Mets fans dreamed big when Steve Cohen took over their team. Why not?
No one wins the lottery and provides the upgrade from one bedroom to two. They see the mansion or the penthouse. And for the believers, it certainly felt like we were winning the lottery when Cohen’s wallet squeezed out the Wilpons.
He showed the power of deep pockets, especially in this unspent environment, when the Mets traded for Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco. Most teams just wanted to try for Lindor, because that means $ 20 million a year has to be added to the payroll and to at least determine what it would cost in the long run to keep the star short-lived beyond 2021. Most clubs were only on Carlos Carrasco because the two years and another $ 27 million owed more than he would probably have received if he were a free agent and no player returned.
The Mets acquired them both – both added to their payroll. They introduced Lindor on Monday via Zoom conference and Carrasco on Tuesday. And yet, let’s move quickly forward to Wednesday, and a former Indian teammate of Lindor and Carrasco, to illustrate that what the Mets can do now is to differentiate themselves on the other side of the market as well, that is not all mansions and penthouses. .
Corey Kluber has a workout taking place Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. at Cressey Sports Performance in Palm Beach Garden, Fla. About 20 teams, including the Mets, are expected to attend a rally to see the two-time Cy Young winner cast. 30-stone bullpen. Cameras will be trained at Kluber, as well as the most modern machinery to determine the turning speed and movement of its stands.
Teams will look through the data and what the right person looks like with the naked eye, to try to determine how much Corey Kluber is left in Corey Kluber. Of course, this is just a screenshot. Kluber has only started eight times in the last two years because he has been undone by the frats (a broken right arm through a line drive) and the worries (abdominal and shoulder ailments). What turns out to be April 35 is Kluber’s chance of returning to even 80 or 90 percent of his dominant 2014-18 form, what? Ten percent? Twenty? Thirty? This is not great.
But what if the Mets like what they see? What if they like what they see at a time when few other clubs want to accept pay, not even for certain things? What if they like what they see and have Cohen’s wallet as a separator? After all, these are no longer Jeff Wilpon’s dad’s Mets.
Rich Hill, a good but injury-prone pitcher, signed with the Twins for $ 3 million last season with $ 9.5 million incentives based on turn and start. Assume that Kluber will fall into the same realm – a low base with the chance to make significantly more with a healthy pitch. How many teams in this atmosphere will even host for Kluber the Hill?
For Cohen, therefore, the distinction of the Mets could be to offer a base of $ 5 million or $ 6 million. Marginal money for him. What if the Mets offered $ 5 million with the chance to earn $ 13 million if Kluber were fully Kluber again – for example 200 overs? This would repeat the $ 18 million option in 2021 that the Rangers did not want to make Kluber a free agent.
Again, Kluber is a long chance to ever be that man again. But if he is, he’s worth $ 18 million. And the Mets are suddenly the kind of franchise that might risk $ 5 million risk to see if the Kluber is still hiding.
At best, Kluber is installed behind fellow Stetson alum Jacob deGrom in the rotation and moves Carrasco and Marcus Stroman down to the best number 3-4 combination in the majors, with David Peterson protected in fifth place. and Seth Lugo and Steven Matz in the pen to take turns.
In a medium scenario, Kluber is in rotation and holding out long enough to form a 2021 tag team alongside Noah Syndergaard, which takes place in June following Tommy John’s surgery.
In the worst case scenario, Kluber never looks like his old self. In that case, the Mets’ rotation is deGrom, Carrasco, Stroman, Peterson and Matz of Lugo with Syndergaard penetrating. It costs the Mets $ 5 million, but they are out of contract after the 2021 campaign.
Obviously, there are a lot of moving parts here. Kluber should look good on Wednesday, the Mets should be interested, Kluber should want to play for them and the parties should agree that the bells and whistles are ringing.
But that should be seen as an indication of what the Mets can do now. Cohen’s arrival allows their fans to dream of the mansions and the penthouses in the acquisition of players. Welcome Lindor / Carrasco. It also puts them in a better position to be courageous on the other side of the market in efforts to find difference makers.