Podcast Summary: The Windup – Starkville | Will Sammon & Matt Gelb Talk About an Interesting NL East Offseason

Date: December 3, 2025
Hosts: Jayson Stark & Doug Glanville
Guests: Matt Gelb (Phillies beat writer), Will Sammon (Mets beat writer)

Episode Overview

This episode kicks off with Jayson Stark and Doug Glanville setting the stage for the MLB offseason, focusing on two headline-grabbing franchises in the NL East: the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets. Stark and Glanville bring on The Athletic’s top beat writers for each team—Matt Gelb for the Phillies and Will Sammon for the Mets—for a deep dive into how each team has approached the 2025 winter, the blockbuster roster decisions in play, and the underlying philosophies guiding their choices. Banter, hardball analysis, and some off-the-wall predictions round out a lively episode marked by inside knowledge and quintessential Starkville humor.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Mets Offseason: Aggressiveness, Bullpen Upgrades, and Market Messaging

• Devin Williams Signs with Mets (07:01)

  • Mets add Williams on a 3-year, $51M deal.
  • Will Sammon sees the move as both protection against losing Edwin Diaz and as leverage in Diaz negotiations:

    "David Stearns and his front office, they act very disciplined... they're pretty cognizant of not being used. Just because they're the Mets and they're Steve Cohen." (07:24, Will Sammon)

  • Williams willingly returns to New York despite previous challenges with the Yankees, signaling confidence and a unique mindset.

• Mets Out-duel Yankees (again) (09:00)

  • For the second winter in a row, a Yankees target (Williams, last year Soto) chooses the Mets, which Stark calls “possibly unprecedented in free agency.”

• Big Picture Strategy

  • The Mets are selective but aggressive, aiming at specific needs—particularly defense and bullpen depth—while refusing to be "held hostage" by player demands (see Alonso, Diaz).

2. Phillies Offseason: Patience, Loyalty, and Window Management

• No Major Moves Yet (14:43)

  • Phillies are in “wait-and-see” mode, prioritizing the re-signing of cornerstone free agents Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto.
  • Matt Gelb: "The Phillies told them, look, you want your free agency, that's great. Go to the market, go see what's out there, and when you're ready, come back to us." (15:10)
  • There’s an inflection point approaching at the winter meetings, where decisions will need to crystallize.

• Potential Fallout of Schwarber Leaving (16:49)

  • Both Sammon and Gelb doubt the likelihood of the Mets scooping up Schwarber, with Glanville humorously remarking:

    "I see another crack in the Liberty Bell if that does happen. I think they rush Independence Hall down there and destroy..." (19:17, Doug Glanville)

  • Schwarber's leadership presence in the clubhouse is especially highlighted.

• Team “Window” (21:01)

  • Phillies' success is "getting dicier," says Gelb, with core players aging but pitching prospects (e.g., Christopher Sanchez, Jesus Luzardo) and near-major-league-ready prospects expected to infuse needed youth.

3. Bullpen Evolution & Possible Overcorrection

• Bullpen as a Litmus Test (28:03)
  • Both teams are eyeing major bullpen adjustments.
  • Mets "finally have a right-handed reliever they can trust" in Williams, but have "a lot of work to do" for depth (29:34, Will Sammon).
  • For the Phillies, it's about "throwing darts" and creating middle-inning depth, especially from the right side, while still searching for key outfield and third-base solutions.

4. The Brandon Nimmo–Marcus Semien Blockbuster

• Trade Analysis (33:35)
  • Nimmo to Texas for Semien is viewed as a “culture message” from Mets' David Stearns:

    "David Stearns is going to stop at nothing for what he deems is the best course of action for the Mets... If it required parting with a pillar of your franchise, so be it." (33:35, Will Sammon)

  • Defensive upgrades are at the forefront, with a willingness to make unpopular moves for foundational change.

5. Outfield Uncertainty and Prospect Hopes

• Mets Outfield Remains Fluid (35:41)

  • Team is reluctant to immediately commit long-term to another veteran, wanting to keep lanes open for prospects like Carson Bench, with trades and mid-tier signings considered more likely than headline free agents.

• Phillies’ Outfield: All Bets Are Off (37:36)

  • No set starters in early December—a rarity for a first-place club.
  • Justin Crawford may be a key part of the mix; Nick Castellanos likely on his way out; the market for right-handed bats and platoon partners for Brandon Marsh is limited.

Memorable Quotes & Notable Moments

• On the Mets’ culture shift:

  "When they want their guy, they're going to do what it takes to get him." (10:22, Will Sammon)

• On Schwarber’s Leadership:

  "Wherever he goes, he brings this X-factor to a clubhouse... It's just who he is." (19:17, Doug Glanville)

• On the Mets’ willingness to part with franchise favorites:

  "We're not going to be held hostage here for sentimental purposes. We're going to do what's best for our club." (35:01, Will Sammon)

• On Ohtani's impact (Dugout segment):

  "There is no end. There's no limit to what he thinks is possible." (51:47, Doug Glanville)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [04:05] – Winter Meetings preview; introducing Gelb and Sammon
• [07:01] – Mets sign Devin Williams; bullpen strategy and leverage on Diaz
• [11:12] – Discussing Williams’ “worst career moment” against the Mets
• [14:43] – Phillies off-season inertia, waiting on Schwarber and Realmuto
• [16:49] – Mets interest in Schwarber and potential Philly fallout
• [21:01] – The Phillies’ “window,” aging core, and the need for youth
• [28:03] – Bullpen overcorrection: Mets and Phillies strategies
• [33:35] – Nimmo–Semien trade; defensive upgrades for the Mets
• [35:41] – Outfield outlooks: Mets prospect plans & Phillies’ uncertainty
• [40:29] – Off-the-wall predictions: Buxton to Mets? Diaz to Phillies?
• [45:14] – The Dugout: Doug’s favorite 2025 baseball memories, Ohtani awe
• [56:02] – Listener questions: Inherited runner ERA fairness
• [61:36] – Listener questions: Hall of Fame induction trip tips

Dugout Segment – Doug Glanville’s Storytime: The Year in Baseball and the Ohtani Experience

[45:43]

Doug reflects on a year full of storylines, highlighting the Dodgers’ World Series run and marveling at Shohei Ohtani’s near-singlehanded performance in the NLCS:

"He took us back to Little League, you know, in like the best way you can imagine. The kid on the team that's just better than everybody else... except the NLCS in 2025." (47:00, Doug Glanville)
Jayson summarizes Ohtani’s impact as “redefining what we think is possible” (49:55) and the two agree no one in sports compares.

Lightning Round: Free-Agent Wild Cards

[40:29]

• Will Sammon: Byron Buxton as a bold fit for the Mets outfield (“makes them so much more athletic”)
• Matt Gelb: Off-the-wall: Phillies sniping Edwin Diaz for a 1-2 bullpen punch with Jhoan Duran (42:33)

Listener Mailbag

[56:02]

• Debates ERA credit for inherited runners; calls for more sophisticated stats, with Stark sharing insight from official scorers.
• Induction Weekend in Cooperstown: Stark’s “pro tips” on traveling, housing, and soaking up the baseball magic.

Takeaways & Episode Tone

• The episode is both analytical and playful, rich in NL East intrigue and in-depth reporting.
• Stark and Glanville balance deep-dive analysis with personal storytelling and listener engagement.
• Sammon and Gelb provide rare candor on clubhouse culture, front office strategies, and the delicate art of “balancing windows” in team building.
• The show closes with a strong sense of baseball’s ongoing drama—on and off the field, from youth to Hall of Fame.

Final Thoughts

This episode is required listening for any NL East fan or follower of the MLB hot stove. The hosts and guests deliver both big-picture vision and granular detail, tracking the chess match between the Phillies and Mets while showcasing what makes baseball’s offseason debates so endlessly compelling.

Notable Quotes Recap:

• "There is no end. There's no limit to what he thinks is possible."
  — Doug Glanville, on Shohei Ohtani (51:47)
• "We're not going to be held hostage for sentimental purposes. We're going to do what's best for our club."
  — Will Sammon, on the Mets' offseason strategy (35:01)
• "It's getting dicier. I don't think there's any way around it."
  — Matt Gelb, regarding the Phillies' aging core and the competitive window (21:01)