It was 2012, years before the Mets would graduate their talented young arms, trade for slugger Yoenis Cespedes, and win the National League pennant, thus ushering in a post-rebuilding era for a franchise that could now dream of winning the World Series
Back then, gallows humor had been a coping mechanism for general manager Sandy Alderson, who famously quipped about a collection of retreads and unprovens who comprised the Mets' outfield.
"Outfield?" he said. "What outfield?"
Four years later, Alderson faces the opposite challenge as baseball's annual winter meetings approach. Now, the Mets have too many outfielders, with Jay Bruce, Curtis Granderson _ or potentially both _ expected to be traded away this winter.
"We've come a long way, right?" said Alderson, who spoke in only general terms this week. "From no outfield to an overcrowded one? That's a nicer problem to have and we'll deal with it next week in some way."
Re-signing Cespedes to a four-year, $110-million deal this week set the stage for the Mets' next item on the to-do list _ clearing the glut from their outfield.
Team officials believe that talks have progressed to the point that a move is near. A good chance exists that either Bruce or Granderson is traded before Alderson & Co. leave the winter meetings.
Meanwhile, officials are not ruling out the potential for trading both, which would make the Mets far less lefty-heavy and more importantly clear nearly $30 million in salary for next season. Such a windfall could change the Mets' approach to the offseason.
For instance, they could suddenly be positioned to jump into areas they have thus far avoided, such as the market for a top-flight closer. Even before Jeurys Familia's arrest on domestic violence charges that will likely bring him a suspension, the Mets were already interested in bolstering the bullpen. They hope to ease the workload on Familia and Addison Reed.
Trading both Bruce and Granderson remains the most unlikely scenario, which would force the Mets to rely upon Juan Lagares and Michael Conforto in some capacity. But it is still one of the options the Mets could pursue because both Bruce and Granderson have drawn interest from multiple teams, with chatter increasing after Cespedes re-signed.
According to sources, the Mets' preference is to keep Granderson and deal Bruce, though the decision will likely be guided by which fetches the best return. Sources said Granderson has drawn more interest, but rival executives believe that Bruce would ultimately be the most likely to bring back the better return.
Granderson, 35, hit .237 with 30 homers this season. He's owed just $15 million next season, the final year of his contract. Bruce, 29, hit .250 with 33 homers between the Reds and Mets. He's owed $13 million next season, also the final year of his deal.
"We're always looking for value," said Alderson, who declined to specify what he'd want back for one of his veteran outfielders.
The Mets could use the trade to bring back prospects or address their relief needs. The Mets could use a right-hander to help solidify the back end of the bullpen and an established lefty specialist.
For Alderson, those needs are among the few glaring holes left on the roster.
"With the exception of a bench spot or two, the position players look pretty solid, starting pitching looks pretty good," Alderson said. "And there's some questions in the bullpen that we'll have to answer, either internally or external sources, free agents or trades or what have you."
Though catchers Travis d'Arnaud and Kevin Plawecki struggled last season, the Mets still have given no indication that they will aggressively pursue an alternative, even after the Diamondbacks unexpectedly non-tendered Welington Castillo to make him a free agent.
"There's a capacity for growth there and improvement," Alderson said earlier this week of the Mets' internal catching options. "We've seen it in the past. And there's no reason that we can't get back to that ... Realistically, most of that improvement is going to come from within."
Indeed, the Mets' focus heading into winter meetings is clear. "What outfield?" has turned into "what outfielder to trade?" By the end of the meetings, the Mets expect to have sorted out the glut in their outfield, or to have drastically reconfigured it.
