Mets bring in Scott as senior VP, assistant GM
The Mets have added another person to the new front office core. Ex-Red Sox assistant Zack Scott was named the club’s senior vice president/assistant general manager, the Mets announced Wednesday.
“I want to thank Steve Cohen, Sandy Alderson and Jared Porter for this unique and exciting opportunity as well as the leadership of the Red Sox for allowing me to pursue this new role with the Mets,” Scott said in a statement released by the team. “Being a part of the Mets new culture and helping establish a consistent winner on the field that the Mets fan base deserves is something I will work towards tirelessly.”
Scott, 43, previously worked with new Amazin’s GM Porter in Boston for a decade — Scott was with the Red Sox for 17 seasons, but was the team’s assistant GM the last two seasons. Both actually started working for the Red Sox the same year, in 2004 as interns.
“I’ve known Zack for over 15 years, and worked with him daily for 10 of those years,” Porter said of Scott. “He’s a strong leader who is a very creative and dynamic thinker. Zack is well rounded in all areas of baseball operations, and will promote synergy and collaboration among all of our departments with an emphasis on research and development.”
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 know’s a thing or two about playing for a team with championship 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 Cohen and 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. Phillies’ 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.
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.