The Metsian Podcast's Winter Meeting With Amazin' But True Podcast Host Jake Brown and QBC's Keith Blacknick

From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

Break Time is Over ... The Metsian Podcast is Back on the Air

GUESTS

New York Post Sports Exec Producer 

Host of Amazin' But True Podcast

JAKE BROWN

&

Queens Baseball Convention's

TheMediaGoon, aka Keith Blacknick

ninety-two minutes

TOPICS

Steve Cohen ~ Sandy Alderson ~ Front Office

Free Agents ~ MLB vs. UNION ~ Pitching

Prospects ~ Robinson Cano ~ Field Manager

Upcoming QBC  ~ and so much more!

#LGM

The Metsian Podcast: Ushering Change in Flushing With The One, The Infamous, Tío Al

From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

@THE_SamMaxwell     @MetFanRich     @BTB_MikeII

GUEST

Met Fan ~ Mister Hot Take

THE ONE ... THE ONLY

Infamous Tío Al

eighty-two minutes

Changes in Flushing are underway.  After two seasons of pandemic baseball and front-office dysfunction, Luis Rojas was recently let go as manager, along with long-time bullpen coach Ricky Bones and other members of the coaching staff.  But time is fleeting, and the Mets have yet to get their front office in order.  We know who won't be taking over as President of Baseball Operations, Theo Epstein.  Joining The Metsian Podcast in helping bring 2021 to a close, navigate a new course, and ponder potential front-office and managerial candidates will be Mets fan extraordinaire, mister hot-take on Twitter and YouTube, the Only and Infamous, Tío Al.

#LGM

The Metsian Podcast: Bringing 2021 Season to a Close with MLB Illustrated's Sadie

From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

GUEST
Graphics Designer, Digital Marketer, Baseball Fan

@MLBIllustrated     @PrintsBySadie

SADIE

METS FAN FROM ALBERTA, CANADA

seventy-one minutes

2021 

Regular Season 

Finale

THE METSIAN PODCAST: Flipping Fans the Thumb with Baseball Reporter/Analyst Ernest Dove

From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

PART ONE:

TWO FANS IN A CAR TALKIN' METS

@THE_SamMaxwell talks one-on-one w/ @BigRedRuckus

⚾

PART TWO:

Baseball Reporter, Analyst, 

Covering the St. Lucie Mets,

Can Be Heard at

SPORTANARIUM.com

ERNEST DOVE

STUFF

Howie Rose ~ Jerry Koosman ~ Retired Numbers ~ Noah Syndergaard

Jeff Cohen ~ Luis Rojas ~ Sandy Alderson

Francisco Lindor ~ THUMBS DOWN ~ Javier Baez

Yogi Berra ~ Gary Carter ~ Keith Hernandez ~ Tug McGraw

and so much more!

👎

#LGM

The Metsian Podcast: Dog Days of Summer Keep Chewing Away

From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

@THE_SamMaxwell     @MetFanRich     @BTB_MikeII 

THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER 

KEEP CHEWING UP THE METS

#LGM

It's a Mad, Mad, Mets World: A Cathartic Metsian Podcast With TUMARO MEDIA's Phil Maillard

From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

GUEST
TUMARO MEDIA

PHIL MAILLARD

114 minutes

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mets world.  The lack of slugging is driving us crazy.  After losing three of four to the Miami Marlins, being swept by the Phillies, and falling out of first place, Sam, Rich, me, and Phil Maillard convene for a cathartic episode of The Metsian Podcast.  We're here for you.  Listen in and decompress.

#LGM

The Metsian Podcast: State of the Metropolitans with Newsday's David Lennon

From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

FEATURED GUEST

New York Newsday Baseball Columnist 

David Lennon

1:40:00

Sandy Alderson ~ Luis Rojas ~ Zack Scott

Outgoing Coaches ~ Pete Alonso ~ Incoming Coaches

Pitching ~ Hitting ~ Defense

... and so much more! 

The Metsian Podcast: Putting April Through the Translator with The Record/NorthJersey Mets Columnist Justin Tuscano

From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

GUEST

From The Record and NorthJersey.com

New York Mets Columnist 

JUSTIN C. TUSCANO

104 minutes

APRIL WRAP-UP

Early Assessments ~ Hitting Woes ~ Mother Nature

Zack Scott ~ Luis Rojas ~ Chili Davis ~ Sandy Alderson

Jacob deGrom ~ Michael Conforto ~ Pete Alonso ~ Francisco Lindor

Tom Seaver ~ Doc Gooden ~ Brandon Nimmo

and so much more!

#LGM

A Metsian Podcast: Ringing in Pitchers & Catchers with Baseball Analyst Ernest Dove

From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

with SAM, RICH & MIKE

GUEST

Baseball Writer, Reporter, Analyst

ERNEST DOVE

one hundred-three minutes

Northeast weather remains frightful, but down in Port St. Lucie, it's far more delightful.  For everything you want to know, baseball writer and analyst Ernest Dove joins this evening's show.  In the spirit of Pitchers & Catchers, the starting rotation and bullpen are up for discussion.  Also on the docket are front office maneuverings and/or lack thereof, this year's non-roster invitees, and speculating who breaks north to Flushing and who starts the season at Syracuse, along with other minor league-related issues. 

#LGM

N.Y. Mets: Like a Nor'Easter Over Flushing Bay

From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

Pitchers & Catchers report in two more days when finally the Mets can again set about the business of playing baseball.

After one of the most comprehensively altering off-seasons in Mets history, Flushing begins digging out from a winter Nor'Easter marked by hype, controversy, and transformative acquisitions.   

Once his Mets' purchase was finalized by Major League Baseball, Steve Cohen officially arrived on the scene in November.  At long last, the Wilpon Era was over.  Replete with a Twitter account at the ready, Cohen, in an instant single-handed revived the spirits of New York City's increasingly despondent National League fan base.

Already a minority shareholder in the team, Cohen and Sandy Alderson were by no means strangers to one another.  However, I still wonder why Cohen acted so quickly in hiring Alderson to be his President of Baseball Operations.  With Steve Cohen in place, being a Mets executive instantly became one of the most sought after positions in all of baseball.  Why not wait and play the field or see who makes themselves available?  Instead, Cohen wasted little time in recruiting Sandy Alderson back into the Mets fold.  In turn, Alderson wiped out all vestiges of Brodie Van Wagenen's front office, all except "the survivor" John Ricco, that is.

Before hiring a general manager, Sandy Alderson's skeleton crew moved quickly in signing free-agents Brian McCann and Trevor May and executing the mega-deal for Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco.  Not till a week after the big trade was Jared Porter hired as general manager.  All of this taking place in December.  

Flushing goes on to revel in one of the happiest New Year's holidays of recent history, pandemic withstanding.  But then a major controversy came crashing the party.  Roughly one year after hiring Carlos Beltran as manager then immediately having to let him go when it was discovered he participated in the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal, the Mets, after less than forty days on the job are forced to fire Jared Porter post-haste after it was revealed he texted numerous unsolicited lewd pictures to a female reporter.

Kicking off the month of February, news comes down of similar behavior involving former manager Mickey Callaway.  In what is being called the "worst kept secret in sports," several female members of the media claim Callaway's harassing behavior spanned five years, covering his time in Cleveland, New York, and Anaheim.  

As one who hired both, these incidents put Sandy Alderson's hiring practices squarely under the spotlight.  When a reporter questioned if he ever consulted with a woman at any point during his vetting of Porter, Sandy Alderson said no.  Therefore, it's now up to him to decipher whether his practices are fundamentally flawed, self-serving, or otherwise.

Then came the GameStop and supposed stock manipulation uproar that caused Steve Cohen's professional life as an investor to bleed over into his endeavors as Mets owner.  He suspended his Twitter account at once, and you might say the honeymoon period ended with it.

Meanwhile, free agency was not as cooperative as Mets fans anticipated.  However, for the first time in a long time, spending power was not a primary issue.  It certainly appears as if George Springer and Trevor Bauer never once contemplated playing in New York.  Instead, each used the Mets to facilitate an agreeable contract elsewhere, for it takes two to set a market ... just ask Baurer's agent.  I am actually very agreeable to missing out on both.  Just because they were the best available doesn't necessarily make them worthy of premium dollars.

This month's second wave of transactions saw the trading away of Steven Matz to Toronto for three prospects, one of which the Mets parlayed into Kansas City's eighth-ranked prospect, outfielder Khalil Lee.  Alderson and interim general manager Zack Scott also traded for pitchers Joey Lucchesi and Jordan Yamamoto.  From the free-agent market, they signed outfielder Albert Amora Jr, pitcher Aaron Loup, and infielder Jonathan Villar.

And that was only in the first one hundred days of the Cohen Era.

The Mets still have several outstanding issues entering Spring Training.

Major League Baseball will not be implementing a universal DH this season.  As rules go, I'm happy about it, but it's problematic for the Mets.  The likely alignment when the Mets are not playing American League teams is Dom Smith playing left and Pete Alonso at first.  Otherwise, Dom Smith will DH and make the occasional start at first - not an optimal situation.

Albert Almora Jr. brings a potential platoon into the center field equation.  This is, of course, the backup plan after having missed out on George Springer.  Brandon Nimmo looks to be the starter heading into the season.  In fact, I welcome Nimmo and his career .838 OPS.  At the very least, Albert Almora Jr. should become the customary late-inning replacement.

The situation at third base remains fluid.  The job belongs to JD Davis until notified otherwise.  No one is questioning his bat.  However, his glovework leaves much to be desired.  Thus the Mets seem more than interested in making another move.

Meanwhile, Francisco Lindor and Michael Conforto have pressing contract concerns that require the Mets address.

Lastly, on the premise simmering in pockets of Metsville, that because the Mets have a billionaire owner, their inability to secure JT Realmuto, Brad Hand, George Springer, Trevor Baurer, James Paxton, D.J. LeMahieu, Cory Kluber, Nolan Arenado, et al, constitutes a failed off-season.

To all of it, I say, nonsense.

N.Y. Mets: Free Agents Giving New York Cold Shoulder

From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

Trucking Down I-90 

With Mixed Bags of Goods

I think it safe to say this winter's free-agency period hasn't gone quite the way most fans anticipated. 

After a decade of penny-pinching by the previous regime, new incoming owner Steve Cohen, who finalized the purchase of the team in November, was rather matter-of-fact in stating that here on out, things would be different.

Without yet naming a general manager, Sandy Alderson, addressing the team's need at catcher, elected to not play the market.  The Mets pounced on James McCann at the very reasonable if not bargain price of $40.6 million over four years.  That transaction was negotiated back in mid-December.  Whereas just one week ago, JT Realmuto finally re-upped with Philadelphia for $115.5 million over five years - a net difference in total compensation of $74.9 million.  That's nothing to sneeze at.

McCann is a solid backstop.  The Mets may even get more than what they paid for.  The soon to be 31-year old is an improvement (from Wilson Ramos) both defensively and as a receiver.  His rate of caught stealing is well above average.  He has never played in more than 118 games (72.9%) nor achieved 500 plate appearances in any of his five-plus full seasons in the bigs.  However, the Mets are signing him on an offensive uptick.  In 2019 while with the White Sox, McCann registered career highs in all batting categories for a season that somewhat resembles JT Realmuto-like production.  Last season, he was arguably on track to surpass those numbers.

Sandy Alderson followed up with the signing of free-agent reliever Trevor May.  Along with the trade acquisition of Francisco Lindor, all seemed well.

And then, all of a sudden, things changed.  I still ponder why the Mets seemed disinterested in reliever Brad Hand who signed on with rival Washington.  Meanwhile, the matter of Jared Porter, GameStop, and the subsequent halt of Steve Cohen's own Twitterverse cannot go unspoken.

George Springer, who when considering where to sign, supposedly said he would like to be close to his home state of Connecticut.  Therefore, he elected to take his talents to Toronto rather than Flushing, Queens.  Because nothing is more alluring than the Canadian tax rate and an eight-hour drive after work.

Most recently, Trevor Bauer finally agreed to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers.  After all, he is from North Hollywood.  This would be a fine time to make Bob Nightengale jokes, but I won't.  Bauer's agent, meanwhile, was busy creating her own Twitter maelstrom.

In the instances of Springer and Bauer, the Mets were financially competitive.  Money, for a change, was not an insurmountable issue.  The decision not to out-bid Toronto was arguably a sound one.  Whereas the Mets appeared willing to reset the bar in average annual value with Trevor Bauer.

Now, I, for one, do not believe Bauer is worth that kind of dollar.  At the same time, I'm less interested in short term average annual value than I am crippling long term commitments.  In Bauer's defense, teams may recognize they are paying for what he will do, rather than what he has done.

All this being said, I have a saying: once is an event; twice is a coincidence; three times is a trend.

Two players chose not to play in Queens.  They used the Mets to secure comparable contracts elsewhere.  I'm trying to find blame with Sandy Alderson, but the truth is told, I can't.

... and people were worried about Steve Cohen upsetting MLB's financial landscape with his spending potential.

I recall the last time Toronto went on a spending spree, a fellow named J.P. Ricciardi was writing those checks.  How did that work out for them?  The Dodgers are big spenders, have been ever since Magic Johnson's group took over control of the organization. 

Moving forward, I also have no real interest in free-agent center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr.  If my choice is between JBJ and Brandon Nimmo, I'd rather stay put.

A Metsian Podcast Featuring Baseball Author Erik Sherman

From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

With SAM, RICH & MIKE

GUEST

BASEBALL AUTHOR

ERIK SHERMAN

eighty-six minutes

#LGM

N.Y. Mets: Sandy Alderson Still Acting Like Smartest One in the Room

From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

Things That Make Go You Go Hmmm ...

The Washington Nationals recently signed Brad Hand to a one-year $10.5 million contract.  We know the Mets certainly could have used him.  Toronto also recently won the George Springer sweepstakes as the Mets refused to up their bid by another $25 million or so.  Then if you rewind back to December, the Mets acted (hastily?) quickly in signing free-agent catcher James McCann to a bargain rate $40 million over four years rather than pursue J.T Realmuto (who remains unsigned) at a higher premium.

HOT TAKE ALERT: This all wreaks of Sandy Alderson's sensibilities while under the Wilpons.

But, Mike, they traded for Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco.

Indeed, but they still need to secure Lindor long-term, and Carlos Carrasco figures to be a fourth starter at best.  I'd love to be wrong about the latter, but I'm just calling it as I see it.

An interesting dichotomy in the making ... the owner says go spend, yet they settle on McCann over Realmuto and do not up their ante for Springer. 🤔 I do not make Bauer a Met at his asking price.

— B'klynTrolleyBlogger (@BTB_MikeII) January 23, 2021

Here's more food for thought: Jacob deGrom's salary spikes to $35 million this year and next, and he holds an opt-out clause after the 2022 season.  The aforementioned Lindor and Michael Conforto are both in need of contract extensions, and the presently suspended Robinson Cano also returns to the checkbook after the 2021 season.

Don't get me wrong.  I'm not complaining ... this is a transient mico matter, or so we hope.

It's just that the narrative since Nov. 6, 2020, coming from ownership, and the follow-up being pursued by Sandy Alderson is somewhat and strangely incongruent.

A Metsian Podcast: Men, Manners, Mets and Other Life's Minutiae with Anna Brice

From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

With SAM, RICH & MIKE

We Welcome Back New York Native/Jersey Girl, 

Current Arizona Resident, and Life-Long Mets Fan

Anna Brice

110-minutes

We were intent on having Anna Brice join us to provide a woman's perspective with regards to the Jared Porter incident.  Otherwise, where do we go from here ... no George Springer, but Mets trade for Joey Lucchesi, and what about Trevor Bauer ... we discuss it all.  We also talk Mets baseball circa 1971, Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver, and a Gil Hodges/HOF rant, and more on this episode of A Metsian Podcast.

#LGM

N.Y. Mets: A Flushing December to Remember

From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

SOAPBOX SPECIAL

Okay, the Mets went from seeking a President of Baseball Operations to just letting Sandy Alderson make up his own mind about filling the position himself.  

In the meantime, the Mets reconnected with Jerry Blevins and signed Trevor May.  While Blevins is signed to a minor deal, the Mets' expediency in shoring up the bullpen speaks volumes.  Sandy Alderson was made to sit idly under previous ownership, while the annual run on quality relievers generally took place before New Year's Day.  Then by late January/early February, Jeffie would finally authorize Alderson to sift through the leftovers.

The Mets also signed a much-needed and, more importantly, a competent receiver in James McCann.  He is not J.T. Realmuto, who is presently seeking everything under the sun in contract demands.  Sandy Alderson reasoned that timing was one of the determining factors insofar as their decision to pounce on McCann.  Unlike Realmuto, McCann comes at a very reasonable four-year, $40 million pact.  He has never played more than 120 games in a season.  However, the 30-year old owns an above-average caught-stealing percentage; he is fundamentally sound behind the plate and is adaptable to varying pitching styles and individual quirks - a major complaint levied against Wilson Ramos.

Sandy Alderson also could have easily moved on from manager Luis Rojas but elected not to.  Not only did an as yet fully-formed front office reaffirm their commitment to Rojas, but they also facilitated his request by hiring Dave Jauss as bench coach.  Jauss knows Rojas since the day he was born.  Between them exists a mutual trust along with a lifetime of love and respect.

Then, out of nowhere, the media killjoys chimed in.  Some among the local pundits actually criticized the Mets for what they perceived to be their too slow and overly methodical vetting process while panting at the sudden availability of Theo Epstein and pointing to the aforementioned player acquisitions made before having a general manager in place.  These are the same so-called experts; they know who they are, who for years and years apologized for the Wilpons and criticized a "petulant" fanbase (until emboldened by the Wilpon's clear demise and departure, that is).

Although, it's somewhat ironic that Brodie Van Wagenen raided away from the Red Sox executives  Allard Baird and Jared Banner, only to have Steve Cohen's incoming regime purge Baird and Banner and all remnants of the previous administration, then revert right back to raiding the Red Sox by hiring away Zack Scott to work as assistant general manager to Jared Porter (himself a one-time former Red Sox executive).  In turn, Boston's front office insisted the Mets please agree to cease poaching their executives for a while.  But not before Porter and Scott are successfully reunited.  Therefore, mission accomplished.

It's been quite a December to remember in Flushing.  That being said, I'm not expecting the now settled ownership and new front office to build a World Series champion all in one off-season.  After all, proper prior planning prevents piss poor performance - food for thought that some folk in media should have taken into consideration before disseminating such trash.

Where were they when over the better part of the last eighteen years, we needed them to chastise the Wilpon's for their legacy of gross mismanagement?

A Metsian Podcast: Double Barrel Hot Stove with Gotham Baseball's Mark C. Healey & Big Red Ruckus

From the desk:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

With SAM, RICH, and MIKE

FIRST HALF FEATURED GUEST

author, writer, a columnist for Rockaway Wave

and proprietor of GOTHAM BASEBALL.com

Mark C. Healey

His Book:

Gotham Baseball: New York's All-Time Team

Mark Healey offers up a candid behind-the-scenes perspective about closed-door and corrosive politics pervading the Mets' front offices under previous ownership, about matters of media integrity, petty retribution, and phantom menaces.  We also discuss Mark's selections for his New York All-Time lineup and pitching staff. 

SECOND HALF BONUS!

Mets Hot Stove; New York City Baseball Greats; 1969 New York Mets

w/ @BigRedRuckus

ninety-minutes

DOUBLE THE FUN

#LGM

A Metsian Podcast: Gathering Around the Hot Stove With Tim Healey of Newsday

From the desk: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

With SAM, RICH & MIKE

GUEST

Mets Reporter Tim Healey of Newsday

sixty-eight minutes

THE HOT STOVE

#LGM

A Metsian Podcast: Inside Steve Cohen's Purchase of the Mets with Journalist Laura S. Goldman

From the desk of: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

With SAM, RICH & MIKE

GUEST

Journalist ~ Consultant

Wharton Grad and Provocateur

LAURA S. GOLDMAN

seventy-four minutes

⚾               ⚾               ⚾

We open the podcast with Laura S. Goldman, who provides a business insider's report about Steve Cohen's recent purchase of the New York Mets.  The bidding process, players and pretenders, outstanding debt, the status of SNY, and property redevelopment rights; are all on the docket.  Afterwhich, A Metsian Podcast lights the Hot Stove.  We debate and discuss off-season priorities, the merits of Seth Lugo as a starter, or reliever, and update the Brooklyn Cyclones future course.  The podcast winds down with a 1967 New York Mets retrospective.   #LGM

Our guest Laura S. Goldman is a graduate of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.  Her financial investment career includes work with Merrill Lynch, Paine Webber, and her own firm which cleared through Bear Stearns.  She's presently a consultant at LSG Capital as well as ABC News where she helped produce the presidential election town halls moderated by George Stephanopoulos.

Meet The New Boss on Another Metsian Podcast

From the desk of: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

With SAM, RICH and MIKE

We packed the house to throw Steve Cohen a welcoming party

from The Passed Ball Show: John Pielli

from Baseball and BBQ Podcast: Jeff Cohen & Ian Cohen

from Mets Musings: Gary McDonald

also: @MaxKohn  @LeonardAberman

ninety-three minutes

Here's to a brighter future in Flushing!

LET'S GO METS!

End of THE WILPON ERA and 2020 Season Wrap-Up with THE KRANEPOOL SOCIETY Stephen Keane on Another Metsian Podcast

From the desk of: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

With SAM, RICH & MIKE

GUEST

The Kranepool Society

Stephen Keane

105 minutes

That's a wrap on one of the most uncommon regular seasons in baseball history.  Congratulations to all on a job well done.  Let the post-season begin!  The Mets, however, will be watching from afar.  Their season ends on a bittersweet note.  An era of Mets baseball comes to a rather common end: at the bottom of the standings with a sub .500 record.  However, fans are banking on better days ahead.  For now they anxiously await finalization of the deal that takes the Mets out of Wilpon Family control, and into the hands of hedge fund billionaire and lifelong Mets fan, Steve Cohen.  Ownership, Sandy Alderson, Brodie Van Wagenen, the manager, the weird 2020 season and the future of Mets baseball are all on tap on this week's A Metsian Podcast. 

#LGM