The Mets would arguably have the most dominant back-end of the bullpen in the majors if they signed Jansen
In order to better compete with the Cubs, the Mets need to sign pending free agent Kenley Jansen of the Dodgers, argues John Harper in the Daily News:
We knew the Cubs already had the best young position-player talent in baseball; if Baez is blossoming into a superstar, as seems quite possible, it is one more reason they are going to be the team to beat in the near future.
So here’s a thought, based on what else we’re seeing in this NLCS:
If the Mets want to take a huge step toward re-claiming that supremacy next year and beyond, they should make a big splash this off-season by signing Kenley Jansen.
First, the “sign Jansen to compete with the Cubs” narrative by Harper is flawed. Yes, they’re an immensely talented team that should be a force for years to come. Yes, they have the most talented crop of young position players in baseball.
But that was the case last year, too, when the Mets — with Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, and Steven Matz in the rotation — swept them in the NLCS.
And the Cubs haven’t exactly steamrolled through the postseason so far in 2016. They dispatched a deeply flawed Giants team in four games. That was mostly because San Francisco’s bullpen was a disaster. If not, they would’ve faced a do-or-die Game 5 at Wrigley Field.
They’re now even with the Dodgers in the NLCS after being neutralized by Clayton Kershaw and Jansen in Game 2.
So, no, the Mets shouldn’t sign Jansen in an effort to compete with the Cubs. But they should sign him…
Jansen, who turned 29 years old in September, was remarkable during the regular season. He had a 1.83 ERA and 0.67 WHIP with 104 strikeouts in 68.2 innings.
While 2016 is being viewed as Jansen’s breakout season, he’s been largely dominant since entering the league. In seven seasons with the Dodgers, he has a 2.20 ERA and 0.89 WHIP with 632 strikeouts in 408.2 innings. That’s quite ridiculous.
Harper suggests Jansen could be in line for a four-year deal worth $54 million. And if that’s really all it takes to land him, the Mets should pounce.
As far as Jeurys Familia, who has been terrific over the last two seasons, he’d likely move in to a setup role if Jansen was brought in. Why? Because Jansen is better. It’s as simple as that.
With Addison Reed eligible for arbitration and almost certainly being brought back, the Mets would have Reed, Familia, and Jansen at the end of games. That would mean using Hansel Robles as a middle innings guy. And that’s tantalizing.
What isn’t clear is if the Mets can afford to sign Jansen. Their number one priority needs to be retaining Yoenis Cespedes. And they might extend a roughly $17 million qualifying offer to Neil Walker.
The Mets’ Opening Day payroll in 2016 was roughly $135 million, and they have only $78.1 million committed to the payroll for 2017. However, that’s before taking into account the potential qualifying offer to Walker, bringing back Bartolo Colon, and hefty arbitration raises to Reed and Jacob deGrom.
But if the Mets want to make it immensely harder for teams to beat them in the late innings — forget the Cubs specifically — they should go out and get Jansen. Get creative if you have to, but get it done.
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