Mets Offseason Update
The Mets roster looks much different than it did on the final day of the season. In probably the blockbuster trade of the offseason, the Mets acquired Edwin Diaz and Robinson Cano from the Seattle Mariners, in exchange for Jay Bruce, Anthony Swarzak, Gerson Bautista, Jerred Kelenic, and Justin Dunn. It's quite the haul for Seattle, but the Mets get a much needed star closer and a bat in Cano that even on the wrong side of 35 years old, can still rake and put up solid numbers. Of course it would be frustrating to see Kelenic pan out and be a superstar, but if the Mets are really in win now mode, this was an important move to make. The Mets were also in talks with the Marlins for a while, until only today when they backed out due to a high asking price from Miami, and went and signed Wilson Ramos instead. Ramos is coming off a very solid year, hitting over .300 last year and he looks to be the Mets every day catcher, a position that the Mets haven't seen much success from since the days of Paul Lo Duca. New York also bolstered their bullpen with the resigning of Jeurys Familia. The Mets sent Familia to the A's in the middle of the season as they cleaned house, but he returns as the set up man for Edwin Diaz. The Mets also claimed Kyle Dowdy in the Rule 5 Draft.
Overall, it's been a very successful offseason for the Mets so far. Their outfield depth could still use some work, and a solid lefty in the pen would elevate it from great to elite. If the Mets can pull off these moves before the season starts and begin to develop some chemistry, they should be feared by the rest of the league.
Excitement is high in Queens once again, as we face the season with unbridled optimism, hoping for the best, and expecting the worst.
