GM Billy Eppler offers reasons why Mets didn't upgrade lineup
Mets general manager Billy Eppler during a spring training workout on Saturday in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Credit: Newsday/Alejandra Villa Loarca
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — After an offseason in which the Mets made only marginal upgrades to their lineup, leaving a question mark at the designated hitter spot in particular, general manager Billy Eppler offered an explanation Saturday: They think they have enough good players internally, including at the highest levels of the minor leagues, to improve anyway.
That points to the Mets anticipating some combination of catcher Francisco Alvarez, third baseman Brett Baty, third baseman/first baseman Mark Vientos and shortstop Ronny Mauricio playing significant roles during the 2023 season, if not at the outset.
Plus the Mets needed to spend a lot of money to reconstruct most of their pitching staff via free agency, Eppler noted.
“When we reached the end of last season and I talked to scouting personnel or analytics personnel or player development personnel or the major-league coaching staff and asked the question, ‘If there were something to come from our farm system and impact the major-league team in 2023, do we think it's going to be offense or do we think it's going to be pitching? What do we think?’ ” Eppler said Saturday.
“And you canvas that and crowdsource those conversations throughout that staff. The overwhelming majority is it'll be offense. And so with not a limitless payroll, knowing what we needed to achieve, directing the resources toward the mound, that's where those conversations kind of led us as a front office.”
So instead of acquiring, say, a righthanded DH option to displace Darin Ruf, the Mets are positioned for now to roll with Ruf and lefthanded-hitting Daniel Vogelbach as their platoon at that spot, as was the case for most of the second half of last season. Tommy Pham may well figure into that playing time, too.
Vogelbach joined the Mets in July, hitting .255 with a .830 OPS in 55 games. Ruf batted .152 with a .413 OPS in 28 games.
Asked specifically about his confidence in Ruf and whether the Mets seriously considered replacing him, Eppler avoided discussing him altogether. Instead, he explained the organizational belief that the farm system would yield productive hitters and other offseason priorities.
“When there were needs or areas where we thought we could upgrade at a reasonable clip, we looked at it,” Eppler said. “But there was quite a bit of work to do on the pitching side, and that’s why the majority of our focus and resources went in that direction.”
Pham, a backup outfielder, and catcher Omar Narvaez, who replaced James McCann, are the only additions to an offense that tied for fifth in runs per game (4.77) but tied for 15th in home runs (171) in MLB last year.
Alvarez, Baty and Vientos reached the majors late last season but do not appear likely to win a spot on the Opening Day roster. Mauricio spent the season with Double-A Binghamton. Their hitting abilities alone won’t be enough to carry them in the majors.
“Gotta play defense here,” Eppler said. “We have a big ballpark.”
Alvarez’s offensive prowess is well documented, but as Eppler put it, “We want to wait for the complete package to be there.” The Mets won’t carry the catcher in the majors merely to be a DH.
Baty similarly is a bat-first, defense-needs-to-come-along player, and the Mets have expressed optimism about his improvement in the field. Eppler said Baty’s offseason work on agility/conditioning has been evident. He won’t work in leftfield, a position at which he dabbled last year during spring training.
Vientos is splitting time between third, his natural spot, and first. He also brought his outfield glove just in case, he said recently. His power is real — he hit 24 home runs in 101 games as a 22-year-old in Triple-A last season — but his long-term defensive home is uncertain.
Mauricio is a tricky case because he is blocked at shortstop by Francisco Lindor. If he remains with the Mets — as opposed to serving as a trade chip — a broadening of his defensive horizons is inevitable. Eppler said he has discussed that dynamic with infield coordinator Miguel Cairo, but Mauricio will play shortstop just about exclusively in camp.
Eppler and manager Buck Showalter separately noted how much Mauricio has played in the past 12 months, compiling about 750 plate appearances in the minors and the Dominican Winter League. They don’t seem to be in a hurry to task him with such a difficult proposition as a position change.
“He’s a big, strong kid, but his fuel tank — we’re aware of the fuel tank right now,” Eppler said. “We’ll just watch him."
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
