December 13, 2025 • 18 mins
Mets have signed Jorge Polanco to a 2 year $40m contract, kinda shocked definitely didnt see this one coming. We react to the signing along with the reports of Polanco playing DH & 1B
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
What's up Mets fans? Saturday morning and we get bizarre
news the Mets signed Jorge Polanco to a two year,
forty million dollar contract. Before we do talk more about this,
make sure you are subscribed to Mets up suit to
miss out on any of the apparently insane news that's
going to go on with this team this offseason. I
can't even I can't even believe it. Like my reaction
(00:21):
is bizarre. I don't know what to feel. I'm more
confused than ever.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
I'm only confused. It's like it's fine, like Horriy Polanco's
is good. I just I wasn't expecting to wake up
and see Horiy Polanco's going to be the mets new
first basement. I think the biggest lesson to learn from
this is that some people can pretend like some people
can acknowledge, but no one has any idea what David
Starr's is going to do next.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
I mean, we thirty two year old Hori Polanco, who's
a horrible fielder at other positions, now we're gonna put
him at first base position he never played, and we
said we care about infield defense, which is one of
the reasons why we didn't want to bring back Pete
for long term.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
I don't get it. I guess I don't get it.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
For ex For ten million dollars a year, I would
much rather have Pete Alonzo, even for the extra years
as well.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Yeah, well clearly they wouldn't rather have p Alanzo for
the extra year. It's clearly the years of the problem.
But GA, like he's I mean, I feel like we're
in moneyball right now, Like you could probably play first base,
right I don't know, maybe he played one ending there
last year, Like maybe it's so this is so weird.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
He's also he's not like a big guy either to
play first I don't know, it's so this is such
a weird move. I like, I can't take off the
met fan hat here of being like this this was
the solution to the first base problem. I don't know. Clearly,
I guess we're not getting Wilson Treres.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
It seems like or maybe he just dhs more. Maybe
this is just the Mark Fianto squeeze and you still
play for a first baseman, like I'm I am just
surprised that we're getting someone who's never played first base anymore.
It's reportedly play first base shout out Will Samon for
having a lights out offseason, breaking the news and being
the first that he's going to play first base news
for Horiy Polanco. It's just, I I mean, like at
(01:56):
just as a as a baseball player, Let's pretend the
mess had no players on his roster. Let's time. We
can't do that a blank slate. I was giving him
twenty million, This fine. I guess I would.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
Have thought like eighteen would have been his number. So whatever,
twenty millions like normal, who cares? Two year deal. It's
just we have the context of what this metime is.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
That's what makes it so weird.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
It's like, sure in a world where we forgot that
twenty the Mets ever existed before this exact moment, and
you're like, Rory Polanco's on the team, like, oh, like
one thirty four ops plus last year eight twenty ops.
His twenty five homers in Seattle drove an eighty like
good season. The problem is that we live in the
world where we know the context of the Mets were
like what because like also at the end of the day,
(02:36):
like what if he can't play first base, then we
have a seventh second basement on this team that were
the San Diego Padres again, Like, what is going on?
Speaker 2 (02:44):
I mean, we we have said that we want this
team to have more versatility. I know he's not a
first baseman, but at least he's like technically probably better
athlete than have. I mean, he's not going to be
in the bench because he doesn't know well, I don't
think he's average. I mean ry Plank was a baseball play.
How much we someone we just want baseball player on
this team. Like that's directly a baseball player. He's just
coming off the best off at the season of his career.
(03:05):
He hit the piss out of the ball, hit the
huge home run off Tarror School Bowl and Game five
of the NLDS. Like he's he's good. I get I
think he's I just I just I just don't know
what's going on. Like I get sure, Like I'm not
gonna be excited about Horry Planco. I'm also not going
to be mad about Horay Planco. But I'm like, I
can't really I'm still waiting. I don't remember if I
gave the analogy on here, if it was on the
wind up where it's like the cake is cooking in
(03:26):
the oven right now, I really want to open the
door and see what it looks like. But I don't
want to let the heat out because I'm like, what's
what's happening?
Speaker 1 (03:33):
I don't know. I don't even know if we've got
the bat or warm. Yet it feels like the best.
It's still loose, like it's a loose cake. And this
is this is just a weird move. I wish I
had better takes.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
But like I, I can't be upset, but I can't
get excited about this one is that is that okay
is an okay place to be, such an okay play,
and you're allowed to do whatever whatever reaction you run want, Sarah,
you can do anything you want. But like he's for
twenty million dollars, I think it's a good hitter for
twenty million dollars. I think that, uh, he's not gonna
play the most games of first bases here is he?
Like I still he can't, right, I still believe it
(04:05):
will be someone like Contrera's or Ryan O'Hearn. Like I
still just think there's there's going to be some kind
of platoon. Like he feels like our D. He feels
like our DH. That can play the field, yes, right, Yeah,
it feels like like in a world where Mark Vientos
is on this roster and stuff, Jorge Polanco DHS and
plays first against the rights and against the lefties.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Mark Viento's gets a chance.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Yeah, right, plays first base against the righty's that's now no, maybe,
I mean maybe maybe doesn't even play against the righties.
No know, last year he had a really good split against.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
Well, if he's if he's getting paid twenty million dollars,
you'll probably get right. Probably, there's no doubt he's playing
against the righties, or.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
He's just this is depends like even if you just
even if he just plays against right handed pitchers, then
he's going to get five hundred. That's what appearance yea, yeah,
oh yeah, I mean against the lefties. Yeah, of course. Yeah,
I'm gonna confuse the switch because he's not saying that's
your thing. He's not the best hitter as a right
handed hitter against left handed pitch. That's where he struggles
a little. But he's got a two mile prior batspeed
drop when he's hitting from the right side compared to
(05:05):
the lous So what's the what's it from the left side,
then almost seventy two, seventy one and a half. Okay,
just on the right side, sixty nine point eight last year.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Gotcha, that makes sense. And he did have one of
the higher changes in bat speed year over year. He
went up almost two last season from twenty twenty twenty
twenty four.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
So and that was almost all from the all from
the left side. He went from seventy point two mile
hour batsby in twenty twenty four to seven point one
with a slight increase in his swing length. And he's
again he's definitely a good hitter, like Hory Blanco is
a is an addition like he's He's one of the
few guys who could hit in Seattle as a lefty.
He had the best season his career in Seattle, which
is kind of insane. He's he's a professional baseball Player's
(05:40):
going to go into into the lineup. He makes for
the okay swing decisions, he hits for good power, he
lifts the ball, he pulls the ball. It's just it's
just strange. You know, wake up a little late this
Saturday morning and say, you see, horiy Plock is gonna
be your first baseman.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
He cut the strikeout rate almost in half last year
as well. He was twenty nine point three the prior
year in twenty twenty four. Last year is fifteen point six,
which is basically the lowest of his career since like
twenty seventeen. I think, yeah, and that's where he was
when he was a little bit younger, having those great
seasons with the twins when they were breaking home run records,
and he's just this is just said wardo Estcabar again.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Yeah, this kind of is why the West Gubar he
was fun. He's like a better version of than for
the West Caubar. Yeah, younger version, Yeah, younger version, because
he's still good. Like there were rumors that the Mariners
were like prioritizing bringing back Evidently it's not true, Becau,
We've got him for only two years. I think. I think, oh,
there's there's my alarm going off, just in case I
didn't wake up before this required time. I just think,
I think the hypothesis we had the other day is
(06:30):
like reigning true where does not? And it's my beard here.
There's not like the firmest plan of like we need
a b c D. This isn't like a complete the
off season checklist. This is like we have an evaluation
of every single player, and if any of these players
contracts wind up inside of our evaluation of them, we
will sign them. That's just what this is. This feels
(06:51):
more opportunistic than going out and getting a guy.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
I don't think we started the off season like if
we could get Jorge Polanco man moved, that's that's gonna
complete this thing. No, this is this is Horry Plank
was signing for exactly what we want. He wants to
play for us. Yeah, great, do it. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
I think it's really really tough right now to convince
any Met fan to feel any sort of way about.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
I try to convince anyone.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
I feel like, no, where is that's and but that's
where my brain is. It's just like knowing again they're
not the same realm contract wise either, but like knowing Pete.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Like Pete versus him is. I can't get over that.
You can't. We have to get rid of that type
of thing.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
I just get I was just starting to like, that's
got busy weekend. We got a wedding for our friend.
It was like, we're gonna be busy. Now the Mets
make a move I'm like, I'm thinking about this friggin
team again. I wanted a good seventy two hours clean
from them.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
I got a good reply to my tweet from j
up Mets that Hory Blanco with the same ops as
Alex Bregman last year in a much worse place to hit. Okay,
that's good again, Like think about this way. Just think
about Horry Polanco as a baseball player and a baseball
team as replacing pe Alonzo, because you're never gonna be
able to accept r Y Polaca replacing p Alonzo.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
But like replacing pe Alonso, is gonna be the documentary
for Blanco when the Mets win the World Series in
twenty replacing Alonzo.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
This feels more like again like the first, this feels
more like different scenes of Moneyball, where it's like, we're
not gonna replace Jeremy Jombaut replaced the production in the aggregate.
That's what That's what this feels like we're doing in
a way, except we spent forty million dollars. Yeah, yeah,
two two for twenty. I the money.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
I don't really care about the money.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
It's so no, not at all. It's clearly again there's
a contract they wanted to sign Fory Blanco. This is
It's very weird to come here on a podcast not
have the firmest takes. But I'm just like, this is,
this is Hororge Blanco.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
That he is a player that is now on the Mets,
and he's not bad.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
I don't want to I don't want to hold it
against Jay Blanco. He might be replacing p Alonzo, but
like he's the.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
Only thing I'll say is he does not He's the
first time that doesn't fit into what David Searin said
all off season about run prevention. He makes no sense.
He does not fit there at any position he plays ever.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Unless he's the DH. If he he's the best, he
could be one of the best defensive dh is in
the league. That's true. He could be having one of
themselves at DH next season. You do have a good
point there, over under seventy games in the field or
Horry Polanco this season over.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
Yeah, I think over because he can play second, he
can play third, He theoretically could play shortstop if needed.
It does feel like it is a for a spot
that's kind of taken up by Akunya. It feels like
you're getting a much much better player at the absolute worst,
and you'll worry about the defense when it has to.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
Let's think about Hori Planco in this light, like early
in the season when Jeff McNeil was injured again, like
you said, we had Akunya play like almost a month
of second base and Brett Bay played last second base. Yeah,
the last weekend in the season, when Brett Baty pulled
this oblique and we had to put the combination Mark
Fientos and Ryan Risio at their base. Defensively, you felt
a huge chasm in defensive ability and you felt especially well,
(09:50):
first of all, at Vanto's just a complete inability to
play the position. And then Mauricio these horrible mental errors
that are kind of the worst thing you could ever
imagine at that time in the season when every single
out is precious, Hory Planco is now a player that
will do something like that. He's more prone to maybe
being the right spot of boola ball, but again like
he's as him being the glue guy on the roster.
(10:10):
That's I think how we should envision this, and I
still I would still probably make a wager that we
have a different first basement that signs a deal.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
It might not be the sexiest option.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
In the world.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
Maybe we don't.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Someone will be signed who can play some kind of
first base. I think this also probably is more of
a squeeze for Jeff McNeil, Like as that continues to happen.
This is also again like Marcus Enmian's going to best
second basement. He's old as shit, like he could easily
he could easily get hurt, Like you know what I mean,
Like this is I was kind of being facetious and
I originally said he's like has the best glove for
DH in the league. But think that's this is this
(10:44):
is the DH glue guy who can play some first base,
not the first basement replacing Pee Alonzo.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
I will say, maybe, like as I'm saying my next
bit here, you can look up what his numbers power
wise would have been in the city field versus Seattle.
I would love to see what that looks. Like what
Ops is last year? I'm just gonna some guys higher
ops is then Fernando Tatis Junior, then Cody Bellinger, then
Francisco Lindor. Obviously he doesn't have the defense that these
guys have, but just mentioning them. How about some guys
(11:09):
who don't play defense higher ops th say, is Suzuki
higher ops. Th Ryan O'Hearn higher ops than Christian yelich
Manny Machado, Mike Trout, so Wilson higher ops and Wilson
contreras Like, maybe this is just what it is. Maybe
the messagers like he can flat out hit and at
this price point, like you mentioned, he fits in what
their their risk that they're willing to take is and
(11:31):
they just feel like he's gonna be able to just
flat out hit and the Mets could use another hitter
in this lineup desperately.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
And he he fits in for something this rosters needed
the last few years, a guy that can play multiple
spots and be a professional. He also this year was
much more aggressive on pitches in the heart of the
play compared to the last few seasons. We'd like that
a lot the swing decisions ticked up. There's a lot
of aggression that helped him get there in city field
last year compared to say, we had fewer home runs,
but maybe that's just because he stuck a couple out.
(11:57):
I mean, he's he's a big pull flyball guy. I
think that's the big thing too. Like we've seen that
now in the way they've gone after Marcus Semi's a
big pole flyball guy, Hory Planco big bold flyball guy.
Pilonzo is not a big pole flyball guy. Like that's
maybe that was just a little bit of part of
this nexus too, And again not trying to compare those guys,
but he's Beau speaks clearly better.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
We know that.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
No, of course, not even not even a question here,
but like he's Hoy Polanco's is a is a good ballplayer.
That's it.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
I really hope he stays a good ballplayer.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
Yeah, I mean he got two years. But if he
if how is on this team last year, you probably
make the postseason, Like he should definitely make it. Yeah,
he's that that that's probably what we should get out
of this the most that he's he's good. Like last year,
defensive numbers were bad. He's playing a lot of second base.
He probably not gonna play a lest secondas year unless
someone gets injured. Let's make higher, let's possibly two people
get injured. Higher w RC plus last year than Bryce Harper.
(12:42):
There you go, like this by one, but he was higher.
It's higher. This is a good hitter, Like maybe even
he gets slightly fewer played appearances against left handed pitching,
and that's because maybe that's although he did he did
mash lefties last year, but against such a staple over
his career, he doesn't hit lefties as well as he
hits right handed pitching. Yes, and one year play outside
of the play appearance splits are not very indicative or anything,
(13:03):
but maybe though he did own Trek Scooble, he did,
he owned Arrey Scoople. He that huge home run like
he was, he was a he was a piece for
the man's going to that playoff front.
Speaker 1 (13:10):
Like I just I never once thought Horry Polanka was
gonna be a Met. I didn't even I didn't even
consider him for half a second that the Mets would
go after him. Also, we didn't hear a fucking word
about Horry Polanko with the Mets.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Which is probably why.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Also all the writers ate his guts.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
I think that's the biggest thing, maybe the draw from
this the two big things to draw from this video. One,
Horiy Planco good baseball player, Fine, don't think about him
like he's replacing Pete Alonzo. Three, I don't have any
fucking idea what David Starin's thinking.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
Nope, I'm way more confused than I was when I
went to sleep last night. Even when I woke up today.
I woke up and all of a sudden, my phone
goes to the Mets.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Are you kidding me?
Speaker 1 (13:46):
And I started calling James finally woke up and I
think that's the first thing you heard today was we go.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
You're like, what's up?
Speaker 1 (13:52):
I'm like, Cory Polanco traded the mess You're.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
What first thing I heard? First thing I saw or
trades to the Mets.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
Signed by the Mets.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
Yes, signed by It's yeah, but I don't know. I'm
excited for what comes next. How about that? Yeah, I'll
tell you what.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
From a content perspective, they're really giving us all the
content in the world again, back to back off season.
Shout the Mets for taking care of the boys here,
but my mental state and my Mets fandom doesn't feel great.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
Yeah again, Like this is all I can think about
is moneyball right now. We also have a report from
Ken Rosenthal and Will Salmon as all of this was happening,
that the Mets and the Padres are discussing some names
being thrown around. Ramon Loreano, Mason Miller Nick Pavetta to
name a very crazy range. The Padres want young, controllable pitching.
I don't know if the Mets're willing to part ways
with it, but there's I think that we're going to
(14:35):
see some I're gonna see some some crazy deals. We
have to be honest with you, guys.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
It feels like we have to if this team has
any chance of being good next year. It feels like
we have to see some crazy shit happen. Although I
will say I'm throwing cold water on all this Francisco
indoor trade nonsense that the mutants on Twitter are bringing
up none of that.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
Who's saying that?
Speaker 1 (14:52):
I think, like Evan Roberts mentioned it the other day.
I think people on WFA and are running with it.
It's don't, don't, don't, but like we like Evan, We
actually like Evan. This is not a shot at him.
And I'm not even sure because I'm being told through
the grapevine of people saying things so that could be
bad info. But apparently it's being run all over the
social media, the interwebs, and sometimes on the radio that
(15:13):
maybe the Mets could be looking to consider trading Francisco Lindoor,
which is just absolutely brain dead.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
I mean, like the Padres need to get rid of money,
not take money on like there's no yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
Even if it is not to the Padres, it's bad.
It's not happening.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
Yeah, No, I don't think so either. This is just
the team is incomplete right now, and I think that's okay.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
Yes, no it's not.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
But it's December thirteenth. You've got time.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
I know, I know.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
I just I'd like to make this on Christmas. I'd
like to feel better, I know. I mean, David Stars
can't only be worried about your feelings, Mark, he has
to be worried about Mark Luino.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
If he's not thinking about Mark Luino, what's it all for.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
The Mets are not coddling marking up this offseason, That's
what it is.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
I need to be coddled.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
Let's how about this. Let's play this last game before
we leave, and you guys cant hit us up in
the comments too. If you guys will make a joke
about it, that's fine. What happened? What's the next move? All? Right?
Speaker 1 (15:58):
Next move that the Mets make? The Mets, what are
they gonna do? They're gonna go trade for Luis Robert.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
That's the next move.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
That's the next move. They trade for Luis Robert.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Addressed that one real quick too. There's a lot of people.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Maybe Vento's is out now, Maybe this is the full
Vento's has gone or Racunia has gone. One of those
two probably can't fit on this.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
Roster, or Mauricio. It feels like like Polanco more so
has like the Mauricio role and anything else like the
I don't have a possession, but Petta play all of them,
even Tho. Riso like graded better those positions, but the
mental ratio saws an option. So I don't know if
the Mets would trade where Acunia has got none and
Vento's obviously has none. So it's gotta be one of
those guys is gone next, and I think it's for
Luis Robert. Gon Rico has that option. We have to
(16:37):
keep on the roster all year. Last year, we can
trade for Galy core Y Polongco the deadline and not
have running Risioting wasting the bench all season. But there
was a report that went around that the met the
Louse Robert report that the pot the Pirate the White
Sox wanted particular prospect from the Mets, and the Mets
wanted to kick in money allegedly for that prospect, and
people were like, how could the Mets want money to
be kicked in? Like the White Sox made a hard
(16:59):
line of not kicking in money for the most expensive
for the richest owner in the sports, the Whites as
are doing that. That's bad business because if there's a
particular prospect they wanted, and the Mets like, this prospect
is above this line for us, so we need some
money for that prospect. That's if I was the Whites actually,
I'd be very disappointed that my team could actually get
the prospect I wanted but won't pay a few million
dollars to do it.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
Yeah, it would be. That'd be a horrible, horrible look
for a horrible organization. But hey, that's mine. I think
it's gonna be Vento's Urucuna traded for Luis Robert center
field type. What do you think it's gonna be, James,
I still think that we get the I still think
we get Wilson Contreras after this.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
I'm not kidding, all right. I think Wilson Contrera's Lars
new bar Jojo Romero for like like for like a
Vento's Mauricio, and then I don't know one of like
the low A, the high A pitchers or something.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
Well, I guess we'll find out. It seems like this
Mets offseason is far from over and full of surprises,
which might be good or bad. You guys can let
us know in the common section what you're thinking. Subscribe
to met stuff, not just on YouTube, but if you're
listening to US Apple podcasts, Spotify, Google, drops a rating,
drops a review, download and subscribe. You can follow James
on social media at James Ciano. I'm draftnick Mark with
a C. Thank you guys for listening, Thank you for watching.
(18:07):
We'll catch you all probably another day. I don't know
more than what's happening. Maybe later today, who knows.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
We'll see you then, guys. Let's go Mets
What's up Mets fans? Saturday morning and we get bizarre
news the Mets signed Jorge Polanco to a two year,
forty million dollar contract. Before we do talk more about this,
make sure you are subscribed to Mets up suit to
miss out on any of the apparently insane news that's
going to go on with this team this offseason. I
can't even I can't even believe it. Like my reaction
(00:21):
is bizarre. I don't know what to feel. I'm more
confused than ever.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
I'm only confused. It's like it's fine, like Horriy Polanco's
is good. I just I wasn't expecting to wake up
and see Horiy Polanco's going to be the mets new
first basement. I think the biggest lesson to learn from
this is that some people can pretend like some people
can acknowledge, but no one has any idea what David
Starr's is going to do next.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
I mean, we thirty two year old Hori Polanco, who's
a horrible fielder at other positions, now we're gonna put
him at first base position he never played, and we
said we care about infield defense, which is one of
the reasons why we didn't want to bring back Pete
for long term.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
I don't get it. I guess I don't get it.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
For ex For ten million dollars a year, I would
much rather have Pete Alonzo, even for the extra years
as well.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Yeah, well clearly they wouldn't rather have p Alanzo for
the extra year. It's clearly the years of the problem.
But GA, like he's I mean, I feel like we're
in moneyball right now, Like you could probably play first base,
right I don't know, maybe he played one ending there
last year, Like maybe it's so this is so weird.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
He's also he's not like a big guy either to
play first I don't know, it's so this is such
a weird move. I like, I can't take off the
met fan hat here of being like this this was
the solution to the first base problem. I don't know. Clearly,
I guess we're not getting Wilson Treres.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
It seems like or maybe he just dhs more. Maybe
this is just the Mark Fianto squeeze and you still
play for a first baseman, like I'm I am just
surprised that we're getting someone who's never played first base anymore.
It's reportedly play first base shout out Will Samon for
having a lights out offseason, breaking the news and being
the first that he's going to play first base news
for Horiy Polanco. It's just, I I mean, like at
(01:56):
just as a as a baseball player, Let's pretend the
mess had no players on his roster. Let's time. We
can't do that a blank slate. I was giving him
twenty million, This fine. I guess I would.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
Have thought like eighteen would have been his number. So whatever,
twenty millions like normal, who cares? Two year deal. It's
just we have the context of what this metime is.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
That's what makes it so weird.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
It's like, sure in a world where we forgot that
twenty the Mets ever existed before this exact moment, and
you're like, Rory Polanco's on the team, like, oh, like
one thirty four ops plus last year eight twenty ops.
His twenty five homers in Seattle drove an eighty like
good season. The problem is that we live in the
world where we know the context of the Mets were
like what because like also at the end of the day,
(02:36):
like what if he can't play first base, then we
have a seventh second basement on this team that were
the San Diego Padres again, Like, what is going on?
Speaker 2 (02:44):
I mean, we we have said that we want this
team to have more versatility. I know he's not a
first baseman, but at least he's like technically probably better
athlete than have. I mean, he's not going to be
in the bench because he doesn't know well, I don't
think he's average. I mean ry Plank was a baseball play.
How much we someone we just want baseball player on
this team. Like that's directly a baseball player. He's just
coming off the best off at the season of his career.
(03:05):
He hit the piss out of the ball, hit the
huge home run off Tarror School Bowl and Game five
of the NLDS. Like he's he's good. I get I
think he's I just I just I just don't know
what's going on. Like I get sure, Like I'm not
gonna be excited about Horry Planco. I'm also not going
to be mad about Horay Planco. But I'm like, I
can't really I'm still waiting. I don't remember if I
gave the analogy on here, if it was on the
wind up where it's like the cake is cooking in
(03:26):
the oven right now, I really want to open the
door and see what it looks like. But I don't
want to let the heat out because I'm like, what's
what's happening?
Speaker 1 (03:33):
I don't know. I don't even know if we've got
the bat or warm. Yet it feels like the best.
It's still loose, like it's a loose cake. And this
is this is just a weird move. I wish I
had better takes.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
But like I, I can't be upset, but I can't
get excited about this one is that is that okay
is an okay place to be, such an okay play,
and you're allowed to do whatever whatever reaction you run want, Sarah,
you can do anything you want. But like he's for
twenty million dollars, I think it's a good hitter for
twenty million dollars. I think that, uh, he's not gonna
play the most games of first bases here is he?
Like I still he can't, right, I still believe it
(04:05):
will be someone like Contrera's or Ryan O'Hearn. Like I
still just think there's there's going to be some kind
of platoon. Like he feels like our D. He feels
like our DH. That can play the field, yes, right, Yeah,
it feels like like in a world where Mark Vientos
is on this roster and stuff, Jorge Polanco DHS and
plays first against the rights and against the lefties.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Mark Viento's gets a chance.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Yeah, right, plays first base against the righty's that's now no, maybe,
I mean maybe maybe doesn't even play against the righties.
No know, last year he had a really good split against.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
Well, if he's if he's getting paid twenty million dollars,
you'll probably get right. Probably, there's no doubt he's playing
against the righties, or.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
He's just this is depends like even if you just
even if he just plays against right handed pitchers, then
he's going to get five hundred. That's what appearance yea, yeah,
oh yeah, I mean against the lefties. Yeah, of course. Yeah,
I'm gonna confuse the switch because he's not saying that's
your thing. He's not the best hitter as a right
handed hitter against left handed pitch. That's where he struggles
a little. But he's got a two mile prior batspeed
drop when he's hitting from the right side compared to
(05:05):
the lous So what's the what's it from the left side,
then almost seventy two, seventy one and a half. Okay,
just on the right side, sixty nine point eight last year.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Gotcha, that makes sense. And he did have one of
the higher changes in bat speed year over year. He
went up almost two last season from twenty twenty twenty
twenty four.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
So and that was almost all from the all from
the left side. He went from seventy point two mile
hour batsby in twenty twenty four to seven point one
with a slight increase in his swing length. And he's
again he's definitely a good hitter, like Hory Blanco is
a is an addition like he's He's one of the
few guys who could hit in Seattle as a lefty.
He had the best season his career in Seattle, which
is kind of insane. He's he's a professional baseball Player's
(05:40):
going to go into into the lineup. He makes for
the okay swing decisions, he hits for good power, he
lifts the ball, he pulls the ball. It's just it's
just strange. You know, wake up a little late this
Saturday morning and say, you see, horiy Plock is gonna
be your first baseman.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
He cut the strikeout rate almost in half last year
as well. He was twenty nine point three the prior
year in twenty twenty four. Last year is fifteen point six,
which is basically the lowest of his career since like
twenty seventeen. I think, yeah, and that's where he was
when he was a little bit younger, having those great
seasons with the twins when they were breaking home run records,
and he's just this is just said wardo Estcabar again.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Yeah, this kind of is why the West Gubar he
was fun. He's like a better version of than for
the West Caubar. Yeah, younger version, Yeah, younger version, because
he's still good. Like there were rumors that the Mariners
were like prioritizing bringing back Evidently it's not true, Becau,
We've got him for only two years. I think. I think, oh,
there's there's my alarm going off, just in case I
didn't wake up before this required time. I just think,
I think the hypothesis we had the other day is
(06:30):
like reigning true where does not? And it's my beard here.
There's not like the firmest plan of like we need
a b c D. This isn't like a complete the
off season checklist. This is like we have an evaluation
of every single player, and if any of these players
contracts wind up inside of our evaluation of them, we
will sign them. That's just what this is. This feels
(06:51):
more opportunistic than going out and getting a guy.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
I don't think we started the off season like if
we could get Jorge Polanco man moved, that's that's gonna
complete this thing. No, this is this is Horry Plank
was signing for exactly what we want. He wants to
play for us. Yeah, great, do it. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
I think it's really really tough right now to convince
any Met fan to feel any sort of way about.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
I try to convince anyone.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
I feel like, no, where is that's and but that's
where my brain is. It's just like knowing again they're
not the same realm contract wise either, but like knowing Pete.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Like Pete versus him is. I can't get over that.
You can't. We have to get rid of that type
of thing.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
I just get I was just starting to like, that's
got busy weekend. We got a wedding for our friend.
It was like, we're gonna be busy. Now the Mets
make a move I'm like, I'm thinking about this friggin
team again. I wanted a good seventy two hours clean
from them.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
I got a good reply to my tweet from j
up Mets that Hory Blanco with the same ops as
Alex Bregman last year in a much worse place to hit. Okay,
that's good again, Like think about this way. Just think
about Horry Polanco as a baseball player and a baseball
team as replacing pe Alonzo, because you're never gonna be
able to accept r Y Polaca replacing p Alonzo.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
But like replacing pe Alonso, is gonna be the documentary
for Blanco when the Mets win the World Series in
twenty replacing Alonzo.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
This feels more like again like the first, this feels
more like different scenes of Moneyball, where it's like, we're
not gonna replace Jeremy Jombaut replaced the production in the aggregate.
That's what That's what this feels like we're doing in
a way, except we spent forty million dollars. Yeah, yeah,
two two for twenty. I the money.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
I don't really care about the money.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
It's so no, not at all. It's clearly again there's
a contract they wanted to sign Fory Blanco. This is
It's very weird to come here on a podcast not
have the firmest takes. But I'm just like, this is,
this is Hororge Blanco.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
That he is a player that is now on the Mets,
and he's not bad.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
I don't want to I don't want to hold it
against Jay Blanco. He might be replacing p Alonzo, but
like he's the.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
Only thing I'll say is he does not He's the
first time that doesn't fit into what David Searin said
all off season about run prevention. He makes no sense.
He does not fit there at any position he plays ever.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Unless he's the DH. If he he's the best, he
could be one of the best defensive dh is in
the league. That's true. He could be having one of
themselves at DH next season. You do have a good
point there, over under seventy games in the field or
Horry Polanco this season over.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
Yeah, I think over because he can play second, he
can play third, He theoretically could play shortstop if needed.
It does feel like it is a for a spot
that's kind of taken up by Akunya. It feels like
you're getting a much much better player at the absolute worst,
and you'll worry about the defense when it has to.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
Let's think about Hori Planco in this light, like early
in the season when Jeff McNeil was injured again, like
you said, we had Akunya play like almost a month
of second base and Brett Bay played last second base. Yeah,
the last weekend in the season, when Brett Baty pulled
this oblique and we had to put the combination Mark
Fientos and Ryan Risio at their base. Defensively, you felt
a huge chasm in defensive ability and you felt especially well,
(09:50):
first of all, at Vanto's just a complete inability to
play the position. And then Mauricio these horrible mental errors
that are kind of the worst thing you could ever
imagine at that time in the season when every single
out is precious, Hory Planco is now a player that
will do something like that. He's more prone to maybe
being the right spot of boola ball, but again like
he's as him being the glue guy on the roster.
(10:10):
That's I think how we should envision this, and I
still I would still probably make a wager that we
have a different first basement that signs a deal.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
It might not be the sexiest option.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
In the world.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
Maybe we don't.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Someone will be signed who can play some kind of
first base. I think this also probably is more of
a squeeze for Jeff McNeil, Like as that continues to happen.
This is also again like Marcus Enmian's going to best
second basement. He's old as shit, like he could easily
he could easily get hurt, Like you know what I mean,
Like this is I was kind of being facetious and
I originally said he's like has the best glove for
DH in the league. But think that's this is this
(10:44):
is the DH glue guy who can play some first base,
not the first basement replacing Pee Alonzo.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
I will say, maybe, like as I'm saying my next
bit here, you can look up what his numbers power
wise would have been in the city field versus Seattle.
I would love to see what that looks. Like what
Ops is last year? I'm just gonna some guys higher
ops is then Fernando Tatis Junior, then Cody Bellinger, then
Francisco Lindor. Obviously he doesn't have the defense that these
guys have, but just mentioning them. How about some guys
(11:09):
who don't play defense higher ops th say, is Suzuki
higher ops. Th Ryan O'Hearn higher ops than Christian yelich
Manny Machado, Mike Trout, so Wilson higher ops and Wilson
contreras Like, maybe this is just what it is. Maybe
the messagers like he can flat out hit and at
this price point, like you mentioned, he fits in what
their their risk that they're willing to take is and
(11:31):
they just feel like he's gonna be able to just
flat out hit and the Mets could use another hitter
in this lineup desperately.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
And he he fits in for something this rosters needed
the last few years, a guy that can play multiple
spots and be a professional. He also this year was
much more aggressive on pitches in the heart of the
play compared to the last few seasons. We'd like that
a lot the swing decisions ticked up. There's a lot
of aggression that helped him get there in city field
last year compared to say, we had fewer home runs,
but maybe that's just because he stuck a couple out.
(11:57):
I mean, he's he's a big pull flyball guy. I
think that's the big thing too. Like we've seen that
now in the way they've gone after Marcus Semi's a
big pole flyball guy, Hory Planco big bold flyball guy.
Pilonzo is not a big pole flyball guy. Like that's
maybe that was just a little bit of part of
this nexus too, And again not trying to compare those guys,
but he's Beau speaks clearly better.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
We know that.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
No, of course, not even not even a question here,
but like he's Hoy Polanco's is a is a good ballplayer.
That's it.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
I really hope he stays a good ballplayer.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
Yeah, I mean he got two years. But if he
if how is on this team last year, you probably
make the postseason, Like he should definitely make it. Yeah,
he's that that that's probably what we should get out
of this the most that he's he's good. Like last year,
defensive numbers were bad. He's playing a lot of second base.
He probably not gonna play a lest secondas year unless
someone gets injured. Let's make higher, let's possibly two people
get injured. Higher w RC plus last year than Bryce Harper.
(12:42):
There you go, like this by one, but he was higher.
It's higher. This is a good hitter, Like maybe even
he gets slightly fewer played appearances against left handed pitching,
and that's because maybe that's although he did he did
mash lefties last year, but against such a staple over
his career, he doesn't hit lefties as well as he
hits right handed pitching. Yes, and one year play outside
of the play appearance splits are not very indicative or anything,
(13:03):
but maybe though he did own Trek Scooble, he did,
he owned Arrey Scoople. He that huge home run like
he was, he was a he was a piece for
the man's going to that playoff front.
Speaker 1 (13:10):
Like I just I never once thought Horry Polanka was
gonna be a Met. I didn't even I didn't even
consider him for half a second that the Mets would
go after him. Also, we didn't hear a fucking word
about Horry Polanko with the Mets.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Which is probably why.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Also all the writers ate his guts.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
I think that's the biggest thing, maybe the draw from
this the two big things to draw from this video. One,
Horiy Planco good baseball player, Fine, don't think about him
like he's replacing Pete Alonzo. Three, I don't have any
fucking idea what David Starin's thinking.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
Nope, I'm way more confused than I was when I
went to sleep last night. Even when I woke up today.
I woke up and all of a sudden, my phone
goes to the Mets.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Are you kidding me?
Speaker 1 (13:46):
And I started calling James finally woke up and I
think that's the first thing you heard today was we go.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
You're like, what's up?
Speaker 1 (13:52):
I'm like, Cory Polanco traded the mess You're.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
What first thing I heard? First thing I saw or
trades to the Mets.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
Signed by the Mets.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
Yes, signed by It's yeah, but I don't know. I'm
excited for what comes next. How about that? Yeah, I'll
tell you what.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
From a content perspective, they're really giving us all the
content in the world again, back to back off season.
Shout the Mets for taking care of the boys here,
but my mental state and my Mets fandom doesn't feel great.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
Yeah again, Like this is all I can think about
is moneyball right now. We also have a report from
Ken Rosenthal and Will Salmon as all of this was happening,
that the Mets and the Padres are discussing some names
being thrown around. Ramon Loreano, Mason Miller Nick Pavetta to
name a very crazy range. The Padres want young, controllable pitching.
I don't know if the Mets're willing to part ways
with it, but there's I think that we're going to
(14:35):
see some I're gonna see some some crazy deals. We
have to be honest with you, guys.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
It feels like we have to if this team has
any chance of being good next year. It feels like
we have to see some crazy shit happen. Although I
will say I'm throwing cold water on all this Francisco
indoor trade nonsense that the mutants on Twitter are bringing
up none of that.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
Who's saying that?
Speaker 1 (14:52):
I think, like Evan Roberts mentioned it the other day.
I think people on WFA and are running with it.
It's don't, don't, don't, but like we like Evan, We
actually like Evan. This is not a shot at him.
And I'm not even sure because I'm being told through
the grapevine of people saying things so that could be
bad info. But apparently it's being run all over the
social media, the interwebs, and sometimes on the radio that
(15:13):
maybe the Mets could be looking to consider trading Francisco Lindoor,
which is just absolutely brain dead.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
I mean, like the Padres need to get rid of money,
not take money on like there's no yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
Even if it is not to the Padres, it's bad.
It's not happening.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
Yeah, No, I don't think so either. This is just
the team is incomplete right now, and I think that's okay.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
Yes, no it's not.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
But it's December thirteenth. You've got time.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
I know, I know.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
I just I'd like to make this on Christmas. I'd
like to feel better, I know. I mean, David Stars
can't only be worried about your feelings, Mark, he has
to be worried about Mark Luino.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
If he's not thinking about Mark Luino, what's it all for.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
The Mets are not coddling marking up this offseason, That's
what it is.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
I need to be coddled.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
Let's how about this. Let's play this last game before
we leave, and you guys cant hit us up in
the comments too. If you guys will make a joke
about it, that's fine. What happened? What's the next move? All? Right?
Speaker 1 (15:58):
Next move that the Mets make? The Mets, what are
they gonna do? They're gonna go trade for Luis Robert.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
That's the next move.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
That's the next move. They trade for Luis Robert.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Addressed that one real quick too. There's a lot of people.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Maybe Vento's is out now, Maybe this is the full
Vento's has gone or Racunia has gone. One of those
two probably can't fit on this.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
Roster, or Mauricio. It feels like like Polanco more so
has like the Mauricio role and anything else like the
I don't have a possession, but Petta play all of them,
even Tho. Riso like graded better those positions, but the
mental ratio saws an option. So I don't know if
the Mets would trade where Acunia has got none and
Vento's obviously has none. So it's gotta be one of
those guys is gone next, and I think it's for
Luis Robert. Gon Rico has that option. We have to
(16:37):
keep on the roster all year. Last year, we can
trade for Galy core Y Polongco the deadline and not
have running Risioting wasting the bench all season. But there
was a report that went around that the met the
Louse Robert report that the pot the Pirate the White
Sox wanted particular prospect from the Mets, and the Mets
wanted to kick in money allegedly for that prospect, and
people were like, how could the Mets want money to
be kicked in? Like the White Sox made a hard
(16:59):
line of not kicking in money for the most expensive
for the richest owner in the sports, the Whites as
are doing that. That's bad business because if there's a
particular prospect they wanted, and the Mets like, this prospect
is above this line for us, so we need some
money for that prospect. That's if I was the Whites actually,
I'd be very disappointed that my team could actually get
the prospect I wanted but won't pay a few million
dollars to do it.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
Yeah, it would be. That'd be a horrible, horrible look
for a horrible organization. But hey, that's mine. I think
it's gonna be Vento's Urucuna traded for Luis Robert center
field type. What do you think it's gonna be, James,
I still think that we get the I still think
we get Wilson Contreras after this.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
I'm not kidding, all right. I think Wilson Contrera's Lars
new bar Jojo Romero for like like for like a
Vento's Mauricio, and then I don't know one of like
the low A, the high A pitchers or something.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
Well, I guess we'll find out. It seems like this
Mets offseason is far from over and full of surprises,
which might be good or bad. You guys can let
us know in the common section what you're thinking. Subscribe
to met stuff, not just on YouTube, but if you're
listening to US Apple podcasts, Spotify, Google, drops a rating,
drops a review, download and subscribe. You can follow James
on social media at James Ciano. I'm draftnick Mark with
a C. Thank you guys for listening, Thank you for watching.
(18:07):
We'll catch you all probably another day. I don't know
more than what's happening. Maybe later today, who knows.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
We'll see you then, guys. Let's go Mets
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The Burden
The Burden is a documentary series that takes listeners into the hidden places where justice is done (and undone). It dives deep into the lives of heroes and villains. And it focuses a spotlight on those who triumph even when the odds are against them. Season 5 - The Burden: Death & Deceit in Alliance On April Fools Day 1999, 26-year-old Yvonne Layne was found murdered in her Alliance, Ohio home. David Thorne, her ex-boyfriend and father of one of her children, was instantly a suspect. Another young man admitted to the murder, and David breathed a sigh of relief, until the confessed murderer fingered David; “He paid me to do it.” David was sentenced to life without parole. Two decades later, Pulitzer winner and podcast host, Maggie Freleng (Bone Valley Season 3: Graves County, Wrongful Conviction, Suave) launched a “live” investigation into David's conviction alongside Jason Baldwin (himself wrongfully convicted as a member of the West Memphis Three). Maggie had come to believe that the entire investigation of David was botched by the tiny local police department, or worse, covered up the real killer. Was Maggie correct? Was David’s claim of innocence credible? In Death and Deceit in Alliance, Maggie recounts the case that launched her career, and ultimately, “broke” her.” The results will shock the listener and reduce Maggie to tears and self-doubt. This is not your typical wrongful conviction story. In fact, it turns the genre on its head. It asks the question: What if our champions are foolish? Season 4 - The Burden: Get the Money and Run “Trying to murder my father, this was the thing that put me on the path.” That’s Joe Loya and that path was bank robbery. Bank, bank, bank, bank, bank. In season 4 of The Burden: Get the Money and Run, we hear from Joe who was once the most prolific bank robber in Southern California, and beyond. He used disguises, body doubles, proxies. He leaped over counters, grabbed the money and ran. Even as the FBI was closing in. It was a showdown between a daring bank robber, and a patient FBI agent. Joe was no ordinary bank robber. He was bright, articulate, charismatic, and driven by a dark rage that he summoned up at will. In seven episodes, Joe tells all: the what, the how… and the why. Including why he tried to murder his father. Season 3 - The Burden: Avenger Miriam Lewin is one of Argentina’s leading journalists today. At 19 years old, she was kidnapped off the streets of Buenos Aires for her political activism and thrown into a concentration camp. Thousands of her fellow inmates were executed, tossed alive from a cargo plane into the ocean. Miriam, along with a handful of others, will survive the camp. Then as a journalist, she will wage a decades long campaign to bring her tormentors to justice. Avenger is about one woman’s triumphant battle against unbelievable odds to survive torture, claim justice for the crimes done against her and others like her, and change the future of her country. Season 2 - The Burden: Empire on Blood Empire on Blood is set in the Bronx, NY, in the early 90s, when two young drug dealers ruled an intersection known as “The Corner on Blood.” The boss, Calvin Buari, lived large. He and a protege swore they would build an empire on blood. Then the relationship frayed and the protege accused Calvin of a double homicide which he claimed he didn’t do. But did he? Award-winning journalist Steve Fishman spent seven years to answer that question. This is the story of one man’s last chance to overturn his life sentence. He may prevail, but someone’s gotta pay. The Burden: Empire on Blood is the director’s cut of the true crime classic which reached #1 on the charts when it was first released half a dozen years ago. Season 1 - The Burden In the 1990s, Detective Louis N. Scarcella was legendary. In a city overrun by violent crime, he cracked the toughest cases and put away the worst criminals. “The Hulk” was his nickname. Then the story changed. Scarcella ran into a group of convicted murderers who all say they are innocent. They turned themselves into jailhouse-lawyers and in prison founded a lway firm. When they realized Scarcella helped put many of them away, they set their sights on taking him down. And with the help of a NY Times reporter they have a chance. For years, Scarcella insisted he did nothing wrong. But that’s all he’d say. Until we tracked Scarcella to a sauna in a Russian bathhouse, where he started to talk..and talk and talk. “The guilty have gone free,” he whispered. And then agreed to take us into the belly of the beast. Welcome to The Burden.