Based on talks this past week with people at player agencies, as well as rival front offices, including team executives, people in player development, etc., here's what insiders are saying with roughly six weeks until spring training reporting dates...

1) Mets still want a starting pitcher

According to Fancred's Jon Heyman, the Mets had interest in free agent pitcher Martin Perez before he signed a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Twins.

Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen took the Jeff McNeil-to-the-outfield conversation further than ever a few days ago, saying outfield will be McNeil's "primary role."

"I think with (Juan) Lagares and (Keon) Broxton, and now Jeff McNeil moving to the outfield in a primary role, I think we've got five great outfielders that can give us a lot of length to our lineup," Van Wagenen told Bruce Beck of NBC on Sunday night on Sports Final. 

The "primary role" statement is a bit further than Van Wagenen had gone.

The Mets' farm system has taken a bit of a hit this winter with the trades of Jarred Kelenic, Justin Dunn and others, and that hit was reflected on the new Baseball Prospectus Top 101 prospects list.

INF Andres Gimenez (No. 38) and 1B Peter Alonso (No. 40) are the only Mets on the list, while Kelenic -- who was dealt to Seattle along with Dunn and others in the deal that brought Edwin Diaz and Robinson Cano to New York -- came in at No. 63.

As far as the rest of the NL East, the Braves led all MLB teams with eight players in the Top 100, while the representation from the Phillies (two), Nationals (three), and Marlins (two) fell more in line with where the Mets currently find themselves.

The Mets have had a busy offseason this winter and Mets manager Mickey Callaway is expecting things to be different in his second season in Queens.

Callaway, in an interview with MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM on Monday, says they have "significantly upgraded" the team and credits GM Brodie Van Wagenen's tireless efforts to improve the club. 

What particularly stands out to Callaway, though, is how different the lineup will be in 2019. 

The Mets are still very much engaged in trade talks with other teams, according to rival sources. 

Brodie Van Wagenen told reporters this past week that, while he intends to keep his eye on all markets, he's more likely to sign a player to add depth than sign a major free agent.

Interestingly, according to multiple reports, the Dodgers continue to shop speedy centerfielder Joc Pederson, and the Cubs may now be talking with teams about super-utility player Ben Zobrist...

The Mets have had a busy offseason, with GM Brodie Wagenen recently making a "come get us" declaration to the rest of the NL East.

So, how many games should they expect to win in 2019?

BetOnline.Ag's odds have the Mets' over/under at 84.5, tied for the fifth-best in the National League with the Brewers and Phillies.

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

With any luck, this will be the only Hall of Fame column I'll ever write, because my one opinion on the place is that it should not exist.

That probably sounds unduly harsh, so let me back up and explain. This year marks my 10th in the Baseball Writers Association of America, which makes me eligible to vote for the first time. When Hall officials reached out late last year to see if I would be registering, it pained me to say no.

What kid who grew up with baseball mania wouldn't want a say in who gets into Cooperstown? The building itself is a magical place, a must-visit for all fans that captures the power and romance of the game.

It's official: Wilmer Flores is no longer a Met.

Flores signed a one-year deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday that includes a team option for 2020. He will earn $3.75 million in 2019, and the deal has a $6 million team option with a $500,000 buyout for 2020, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. 

Flores took to Instagram to thank the Mets and their fans, as they were the only franchise he had been with since turning pro as a 16-year-old in 2008.

Earlier this week Brodie Van Wagenen said he and his staff addressed all of their primary needs and now have roster capable of making a run at the National League East title.

The Mets are better than on the last day of last season, no doubt.

However, what happens -- if reports are accurate -- and the Phillies sign a combination of Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Craig Kimbrell and Dallas Kuechel? If they choose Machado, what happens if the Nationals bring back Harper? And once Harper and Machado are off the board, what happens if the Braves finally make their long-rumored splash and sign A.J. Pollock, who reportedly once interested the Mets?

After a season where he was one of the most valuable outfielders in baseball, Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo has been recognized among the elite.

Nimmo checked in at No. 6 on MLB Network's top right fielders in baseball rankings, behind only Aaron Judge, Mookie Betts, Christian Yelich, Mitch Haniger, and Bryce Harper.

The 25-year-old Nimmo had a breakout campaign in 2018, hitting .263/.404/.483 with 17 homers, 28 doubles, and eight triples in 140 games while getting time in right field (62 games), center (44), and left (32).

Doug Williams and Andy Martino take the Shea Anything podcast on the road to the Queens Baseball Convention, for a live taping surrounded by Mets fans! They dive into the Jed Lowrie signing, the strange free agency and availability of Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, what still may happen before spring training, and questions from the live audience!

Click below to listen...

Manny Machado's dad is adding some more intrigue to his son's free agency. 

We know Machado has at least been offered a seven or eight-year deal by the White Sox, but the elder Machado told Hector Gomez of Z101 Digital on Friday that the Phillies, Yankees and even Dodgers have all made offers to his son. 

And while the White Sox appear to be the strongest suitor, Manuel hinted his son could still sign elsewhere. 

Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen has stated prospect OF Tim Tebow has the chance to make it to the bigs this season. He is expected to start in Triple-A, but if his production is worthy of a call-up, it could very well happen. 

But what would that say about the state of the Mets' season? The Daily News Live crew doesn't think it would spell anything good, and here's why...

The hype surrounding Mets prospect Peter Alonso continues to build. 

The 24-year-old was recently ranked as the top first base prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline and was rated with two others as having the best power and is the candidate of the group to most likely win Rookie of the Year. 

Alonso hit 36 home runs in the minors last season and six more during the Arizona Fall League.

Mets INF Jeff McNeil took an unconventional road to the Major Leagues. 

When he was young, he was walking around swinging a club -- not a bat. Golf was the first sport that he was introduced to, as baseball came after. He would go on to play in tournaments across the country, including the US Junior Amateur.

But McNeil was forced to make a choice once he reached high school: It was either golf or baseball. The 26-year-old admitted golf became his sport, mainly because his team was filled with his friends.

Veteran utility man Jed Lowrie chose to sign a two-year deal with the Mets this offseason, and following his introductory press conference, he showed his excited about the team's direction in an exclusive interview with SNY's Andy Martino.

Asked about how Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen is constructing the team in his first offseason as in this role, Lowrie sees all the makings of a championship contender. He explains how all the pieces on the Mets right now add up to a winning formula...

The Mets officially announced 13 additional players that were invited to Spring Training this season. 

Headlining the group is 1B Peter Alonso, who GM Brodie Van Wagenen has already noted could break camp as the Opening Day starter. Since that comment, though, he has brought in multiple infielders like Jed Lowrie and J.D. Davis who provide more competition for Alonso. 

During Lowrie's introductory press conference on Wednesday, Van Wagenen said he hopes that added competition gives Alonso some more motivation this spring. 

The signing of left-handed reliever Luis Avilan went mostly unnoticed as it occurred the same day the Mets signed veteran infielder Jed Lowrie to a two-year deal.

However, I'm told by team sources that the organization firmly believes Avilan can successfully replace Jerry Blevins as the team's primary left-handed reliever.

"It's a smart pickup by the Mets, and whoever led the charge on him," an American League scout told me. "He has pitched exceptionally well since finding command of his change up."

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter | Curious as to why the Mets hired a hitting coach, Chili Davis, who lasted all of one year with the Cubs? Here are a couple of reasons to believe it was more of a well-reasoned decision than you might think.

First, there is not a more perilous job in baseball these days than that of hitting coach, thanks partly to the launch-angle revolution, which has way too many hitters trying to be J.D. Martinez, and partly to the rise of personal hitting coaches that convince way too many hitters in the offseason they can be J.D. Martinez.

That also explains why, by long-time hitting coach Dave Magadan's count, no fewer than 17 teams this offseason had openings for that very position.

Since taking over as Mets GM, Brodie Van Wagenen's words have been just as aggressive as his offseason approach. And that continued at Jed Lowrie's introductory press conference on Wednesday.

In his last introductory press conference, this one for C Wilson Ramos, Van Wagenen said "internally, we can argue we're the favorites in the division right now." Well, he didn't stray away from that mindset as he said he is anxious to show teams, especially in the NL East, what the Mets are capable of this season.

"I look forward to showing people that we're a team to be reckoned with," Van Wagenen told reporters. "Let's not be shy on wanting to be the best and I fully expect us to be competitive, to be a winning team. Our goal is to win a championship and it starts with the division. So come get us."

After introducing Jed Lowrie on Wednesday at Citi Field, Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen stopped short of saying the team is done making big moves this offseason. But he said an outfield upgrade is not a 'top priority' at the moment.

"If other opportunities present themselves down the road, we'll be open to them," Van Wagenen said during the press conference introducing Lowrie. But he went into greater detail during his scrum with reporters after.

"Let's be candid. The outfield is probably not our top priority at this point because with (Jeff) McNeil going out to the outfield, he gives us another really good weapon to be in the lineup on a potentially everyday basis," Van Wagenen said. "By adding Keon Broxton in a trade a couple of weeks ago, he now gives us even more coverage, protection, and competition for (Juan) Lagares out there."

Mets top prospect 1B Peter Alonso has repeatedly said he wants to be on the team's Opening Day roster when camp breaks in March. But, as the team introduced veteran super-utility man Jed Lowrie at Citi Field on Wednesday, we're reminded of how much competition Alonso will have to reach that goal.

In what looked like a clear path to start at first in the beginning of the offseason, Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen has brought in Lowrie and J.D. Davis to create a jam for Alonso. Even Todd Frazier could make the shift to first with Jeff McNeil virtually kicked out of second base after the Robinson Cano trade. 

So what do all these moves mean for the 24-year-old, who absolutely raked in the minors last season? Van Wagenen says the added pressure should provide even more motivation for Alonso.

Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen said Wednesday that Jed Lowrie will be playing "virtually every day," noting that he'll see time at shortstop in addition to second base and third base. 

Van Wagenen also said the team signed Lowrie with the intent of keeping Todd Frazier. If true, it will mean some serious work for Mickey Callaway to figure out how to distribute playing time. 

"We want Mickey and the coaching staff to be collaborating with players," Van Wagenen said at Citi Field after introducing Lowrie, adding that he also wants the front office to collaborate with Callaway. 

The one where Wilmer Flores finds a new home.

The former Mets infielder has agreed to a one-year contract with a club option for 2020 with the Arizona Diamondbacks according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. The deal is pending a physical.

Mets sources have been saying since December's Winter Meetings that Jeff McNeil will get time this spring playing second base, third base, outfield and possibly some first base.

These statements were hinted at before Jed Lowrie was inked to a two-year deal, so they are probably even more true today than eight weeks ago.

McNeil was awesome last season, albeit in a small sample size. The thing is, the guy has always hit regardless of the level of competition. And, since being forced to change his swing after suffering an injury two years ago, he's developed extra base pop that no longer can be viewed as a fluke...

The Mets officially announced the signing of INF Jed Lowrie on Tuesday, and they will have a press conference at 2 p.m. on Wednesday at Citi Field to introduce him to the New York media. 

SNY will be airing the press conference on our Twitter and Facebook pages, and immediately following the introduction SNY's MLB Insider Andy Martino will have an exclusive interview with Lowrie and Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen.

Lowrie signed a two-year, $20 million deal with the Mets, and he will be an "everyday-quality player who will serve in a super-utility role," as Martino put it. 

The most-talked about quarterback in the NFL, Patrick Mahomes II of the Chiefs, is the son of former Mets pitcher Pat Mahomes, who you may remember from Bobby Valentine's postseason teams in 1999 and 2000.

Earlier this season, the young Mahomes arrived at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City wearing his father's No. 23 Mets jersey. 

"Pat Mahomes was honestly one of the best guys I ever managed," Valentine told me earlier Monday about the elder Mahomes. "He was a pitcher, but also one of the best athletes I ever had. He could hit and run the bases, so much so I considered occasionally using him in the outfield."

The Philadelphia Phillies could finally be ready to spend "stupid money" this offseason -- and possibly beyond. 

Per USA Today's Bob Nightengale, the Phillies have "visions" of signing Bryce Harper, Dallas Keuchel and Craig Kimbrel and speculates that Harper and Manny Machado could both be signed by the team. 

Fancred's Jon Heyman also reports that the Phillies are in excellent position to sign either Harper or Manny Machado and that regardless of who they sign this winter, they will make a play for Mike Trout in two years if he does not sign an extension with the Angels.

The Mets are monitoring the market of free agent center fielder A.J. Pollock, reports SNY's Andy Martino.

According to Martino, the Mets could be in play for Pollock if he becomes open to a "pillow contract" or an opt-out after the first year of a potential deal.

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter | The Mets have had a strong offseason, but signing Pollock could put an exclamation point of sorts on it. He should be signed regardless of whether or not Bryce Harper and/or Manny Machado wind up signing in the NL East...

Although they recently traded Kevin Plawecki, the Mets are open to trading Travis d'Arnaud as well, reports SNY's Andy Martino.

According to Martino, if the Mets deal d'Arnaud, they could look to sign a different backup catcher. However, Martino also notes that minor leaguer Tomas Nido is also on their radar when it comes to a potential answer as a backup.

The 29-year-old d'Arnaud was a non-tender candidate earlier this offseason, but the Mets ultimately decided to offer him arbitration -- with the two sides agreeing to a one-year deal worth $3.515 million...

Andres Gimenez, viewed by most as the top prospect in the Mets' system, has been honored as the shortstop on MLB Pipeline's All-Defense team for 2019.

"Gimenez reached Double-A as a teenager, partially because of an advanced approach at the plate, but also because of his glovework at the premium position," MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo wrote. "He has the hands, arms, range and internal clock to play the position long-term, even if he has to slide over to second in deference to Amed Rosario."

The 20-year-old Gimenez was one of the youngest players in Double-A when he was promoted in the middle of the 2018 season, and the expectation is that he will open the 2019 season there. If he performs well, a promotion to Triple-A and/or the big leagues at some point in 2019 could be in the cards.

It's possible that in just three years, the era of Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Steven Matz and Zack Wheeler with the Mets will be nothing but a memory. It seems like just yesterday that the above group, plus Matt Harvey, were popping champagne bottles on their way to the World Series. The future was bright.  

Zack Wheeler will be free to leave after this season. DeGrom, 30, can be a free agent two years from now, with Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz up for free agency the year after that.

The hope is that -- at the very least -- deGrom will be inked to a long-term contract extension before he can sniff the open market. However, the longer both sides wait, the more he will be tempted by freedom.

Former Yankees and Mets pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre died at age of 77 at his home in Seattle on Sunday night, as first reported by Bill Madden of the New York Daily News. 

Stottlemyre had endured a long battle with bone marrow cancer. 

He won a World Series as Mets pitching coach in 1986 and won four World Series as pitching coach for the Yankees from thier title run between 1996-2000. 

In one offseason, the Mets went from having none of the Top 10 second basemen in baseball to having two of them -- at least according to MLB Network's Top 10 Second Basemen Right Now! show.

But the order might surprise you.

Jed Lowrie, who the Mets signed to a two-year deal last week, comes in at No. 2 on the list, behind Jose Altuve of the Astros. Robinson Cano, who the Mets acquired along with Edwin Diaz from the Mariners in December, checks in at No. 4.

While the Mets have had a very good offseason, a nightmare scenario for them in the NL East could be getting closer to becoming a reality.

After emerging from their meeting with free agent OF Bryce Harper on Saturday, the Phillies "remain optimistic" that they will snag either Harper or free agent SS/3B Manny Machado, reports Matt Breen of Philly.com.

According to Breen, the Phillies seem to prefer Machado. And if the Phillies land Machado, that would theoretically increase the odds that Harper returns to the Nationals -- who have reportedly again emerged as a strong suitor for him. Harper is also drawing interest from the White Sox...

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Jacob deGrom and the Mets agreed to an historic one-year contract on Friday, avoiding salary arbitration with a one-year, $17 million deal, as SNY was first to report.

That contract represented the largest raise in arbitration history ($9.6 million), and a record salary for a third-time arbitration eligible pitcher. And it will certainly not hurt the chances that the player and team will agree on a long-term extension...

Friday is the deadline for teams to exchange numbers with players who are arbitration-eligible. If a deal is not agreed upon they must schedule a hearing next month in front of a panel of arbitrators to determine that player's salary for the 2019 season. 

Teams that do not reach deals could still negotiate up until the hearing date on a one-year contract or multi-year extension...

Jacob deGrom and the Mets agreed to a one-year, $17 million contract for 2019, avoiding arbitration, as first reported by SNY's Andy Martino. 

It is a $9.6 million raise for the 30-year-old right-hander, a record raise for a third-time arbitration-eligible pitcher.

While it means no extension for the reigning Cy Young award winner, an extension still remains a priority, sources tell Martino. 

Signing Jed Lowrie to a two-year, $20 million deal did more than add depth to the Mets' infield. It created a log jam that could impact top prospect Peter Alonso.

While Alonso has repeatedly said he wanted to be the Mets' Opening Day first baseman and GM Brodie Van Wagenen wouldn't rule out the possibility that the 24-year-old Alonso could make the major-league roster out of spring training, signing Lowrie means it's not a deal breaker if Alonso starts the season in the minors.

That's part of the sacrifice the Mets may have to make. Given MLB's service time rules, the Mets could benefit with Alonso starting the season at the Triple-A level by getting another year of team control. 

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

The Mets acquisition of infielder Jed Lowrie on a two-year, $20 million deal that is still pending a physical crowds their infield, and has the potential to squeeze Jeff McNeil's playing time.

As a solution, the Mets plan to use McNeil in the outfield in 2019, according to a person familiar with the plans.

At the beginning of the offseason, McNeil was pencilled in as the starting second baseman. He was nearly shipped to Seattle in the Robinson Cano/Edwin Diaz trade, but the Mets pulled him out of that deal at the last minute, and replaced him with reliever Gerson Bautista.

To date, there have been no published reports indicating the Mets have interest in or will eventually sign Bryce Harper. However, if things break the right way, I see a way Brodie Van Wagenen can step in and steal him.

Again, based on talks with industry sources, as well as multiple rival executives, here's what I believe to be true as I type this right now...

Anthony McCarron, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Might be a strange way to start a story about Jeff McNeil, but here goes: Jed Lowrie is a very good ballplayer.

The Mets are a better club after adding Lowrie on a two-year, $20-million deal Thursday. He's no "if," that's for sure. And the Mets should be applauded for bringing in a switch-hitter who should play regularly around the infield and deliver offense, even if some believe they needed a righty outfielder more.

But signing Lowrie makes us wonder about McNeil, a second-half sensation last year: Where does he fit now on this Mets roster?

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Upon first hearing the Mets were closing in on a two-year, $20 million deal with Jed Lowrie, my first reaction was, what?

Lowrie is an excellent player, but he was the A's second baseman last year, and the Mets have Robinson Cano. But upon further digging, it made more sense: According to sources, the Mets view Lowrie as an everyday-quality player who will serve in a super-utility role.

The Mets brought in another vetearn infielder this offseason, signing Jed Lowrie to a two-year deal on Thursday, SNY's Andy Martino confirmed.

According to Martino, the deal is worth $20 million over the two years for the 34-year-old.

Lowrie had his first All-Star season in 2018, with a .267/.353/.448 slash line, a career-high 23 homers and 99 RBI over 157 games with the Oakland A's...

The Mets' current lineup is better than last year with the additions of Robinson Cano and Wilson Ramos, but is it enough to avoid the offensive ups and downs suffered the past few seasons?

The way it stands, FanGraphs.com projects the Mets to have the seventh-most productive set of bats in the National League. Overall, the team projects to be the NL's fifth-best, but that is largely due to the pitching staff, which projects to be the best.

The thing is, if Cano, Ramos or Michael Conforto go down with an injury, let alone two of them dropping at the same time, the Mets will return to scrambling when forced to again lean on Todd Frazier to be a veteran, power presence in the lineup. Which is why they need to add more...

Tim Tebow is tying the knot. 

The Mets prospect proposed to his girlfriend, Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters -- a former Miss Universe and Miss South Africa winner -- and she said yes. Tebow put the 7.25-carat ring on her finger at a scenic view on his family's farm outside of Jacksonville, Florida, according to PEOPLE. 

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The Mets signed left-handed reliever Luis Avilan to a minor league deal, the team announced Thursday.

SNY's Andy Martino reported earlier Thursday that the Mets were still looking for a lefty reliever. And it's easy to see Avilan filling the Mets' lefty void in the bullpen.

"Luis is a left-handed quality major league reliever who addresses another offseason priority," Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen said in a statement. "We are pleased to see these types of proven players want to be a part of what we are trying to build."

Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen has said that first base prospect Peter Alonso has a chance to win the job out of Spring Training this season, and that's exactly where Alonso's head is at. 

"I want to be the guy," Alonso said Thursday morning during an appearance on the MLB Network.

"Yes I have a tremendous opportunity, but I have to work even harder and make the best of it and capitalize," Alonso noted, adding that he has been working hard on his conditioning during the offseason...

Free agent C Yasmani Grandal may have inked a new deal for the 2019 season, but he can't be happy with what he left on the table in doing so. 

According to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, Grandal signed a one-year deal with the Brewers on Wednesday night. ESPN's Jeff Passan added that the deal was worth $18.25 million.

That's a nice lump sum for Grandal next season, but the Mets offered him a greater amount in their multi-year deal. Rosenthal points out that Grandal declined a four-year deal with New York that could have been worth up to $60 million. That is $15 million per season through the 2022 season. Rosenthal noted on Thursday on the MLB Network that it was Grandal -- not his agents -- who turned down the deal from the Mets since he was unhappy with the average annual value.