Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Hi. Are you still mad that the Mets didn't call up Peter Alonso this September? Well, Alonso will be at Citi Field Wednesday to accept the Sterling Award as a top minor leaguer in the organization, so it seemed like a good time to close the book on this manufactured controversy.

Two weeks ago, subbing for me on the Shea Anything podcast, former Mets and Braves exec Adam Fisher explained why an Alonso callup would have been reckless and irresponsible. Alonso doesn't need to be put on the 40-man roster yet, and roster spots are precious. I wanted to write down and publish Fisher's detailed answer.

The upshot: A September Alonso cameo would have cost the Mets either one of their own prospects, or the chance to sign a free agent. You wouldn't really want that, now would ya?

Here's Fisher:

There's another factor that goes in with the playing time, and that's 40-man roster management. Right now, they are at 39 players out of 40 who are healthy or on the 10-day disabled list. Then they have another eight players who are on the 60-day disabled list, and they don't count against the 40-man roster.

So essentially they're at 39 players, but there are 47 players they are taking into the offseason. They only have five free agents … Those five only take them down to 42 heading into the offseason. There is no 60-day in the offseason, so Yoenis Cespedes, David Wright … everyone has to be on the roster.

Then they have to start to cut guys to get under 40. They're going to want to add players in their own system who are eligible for the Rule 5 draft, unlike Peter Alonso.

So basically, you're looking at having to take some guys off the roster, and there's some easy choices. You're looking at Drew Gagnon, maybe Chris Flexen, Rafael Montero, Jack Reinheimer, P.J. Conlon. Those are five guys right there that would take the Mets to 36. If you added [Eric] Hanhold, that would leave you at 37.

So you'd only have three spots to add free agents, heading into the offseason, without cutting even further into your 40-man roster … Fans who are upset that they lost Chasen Bradford last offseason cannot be upset that they didn't add Peter Alonso for September.

Word.

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