Front office changes, introduction to free agencies

Last offseason, the Mets embarked on a change of ownership, which is about the most significant organizational change imaginable.

That said, this offseason seems just as, if not more, important.

The Mets lacked continuity in their organization. They are now looking for their third CEO in less than a year and their fourth CEO in five years.

It is impossible to experience, let alone maintain, any success with this kind of instability.

For this reason – and more – the next few months will be crucial for the leadership of the Mets.

Here are the top five priorities for the organization during the offseason:

1. Hire a president of baseball operations and potentially a general manager

Mets leadership efforts begin at the top. They must hire a knowledgeable and respected baseball operations president, whom they are currently looking for.

They cannot afford to embark on this task for the second consecutive offseason. Stability starts at the top, and that person will control baseball decision making.

Depending on how the Mets structure their front office and who they decide to keep from the current group, they might look for a new CEO as well. But let’s focus on the president of baseball operations for now.

The Mets have another shot at getting it right. They have to take it.

2. Bring in a new manager

The Mets refused on Monday to take the option on Luis Rojas’ contract, which means they are looking for a manager again.

The front office is important, but so is the manager. He deals directly with the players and rubs shoulders with them all the time. if the Mets don’t have a capable voice in this position, it could cause problems.

Rojas and his predecessors, Mickey Callaway and Carlos Beltrán, were all early MLB managers. And Rojas actually had the most managerial experience of the three because he managed to move up through the minor league ranks.

This time around, the Mets might need a more experienced voice. Whatever they choose, they have to nail it.

Replacement:Who will replace Luis Rojas as the next Mets manager? Here are some candidates

3. Big free agent decisions

The Mets have several free agents, but they have to choose Marcus Stroman, Javier Báez and Michael Conforto.

How much are they willing to give Stroman? Would they go into a bidding war to keep it? Do they think they can re-sign Báez? And Conforto appears to be a lock on the qualifying offer, but how will the Mets adapt if they reject it?

Another free agent, Noah Syndergaard, does not appear to have such an urgent situation as he has already publicly indicated that he would like to return to the Mets. They could extend a qualifying offer or even negotiate a different contract with him.

And you’d think the Mets would want Aaron Loup to come back after finishing the season with a 0.95 ERA, the best ever for a Mets reliever.

The Mets need to decide on Stroman, Báez and Conforto first as that dictates their next moves (outlined in the next two offseason priorities).

“It’s going to be different”:Is this the end of the core NY Mets as we know it?

4. How will the Mets manage their core?

Two seasons ago, the Mets had a promising core of positional players who seemed built to win for years to come. It hasn’t worked that way so far.

Some players might be on the verge of exiting. JD Davis said on Sunday he was inclined to feel the Mets wouldn’t bring him back. Could they also move Jeff McNeil and / or Dominic Smith?

The Mets haven’t made the playoffs since 2016. Their offseason moves will tell us what they really think about their core positional player.

5. Rebuild the rotation

The Mets haven’t disappointed in 2021 because of their pitching, but they need to step up the rotation for several reasons.

First, Jacob deGrom didn’t pitch after July, so it might not be smart for the Mets to function like they have the best pitcher in baseball. His situation is uncertain, although the Mets have publicly stated that they expect him to be okay.

Ace:Did the Mets make the right decisions with Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard?

Then Carlos Carrasco had a strange season due to the hamstring injury and Syndergaard only pitched twice – and played an inning on each outing. These two could make the rotation dominant, but do the Mets know what they’ve got here?

Re-signing Stroman would be the best start to meet this need.

Justin Toscano is the Mets Beat Writer for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to all analysis, news, transactions and other Mets, please register today and download our app.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @justinctoscano