PORT ST. LUCIE – Without saying that the Mets just added players for the season, acting general manager Zack Scott on Monday indicated that the team is about to reach that point.
“I feel very good about the lineup as it is now,” said Scott after the initial Mets full team training. “I think we are well settled with the 40 year old man. We may have some other type of business off the list and there may be some other opportunities that present themselves during the spring, but I feel very good about the group that we have here now. “
It is a group that includes the pitcher Taijuan Walker, who signed a two-year contract with the club over the weekend. Albert Almora Jr., Kevin Pillar and Jonathan Villar were other in-depth pieces that have arrived in recent weeks. The big splashes of the Mets came in early winter, with the addition of Francisco Lindor, Carlos Carrasco, James McCann and Trevor May, after Marcus Stroman returned with a qualifying offer.
Asked specifically about the bullpen, which included only May and Aaron Loup in the major league business (and lost a large potential piece with Seth Lugo’s elbow surgery that will prevent the right-hander from playing until at least April), Scott indicated that he was pleased.
“I like what we have now,” said Scott. “I think there are guys who probably didn’t have the seasons they wanted last year, but I expect good things from them this year. There are a lot of big arms here in this bullpen, so I’m excited about the guys we have. “
Scott also said that the Mets are set at third base.
“JD Davis is a very strong player for our organization,” said Scott. “We have some versatility with some of the other guys that we brought here, so I feel really good about that.”
Dominic Smith, Carlos Carrasco and two other players (whose coach Luis Rojas did not quote) were absent from the first training for reasons uninjured. Rojas indicated that the expectation is that the players start training by the end of the week.
Rojas, Scott and team president Sandy Alderson talked to the players on a call from Zoom before training.
“We talked about how talented we are and we recognize that, but being aware that it is not enough,” said Rojas. “We need to work hard to get to the point where we will be that candidate. Let’s be that team that comes out with a winning mentality. “