Welp, here we are again with another installment of the IPA Absurd Off-season Plan (IPAAOP). The goal, as always, is to make Votto a Met/make the team better, which always goes hand in hand. So, with the last pitch of the World Series being done, I sit down with Joey (under supervision, mind you) with two contracts to be the hitting coach. Some Chess will be played, with the winner choosing which contract he takes.

Now, with the important part of the offseason complete, I’ll touch on to the general philosophy I’m using here.

• The lineup needs more pop and depth
• The BP on the cheap thing is nice but it needs some quality arms
• TOR type talent for the rotation
• Maintain depth on the SP front
• Foregoing the attempt to get under the 10-pick slide issue. I expect this team to pick last in the first round anyway, so we’re taking this one to the limit.

Options/Pending Free Agents:

Options: Sean Manaea (player), Phil Maton (team)

Manaea will opt out of his player option, electing to become a free agent. As for Maton’s option, we’re going to decline that and allow him to pursue free agency as well. Phil wasn’t a bad pickup, but not 7.75 million good.

Free Agents: Pete Alonso, Sean Manaea, Jose Quintana, Luis Severine, Harrison Bader, JD Martinez, Brooks Raley, Adam Ottavino, Ryne Stanek, Drew Smith, Jesse Winker, Jose Iglesias.

We’ll be putting a QO on Pete Alonso, Sean Manaea, and Luis Severino.. The others, definitely not.

The next round of decisions are the Arb Eligible types.

Those that shall stay: Tyrone Taylor, David Peterson, Tylor Megill.

Those that shall not stay: Luis Torrens, Paul Blackburn, Alex Young, DJ Stewart, Sean Reid Foley, Joey Lucchesi.

I’m looking to hold onto Blackburn, Luis Torrens, and SRF, so I’m offering Blackburn a 1.5 mil deal with 3 mil in incentives plus an option for the following year. What a wacky injury to have! And a serious one too. He won’t be ready for opening day, more likely than not, so we give him a spot, time to recover, and some guaranteed money if things go sideways. Torrens I’m offering a minor league deal at a guaranteed 900K. Love to have depth, but he’s a journeyman C that is going to get a minor deal elsewhere, so why not here. SRF will be offered a minor league contract with an opt. out on May 1st. He’s good, and he’s constantly broken. So, with no options left for him, this is what I’m offering.

Free Money!!!:

25 mil from Verlander, 250K from Ruf, 500K from Escobar, 20.83 mil from Scherzer, and 9.5 mil from McCann. Such a freeing feeling. Thanks for the memories... So, currently we are left with the following of a team to build around/with:

Alvarez, 1b TBA, McNeil, Lindor, Vientos, Nimmo, CF TBA, Marte, DH TBA, and bench TBAs.

Senga, Peterson, Megill, Butto, SP TBA, Diaz, Garrett, Nunez, Brazoban, and many RP TBAs…

Let's get to work.

And now, with teh Signings and Tradez and teh Tradez and Signings!:

Juan Soto – 14 years, 658 million (47 Mil AAV), opt out after 4 years (50/50/50/50/47/47/47/47/47/44/44/44/44)

2024: age 25. .288 / .419 / .569 – 180wRC+ for 8.1 fWAR

Corbin Burnes – 7 years, 210 million (30 mil AAV)

2024: age 29. 32 GS, 194.1 IPs, 2.92 ERA, 3.55 xFIP, 3.7 fWAR

Can you feel it? It Soto Burnes! Going big with Soto and Burnes. Targets #1 and #1! If we are burning 1 QO, why not 2? 2 QOs mean we lose the 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th round picks, in addition to losing 1 mil in international spending. That said, I’ve extended QO’s to Alonso, Manaea, and Severino which nets me back 3 fourth round compensatory picks.

Speaking of the players, Soto is young, extremely talented, was nominated for a Gold Glove, and is the best hitter on the market. Huge investment, but worth it. No splits, can man RF and eventually slide to 1B or DH down the line. I’m giving him 50 mil per up front and he can opt out after 4 years. I like the opt out as we can re-evaluate, if needed.

For Burnes, he’s a TOR pitcher like Nola, which is good. The Mets do not currently have on the roster. He’s K/9 numbers are trending downward, but so have his HR/9. His BB/9 are low and he’s an innings eater, consistently going 190 IPs or more for the past 3 years. It’s a large commitment for both, but this team is a better team with them.

Yandy Diaz and Jeffrey Springs for Clifford, Marco Vargas, and Boston Baro

Tampa Bay is flipping Diaz and Springer to free up cash to spend on some Free Agents that they will most likely turn into gold and continue to replenish this prospect pipeline. Plus, they have a plethora of SP, and are always looking at moving on a year or two early. I’m making this move as I’m competently filling 1B with decent production. He had a fairly bad start to the season, but the 2nd half was quite the turnaround, and if he produces anything like he did in 2023, well, that’s an upgrade to Pete. Springs has risk, that I know. But he’s a TOR type of pitcher when healthy. Both are under control for more than just 2025, with Diaz on a $12 mil team option for 2026, and Springs under contract for 10.5 mil in 2026 with team option for 15 mil in 2027 (750K buy out). Yes, the prospect haul that was spent to get this was steep for all those prospect huggers out there. Trade sim did not like it too much, but I’m using these guys as prospect currency to upgrade the team and not cost me free agent prices.

Sadly, this means we are moving on from Pete. Love you Pete, we have all teh sads, but this is a business, as they say...

Daulton Varsho for Brett Baty and Dom Hamel

Having spoken with the BJs, they were entertaining moving Vlad Jr as they are looking to redo this thing, but I decided to pass on him. We can deal with him next year. With their rebuild, we decided to jump in on it with more of depth/upside move. Daulton’s bat hasn’t been what they thought it would be when Toronto acquired him a couple years ago, and he's at a 7.7 mil price tag. His defense is quite legit, like OOA of 16! Yes, much of that was from LF, but the CF defense is still legit. Considering I currently have Nimmo and Soto in the corners, I wanted an elite defensive guy that under Votto’s tutelage, will hopefully regain some glory on the bat side. The contract isn’t too daunting either, so if it needs to get eaten, it will. Having some catching experience is a plus.

Ryan O’Hearn for A.J. Ewing

Baltimore has somewhat of a log jam, and playing time will be tough to come by for a lefty 1B/OF. They need some righty bats, which is why they are moving O’Hearn vs. Mountcastle. I’m not thrilled to have to move Ewing, but he’s not on the 40 man. This frees up 8 mil for the O's (which is an easy burden to shoulder for the Mets) and doesn't clog up their 40 man. O’Hearn can man 1B, LF, and RF and adds a lefty bat to lineup. He’s under control for 2025 and a FA afterwards, so he isn’t blocking anyone, per se. He slashed .264/.334/.427 last year with 15 HRs. He definitely has some splits to deal with, but I can platoon him Marte just fine.

Sean Manaea – 4 years, 84 million

Yes, I talked about getting back a QO for letting Manaea go, but guess what, I changed my mind. I think the change he made with the arm slot is real, and the consistency of good pitching and the durability of the innings he provides make this reunion happen. With Springs and Senga on the excellent stuff but potential injury risk, I want another rock (and a good rock) for the rotation with Burnes. So, thank you Manaea for becoming most excellent and then Sean will say...

Tanner Scott – 4 year, 64 million

Yeah, I’m certainly not Stearns. I’m willing to pay for a couple of top tiered RPs, with Scott being one of them. I wanted to have a backup/second closer on the roster, as we might not know what Diaz we are getting. If he’s so so, well, we’ll hybrid up this bad boy and mix and match with Scott and Diaz. If Diaz tanks, Scott is the man, and if Diaz goes beast mode and opts out, well, Scott will be the guy going forward. I also wanted a higher leverage LHRP for dealing with Philly. He's a career 3.35 FIP with the last 2 years in the 2s...

Jakob Junis – 2 years, 14 million.

I loved me some Junis last in the past, and he’s opted out of his deal, knowing he can get a better delta than the 8 million his option was for (length of contract at least). So, that his opt out is for. Love that he can pitch out of the pen and start, and I want as much depth as possible. A mid 3-ish FIP with a very low walk and a decent K rate. Junis, come on down and inspire me!

Scott Alexander – 1 year, 3 million.

Adding a back of the BP type with a different look. Nothing too flashy, but we need more than just 1 lefty. And another GB type pitcher to boot.

Paul Blackburn – 1 year, 1.5 million, 3 million in performance bonuses (1 mil each at 80/100/120 IPs), 5 million team option with a 0.5 mil buyout.

As mentioned at the top, just looking to soak up the depth, which is always a good thing.

Luis Torrens – 1 year, 0.9 million guaranteed on a minor league deal.

Depth..

Ok, here is what has been constructed:

Lineup is looking something like Lindor, Soto, Y. Diaz, Nimmo, Vientos, Marte/O'Hearn, McNeil, Alvarez, Varsho, with d'Arnaud, Mauricio, Marte/O'Hearn, and Taylor on the bench.

There are still plenty of kids in the minors that can be a factor here, and that is what I want on call ups. I have Mauricio on the bench, but this could be Acuna, or Williams, or whomever. I started doing some 40 man things but decided I should probably do something constructive, so I didn't.

Now, as we close this out, one thing of note in this team construction is 2026. Peterson, Megill, Alvarez, Varsho, and Taylor are the arb guys. And there is a team option on Yandy Diaz at 12 mil, with 0 buyout, as well as a player option on the other Diaz at 18.5 mil. Contracts without arbs or options has the Mets at 218.35 mil. The roster has 3 pending FAs, with Marte, O’Hearn, and Alexander. So, if I’m gangster, I’m looking to add Vlad to the roster. Balls meet walls. We’ll see what we have in the kids and what is needing backfilling, but assuming Peterson is at 7.5 mil, Varsho is let go, Taylor is at 4.5 mil, Diaz opts out and the other Diaz is not optioned, I can sign Vlad at, I dunno, 40 mil per, you are at 270.35 mil. Just saying…