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3 years ago

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12:00 PM ET

Black Friday, a great American tradition, is supposed to be about a frenzied, wild-eyed scramble for bargains. And on this particular Black Friday, the Mets were certainly frenzied — we can only imagine what the eyes of Steve Cohen looked like as his club signed three free-agent hitters over the span of a few hours. Whether any of the deals for this trio qualifies as a bargain, though, we’ll have to wait and see.

It’s been an eventful offseason so far for the Mets, whose initial task after they wrapped up a 77-85 season was to find an executive to oversee all of this. It took them awhile, as they were linked in the rumor mill to everybody from Theo Epstein to Branch Rickey, but they landed on former Angels general manager Billy Eppler.

Meanwhile, as the early free-agent market heated up for starting pitchers, New York saw former rotation members Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz sign elsewhere and watched from afar as Justin Verlander, Eduardo Rodriguez, Anthony DeSclafani and others came off the market. Then Cohen sounded off about Matz’s agent on his always-entertaining Twitter feed.

It has all been, well, kind of frenzied and a little wild-eyed. In other words, the Mets have been in Black Friday mode all along — it just wasn’t until the day after Thanksgiving that they finally got some players to show for it.

Let’s take a quick wide-lens snapshot. After the Mets agreed to reported deals with Starling Marte (four years, $78 million), Mark Canha (two years, $26.5 million) and Eduardo Escobar (two years, $20 million), Roster Resource has the team projected for $229 million in luxury tax payroll for 2022, while Cots Contracts is at $223 million. That’s the highest figure in the majors, most notably higher than the Yankees or Dodgers (for the time being — that is certainly subject to change with it still so early in the hot stove season).

For all that payroll commitment, the Mets haven’t made a single move to bolster a starting rotation light on depth and deep in injury question marks. Yes, it’s still early, and the likes of Max Scherzer, Robbie Ray and others remain on the market. But it’s hard to determine how these deals actually make a difference to New York’s 2022 results without the answer to a looming question: Just how high is Cohen willing to go in the payroll climb?

For now, we will that set aside and look at the Mets’ three acquisitions just in the context of the position player group. None of the deals was a huge overpay on its face, with each of them landing in the vicinity of Kiley McDaniel’s market rankings and projections in both length and value. So if we deem each of the contracts more or less fair market value, then we can focus on the baseball impact.

Here, the best way to put it is to say New York’s new trio raises the floor of the roster more than it raises the ceiling. That might not sound sexy, but after last season’s second-half collapse, it ought to sound pretty good if you root for the Mets.

Marte was the top free-agent center fielder on the market, and there were plenty of contending teams with whom he could have fit, whether we’re talking baseball or contract. That it was the Mets who landed him — and that they did so without overshooting the market — is a nice development for a team that needed one.

All three of the new Mets are coming off their age-32 seasons, so each of them could be seen as either post-prime players or perhaps at the outer edge of their primes. As the most athletic of the three, Marte has the traits of a player who ought to age the best of the group. He’s kind of a throwback in that his game revolves around average and speed, but he has some power to fall back on if his wheels start to show wear and tear.

Marte has hit at least .277 in each season since 2013 and is coming off a .310 campaign during which matched his career high with 47 steals. Defensively, he won a couple of Gold Gloves when he was a left fielder for the Pirates, but in center, he’s around average by the metrics, perhaps a tick above. With a four-year deal, you should feel OK about the chances for his offensive profile to hold up as his contract takes him into his mid-30s. But you have to worry about his ability to stick in center — where the Mets really, really need him to stick. For 2022, though, they should be fine.

Canha ostensibly takes the roster spot vacated by free agent Michael Conforto, who now is highly unlikely to end up back in New York. Canha has a lower ceiling than Conforto and perhaps a higher likelihood for collapse. But overall, his recent production, in context, has been similar. He’s older than Conforto, hits right-handed and isn’t as good defensively. His contract is also likely to be considerably less in total value than the one Conforto ultimately lands.

As for Escobar, he enters into a mix of complementary veterans who do different things well and play multiple positions. He’ll join Jeff McNeil and J.D. Davis in that class. For now, you can pencil in Pete Alonso at first base, Francisco Lindor at shortstop, Robinson Cano at second base and Marte in center. After that, consider the options the Mets’ manager will have at each position (assuming they get around to hiring a manager):

  • Designated hitter: Dominic Smith (L), Canha (R), Davis (R), McNeil (L), etc.

  • Third base: Escobar (S), McNeil (L), Davis (R)

  • Left field: Canha (R), Smith (L), McNeil (L), Davis (R), Escobar (S)

  • Right field: Brandon Nimmo (L), Canha (R), Davis (R), Escobar (S)

In addition, Nimmo will go from New York’s projected center fielder to Marte’s backup at that position, while both McNeil and Escobar can spell Cano at the keystone. Infielder Luis Guillorme will fit into this juggling act as well, and prospect Ronny Mauricio also might.

The portrait that emerges here is one of a position player group that is nicely balanced and versatile, and one that can get more production out of more roster spots if Eppler, the new manager and the analytics staff all push the right buttons game in, game out.

It’s also an expensive group, and a problem might arise if Eppler starts to view the holdovers (McNeil, Davis, Smith) as trade candidates in an effort to save some money on the margins and perhaps help bring back some starting pitching. The Mets need the pitching, but the new-look roster works better when viewed as a whole than it would if we were to think of Escobar and Canha as plug-and-play, every-day regulars.

For now, New York has deepened its roster and added positional and lineup flexibility, all while landing the premier center fielder on the free-agent market. And all it cost was a whole lot of Steve Cohen’s money. After years and years of their team not spending like the big-market franchise it actually is, that much at least had to brighten Black Friday for Mets fans all over the Big Apple.

Grade: B+

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Horns’ Ewers leads ‘new era’ of college football

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53 mins ago

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January 10, 2025

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Horns' Ewers leads 'new era' of college football
Jan 9, 2025, 06:02 PM ET

ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said Thursday that quarterback Quinn Ewers, with the emergence of name, image and likeness and the transfer portal, has become the face of this “new era of college football.”

Ewers initially committed to Texas, but he then opted to skip his senior year of high school and reclassify to the 2021 recruiting class before enrolling a year early and joining Ohio State during preseason practice.

Still the nation’s No. 1 ranked overall prospect, Ewers landed one of the first marquee NIL deals worth $1.4 million.

Ewers, who lasted one season with the Buckeyes before transferring to Texas, will square off against Ohio State on Friday night in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl with a trip to the College Football Playoff national championship on the line.

“It’s not been an easy journey for him,” Sarkisian said Thursday. “There’s been ups, there’s been downs, there’s been injuries, there’s been great moments, there’s been tough moments. … But at the end of the day, he’s always stayed true to who he is. The guy’s been a steady sea for us.”

Ewers has been making college football headlines since Ohio State offered him a scholarship when he was just in middle school. This week, Buckeyes coach Ryan Day recalled meeting Ewers for the first time when he was an eighth-grader visiting a Buckeyes football camp.

“He was a boy at the time really, who just had a tremendous release,” Day recalled. “And I remember grabbing him and grabbing his dad and said, ‘Man, you got a bright future ahead of you. I don’t know if this is good or bad, but we’re going to offer you a scholarship to Ohio State.'”

C.J. Stroud, who has since led the Houston Texans to the NFL playoffs, emerged as a star quarterback for the Buckeyes then, prompting Ewers to transfer to Texas.

“Boy, it was strange how it all shook out,” Day said. “He decided he really wanted to play. And it was disappointing for us, but we certainly understood. From afar I’ve watched him. He’s a really good player. He comes from a great family, and he’s had a great career at Texas and a lot of people here still have good relationships with him and think the world of him.”

At Texas, Ewers has started in 27 wins and led the Longhorns to back-to-back playoff appearances. This season, he has thrown for 3,189 yards and 29 touchdowns with 11 interceptions.

Ewers noted that the “coolest part” of the NIL era is being able to provide for his parents. He has even hired his mom, making her CFO of his finances while giving her a salary.

“Which is nice just because all the effort and work they put into me growing up,” he said. “I mean, when we were living in South Texas, they both quit their jobs and moved up to Southlake [to support Ewers’ budding athletic career].”

Whatever happens in the playoff — whether it be a loss Friday or a national championship victory against the winner of Notre Dame–Penn State on Jan. 20 — Ewers’ career at Texas figures to be coming to a close.

Though Ewers still has one season of eligibility remaining, blue-chip quarterback prospect Arch Manning appears primed to finally take over in Austin next season.

Manning, the nephew of NFL quarterback greats Peyton and Eli Manning, who could become the No. 1 overall prospect for the 2026 NFL draft, has backed up Ewers for two seasons waiting for his opportunity. Sarkisian even momentarily benched Ewers in favor of Manning during Texas’ 30-15 loss to Georgia on Oct. 19.

Still, Ewers figures to have options.

ESPN football analyst Mel Kiper Jr. ranks him as the No. 6 quarterback prospect eligible for the upcoming draft. Rumors have also emerged recently that Ewers could put off the NFL for another year and transfer to a third school for millions more in NIL money.

Amid those distractions, Ewers has thrived in the playoff bouncing back from oblique and ankle injuries from earlier in the year to complete 69% of his passes with four touchdowns in Texas’ two victories.

In the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl quarterfinal, Ewers tossed 29- and 25-yard touchdown passes in the overtimes, lifting Texas to the 39-31 win over Arizona State.

“I’ve just been proud of him,” Sarkisian said, “because he’s found a source for him that has been a motivating factor, where he can play free and play loose and play confident.”

Ewers added that, whatever the future holds, even contemplating it now would be “selfish,” with a national title still in reach for him and the Longhorns.

“I owe my teammates the best version of me right now,” he said. “I can’t be looking forward or I’ll trip on the rock that’s sitting right in front of me. I’ve got to be locked in on what’s right here.”

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Texas RT Williams back in lineup for CFP semi

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53 mins ago

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January 10, 2025

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Texas RT Williams back in lineup for CFP semi

  • Pete Thamel

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    Pete Thamel

    Senior College Sports Insider

      College Football Senior Writer for ESPN. Insider for College Gameday.

  • Jake Trotter

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    Jake Trotter

    ESPN Senior Writer

      Jake Trotter covers college football for ESPN. He joined ESPN in 2011. Before that, he worked at The Oklahoman, Austin American-Statesman and Middletown (Ohio) Journal newspapers. You can follow him @Jake_Trotter.

Jan 9, 2025, 02:44 PM ET

ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas starting right tackle Cameron Williams will return for the College Football Playoff semifinal against Ohio State on Friday, Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian said Thursday.

Williams suffered a right knee sprain in the playoff opener against Clemson. The injury forced him to miss Texas’ quarterfinal overtime victory over Arizona State.

A junior, Williams has played in 37 games in his career with 16 starts for the Longhorns. Williams is rated as the No. 28 overall prospect and fifth offensive tackle in ESPN’s NFL draft rankings.

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Sources: Georgia QB Beck enters transfer portal

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53 mins ago

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January 10, 2025

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Sources: Georgia QB Beck enters transfer portal

  • Pete Thamel

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    Pete Thamel

    Senior College Sports Insider

      College Football Senior Writer for ESPN. Insider for College Gameday.

  • Max Olson

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    Max Olson

    ESPN Staff Writer

    • Covers the Big 12
    • Joined ESPN in 2012
    • Graduate of the University of Nebraska

Jan 9, 2025, 03:24 PM ET

Georgia quarterback Carson Beck has entered the NCAA transfer portal, sources confirmed to ESPN on Thursday.

Beck had declared for the NFL draft on Dec. 28 but is now reversing course and will explore a transfer.

Sources told ESPN that Miami looms as the favorite for Beck and the timeline for his decision is expected to play out within a week.

While Miami is the favorite for Beck, a source said Beck’s camp intends to listen to all potential suitors for the best situation: “It’s a strategic thing, not an emotional thing,” the source said.

Beck, a two-year starter at Georgia, is currently recovering from surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing elbow after suffering the injury during the Bulldogs’ SEC championship victory over Texas.

Beck will not be able to throw until March, sources told ESPN, which would have complicated his NFL draft process and will likely force him to miss spring practice at his next school. Sources said the variety of feedback he got from the draft process led to this decision, as he changed his mind in the past 24 hours. He received advice that if he could return and wanted to, he should probably return and play another season in college.

A source said Beck received feedback that he could end up anywhere between the first and third round, with much of that uncertainty due to the fact that he would not be able to throw for a team in predraft workouts.

Despite that injury setback, Beck will immediately become the most coveted quarterback available as a late entry to the transfer market. While Miami looms as the favorite, there are other big brand teams that could jump out as suitors including Texas Tech and Notre Dame.

The 6-foot-4, 220-pound senior went 24-3 as the Bulldogs’ starter and was viewed as a potential No. 1 draft pick entering the 2024 season. He threw for 3,485 yards with 28 touchdowns and 12 interceptions this season and led Georgia back to the SEC title game.

Beck injured his elbow on the final play of the first half against Texas on Dec. 7. Renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache performed Beck’s surgery on Dec. 23 in Los Angeles.

“He wants to win,” said the source close to Beck. “He didn’t come back to get knocked out at halftime of a conference championship.”

Entering his fifth college season, Beck was viewed as a potential top-10 draft pick. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. currently considers Beck the No. 5 quarterback in his draft rankings.

Miami has not added a transfer quarterback this offseason to succeed Cam Ward, the potential No. 1 pick. They’ve quietly been canvassing the transfer market in recent weeks, per sources, as they have been set on bringing in a front-line starter who can produce immediately, much like Ward did.

Ward made a similar decision last January, initially declaring for the NFL draft but changing his mind and transferring to join the Hurricanes after he was unsatisfied with his draft feedback. Ward finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting in his lone season in the program after producing 4,313 passing yards and 43 total touchdowns.

On3 first reported Beck’s intentions to enter the portal.

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