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00:00This is Straight Outta Flushing, brought to you by your local Ford stores.
00:04Ford F-150 is the official truck of the New York Mets.
00:09Welcome back, everybody, to another edition of Straight Outta Flushing.
00:13It's your boy, Dexter Henry, alongside my guy, Tyler Ward,
00:16coming to you as we continue through this journey of the Major League Baseball season.
00:22Wardy, how you doing, man?
00:23Feeling great today, Dax.
00:25Yeah, I know, always happy to be chopping up on the New York Mets.
00:27And listen, even though they have not been playing the best baseball magical,
00:31still has been solid for the most part at the time of us recording today.
00:35So I'm excited to get in the conversation,
00:37especially because we finally have something exciting to break down
00:40regarding something that we'll get into it, Dax.
00:43I don't know how you feel, but heading into the season,
00:45I'm not sure how many fans had on their bingo card
00:47the Mets would be getting the excitement from the players
00:50that they're getting it from right now.
00:52No, I didn't have it.
00:53You didn't have it.
00:54When we made all our season predictions,
00:56we were talking a lot about established veterans
00:59that we thought were going to produce.
01:01Now, some have not done it in the way that we thought it would happen,
01:03but here we are and things change.
01:07So Wardy's right.
01:09We're going to talk about the youth movement
01:11that we're seeing with the Mets right now.
01:12And maybe we want to call it the unexpected youth movement
01:16because we didn't see this coming.
01:18I think here's where we should start
01:21because if you've been watching the show,
01:23you've been listening to Wardy particularly more than me,
01:27proactive is a word Wardy has used a ton.
01:29He has talked about this time and time again,
01:33particularly with David Stearns.
01:34Is he going to be proactive?
01:36To be fair, this is a word David Stearns used
01:39after the 2025 season.
01:41So it's not like Wardy just took this out of nowhere.
01:43He said the organization, and particularly himself,
01:45needed to be more proactive.
01:47So here's the thing.
01:49We know the injuries that have come to the Mets this season.
01:53Juan Soto was sidelined for three weeks.
01:54Francisco Lindor is likely out another month.
01:57Jorge Polanco dealing with the Achilles bursitis,
02:00and we'll see if he can play through that.
02:01Luis Robert Jr. with the issues that he's had with the back.
02:07Do we, with all the injuries and stuff,
02:09do we give David Stearns credit for being,
02:13I'm going to put air quotes here, somewhat aggressive, right?
02:17With the injuries, the underperformance that we've seen from players,
02:20and the roster holes that we've also talked about,
02:24are we giving him credit for bringing up younger players earlier than expected?
02:29So we're talking about A.J. Ewing.
02:31I guess we got to put Carson Bench in there too
02:33because he made the team coming out of camp.
02:35But we're talking about A.J. Ewing.
02:37We're talking about Nick Morbido here.
02:39You're talking about Zach Thornton,
02:40who just made his first major league start.
02:43Should we give him credit for being proactive
02:46now that these young guys are here?
02:49Yes.
02:50And it's one of those things where you may react to that as a Mets fan and say,
02:55what do you mean you're going to give David Stearns credit?
02:57Okay?
02:58Have you not seen how the season has begun?
03:00Have you not seen the fact of what's happened over the past calendar year?
03:03Well, you're not allowed to flip flop as much as you do already.
03:05And I hear you.
03:06But just listen to the following.
03:08You can give credit to someone who actually is starting to make adjustments
03:12that are bettering the club.
03:14And what the Mets and David Stearns have been doing with this youth movement
03:17have been, we can all call it how it is over the past week and a half,
03:21two weeks, really, since this has begun with Carson Bench's breakout,
03:25really in the entire month of May.
03:26But I have a lot of fun numbers to share.
03:28But from the A.J. Ewing's to the Nick Morbido's
03:30and everything else in between,
03:32there's a lot to really take away from that and say to yourself,
03:35okay, you know what?
03:37Maybe, just maybe, this was part of the David Stearns plan and philosophy.
03:41Going back into it, I really do feel that this was part of David Stearns' plan
03:45and he deserves credit for it.
03:47And the reason for that is not just because the Mets misses so far this year
03:50with moves that David himself made with Luis Robert,
03:54who, again, I really like.
03:55I think he's an uber-talented player.
03:57Just unfortunately, health is not on his side.
03:59Something that we knew was a cause for concern entering the season.
04:02And sadly, now it's rearing its head, just like Jorge Polanco
04:05and just like other aspects of this team of the veteran players
04:08the Mets brought in.
04:09But let's think for a second about what has been the best years
04:13of David Stearns' tenure, especially during his time in Milwaukee.
04:15It was the youth movement.
04:17It was taking advantage of a very strong farm,
04:20great player development,
04:21and having guys come up throughout the year
04:23that would bring jolts of lightning to either your lineup,
04:26to your pitching staff, or somewhere else in between.
04:28And what the Mets are currently doing with not only Carson Bench,
04:31who, if we take a look at just his numbers,
04:33let me relay this to you, Dex, okay?
04:35Because he's the guy that David Stearns really gave the long leash
04:38to entering the year.
04:39He's the reason why the Mets said,
04:41you know what, as much as we would have loved Kyle Tucker,
04:44we didn't have that happen.
04:46Let's go ahead and make sure there's an open roster spot
04:48for Carson Bench.
04:49And I told you and I've told others entering the season
04:52that if everything goes right for Carson Bench
04:54and the New York Mets, this is all the makings.
04:56I say this on my platform all the time,
04:58a Beanie-Jackson Merrill-type breakout
05:00from his 2024 season with the Padres.
05:02So, for those that don't know Jackson Merrill,
05:04Jackson was the outfield prospect at the age of 21 or so
05:08that blossomed in place of Juan Soto
05:10after Soto was traded to the Bronx entering the 2024 season.
05:14Not only was Merrill viable and really productive
05:17for the San Diego Padres,
05:18but he was one of the better players
05:19in all of the National League that year, okay?
05:21He was high-flying, great bats of all skills, everything.
05:24And Carson Bench has a lot of similar qualities in his game.
05:27So, after a slow roll the first couple weeks of the season,
05:29now entering the month of May, Carson Bench is looking more and more
05:33not only in a Jackson Merrill-type fashion,
05:35but in his own unique way,
05:37which is why Mets fans should be excited, okay?
05:39This goes back over the past 24 hours in statistics.
05:41This is how Carson Bench ranks across Major League Baseball
05:44since May 3rd, with 15 games, 66 player appearances,
05:4824 hits, 5 walks, 5 doubles, 1 home run, and 11 RBIs.
05:52He has a 186 WRC-plus per fan graphs,
05:55which is essentially 86% above league average as a hitter.
05:59That's good for tied for sixth in baseball
06:01throughout this stretch of time.
06:02You look at the 455 on-base percentage,
06:06that's good for fifth in the game.
06:08You look at the 400 average,
06:09that is second best in baseball, okay?
06:12So, we are seeing a blossoming beautifully
06:15right before our very eyes in all different ways,
06:17offensively, defensively, based running.
06:19That's just Carson Bench.
06:20Now, here's where David Stearns deserves more of his credit.
06:22It's the AJ Ewing call-up.
06:24It's something that I've been excited for.
06:26You and I talked about going back to spring training.
06:28This kid stole 70 bags in the minor leagues last year
06:31across three different levels.
06:32And going all the way back to last year's traded line,
06:35I can tell you in confidence,
06:37the Chicago White Sox were heavily scouting AJ Ewing
06:40as part of a potential Luis Robert trade.
06:42Thankfully for the Mets, they said,
06:43no, thank you, we don't want to do that.
06:45Because instead of creating him for him,
06:47he now is essentially the Robert replacement.
06:49And now, since Ewing has been called up this year,
06:52he's been absolutely fantastic, batting north of 300,
06:55just under 1,000 OPS, stealing bags, hitting balls for authority,
06:59not just a true slap hitter the way that Bench looked
07:01his first couple weeks in the bigs,
07:03a very polished plate approach as well.
07:06And it's the speed.
07:07The speed is really what's carrying this team.
07:09And that is what the Brewers have been doing so dominantly
07:12over the number of years, even after losing David Stearns
07:15and having Matt Arnold at the helm.
07:17Think about it.
07:17When you look at that Brewers team, they're so good
07:19because they're high flying, they're young,
07:21they're exuberant, and they're not having this mentality
07:24that, oh, we need to bank on just one guy.
07:25It's that next man up view.
07:27So between AJ Ewing and Carson Mench doing their thing,
07:30that's been amazing in more ways than one.
07:32Now, Nick Morabito, the kid who played for Team Italy,
07:34the World Baseball Classic, he gets a look as well.
07:37And while Morabito hasn't done really much of anything
07:39at the major league level yet,
07:40he's yet another player that brings you higher upside
07:43than, say, an Austin Slater,
07:45who the Mets DFA'd for, brings really strong-based running.
07:48That's something that you should be excited about
07:50as a Mets fan.
07:50He, according to many in the organization,
07:53is just as fast or right up there with AJ Ewing.
07:56Yeah, many people are saying that.
07:57So you have a dynamic outfield for the days
07:59that Soto's at DH, like what we saw a couple days ago,
08:02where this could be the most high-flying outfield
08:04that you potentially see in all of the National League.
08:06Like, that is the potential we're looking at here.
08:08So you also see a kid in Morabito
08:09who batted over 900 this year in AAA
08:12against left-handed pitching.
08:13So, yes, he might be in more of a platoon role,
08:15but that's a role that he should be able to accept
08:17and handle, given the Mets are not just throwing him out there
08:20to handle everything right away.
08:22So they've been looking great.
08:24Zach Thornton looked very solid
08:26in his major league debut this past night
08:27after initially giving up, unfortunately,
08:29three runs on the first.
08:30He settled down nicely.
08:32And he looks like, for a kid who was only in AAA Syracuse
08:35for, what, two weeks total?
08:36Yeah, two weeks, yeah.
08:37He may very well be the second coming
08:40of a David Peterson in this rotation.
08:42And there's actually some similarities with Peterson
08:44because David, when he made his major league debut,
08:47I don't know if you know this, Dex,
08:48was back in 2020 in the short season in Boston.
08:51And that was literally straight from AA.
08:53You know, he didn't get a taste in Syracuse.
08:56They were just like, let's just give him a call
08:57and see what happens for the most part.
08:59And he was awesome.
09:00So, you know, it's one of these things
09:01where Zach Thornton, I didn't think he was going to be
09:04as high on the Mets radar as a Jonathan Santucci,
09:07another very good lefty in the Mets farm.
09:09He leapfrogged him, and not only did he leapfrog him,
09:11now he looks like he might be a mainstay
09:13at the major league level.
09:15So that's just a handful of players
09:16that I relay to you, Dex.
09:18But it feels like this continued youth movement
09:20is going to continue to continue,
09:22whether it's a Ryan Clifford
09:23with the big bat in the minor leagues,
09:25whether it's the Mets saying, you know,
09:27maybe we're going to rush a catching prospect
09:29if the Hayden Sengers and Luis Terenzas of the world
09:31don't get the job done with Francisco Alvarez being out.
09:34But to get us back to your point here,
09:36and then let's throw it back to you, Dex.
09:38Was this the right move by David Stern?
09:40So far, absolutely.
09:42But was this a planned move?
09:43I think it's a form of both.
09:45David was not going to rush up AJ Ewing
09:47if Luis Robert wasn't down with the injury that he had.
09:50I don't think so either.
09:51But David also did say verbatim,
09:52whether you believe him or not to media,
09:54that we would not have made this call
09:55if we did not truly believe he could impact the team
09:58at the major league level now.
09:59So however you feel about that
10:01is however you feel about that.
10:02But one thing that's certain, the youth movement,
10:05so far, so good.
10:06So, yeah, because I'm glad you went through the players there.
10:10What I'll say is I think you have to give him some credit for
10:14we were for this move, bringing up Carson Bench
10:16to that out of spring training.
10:18And what I mean by that is actually honestly empowering him
10:22to let him know that he had a chance to win the job
10:26and make the team, right?
10:28And it was fair.
10:29We knew that from the jump.
10:30The kid had a shot and he took it.
10:33You talked a lot about in very early episodes
10:35in spring training about his poise.
10:37And sure, it was rough.
10:39And you've seen him show it right now.
10:40It was good.
10:40And you went through all those great numbers
10:42for Carson Bench.
10:44Insane numbers.
10:45It's insane.
10:46We're talking about the offense
10:47and the defense has been really good.
10:50Wednesday night against the Nationals,
10:51he had a fantastic assist throw out of the plate,
10:55which was amazing.
10:56Gorgeous throw.
10:57Gorgeous.
10:57I mean, gorgeous throw, which tells you everything
10:59about this kid's arm, why they thought he'd be really good
11:02in right field.
11:03And you're seeing all of that too, right?
11:04So you're getting that energy there too.
11:07Energy I'm also going to get to in a second here
11:09that we're going to talk about.
11:10But I think that's the first step.
11:12So, okay, you came out of camp.
11:14This kid made it.
11:15He went through his lumps, if you want to say,
11:18early in the season.
11:19And it seems like he's starting to figure things out,
11:21which is why, you know, development isn't always linear.
11:24Carson Bench is going to go through a slump again.
11:26We know that's going to happen.
11:28But the Mets said, okay, let's do this.
11:31I'm with you.
11:32The key move for me is the A.J. Ewing move
11:34because I didn't see that coming at all.
11:38And I thought they were going to stay complacent.
11:40And look, let's keep it honest here.
11:42The outfielders they were running out there,
11:44the Austin Slaters of the world, right?
11:47That's not going to get it done.
11:48Right.
11:49That's not going to get it done.
11:51And they didn't inspire any confidence.
11:53And you used the word upside.
11:54They didn't have any upside.
11:56The Mets had to bring some upside in here,
11:58if anything, to try to spark the team,
12:01to bring a different energy to the team.
12:03And I liked it.
12:04So to me, is that proactive?
12:06Yes.
12:07Was it totally part of the plan?
12:10I don't think so.
12:11Is it a response to failure?
12:14Yes.
12:15Having a response to failure is good.
12:18You want to see your president of the baseball operation say,
12:22okay, this thing I had, this plan I had didn't work.
12:25What do you do when the plan doesn't work?
12:27You have to do something now.
12:28You can say they can go trade.
12:29Maybe you're going to say they're not going to win with kids.
12:31And I'm sure that's something we'll get into.
12:33And that's fine.
12:33But why not?
12:35The plans you have didn't work.
12:37And I think also what it's going to do,
12:39I think there was a trickle down effect,
12:40Warty.
12:41When you bring up kids like an A.J. Ewing,
12:44like a Nick Morabito,
12:46like Zach Thornton,
12:46who just got his first start on Wednesday,
12:49that is going to say to other young guys in the organization,
12:53hey, if I'm performing well here,
12:54I might skip a step.
12:55They might throw me in the fire.
12:57They may want to see what I can do.
12:58I can get my shot.
13:00That matters if you can get your shot
13:03and then what you can do with it.
13:04Are all these guys going to hit?
13:06No.
13:07Because we've seen a whole bunch of prospects come up.
13:09We've seen teams lean into a youth movement and not do it.
13:12Now, some people may say this too.
13:15Well, David Stearns,
13:17you mentioned Milwaukee
13:18and how they've had a lot of success with youth.
13:21And this is the next point I want to get into right here.
13:25Athleticism.
13:27Okay?
13:27I think sometimes in baseball,
13:29we don't always think about athleticism.
13:33But it appears,
13:35when you look at Carson Bench,
13:37when you look at A.J. Ewing,
13:38when you look at Nick Morbido,
13:40you talked about those are guys
13:42that can all three play the outfield,
13:43that got some range,
13:45that can move on the base pads.
13:47The Mets are finally doing this.
13:48When you look at Ewing,
13:49Morbido, Bench,
13:51do you feel like the team is finally
13:53maybe prioritizing athleticism
13:55in a way that we have not seen
13:57with young players in the past?
13:59Because you can't say that really about Brett Beatty.
14:01You can't really say that about Ronnie Mauricio.
14:06Even Mark Vientos.
14:07Those are not guys you say
14:08that are super athletes,
14:09super athletic.
14:10Do you think that's becoming more of a priority
14:12for the Mets
14:13and also just in the game of baseball in general?
14:15Yeah.
14:16Starting with the Mets,
14:17I think it's an unintentional priority
14:18because it has everything to do
14:20with player profiles, right?
14:21Let's start with the previous youth movement
14:23for the New York Mets
14:24with Francisco Alvarez,
14:26Brett Beatty,
14:26Mark Vientos,
14:27Ronnie Mauricio.
14:28All guys that have not panned out
14:30to varying degrees to this point.
14:31We've seen the flash in the pan success.
14:33We've seen like one very good season sample size,
14:36but on the consistency front,
14:38all of them to this point sadly have lacked that.
14:40And a part of the reason has been
14:42because again,
14:43they're not all the most uber athletic players.
14:45Alvarez, for example,
14:46we loved him.
14:47We loved his breakout as a 21 year old,
14:49but he has failed to meet that expectation
14:51defensively as a young catcher since then,
14:53as well as consistently with the bat.
14:55And we see him.
14:56He's a very big, broad guy.
14:57He looks like when he jogs around the bases
14:59for his home runs,
15:00you know, it's fee-fi-fo-fum,
15:02like the ground's going to shake.
15:03And then you have someone like Brett Beatty,
15:05for example,
15:05who's a lot more athletic,
15:07who's the most athletic of the group,
15:09but he is still not someone
15:10who has been polished enough offensively
15:13to say,
15:13hey, you can bank on him every single day.
15:16He's been heating up a lot more lately,
15:17and that's been great to see.
15:18He had an awesome second half last year too,
15:20but again,
15:21throughout a 162,
15:23you don't really know what you're getting there.
15:25It's at times more negative than positive.
15:27And Mark Vientos,
15:29while he is a bat first player,
15:31there's a reason why he's a bat first player.
15:33And he's always going to profile better,
15:34probably as a DH,
15:35than he will even as someone at first base
15:37or at third base.
15:38You know,
15:39he's the worst base runner on the Mets team,
15:40and you can go down the other reasons
15:42as to why he's just not uber athletic.
15:44Ronnie Mauricio,
15:45a very athletic talent,
15:46but he can't stay healthy,
15:48whether it's getting hurt
15:49in the Dominican Winter League
15:50a couple of years ago,
15:51or now obviously having a thumb issue
15:53in which he's going to be sad in line
15:55for pretty much the same tenure as Lindor
15:56when he was supposed to fill the shoes of Lindor,
15:59very Mets-y and very fitting.
16:00The points dance,
16:01you know,
16:02as athletic of a player that he is,
16:03we don't really know what we're getting there
16:05because there has been enough stability.
16:06Here's the difference with this current youth movement.
16:09These are all player profiles.
16:11I've always built their game around their speed.
16:13Let's start there.
16:15These are all player profiles.
16:16I've built their game around great defense.
16:19The batch of ball skills has come,
16:21but it's varied on the individual.
16:23Carson Bench was drafted the first round out of OSU,
16:26the first ever draft pick by David Strins
16:28a couple of years ago.
16:29He was a very good batman,
16:30was a two-way player like Noel McClain,
16:33could throw cheddar on the mound too,
16:35but the appeal about him most
16:36was just how uber athletic he was.
16:38That athleticism is why he was a first round pick
16:41and why the Mets were confident
16:42he'd be in the bigs in a couple of years,
16:44like what he's doing right now.
16:46AJ Ewing,
16:47when he was first picked up by the New York Mets,
16:48crazy enough,
16:49they drafted him
16:50because of the compensation pick
16:52out of like 131 overall
16:54and the Jacob DeGrom signing
16:56with the Texas Rangers.
16:57So that's a little wrinkle of something
16:59that might have a greater effect down the line
17:02should AJ continue to blossom
17:03the way that he is.
17:04Very athletic player
17:05when the Mets drafted him,
17:06but the batch of ball skills
17:08weren't nearly as polished
17:09as what they've now become
17:10over the past count of a year and a half.
17:12He really made proper adjustments
17:14in the Mets heading lab
17:15to his benefit.
17:16And then Nick Morabito,
17:18let's not,
17:18a lot of people forget this.
17:20Two years ago,
17:20Nick Morabito won
17:21Mets minor league
17:22offensive player of the year.
17:24So this is not a kid
17:25that like just,
17:26just popped up out of nowhere.
17:27You know,
17:28we were talking rule five draft
17:29this past winter
17:31and people were thinking,
17:31oh,
17:32is Morabito going to be protector?
17:33I'm like,
17:34of course he's going to be protected.
17:35He's literally going to be like
17:36the lone guy
17:37that is protected.
17:38And that's exactly what happened
17:39because he had a solid year last year,
17:41batted 270 or so in the minor leagues,
17:43a good plate setter,
17:44very good defense,
17:45great base running.
17:46But these are all guys
17:47that are going to benefit
17:48the Mets in various ways
17:49because again,
17:50the Mets don't need to look
17:51at a Mark Vientos
17:52and be like,
17:53oh,
17:53we can only use you for the bat.
17:55We know you're not going to steal a bag.
17:56We know that you're,
17:57you're going to be a negative defensively.
17:59You look at all these profiles
18:00of Morabito,
18:02pardon me,
18:02as well as Benj and Ewing.
18:05What do they have in common?
18:06These are guys that as long
18:07as they hit decently well,
18:09you're going to want them
18:10in the whole time.
18:10You know,
18:11you're not going to want to
18:11have to do this constant mix
18:13and match and that kind of thing.
18:14Like they bring value
18:15as a five tool talent,
18:17one fully polished and right
18:19that very few other players
18:21for the New York Mets do.
18:22Luis Roberts,
18:23someone whose ceiling
18:24is that kind of player,
18:25but the health
18:26is the massive factor,
18:27right?
18:28We look at Jorge Polanco,
18:30love the bats and ball skills,
18:31but that's all you're getting in him.
18:32That's all that you should
18:33be banking on in him.
18:34So I think the Mets
18:36have done a very smart job,
18:38especially at this point
18:38in the year to say,
18:39you know what?
18:40Let's recognize
18:40we need to be faster.
18:42We need to be more
18:42defensively sound.
18:43That is the David Stearns MO
18:45and how he built
18:46this roster heading
18:47in the year
18:47was very much
18:48not the David Stearns MO.
18:50It was a lot more
18:51of just kind of
18:51throwing things up the wall
18:52to see what would stick.
18:53Good players coming off
18:55of, you know,
18:55solid years or down years
18:56or a Boba Shett
18:57that you just had
18:58to throw the bag at
18:59to try to make sure
19:00you had a top three
19:01hitter in the lot
19:01to protect Soto.
19:03And he's finally breaking out
19:04but the point stands here,
19:05Dex.
19:06I think this is something
19:07that needed to happen
19:08for the New York Mets.
19:09I'm glad it's happening
19:10and should this trend continue,
19:12I'd expect more to happen
19:13whether it's internal call-ups
19:15or the Mets going after
19:16player profiles
19:17that might not be
19:18the most sexy on paper
19:20but they're not washed up
19:21DFA candidates either.
19:23These are guys with upside
19:24that can bring you
19:25more of a balance
19:26to your game
19:26than what they've been
19:27getting to this point.
19:28Yeah, I think it absolutely can
19:31and hopefully will continue.
19:33I like seeing that
19:35there is some consistency
19:37in that player profile
19:38of the players
19:39they've been looking at
19:39and also developing
19:41and yes, we heard a lot
19:42in the offseason
19:43about run prevention
19:45from David Stearns
19:46and then a lot of fans
19:48have said,
19:48okay, well, we haven't seen that.
19:50Well, these guys
19:51that have come up,
19:51particularly the three outfielders,
19:53you have seen how
19:54they're going to help with that.
19:55I know Nick Morbido
19:56had the, you know,
19:57misplay on the inside
19:58of the park home run
19:59the other day.
19:59I mean, I'm sorry,
20:00what, you want to be
20:01Tyrone Taylor
20:01and just read a book
20:03for an hour?
20:03Yeah.
20:05It's pointing.
20:06It's right there.
20:08And listen,
20:09he's young,
20:10he came up,
20:11he misplayed it.
20:11I'm not going to,
20:12you know,
20:13we can't go crazy off of that
20:14but we know the skills
20:16that these guys have.
20:16I think that's the important thing too
20:18and you mentioned that,
20:19you know,
20:20you had a guy like Benj
20:21where the athleticism
20:22just jumped off the page
20:24for him, right?
20:25And it's why he was
20:25a first round pick
20:26and then AJ Ewing,
20:28I think the thing
20:29when you talk about him
20:29it's like, man,
20:30you're talking about
20:31the bat to ball skills
20:32for him was not great
20:34early in career.
20:35It was about the speed.
20:36It was about the athleticism
20:37but now he looks
20:39comfortable at the plate
20:40even at the major league level.
20:41He's had very professional
20:42at bats
20:43which is arguably
20:44the most impressive thing
20:45to me
20:45when I'm watching him
20:47right now
20:47is just how professional
20:48he is at the plate.
20:50So yeah,
20:50I think athleticism
20:51is going to matter here
20:52and you're seeing it
20:53in the player profile
20:54particularly with these outfielders
20:55but then you talked about
20:57you feel like this
20:58is going to continue
20:59or you hope this
21:00is continues.
21:00because
21:01it makes me wonder
21:03are the Mets
21:05you know,
21:06I don't say accidentally
21:07because of everything
21:07that's happened
21:08with Polanco
21:09with Luis Robert Jr.
21:10Are they accidentally
21:10building
21:11their 2027 core
21:13right now
21:15because
21:15and it's only happened
21:17because of this rough
21:17start to the season
21:18because the start
21:19to the season
21:20hasn't gone the way
21:21the Mets fan base
21:21has thought it would
21:23right?
21:23does this
21:24actually accelerate
21:26the organization
21:28into a healthier
21:29long-term position
21:30by giving
21:31these guys
21:32meaningful
21:33major league
21:34reps
21:34these young players
21:35I'm talking about
21:36by the guys
21:37and
21:37the Mets
21:38we might be going
21:39into 2027
21:40I hate to jump
21:41that far ahead
21:42but it's that
21:43all right
21:44they got their core
21:45here
21:46you feel good
21:47about this core
21:47this team
21:48and this is
21:48obviously assuming
21:49you're going to
21:50maybe add in
21:50a free agent
21:51or two
21:52or maybe make
21:53some trades
21:53who knows
21:54but
21:55do you think
21:57because of
21:58the start
21:58to the season
21:59how it has not
22:00gone the way
22:01the Mets fan base
22:02thought it would go
22:03that
22:04this might actually
22:05be the best thing
22:05that could happen
22:06for the organization
22:07that they were
22:07accelerating to
22:08really solidify
22:09their roster
22:10for whether
22:11it's this year
22:112027
22:12and beyond
22:12this is a win-win
22:14situation for
22:15David Stearns
22:15and the New York
22:16Mets
22:16for the following
22:17reasons
22:18if these kids
22:19continue to perform
22:20as major league
22:21caliber at minimum
22:22it's going to
22:23position the Mets
22:24well
22:24not only when it
22:25comes to the
22:25traded line
22:26this year
22:26but as we get
22:27to 2027
22:28post-lockout
22:30because that's
22:30inevitably going to
22:31happen at this
22:31rate among other
22:32things
22:32but if you
22:33position yourself
22:34in a manner
22:35where you do
22:35actually have
22:36multiple players
22:37that are
22:37blossoming
22:38earlier than
22:39you thought
22:39then you
22:40figure out
22:41okay
22:41who do we
22:42want to
22:42stay part
22:43of the score
22:43and who do
22:44we want to
22:45shop
22:45to build
22:46a greater
22:47core
22:47so that is
22:48another thing
22:49to bear in
22:49mind here
22:50I'm not just
22:50viewing it like
22:51oh
22:51AGU
22:52and Nick
22:52Moribito
22:52Carson
22:53Menge
22:53this will be
22:53the Mets
22:53outfield
22:54to begin
22:54next season
22:55because at the
22:55end of the day
22:56these guys
22:56the ceilings
22:57might not be
22:58enough for what
22:59the New York
22:59Mets need in
23:00this market
23:01with this payroll
23:01to get over
23:02the hump
23:03but what it
23:04does great
23:04for them
23:04right now
23:05is it gives
23:05them a taste
23:06as to kind
23:07of what is
23:07going to be
23:08better for the
23:08team on the
23:09athleticism part
23:10and it's something
23:11that they can
23:11really bear in
23:12mind longer
23:13should they have
23:14the success
23:14to say okay
23:15we want to
23:16keep these
23:17players or maybe
23:18we want to
23:18trade one or
23:19two of them
23:19to upgrade
23:21with a player
23:21that maybe
23:22is like that
23:22profile but
23:24more polished
23:24and maybe is
23:25entering a contract
23:26here or maybe
23:27only has two
23:27years left and
23:28the team is not
23:29going to spend
23:29the way that
23:30the Mets would
23:31you know where
23:31the Mets would
23:31be like for
23:32example give you
23:33a great example
23:34let's go back to
23:34the Francisco
23:35and door trade
23:36okay it wasn't
23:37like Andres
23:37Jimenez was
23:38playing terrible
23:39to begin his
23:39young career for
23:40the New York
23:40Mets but
23:41Francisco
23:42and door was
23:43the polished
23:44version he was
23:45like that's
23:46what you want
23:47like you want
23:47a star shortstop
23:48that is uber
23:49athletic that's
23:50the guy so you
23:51have to give to
23:52get and Jimenez
23:53has never even
23:54gotten close to
23:55touching Lindor on
23:56the front he
23:57broke out great
23:58and now you know
24:00he's been up and
24:01down with the
24:01Blue Jays so you
24:03look at that I
24:03think that's a
24:04good example because
24:04that's how the
24:05Mets can approach
24:06this in a similar
24:07fashion give these
24:08kids a look build
24:09a level their trade
24:10value hope that
24:11they don't hurt
24:12their trade value
24:13too much in these
24:13early sample sizes
24:15in the season and
24:16then figure out
24:17like you know
24:17Carson Bench is
24:18more than likely
24:18not going anywhere
24:19you don't want
24:20AJ Ewing to go
24:21anywhere but if
24:22AJ Ewing does go
24:23somewhere it better
24:23be because you
24:24just set up a
24:25package to bring
24:26in someone that
24:28doesn't have the
24:28health risk of
24:29Luis Robert but
24:30has the five tool
24:31talent upside of
24:33Luis Robert and
24:34we don't know
24:34exactly who that
24:35player is right now
24:35but that's all I'm
24:36saying I'm not
24:37saying we should
24:37trade AJ I'm
24:38just if you're
24:39thinking in the
24:40front office type of
24:41way that's the way
24:42that I would be
24:42thinking if I'm
24:43David Sterns there's
24:44various ways
24:45to look at this
24:45as a plus
24:46instead of a
24:47minus right
24:48no no I get
24:50you on that and
24:51sometimes I think
24:53you're like it's
24:53funny I don't know
24:54I actually don't
24:55know this about
24:55you I do not
24:56think that you
24:57are a prospect
24:57hugger you've
24:58not struck me as
24:59as that person
25:00it's like yo man
25:01we got to keep
25:01all the kids here
25:02and we can't
25:03let them go
25:04I think yes
25:06in an ideal world
25:07you love if
25:08Bench and Ewing
25:09are here and this
25:10is probably going to
25:10lead me to where
25:11I want to go next
25:12I think you
25:12set it up
25:13beautifully in
25:14this conversation
25:15but if you can
25:16get that's why
25:17the Francisco
25:18Lindor comp is so
25:19good if you can
25:19go get yourself
25:20a guy that is a
25:21polished version
25:22an all-star
25:23a guy you think
25:24could be a
25:24perennial all-star
25:25that can add to
25:26a core of where
25:27you're trying to
25:27win your timeline
25:28of how you're
25:29trying to win
25:30you got to do
25:30that and listen
25:32this youth movement
25:33doesn't change
25:34anything for the
25:34Mets there's still
25:35going to be a lot
25:36of pressure on
25:37David Sterns
25:38there's still a
25:39timeline of this
25:39team that has
25:40Juan Soto that
25:41has Francisco
25:41Lindor to win
25:42now now may
25:44will that possibly
25:45be reset just
25:46ever so slightly
25:47because of the
25:47way 2026 has
25:48started possibly
25:49we'll see how the
25:51rest of the season
25:51goes but you're
25:53still gonna have to
25:53win and when you
25:54still have to win
25:54now you may have
25:56to make trades
25:56like you're talking
25:57about with that
25:58being said my
25:59friend which of
26:01these young players
26:02are the Mets
26:03right now that
26:04we're talking
26:04about I'm gonna
26:04I'm gonna give
26:05you this group
26:05we're gonna go
26:06with AJ Ewing
26:07we're gonna say
26:08Carson Bench
26:08we gotta put
26:09Nolan McLean
26:10in there
26:11because he's
26:11he's obviously
26:12pitched good
26:12and we got
26:13rocked the other
26:13night but he's
26:14he's pitched
26:14well Nick
26:15Morabito I'm
26:16gonna throw in
26:17there because
26:17he's up getting
26:17some reps now
26:18and I'm also
26:20yeah I'm also
26:21gonna throw in
26:22Jonah Tong
26:22in this too
26:23Christian Scott
26:24too let's start
26:24with Christian
26:25Scott and
26:25Jonah Tong
26:25gotta throw him
26:26in there and
26:27the reason I
26:27say Jonah Tong
26:27is because we
26:29know there's a
26:29chance he could
26:30possibly come
26:31help the team
26:31might happen
26:32this weekend
26:32in Miami
26:33we will see
26:34I gotta throw
26:35him in there
26:35also because he's
26:36had a cup of
26:36coffee in the
26:37majors too so
26:38let's just pull
26:38him in there
26:39who do you
26:40think is the
26:41most untouchable
26:42right now that
26:43the Mets are
26:43absolutely positively
26:45you're not
26:46trading this guy
26:46right now look
26:48trades can happen
26:48with anything you
26:49don't know what
26:49deals can come
26:50on the table
26:50you're 100%
26:51right but do
26:52you think there's
26:52a guy here
26:53that's untouchable
26:54Nolan McLean
26:55no hesitation I
26:57mean you can't
26:57he he's supposed
26:58to be your ace
26:59he's supposed to
27:00be the guy that
27:01we can look five
27:02to eight years
27:03from now and
27:03say yeah that's
27:04our homegrown
27:04talent that's our
27:05new version of
27:06Jacob Agram
27:07that's the best
27:08pitcher that we
27:08have potentially
27:09organization since
27:10Jake or since
27:10Seaver like the
27:11upside is really
27:12that pronounced
27:13on Nolan McLean
27:13yeah and I know
27:15people were giving
27:15him right you
27:16know I understand
27:16he did not have
27:17a good night the
27:18other night in
27:18DC but bad
27:19final fundamentals
27:20by the New York
27:21Madsen you're
27:22allowed to have a
27:22clunker you know
27:23every pitcher has
27:24you know even
27:24Jacob Agram
27:25believe it or
27:26not he's had
27:26some clunkers
27:27especially back in
27:28the day when he
27:28had the lawn
27:29here I will never
27:29forget he had
27:30an absolutely
27:31horrid start years
27:32ago and Terry
27:33Collins famously
27:34puts his arm over
27:35him and he's like
27:35calming him down
27:36and that was the
27:37arc of Jacob
27:38DeGrom becoming
27:39the star that he
27:40is now today you
27:41know I think for
27:42every top player in
27:43the game a young
27:43top player they
27:44need to go through
27:45adversity to really
27:46understand every
27:47type of motion that
27:48they're gonna feel and
27:49be able to handle and
27:50come out of that
27:50better and for
27:51McLean as much as I
27:53hated to see him get
27:54rocked the way that he
27:54did I know that he's
27:55gonna be fine like
27:56there's no there's
27:57no ifs ands or
27:58buts about it my
27:59confidence is through
28:00the roof with him the
28:00stuff is there it is
28:01obviously there and I
28:03would say McLean is
28:04right at the top of
28:05the list as
28:05untouchable Carson
28:06Bench is entering
28:07that category with
28:08the way that he's
28:08playing but I don't
28:09think the Mets have
28:10seen enough from
28:11Carson yet to believe
28:12that we can't give
28:13him up no matter who
28:14were offered because
28:15if we get to the
28:16traded line a team
28:18is like hey we have
28:20like a rental or we
28:22have an outfielder
28:23with two years left
28:24that literally would
28:25be a star for you
28:26along with Juan
28:27Soto so pronounced
28:29that he even makes
28:30Carson Bench not look
28:31that great if that's
28:32somehow some way
28:33presented itself that
28:34would be a conversation
28:35we have other than
28:36that Carson is right
28:38towards the top of that
28:39list with the way he's
28:39playing so I'll flip it
28:40back to you talking
28:42about all these
28:42youngsters who's the
28:43most untouchable in
28:43your opinion yes yeah
28:45I wanted to go a
28:46little different from
28:46you here the answer
28:48is real Nolan McClain
28:49like we the answer is
28:50Nolan McClain right
28:51yeah you mentioned
28:51Nolan made it really
28:52hard and not just throw
28:53him out there right
28:54away yeah it's hard
28:55not to man it's hard
28:57like so I but I
28:58wanted to make a case
28:59for Carson Bench sure
29:00um I think I look
29:04the sample size is
29:05small and I do not
29:06like operating in very
29:07small sample sizes it's
29:09small for him but the
29:10data is good I think
29:11what I'm banking on
29:12when I say this is I'm
29:14starting to buy in with
29:15him how he started the
29:17season and where he is
29:18right now I believe in
29:21that mental fortitude you
29:22just talked about Jacob
29:23DeGrom and what he had
29:24to go through and that
29:25start and Terry Collins
29:25have to come and put his
29:26arm around him and all
29:27the stuff I think the
29:28fact that things you
29:29know I know opening day
29:30was great for Carson
29:31Bench he hits the homer
29:32it was awesome and then
29:34it was down and now he's
29:36trending back up and like
29:37I said I think he'll have
29:38another time where it'll go
29:39down because that's just
29:40how things go but you you
29:43sold me on this I'm
29:44blaming you Wardy you had
29:47me really buying into this
29:49young man's mental
29:49fortitude and I see that
29:51and I'm like that's the
29:52kind of guy I think that
29:53works fits now if you get
29:55a player that's a star that
29:57you can pair in this
29:57lineup like you said
29:58he's got two years left
29:59on this deal a little bit
29:59controllable you want to
30:01get him in I can
30:02understand why you give
30:03up a Carson bench but I
30:04think he's right there I
30:05wouldn't want to give up
30:06on him because I just
30:06like there's something
30:08about the kid I like
30:09sometimes there's
30:09intangibles you cannot
30:11just it's not just about
30:12the numbers on the back
30:13of the baseball card so
30:15true things I think
30:16having that mental
30:16toughness is something
30:19that's really good I
30:20think Nolan McLean to
30:21add to has this mental
30:22toughness that can work
30:23for him yes he got
30:24shell the other night he
30:25had a bad he had a bad
30:26inning I think he can
30:28rebound fine that's what
30:30I look for with young
30:31players right now when
30:32you fall off are you
30:34going to be able to
30:34rebound and do that so
30:36Carson bench is close
30:38for me I will put let's
30:39put it like this Nolan
30:41McLean is the untouchable
30:43pitcher Carson bench to
30:45me right now is the near
30:47if not you want to say
30:48untouchable position
30:49player I hope that I
30:52hope that at the end of
30:53the year if or we'll get
30:55to the next part we're
30:55into by the trade
30:56deadline maybe we feel
30:58the same way about AJ
30:59Ewing maybe we do maybe
31:01we do not it's a long
31:03it's still early for AJ
31:04Ewing but I would say
31:05right now I'm putting
31:06Bench as the untouchable
31:07position player but not
31:09quite there I think Nolan
31:10McLean is definitely
31:10untouchable you're not
31:11you're not trading him at
31:12all so with that being
31:14said I just mentioned
31:16trade deadline what is it
31:19what does this all mean for
31:20the trade deadline because
31:22now you've got and a lot
31:24of that will depend on I
31:25know the listeners and
31:26viewers are gonna say
31:27this it's gonna depend on
31:28where the Mets are for
31:29where the Mets being
31:30traded we have no idea
31:31right now but you
31:33mentioned the fact that
31:35they have some flexibility
31:37David Stearns has more
31:38flexibility today than he
31:40did three to four weeks
31:41ago let's say a month
31:42ago he's got way more
31:43flexibility now the kids
31:45have to keep producing
31:47when the kids produce
31:49whether it's here at the
31:50major league level or
31:51down at the minor league
31:51level you can start to
31:52get calls more teams
31:54gonna talk they're gonna
31:55inquire their teams are
31:55gonna ask about what hey
31:56what's it gonna take to
31:57get a Carson bench what's
31:59it gonna take to get an
31:59AJ Ewing some people will
32:01ask what's it gonna take
32:01to get Nolan McLean I
32:03know that's gonna make
32:03that fans panic and
32:04they're like no no no no
32:05you can't do that but
32:06you're gonna get that when
32:07guys perform well I think
32:09what what I find
32:12interesting is does this
32:14to bring it back to
32:15David Stearns does this
32:17make Stearns because of
32:18this youth movement we're
32:19seeing does it make him
32:20more aggressive at the
32:21deadline or does the
32:23emergence of talent
32:24actually make the Mets
32:26more dangerous buyers
32:27because they can do what
32:29you talked about which is
32:30target specific upgrades
32:32to say how they want to
32:33make this team better how
32:35they want their quarter
32:35look going past 2026
32:37what do you think the kids
32:39coming up now and knock on
32:42wood knock on my desk
32:43playing well can do for the
32:46Mets at this upcoming
32:47trade deadline it's a
32:48great question that I
32:49wish I had a more clear
32:50cut answer to but when it
32:51comes to David Stearns and
32:52his front office philosophy
32:54it feels like a lot of the
32:54times where I'm on the
32:55money with it I'm not and I
32:57know I'm not the only one
32:58that feels that way I think
32:59a large contingent of
33:00talking heads and fans in
33:02this space have been steered
33:04in a certain direction and
33:05then that direction is not
33:06necessarily the route that
33:07we thought was reality so I
33:10don't know this is without a
33:11doubt I think the biggest
33:13test for David Stearns yet for
33:15any traded line because when
33:16we think of the first couple
33:17I think it's important to
33:19reference how we've gone to
33:20this point in previous years
33:21versus what the difference is
33:23now two years ago when the
33:24Mets bought at the deadline
33:25that was still as they were
33:26crawling back obviously to
33:27getting out of below 500
33:29how their magical run this
33:31summer and the Mets were
33:32trending so well that it was
33:33like Stearns knew he had to
33:34do something now he made a
33:36very smart move in acquiring
33:37Jesse Winker which was the
33:38best offensive acquisition the
33:40Mets made since Javi Baez
33:42going all the way back to 2021
33:44under the Zach Scott regime
33:45as a position player that can
33:46be impactful for them down
33:47the stretch you brought in a
33:49Paul Blackburn that was not
33:51not existence and not
33:52existent because he started
33:53leaking spinal fluid because of
33:55course he did and then you
33:56have you know a couple other
33:57guys that were thrown in the
33:58mix that you know didn't
33:59really provide too much value
34:01for you but you know we're
34:02guys that David Stearns wanted
34:05to kind of round out the
34:06roster last year the Mets were
34:08free-falling terribly leading
34:10into the traded line and they
34:12decided to bolster their
34:13bullpen they did a very good
34:14job on paper bolstering that
34:15bullpen but on paper that's
34:17right David David forgot to
34:18recognize buying from small
34:21markets you're gonna have an
34:23adjustment just like a lot of
34:25other people and people even
34:26entering in front offices do
34:27entering the Big Apple and
34:29Ryan Helsley forgot how to
34:30pitch for a month Gregory Soto
34:32reminded you why he's not a
34:33viable Southpaw option Tyler
34:36Rogers I miss him still dearly
34:38and so on and so forth so now
34:40that paints the picture for
34:42this 2026 traded line decks
34:43right now the Mets as we speak
34:45are still seven games below
34:47500 so if the deadline was
34:49tomorrow you should be selling
34:51if you're the New York Mets now
34:53we have a good amount away
34:55until we get to the trade
34:56deadline still still a couple
34:56months out so if things trend
34:59the way that they have with
35:00these young players and let's
35:01say this youth movement brings
35:03the Mets to either 500 ball or
35:05close to 500 ball let's say
35:06they're really nipping at the
35:08heels where it's like they're
35:08making things interesting but
35:10they're not getting over that
35:11hump yet by the deadline we'll
35:12go with that hypothetical and
35:14the Mets are kind of in this
35:14limbo by then I think what
35:16will happen is David won't be
35:18proactive enough that's what I
35:20think is gonna happen I think
35:21what's gonna happen is the Mets
35:23and us fans are going to want
35:25more than what we're gonna get
35:26and the reason why I feel that
35:28way is is because I cannot
35:29recall a trade deadline yet and
35:32the Steve Cohen era whether it's
35:33purposeful or not or it's met
35:35fan expectation and I'm not
35:36saying fan expectation like you
35:38got a trade for Aaron judge
35:39everybody and the mother what
35:40I'm trying to say is that just
35:42putting guys out there that
35:43makes sense and it feels like
35:44every year the Mets miss the
35:45mark on either not adding a
35:47quality bat when they needed
35:48because Cedric Bones was their
35:49quality bat the deadline last
35:50year or it's going to be
35:52something like that about that
35:53damn of course you forgot about
35:54it Dex no no because because
35:56I was I was actually I don't
35:57want to cut you off but I was
35:58actually gonna push back on
35:59you because I was like wait
36:00you don't think last year met
36:02the expectations of the fan base
36:04and it was I gave high marks
36:06for that trade deadline last
36:07year I really did the bullpen
36:09because the bullpen moves I
36:10love I agree with you yes
36:11the boy but you know what I
36:13did I put Cedric Mullins out of
36:15my mind and that's what I
36:16forgot I did the following
36:18Dex you also forgot of the
36:19New York Mets didn't add a
36:20starter start when I
36:22understand unless your name
36:23was Merrill Kelly you were not
36:24a starter trade at the
36:25deadline last year I also
36:27don't care because the New
36:28York Mets rotation was in
36:29complete shambles they knew
36:31about it for months they could
36:32have been more proactive with
36:33Noah McClain weeks prior to
36:35when they called him up and
36:35that alone probably would have
36:36made them make playoffs because
36:37they missed in the final series
36:39against the Marlins so that's
36:41what I think of but for this
36:42year I have a feeling the Mets
36:44are going to be in the mix but
36:45not fully in the thick of it by
36:46the deadline I think they're
36:48going to both buy and sell
36:49that's my thought process right
36:50now I hate that though you
36:52can't you can't be in both
36:53worlds you got all I know you
36:55I know you hate that I think
36:56we're doing I'm not I'm I'm not
36:58optimistic about this at the
37:00moment I'm not trying to be
37:01either unfortunately I think
37:03what's going to happen is I
37:04think David is going to trade
37:05away some assets that the Mets
37:07don't need I think one of if
37:08not both of shaman I and David
37:10Pearson are out of here in some
37:11form or fashion by that if not
37:13I think I think those would be
37:14good moves but yes right but
37:16here's the thing though when it
37:18comes to adding how much adding
37:20is David really going to do I
37:22can see him adding a reliever at
37:23a relatively cheap price I could
37:25see maybe adding a starter that's
37:28like a number four for you I
37:30could maybe see him at a bat but
37:33really how much more of a bat
37:34will the Mets need with their
37:35line by then they're going to
37:37look for more power are they
37:39going to give a canes ransom
37:40from Munitaka Murakami to get
37:42him from the White Sox me like
37:43that's our guy I don't know I
37:46don't have confidence in David
37:47Stearns because he has not
37:48instilled that in me yet he has
37:50to go out and prove that you
37:51know so that's this is more
37:53based on what he's done what
37:55he's done in Milwaukee and why I
37:57should not get ahead of myself
37:59and have high my face the way
38:00that I did that during the
38:01season thinking this roster was
38:03better than what it is on paper
38:04you know so no I I get it and I
38:08don't want to like I'm I asked
38:10the question and there is still
38:11and I'm glad you painted a
38:13scenario of what you think it
38:15could where you think the Mets
38:17might be at the deadline and you
38:18pretty much had them as a a mid
38:21team who can possibly contending
38:24for a wildfire spot right maybe on
38:25the fringes outside of it let's
38:28let's say that's the truth let's
38:29say they're there let's say
38:30there's five games low 500 you
38:34know whatever yeah I don't know I
38:37think so much also depends on
38:39there's two things for me and it's
38:43funny you brought up Mania and
38:44Peterson because for me the big
38:45thing at that time more than the
38:47offense and I know the offense has
38:48been dreadful this year but what the
38:51hell does the pitching rotation
38:52look like right what are we getting
38:54out of guys right beside Nolan
38:56McClain where's Kodai Senga at that
38:59point is he producing for this team
39:00or not you have no faith in that I
39:04understand right what how's
39:07Christian Scott looking at that time
39:11have the Mets is Zach Thornton still
39:14in rotation is he pitching well as a
39:16lefty Jonah ton a dog all of a sudden
39:18right you know you know because if that
39:20happens and there's some momentum well
39:24I mean we're still saying they're
39:25mid-team but you're looking at these
39:26young kids you're like oh they're
39:28giving good innings they're learning
39:29on the job you know I can be
39:31optimistic about things with the
39:32future maybe you can move them for
39:33other pieces then I feel differently
39:35because then you might be able to
39:36make those moves that you talked
39:37about where you're moving a Sean
39:38Mania or David Peterson who I think
39:40both it's time to go that's the case
39:45I don't think you're wrong in saying
39:47am I you confident that there'll be a
39:49move that the Mets fans get excited
39:51about because I think the Mets fans
39:53were absolutely excited about the
39:54bullpen last year yeah and then I
39:57forgot about Cedric Mullins and I also
39:58forgot the other point did I did I was
40:00I somebody advocating for the Mets to
40:01get a starter to trade deadline last
40:02year yes I was because the rotation
40:04as you said was a shambles and it was
40:06clear they needed another arm it was
40:08absolutely clear so to your point has
40:11David Stearns ever gone out and got
40:13that guy that the Mets absolutely
40:15needed now we haven't seen that movie
40:17at all that's exactly my point like
40:20and yell contra maybe be that guy this
40:22year I've been longing for I was asking
40:24for him last year exactly you know
40:26something along those lines like you
40:27have to do him you have to do a needle
40:29moving move to get the fan base to buy
40:32in if you do things along that in that
40:34sense and you could say you know what
40:35I'm not happy with how the roster began
40:37with David but credit to him for making
40:40adjustments throughout the year when
40:42he knew it was needed can that be the
40:44difference finally that brings us back
40:46to where we start conversation where
40:48we're and you're right if you're seeing
40:49that at the trade deadline because
40:51there's also a world in which the Mets
40:53get hot I don't want to say it's
40:54going to be like 2024 but it can't be
40:57like 2024 this is something you said
40:58about a month ago in here it can't be
41:00like 2024 2024 cannot be the standard we
41:03talked about that before that's an
41:05anomaly stop banking on that it's
41:07something otherwise yeah it can't be
41:09that right if you are in a situation
41:12where this starts playing good the
41:13vibes are good you're starting to see
41:14some good things for the young
41:15players I think it's imperative
41:18warty that David Stearns goes out and
41:21does something that inspire he needs to
41:24be a hope dealer here and inspire some
41:26more hope into the fan base other than
41:28just having the young kids come up if
41:30you're really about winning and we're
41:31talking about winning here in New York
41:33at some point you got to make a trade
41:35where you're gonna have to say all
41:36right you have to do something and you
41:38got to get you got got to get rid of
41:40some of the dead weight you got to get
41:41it out of here you're bringing in some
41:44youth and some hope the hope that
41:45you're bringing in is with the youth
41:47but you can't let that die by not going
41:50to make any move so this listen if the
41:52Mets are look you get in the playoffs
41:55anything can happen nowadays in
41:57baseball if the Mets are anywhere to
42:00contend for a playoff spot I think you
42:02have to be aggressive I don't blame you
42:04though and I don't blame other Mets fans
42:06for saying show me we we haven't seen
42:09it you got to show me David Stearns we
42:11like this proactivity in bringing up
42:14the kids but what are you gonna do with
42:16these kids as assets and what are you
42:18gonna do if the Mets need you to go make
42:21a move that inspires some hope in the
42:23fan base got to do it this year at the
42:24deadline I will plenty of time to talk
42:26about that I understand all that but I
42:29think it's fair to say if these kids
42:30play well you got some options we like
42:33positional flexibility you know what
42:35GMs and heads of baseball operations
42:37like they like roster flexibility to
42:39what they can do to make moves but
42:41flexibility doesn't mean a damn thing
42:43if you don't go and do anything with
42:45it exactly and that's been the one
42:47thing that a lot of Mets fans
42:49understandably so have had pushback with
42:51either his current front office or to
42:53lesser extent previous you know when
42:55Steve Cohen first became owner of this
42:56team there was no farm you know there
42:59was no analytics department there wasn't
43:01proper player development in a lot of
43:02ways the Mets have 180 a lot of that
43:04over the past half decade or so but
43:06they were now in the most perfectly
43:08prime position they've ever been in
43:10as an organization you could argue to
43:13part ways with various assets where
43:16they're not gonna lose sleep over them
43:17and take advantage of it in similar
43:19fashion in them trading for Freddie
43:20Peralta they're not losing sleep over
43:22the fact that Jet Williams is having
43:24one of the best minor league months in
43:25the month of May and all baseball right
43:27now they're not losing sleep over the
43:29fact that Brandon Sprott is dotting
43:30corners chucking at 99 without a
43:32problem in Milwaukee and the reason
43:33why they're not losing sleep over it
43:35is because of Carson Bench AJ Ewing
43:38right Nick Moribito with similar
43:39profiles and the abundance of pitching
43:42depth that they have so it's important
43:44to see what they have now I like the
43:46proactivity whether it's reactionary or
43:48not but keep it up David we can't sit on
43:51our hands and think that oh okay things
43:53are all great and dandy now because as
43:55soon as you get complacent like that
43:57again the Mets by time you're watching
43:59this everybody you may have seen the
44:00Mets drop three out of four games in
44:02DC so we'll see what happens in regards
44:04to that result but there can't be this
44:06constant flip-flopping on like taking
44:08again two three steps forward but then
44:11also taking anywhere from two to ten
44:12steps back there needs to be a trend
44:14continuing upward instead of lateral at
44:17best or else you know as we get to the
44:19deadline they'll further prove my point
44:21David's not going to do enough of a
44:22needle mover because he's not going to
44:24feel inclined enough to do so even
44:26though we will have every asset
44:27imaginable to part ways with he's not
44:30going to feel inclined and that is
44:31something that I fear at the time of
44:33us talking May 21st 2026 I 100% agree
44:38my friend 100% agree we will see either
44:41way the Mets they are in a youth
44:43movement right now I like it what he
44:45likes it is proactive do you like that
44:47David Stearns has been proactive or are
44:48you saying that you don't like it
44:50because he failed this offseason with
44:53some of the moves he made listen
44:54failures are gonna happen I think life
44:56just happens to anything life it's
44:57about how you deal with it he's dealt
44:59with it fine the job's not done that's
45:01where I agree with Wardy job is not
45:02done there still is more to do in terms
45:04of improving this roster we'll see what
45:06the Mets do I want to thank everybody
45:08for rocking us let us know what you
45:09think in the comments below for sure we
45:12will see how the Mets finish their
45:13series against the Nationals we'll see
45:15what they do this weekend down South
45:17Beach against the Miami Marlins and
45:19then they'll be back home next week to
45:20take on the Reds early in the week so
45:22we have more coming your way on
45:24Straight Outta Flushing he's Tyler Ward
45:25I'm Dexter Henry we'll catch you next
45:27time on another edition of Straight Outta
45:29Flushing peace
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