The New York Mets not only missed the postseason in 2021, but they looked lost in the second half and even started a feud with fans.
Several executives were involved in legal issues and lost their jobs, and the baseball decisions weren’t always sound.
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The organization needs to find some stability, and here are some ideas.
3. Hire A Qualified Person To Make Baseball Decisions
The Mets, before the 2021 season, hired Jared Porter and Zack Scott to be the general manager and assistant GM, respectively.
During the year, Porter was dismissed after it became public that he had been harassing women and sending unsolicited, inappropriate pictures.
Scott was arrested on DUI charges on August 31, and was fired this week by the Mets.
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Mets general manager Zack Scott will not return to the organization regardless of how his DUI trial turns out, as others have reported today. He had been on administrative leave since his arrest.
Yes, the organization had some bad luck with those two (or failed at checking their background), but they need to hire someone who can make appropriate baseball decisions.
Team president Sandy Alderson has said the idea is to hire a president of baseball operations and a general manager, but there is a chance they bring just one because most candidates are no longer options or never were.
The Mets swung and missed with talented executives such as Billy Beane, Theo Epstein, and David Stearns.
They reportedly interviewed former Los Angeles Angels GM Billy Eppler and received permission to talk with Boston Red Sox’s executive Raquel Ferreira.
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To find stability, the Mets need to hire a person qualified for the job, up to date with analytics, and with the ability to deal with pressure.
2. Don’t Mess With Fans
New York fans are tough, and that’s no secret.
They booed the team relentlessly whenever they struggled, including new face of the franchise Francisco Lindor.
At one point, Lindor, Javier Baez, and Kevin Pillar turned against fans and expressed their unhappiness about being constantly booed.
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They apologized, but these things shouldn’t happen again if the Mets want to be successful.
Javier Baez apologizes for symbolically booing Mets fans with a thumbs down gesture. Francisco Lindor also apologized. #MLB#NYMetspic.twitter.com/l9E5D6AYzk
A sustainable franchise needs a lot of things, and keeping the fans happy is one of them.
Whether booing is justified or not is another subject, but Mets players shouldn’t try to reason with fans.
An organization would be healthier if these scenarios were avoided.
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Fighting with fans is a time and energy consuming issue that won’t lead players anywhere.
1. Build For The Future And The Present
This is easier said than done, but for a team like the Mets, desperate for winning, it’s easy to lose perspective at the time of making baseball decisions.
Take what happened to former GM Brodie Van Wagenen, for example: in an attempt to win, he brought an albatross contract in Robinson Cano and traded two blue chip prospects, Jarred Kelenic and Justin Dunn, to be able to lure Edwin Diaz from the Seattle Mariners a couple of seasons ago.
Van Wagenen is no longer with the team, but that situation is the perfect example of what the Mets shouldn’t do at this point.
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Yes, their fan base demands immediate results, especially with the wealthiest owner in MLB in Steve Cohen.
But they shouldn’t give away the future in the process.
The current regime did something similar, trading a first-round pick in Pete Crow-Armstrong for Baez.
Baez performed admirably, but he was a rental.
The Mets need to invest resources in player development and proper scouting so they can draft and produce the gems of tomorrow, but they also need to make savvy trades and not overpay for free agents.
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They need to think about today, yes, but they need to prioritize tomorrow, as well.
In a very positive development for Chicago Cubs fans, the franchise already made its first big move toward being competitive in 2022.
The Cubs, who have been rumored to be willing to spend some money this winter to field a competitive team, added left-handed starter Wade Miley via waivers from the Cincinnati Reds.
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The Reds had a $10 million club option on Miley for next year, with a $1 million buyout.
Apparently, they decided to waive him in what is a confusing move.
A Puzzling Decision
It was a puzzling decision, to say the least, by a franchise that held a Wild Card spot late in the second half of the season.
The soon-to-be 35-year-old pitcher will surely appear on some Cy Young ballots in a few weeks, when season awards are handed out.
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He had a fantastic year in Cincinnati, with a 12-7 record, a 3.37 ERA, and a 1.33 WHIP.
He wasn’t the most dominant pitcher out there, as his strikeout ability (18.1 strikeout rate) was below-average, but he relied on contact management to be one of the most dependable left-handers in baseball.
His average exit velocity was 85.7 mph, and his hard-hit rate (percentage of balls hit at 95 mph or more) was 34 percent, both above-average.
That kind of production certainly deserved $10 million or more, but the Reds appear to be entering a cost-saving period.
No matter which source you use, Miley was highly valued by the numbers: he was worth 2.9 Wins Above Replacement, or WAR, according to FanGraphs’ calculations, while Baseball Reference had him rated even better at 5.7 WAR.
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The Reds recently traded catcher Tucker Barnhart, too, in addition to shedding Miley’s salary.
One would think that picking up Miley’s option and then trying to trade him would have made a lot more sense for Cincinnati.
Miley has $10M club option for 2022. Reds could have picked it up, traded him and still accomplished their obvious goal of saving money. https://t.co/TJb5lRyHQU
C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reported that Reds general manager Nick Krall said the organization attempted to trade Miley, but couldn’t find a taker.
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The Cubs Net A Solid Starter At A Fair Cost
For the Cubs, Miley’s addition is a breath of fresh air.
Chicago reportedly wants to spend some money to field a competitive club that may fight for a Wild Card berth or, in a best-case scenario, the National League Central division.
Miley is the perfect addition for them at this point.
The Reds could have picked up a $10 million option and then traded Miley.
Instead he heads to a division rival in an effort to ensure the clearing of payroll.
Postseason legends become household names and Randy Arozarena is joining that elite category that features names such as Mariano Rivera and Reggie Jackson. Arozarena is quickly becoming one of the greatest postseason HR hitters of all time despite technically being a 2021 rookie. The rise of Randy Arozarena has been one of the best stories in 2020 and 2021 and he has become a prominent player due to his October heroics that continued in ALDS Game 1 vs. Boston.
Tampa Bay #Rays OF Randy Arozarena is the 1st player with a HR & SB toward home plate during the same postseason GP in MLB history pic.twitter.com/BoDWvilauz
Randy Arozarena continues to dominate in October and is one of the most prolific postseason players in MLB history. His performance during the 2020 playoffs was outstanding and his success has continued into the 2021 playoffs. While he was one of MLB’s most unheralded players just a year ago, his rise continues to amaze, especially given that he was a throw-in for Minor League prospect Matthew Liberatore in a trade with the Cardinals, who has yet to pitch in the MLB.
One of the best things about baseball is how insignificant players can flip the script and become some of MLB’s best players. Justin Turnerbounced around the league before joining the Los Angeles Dodgers. Randy Arozarena has found a home in Tampa Bay and is solidifying himself as an elite postseason HR hitter as he’s already Tampa’s all-time postseason HR leader and would lead 21 other franchises as well. Arozarena looks to provide the push Tampa Bay needs to win their first World Series championship in 2021.
Houston Astros have been one of the MLB’s best teams recently, reaching the ALCS in each of the last four years and are now one win away from making it five straight. Though their pitching has been terrific, it’s their offensive lineup that has been the primary reason for their success and continues to knock around opponents’ pitching, regardless of a cheating scandal surrounding their 2017 season.
The Astros led the league in AVG, OBP, Hits, and Runs this past regular season and have not slowed down so far in the postseason. Through two ALDS games against the Chicago White Sox they have scored 15 runs to go along with 20 hits and are leading the series 2-0 going back to Chicago on Sunday. Game 2 was tied 4-4 in the 7th inning until a 5-run explosion showed how potent their lineup can really be.
The Houston Astros have gone to the ALCS each of the last four seasons and are one game away from doing the same this October. They have taken a commanding 2-0 series lead over the Chicago White Sox behind key players Yordan Alvarez (3 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI), Michael Brantley (3 H, 3 RBI), and Carlos Correa (3 H, 2 RBI), who just recorded his 52nd postseason RBI, good for seventh most in MLB history.
In Game 2, the Astros rode a five-run 7th inning highlighted by clutch hits from Alvarez and Correa, along with a two-run HR from Kyle Tucker to give them a commanding 9-4 lead going into the 8th inning. The Astros pitching shut the door the rest of the way as they have all series, with the White Sox becoming the first MLB team to have more than 15 hits and 0 XBH through two postseason games. Though their pitching has been dominant, their explosive 7th inning was a reminder of just how good the Astros’ offense can be in case anyone forgot after their incredible 2021 regular season.