6/24/13

Ernest Dove - Should the Mets skip Syndergaard to the SHOW next year?

   
 Well, as far as I recall, the Mets have a 2 year contract with the Las Vegas 51s. Which means that our closest-to-being-ready prospects are stuck out in the Vegas heat for at least one more year next year.

    And what has this first years experience showed us?  Wheeler probably just had a better start in Atlanta then he did the first two months of year in Vegas.  Lagares hit lights out in Vegas, and has JUST NOW FINALLY been given a chance to play every day and get into a rhythm to at least hit over .200 for the Mets. Captain Kirk, minus one glorious game winner for the Mets, is back to contributing little for the team after belting homers nightly in the Vegas air.  Ike Davis...............Why even mention it?.......................Bottom line is that the hitters apparently put up numbers that don't translate to the majors, and the pitchers apparently are just told to try their best, pound the strike zone, and shake off the pop fly homers and screaming infield singles through that stuff they call dirt in the desert. So what to do with Syndergaard?


    After reportedly flirting with the idea of skipping Jack Leathersich and Rafael Montero straight to Citi field, they were both sent to Vegas for the second half of minors season. Montero has reportedly looked pretty good, but not as dominant as was in AA, and Leathersich has seemed to just run into some bad luck the first couple times out.


    So the Mets continue their organizational plan to keep everyone in the minors until the very last second of apparent observation and evaluation result in complete approval of readiness.  The knock on Wilmer Flores is that he can't seem to field anywhere, except maybe 2B, where Murphy continues to play.  Travis D remains unhealthy at the moment, and................well, that basically sums up the entire AAA roster of potential top tier prospects in the organization ready to get to Citi Field.


    Which leaves us with some 20 year old kid with a great arm, and similar hype and comparisons that Harvey and Wheeler had coming up.  So if we are going to use comparisons, lets try this one:  Harvey seemed bored in the minors, and the numbers were never dominating. Wheeler, after spending extra time lowing the Walk rates, still ended up in Vegas with below average numbers himself.  Yet, they are now both in the majors, already having put up better numbers in the majors then in the minors.


    Obviously, I'm assuming that Syndergaard will now get a half of season of AAA level experience, minus any possible pitch/innings count he may be on this year.  So what happens next year?  As we've seen with Wheeler, Familia, and Flores, the Mets have no problem keeping guys in the minors who already spent time at AAA level the year before.  Is it worth it?  Is it better for Syndergaard's development?


    My post is basically one big question to the readers today.  Mainly because the team is still struggling off and on, and outside of Harvey Day and the beginning of Wheeler, this is now my other passion and obsession. The makings of a 3rd great starter in the rotation.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Short Answer.....No.

Syndergaard will spend the remainder of 2013 in Binghamton. Based on his results there the next move will be Las Vegas in 2014 or repeat AA on the off unlikely chance he doesnt succeed right away.

The organization will wait until Late June/All-Star break to bring up Syndergaard to avoid service time like they did with Wheeler...as they should.

In reference to Leathersich...yea the guy's ERA is inflated at the moment but 10 K in 5 IP is still in line with his career norms. I'm not worried.

Mack Ade said...

I agree with Soto.

Rushing the 3rd guy that can throw 98-100 would be a bad thing.

opening day 2014 - Las Vegas - let him get the shit beat out of him a little before a call up like Wheeler this year

Michael S. said...

Mack and Soro are on it, Thor is on the same path as Wheeler albeit a year behind. Assuming he finishes the season strong in AA, he'll get the ST hype treatment a la Harvey in 2012 and Wheeler this year. He'll start in AAA and move up in the middle of the summer.

His development is key, as the Mets should have four very good pitchers (Harvey, Wheeeler, Niese, Thor) in the rotation for the second half of 2014. That means they'll need an arm to hold down SP5 and a placeholder for Noah until mid-June.

It would be nice if Montero could be part of the equation, but either he or Syndergaard will likely have to be dealt for an OF. Since he was acquired from Toronto, I've thought of the Mets Fab Four in their future rotation to include him.