Strawberry has advice for free agents
Former slugger says it’s important to bring “personality” to N.Y.
Darryl Strawberry had some advice for Trevor Bauer, George Springer and anyone else thinking of playing for the Mets.
“You have to have personality,” the famed Met said in an interview with SNY’S Anthony Mccarron. “But you have to be able to back it up at the same time. You could have the swag about you, but you have to play when you get here.
“Hopefully, any guys who do decide to come to New York — just bring it all with you. Bring it to the ballpark. That’s what fans love.”
Strawberry, 58, was one of the biggest personalities on a team filled with personality — the championship ’86 Mets. So he knows a thing or two about playing for a team with champi
onship aspirations.
“That’s what made us history,” Strawberry said. “That’s what made us great. We had personality and swag and every year we had a chance to be in it.”
The Mets have been “in it” only twice since Strawberry and company rallied to beat the Red Sox 34 years ago with pennant wins in 2000 and 2015.
Under new leadership in billionaire owner Steve Cohen and Sandy Alderson, the Mets are trying to equip the team with some of the top free agents available for the 2021 season. Cohen’s goal is for the Mets to win a World Series in the next three to five years.
Bauer and Springer are the two big-ticket names the Mets have had on their list this offseason. Catching star J.T. Realmuto was also once part of conversations, but when the Mets signed ex-white Sox catcher James Mccann — saving a bit of money in the process — all signs point to going full-on for Bauer and Springer.
It’s been a slow-developing market, so it’s unlikely Mets fans will wake up with either the ace or the outfielder under the Christmas tree … but adding both just might get the job done in Flushing.
As for Alderson’s return, Strawberry expressed hope.
“Sandy is a baseball guy and he knows how to build,” Strawberry said about the need for the organization to boost up the farm system.
Crosstown battle for DJ?
The Mets haven’t given up on DJ Lemahieu.
The Mets “recently contacted” the Yankees’ star second baseman, according to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman.
If the Yankees had it their way, Lemahieu would remain a Yankee. Since Lemahieu opted for free agency, it doesn’t matter how much Bombers GM Brian Cashman says the star slugger is their priority; money talks and Cohen’s sure got a lot of it.
Still, Cohen said on Nov. 10, “I’m not competing against the Yankees. This is the Mets. We’re going to create our own environment. I’m competing against 29 other clubs in MLB.”
And the Blue Jays now seem the more likely club to steal Lemahieu away from their division rivals.
Cano’s redemption tour
Robinson Cano won’t play in an MLB game for a while, so for now, he’ll try to reform and redeem himself in his home country.
Cano — who was suspended for the entire 2021 season in November after testing positive for PEDS for the second time in his career — was added to the weekly roster for Las Estrellas Orientales in the Dominican Republic, according to ESPN’S Enrique Rojas.
He was also seen posing for photos with Fernando Tatis Jr., also expected to play for the Dominican winter league team, and taking batting practice, according to local sports journalist and MLB Insider, Hector Gomez.