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Mets’ What If Approach to 2024

January 9, 2024

Time heals all wounds and exposes the results of decisions made before; whether that’s recent or ancient history. Mets' fans shouldn't judge others for who they root for, but look back on past century actions frequently.

Mets' fans have long wanted a front office willing to go out and buy the best talent; regardless the cost. It’s what seemingly was done for years across the river in The Bronx under the previous George Steinbrenner reign. Columnists and radio callers expressed a need to follow suit and while it took a good quarter-century; better late than never right?

Last offseason, Uncle Stevie was famously on vacation in Mexico when questioned about acquisitions and needing one more pitcher. Was that before or after they signed Justin Verlander? Edwin Diaz was already back in the fold and young Met fans were assured to watch Brandon Nimmo sprint down to first base after one of his many walks for the proverbial remainder of his career. Even MLB batting champion Jeff McNeil was back on board, but it wasn’t enough. It never seems enough when the possibility of more is out there, when “What if they signed so and so?” is still an option.

There’s a What If? episode somewhere where Diaz doesn’t injury himself before truly arriving at Port St. Lucie, but there’s also one where the Tom Glavine signing is admitted as the absolute failure it was. Mets' fans have relived that moment here before because his time here doesn’t get better with time. It only emphasizes why it’s worth the time to get things right.

David Stearns has earned the right to take his time getting things right only because this is his first season as President of Baseball Operations (POBO). The past mistakes or successes of others are not his fault, only his to now clean up or take advantage of. The advantage of overseeing the baseball operations for the world’s richest MLB owner could go down two different Chappelle’s Show tracks for Mets fans. We could be Leonard Washington. He was shot below the waist by Quills in a Marcy Projects hallway or treated like reporter Stephanie Gold, enjoying luxuries in the lap of Tron after six hours of hot hands in a dice game.

Does Luis Severino return to the Top 10 starter he was six years ago or continue to suffer injuries like the oblique strain that graciously ended his awful 2023 season, finishing with an abysmal 6.65 ERA over just 89 innings? That’s close to the number of frames Verlander posted last year before leaving town, but at least he left top prospects in return.

Adrian Houser was a top prospect in the Milwaukee Brewers’ farm system, so his abilities are familiar to POBO Stearns. Eligible for free agency in 2025, does the 6-foot-3 righty return to his 2021 form with 105 strikeouts over a career high 142.1 innings or replicate his 162-game average 4.00 ERA over seven seasons?

Seven years ago, you wouldn’t have been able to acquire the services of Harrison Bader so easily as the Mets did a few days ago. St. Louis doesn’t easily give up on talented draft picks known as elite defenders up the middle. But inabilities with the bat and injuries can change opinions, can Bader hit enough to force Nimmo to left field or is he just a late-game replacement?

Replacing David Peterson as the lone lefty starter on the staff won’t be difficult for Sean Manaea. A solid starter in Oakland and San Francisco over eight seasons, Baseball-Reference reports say the addition of a slider/sweeper to his arsenal assisted his quality finish to 2023 with a 2.25 ERA in four September starts. Can he replicate that at Citi Field or struggle like he did down the stretch for San Diego a few years ago (6.44 ERA over final 13 starts)?

These are only a few of the What If questions as the sports cycle slowly turns towards spring. But for those disappointed with the seemingly small-club actions, what if this is POBO Stearns saving Uncle Stevie’s money for buyouts and contract trades at the deadline months away? When you’re a Mets fan; sometimes it’s more fun to think about a fictional future and that’s the truth.