Mack Ade – AM Report – 8-26-13 – Draft Order, Mike Scioscia, Nimmo/Cecchini/Smith, Detroit Tigers
2014 Draft Order – 1 – Houston 86, 2 – Miami 80, 3 – CWS 75, 4 – Cubs 75, 5 – Brewers 73, 6 – Toronto 73, 7 – Giants 72, 8 – Twins 72, 9 - Padres 71, 10 - Angels 71, 11 – Rockies 71, 12 – Phillies 71, 13 – Mets 70, 14 – Seattle 70
We’re back to the protected pick race. On a given night, 15 teams lose every night so it’s just not easy to climb this mountain, especially when there are 12 teams with more loses than you have at this point in the season. The good news… eight of them have three or less ‘more loses’ and are easily catchable in this race of losers. We’ll keep this up-to-date each morning in the report.
Jon Heyman on Mike Scioscia -
One baseball official with another team, who also is convinced one or the other will go, said he believed Scioscia's standing gives him an ever so slight edge, with the caveat that Scioscia is apt to go into an end-of-year meeting with "guns blazing" and not give a care about the repercussions. (An easier tact to take when you have five years to go at $5 mil per, of course.) Meanwhile, Scioscia's well-known "my way or the highway'' style has worn thin in trying times with some team officials, not just Dipoto. One Angels person said there is at least one high-ranking club executive who wanted Scioscia gone after last year. Ken Rosenthal of Foxsports.com reported two weeks ago that "tension persists" between Scioscia and Dipoto, and it isn't getting better. http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/jon-heyman/23287160/while-dipoto-or-scioscia-will-lose-angels-blame-game-owner-is-far-from-clean
Michael Scannell asked – Re: Nimmo/Cecchini/Smith -
I'm really warming to the first two. I initially liked the Nimmo pick (didnt love it because I was disappointed that Springer didn’t fall to us) and hated Cecchini. Smith I thought was decent. With all three now performing well, any chance the Mets move them together so they become familiar with each other and build camaraderie as they move up?
Mack – Michael, right now, I agree with you that all three of these guys look like good picks, though none are showing the kind of pop one would hope for from a first round everyday player. Cecchini is a singles hitter, period. That’s what you get here and he will also shine defensively. Nimmo is not a home run hitter and his bat projects, at best, like another Daniel Murphy. I think there is a good chance that the two of these guys will play together in St. Lucie next spring, but you’re not going to see Smith make that kind of jump. In fact, he’s be lucky to play Savannah. There’s a bunch of bodies ahead of him (Oberste, Sanchez, Leroux, Mathieu), none of which project out as a prospect, but they are in the way and will come first.
I lost a day here with my computer problems so excuse me if I go back and bring up the Tigers. This three-game series is a perfect example of how far our team is away from being a viable contender. Now THAT’S a lineup… and do you notice that no one goes on camera and says they are getting tired? The Tigers are not in a race for the pennant… they are racing for the win in the World Series and they will all sleep the day after the last game they play. We’ve seen some nice additions on the Mets this year, but there is no way in hell can the current Mets compete with a team like this. And, if you think whatever moves Sandy Alderson does before the 2014 season will create parity with teams like the Dodgers and Tigers, well, you are sadly mistaken. We’ll get closer, but will still be far away until this team commits big bucks to big hitters (buy, what a stupid idea that is, right?). Somebody on ‘The War Room’ was saying that one of the Tigers looked so big and he probably was taking drugs. That’s funny, I thought three or four of them were that big, but it’s not drugs that got them that big. It’s just brute power backs by good contracts. What a novel concept. Yeah, don’t trade for Tulo… he costs too much and gets injured… yeah, why add 30-85 to the lineup every year. Folks, if you want to compete with teams like the Tigers, stock your roster with players like the Tigers. This isn’t rocket science.
My computer was down most of the day causing an abbreviated report this morning. My apologies.
12 comments:
Some sanity - "if you wanna compete with the Tigers, stock your roster with players like the Tigers."
I don't get it Mack, the Mets have been slowly building a foundation and now that the team has young pieces contributing, a ton of money coming off the books, and depth to trade from, some fans want to continue to cheap out and act like the New York Rays. I feel like some fans are suffering from Wilpon Stockholm Syndrome.
I know pitching is extremely important, but there has to be a balance with offense. Hitting "just enough to win" doesn't cut it. KC has the 2nd best ERA in the AL and they're going to miss the playoffs, even with two wild cards.
I think Wilpon Stockholm Syndrome is less the culprit than Bay-Bonilla Botulism or Perez Paralysis. for the nail biting faithful.
Spend money certainly, and this winter. But I would prefer shorter term deals with Beltran or Choo than 6-year commitments to Ellsbury or Tulo. Now when OUR guys hit FA, it’s a different story. OK, I’m fraidy-scared.
You can't compare Perez, that was a bad signing and everyone knew it. With Bay and Bonilla, sure there are bad acquisitions, but Hernandez, Cartet, and Piazza worked out just fine. If we always focus on the negative, we'll be paralyzed into doing nothing. Ellsbury and Tulo are elite talents in the prime of their careers. Beltran would be a solid addition for a couple of years as well. Lets be bold, let's add both - short term contributor and long term superstar.
Fans might not be worrying about the Wilpon's pocketbooks, but being gunshy about adding any talent that might be expensive plays right into their hands.
Harvey, Wheeler, Niese, Syndergaard, Flores, Wright, d'Arnaud, and Lagares will cost $28 M next year. That's 8 of 13 core slots locked up for under $30M. The Mets can afford to take a couple of chances and treat themselves to something nice. If they can pay Francisco, Bay, and Santana over $45 M to not play, they can take a chance on a $20M star.
" Ellsbury and Tulo are elite talents in the prime of their careers."
Micheal, for how long will they be elite? That's the problem I have with this kind of deals. I dont mind giving Wright the deal he got last winter because he has been a Met his whole career.
That $45M should be reinvested in Jose Abreu, Stephen Drew, Granderson and Buck. Don't lose a single prospect or draft pick in the process. Keeps the rotation strong until they need to make a move.
Keith, Kid & Piazza were, of course trades, which are a part of the game I enjoy seeing played. I don’t think I even considered payroll in the glee of their acquisition. Santana too, I recollect.
But I was nugatory on the Bay signing and even squeamish on Holiday (who had just played a fly ball off his stomach to lose a NLDS game to the Dodgers). Wanted to spend that year on Chapman (and Mark DeRosa for some godforsaken reason).
So I hear you, Michael, and will mull the price/value equation over a Cargo and his 4x16M carrying charges and nod with appreciation if we land a homonymic Choo, Drew & Abrieu crew (my choice over a 6-yr Ellsbury deal or even Tulo at 6x19M).
Granderson will have a pick tied to his signing. The Yanks certainly will offer him salary arbitration knowing that he could easily beat the offer on the free agent market.
We're not getting Abreu and adding Drew and Granderson will ensure mediocrity. The Mets may or may not compete for the playoffs with those two. Or, they could be a bit more bold and become WS contenders - that's not hyperbole. I'd rather root for a title contender, we've been patient enough.
Hobie, I see getting Tulo just like Mex, Carter, and Piazza. I think he and Ellsbury will be worth the deals for almost the life of the contracts. I'm assuming Ellsbury gets 5 years. Tulo might lose a step at SS, but he's signed until he's 35, not 40.
I would be alright with Choo over Ellsbury if that's what it came to. But, the Mets need run production in the middle of the lineup and there aren't a lot of options.
Look, I wish the Mets were in a position where they were developing young hitters or had traded for a Wil Myers or Mike Trout before they blew up. But, they didnt. The team has a small window where their young pitching will be cheap and they can afford a couple of expensive chances on the offensive side.
Mack - On Nimmo. I think you are selling the kid short. I think he will be better than Daniel Murphy, more like Alex Gordon or Nick Markakis.
If they Yanks are trying to get under the Luxury Tax, can they really afford to offer Granderson a qualifying offer and have him accept it. If they are able to resign Cano, they still have to resign Kuroda. They are gonna need another starter and a bullpen arm. I just don't see them signing Cano and having another $14M sitting around for Granderson.
I like Murphy... I thought I was paying Nimmo a compliment.
Did I say something wrong?
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