NEW YORK, NY — Out with the old and in with the new seems to be shaking out in Queens this Major League Baseball offseason.
2026 may be two weeks away, but Mets’ President of Baseball Operations David Stearns has already taken an “out with the old” philosophy. He traded Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers in late November. At Major League Baseball’s Winter Meetings in Orlando, Florida, he watched a pair of Mets mainstays, Edwin Díaz and Pete Alonso, leave as free agents to the Dodgers and Orioles, respectively.
Image Credit: Simon Lindenblatt/Latino Sports
While Stearns may have been humming “Auld Lang Syne,” Mets fans were singing the Neil Sedaka classic, “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do,” or the 1977 Thelma Houston disco smash, “Don’t Leave Me This Way,” judging by the calls to sports talk radio stations, as well as postings on social media.
The departure of Díaz to the Dodgers came as a shock to Mets fans, and especially to Stearns.
Rather than make a firm offer which included a guaranteed fourth year, Stearns’ initial offer was three years, $66 million. Stearns said he had wiggle room and could sweeten it. Big mistake. He needs to watch Alec Baldwin in “Glengarry Glen Ross.”
Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Díaz pivoted to the Dodgers, who gave him a better three-year deal which he immediately signed. Let’s see whether Timmy Trumpet, or native Angeleno and music legend, Herb Alpert, will fete him with “Narco” at Dodger Stadium. The trumpets have gone quiet in Queens.
Stearns never had a proper appreciation for Alonso. Stearns’ obsession with “run prevention” has unfairly painted Alonso as a big galoot with a glove. The truth is Pete is spectacular at scooping out bad throws which saves countless errors.
Stearns has been nursing a grudge ever since Kodai Senga pulled a hamstring, catching a high throw from Alonso on a 3-1 putout. Of course, Senga can injure himself by tying his shoelaces.
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Alonso came up through the Mets farm system, and holds the team’s all-time home run record with 264. He has rarely missed a game. Despite being a fan favorite who deserved to be a lifelong Met, Stearns refused to give the 31-year-old a long-term contract. It reminds me of Reds general manager Bill DeWitt trading Frank Robinson to the Orioles in 1965 because he believed he was washed up at 30. It is considered the worst trade in baseball history.
Alonso has been a great New Yorker. He has given his time to charities, especially to 9/11 organizations. He and his wife, Haley, attended the recent Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
He was all smiles at his introductory Orioles press conference, but I bet Pete is as happy to be in Baltimore as Napoleon was living in exile in Elba. I hope he likes crab cake.
Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
The signing of infielder Jorge Polanco will not assuage most Mets fans despite him always being a good contact hitter and a tough out. Mets fans will be understandably livid if he is the team’s Opening Day first baseman.
Stearns, by his own admission, did a poor job making trades at the July 31 deadline. Centerfielder Cedric Mullins and relief pitcher Gregory Soto, acquired from the Orioles, proved to be duds. Reliever Ryan Helsley, obtained from the Cardinals, was an unmitigated disaster. None of the trio will be back in Queens as they all signed with other teams in the last two weeks.
The one player Stearns acquired for the homestretch who did not stink was sidearm reliever Tyler Rogers. Getting Rogers to Queens came at a steep price as the Mets gave up promising outfield prospect Drew Gilbert, and pitchers José Butto and Blade Tidwell, who had occasional success in Flushing. On Friday, Rogers, who could have helped the Mets’ beleaguered bullpen in 2026, signed a three-year, $37 million contract with the Blue Jays.
Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
When Mets CEO Steve Cohen recollects what went wrong in 2025, Stearns’ inept deadline deals should not be minimized.
Joe Buck named winner of 2025 Ford C. Frick Award
Joe Buck will be immortalized in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown as he was named the 2025 Ford C. Frick Award for broadcasting. As is the case with Forest Hills’ own Ian Eagle, Joe nicely mixes pop culture and self-deprecating humor to go along with a deep knowledge of the subject matter he is conveying. Interestingly, he rarely calls baseball games anymore because ESPN wants him to concentrate on “Monday Night Football.” SNY Mets play-by-play voice, and Flushing native, Gary Cohen, who was also in contention for the Frick Award, will have to wait another year.
Tony Dokoupil set to take over anchor desk for CBS Evening News
Tony Dokoupil will be taking over the anchor desk for the CBS Evening News at the start of the new year. He played second base for the George Washington University varsity team. “I was a good fielder, but not much of a hitter,” he told me when he came to Citi Field last summer with “CBS Mornings” co-host Nate Burleson for a segment they were taping.
St. John’s beats Iona at MSG in Annual Hoops for Heroes game
The St. John’s Red Storm men’s basketball team, led by Oziyah Sellers, Ian Jackson, and Zuby Ejiofor overcame a sluggish first half to easily down the Iona Gaels by a score of 91-64 last Saturday afternoon at Madison Square Garden.
Image Credit: St. John’s Men’s Basketball
Whereas the men’s basketball teams at the various Philadelphia area colleges try to play each other every year, that is not the case in New York. I asked Red Storm head coach, and native New Yorker, Rick Pitino, if St. John’s would try to schedule games against Columbia or Long Island University in the future.
“I love Columbia. I love LIU. Iona bought 2,000 tickets for today’s game. Columbia and LIU are not buying 2,000 tickets,” Pitino said. He was reflecting the concerns of Madison Square Garden executives, and television network honchos as well since St. John’s is a nationally ranked team.
St. John’s comes in at No. 4 for top Men’s College Basketball fan bases in the nation
A digital sports publication, Sportsbook Review, has created a college men’s basketball fan index St. John’s Red Storm fans rank fourth highest in the nation according to Sportsbook Review, as they only trail the fans of Florida, Purdue, and the top-seed, Michigan State.
Image Credit: Tomasso DeRosa/Latino Sports
The index measures ticket and merchandise sales, television ratings, social media engagement.
USTA announces details for 2026 US Open and its Fan Week
The United States Tennis Association announced last week the formal US Open will run from August 30 through September 13, with Fan Week starting on August 23. Another change is Arthur Ashe Kids Day will kick off Fan Week instead of taking place on the traditional Saturday before the main tournament gets underway.
I am surprised by the USTA’s decision to shift its calendar a week later because that means more dates will take place after Labor Day.
Image Credit: USTA
That means the new school year is underway, as well as more people are back at work. All of which cuts down attendance at the day sessions.
NFL Executive VP of Media Distribution Hans Schroeder joins on Andrew Marchand’s “Off the Record” podcast
Hans Schroeder is the NFL Executive Vice President of Media Distribution, which means he is involved with NFL rights negotiations with broadcast and cable networks, as well as streaming services such as Prime Video, Netflix, and its Sunday Ticket for viewing out-of-market games on YouTube TV. He also heads the NFL scheduling team.
He was a guest last Thursday on the Athletic media columnist Andrew Marchand’s “Off the Record” podcast, which is a must-listen for anyone who wants to get the behind-the scenes business goings-on in sports.
Image Credit: Off the Record with Andrew Marchand
After the taping, I asked Schroeder if the fact two of the NFL’s worst franchises, the Jets and Giants, play in the nation’s largest market, and are relegated to the 1PM slot nearly every Sunday which is the least desirable window for ratings, has been detrimental to the league. “I call that untapped opportunity!” Schroeder laughed. “Fortunately, we don’t need New York or Los Angeles teams to get high ratings for the Super Bowl,” he added in a more serious tone.
He conceded it would be nice for the Jets to end their fifteen-year playoff drought. If nothing else, it would raise the ratings of the weak wildcard games.
Indiana Hoosiers QB Fernando Mendoza wins 2025 Heisman Trophy
Our local NFL teams were the topic of discussion at the 2025 Heisman Trophy on Saturday. Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, Vanderbilt passer Diego Pavia, and Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza, who was named the recipient of this year’s Heisman Trophy, all said they would love to play in New York. They laughed and shook their heads negatively when asked whether local real estate agents had been in touch with them while they were in the Big Apple.
Image Credit: Heisman Trophy
Mendoza, a Cuban-American from Miami, Florida, is currently finishing his MBA studies at the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. When I asked him how he liked his accounting courses, he happily replied, “I did well in financial and managerial accounting. I love the equations. It is like solving a complex puzzle!”
Diego Pavia, a Mexican-American out of Albuquerque, New Mexico, who was the runner-up to Mendoza, has a quick wit and could do standup comedy if the NFL does not work out for him. He was the interview guest on the new Prime Video talk show, “Good Sports,” co-hosted by Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson. Pavia was better at one-liners and repartee than either of the famous comedians.
Clemson and Penn State set to clash in 2025 Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, December 27th
Image Credit: Bad Boy Mowers
The Pinstripe Bowl will take place at noon on Saturday, December 27 at Yankee Stadium. The Clemson Tigers will meet the Penn State Nittany Lions.
ABC renews “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” as “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction” returns to Netflix
ABC has renewed “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” through May 2027. David Letterman, the late-night talk show host Kimmel has cited as his biggest influence, returns to Netflix this week for his sixth season hosting “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction” in which he gets to chat with famous folks from all walks of life.
“Paul Anka: His Way” out now on HBO Max
Pal Anka has been in show business for seven decades, and he is still a vibrant performer at age 84. A documentary bio, “Paul Anka: His Way” is currently airing on HBO Max. While it reviews the ups, and candidly acknowledges the downs, of his career, what makes this documentary inspiring is Anka’s firm stance against retiring. “If you still have the passion for what you do, you should keep doing it,” is his philosophy. My sentiments exactly.
You can read more of Lloyd Carroll’s columns posted weekly on The Queens Chronicle.
