December 12, 2025 • 30 mins
Fox Sports reporter Deesha Thosar joins us to recap a painful Winter Meetings for the Mets. We talk about how the negotiations with Pete and Edwin went down, what the Mets plan is from here, and more.
0:00 - What's up Mets Fans
1:05 - Did the Mets even want Pete back?
5:37 - Mets' perception around the league
11:39 - What is the plan?
20:22 - Is the Clubhouse a problem?
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
What is Up? Guys.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Welcome back to another episode of the Mets Up Podcast.
We are joined today by Dsha Thosar, who has been
covering the Winter Meetings, talking baseball dropping articles all week.
There's a lot to talk about here in the Mets world,
not a lot of great things, but I'm sure we're
gonna find out some more. Dsha, first off, thank you
for joining us. Appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
And I think this is.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Becoming like an annual thing now we have you on
right after the Winter Meetings.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Yeah, good to be on. I wish it was happier
times for Mets fans, but it'll turn It won't last forever.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (00:37):
Last year was all about wan So though, and like
the joy around that signing, and this year we're like, wow,
how are we gonna pick up the pieces? So I
think we'll just start there. So this week the Mets
kind of got their heart. Mets fans got their heart
ripped out two days in a row, losing Edwin Diaz,
losing Pete Alonzo. I think my first kind of very
general question is how much, honestly did the Mets want
to keep these guys? Was it really just a facade
(00:59):
for the fans to make it seem like they were
in the back or was there real genuine mutual interest
with those two players.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
I think definitely the interest for Diaz was much higher
than Pete, and I think with Pete Alonzo too, there
was interest. They just weren't going to go there. They
weren't going to go to the years that it looked
like it was always going to end up at. I
think last offseason was a little bit of anomaly for
Pete because he had the qualifying offer attached to him,
(01:26):
not as much interest from other teams. This offseason, it
was expected to blow up, and it kind of was
a you're in the making from the Mets with Pete
of just kind of letting him explore being super lukewarm.
And we already knew from last year that Pete didn't
like that approach from the Mets. He wanted a little
bit more from them, and they never really changed their tune.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Did it feel like that like this came together quickly,
because it felt like before the winter meetings we kind
of heard nothing about Pete. We honestly heard that his
market was developing slowly, and then all of a sudden,
you hear Mets Red Sox three years and then the
Orioles come in with five for one fifty five.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Yeah, it definitely happened swiftly, I would say. After he
came to the Winter Meetings. I think that was a
really smart move by him and Scott Boris. I'm trying
to find out really whose idea it was, But there's
been right this kind of misunderstanding about who Pete can
be his personality. Obviously, Mets fans know him well, but
I think just looking from the outside, it's what is
(02:25):
he just this goofy player? Does he have this drive
to win? Does he work hard? What's his work ethic?
I think as soon as you see Pete face to face,
all of these things come across. So from his end,
it was really smart for him to go to the
Winter Meetings and be in touch with the teams that
were interested, and if that's the only thing they were
waiting for, then I can see how that would push
a deal across the table. Of course, after Schober went
(02:46):
off the board.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
It was a funny update too that Pee Lonzo was
driving to the Winter Meetings from his home nearby in
Tampa Bay, Like that was just kind of part of
this The funny Mets like reporting Lord that we always get,
but the reporting that's come out since too is that
both in the Mets and the Red Sox scene unwilling
to go even past the three years. Did the Orioles
kind of bien against themselves or pel lazo? Did they
drive up their own price or was their real need
(03:09):
in their world to give Pete that fifty year that
he's sought for the last two years.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
Definitely huge need for the Oriols. I mean it's hard
to state enough how huge of a deal this is
for them, because not only did they need a right
handed power bat like Alonso after the season they had
last year, but they needed that sort of experienced veteran presence.
Kind of wild to call Pete a veteran after covering
him from his rookie season, But for a team young
team like the Ools, that's who he is. And if
(03:35):
you look at Camden Yards, specifically them bringing in those
walls after one year or two of them being out,
he's really going to rip it there. I mean, even
as he went there as a Met, he was always
blasting home runs. I think he's easily going to reach
five hundred home runs career hitting at Camden. So if
you put all of that together, there's plenty of reasons
(03:56):
for them to go to five, and it would have
made sense for someone like the Red Sox too. But
I think I'm not sure that this contract is going
to age well. I still think Pete betting on himself,
covering him and him always rising to the occasion matters,
and I think that's hard to quantify sometimes, So I
don't think it was that outrageous as people are making
it seem.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
We'll talk about Diaz a little bit more in a second,
but to kind of draw similarities, it felt like the
Mets were shocked with Diaz and how that happened. Was
there any sort of shock with Pete or they kind
of seemed like they expected this?
Speaker 3 (04:29):
Yeah, definitely with Pete it was not only expecting it,
but a little bit like go ahead, you know. I
think the years were shocking more so to the Mets.
They probably thought you'd end up with four to a
higher aav than they were comfortable going with. And write that.
We've heard that word being used so much with comfortability,
and I think, really there's just so much with the
(04:51):
package of Pete Alonzo that sometimes you do have to
go over the line of being uncomfortable. We saw Steve
Cohen do it with Francisco Indoor his first splash after
because I'm an owner. We saw him do it with
Juan Soto for some reason, with Pete Alonzo. I mean,
of course, Steve David Stearns is obviously running the ship
and he's making the decisions, and if you look at
just him doing it, it makes sense. So my question,
(05:14):
of course is where was Steve conan all of this.
His whole thing since becoming owner is the human touch
at family relationships, having everyone come over to his house
and somehow kind of especially this offseason, that has really
gone out the door. I think it's expected after their
disappointing season. But Peter Alonso was not the problem of
(05:34):
that season. It was obviously the starting pitching staff.
Speaker 4 (05:37):
No, he definitely wasn't. And your last few pieces, you've
used the term indifference a lot to describe what's gone
on with the Mets front office over these last I
don't even want to say a few weeks, a few days.
We've heard other people in the media say that they're
taking the emotion out of it. There's no more sentimentality.
I heard one report that use the term arrogance. Is
this a perception that the David Stearns run teams have
always had? Is this something that's now come to the
(05:59):
forefront more recently. Is this just something us as Mets
fans are now really starting to see after a season
that didn't end with a lot of good favor compared
to the last one that did end with a lot
of good favor.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Yeah, I think this season and last season is more
typical of how David Sterns run teams behave. Even he
kind of expressed some regret after his handlings of Josh
Hater with the Brewers, I'm not seeing much of a
difference there anyway. And I think last so the twenty
twenty four season kind of put expectations for everyone a
little bit out of the water, right Like, if something
(06:31):
like this offseason happened after the twenty twenty three season,
I don't think fans would be as frustrated or upset
because that was also disappointing. But coming off of twenty
twenty four, which was magical, special, great chemistry, going to
twenty twenty five that was whiplash and it hurt. So
I think right now what we're seeing this offseason is
(06:52):
definitely how David Stearns operates. But even having said that,
I'm a little surprised because he knew what he was
walking into. Right. The Mets fan base is very different,
Mets lore is very different, attachment styles different than Brewers.
So I think I mean right, I think fans just
should absolutely forget about sentimentality and go for business only.
(07:13):
Is not the vibe that Mets like. It's more of
like a Yankees vibe of just professional, show up and win.
But I do still believe that winning, of course, will
fix all of these problems.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Yeah, it does feel like as long as this team wins,
I think the fan base will be happy with whoever
is on the field because ultimately, at the end of
the day, you know, me and James can't speak for everybody,
But if we win, I'm okay if Pete Alonzo and
Edwin Diaz are in here as long as we are winning.
But that's the scary part because Pete left in the
day before we find out about Edwin leaving, and we've
heard different things around you know, the news about what
(07:46):
happened exactly with Edwin. One of the ones sticking out
to me and James was that apparently Edwin might have
been upset about the handling of signing Devin Williams and
not keep him keeping him in the loop. How much
truth is there to that, and was he really upset
with the Mets.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Yeah, it's definitely. I mean I have not heard for
a fact any of these things. There are definitely rumblings
about it. And I think just knowing Edwin Diaz too,
uncovering him, I can see how there would be a
little bit for anybody, I mean, any of these players.
To be as successful as they are, there's always a
little bit of ego attached, and of course Diaz hasn't
(08:23):
really shown any of that. He's really, I would say,
the nicest guy in that Mets club ass from the
time I've covered him, to a man, everyone thinks that,
but you never know. Right. The one thing, and I
think to this point, really up until twenty twenty four,
the Mets had done everything right in terms of personal
relationships with their players, Alex Cohen coming in, Steve Cohen
coming in, and that just seemed to be gotten this offseason.
(08:47):
It's like they just really did not pay attention to
this human aspect of I really wouldn't have hurt the
Mets to give him a ring right before, and hey,
or he's a free agent, so they of course didn't
have to do any of that. So there's the argument
too that why is Diaz being so sensitive about this,
and like he knew the deal and if this is
all it took to kind of piss him off and
(09:08):
go to the Dodgers, there's definitely more there. I don't
think it's just this. I think he wants to win.
I think he could have been a little confused about
the direction of this team now after seeing Nimo walk away,
after hearing kind of writing was on the wall about
where Pete would end up. So I think it's it's
likely a mix of all of it, and we might
find out tomorrow. Diez is having that press conference with
(09:31):
the Dodgers, so he will definitely be asked about them,
so he'll have to answer for it.
Speaker 4 (09:35):
It feels like there just had to be something there,
because on the surface, it was a three million dollar difference,
and with the report of deferrals, it seemed like there
was basically no difference at all, and it seems like
like you louse tooth beginning. This was the shock for
the Mets not getting DS. He was the one they prioritized.
It's also funny to think about the juxtaposition between David
Seerins and the last general manager, the lead executive, Billy Eppler.
(09:56):
How that was like the honky dory off season after
twenty twenty too, which was it felt almost worse to
some degree at the end of that season and then
the end of this one. But like everyone got their
big contract, Diez didn't even have to enter free agency.
It was funny to think about the comparison there. But
with Diaz, how much of this was his maybe lack
of trust and direction of the team because he had
(10:18):
the quote the beginning of the off season, I want
to win a ring wherever I go, I want to
win a ring and enjoy the time. Is this more
of a referendum on the direction of the club, the
direction of the franchise. How far away we kind of
perceived them now to actually being championship competitors.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Yeah, I think having a season like last year has
its ripple of X this year, I guess twenty twenty
five is what I mean in terms of them coming
out to such a strong start and then falling and
collapsing in the way that they did spectacularly over the
last two months. Nothing being able to turn that around,
I think has a greater impact than maybe people know.
(10:55):
And right, we weren't as much as I was in
there in the club, I was seeing these guys, I
still was not on that team. Only they know how
frustrated it frustrating it was, how upsetting how many times
they switched in their heads of I can't do this anymore. Right,
And Diaz is one of those guys who's been there
since twenty nineteen, who's been through the ups and downs,
He's battlescarred. They were so close in twenty twenty four.
(11:18):
To now feel that huge setback and not know if
you're going to get that close again, I think can
change a lot of minds. And I think just being
around the Mets longer. Right, we've seen the trend of
Nimo agreeing to trade his no trade clause and the
peak going Diaz going, there's a trend there in terms
of the longer tenured guys going that there's definitely more
(11:39):
to this story.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
Yeah, it feels like the Mets are definitely trying to
make a change of what this team looks like what
the core is, and relatively the core didn't actually accomplish anything,
So I guess from that standpoint kind does make sense
now speaking of what this new core could be, like
the way that the market's been moving another big reliever
off the market, the Mets have a pretty incomplete team
right now. If you look at this roster top to bottom.
(12:01):
Do we think that David Stearns is going to get
more aggressive soon or he's just gonna kind of play
his game and sit and wait.
Speaker 3 (12:08):
Yeah, it definitely feels like now Steve Cohen has fully
just handed him the reins. I mean, we saw Steve
con steppin at the end of the off season last
year and getting pet Alnzo back, So I'm not ruling
something like that out if the pressure really accelerates to
a level of hey, we need to make a bigger move,
But for now, I would say I'm expecting the next
(12:30):
big Mets move to be via trade. I think they
are definitely they have the assets to do it. I
think their outfield they can address via trade by looking
at someone like Byron Buckston if he's still available. But
David Sterns loves these kinds of trade deals. He loves
these kinds of challenges, So in one aspect, it's good
(12:51):
that there are so many holes to feel. But in
the other side of it, if the season started today,
they would not be able to go and play. There's
no team to field there, and it's a little I
think if the plan is to go right off the
Brewers blueprint of bring up the younger guys, let them
have a runway, I just don't see that happening at
(13:11):
the onset of the season. So they still need something
right there, and they're obviously not punting, so I think
in that way there are going to be aggressive moves.
I'm not sure that it'll be maybe the flashiest that
everyone is expecting. And then listen, those can still happen
at the trade deadline right depending on where they're at,
especially because Searns loves those kinds of trade deals.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
Is there any likelihood or is it even like stupid
to assume that there's a chance for us to go
big game hunting? And if you had to, because we've
been trying to do this the last few days here Ballpark,
maybe where this payroll actually winds up on opening day,
how much lower is it than where it was last year.
Is it even over the last luxury tax threshold, which
we've basically never done during Steve Cohen's tenure with this team, Like,
how much will realistically be added to this team monetarily.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
Yeah, and that's the question, right, that's the question of
the off season. So far. It definitely looks like it
will be significantly lowered, and that is what they're trying
to do, just even in a nutshell of trying to
lower the luxury tax going forward, resetting it, especially after
a year like twenty twenty nine. Personally, I think because
of this year and the potential for the CBA lockout
(14:19):
next year, potential for a salary cap, this should be
the off season where they're spending a lot because he
can and do I believe that there will be a
salary cap right now? No, but of course a lot
is going to change between now and next year. There
could be miss games in twenty twenty seven. So while
Steve Cohen still can flash his money as best asset,
(14:42):
it's a little weird to me that he's not, especially given,
of course, his net worth has only grown even though
he's operated a loss since becoming owner. It's not really
a worry from him. We've heard him be very las
a fair about this just being a fun toy kind
of for him, owning the Mets. It's his day job,
is real gig. It's great, it's great. So that's a
(15:03):
little bit of course not lining up with what we've
seen this off season. He has always expressed wanting to
do both. He wants to promote from within the farm
system and also spend a blend of both. They're not
there yet, and I think if he's trying for this
off season to be the year they're doing that, I
think that's a big mistake.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
The young guys seem to be a big focus for
David Stearns right now, as you mentioned, and Carson Benj's
name has come up a lot this offseason. Is Carson
Benje one of the main reasons why a guy like
Nimo has moved off like they have big hopes for
him in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
Yeah, it's definitely seeming that way now. If you ask
me that immediately after Brandon Nimo has traded, I would
have said, no way. I would have said, like a
little bit of posturing there in terms of wanting to
add maybe someone like a Bellinger or Kyle Tucker and
kind of really go out, Like you mentioned big game
hunting to fill that spot, and they could still do that,
but I think Carson Benda obviously he needs a bigger
(15:58):
runway is he's going to be competing for the role
in spring training, but I'd be surprised if he earned
it right outside of opening day, outside of a huge
spring training, So I think they definitely these are holes
that they have to fill outside He's going to be
exciting to keep tabs on as we get closer to
February and March and a little bit of his minor
(16:18):
league season again and kind of waiting for that major
league promotion. But I just don't see a world and
that he's going to be on the opening day roster,
and it's going to have to be an approven, experienced
competitor who can be better than what they just let
go In NEMO.
Speaker 4 (16:35):
The only two guys position players signed to the team
to non rookie deals past twenty twenty eight are one
so on Francisco Lindor, like, was this just the plan
all along? Like did we just did? David Sears in
his mind kind of have to figures things out in
the fly last year, like being successful like quote unquote,
like ahead of schedule and realistically it's just let me
clear as much I possibly can, like I want flexibility,
(16:56):
I want young players. Is that just? Is this just
really where we've always been heaving?
Speaker 3 (17:01):
I think he was a little more flexible last year
in hey, let's I'm new around here. Let's see your way,
your way, meaning Steve Cohen's way, the way that it
was run before. Let's use a little more money, let's
go get the big fish and SODO. I don't think
David Stearns ever wanted to sign that mega deal. It's
really not his mo. That was totally a Steve Cohen move.
(17:22):
And now right he's going to be on the roster
for years to come. He does have that opt out
in a handful of years Soto. But even beyond him
being kind of outside of the norm, I think it
didn't work right in twenty twenty five, that vision. So
then it became why don't we try it my way
now and see how this goes. And David Stearns' way
(17:44):
has been a focus on defense, on pitching, and not
so much outfield offense, and I think that that is
kind of going to be the blueprint that we see
this season. Is it going to work in a stacked
division in a stacked league. Now, we saw, of course,
what the Blue Jays did to even go toe to
toe with the Dodgers in the World Series, and it
was a mix of everything. They still had slug so
(18:07):
I think the Mets are definitely going to have to
find a way to replace Peter Alnzo's homers in some
way if they want to be successful this year.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
We've been getting a rumor about Wilson and Treres possibly
being interested in the trade coming to the Mets. Has
there been any more development in that and how soon
could these things actually start moving?
Speaker 3 (18:25):
Yeah, I did see that. I haven't heard if there's
more development in it, but I would expect as much
as the trade market right now, there's a lot of
chatter around it, and it's more than recent years, but
I do think those are going to take a little
longer to materialize. The Mets have been one of the
major players right now this offseason in trades. I think
now they're going to step back again and be a
(18:47):
little more reactive. Of course, they're the only team that
did anything over the winter meeting, So there's the trade
market aspect, I think is a good lane for them
to fill some of these holes. But I also would
like to see them right go a little bit in
free agency and sign They're going to have to do
at least one big name here, just based on how
many holes that are on the roster.
Speaker 4 (19:07):
Would this all be different? Is the team literally won
one more game, Like if this team was just in
the playoffs last year, possibly one or two other wildcard
could this entire month have been completely different?
Speaker 3 (19:18):
Yeah, And I think not only if they had one
one more game, but I think the reason we're seeing
right a lot of these players were performed well leaving
I think goes back to that oh and seventy record
in not having a single comeback win, and unfortunately that
does fall on the offense, and it is weird. It's
(19:39):
really no one could wrap their heads around it. And
that's were the only ones that did not have a
comeback win after trailing after the eighth inning. So I
think they had plenty of chances, as much as you
want to say, right it was one win, one inning,
one saved from Diaz. We're talking about oh and seventy,
So I think as that is happening, it's a little
bit like befuddling in a way that not just why
(20:01):
can you get the big hit late and close, but
why was there no change even right like within the clubhouse,
not talking about like tension and the drama, but more
so why couldn't something click and turn there even internally?
So I think that that is part of a little
bit of this Mets blow up, of breaking up the core. Yeah,
you just did mention.
Speaker 2 (20:22):
Of course, that's been a hot topic this offseason has
been the Mets clubhouse and the drama that is there
or may not be there. From your experience, what do
you think about those reports? Is there really an issue
or this is just kind of how all major league
teams operate and the Mets just happened to lose a
little more publicly than others.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
Yeah, I think personally being in and out of that
clubhouse all year, I really did not see tension. And
I've seen tension in a Mets clubhouse right covering them
since and and this did not reach any of those levels.
This was not you know, Vargas throwing himself at a reporter,
This was not Mickey Callaway getting it. I mean those
(21:01):
were tough times, and that's just not what happened. What
happened was that they had an extremely disappointing season and
write this report of Francisco and Door and Jeff McNeil
getting into an argument after their seventh consecutive loss. Of
course they did, right. It would be weirder if they didn't.
I think I play soccer some tens and it just
(21:24):
like I have one loss and I'm frustrated. I couldn't
imagine the pressure and everything they're going through at that
level and having to deal with it from publicly getting lashed,
and of course I think goes back to that twenty
twenty four season. If that just did not exist and
we saw twenty twenty three and twenty twenty five, I
just don't think it would have been as much of
(21:47):
a concern. I think this clubhouse tension and drama narrative
is a little overblown. I think the Mets would have
liked to see them maybe overcome it right. Think it
went on too long. As much as I want to say,
you can be frustrated after having a season like that,
be frustrated after that seven game losing streak, but someone
(22:08):
in there has to be like let's go right, where's
the turn here? We have to talk about Jose Glacy
as we talk about Jad Martinez from the twenty twenty
four team, That presence didn't feel like it was there.
So if there's any issue, I think it is just
surrounding that aspect that they didn't snap out of it
fast enough.
Speaker 4 (22:27):
You had great reporting on this whole clubous drama right
when the season was ending that was kind of diametrically
posed to some of the reporting that came out about
the month later, and you repost that article. We talked
about a lot in this show. The switch did never
flip though, and you talked a lot in your piece
about the relationship between one and SOA and Francisco indoor
and reading through the tea leaves, it does seem like,
blatantly these guys are not friends, but does seem like
(22:48):
they are co workers? Is the next level for this team,
especially now with the microscope fully on them because there's
not many other there's really no other veterans left on
this team. How much of this is about not even
their relationship to one another, but their ability to actually
create like a really positive clubhouse environment.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
Yeah, I think right, It goes back to how much
will anything change within these two stars, and just talking
to Francisco Lindor about it this past season, I mean
he knew even when Sodo was signed, from the things
that he had heard about Sodo, this is how he operates.
He comes in, he does his work. He's not going
(23:27):
to be a buddy buddy bear hug type of person
like a Pee Alonzo or like a Brandon Nemo. He
just keeps to himself. And then Lindor actually made a
surprising comment to me. It was like even knowing that,
when you see it up close on a day to
day basis, it's different. It hit him a little differently.
You can hear about it, but until you see it,
you don't really know. And I think that adjustment period, right,
(23:50):
won't exist going forward. Now everybody knows what to expect.
Lindor also said to me, He's never going to change.
This is who Sodo is, like, we shouldn't be expecting
anything different out of him. And he was impressed by
this aspect of Sodo because he's so mature for his age.
In a little bit of I was never like that,
and it took me as in Sodo, it took I
(24:12):
mean Lindor. Sorry, it took Lindor a while to stop
being a people pleaser, and I think now he's kind
of settled and he's doing a little bit less of
that in Queens, but that's part of his DNA in
terms of being a human, and he's okay with that.
Sodo is very focused. He doesn't kind of pay attention
to those distractions, and I think if anything, just kind
(24:34):
of ripping the band aid off of how these guys
operate with each other, that not existing will lead to
that positive outcome like you've been talking about, because there
won't be as much adjusting at least between those two,
but there's gonna be a lot of turnover in the
clubhouse obviously.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
Yeah. I also think, you know, winning heals all wounds
as well, like it's a lot easier to have fun
and be buddy buddy and maybe want so gives Francisco
and Dora bear hug one day because they're winning baseball games,
where instead down the stretch just Mets Team Metal, horrible,
horrible collapse. We've heard things about other great superstars in
the league where they come in, they do their work
and it's not a problem. But if you look at
the Dodgers and Otani, they win baseball games. That seems
(25:11):
like the biggest difference there. Last question I'll leave you
with here is just expectations for the rest of the offseason.
Here for the Mets, you were talking about that they've
been very active in trades. Jeff McNeil's name has come
up a ton as a name that could be moved,
especially because of all the stuff that happened with apparentlyland
Or is that maybe the next domind that moves like
him and Sanga seemed like the hot names.
Speaker 3 (25:32):
Yeah, I would put McNeil up there expected to be traded,
but not maybe as much of a high priority, just
because of his versatility, and I mean David's isn't alone
in that. I think that's really a trend in the
league right now. And just having those guys like a
Cody Bellinger too, who can play several positions and play
them well so they're not they it would almost be like,
(25:53):
okay if he didn't go anywhere. Senga definitely is another one.
I don't know about that one in terms of being
by low And another one I have my name my
kind of circled on my sheet is David Peterson. I
can see this kind of being like a need for
need trade because he would I don't know how he
would even fit into the rotation. If they want to
(26:13):
bring up some of these younger guys like we talked
about Jonatong is another Christian Scott. Obviously McLean is going
to be in there, so they have a lot of
runaway for those younger guys. They're going to have to
clear just a little bit more space. And David Peterson,
as many chances as he's gotten, right, he's not that
ace that the Mets rotation needs. I think they're I
don't think they're focused right now on adding an ace.
(26:35):
I think they should be. I think their focus is
on someone like a Michael King. I think that would
be a mistake. I think they should really be going
for someone like a schoolbl And, And if that deal materializes,
I think the Mets should be right in the middle
of that. I think they have definitely enough assets to
pull it off, and it would definitely make Nets fans
happier than where they've been this week.
Speaker 1 (26:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (26:57):
Yeah, we want to pull Mess fans out of the
diulgence right now. Of course, been banging the drum for
school bles all off season. I don't know how you
cannot be as a fan, but you should have got
one more question for you before we let you go.
I heard Jeff Passon on a podcast during the ALCS
talking about the Imperial Pub in Toronto and a crew
of baseball writers that you guys had and some really
fun nights in a local dive bar up there above
(27:18):
the border. As the Blue Jays are winning some great games.
Mark and I are dive bar fishing NADOs in New
York over here. What makes a great dive bar and
what made that one so special?
Speaker 3 (27:28):
This is one of the best questions I think I'm
going to get all off season. But what made that
place special was just kind of I don't know what
a better word for this is than the nastiness. I mean,
the carpets in it. I'm not sure I've walked into
a carpets, so you could definitely smell all the smells.
There were empty rooms with dust in it that have
(27:49):
never been touched that we definitely ventured into. And really,
I mean the best part of it was they really
really nice owner, Jacob, who treated us very well too well.
We had we had a great time. It was a great,
great crew at the Imperial Bar. Also a big fan
of die bars.
Speaker 2 (28:06):
Oh yeah, die bars are the best carpeted carpet in
a bar.
Speaker 3 (28:09):
Di Bars. Now I'm just on the lookout for those.
Let's bring those back.
Speaker 1 (28:12):
Love these stories.
Speaker 4 (28:13):
This makes baseball writers great. We appreciate you guys keeping that.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
Spear alive, and we appreciate you coming on.
Speaker 1 (28:19):
Disha.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
Thank you so much for coming on again right after
the winter meetings. Before we let you go, let everybody
know where they can find you and what you're up to.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
Yeah, you can find me at Fox sports dot com
all my written work or on Twitter aka x at Dha.
Those are awesome for having me, young guys. Always a
great time.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
Thanks you, Dish.
Speaker 2 (28:37):
Appreciate you guys. Thanks for watching. We'll catch you on
the next episode.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
Peace out, guys, It's call Mets then.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
And then and then
What is Up? Guys.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Welcome back to another episode of the Mets Up Podcast.
We are joined today by Dsha Thosar, who has been
covering the Winter Meetings, talking baseball dropping articles all week.
There's a lot to talk about here in the Mets world,
not a lot of great things, but I'm sure we're
gonna find out some more. Dsha, first off, thank you
for joining us. Appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
And I think this is.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Becoming like an annual thing now we have you on
right after the Winter Meetings.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Yeah, good to be on. I wish it was happier
times for Mets fans, but it'll turn It won't last forever.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (00:37):
Last year was all about wan So though, and like
the joy around that signing, and this year we're like, wow,
how are we gonna pick up the pieces? So I
think we'll just start there. So this week the Mets
kind of got their heart. Mets fans got their heart
ripped out two days in a row, losing Edwin Diaz,
losing Pete Alonzo. I think my first kind of very
general question is how much, honestly did the Mets want
to keep these guys? Was it really just a facade
(00:59):
for the fans to make it seem like they were
in the back or was there real genuine mutual interest
with those two players.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
I think definitely the interest for Diaz was much higher
than Pete, and I think with Pete Alonzo too, there
was interest. They just weren't going to go there. They
weren't going to go to the years that it looked
like it was always going to end up at. I
think last offseason was a little bit of anomaly for
Pete because he had the qualifying offer attached to him,
(01:26):
not as much interest from other teams. This offseason, it
was expected to blow up, and it kind of was
a you're in the making from the Mets with Pete
of just kind of letting him explore being super lukewarm.
And we already knew from last year that Pete didn't
like that approach from the Mets. He wanted a little
bit more from them, and they never really changed their tune.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Did it feel like that like this came together quickly,
because it felt like before the winter meetings we kind
of heard nothing about Pete. We honestly heard that his
market was developing slowly, and then all of a sudden,
you hear Mets Red Sox three years and then the
Orioles come in with five for one fifty five.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Yeah, it definitely happened swiftly, I would say. After he
came to the Winter Meetings. I think that was a
really smart move by him and Scott Boris. I'm trying
to find out really whose idea it was, But there's
been right this kind of misunderstanding about who Pete can
be his personality. Obviously, Mets fans know him well, but
I think just looking from the outside, it's what is
(02:25):
he just this goofy player? Does he have this drive
to win? Does he work hard? What's his work ethic?
I think as soon as you see Pete face to face,
all of these things come across. So from his end,
it was really smart for him to go to the
Winter Meetings and be in touch with the teams that
were interested, and if that's the only thing they were
waiting for, then I can see how that would push
a deal across the table. Of course, after Schober went
(02:46):
off the board.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
It was a funny update too that Pee Lonzo was
driving to the Winter Meetings from his home nearby in
Tampa Bay, Like that was just kind of part of
this The funny Mets like reporting Lord that we always get,
but the reporting that's come out since too is that
both in the Mets and the Red Sox scene unwilling
to go even past the three years. Did the Orioles
kind of bien against themselves or pel lazo? Did they
drive up their own price or was their real need
(03:09):
in their world to give Pete that fifty year that
he's sought for the last two years.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
Definitely huge need for the Oriols. I mean it's hard
to state enough how huge of a deal this is
for them, because not only did they need a right
handed power bat like Alonso after the season they had
last year, but they needed that sort of experienced veteran presence.
Kind of wild to call Pete a veteran after covering
him from his rookie season, But for a team young
team like the Ools, that's who he is. And if
(03:35):
you look at Camden Yards, specifically them bringing in those
walls after one year or two of them being out,
he's really going to rip it there. I mean, even
as he went there as a Met, he was always
blasting home runs. I think he's easily going to reach
five hundred home runs career hitting at Camden. So if
you put all of that together, there's plenty of reasons
(03:56):
for them to go to five, and it would have
made sense for someone like the Red Sox too. But
I think I'm not sure that this contract is going
to age well. I still think Pete betting on himself,
covering him and him always rising to the occasion matters,
and I think that's hard to quantify sometimes, So I
don't think it was that outrageous as people are making
it seem.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
We'll talk about Diaz a little bit more in a second,
but to kind of draw similarities, it felt like the
Mets were shocked with Diaz and how that happened. Was
there any sort of shock with Pete or they kind
of seemed like they expected this?
Speaker 3 (04:29):
Yeah, definitely with Pete it was not only expecting it,
but a little bit like go ahead, you know. I
think the years were shocking more so to the Mets.
They probably thought you'd end up with four to a
higher aav than they were comfortable going with. And write that.
We've heard that word being used so much with comfortability,
and I think, really there's just so much with the
(04:51):
package of Pete Alonzo that sometimes you do have to
go over the line of being uncomfortable. We saw Steve
Cohen do it with Francisco Indoor his first splash after
because I'm an owner. We saw him do it with
Juan Soto for some reason, with Pete Alonzo. I mean,
of course, Steve David Stearns is obviously running the ship
and he's making the decisions, and if you look at
just him doing it, it makes sense. So my question,
(05:14):
of course is where was Steve conan all of this.
His whole thing since becoming owner is the human touch
at family relationships, having everyone come over to his house
and somehow kind of especially this offseason, that has really
gone out the door. I think it's expected after their
disappointing season. But Peter Alonso was not the problem of
(05:34):
that season. It was obviously the starting pitching staff.
Speaker 4 (05:37):
No, he definitely wasn't. And your last few pieces, you've
used the term indifference a lot to describe what's gone
on with the Mets front office over these last I
don't even want to say a few weeks, a few days.
We've heard other people in the media say that they're
taking the emotion out of it. There's no more sentimentality.
I heard one report that use the term arrogance. Is
this a perception that the David Stearns run teams have
always had? Is this something that's now come to the
(05:59):
forefront more recently. Is this just something us as Mets
fans are now really starting to see after a season
that didn't end with a lot of good favor compared
to the last one that did end with a lot
of good favor.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Yeah, I think this season and last season is more
typical of how David Sterns run teams behave. Even he
kind of expressed some regret after his handlings of Josh
Hater with the Brewers, I'm not seeing much of a
difference there anyway. And I think last so the twenty
twenty four season kind of put expectations for everyone a
little bit out of the water, right Like, if something
(06:31):
like this offseason happened after the twenty twenty three season,
I don't think fans would be as frustrated or upset
because that was also disappointing. But coming off of twenty
twenty four, which was magical, special, great chemistry, going to
twenty twenty five that was whiplash and it hurt. So
I think right now what we're seeing this offseason is
(06:52):
definitely how David Stearns operates. But even having said that,
I'm a little surprised because he knew what he was
walking into. Right. The Mets fan base is very different,
Mets lore is very different, attachment styles different than Brewers.
So I think I mean right, I think fans just
should absolutely forget about sentimentality and go for business only.
(07:13):
Is not the vibe that Mets like. It's more of
like a Yankees vibe of just professional, show up and win.
But I do still believe that winning, of course, will
fix all of these problems.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Yeah, it does feel like as long as this team wins,
I think the fan base will be happy with whoever
is on the field because ultimately, at the end of
the day, you know, me and James can't speak for everybody,
But if we win, I'm okay if Pete Alonzo and
Edwin Diaz are in here as long as we are winning.
But that's the scary part because Pete left in the
day before we find out about Edwin leaving, and we've
heard different things around you know, the news about what
(07:46):
happened exactly with Edwin. One of the ones sticking out
to me and James was that apparently Edwin might have
been upset about the handling of signing Devin Williams and
not keep him keeping him in the loop. How much
truth is there to that, and was he really upset
with the Mets.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Yeah, it's definitely. I mean I have not heard for
a fact any of these things. There are definitely rumblings
about it. And I think just knowing Edwin Diaz too,
uncovering him, I can see how there would be a
little bit for anybody, I mean, any of these players.
To be as successful as they are, there's always a
little bit of ego attached, and of course Diaz hasn't
(08:23):
really shown any of that. He's really, I would say,
the nicest guy in that Mets club ass from the
time I've covered him, to a man, everyone thinks that,
but you never know. Right. The one thing, and I
think to this point, really up until twenty twenty four,
the Mets had done everything right in terms of personal
relationships with their players, Alex Cohen coming in, Steve Cohen
coming in, and that just seemed to be gotten this offseason.
(08:47):
It's like they just really did not pay attention to
this human aspect of I really wouldn't have hurt the
Mets to give him a ring right before, and hey,
or he's a free agent, so they of course didn't
have to do any of that. So there's the argument
too that why is Diaz being so sensitive about this,
and like he knew the deal and if this is
all it took to kind of piss him off and
(09:08):
go to the Dodgers, there's definitely more there. I don't
think it's just this. I think he wants to win.
I think he could have been a little confused about
the direction of this team now after seeing Nimo walk away,
after hearing kind of writing was on the wall about
where Pete would end up. So I think it's it's
likely a mix of all of it, and we might
find out tomorrow. Diez is having that press conference with
(09:31):
the Dodgers, so he will definitely be asked about them,
so he'll have to answer for it.
Speaker 4 (09:35):
It feels like there just had to be something there,
because on the surface, it was a three million dollar difference,
and with the report of deferrals, it seemed like there
was basically no difference at all, and it seems like
like you louse tooth beginning. This was the shock for
the Mets not getting DS. He was the one they prioritized.
It's also funny to think about the juxtaposition between David
Seerins and the last general manager, the lead executive, Billy Eppler.
(09:56):
How that was like the honky dory off season after
twenty twenty too, which was it felt almost worse to
some degree at the end of that season and then
the end of this one. But like everyone got their
big contract, Diez didn't even have to enter free agency.
It was funny to think about the comparison there. But
with Diaz, how much of this was his maybe lack
of trust and direction of the team because he had
(10:18):
the quote the beginning of the off season, I want
to win a ring wherever I go, I want to
win a ring and enjoy the time. Is this more
of a referendum on the direction of the club, the
direction of the franchise. How far away we kind of
perceived them now to actually being championship competitors.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Yeah, I think having a season like last year has
its ripple of X this year, I guess twenty twenty
five is what I mean in terms of them coming
out to such a strong start and then falling and
collapsing in the way that they did spectacularly over the
last two months. Nothing being able to turn that around,
I think has a greater impact than maybe people know.
(10:55):
And right, we weren't as much as I was in
there in the club, I was seeing these guys, I
still was not on that team. Only they know how
frustrated it frustrating it was, how upsetting how many times
they switched in their heads of I can't do this anymore. Right,
And Diaz is one of those guys who's been there
since twenty nineteen, who's been through the ups and downs,
He's battlescarred. They were so close in twenty twenty four.
(11:18):
To now feel that huge setback and not know if
you're going to get that close again, I think can
change a lot of minds. And I think just being
around the Mets longer. Right, we've seen the trend of
Nimo agreeing to trade his no trade clause and the
peak going Diaz going, there's a trend there in terms
of the longer tenured guys going that there's definitely more
(11:39):
to this story.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
Yeah, it feels like the Mets are definitely trying to
make a change of what this team looks like what
the core is, and relatively the core didn't actually accomplish anything,
So I guess from that standpoint kind does make sense
now speaking of what this new core could be, like
the way that the market's been moving another big reliever
off the market, the Mets have a pretty incomplete team
right now. If you look at this roster top to bottom.
(12:01):
Do we think that David Stearns is going to get
more aggressive soon or he's just gonna kind of play
his game and sit and wait.
Speaker 3 (12:08):
Yeah, it definitely feels like now Steve Cohen has fully
just handed him the reins. I mean, we saw Steve
con steppin at the end of the off season last
year and getting pet Alnzo back, So I'm not ruling
something like that out if the pressure really accelerates to
a level of hey, we need to make a bigger move,
But for now, I would say I'm expecting the next
(12:30):
big Mets move to be via trade. I think they
are definitely they have the assets to do it. I
think their outfield they can address via trade by looking
at someone like Byron Buckston if he's still available. But
David Sterns loves these kinds of trade deals. He loves
these kinds of challenges, So in one aspect, it's good
(12:51):
that there are so many holes to feel. But in
the other side of it, if the season started today,
they would not be able to go and play. There's
no team to field there, and it's a little I
think if the plan is to go right off the
Brewers blueprint of bring up the younger guys, let them
have a runway, I just don't see that happening at
(13:11):
the onset of the season. So they still need something
right there, and they're obviously not punting, so I think
in that way there are going to be aggressive moves.
I'm not sure that it'll be maybe the flashiest that
everyone is expecting. And then listen, those can still happen
at the trade deadline right depending on where they're at,
especially because Searns loves those kinds of trade deals.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
Is there any likelihood or is it even like stupid
to assume that there's a chance for us to go
big game hunting? And if you had to, because we've
been trying to do this the last few days here Ballpark,
maybe where this payroll actually winds up on opening day,
how much lower is it than where it was last year.
Is it even over the last luxury tax threshold, which
we've basically never done during Steve Cohen's tenure with this team, Like,
how much will realistically be added to this team monetarily.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
Yeah, and that's the question, right, that's the question of
the off season. So far. It definitely looks like it
will be significantly lowered, and that is what they're trying
to do, just even in a nutshell of trying to
lower the luxury tax going forward, resetting it, especially after
a year like twenty twenty nine. Personally, I think because
of this year and the potential for the CBA lockout
(14:19):
next year, potential for a salary cap, this should be
the off season where they're spending a lot because he
can and do I believe that there will be a
salary cap right now? No, but of course a lot
is going to change between now and next year. There
could be miss games in twenty twenty seven. So while
Steve Cohen still can flash his money as best asset,
(14:42):
it's a little weird to me that he's not, especially given,
of course, his net worth has only grown even though
he's operated a loss since becoming owner. It's not really
a worry from him. We've heard him be very las
a fair about this just being a fun toy kind
of for him, owning the Mets. It's his day job,
is real gig. It's great, it's great. So that's a
(15:03):
little bit of course not lining up with what we've
seen this off season. He has always expressed wanting to
do both. He wants to promote from within the farm
system and also spend a blend of both. They're not
there yet, and I think if he's trying for this
off season to be the year they're doing that, I
think that's a big mistake.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
The young guys seem to be a big focus for
David Stearns right now, as you mentioned, and Carson Benj's
name has come up a lot this offseason. Is Carson
Benje one of the main reasons why a guy like
Nimo has moved off like they have big hopes for
him in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
Yeah, it's definitely seeming that way now. If you ask
me that immediately after Brandon Nimo has traded, I would
have said, no way. I would have said, like a
little bit of posturing there in terms of wanting to
add maybe someone like a Bellinger or Kyle Tucker and
kind of really go out, Like you mentioned big game
hunting to fill that spot, and they could still do that,
but I think Carson Benda obviously he needs a bigger
(15:58):
runway is he's going to be competing for the role
in spring training, but I'd be surprised if he earned
it right outside of opening day, outside of a huge
spring training, So I think they definitely these are holes
that they have to fill outside He's going to be
exciting to keep tabs on as we get closer to
February and March and a little bit of his minor
(16:18):
league season again and kind of waiting for that major
league promotion. But I just don't see a world and
that he's going to be on the opening day roster,
and it's going to have to be an approven, experienced
competitor who can be better than what they just let
go In NEMO.
Speaker 4 (16:35):
The only two guys position players signed to the team
to non rookie deals past twenty twenty eight are one
so on Francisco Lindor, like, was this just the plan
all along? Like did we just did? David Sears in
his mind kind of have to figures things out in
the fly last year, like being successful like quote unquote,
like ahead of schedule and realistically it's just let me
clear as much I possibly can, like I want flexibility,
(16:56):
I want young players. Is that just? Is this just
really where we've always been heaving?
Speaker 3 (17:01):
I think he was a little more flexible last year
in hey, let's I'm new around here. Let's see your way,
your way, meaning Steve Cohen's way, the way that it
was run before. Let's use a little more money, let's
go get the big fish and SODO. I don't think
David Stearns ever wanted to sign that mega deal. It's
really not his mo. That was totally a Steve Cohen move.
(17:22):
And now right he's going to be on the roster
for years to come. He does have that opt out
in a handful of years Soto. But even beyond him
being kind of outside of the norm, I think it
didn't work right in twenty twenty five, that vision. So
then it became why don't we try it my way
now and see how this goes. And David Stearns' way
(17:44):
has been a focus on defense, on pitching, and not
so much outfield offense, and I think that that is
kind of going to be the blueprint that we see
this season. Is it going to work in a stacked
division in a stacked league. Now, we saw, of course,
what the Blue Jays did to even go toe to
toe with the Dodgers in the World Series, and it
was a mix of everything. They still had slug so
(18:07):
I think the Mets are definitely going to have to
find a way to replace Peter Alnzo's homers in some
way if they want to be successful this year.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
We've been getting a rumor about Wilson and Treres possibly
being interested in the trade coming to the Mets. Has
there been any more development in that and how soon
could these things actually start moving?
Speaker 3 (18:25):
Yeah, I did see that. I haven't heard if there's
more development in it, but I would expect as much
as the trade market right now, there's a lot of
chatter around it, and it's more than recent years, but
I do think those are going to take a little
longer to materialize. The Mets have been one of the
major players right now this offseason in trades. I think
now they're going to step back again and be a
(18:47):
little more reactive. Of course, they're the only team that
did anything over the winter meeting, So there's the trade
market aspect, I think is a good lane for them
to fill some of these holes. But I also would
like to see them right go a little bit in
free agency and sign They're going to have to do
at least one big name here, just based on how
many holes that are on the roster.
Speaker 4 (19:07):
Would this all be different? Is the team literally won
one more game, Like if this team was just in
the playoffs last year, possibly one or two other wildcard
could this entire month have been completely different?
Speaker 3 (19:18):
Yeah, And I think not only if they had one
one more game, but I think the reason we're seeing
right a lot of these players were performed well leaving
I think goes back to that oh and seventy record
in not having a single comeback win, and unfortunately that
does fall on the offense, and it is weird. It's
(19:39):
really no one could wrap their heads around it. And
that's were the only ones that did not have a
comeback win after trailing after the eighth inning. So I
think they had plenty of chances, as much as you
want to say, right it was one win, one inning,
one saved from Diaz. We're talking about oh and seventy,
So I think as that is happening, it's a little
bit like befuddling in a way that not just why
(20:01):
can you get the big hit late and close, but
why was there no change even right like within the clubhouse,
not talking about like tension and the drama, but more
so why couldn't something click and turn there even internally?
So I think that that is part of a little
bit of this Mets blow up, of breaking up the core. Yeah,
you just did mention.
Speaker 2 (20:22):
Of course, that's been a hot topic this offseason has
been the Mets clubhouse and the drama that is there
or may not be there. From your experience, what do
you think about those reports? Is there really an issue
or this is just kind of how all major league
teams operate and the Mets just happened to lose a
little more publicly than others.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
Yeah, I think personally being in and out of that
clubhouse all year, I really did not see tension. And
I've seen tension in a Mets clubhouse right covering them
since and and this did not reach any of those levels.
This was not you know, Vargas throwing himself at a reporter,
This was not Mickey Callaway getting it. I mean those
(21:01):
were tough times, and that's just not what happened. What
happened was that they had an extremely disappointing season and
write this report of Francisco and Door and Jeff McNeil
getting into an argument after their seventh consecutive loss. Of
course they did, right. It would be weirder if they didn't.
I think I play soccer some tens and it just
(21:24):
like I have one loss and I'm frustrated. I couldn't
imagine the pressure and everything they're going through at that
level and having to deal with it from publicly getting lashed,
and of course I think goes back to that twenty
twenty four season. If that just did not exist and
we saw twenty twenty three and twenty twenty five, I
just don't think it would have been as much of
(21:47):
a concern. I think this clubhouse tension and drama narrative
is a little overblown. I think the Mets would have
liked to see them maybe overcome it right. Think it
went on too long. As much as I want to say,
you can be frustrated after having a season like that,
be frustrated after that seven game losing streak, but someone
(22:08):
in there has to be like let's go right, where's
the turn here? We have to talk about Jose Glacy
as we talk about Jad Martinez from the twenty twenty
four team, That presence didn't feel like it was there.
So if there's any issue, I think it is just
surrounding that aspect that they didn't snap out of it
fast enough.
Speaker 4 (22:27):
You had great reporting on this whole clubous drama right
when the season was ending that was kind of diametrically
posed to some of the reporting that came out about
the month later, and you repost that article. We talked
about a lot in this show. The switch did never
flip though, and you talked a lot in your piece
about the relationship between one and SOA and Francisco indoor
and reading through the tea leaves, it does seem like,
blatantly these guys are not friends, but does seem like
(22:48):
they are co workers? Is the next level for this team,
especially now with the microscope fully on them because there's
not many other there's really no other veterans left on
this team. How much of this is about not even
their relationship to one another, but their ability to actually
create like a really positive clubhouse environment.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
Yeah, I think right, It goes back to how much
will anything change within these two stars, and just talking
to Francisco Lindor about it this past season, I mean
he knew even when Sodo was signed, from the things
that he had heard about Sodo, this is how he operates.
He comes in, he does his work. He's not going
(23:27):
to be a buddy buddy bear hug type of person
like a Pee Alonzo or like a Brandon Nemo. He
just keeps to himself. And then Lindor actually made a
surprising comment to me. It was like even knowing that,
when you see it up close on a day to
day basis, it's different. It hit him a little differently.
You can hear about it, but until you see it,
you don't really know. And I think that adjustment period, right,
(23:50):
won't exist going forward. Now everybody knows what to expect.
Lindor also said to me, He's never going to change.
This is who Sodo is, like, we shouldn't be expecting
anything different out of him. And he was impressed by
this aspect of Sodo because he's so mature for his age.
In a little bit of I was never like that,
and it took me as in Sodo, it took I
(24:12):
mean Lindor. Sorry, it took Lindor a while to stop
being a people pleaser, and I think now he's kind
of settled and he's doing a little bit less of
that in Queens, but that's part of his DNA in
terms of being a human, and he's okay with that.
Sodo is very focused. He doesn't kind of pay attention
to those distractions, and I think if anything, just kind
(24:34):
of ripping the band aid off of how these guys
operate with each other, that not existing will lead to
that positive outcome like you've been talking about, because there
won't be as much adjusting at least between those two,
but there's gonna be a lot of turnover in the
clubhouse obviously.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
Yeah. I also think, you know, winning heals all wounds
as well, like it's a lot easier to have fun
and be buddy buddy and maybe want so gives Francisco
and Dora bear hug one day because they're winning baseball games,
where instead down the stretch just Mets Team Metal, horrible,
horrible collapse. We've heard things about other great superstars in
the league where they come in, they do their work
and it's not a problem. But if you look at
the Dodgers and Otani, they win baseball games. That seems
(25:11):
like the biggest difference there. Last question I'll leave you
with here is just expectations for the rest of the offseason.
Here for the Mets, you were talking about that they've
been very active in trades. Jeff McNeil's name has come
up a ton as a name that could be moved,
especially because of all the stuff that happened with apparentlyland
Or is that maybe the next domind that moves like
him and Sanga seemed like the hot names.
Speaker 3 (25:32):
Yeah, I would put McNeil up there expected to be traded,
but not maybe as much of a high priority, just
because of his versatility, and I mean David's isn't alone
in that. I think that's really a trend in the
league right now. And just having those guys like a
Cody Bellinger too, who can play several positions and play
them well so they're not they it would almost be like,
(25:53):
okay if he didn't go anywhere. Senga definitely is another one.
I don't know about that one in terms of being
by low And another one I have my name my
kind of circled on my sheet is David Peterson. I
can see this kind of being like a need for
need trade because he would I don't know how he
would even fit into the rotation. If they want to
(26:13):
bring up some of these younger guys like we talked
about Jonatong is another Christian Scott. Obviously McLean is going
to be in there, so they have a lot of
runaway for those younger guys. They're going to have to
clear just a little bit more space. And David Peterson,
as many chances as he's gotten, right, he's not that
ace that the Mets rotation needs. I think they're I
don't think they're focused right now on adding an ace.
(26:35):
I think they should be. I think their focus is
on someone like a Michael King. I think that would
be a mistake. I think they should really be going
for someone like a schoolbl And, And if that deal materializes,
I think the Mets should be right in the middle
of that. I think they have definitely enough assets to
pull it off, and it would definitely make Nets fans
happier than where they've been this week.
Speaker 1 (26:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (26:57):
Yeah, we want to pull Mess fans out of the
diulgence right now. Of course, been banging the drum for
school bles all off season. I don't know how you
cannot be as a fan, but you should have got
one more question for you before we let you go.
I heard Jeff Passon on a podcast during the ALCS
talking about the Imperial Pub in Toronto and a crew
of baseball writers that you guys had and some really
fun nights in a local dive bar up there above
(27:18):
the border. As the Blue Jays are winning some great games.
Mark and I are dive bar fishing NADOs in New
York over here. What makes a great dive bar and
what made that one so special?
Speaker 3 (27:28):
This is one of the best questions I think I'm
going to get all off season. But what made that
place special was just kind of I don't know what
a better word for this is than the nastiness. I mean,
the carpets in it. I'm not sure I've walked into
a carpets, so you could definitely smell all the smells.
There were empty rooms with dust in it that have
(27:49):
never been touched that we definitely ventured into. And really,
I mean the best part of it was they really
really nice owner, Jacob, who treated us very well too well.
We had we had a great time. It was a great,
great crew at the Imperial Bar. Also a big fan
of die bars.
Speaker 2 (28:06):
Oh yeah, die bars are the best carpeted carpet in
a bar.
Speaker 3 (28:09):
Di Bars. Now I'm just on the lookout for those.
Let's bring those back.
Speaker 1 (28:12):
Love these stories.
Speaker 4 (28:13):
This makes baseball writers great. We appreciate you guys keeping that.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
Spear alive, and we appreciate you coming on.
Speaker 1 (28:19):
Disha.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
Thank you so much for coming on again right after
the winter meetings. Before we let you go, let everybody
know where they can find you and what you're up to.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
Yeah, you can find me at Fox sports dot com
all my written work or on Twitter aka x at Dha.
Those are awesome for having me, young guys. Always a
great time.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
Thanks you, Dish.
Speaker 2 (28:37):
Appreciate you guys. Thanks for watching. We'll catch you on
the next episode.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
Peace out, guys, It's call Mets then.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
And then and then
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