The Mets are 42-43 and 2.5 games out of the second wild card spot entering Friday, and the next 10 days will likely determine whether they ride the Grimace train and try to add the Hamburglar and some Fry Kids, or close down McDonaldland and retool for next year.
But when one caller Friday morning said he was worried about the Mets trying to sell some of their veteran rentals to try to reload, Joe Benigno was NOT having it with certain players.
“I'm as old as Joe, so I've been around for rooting for the Mets for that many years, and the biggest concern I have with the Mets right now is this: you do need veterans besides all these prospects they're trying to get, but I'm a little concerned about them selling off some of their pitching,” Ed in Marlborough said.
Jerry Recco doesn’t think they will, but what say you, Joseph?
“Sign Severino now,” Joe said. “Look, honestly, if they got rid of Manaea or Quintana, I don't have a great problem with that, but I want Severino signed. I gotta tell you that.”
So does Ed, but he’s worried about that not happening, as well as JD Martinez, who he thinks the Mets ‘signed so they could trade him.’ Going as well.
“Why? If they're in the race, why would you sell him? If they’re two games out of the wild card at the deadline, how are they gonna sell JD Martinez?” Joe exhorted. “How is Stevie Cohen, Mr. Money, possibly selling that to this fan base when you did it last year. Now, if you’re in the race, you’re gonna start dumping people? This guy's been one of the reasons this team has had a transformation. He's been one of the keys to that turnaround.”
“Ed, you might be right that maybe when they signed him, they didn't expect much, and maybe the idea was ‘maybe we get some production and we can turn that into more prospects,’” Jerry added, “but if you're winning games? A lot of people said when Steve Cohen took over they didn't think that they would ever lose their own players. Fair enough, I think certain circumstances can dictate that, but to me, having Steve Cohen as an owner means you buy when you think that your team has a chance to make the postseason. You don't just sell off because of philosophy, and if you lose a guy like JD Martinez after one year because your run to the postseason didn't come the way you thought it would? Okay, fair enough, but I don't think you just sell him off the idea of bringing in prospects. If you have a chance to make the playoffs, make the playoffs!”
So yeah, seems like Joe & Jerry are on the same page.
“They’re one game under .500. I understand they had two bad losses here to the Nationals, but if they’re in the race, I'm not trading JD Martinez. He's been a big factor in this team,” Joe said.
“I think he's been huge,” Jerry replied. “You have Martinez hitting stride, Alvarez and Vientos have been huge, and I think the addition of Jose Iglesias has been tremendous.”