9/13/10

CUTNPASTE: - Carlos Beltran, Rooting For Mets, Tim Leary, John Milner... and Ruben Tejada

Carlos Beltran:



link  - Neither Perez or Castillo are much worth fussing over, and it’s doubtful they’ll be missed no matter what the Mets decide to do with them. But how did Beltran get on everyone’s #### list? Granted, he’s been dead in the water since returning from knee surgery—in 50 games and 166 at-bats he’s hit just .235 with two home runs. But as we’ve had occasion to note, for the last several seasons Beltran can lay legitimate claim to being one of, if not the, best all-around players in baseball (and his .342 on-base average certainly indicates that he has some life left in him). Are the Mets simply looking for a reason to dump Beltran and his salary? ...Good luck replacing him next year. Our guess is that Beltran, like K-Rod, will be free agent over the winter. If either or both have anything left to offer, don’t be surprised to see them playing ball on the other side of town next season.


Rooting For Mets:


link  - I'm sick of people getting more upset about what's going on off the field than the game that's being played. Don't we all pay attention to this because of the game? If you want to follow what is going on outside of the game, fine. But once the game starts, root for your team. I'm not saying you have to have warm-and-fuzzy feelings about a mean person, but you probably wouldn't want them to strikeout instead of win the game. Even though Luis Castillo didn't join the Mets on their voluntary hospital trip doesn't mean I don't want him to get an RBI or make a good play in the field


Tim Leary:


link  - Cal State Northridge head coach Matt Curtis has announced the hiring of Tim Leary as the Matadors’ new assistant baseball coach. “I am excited to add Tim Leary to the Matador Baseball staff. I believe his track record of success at the collegiate and professional level as a player is unmatched among Division-I pitching coaches,” stated Curtis. “He’s earned great success at the collegiate level as a pitching coach in his time at UCLA and is a proven winner at every level. ”


John Milner:


http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/card-corner-john-milner - Originally drafted and signed by the Mets, Milner once seemed destined for glory. When the Mets first brought him to the big leagues in 1971, they envisioned him becoming the franchise’s first superstar hitter, filling a void created by the inconsistency of Cleon Jones and the ill-fated trade of Amos Otis. As a native of Atlanta, Milner embraced the nickname of “The Hammer,” an homage to the boyhood idol who originated the moniker, Hank Aaron. As Milner began to put up impressive numbers in the minor leagues, including .321 and .330 in his first two seasons, some within the Mets’ organization held high hopes that Milner could become a left-handed version of Aaron, hitting for both power and average while showing similar patience at the plate. In retrospect, those forecasts seem like wishful thinking, but at the time, they represented the desires of an organization desperately searching for its first great star.



Ruben Tejada


link  - Since his first season in rookie ball, Tejada has also eschewed the walk. He didn’t hit average walk rates in Single-, Double- or Triple-A. He also had a career ISO of .075 in the minor leagues (and flyball rate that fell as he advanced, which seems to predict little future power), so he kind of looks like a younger Castillo without the walks and a little better defense. The defense is the reason management thinks he is best candidate for this year, but the offense will limit him to a backup most likely. If only he walked more, or even had the exciting speed of Arias, he would have a secondary skill beyond defense and upside for more value.

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