Jonah Tong, Nolan McLean, and Brandon Sproat on the state of the Mets

New York Mets pitchers Jonah Tong, Nolan McLean, and Brandon Sproat discuss the state of the organization at the Mets annual holiday party.

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What is this season like for you? What is this party party like? >> This is unbelievable. I mean, >> I didn’t really know I was doing it, but it’s been a lot of fun, honestly. Just seeing kids smile. It’s it’s awesome. >> What does the holiday season mean to you? >> Um, it means a lot. I mean, usually it’s it’s time to spend with family and um usually in a baseball season you don’t get that much time with family, so it’s good to just be able to hang around the family as much as possible. >> When you see these eyes light up today, how does that make you feel? That makes me feel very special inside. I mean, it’s it’s really cool um that that little amount of time in our day can make someone’s day as well. Know when Batty and Alvarez all came up, they were kind of linked together. Getting to do this with the two other pitchers that you’ve been linked to. What does that mean for you guys? >> I don’t know who Nolan is. I’m just an elf. Um, [laughter] no. But we got a we got a special group with the Mets and it’s it’s cool to um it’s cool to be around all the guys every single day and just try to push each other to be better. >> How did the uh WBC thing come about? >> Yeah. Um I got an invitation a couple weeks ago and I was super stoked um to receive that and just the opportunity to represent my country um just means the world to me. >> Were you surprised eight starts in the majors to get the invitation? Did that surprise you? >> Yeah, I was. Um, I was very very surprised, but I think they kind of figured it’d be something I’d be passionate about and ready to do. So, >> the moves >> the organization’s made this winter, what anything strike you? >> Um, I mean, I don’t know too much like dayto-day. Um, I know David’s trying to put the best team together that he can to help us win games and I mean, we trust him to do that. >> What do you know about Marcus Simeon? I haven’t gotten to meet him yet, but I’ve heard he’s a great dude. So, it’ be awesome to have him in the clubhouse. >> What’s your message to the fans who are disappointed that they’ve lost a lot of the core Mets and a lot of their favorites. >> Yeah, I mean, it’s it’s baseball at the end of the day. Um, and I think we got a really good group getting put together right now. Um, and it just just keep supporting the Mets and we’re going to be really good. >> How does the form of personality of Pete and Brandon change out? Yeah, I mean it’ll obviously be different without those guys, but I think we got so many great human beings on the team that um we’ll be okay. Um we love those guys to death and we’re happy for them and their families and we hope that and we pray that it’s the best thing for them. >> Do you embrace the pressure that comes with being linked as one of the arms of the future for this team? >> Yeah, I mean I know it’s cliche, but pressure is a privilege to just be able to go out there and compete on the highest level um in front of an awesome fan base. It just it means the world. >> How much first starts at the end of the season last year give you confidence going into spring training this year? >> Yeah, I definitely get confidence from it, but at the end of the day, I can’t I can be better. Um there’s a lot I need to work on um to to be able to do it through a whole season. It was it was a short small sample size, so I’d like to be able to prove I can do it for a whole season. >> What is your offseason routine? Do you do long toss a few times a week when you start pitching off a bomb? Um, yeah. I mean, I I started throwing pretty early. I only took about a week off of throwing and then lots of weight training to make sure my my body’s built up to throw off the mound. I’ve been off the mound for a couple weeks now. >> What is the What is the focus for you just going into spring training? >> I think just landing all of my pitches more consistently, getting more confident in my off speed pitches. Um, >> and then just the ability to throw in any count. Did you guys have a good >> How much did the experience of last year make a difference as you go forward to this spring training? >> Yeah, I mean I think it makes a big difference just getting that under my belt and getting it almost out of the way to an extent to where I can realize what I need to work on. Um because it is everybody’s really good in in the big leagues and um I showed some times where I was really good and sometimes where I got a lot to work on. So I think it’s it’s good to reflect on that and have have a plan going into the offseason. Can you talk about how special today was for you to be a part of it? So much fun. Uh be able to give back to these kids jackets for you and support us and then be able to get back and support them. The looks on their face. >> It’s awesome. Means the world with a brand new winter jacket. >> Uh this is a first for me. I don’t know how I look in it, but I do right now. We’re going to start dismissing, >> but it’s it’s pretty warm. So, >> we’re going to ask you to start getting your jackets on. The first school that’s going to go will be PS1 171Q so you guys can start getting your stuff together and I’ll let you guys know when to start going. >> Yeah, I mean we’ve all three of us have come up together and that’s it’s super fun. You build build a close bond with each other and be able to be here with each other. It’s it’s super fun. Um the the friendships that we’ve made uh it’s been great. >> Thank you guys. >> Thank you guys. >> And how much you pay attention? Obviously you guys are coveted because you’re so young and you just have so much talent, but your names are always popping up in rumors. How much do you pay attention to that during the offseason? >> I honestly I honestly really don’t look at it if I’m being honest. So >> how are you dealing with the with the loss of some teammates who were shipped away? >> You know, I mean it it stinks, but that’s part of the game. Uh super happy for them. You know, I wish them nothing but the best. Do you think the three of you guys can be the core going forward for this rotation? >> Yeah, absolutely. I mean, even though we’re young, I mean, >> it’s we I think we bring a lot to the table. So, >> what did it mean to you to be not just for you to come up last year and do it, but to watch, you know, guys you knew Mlan from PS >> and Jonah have some early success? >> Yeah. I mean, watching Mlan’s outing on his debut, that was that was incredible. We were all in the locker room watching it, jumping up and down, screaming, especially after the behind the behind the back grab uh to get out of the inning. Um you know, watching Jonah and his outing, you know, he threw threw amazing and just, you know, screaming for him through the TV. Just watching those two have success when, you know, coming up here, it’s it’s it’s super awesome to see. Um you know, all all the work that they’ve put in that nobody sees, it it has it’s paid off. So, >> it was only a few starts for you, but what was the biggest takeaway for you, you know, with that experience going into the offseason and into spring training? >> Yeah. Um, obviously, you know, super blessed to be able to debut last year, you know, it’s been my my lifelong dream. Um, so just just going out there and just soaking all soaking it all in. >> Um, and then just taking cues away from it and going into the offseason, working on those. Um, you know, there’s a there’s always something that that you can work on, you know, whether it’s, you know, the mental side or the the phys physicality or, you know, pitches. So, I mean, I think there’s a little bit of everything that you can take away from it. >> PS 171Q, thank you guys for coming. You guys will be heading out. >> I talk to them every day. >> Whether it’s baseball or not baseball, we’re always communicating. >> There’s a great friendship there. So, group talk about the field. Make sure you have all your toys, all your >> video games, golf. I mean, you you name it. >> Is it a group chat with just the three of you? >> Uh, no, not really. It’s just kind of just separate text here and there. Sometimes it’s a group chat. >> Jonah, I couldn’t help but notice throughout that whole gift giving thing you the smile. I know you were always smiling, but it just seemed extra wide to What did it mean for you to be up there? >> Uh, everything. It kind of reminds me when I was a little kid. Uh my dad used to have office parties like this all the time and like you know growing up uh and just seeing how like these kind of like events can like really impact kids or it’s it’s everything for us and uh it’s just really cool being on on the other side of it. >> And to be with your other two teammates that you’ve been linked to for the Mets future as far as pitching. What does it mean for the three of you to be together in an event like this? >> Um awesome. I think it’s I think it’s a really uh cool opportunity for everyone to see us all all together. Uh, I really enjoy those guys and uh really looking forward to it. >> The next school that’ll be getting ready to go will be PS239. Do we have all the students from PS239? >> It made me feel like I was back in their shoes when I was a kid. >> Make sure you have your coach >> patient like oh my gosh, I’m saying your presence. >> But yeah, it’s really cool. >> What about the fact that you’ve lost some of the teammates that you were with late in the year? Uh, how do you deal with that? >> Um, I mean their their presence can be missed 100%. Um, and it it also um it’s a really cool opportunity for their families and I’m really really excited to see what they do next. But I think we got a lot of really cool uh and talented people come here as well. So it’ll be really really cool. >> Does you think the three of you could be a part of the core going forward as far as the rotation is concerned? I think that we’re going to go out there and uh do everything we’ve done in the past and just, you know, let baseball control what’s the realization come that fan base or you guys are happy. >> Vinnie, how we doing? >> All right, PS239, we can start heading out. Thank you guys for coming. Have a happy holiday. to see you guys later. Great job today. >> Hope you guys had a lot of fun. >> Was just, you know, seeing good and bad and then uh just going to regular offseason prep and realizing uh areas I need to improve and um like that. It’s not not as complicated as before, but uh it’s definitely my favorite part of the year. >> Your favorite part? Uh the options and just really like taking a deep dive and seeing everything. You get a get a really cool moment for life. >> Is there anything in particular that you anticipate working on, you know, heading into spring training? Yeah, I think um there’s some pitches. Uh I think there’s some uh aspects of the game that I think I’m gonna try to work on, but as of right now, I’m just really excited to get down. >> How how important was that just kind of getting your feet under you a little bit in the major leagues, just getting that experience heading into next year? >> Yeah, it’s it’s it’s awesome. I like again I’ve never been never been here, so it’s really cool to actually step foot on that mound. And u the revol revolution starting again. Uh, it varies. I think it’s just kind of listening to my body and then going from there. >> But this year, >> just a couple different >> being a part of it with Nolan and Brand. What does that mean to you two, you know, two guys that you know? >> Yeah, they’re great. Uh, I mean, they’re they’re some of my closest teammates and friends off of you as well. And um, you know, again, just to be here with them is is awesome, especially just, you know, everybody coming in from outside of town and stuff like that. you being what is it like? >> Yeah, I mean the that’s that’s the goal, right? And I think we we’re going to put ourselves in a really good spot next year to to be there and looking forward to being actually part of it. >> Any of the moves they made so far resonate with you? Honestly, uh I’ve just been really getting focused on getting ready uh for spring training and