The Mets may not have created enough sizzle this winter to even melt snow, but the team’s captain is on board with management’s vision.
“I’ve learned, don’t ever doubt Sandy,” David Wright told The Post on Thursday, referring to general manager Sandy Alderson. “Sandy comes in with a plan and sticks to his guns, and although sometimes it might be unpopular, he is going to stick with what he believes in.”
Wright, who arrived in Port St. Lucie, Fla., shortly after the new year to begin workouts, is continuing to manage the spinal stenosis that cost him most of the 2015 season and said he is feeling strong physically.
But there are also days Wright awakens and realizes he needs to rest his back, and he expects that will lead to him taking a prudent approach into the season. As for how many games he expects to play, the 33-year-old Wright indicated it’s too early to say.
Alderson has added free agents Asdrubal Cabrera and Alejandro De Aza this offseason and acquired Neil Walker from the Pirates for Jon Niese. The remainder of the Mets’ offseason shopping has consisted of re-signing Bartolo Colon and Jerry Blevins.
“There hasn’t been that kind of blockbuster, sexy deal, but I think all of the moves have been excellent baseball moves,” Wright said. “At the end of last year we had Kelly Johnson and Juan Uribe and we were interchangeable as far as being versatile and being able to give guys a blow here and there.
“You look at the infield with Wilmer Flores and Ruben Tejada, those guys can go play a bunch of different positions and you can go and mix and match those pieces, so I think that is very similar to kind of what we had at the end of last year, now with Cabrera and Neil Walker, who I think is one of the underrated players in the game.”
Wright said he trusts Alderson to make the right call on Yoenis Cespedes, who — as The Post reported last week — is still on the team’s radar if he is willing to accept a one- or two-year contract. But the expectation is Cespedes will receive a bigger offer that places him elsewhere. He reportedly received an offer from the Orioles on Thursday between $75 and $90 million.
“I don’t know what the situation is with Cespedes and the Mets, but I do know that Sandy has earned the right to make these type of decisions,” Wright said. “You can’t argue with the success he’s had in turning this organization from the bottom of the NL East to National League champs last year, so I have all the confidence in the world that he will make the correct decisions.”
Wright also discussed his friend Daniel Murphy’s departure to the rival Nationals, who signed the second baseman to a three-year contract.
“I’ve played against plenty of former teammates before,” Wright said. “I think [Murphy] might have a different feeling on it, but as far as I go, it’s just going to be two very good teams playing against each other.”
Wright spent much of December in Los Angeles to receive advice on his back from renowned specialist Dr. Robert Watkins and work with his physical therapy staff. The Mets’ physical therapist, John Zajac (who accompanied Wright to Los Angeles), is implementing the same routine for Wright in Port St. Lucie.
Last month, manager Terry Collins hinted the Mets may look to keep Wright on a 135-game schedule for 2016, but the third baseman said nothing has been discussed yet.
“I can try to guess,” Wright said. “But until I get into the grind of things and see how my body responds, my goal is to go out there and play as much as I possibly can, assuming my back feels OK.”