Not Anti-Mets, Just Anti-Stupid

[DOUGHBOYS]

I was accused of being 'anti-Mets' the other day. Any time I say something harsh about a team, it riles their fans. Fans have the 'my team can do little wrong' attitude, so I get that. I'm really not 'anti-Mets, I'm anti-stupid when it comes to managing teams.
The Mets have no focus. No direction.
This fan challenged me to go through each position and tell what I would do if I were in charge of the Mets.
So here goes...


Folks know that the health and well being of their up and coming starters is the key to their future. Their fans know this. Even fans with above average baseball intelligence know this.
Harvey
Syndergaard
Montero
Gee
Wheeler
If everything goes right, that is the Mets rotation for 2015. Everything would have to fall in place. They'd have to have Harvey recover well from TJ and Syndergaard and Montero would have to continue their career path without injury.
In the mean time, the Mets have signed Bartolo Colon. This is a sideways signing. It's neither brilliant or stupid. A best, it guarantees, somewhat, that if something happens to one of the Mets trio of wonderlings that they'll have insurance for 2015.
At worst, a PED's user gets close to the threesome.

Their bullpen needs complete re-construction. If you're going to have a quintet of great arms, you need arms to save their games. Parnell will never be a stopper. Even at his best, he's shaky. Vic Black, Mejia, and Torres should be tested and tried in the Mets bullpen this year. Black should be given a go at the back of the bullpen.
They do not have to start the re-construction during this off-season. They can do it when the trade deadline nears and they can get rid of players that are not helpful to their future for the needed bullpen help. This year is a lost cause. Mets fans don't want to believe that. Mets Management don't want to believe that.
But sometimes, you just have to ChicagoCub up and admit it. This is where the Mets go wrong. They'll sign a guy like Chris Young for 7 million dollars. A probable waste. Mets fans are fixated on a poor outfield. Mets Management in an effort to appease fans throw money at Young and Granderson. They know these are not signings to build a winner. More so, it is a way to tell Mets fans to 'shut up, we're trying'.
They're bad signings.
At best, Young will be this year's Marlon Byrd and the Mets may get something for him at the deadline. At worst, 7 million dollars lost that could have been spent for 2015. In the mean time, Mets fans are right. Their outfield is horrible. They tied their star to Granderson. Granderson will be a corner outfielder by the time those pitchers flourish.
They'll need a Peter Bourjos type in center field. They should be keeping an eye on Bourjos and others like him.
Or even better, pray that Lagares can hit .270 If Lagares can do that, he'll save the Mets a lot of loot and patrol center field for the Mets. I would give him every chance to succeed and move Granderson to a corner as soon as possible.
If they're lucky enough to have Granderson AND Lagares in their outfield in 2015, that leaves the door open for them to sign a huge free agent corner outfielder for 2015.

The Mets don't know this, but they only have one opening on their infield. They are trying to find a first baseman to replace Ike Davis.
Why?
Because he got sick one year and followed that up with under performance?
They're too quick in trying to pull the trigger on a Davis trade. It'll come back to haunt them. He is the power hitting clean up hitter in their lineup, not Granderson.
If performing well for the Mets, it means you don't stay. Dickey, Reyes, Byrd, Hawkins all performed well. All left for various reasons. Sometimes the Mets got something back, sometimes not.
Daniel Murphy performed well for the Mets, now, like Davis, they're trying to trade him. Their attempt at trading high. But other GM's aren't biting. Keeping Murphy, at least till the trade deadline is the best course of action.
Wright, providing the only solidarity the Mets have, mans third.
Shortstop is a lost position. They're attempting to state that Ruben Tejada is a Major League shortstop. In truth, Tejada is Yuni Betancourt, only a worse hitter.

d' Arnaud is a trade chip. He gets hurt so much that nobody knows his true worth. With those five arms, the Mets can afford to JoseMolina the catching position. They don't need a young catcher. He doesn't even need to hit. He just needs to handle those five pitchers. David Ross contract will be up after this year, he would be a great sign for the Mets for 2015.

So, what are we looking for from my perspective?
We're looking for the Mets to make all moves with 2015 in mind.
Tops on the list would be a re-construction of the bullpen.
Next would be an outfielder, maybe two depending on Lagares major league ability.
Next, a Major League shortstop.
And last, an experienced catcher.

This leaves us with the expendable players of Niese, possibly Colon after this year, Eric Young Jr, Duda, Tejada, d'Arnaud, Parnell, and possibly Mejia and Torres if they don't work out in the bullpen.
They can get some chips in their bullpen from this list and possibly an outfielder or shortstop.

Offensively, the Mets are disorganized. Daniel Murphy should be their leadoff hitter. Young Jr. can run, so current wisdom makes him a leadoff guy. But, he shouldn't be. Young is a better fantasy player than real player.
Instead, they're trying to rid themselves of Murphy and give Young Jr. his position.
I don't get that at all. Young Jr. failed miserably at 2b in Colorado. Five great pitchers do not need a horrible keystone behind them. Young Jr. and Tejada is flat out laughable. THAT, is not thinking ahead to 2015.
A hodgepodge follows of Chris Young,Wright, Granderson, d'Arnaud, Lagares and whoever the Mets have standing at the end of spring training and if they go through with the ludicrousy of trading Murphy and Davis.

My lineup in 2015, as of now, would be...

Murphy
Free Agent outfielder/Shortstop
Wright
Ike Davis
Granderson
Free Agent Shortstop/outfielder
Lagares/ traded outfielder
Experienced Catcher

Holes are easily poked in future assessments. I would expect no less from Mets fans and others who disagree with all or part of my thinking for the Mets in the future.
At the least, everything should revolve around their rotation. The catcher, the shortstop, the second baseman, and center fielders all should be there with those five pitchers in mind.
Offense is sacrificed a tad to make sure the middle is solid. The corners should be there to make up the difference offensively.
Granderson is not my answer, but he is signed, so he is water under the bridge. The Mets will have to 'get it right' with any other future trades or signings. If not, you'll see more posts that will call me 'anti-Mets'.

[Outlaw]

Ouch, thats a bad team