MLB Twitter reacts to New York Mets General Manager's strange comments on diversity of skills on the bench: "This guy might be an a****le"

New York Mets general manager Billy Eppler recently spoke about maintaining a strong diversity of skills on the bench. Eppler made it clear that he wants to have a balanced roster that is strong offensively and defensively, without sacrificing either department. This is a solid plan in theory, but his phrasing of the concept was strange, to say the least.

Eppler has been the general manager of the Mets for two years now, and has been given all the tools he needs to succeed. With almost unlimited funding from the organization, he has the ability to shape the roster as he sees fit. For him, that means having a lot of different skillsets available at his disposal.

Talkin' Baseball shared an awkward quote from Eppler. The statement was made while explaining why Tim Locastro will be on the Opening Day roster.

Outside of the reference to the "big hairy guy," this concept does have merit. Defense may no longer be as vital as it once was, but it is not a part of the game that can be overlooked. However, presenting it in such a simple way has made New York Mets fans wonder if he has thought through the larger implications.

Willingly having an offensive liability on the roster for his defensive abilities is not something we see much in the modern MLB. With dominant rivals like the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies, having a strong defense is not a bad idea. Both teams can score in bunches, so the New York Mets need to slow them down.

Billy Eppler has put together a strong roster, but not all fans are giving him the benefit of the doubt just yet. Some believe these comments are targeted at players on the team, which could cause some friction.

There is no perfect formula for building an MLB team, but prioritizing defense over offense in 2023 is zigging while everybody else zags.

Has Billy Eppler turned the New York Mets into a championship-caliber team?

Pittsburgh Pirates v New York Mets

The Mets have been a playoff team for years now, but they need to take the next step and compete for a World Series title. Billy Eppler has made some great additions, notably Justin Verlander and Kodai Senga this offseason. Retaining Brandon Nimmo was also a great move to help the team's offense.

The New York Mets appear to have gone all-in this season and need the roster to perform at the levels fans hope it can.