Hi Mack,
I'm glad that you continue to write. I have a couple questions for you. I know you have been focusing mainly on the minors, but I am curious about your opinion.
1. I understand that Ike Davis is more valuable in a trade than Lucas Duda, but Ike's first half crushed his stat line and I think he would not be as valuable as he could be to trade this winter. That said, rumors are popping up that Duda will be the first basemen and Davis could get traded this winter. For the first time, the other rumors are Davis is not listening to coaches and he stays out too late. Usually if a player is a problem child, you hear about it, especially with Mets players, as they come up through the minor leagues. This is the first time I have heard that about Davis. What is the real story here behind the scenes? Did he snub Adam Rubin and now Adam is trying to run him out of town? I think Davis is a piece to keep - good defense, turned his offensive season around. I think missing most of last year and whatever virus he had in the spring affected him more than was let on by the him or the organization.
2. Who is running the ship in the minor leagues? It seems like no one can decide what a player's future role will be and stick with it. I get that players like Jenrry Mejia and Jeurys Familia "project" as relievers, but at such young ages, why jerk them around? I'd like to see Familia get a couple starts and if he gets pummeled, he gets pummeled. Robert Carson looks good out of the bullpen, after he failed as a starter. I say let Mejia and Familia fail as starters before converting them rather than shuffle them back and forth. The same goes for the position players. The organization refused to move Wilmer Flores off shortstop forever, and then they shuffled him all over the infield.
Any insight you have would be appreciated.
Thanks!
bt
Okay... off the record (lol) ... and just my opinion...
1. snubbing Adam Rubin would make him the Captain of both the team and the press pool. NO ONE likes Adam Rubin. The team hates him, the players hate him, and the other beat writers hate him. And, IMO, it is earned.
2. Is Adam Rubin a decent reporter? Yes, he is... in fact, he is the best because he's such a pain in the ass. You have to follow him on Twitter (as a fan ) if you want every ounce of Mets info out there every day... he sleeps 3-hrs a day and does this 21-7
3. Personally, IMO, he's an absolute creep... but, that's just me.
4. There is nothing wrong with Ike Davis. He started the season with a fever that robbed him of his strength. (I have a pretty extensive garden... so far this year, I have been stung twice by hornets bitten once by a brown recluse spider... I spent 3 trips to the hospital and was sapped of my strength for weeks). Now, he's on pace to hit 30/100...
5. IMO, Lucas Duda has no trade value whatsoever. This is the best you get... don't read anything into him playing first base right now. It's just showcasing for a possible off-season package deal. Remember, first base IS Duda's natural position.
(the real decision the Mets need to make is what to do with their two potential "future first basemen", Aderlin Rodriguez, and Wilmer Flores. Both of these project as 30/90 MLB hitters but are currently without a position)
6. Paul DePodesa runs the minors, but TC decides who gets called up. Alderson looks over everything, but let's his VPs make their moves. It takes Collins to promote someone like Carson (btw, I am wrong about this guy... he looks like he has the stuff to make it big as a MLB reliever), and then TC can use him however he wants, but he has to be sent back down before DePo gets his hands on him and sends him wherever. Then, the manager of that minor league team choices the role for the player.
BTW... nothing gets done at the minor league level... lineups, demotions, assignments... nothing,,, without the permission of Flushing.
Mack
(boy, glad this shit is off-the-record...)
8 comments:
This Ike Davis trade rumor might have some legs. They NEED outfielders... Good ones. Davis is a solid chip that might need to be explored. Like you said, the meta have some players who could fill his shoes and if 2013 is another wash(it is), Duda would fill in just fine. Ike, Mejia, and Gorski packaged together would certainly bring back a healthy couple of outfield prospects. The Mets can't afford to make this team better in any way other then to trade. Ike is a cheap and productive first baseman who gives excellent defense as well. Someone has to get this team winning by 2014, it can not become the Royals. The Red Sox HAD to trade Nomar, as much as it hurt, to win a championship. Unfortunately, David is the one who should be traded, but the Wilpons, I believe, won't have it. They think too little of their fan base and I'm sure would worry too much about loosing their face of it. Once David is gone, there's no need to keep Dickey. Trade him too, and suddenly, come 2014, this is an extremely cheap, young, competitive team.
Charles:
I've done the numbers...
The current Mets salary is $94.508, but that includes the releasing of Mike Pelfrey (no change on the books) Ramon Ramirez ($2.65), Andres Torres ($2.7) and Scott Hairston ($1.1mil) That nets out at a payroll level of around $88mil
At the same time, you want to resign Jon Rauch ($4.25), Kelly Shoppach, ($1.75mil) plus spend around $3mil in new ARB-1 increases… that brings the net payroll back up to $97mil.
Sandy Alderson says the Mets are going to “raise” the payroll to “around $100mil.” Was this Sandy-speak?, because I just don’t see where the money is going to come from to get the team a new top-line outfielder.
No, based on the current contract situation (Bay-Santana-etc.). The projected Mets outfield, minus any “outsiders” being added, will be:
2013: LF Jason Bay CF Kirk Nieuwenhuis RF Lucas Duda UT Mike Baxter UT Jordany Valdespin
2014 WILL BE A WASH...
That being said, the Mets do have two potential 'future' first basemen (Aderlin Rodriguez and Wilmer Flores) who can really hit the shit out of the ball.
Flores hit .300, 18/75 between AA/A+ and he just turned 21...
A-Rod hit .263, 24/83 between A/A+ and he's 20-yrs old.
You sell Davis for a real outfielder... play Duda at first for a year... replace him with Flores... yeah, I can see that
Mack -
Glad to see you writing again. Maybe the rumors are really a big decoy to get a better vibe around Duda? Maybe other teams (especially AL) start considering his potential more if the Mets view the diference between him and Ike as a deal breaker?
Ah fuck it, what am I thinking - these are the Mets. They'll trade Davis and Mejia for some washed up POS in hopes of selling 15 more tickets in 2013.
-ST
great to have you back Mack.
I'm not sure if everyone knows this, but the Mets, like many other teams, fired a lot of mid-range employees and replaced them with intern level people that spend a fair amount of their day reading everything everyone of us write about online. I have 18 of these employees following me as "friends" on my Google+ account.
There are no more big secrets in baseball. The internet has taken that away and we have become a free 1000 person scouting staff that you get an educated opinion from without having to supply a healthcare policy.
So far, I give Sandy Alderson close to a goose egg on FAs and trades. The Mets have the players to get themselves a new lease on life.
There are two players untouchable... Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler.
Everybody else is up fro grabs.
Anthony:
Thank you.
Just when I was about to unbookmark I see new stuff is up. Awesome. Any amount you are willing to put into the site is greatly appreciated Mack.
I'm ready for this team to get blown up this offseason with an eye towards 2014. As currently assembled they are terrible. Let next year be a growing period for harvey, wheeler, and some top OF prospects they can get in return for Wright and Dickey. If the return is that good for Neise, Davis, and Duda you can send them packing too.
Justin M -
Come join us in 'The War Room' on Sunday
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