The Marlins want two major league pieces (at least) in exchange for catcher J.T. Realmuto. And while the Mets remain engaged with the Marlins on a potential trade, GM Brodie Van Wagenen doesn't seem like he's willing to budge on Amed Rosario. 

Asked specifically about how willing he is to deal Rosario, Van Wagenen was blunt:

"I think the way I look at any trade is that we want the trade to make us better," Van Wagenen said Monday at the Winter Meetings. "We don't want to create a hole that we didn't have by filling a hole that we did have, right? So we want to make sure that if we do make moves that we're adding to our strengths and filling the gaps where we needed the help. But we're not gonna create a hole by filling another."

The Mets had a meeting with free agent C Wilson Ramos on Monday, reports Mike Puma of the New York Post.

Ramos, 31, could be a fallback option at catcher -- along with Yasmani Grandal or Martin Maldonado -- if the Mets aren't able to trade for Marlins C J.T. Realmuto, SNY's Andy Martino reported earlier Monday. 

Ramos is one of the better offensive catchers in baseball, but his defense leaves a bit to be desired.

Mets first base prospect Peter Alonso, who will be with the team during spring training and could get the nod at first base on Opening Day, says he has improved his defense "tremendously." And he's out to "prove people wrong." 

"Every time I see something online, every time someone knocks me, it's like 'oh, he's not good at defense.' I've really shown that -- since July, I don't think I've made an error since last June," Alonso told SNY's Steve Gelbs on Monday at the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas. "That's July, August, September, and throughout the (Arizona) Fall League. I've gotten tremendously better. I'm really proud of myself. I'm just trying to keep it snowballing so I can prove people wrong and so I can be happy and play the game I love."

Alonso agreed that when people question his defense it becomes a motivating factor.

The Mets are serious about trading for Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto, according to SNY's Andy Martino. If they miss out on him, though, the team has a few Plan B's.

That pivot would be to free agents such as Yasmani Grandal, Wilson Ramos, and Martin Maldonado, Martino noted on Monday. 

With the Marlins' asking price for Realmuto being astronomical, though it has reportedly come down a bit, the Mets going after one of the free agent catchers might make more sense.

It's the first day of the Winter Meetings and there hasn't been much noise from Las Vegas. Doug Williams, Andy Martino and John Harper break down early reports and questions from fans. Highlights include J.T. Realmuto, Brodie Van Wagenen, and Andrew Miller talk.

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We're LIVE from the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas, taking your questions on the next moves for the Mets.

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By end of the Winter Meetings on Thursday, I expect the Mets will...

1. Sign a high-end free-agent reliever

The Mets have discussed contract terms with free-agent relievers Andrew Miller and David Robertson, I've heard from team insiders. I'm sure they've gone this far down the road with the prominent relievers such as Adam Ottavino as well. 

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

LAS VEGAS - True to his style, Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen arrived at the winter meetings on Sunday with many ideas and pursuits in mind, and ready for the week to take any number of turns.

But talk around the Mets as the meetings begin points us toward lefty reliever Andrew Miller in particular as a free agent to watch this week.

Miller has also drawn interest from the Phillies, Cardinals and Red Sox, among other teams. The Mets, whose manager Mickey Callaway coached Miller in Cleveland, continue to see him as a fit.

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Harold Baines, really? 

A very good player, obviously, yet upon hearing that Baines was elected to the Hall of Fame on Sunday by a 16-person committee, I couldn't help but think immediately of a couple of dozen former star players who are more deserving. 

One of them being Keith Hernandez. 

The MLB Winter Meetings officially begin Monday through Thursday in Las Vegas.

The Mets should be looking to improve their bullpen, as well as add an everyday catcher, at least one impact hitter and depth beneath the entire roster.

Here are the latest headlines and rumblings from each of the above markets, followed by my own insight and anaylsis.

The Mets' outfield already consists of Michael Conforto, Brandon Nimmo and Juan Lagares, and they have Yoenis Cespedes waiting once he returns from surgery.

But should the Mets make a run at free-agent outfielder A.J. Pollock?

Pollock, 31, recorded a .257/.316/.484 batting line with 21 home runs and 65 RBIs in 113 games with Arizona last season. He hasn't played a full season since 2015, when he was an All-Star and hit .315 with 20 home runs and 76 RBIs. 

The Mets are reportedly among several teams who are interested in signing free-agent reliever David Robertson, according to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.

The former Yankees reliever, who recorded a 3.23 ERA and 91 strikeouts in 69 2/3 innings last season, is also garnering interest from the Red Sox and Dodgers, according to Feinsand.

The Mets are looking to add to their bullpen after they acquired All-Star closer Edwin Diaz from the Mariners in the blockbuster Robinson Cano trade earlier this offseason.

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter | LAS VEGAS - As the industry trickles into the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in advance of Monday's winter meetings, the Mets' highest-profile pursuits have lost a degree of momentum, at least temporarily.

The team is highly motivated to acquire Miami catcher J.T. Realmuto, but the Marlins' steep asking price has left some Mets people feeling less optimistic about a deal getting done. Because nearly half the league wants Realmuto, the Marlins feel justified in asking for two controllable major league pieces, like Amed Rosario and Brandon Nimmo (Michael Conforto has only three years of control remaining before free agency, so he is less of a fit for the rebuilding Marlins).

Despite the tricky fit, expect GM Brodie Van Wagenen to continue to explore every possible way to make a Realmuto deal work.

Chili Davis is officially the Mets' new hitting coach, as SNYtv's Andy Martino reported. The Mets also named Chuck Hernandez as the new bullpen coach and Luis Rojas to the newly-created role of quality control coach.

"Brodie [Van Wagenen] and I spent a lot of time finding the right mix of coaches," Mets manager Mickey Callaway said. "We're especially glad to add an additional coach to the staff keeping pace with the industry standard."

Davis, 58, joins the Mets from Chicago after serving as the Cubs hitting coach in 2018. He was Oakland's hitting coach from 2012-14 and Boston's hitting coach from 2015-17. The Cubs led the NL with a .258 batting average and ranked second with a .333 OBP under Davis.

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter | The Mets are looking for an outfielder to pair with Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo. As they search, Yasiel Puig is reportedly "disgruntled" in Los Angeles and could get traded during the Winter Meetings that kick off Sunday in Las Vegas. 

Should the Mets deal for the enigmatic Puig, who they are expected to at least inquire about? Here are the pros and cons...

Pros

Brodie Van Wagenen promised the first move wouldn't be the Mets' last one this off-season. 

So what's the new GM's next move? 

Maybe we'll find out during baseball's Winter Meetings, which begin Monday in Las Vegas, also known as Bryce Harper's hometown. The game's annual gathering is a prime opportunity for futher roster reshaping, beyond the Mets acquisitions of Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz.

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

The Yankees passed on Patrick Corbin, smartly so at the price the Nationals paid, and now Nathan Eovaldi is heading back to the Red Sox. So where does Brian Cashman turn for starting pitching?

The obvious move is J.A. Happ, but if Cashman wants to gamble a bit on the potential for greater October dominance, as he did in trading for James Paxton, Trevor Bauer can be had at a bargain price.

Mets minor league outfielder Tim Tebow is one step away from being a big-league player, Mets GM and former Tebow agent Brodie Van Wagenen said Wednesday on WFAN.

"If we somehow suffered an injury and we needed somebody to replace Brandon Nimmo or Michael Conforto in the starting lineup, and if Tim Tebow is the best offensive player in Triple-A at that point in time, he's going to be in [Mickey Callaway's] lineup," Van Wagenen said.

Van Wagenen, who made similar comments in early November, also said he expects Tebow to open 2019 playing for the organization's new Triple-A affiliate in Syracuse...

The Mets are having a busy offseason, and their shift in structure moved beyond the diamond on Friday.

Head of Mets player development Ian Levin is the new senior director of baseball operations, the Mets announced. Levin will take on a larger role including analytics, player development, health and performance. Levin's broadened front-office scope is a promotion for a Sandy Alderson era holdover who is widely respected. Martino also reports that Omar Minaya, Mets special assistant to the general manager, will remain an influential advisor. 

"I'm excited to continue to invest in the front office with personnel that have a championship pedigree," Mets General Manager Brodie Van Wagenen said. "We are looking to build the organization to achieve consistent success by incorporating new members and promoting from within." 

It appears we can officially chalk the Nationals off free agent Bryce Harper's list. 

Nationals owner Mark Lerner already made an "aggressive" offer to their former star outfielder before he hit the free-agent market. But Lerner thinks, at this point in time, Harper is content leaving his old home behind to find a new one. 

"Well, when we met with them and we gave them the offer, we told them, 'This is the best we can do,' Lerner told 106.7 The Fan FM in Washington. "We went right to the finish line very quickly. And we said, 'If this is of interest to you, please come back to us and we'll see whether we can finish it up.' But we just couldn't afford to put more than that in and still be able to put a team together that had a chance to win the NL East or go farther than that.

With the Winter Meetings right around the corner, the Mets have already been active, and they certainly are not done with their offseason agenda yet.

In fact, GM Brodie Van Wagenen and the Mets have been aggressively pursuing a potential trade with the Marlins for C J.T. Realmuto. The big question is what would Van Wagenen have to give up to fix his catching problem in Queens?

While throwing out trade scenarios for both the Mets and Yankees during "Baseball Night in New York," SNY's trade analyst Adam Fisher -- a former Senior Director of Baseball Operations for the Mets -- gave his stance on the proposed Realmuto trade...

The Mets' busy offseason continued on Friday. 

Per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Mets will hire Jared Banner to become their new farm director. 

Banner, 32, is a Brooklyn native who grew up as a Mets fans and was most recently the VP of player personnel for the Red Sox where he oversaw the scouting of professional players in international leagues. 

The Mets should be looking to improve their bullpen, as well as add an everyday catcher, at least one impact hitter and depth beneath the entire roster.

Here are the latest headlines and rumblings from each of the above markets, followed by my take on how things currently stand and may shake out...

Adding an outfielder...

The Mets, and now the Reds, are among teams recently linked to free-agent center fielder A.J. Pollock, according to Fancred.com's Jon Heyman.

The Mets are reportedly considering signing free agent utility player Marwin Gonzalez.

According to Fancred Sports' Jon Heyman, the team has "talked about" the 29-year-old Gonzalez, as GM Brodie Van Wagenen considers infielders who can play multiple positions.

Gonzalez has played the majority of his seven-year career with the Astros at shortstop, but has seen a fair bit of the outfield lately. This past season he started 65 games in left field while adding appearances at each infield position.

New Mets star Robinson Cano recently earned the praise of manager Mickey Callaway, who said Cano's approach at the plate will help the younger players on the team.

Cano sat down with SNY's Steve Gelbs to elaborate on how the veteran second baseman can mentor the youngsters.

"I would say that approach is paying attention to details," Cano said. "It's not just go out and I'm going to swing and 'this is the pitch I want.' It's more about going about your business. Who's pitching? Who are you facing? Also, the situation of the game's going to detail how you're going to think, how you're going to approach that at-bat."

Make no mistake: Mets OF Brandon Nimmo is well aware his name is currently thrown around in trade rumors. 

With reports that the Mets are aggressively pursuing Marlins C J.T. Realmuto, Nimmo -- along with Michael Conforto and Amed Rosario -- are names that have come up in potential packages. SNY's Andy Martino says New York's easier option could be to trade an outfielder like Nimmo in the deal, and sign someone like A.J. Pollock to make up for it. 

Even though he may love his current situation, Nimmo doesn't mind hearing his name out there. It means teams, not just the Mets, like what they see.

New Mets closer Edwin Diaz took his game to an elite level this past season in Seattle.

After coming over to the Mets with Robinson Cano in this week's blockbuster trade with the Mariners, Diaz sat down with SNY's Steve Gelbs to talk about how he turned things around. 

"When the 2017 season was over, I came to Puerto Rico with the mentality to improve my command -- my fastball command, my slider command," he said. "Lower the walks, so I started working hard with that. When the season started I lowered the walks -- I think that's the most important thing for me last season."

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

While making calls to rival executives to solicit opinions about the Robinson Cano/Edwin Diaz trade, one particular comment stuck out, raising a thought that hadn't occurred to me.

"Maybe the National League with have the DH by the time he finishes his deal," said an American League GM (and credit where due, my colleague Nelson Figueroa independently floated the same idea in conversation this week).

With starter Carlos Carrasco now locked up with a four-year contract extension, the Indians are reportedly more willing to part ways with two of the top arms in their rotation.

And that could be big news for Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen.

Yahoo! Sports' Jeff Passan reported Thursday that Cleveland is "increasingly motivated" to move ace Corey Kluber or Trevor Bauer after extending Carrasco.

If Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen is serious about signing free-agent CF A.J. Pollock, he'll have to compete with the Reds.

According to Jon Heyman of Fancred Sports, Cincinnati shares an interest in the 31-year-old Pollock, whom Van Wagenen said this week could be a good fit for the Mets between Brandon Nimmo in left field and Michael Conforto in right.

Pollock's agent has been in touch with the Mets, Van Wagenen said, but his asking price may be too steep even for the aggressive GM. 

The Mets continue contacting the Marlins about All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto.

The catcher and his agent have been vocal about wanting to be traded from the rebuilding Marlins to a winning team that could be interested in signing him to a long-term contract extension. He is likely to earn a combined $15-20 million the next two seasons, after which he'll be a free agent at age 29.

The Fish, who have traded away most of their assets under the new ownership that includes former Yankee captain Derek Jeter, have made it clear they would want a king's ransom of prospects and players in return.

In what were the first definitive comments about a potential long-term extension for Jacob deGrom, Mets COO Jeff Wilpon said Wednesday that the team will be making an offer. 

"We'd like to see him stay here long-term," Wilpon said during an appearance with Mike Francesa on WFAN. "I'm sure there will be an offer. How long-term that is, that's up to us to figure out." 

Echoing Wilpon's comments, GM Brodie Van Wagenen -- also on with Francesa -- said "our goal will be to try to extend that relationship."

The Mets' roster for the 2019 season is beginning to take a new shape under new GM Brodie Van Wagenen. He already bolstered the lineup with Robinson Cano, and Edwin Diaz will be the team's much-needed closer. 

As Van Wagenen continues to be aggressive, there is also some hope for current Mets to be available down the road as well. One is veteran OF Yoenis Cespedes, who Van Wagenen addressed on WFAN with Mike Francesa on Wednesday.

Francesa asked whether or not Van Wagenen, along with manager Mickey Callaway and Mets COO Jeff Wilpon in the room, views Cespedes as a part of next season.

Asked point blank by WFAN's Mike Francesa on Wednesday whether the Mets would pursue free agents Bryce Harper or Manny Machado, GM Brodie Van Wagenen seemed to suggest it was unlikely.

"We'll have to be really creative to move some money around to make those guys work," Van Wagenen said.

Harper and Machado are both reportedly seeking deals in excess of $300 million for 10 years or more, and SNY's Andy Martino has reported that the Mets pursuing either is unlikely...

Mets manager Mickey Callaway will ultimately make the lineup decisions for Opening Day of the 2019 MLB season, but Brodie Van Wagenen has been clear about who he wants to see playing first base on March 28.

The new Mets GM told WFAN's Mike Francesa on Wednesday that he intends for Peter Alonso to make his major-league debut at first in Washington against the Nationals. (Newsday's David Lennon)

Van Wagenen has sung Alonso's praises throughout the offseason, saying last month he thought the prospect "has a chance to be an impact player" for the big-league club.

In the latest episode of Shea Anything, Doug Williams and Andy Martino break down the Mets' pursuit of J.T. Realmuto. Doug and Andy predict what an unpredictable Brodie Van Wagenen will do next week at the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas. And finally, they give their takeaways from the Robinson Cano/Edwin Diaz trade.

CLICK BELOW TO LISTEN...

Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen said Tuesday at Citi Field that it would take a "very special circumstance" to trade Noah Syndergaard.

The Mets have reportedly been listening to trade proposals for Syndergaard since the GM Meetings in early November.

"Syndergaard is critical to what we're trying to do now," Van Wagenen explained. "It would have to be very special circumstances for us to even consider moving him."

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter | If Mets fans were looking for a sign of genuine hope on Tuesday, the most significant wasn't the donning of the jerseys by Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz, but rather the stars in Jeff Wilpon's eyes when he spoke admiringly of his new GM, Brodie Van Wagenen.

Suffice it to say there could be a direct correlation to a higher payroll for 2019.

"Brodie's got his fingers in on everything right now," Wilpon said to reporters at Citi Field. "I haven't seen anybody with this much drive and determination in a long time."

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |: Former Mets GM Sandy Alderson, who stepped aside in June after a recurrence of cancer, could soon be working in the game again.

Alderson's prognosis is good, and he will be at the winter meetings in Las Vegas next week to meet with several clubs about joining a front office. His Mets contract expired on Oct. 31.

Alderson could also return to MLB, where he was head of executive Vice President of baseball operations from 1998-2005. He still remains chair of the MLB's Rules Committee, and is a member of the competition committee.

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter | With the Mets enthusiastically pursuing a trade for Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto, the shape of their current plan is becoming more clear.

According to major league sources, the team is more likely to offer Brandon Nimmo or Michael Conforto plus prospects than Amed Rosario. Because the Mets are still not expecting to pursue Manny Machado, it would be easier to acquire Realmuto for an outfielder, then sign A.J. Pollock. Bryce Harper remains an unlikely target.

This represents the team's thinking at this moment, but as talks are ongoing, details are subject to change. It remains to be seen if the Mets will actually have the stomach for moving Conforto. And Rosario is hardly untouchable.

The Mets should be looking to improve their bullpen, as well as add an everyday catcher, at least one impact hitter and depth beneath the entire roster.

Here are the latest headlines and rumblings from each of the above markets, followed by my take on how things currently stand and may shake out...

Adding another a starting pitcher

Andy Martino, SNY.tv

The theme of Tuesday morning's news conference at Citi Field was that Brodie Van Wagenen's Mets are expecting an action-packed winter, and that the new GM is exploring all possibilities.

To that end, the Mets are very much interested in Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto, according to major league sources.

Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen said his big move to land Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz wasn't the last he would make. His agressive style this offseason will continue, and free-agent CF A.J. Pollock is a name he has shown interest in.

Van Wagenen said he believes Pollock could be a good fit for the Mets, and he has been in touch with Pollock's agent.

One potential red flag with Pollock is his injury history. Aside from 2015, when he played in 157 games, he has been impacted by injuries every season since 2013. He played 75 games in 2014, 12 in 2016, 112 in 2017 and 113 in 2018...

Brandon Nimmo is excited about his new teammates. 

The 25-year-old Mets outfielder was at Citi Field for team's holiday party on Tuesday, which coincided with the introduction of Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz, and Nimmo is certainly looking forward to the impact they could have on the Mets next season. 

"We're gonna try and win next year," he said. "I think that's something Brodie (Van Wagenen) has said from Day 1. ... So I think we have the pitching staff and now, obviously, he's looking at a few more pieces, but Robinson and Edwin, those are two great pieces to add to try and help us win next year."

A veteran All-Star infielder that has proven to be consistent at the plate, and a young shutdown closer that led the league in saves last season have been added to Mets manager Mickey Callaway's roster.

So, yeah, you can probably guess how happy he was at Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz' introductory press conference on Tuesday. 

"Obviously, I'm very excited.," Callaway told SNY's Steve Gelbs. "We have two players that are going to be in Mets uniforms that are at the top of their game. Robinson Cano, one of the most thoughtful baseball people I've ever been around. I had a chance to eat dinner with him last night and get to hear his thoughts on baseball and his love for the game and hitting. It's going to help our players tremendously."

Robinson Cano was introduced as a member of the Mets on Tuesday, making him the 133rd MLB player to have played for both the Mets and Yankees. 

The 35-year-old joins Todd Frazier as current players on the Mets roster who previously played for the Yankees. 

Other notables who played for both teams include Yogi Berra, Darryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden, David Cone, Al Leiter and Carlos Beltran. 

Free agent Patrick Corbin cemented a top spot in the Nationals' power-arm rotation on Tuesday, when the heated sweepstakes for the 29-year-old starter finally came to an end. The southpaw reportedly signed to a six-year, $140 million deal with Washington, according to Jon Heyman of FanCred.

The Yankees and Phillies were among the final two teams to be in on Corbin, though the Yankees were reportedly not interested in a 6-year deal for the lefty.

The NL East is set to showcase an army of jawdropping starters. The Nationals will flash Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, and now, Corbin as their top three starters for an all-hands-on-deck shot at the 2019 postseason. If Thor remains in Flushing, the Mets will counter their rivals with Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Zack Wheeler. 

As the Mets look to further reshape their team after landing Edwin Diaz and Robinson Cano in a blockbuster trade with the Mariners, it sounds like they'll have some extra payroll to work with.

"It's absolutely opened up," Mets COO Jeff Wilpon said Tuesday about the payroll heading into the 2019 season. "And Brodie understands the parameters that we're working within -- be it trades and obviously this one is pretty neutral in terms of dollars when you look at what we're getting back and the salary relief. But also the ability to do other things with some of the insurance money." 

Wilpon also noted that the Mets had recently non-tendered Wilmer Flores, freeing up even more additional money. 

Mets new GM Brodie Van Wagenen has already lived up to his mission statement from his own introductory press conference: "We will win now and in the future." And on Tuesday, he addressed the press at another press conference, this time to introduce his first acquisitions in Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz. 

It was a move many were surprised to see as Van Wagenen's first deal in his new role. But he wants to make his team better immediately for the 2019 season, and Van Wagenen knows that is going to mean making some big decisions like this one.

"I didn't leave my previous post to be bashful or shy in this job," Van Wagenen told SNY's Steve Gelbs.