LAS VEGAS _ The Mets leaving Sin City with Jeurys Familia seems akin to playing Texas Hold 'Em for four days and breaking even.
Definitely a positive. Something to feel good about. But not exactly the most thrilling result from a stay on The Strip.
And for Brodie Van Wagenen, the fast-talking, no-sleeping, progress-promising GM, it's got to be another step that's still closer to the start than the finish of his Mets' offseason makeover.
To recap, the Mets have added a closer in Edwin Diaz, a set-up man in Familia and a talented-but-aging No. 3-hitting second baseman in Robinson Cano. Very solid acquisitions, in our view, but all the more reason for Van Wagenen to keep pushing, and _ just as important _ continue spending after shelling out for Familia's three-year, $30-million deal.
Van Wagenen gives the impression that he's constantly hustling to make deals _ the default position for him _ and his ultra-aggressive pursuit of J.T. Realmuto could very likely end with the All-Star catcher in Flushing before too long. The more Noah Syndergaard pops up in these Marlins' three-way trade scenarios, earlier in the week with the Yankees, then Thursday with the Padres, the more we think the Mets eventually could find a configuration that works for them.
That's because the hard part in trading someone like Syndergaard, a fan favorite who has displayed Cy Young potential, is initially having the willingness to do it. Once the Mets start floating Thor's name in these proposals, that already has him halfway out the door. What team wouldn't want Syndergaard? He's 26, throws 100 mph, and has three years of team control.
For whatever reason, the Mets now see him as possible trade bait rather than an untouchable rotation piece, which is a bit confusing as Van Wagenen insists he's building to win in 2019. If the only route to Realmuto is sacrificing Syndergaard, then wouldn't the Mets be better of simply signing one of the free-agent catchers like Yasmani Grandal, Wilson Ramos or Martin Maldonado?
Unless, of course, the cash becomes a major concern, which would then limit the Mets on the free-agent front. Van Wagenen had no problem sending three prospects to the Mariners in the Cano/Diaz swap because none of them figured to be impact players in '19. That's obviously not the case with Syndergaard, a lethal No. 2 behind Jacob deGrom, and trading him in a Realmuto deal then leaves a sizable hole nearly impossible to fill.
Van Wagenen's boundless energy for improving the Mets is to be applauded, and plenty of other teams, as well as agents, took notice of that during the winter meetings. One official from an AL club complimented Van Wagenen's eagerness to shake things up, but the Mets need this next flurry of moves to be more than half-measures in an NL East that's only going to get more competitive in the coming weeks.
Familia should be a relatively safe investment because he's a known quantity, a proven performer in Flushing. As for further bullpen upgrades, however, Van Wagenen balked Thursday at diving back into the deep end of the reliever pool, say for a dominant lefthander like Andrew Miller, a real prize of this offseason.
"Would we play on multiple, high-end arms in the bullpen?" Van Wagenen said. "I don't think that's part of our strategy at this point."
So where is the rest of the money going? Van Wagenen insists he's still searching for outfield help, along with a catcher that preferably is named Realmuto. If the Mets have to include either Brandon Nimmo or Michael Conforto in a Realmuto trade, then A.J. Pollock should be an even bigger priority. Or if the cost in talent for Realmuto is too steep, is there any reason why Van Wagenen couldn't just get Pollock and a switch-hitting catcher with pop like Grandal? A shopping spree like that, however, shapes up to be too expensive for the Mets' tastes. When asked if there was plenty of cash left over after Familia, the GM wouldn't go there.
"I wouldn't characterize it based on money," Van Wagenen said. "I think that we still have a plan, we still have mobility to try to add talent to the roster, and we intend to do that."
The Mets have a real opportunity here with the upgrades so far, combined with a rotation that still has Syndergaard and the blueprint for a productive lineup. But Van Wagenen can't settle for B list modifications now. If he's really all-in for this coming season, what happened in Vegas this past week shouldn't stay there. It's got to be a springboard for higher stakes ahead.
