The Mack Report – November 30, 2010

The Mack Report – November 30, 2010



Regarding the injury news on Fernando Martinez and Daniel Murphy... before someone starts writing that the Mets shouldn't have played either one of them, you need to realize that's what ballplayers are suppose to do. Play.

Martinez was put down for the end of the 2010 season with the same knee problems. Now, one game back, he now calls it "pain". Talent has nothing to do with a body breaking down. Some quarterbacks like Brett Farve can seem to play forever. Other's like Joe Namath, can't. Both had or has tremendous talent but Broadway Joe had to hang the cleats up much earlier that expected.



Michael G. Baron

 This reminds me of spring training a few years ago when some of us saw first hand the breaking down of Carlos Delgado. Those that were there knew his days were numbered, similar to last spring when some of us saw John Maine throw on the first day of pitcher/catcher reporting. This shit happens. It's sad, but it happens.

Murphy's problems seem less serious, but we'll hopefully find out more today. Either way, it's better to know you have problems now than a week before you break camp in Port St. Lucie.

One more observation before we move on to more prospect slotting...

I hope this entire process now shows all of you just how much the Mets need to draft, or sign, or steal a future catcher. Those of you that know me know that I am a big fan of Josh Thole; and I’m jumped on board the Kai Gronauer train, but beyond that, everything looks like steak knives to me. We have now picked the top 85 Mets minor leaguers and we have four catchers, two of which were picked only because of roster needs rather than talent. I’m still pissed the Mets didn’t choose Yazmani Grandal last draft and I light a candle every night they pick either Blake Swihart or Peter O’Brien this June; however, until then, this process will continue to expose the talent the Mets currently have on this position.


Continuing our prospect slotting…

86. SP Mike Antonini – I really have nothing against Mike. Well, yes I do… he turned off his Facebook account. Other than that, he’s just one of the thousands of SPs that throw in the 87-91 range and never get past AAA for anything more than a cup of coffee. Mike will start the 2011 season in the Buffalo rotation, but his only future as a major leaguer would be in the pen. Hopefully, the Mets give the guy a chance and begin the conversion during the season.

2011: Buffalo rotation or pen

2012: Mets pen or out of system

87. IF Justin Turner – 26/yrs. old - The Mets got lucky with this one last year. The Orioles dropped him from the 40-man to make room for a returning player and Omar scooped him up. Batted .333 for Buffalo last year after the pickup and should have been called up for a September cup of coffee, but wasn’t. Wanna say that cost Omar his job, but that would be a stretch. Move ahead a year and everything changes. Josh Satin moved up to AAA and there’s no place for this kid on the team. It would be rude to send him to Binghamton, and I can’t see him making Queens out of ST, so I’ll add him as a AAA utility player, if he signs.

2011: Binghamton

2012: Buffalo

88.1B Michael Fisher – 26/yrs. old – Another good Omar pickup, this one from Atlanta. Fisher’s a quality AAAA first baseman that could stick around for awhile now that Ike Davis has locked up the position in Queens. Hit .300 combined in 2010 for Savannah/St.Lucie/Binghamton, and I have him going back with the B-Mets come spring. He did ht .298 there in 57-Abs.

2011: Binghamton
2012: Buffalo

89. OF Juan Lagares – 22/yrs. old - It seems like Lagares was signed by Joan Payton. 2011 will actually be his 6th season in the Mets organization, and I don’t expect him to be lost in the Rule V. Had all kinds of Jose Reyes comparisons when he first signed, but that just didn’t happen. Finally hit well in his 4th season in Savannah (.300), but fell to .233 in St. Lucie.There’s a good chance he won’t be around, but I’d keep him as a 4th outfielder at Lucy. He’s still relatively young.
2011: St. Lucie

2012: Binghamton

90. SP Ryan Coultas – 29/yrs. old – The Mets quietly resigned Ryan Coutas less than a month ago. He’s been in the Mets organization for seven years, first as a shortstop, then a relief pitcher, closer, and, in 2009, a successful starter (4-3, 2.78, 11-starts) for Binghamton. Went down mid-season 2009 and was lost for the entire 2010 season. I never thought we’d see him back and it will interesting to see where and what he becomes after spring training. At 29, he obviously has no chance for the Mets rotation, so I’d put him back in the pen, first at Binghamton, to see if he can make his way back.

2011: Binghamton pen

2012: Mets pen or out of system



So… here’s what our rosters look like so far for the 2011 season, based on 2012 need:


Buffalo (17):

Rotation: (3) - SP Jenrry Mejia, Josh Stinson, Mike Antonini

Relievers: (4) – Manny Alvarez, Jose De La Torre, Roy Merritt, Michael O’Connor

Catchers: (1) – Mike Nickeas

Infielders: (5) – 1B/3B Eric Campbell, 1B/2B Josh Satin, 2B/SS Reese Havens, 2B/SS Jordany Valdespin, 3B Zach Lutz

Outfielders: (3) – Fernando Martinez, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Lucas Duda



Binghamton (23):

Rotation: (6) – Jeurys Familia, Robert Carson, Eric Beaulac, Mark Cohoon, Brandon Moore, Chris Schwinden

Relievers: (7) – Nick Carr, Brant Rustich, Brad Holt, Scott Moviel, Eric Turgeon, Rhiner Cruz, Ryan Coultas

Catchers: (2) – Kai Gronauer, Francesco Pena

Infielders (4) – 1B Michael Fisher, SS Rylan Sandoval, 3B Wilmer Flores, UT Matt Bouchard

Outfielders (4) – Sean Ratliff, Pedro Zapata, Rafael Fernandez, Carlos Guzman



St. Lucie (16):

Rotation (5) – Matt Harvey, Kyle Allen, Yohan Almonte, Collin McHugh, Jimmy Fuller

Relievers (4) – Eric Goeddel, Ryan Fraser, Michael Powers, Gabriel Zabala

Catchers (0) –

Infielders (2) – 1B Stefan Welsh, SS Robbie Shields, 3B Joe Bonfe

Outfielders (4) – Cesar Puello, Corey Vaughn, Matt den Dekke, Juan Lagares



Savannah (14):

Rotation: (3) – Greg Peavey, Chris Hilliard, Angel Cuan

Closer: (1) – Ryan Fraser

Relievers: (3) – T.J. Chism, Samuel Tavares, Nelson Pereira

Catchers: (1) – Albert Cordero

Infielders: (3) – 2B J.B. Brown, SS Wilfredo Tovar, 3B Aderlin Rodriquez

Outfielders: (3) – Darrell Ceciliani, Javier Rodriguez, Jenry Marte