season)
- Tyler Clippard (FA at the end of the season)
- Ben Zobrist (FA at the end of the season)
In are:
- Jacob Nottingham
- Daniel Mengden
- Sean Manaea
- Aaron Brooks
- Casey Meisner
In addition, based on their last place standing they added Felix Doubrant and Danny Valencia, both of whom have the potential to be contributors next year.
Every fantasty league has that guy who revels in having the number one waiver claim, and makes everyone else around him pay. Billy Beane's that guy, and that's a reason the A's will be back after the division crown sooner rather than later. Doubrant and Valencia could play major parts in that revival.
Finally, I like what the Blue Jays did even less, now that they've give up Valencia for... actually.. nothing. You mean to tell me the Mets wouldn't have given up a bag of used balls to build a bench platoon that has Johnson and Valencia available to pinch hit? Excuse the baseball analogy here, but while swinging for the fences, the Jays managed to forget about moving the runner over.
