{"id":39312,"date":"2025-03-07T06:51:11","date_gmt":"2025-03-07T06:51:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=39312"},"modified":"2025-03-07T06:51:11","modified_gmt":"2025-03-07T06:51:11","slug":"why-david-stearns-is-enjoying-the-mets-spring-training-calm-while-he-can","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=39312","title":{"rendered":"Why David Stearns is enjoying the Mets\u2019 spring training \u2018calm\u2019 while he can"},"content":{"rendered":"

PORT ST. LUCIE \u2014 A Mets camp that features the owner of the largest contract in professional sports history, several injuries to an uncertain rotation and sky-high expectations after a surprise run to the NLCS last season has been \u201cpretty standard\u201d and \u201cnormal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those were the happy words of David Stearns, who listed the team\u2019s relative dullness as a positive development.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe that\u2019s the surprise: It\u2019s been calm,\u201d the Mets president of baseball operations said Thursday, when he spoke at spring training\u2019s midpoint.<\/p>\n

There are concerns about Sean Manaea (oblique) and Frankie Montas (lat), whom Stearns said remain on their original timetables but have not yet resumed throwing after shutdowns, though they loom as the largest issues in an otherwise generally issue-free camp.<\/p>\n

\"Mets<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Other thoughts from Stearns with Opening Day under three weeks away:<\/p>\n

No way, Joses<\/strong><\/h2>\n

This week Stearns watched Jose Iglesias land with the Padres and Jose Quintana sign with the Brewers.<\/p>\n

The Mets are down a backup infielder (with Nick Madrigal possibly lost for the season) and down two starting pitchers.<\/p>\n

Are there second thoughts about the lack of interest in retaining two popular players who became major contributors last year?<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Stearns said. \u201cWe feel really good about our team. We prepare for injuries. We feel like we have depth, and I\u2019m excited to see what some of our other players, including some of our young players, would be able to do with that opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Last roster spot<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Iglesias landed elsewhere largely because he could not be optioned to the minor leagues.<\/p>\n

The Mets have reserved one utility spot for a competition that involves Brett Baty, Luisangel Acu\u00f1a and non-roster invitees Luis De Los Santos and Donovan Walton.<\/p>\n

\"Luisangel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

All except Walton can be optioned to the minors (and if Walton wins the job and does not perform, he likely would be DFA\u2019d).<\/p>\n

Baty has played the best among the group during the spring, while Acu\u00f1a and De Los Santos might be the most defensively flexible because of their ability at shortstop.<\/p>\n

A key question the Mets face is whether they would be OK with Baty or Acu\u00f1a, both of whom have strong prospect pedigree, only playing sparingly at the major league level rather than growing with consistent at-bats at Triple-A Syracuse.<\/p>\n

Stearns acknowledged the concern, which might give De Los Santos or Walton an edge.<\/p>\n

\u201c[Prospect playing time is] always going to be a consideration for us, and we talk about it a lot,\u201d Stearns said. \u201cI think it\u2019s important we have to have space on our roster throughout the course of the year for younger players to make an impact, particularly at positions where you have significant talent reaching the upper levels of the minor leagues.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe feel like we\u2019ve got a host of young, talented infielders, and we need to let them play.\u201d<\/p>\n

Last rotation spots<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Montas\u2019 and Manaea\u2019s injuries have created two paths to the rotation in a three-man competition: Tylor Megill, Griffin Canning and Paul Blackburn.<\/p>\n

Megill touched 98 mph in his first spring start. Canning, a back-of-the-rotation arm with the Angels but who has plenty of talent, has added a cutter to his mix. Blackburn is playing with a sinker and healthy again.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do think we\u2019re built to withstand this [injury rash],\u201d Stearns said. \u201cThe rest of our guys are throwing the ball very well. \u2026 And so now let\u2019s keep the rest of our guys healthy. Let\u2019s get into the season.\u201d<\/p>\n

Next wave of arms<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The healthy rotation members have looked fine. Their hopeful future rotation members have looked more promising.<\/p>\n

\"Brandon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Brandon Sproat, whose stuff impressed again Thursday, has looked nearly ready for the majors. Blade Tidwell grabbed some attention by throwing an immaculate inning in a standout performance.<\/p>\n

The pitching development system has been a star of camp.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we\u2019re beginning to see this wave of prospects get to the upper levels of the minor leagues, and now the next step is we have to successfully transition them to the big leagues,\u201d Stearns said.<\/p>\n

A Juan-liner<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In his first camp with his $765 million prize, Stearns was not surprised at Soto\u2019s work ethic or at-bat quality.<\/p>\n

What has opened his eyes is Soto\u2019s sense of humor.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a funny guy,\u201d Stearns said. \u201cI think when you watch him across the field, he takes his craft so seriously, and that\u2019s also what came across in our meetings with him, is how seriously he takes his craft. \u2026 I think seeing him interact with his teammates on a daily basis, interact with the staff on a daily basis, it\u2019s business when it\u2019s in the cage, and it\u2019s business when it\u2019s out there, and then when it\u2019s back there, it\u2019s fun and it\u2019s humor, smiling.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s cool to see.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Mets camp as been \u201cpretty standard\u201d and \u201cnormal.\u201d Those were the happy words of David Stearns.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":39313,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[43,44,17,50,780],"class_list":["post-39312","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb","tag-david-stearns","tag-mlb","tag-new-york-mets","tag-sports","tag-spring-training"],"yoast_head":"\nWhy David Stearns is enjoying the Mets\u2019 spring training \u2018calm\u2019 while he can - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=39312\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why David Stearns is enjoying the Mets\u2019 spring training \u2018calm\u2019 while he can - 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