Some Mets Observations – Mack Ade

I try to stick to the minors, but most of my writers aren’t putting much up right now, so I thought I’d jot down what’s going on inside my head. I guess we used to call this “I May Be Wrong, But…” 

1.     OF Jason Bay is simply swinging at anything. He has simply lost the ability to perform daily at a major league level; however, the Mets can’t put him on the bench and set the example of embarrassing a big contract. Decisions like this effect everyone on the team and Bay is a well-liked and respected member of the clubhouse. Simply put, this is your 2012 left fielder and the only chance of him becoming effective is to play him every day.

2.     SP Chris Young may be the temporary answer to the SP4/5 slot (depending where the Mets place Dillon Gee). There’s nothing exciting about him, but he seems to have the ability to give the Mets six good inning with three or less runs given up. Most teams would be thrilled with an SP5 with a 4.50 ERA.

3.     Props for Dillon Gee. He continues to prove you don’t need a blazing fastball to survive on the back end of the rotation. A Mack hat is tipped once again.

4.     The Mets need one good arm in the pen. It needs to be someone that could give the team a two-inning stint in the 6-7^th innings. This would allow a rotational 8^th inning staff followed by Frank2. Pedro Beato doesn’t seem to have advanced this far and Bobby Parnell just doesn’t command enough pitches for that role. Elvin Ramirez was not mentally ready and there is no one in AAA or AA ready for that pressure.

5.     Speaking of Bobby Parnell, it just isn’t there. The reason pitchers like Johan Santana are successful is the fact that they command at least three pitches with similar mechanics. Bobby doesn’t and, when things go bad, he goes back to his non-sink fastball. Have you ever hit in a batting cage? They’re all coming at you at the same speed and, by the 5^th or 6^th pitch, your brain has figured out the correct timing. That’s basically all you have to do with Parnell and his fastball doesn’t move enough to make it effective.

6.     I don’t think we’re going to see the Mets let Kirk Nieuwenhuis hit against many lefties this year. Their usage of him so far this season has created a viable Rookie of the Year candidate and I’ve changed my mind on this (as long as the team is competing for a wild card slot). Play him and Happy Hairston the same way you’re playing them now. Combined, they are one all-star.

7.     Speaking of Happy, this is the contract that’s needed to extend now. He is not going to play for $1.1mil next year. I can’t find a better utility outfielder than he would be for the 2013-2014 season. Give him $3.5mil over two years…now.

8.     There has been too much written about Ike Davis. Someone needs to sit him down, tell him he’s going to play every day, ask him to concentrate on the next pitch being thrown rather than worry about the one the ump just called, and get back to doing what he’s paid to do.

9.     I miss Omir Santos. I think the Mike Nickeas experiment has come to an end. Rob Johnson offers a better bat and Vinnie Rotino is your emergency third cather. I love the guy, he’s been kind to me, and I think he’s make a great minor league catching coach, but the Mets are going to need a better 25^th man on the roster.

10.              Don’t make an all-star trade to bring in someone in the Andres Torres level of ability. We know the Mets can’t compete right now money wise in the market. Fine. Play what you have and work on defensive skills during practice.