Porter as GM and McCann at Catcher — Is Trevor Bauer Next?

I'm not gonna lie, I had no idea who Jared Porter was before the Mets hired him as the GM. Zero. Zilch. Nada.

Not that I expected them to hire anyone I knew, or anyone that well-known.  With Sandy Alderson as team president overseeing the whole enchilada, you figured the Mets would go the route of the young, up-and-coming executive who speaks fluent analytics and hopefully has had some success.

In that respect, Porter checks all of the boxes. He was in the Boston front office for three World Series titles and added a fourth ring with the Cubs. He was an executive Vice President and assistant GM of the D-Backs, and has worked his way into this opportunity with the Mets. Steve Cohen has to like what he sees.

Porter's hiring comes on the heels of the Trevor May signing and the Mets' expected signing of catcher James McCann, and those moves taken together seem to point in one indisputable direction.

Trevor Bauer is next.

Call it a gut feeling, and this is coming from someone who until now didn't really think the Mets were going to go in on Bauer, who will command a princely sum and who would be a polarizing presence in New York.

But take a look at what has happened. First start with May, who worked with pitching coach Jeremy Hefner in Minnesota. He is all about data and mechanics, two things that Bauer has built his surging career on. Bauer and his dad are like mad scientists compared to traditional pitching coaches. They make Rick Peterson look like a community college dropout.

Then look at McCann, whose offensive numbers are impressive but maybe not much more important than his defensive work. He has become an expert pitch framer and has earned high praise for his ability to handle a pitching staff. Now he gets to work with Jacob deGrom, Marcus Stroman, Noah Syndergaard... and possible Bauer.

Toss in a youngster like David Peterson and maybe a reborn Steven Matz — with Bauer, that is an incredible  group of starters. 

Porter's background and approach fit right in with this new Mets front office, and you know Cohen has made it a priority to drag the Mets out of the dark ages. What better way to signal that commitment than by signing Bauer?

And this doesn't take into account the bouquets that Bauer continues to toss in Flushing's direction. Sure, he may just be doing everything he can to market himself and drive the price up, but why wouldn't he want to join the club owned by the multi-billionaire rebuilding in New York?

George Springer is still there for the taking, too.

It's a weird feeling to be a Mets fan and think anything is possible. But here we are.

I can remember where I was for almost every big Mets trade or player signing. I've got a feeling I'll know where I'll be when Bauer makes his decision.