ORLANDO — Completely happy birthday to Pete Alonso, who will get to have fun turning 31 this week with a visit to Orlando. The primary baseman will attend the MLB Winter Conferences in individual this week as he explores free company for the second yr in a row.
He is not going to be assembly with the Mets, nonetheless. President of baseball operations David Stearns doesn’t see the necessity for a proper assembly with a participant who has been within the Mets group since 2016.
“I think Pete knows us really well; I think we know Pete really well,” Stearns stated Monday in Orlando. “I think he’ll take the time here to, perhaps, meet with organizations he doesn’t know quite as well, and I’m sure we’ll be in touch.”
To be honest, he does have some extent. Alonso is aware of the Mets and is aware of how they function. A elaborate pitch deck presentation most likely isn’t wanted when he can decide up the telephone and name the workers to ask about any questions he may need. Usually, when gamers attend the conferences in individual, it’s to satisfy with groups they aren’t accustomed to. Managers and executives make their recruiting pitches, current details about their organizations, and the 2 sides get to know each other to see if it might be a match.
It sounds just like the Mets and Alonso will talk at a later date. It additionally sounds as if a market has but to materialize for the Polar Bear. Stearns declined to offer an replace on any negotiations with Alonso, citing his coverage of not discussing free agent negotiations.
The Mets are out there for an outfielder, one thing Stearns stated outright Monday, particularly with Brandon Nimmo now in Texas. Stearns additionally stated in the event that they don’t discover one other outfielder, they’d be snug with Jeff McNeil spending extra time on the place, and high prospect Carson Benge may additionally play in left.
The Mets reiterated that Juan Soto is just not shifting off of proper subject, which seemingly eliminates any probability of the Mets going after Kyle Tucker.
“He doesn’t like DH’ing,” supervisor Carlos Mendoza stated throughout his media availability Monday. “He takes pride in being a good defender, and he will continue to do so. I’m pretty sure the schedule will dictate [playing time]. Sometimes, if he’s dealing with physical stuff but you’re trying to keep his bat in the lineup, the DH might come into play. But if he’s feeling good enough, he’s going to be out there in right field.”
For now, it’s nonetheless establishment with Alonso.
SENGA’S OFFSEASON
Proper-hander Kodai Senga is having an “outstanding offseason,” based on Stearns. Injured for all however a couple of innings of the 2024 season, Senga regarded like an All-Star final yr till yet one more harm took him out. He failed to return again from his hamstring harm with any type of success, and was pressured to spend the final month of his season in Triple-A the place the outcomes weren’t any higher.
Senga, 32, had a sub 2.00 ERA over his first 14 begins, then posted a 6.56 ERA in his final eight.
Now wholesome once more, Stearns stated Senga looks like he did in 2023 when he was a finalist for the NL Rookie of the 12 months Award, and the staff is pleased with the communication from him.
“I do think there’s been a meeting at the middle and I think Kodai has been very motivated to do that,” Stearns stated. “I think we’re in a really good spot right now.”
SETTING IT STRAIGHT
Studies of clubhouse strife have been overblown, based on Mendoza. A latest story within the New York Submit about Francisco Lindor and Jeff McNeil not getting alongside, and a cold relationship between Lindor and Soto was blown out of proportion after publication. It grew to become social media fodder, with followers and analysts making it appear as if the Mets had a poisonous clubhouse.
Mendoza stated that couldn’t be farther from the reality.
“We had a professional clubhouse,” Mendoza stated. “Guys respected each other, guys enjoyed being around each other. We just didn’t play well in the field, and that translated into whatever people call vibes, or team chemistry. But at the end of the day, guys showed up, and they respected each other.”
