#Mets mailbag: Brodie Van Wagenen’s future under new ownership

What are the odds Brodie Van Wagenen will be replaced as GM with the ownership change? — @goredstorm

Just as Van Wagenen at the end of last season saw an opportunity to hire his own manager, the likelihood is strong that a new owner will want a handpicked GM, especially given that Van Wagenen isn’t established in the mold of a Brian Cashman or Theo Epstein.

But there are variables that would have an effect on such a potential change.

For instance, if a deal to sell the team isn’t finalized before the start of the offseason, would they really want to overhaul the front office and conduct a GM search at a time the Mets will be focused on addressing the roster? Also, if the Mets were to make a run deep into the postseason, would that give a new owner pause in instituting changes upon arrival?

There is also this factor to consider: The Mets’ power structure, as presently constituted, has Van Wagenen reporting directly to Fred and Jeff Wilpon. A new owner could very well decide to add another layer, with a team president who would oversee the entire organization and decide on the GM.

Van Wagenen will only be halfway through his four-year contract after this season. But a new owner paying upwards of $2 billion for the franchise likely isn’t going to worry about a potential buyout settlement.

I know I’m looking way ahead, but if Yoenis Cespedes is healthy and the DH is here to stay would the Mets bring him back? — @ChaseMonkey1

Cespedes has already returned to the Mets twice after he had opportunities to depart, so I wouldn’t rule out anything. But the Mets have so many options to fill that DH role — starting with Robinson Cano, who will be paid through 2023 — that the team might be better served using the possibilities already signed or under club control. J.D. Davis and Dominic Smith are two other bats that could factor into a future DH role. And if the Mets pick up Wilson Ramos’ option (or sign J.T. Realmuto) they would probably want to have that DH spot available once or twice weekly to keep the catcher fresh.

Let’s get a little dark for a minute. Who on this team has the potential to be the next Justin Turner or Jeff Kent? — @TheGHThree

The Mets didn’t realize what they had in Turner or Kent, both of whom were late bloomers. You could probably add Daniel Murphy to that list, although his 2015 postseason was an indicator that team brass ignored during his free agency.

On this roster, I can envision Dominic Smith getting lost in the shuffle, buried behind Pete Alonso and miscast somewhat as a corner outfielder. If the Mets traded him to a team that could give him 500 at-bats in a season, it would be interesting to see the final product. But the Mets are certainly more aware of Smith’s potential than what they had in players such as Turner and Kent.

What is the Mets’ ideal batting order? — Calvin Hill

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder when it comes to constructing lineups. In a vacuum, I would go Jeff McNeil, Pete Alonso, Michael Conforto, Yoenis Cespedes, J.D. Davis, Robinson Cano, Wilson Ramos, Brandon Nimmo and Amed Rosario. But the information the Mets have on pitchers will likely play a significant role in Luis Rojas’ daily decisions.

Has Brodie Van Wagenen mentioned anything about the state of the Mets’ farm system? — @jonjy36

Van Wagenen is bullish on the farm system, but his optimism mainly stems from the lower levels and the players who have entered the organization over the last two seasons. The Mets believe they hit the jackpot in the last two amateur drafts, adding higher-end players in Matt Allan, Brett Baty, Pete Crow-Armstrong and JT Ginn, but it’s early. Top prospect Ronny Mauricio is still probably two or three years away. Van Wagenen traded Jarred Kelenic, Justin Dunn, Anthony Kay and Simeon Woods-Richardson to address the present, but is still waiting for those deals to bear fruit.

Now that the schedule has been released, what is the Mets’ toughest projected stretch of the season? — @FoxxyFied5

Let’s go with the stretch that begins on Sept. 15 and concludes the regular season. The Mets will face the Phillies, Braves, Rays and Nationals over 13 games. All four of those teams project as playoff contenders. How fun would it be if the Mets arrived in Washington for the final four games with the NL East at stake?