Decision To Extend/Trade deGrom Must Be Part Of Larger Plan
With his agent softly throwing down the gauntlet yesterday, it seems the Mets are in a position where they are very soon going to have to make a public decision as to whether they are going to give Jacob deGrom the contract extension he wants or trade him to a contender.
Yes, there are other options including the team deciding to let the arbitration years play out before letting him hit free agency after the 2020 season, but given where this team is now and deGrom headed towards the Cy Young, it does not seem like this is the prudent course of action.
With that in mind, the question before the Mets is whether the team should give deGrom that contract extension he wants or if it is time to trade him and blow the whole thing up?
From a pure PR perspective, extending deGrom would be a boon for the Mets organization who could use some good publicity right about now. It also wouldn’t hurt for them to change some of the existing narratives. Much like when the team gave David Wright a contract extension back in 2012.
Also looking at it in terms of a non-baseball decision making thought process, it does help having the ability to market deGrom and get a bump in attendance every fifth day. It’s something the Mets did in 2012 with R.A. Dickey and 2013 with Matt Harvey. Really, you can criticize the Mets for a lot, but they do know how to promote their starting pitchers and get fans to the ballpark when their aces take the mound.
But this is more than PR and a slight bump in the gates. Ultimately, this is about investing in a now 30 year old pitcher. Here and now, the team is in a position to decide whether this is the guy they want to invest in and make a career Met. They have to decide if he’s part of the equation for the Mets next World Series contending team.
There’s a risk there. For every Max Scherzer whose career takes off at this point, you have a collection of pitchers like Felix Hernandez and CC Sabathia, who around this age, go from ace to very expensive fifth starter. Point being is if you make this move, you have to be correct about both the pitcher and your window.
Ultimately, that’s how the Mets need to make this decision.
If this is an organization who is truly willing to invest in this team to make this a World Series contender in 2019 or 2020, then give deGrom that extension now.
And the opportunity is there. The upcoming free agent class is loaded with players like Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, A.J. Pollock, Craig Kimbrel, and Andrew Miller.
In the next 1-3 years, the Mets could have prospects like Peter Alonso, Justin Dunn, and Andres Gimenez joining a young core of position players which include Michael Conforto, Brandon Nimmo, and Amed Rosario.
When you look forward two years, the pitching rotation should still have Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz. Having deGrom not only lead that rotation, but also serve as a mentor to young pitchers like Dunn or even David Peterson and Anthony Kay could prove to be a boon.
Really, even with the Mets being 16 games under .500, the team is closer to contention than many believe. All it is going to take is an investment in this roster from ownership. As we know, that is easier said than done.
Taking that into consideration, Mets ownership really needs to ask itself if they’re willing to repeat 2005 and go all-in on players like Carlos Beltran and Pedro Martinez to quickly turn things around, or are they willing to repeat 2009 – 2014? When the Mets decide which one of those two routes they are going to pursue, they can then make their decision on extending deGrom.
In the end, deGrom is the first decision in an overall plan. If you extend him, you go on a shopping spree in the offseason. If you trade him, you tear this completely down and do a proper rebuild. Really, there is no realistic inbetween for a team intent on winning another World Series within the next decade.
Wow!
I do not feel the regime took care of Wright because they take care of their own.
I used to go see de Grom but I can not even just watch him pitch on TV knowing how bad their system has beeen to score runs or pitch relief.
The Phillies have ZERO top picks in their lineup and just two starters so getting position players is not about top ten picks all the time however de Grom is thirty and the Mets have been reportedly not spending on analytics if not many crucial areas in player development if not paying top scout salaries. You can bet on it.
de Grom has been a company man, a convert from SS and he is going to be a FA at 32?
He has made little money, the team is not going anywhere and for anyone to fault the agent — This is a fucking business we hear all the time AS FAR AS THE professional team OWNERS ARE CONCERNED — and for any KISS ASS – MCCAREN on DAILY NEWS LIVE to suggest that the agent is being too assertive I DO NOT HAVE TO WATCH SNY ANYMORE ALSO!!
I can hope that Jake will always have an injury free elbow, that he was more vocal as an ambassador for the team to bring more attendance (why should I care for Jeff Wilpon?)
but
de Grom is a level headed, team first, well prepared, fiery competitor, a great role model, ground, patient and in my view beyond well deserving.
If the Mets have any indecision on giving him six years at $150M trade him now!
For the crap they get from Cespedes at $27.5 m — as primadona as they come, as me first — $7 for Swarzak and Blevins, $6 m Lagares there is bound to be heavy salary inflation anyway where oitchers nay get $35 m in two years….
If they continue to drag him aling using their leverage and screwing de Grom that is it for me with this regime!
If they can not take care of Jaje, then who?!
I didn’t say the Mets extended Wright because they take care of their own.
Wow!
I do not feel the regime took care of Wright because they take care of their own.
I used to go see de Grom but I can not even just watch him pitch on TV knowing how bad their system has beeen to score runs or pitch relief.
The Phillies have ZERO top picks in their lineup and just two starters so getting position players is not about top ten picks all the time however de Grom is thirty and the Mets have been reportedly not spending on analytics if not many crucial areas in player development if not paying top scout salaries. You can bet on it.
de Grom has been a company man, a convert from SS and he is going to be a FA at 32?
He has made little money, the team is not going anywhere and for anyone to fault the agent — This is a fucking business we hear all the time AS FAR AS THE professional team OWNERS ARE CONCERNED — and for any KISS ASS – MCCAREN on DAILY NEWS LIVE to suggest that the agent is being too assertive I DO NOT HAVE TO WATCH SNY ANYMORE ALSO!!
I can hope that Jake will always have an injury free elbow, that he was more vocal as an ambassador for the team to bring more attendance (why should I care for Jeff Wilpon?)
but
de Grom is a level headed, team first, well prepared, fiery competitor, a great role model, ground, patient and in my view beyond well deserving.
If the Mets have any indecision on giving him six years at $150M trade him now!
For the crap they get from Cespedes at $27.5 m — as primadona as they come, as me first — $7 for Swarzak and Blevins, $6 m Lagares there is bound to be heavy salary inflation anyway where pitchers may get $35 m in two years….
If they continue to drag him aling using their leverage and screwing de Grom that is it for me with this regime!
If they can not take care of Jaje, then who?!
I say give him 150/over 5 yrs…op 6th yr…in off season go get Machado…send the kid playing ss back to minors…he’s not major league ready…..look for a 1st baseman that can hit and play defense..find a decent CF er….catching is Mets biggest problem…the 3 a******* they got now dont make one good one put together…..call Jeter see what he wants for his catcher….keep deGrom and Syndergard…build around them…you can win in 19 -or 20..
You’re severely under estimating Plawecki while really over rating Realmuto
Realmuto can hit and defense…Plawecki shows me nothing…andthe clown thats on DL (cant spell his name) should have been traded during winter …he’s been given 4 yrs and cant make it
Realmuto can’t play defense.
Plawecki is a good receiver with a good wRC+.
the Mets cant be trusted to do anything right. look at the Bruce signing. all their free agent busts from 2017 off season. pathetic!
I’d like to refute this, but there’s little ammunition to combat this.