Hot Stove - Buster Olney report that there will be changes in the Colorado Rockies front office… LAD’s OF Matt Kemp will not be activated for the post season. An MRI on Sunday ruled him out… Per Buster Olney, Yankees manager Joe Girardi will be demanding much more than the $3mil he was paid this season... Nelson Cruz activated for tiebreaker game
Consider this an extension of yesterday’s ‘War Room’ discussion.
The Mets could play their cards right this off season and have this be the last time they have to overspend for medium-grade free agents. In their world, the only player worth $20mil a season in David Wright. That’s fine, but the odds of you building a successful team through draft picks is high.
Carlos Beltran, Nelson Cruz, and Marlon Byrd and perfect examples of players that are going to cost around $12-15mil for at least 2-years. It doesn’t matter if they are worth it; what matters is the going rate for players at this age and talent level.
If the Mets have the money… and it’s not coming out of mine or your pocket, why does everyone care if the Mets sign two of these guys in the off-season? You table the need for a new outfielder until 2016.
I don’t want to keep beating a dead outfielder, but this kind of scenario even leaves you enough money to go get yourself a new shortstop or SP5.
I don’t get it.
Ben (Leland Grove): Chris Flexen has put together some amazing lines this season, so I was surprised not to see him higher on your list. I know he's repeating the league, but do you believe he is just not as good as his numbers indicate? Thanks.
Clint Longenecker: Flexen has a solid stuff but posted such a strong statistical season because of his advanced pitchability for the level, according to evaluators. He pounded the strike zone (1.57BB/9IP), and his ability to throw his breaking ball for strikes was a big separator that confounded young hitters. Evaluators want to see how he fares against more advanced hitters. To him repeating the league, he made real adjustments this year that enabled his success. He really took to second year Mets pitching coordinator Ron Romanick's throwing program and made big mechanical adjustments. His progress was real, and he gets glowing reports on his competitiveness and work ethic.
Aaron Bauer (Atlanta, GA): Why is Chris Flexen ranked so low? He had a great bounce-back season from his debut last year. Does he still project to be a starter even if he is ways away?
Clint Longenecker: Given his command and ability to throw multiple offspeed pitches for strikes, Flexen fits the profile of a backend starter, and that is the way the Mets will advance him throughout the next few years. http://www.baseballamerica.com/chat/?1380197414
Russell (Long suffering Mets fan): What's your view of Champ Stewart's potential?
Clint Longenecker: Stuart has impressive speed, at least 70 grade on the 20-80 scale, and an age arm. Just physically, some in the league said that his body looked like Austin Jackson. He is a pull hitter that struggled to make contact (31 K rate). A lot of his development comes down to the ability to make contact and not trying to put too much loft into his swing. But he is interesting. http://www.baseballamerica.com/chat/?1380197414
Veteran Mack’s Mets readers know that this is the time of the year I begin to build my next year’s 25-man. It only includes the best of the best and players that have earned a spot on the roster this far out. I usually don’t add in the utility players until the end because I think a team has to first decide who the starters will be and their strengths.
My ’25-man’ right now has 13 players. Five are starters (Zack Wheeler, Matt Harvey, Jon Niese, Dillon Gee, Jenrry Mejia), five are relievers (Bobby Parnell, Vic Black, Jeurys Familia, Gonzalez Germen, Carlos Torres), and three are infielders (2B Daniel Murphy, 3B David Wright, C Travis d’Arnaud).
There are some pending health issues that could alter this list, but, for now, this is the beginnings of ‘my’ 2014 team.
I’ve decided to stick with Murphy at second base over Wilmer Flores, a ballplayer that simply will never have a position to play in this game. I also have none of the current outfielders on my roster… yet… and shortstop is also still a question. This is how I would go into the off-season/trade/free agent market with money in one hand and a list of minor league starters in the other. Let the phones ring.
14 comments:
No Lagares love?
And what about Edgin?
That would make it 15.
Mack,
Why is there not more discussion about Eric Young Jr. as a second baseman? The need is there as Daniel Murphy once again completed a below-average defensive season while bringing limited power, admittedly better speed, and a poor on base percentage. The only thing he does is hit, and not for power. With EY, you get on base ability, and the first true threat to run since Jose. Also, he's a better second baseman than an outfielder, and he was above average in the outfield.
An infield defense of Wright-Tovar/Ruben/import-EY-Duda would save our rotation a lot of runs.
AND, Murphy would be one of the most valuable trade chips we have. All of a sudden, instead of a need to include a Syndergaard or a Montero in a trade, Daniel Murphy becomes a centerpiece. There are a dozen teams who could use a 2B/1B/DH who gets 190 hits and steals 20 bases in a season.
It gives a place for Eric Young to get in the lineup and lead off. It creates another huge trade piece for an outfielder or shortstop, and it costs us nothing. In fact, it would probably save us a couple million.
I like Murphy's improvement and work ethic but as far as creating runs, Eric Young Jr. is currently the better option. As far as saving them, he's also the better option.
Outfield free to become Beltran-Lagares-Choo or whatever we decide. Only need is shortstop.
Thoughts?
Both Lagares and Edgin aren't on 'my team' yet for completely different reasons.
I'd like to see the Mets sign a better LOOGY...
and... what if the Mets sign, let's say, BOTH Cruz and Byrd... now you have to decide who plays CF, the league leader in steals or the 'arm'
Not if you play Eric Young Jr. at second.........
Well, you and I have never agreed on Murphy. I like .280 hitters more than .250 hitters.
Murphy is also a big clubhouse guy. He is a professional .275-.285 hitter and this team has plenty of other problems than to spend much time here.
However...
I believe BOTH Murphy and EYJ should be trade bait. One goes, one stays, and, while you're at it, trade Flores also. I no longer see a position for Flores and Young would probably play as good, or better defense at second than Murphy.
I can't build an outfield until someone is signed.
Older, stop-gap type players are appropriate when you're one piece away from contending or have a guy in AA who needs another year of seasoning. With the exception of Cesar Puello, the Mets don't have any offense on the farm with a future in Queens. Therefore getting short term answers does nothing to address the long term problems.
If there aren't players available who fill the long term outfield need, then a short term player is the better choice. Who's a better signing...Victorino on a 3 year deal or Ellsbury on a 7 year deal.
Signing guys like Cruz or Granderson for 2-3 year deals are better solutions instead of giving out Hunter Pence $ to Choo. I love Beltran but if you were him, why the hell would you come back here? 5 straight awful seasons here. Our window and his window probably don't overlap. I bet one of STL, TEX, OAK, TB, NYY, PIT, DET sign him and he gets 2 more shots at a ring.
"My ’25-man’ right now has 13 players. Five are starters (Zack Wheeler, Matt Harvey, Jon Niese, Dillon Gee, Jenrry Mejia), five are relievers (Bobby Parnell, Vic Black, Jeurys Familia, Gonzalez Germen, Carlos Torres), and three are infielders (2B Daniel Murphy, 3B David Wright, C Travis d’Arnaud)."
I did mine as well today. The same starters, minus Harvey - because even if he foolishly decides to avoid surgery, I don't see more than five starts before a complete tear and/or diminished effectiveness leads to the surgery he should've had a month ago. The same relievers, minus Familia - because I think he would benefit starting the season at Vegas for a little more seasoning. The same infielders, including Davis - because you just can't give up on first-round picks with patience and 40 homer potential too soon.
I added Tejada and either Flores or Satin as my back-up infielders. Flores, like Familiar, would likely benefit from a little more time in the minors. I have Eric Young and Lagares as my backup outfielders, with den Dekker waiting in AAA.
That leaves the need for a starter and three veteran relievers on one-year deals. Sandy can search the scrap heap for those. The big money should be spent on outfielders (need starters at all three positions) and at shortstop. I agree with your plan for veteran solutions on one- to two-year deals there. No one in the system has solid starter potential and is less than two years away, so no one is being blocked.
Kevin, Alderson and the Mets can't get away with NOT bringing in 2-3 more every day starters...
Attendance is down 66%
No one is buying this shit anymore without additions
I might be reading too much into this, but during the presser for Collins, Alderson said, "nobody on this roster is untouchable." Sure, it could be a matter of semantics, but you think he'd qualify that in some way by saying aside from Wright and/or Harvey, or aside from a couple of players, nobody on this roster is untouchable. I don't see them trading either of them, and I suppose it should be assumed that both of them are untouchable players for the Mets. If I were Wright or Harvey, I'm not sure if that statement would sit well with me. That being said, it wouldn't surprise me if Wheeler isn't dealt this offseason to acquire that power bat the Mets seek. Of the big four he's the most likely to be traded because he'd bring in more than any other Mets starter (aside from Harvey of course-who's going nowhere) and I think they see Syndegaard, not Wheeler, as the #2 behind Harvey in 2015. I believe they'll shop Lagares, and possibly, even TDA a little as well. It appears that Alderson is in the mindset of radically shaking up the position players on the 25 man.
I'm predicting that at least 2/3 of these players will not be in a Mets uniform next spring:
Davis-trade bait
Duda-trade bait
Murphy-trade bait
Wright-highly unlikely to go anywhere
Turner-gone
Baxter-gone
Lagares-trade bait for power bat
Flores-trade bait
Tejada-probably gone
Satin-trade bait
EYoungJr-trade bait or reserve
Quintanilla-gone
den Dekker-trade bait
TDA-unlikely to be traded
Brown-gone
Recker-gone
Tovar-utility inf. or AAA
Centeno-back-up C
It's quite possible that only 3-5 position players from 2013 will return in 2014. I think Alderson's prime target is Car-Go. It will be interesting to see if he lands him, and if so, who we'd give up. Either way, this is shaping up to be the busiest Mets offseason in many years.
You obviously didn't catch him saying that 'other than David Wright and a couple of pitchers' which I'm sure meant Harvey and Wheeler... it was a 'jump ball' situation
also, a fair amount of the Mets 40-man squad are now free agents and, technically, not available for a trade
Thanks Mack! Yeah, I did miss that part. I'm not sure he meant Wheeler, it was probably Niese, since he's our only lefty starter. I don't think they'd actively shop Wheeler. But if push came to shove, and his inclusion in a deal was necessary to acquire a top level OF bat, like Carlos Gonzalez, I think they'd reluctantly do it. What do you think? In that scenario I believe they'd offer Wheeler before Syndegaard.
I think it's 'put up or shut up' time for Alderson.
There seems to be a trade in the making (as I type this)...
also, I know the Mets want to sit down with Mike Napoli's agent as soon as they can.
I think when it is all said and done, there will be a new SS, 1B, and two outfielders on this team come April
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