CUTNPASTE: -John Maine, Top 50 2010 Pitching Prospects, Jose Reyes... and Joe Daniels

Michael G. Baron

John Maine:


bleacherreport.  - Grade: F - Stats: (1-3, 6.13, 1.82) - After a few good years with the Mets, Maine struggled mightily this year. He will most likely be remembered for his disagreements with the coaching staff this year. He was called a “habitual liar” by pitching coach Dan Warthen. He did not pitch after being removed after throwing 5 pitches in a start on May 20th.

Top 50 2010 Pitching Prospects:

minorleagueball.  -  13) Jenry Mejia, RHP, Mets: Handled stupidly by the Mets, 4.62 ERA with 22/20 K/BB in 39 pointless relief innings in the majors, 46 hits. Posted 1.28 ERA in 42 minor league innings at four levels. I still like him despite these WTF decisions by the team.


33) Jon Niese, LHP, Mets: 4.20 ERA with 148/62 K/BB in 174 major league innings, 192 hits. He's not a star but I don't see any reason why he can't be a useful pitcher for a long time.



Michael G. Baron

 Jose Reyes:

 - Jose Reyes entered spring training 2010 hopeful to put his injury-riddled 2009 behind him and ready to unleash hell on the National League. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with a hyperactive thyroid gland in early March and doctors recommended stopping all baseball activities. Despite missing the final month of the preseason, he made his debut the first weekend of the regular season. Things didn't go so well that first month -- Jose's April slash line of .235/.295/.325 is a testament to that. However, if we play the arbitrary cutoff game, his line from May 11th (one month after his regular season debut) through the end of the season was a respectable   .295/.329/.458. I usually don't care for such discounting of a stretch of performance but I think it applies here. That first month was basically his own personal spring training. Jose had his worst offensive season since 2005, per rate statistics -- and still finished with the fourth best wOBA among qualified MLB shortstops. It's a nice reminder about positional scarcity and how hard it is to find productive hitters at premium positions.amazinavenue

Joe Daniels:

One of those Mets candidates could be Rangers GM Jon Daniels , whose team won Game 5 against the Rays last night. With the Rangers advancing in the playoffs to meet the Yankees , that could delay any interview, as it is unlikely Daniels would speak to the Mets with Texas in the American League Championship Series. Daniels, 33, is from Bayside, Queens, and despite his success getting the Rangers back to the playoffs for the first time since 1999, the draw of returning home could help the Mets. He also has an out in his contract that would allow him to leave, but it is believed the new ownership group will work very hard to keep him in Texas.