Mack Ade – Morning Report – 10-17-13 – Robert Carson, Matt Harvey ,Marlon Byrd, Carlos Beltran

Ellie Silfin -

Robert Carson simply did not have a good season.  He appeared in 14 games and gave up at least one run in 11 of those appearances.  He was responsible for 9 home runs and 19 total runs.  His HR/9 was 4.1 and WHIP was 1.424.  His ERA was 8.24.  The small sample size of a season produced some pretty hideous results. In AAA his ERA was only slightly above 4.00.  However, in Las Vegas and the PCL in general that is not really alarming.  Carson was lucky enough to have the opportunity to pitch outside of that AAA hitters-league and he did not take advantage. http://risingapple.com/2013/10/15/mets-season-review-robert-carson/

Mack – See, this is what I mean. If we are writing about Robert Carson, we’ve really are running out of people to talk about. I used to do seasonal reviews about players but they simply have got too depressing. Regarding Carson, everyone loved him when he first joined the Mets because he looked like a monster on the mound. They also loved how he threw the ball ‘through you’ rather than past you. The problem was, once everyone got past the hidden ball thing, they realized that his low-90s fastball never moved. You and I would have problems hitting a ball like that but professionals don’t and, as we saw last year, he became a batting practice pitcher for home runs. I can’t see him even being assigned to Las Vegas which looks to be quickly filling up with quality arms from last year’s Binghamton’s team.

 

MetsBlog –

Matt Harvey will have surgery “within a week or so,” according to his agent Scott Boras, as relayed by Marc Carig of Newsday. The Mets were not aware when Harvey was going to undergo Tommy John surgery, a team official told ESPN New York.

                Mack – Didn’’t we go through this elongated waiting period before when it came to key Mets players? You would think all parties involved here would know the exact moment their franchise pitcher was going under the knife. I will feel much better when this is done and I can click on the picture of him lying in the hospital bed that he will probably attach to his first tweet after the surgery.

 

Bryan Zarpentine –

                Marlon Byrd is also one of the oldest outfielders on the free agent market this offseason. He is considerably older than Shin-Soo Choo, who is rumored to be the Mets’ top outfield target this offseason, and he’s even older than Nelson Cruz, who they could also pursue. Despite his great play in 2013, Byrd’s age is reason to give the Mets some trepidation as it relates to signing him again for 2014, especially if Byrd seeks a two-year contract. Byrd was invaluable for the Mets in 2013, but that alone isn’t reason to bring him back next year. It wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if Byrd were to return to New York next season, but he should not be at the top of their wish list; the Mets should pursue other outfielders before giving strong consideration to Byrd. http://www.rantsports.com/mlb/2013/10/16/should-new-york-mets-bring-back-marlon-byrd-in-2014/?hmgmHAXxGAZkjgRW.99

                Mack – Yeah, I’m filling up paper and bringing up Byrd again. As you can see, Zarpentine isn’t a big fan of him returning to the Mets clubhouse. I am. I believe the future of the Mets outfield is in the system and will pan out with Cesar Puello by the end of 2014, Dustin Lawley sometime in 2015, and Brandon Nimmo by the end of 2016. Until then, short term (2-yr) solutions like Byrd and Carlos Beltran would be fine by me.

 

Rangers, Astros, White Sox front runners for Jose Abreu –

                Mack – Did I really expect to see the Mets mentioned in this statement released by MLBTR.com? Another Cuban passed on. Is this backfire from signing Alay Soler?

 

Is the Marlins' Jeffrey Loria the worst owner in sports? –

                Did you know that Jeffrey Loria is an major art history buff. He knows bupkus about baseball. At least Bud Selig is a baseball historian. Loria just treats the Marlins like they need to be history. Yet, here he is, ruining the game, his team and whatever else he puts his arthritic hands too. Today, Loria is questioned by all Marlins’ fans as someone who could care less if the team succeeds or not. He trades players for no reason. He ignores fans for every reason. Everyone Jeffrey Loria signs, he fires, trades or just ignores (e.g., Buerhle, Reyes, Bell). Yet, there he is, sweating like pig that knows he is dinner in the owner’s box in a brand-new stadium – only there is no one to put in it. That means, fans or players.  http://throughthefencebaseball.com/is-marlins-jeffrey-loria-worst-owner/37767#0gIOSg3i88Ek6Syz.99

                Mack – Loria makes all the other owners of baseball teams look like progressive leaders. Jeff Wilpon may get in his own way sometimes, but he’s not a bad person. Loria is just the anti-Christ for baseball and Selig needs to come up with some way of forcing a sale of this team to someone that will move them to a city that has more than three fans.

                               

 

Dave Lennon –

                With that mind-set, Mozeliak still is likely to make Carlos Beltran the qualifying offer of $14.1 million, which will guarantee the Cardinals a sandwich draft pick to compensate for his departure. But Beltran sees the writing on the wall in St. Louis, and turning 37 in April, he's looking for a three-year deal that should take him to retirement. Judging by his hard-core conditioning regimen and recent good health -- he's played 151 and 145 games the past two seasons -- Beltran appears to be a safe bet for that extra year. As insurance, he also seems to be warming to the idea of going to the AL, where he could DH. Beltran still considers himself a regular corner outfielder, so he'd want to DH only once or twice a week. But the NL doesn't offer him that flexibility, and he is smart enough to realize his legs will require more rest as he approaches 40. http://www.newsday.com/sports/free-agent-carlos-beltran-might-be-good-fit-for-yankees-1.6262284

                Mack – Well, so much for my building blog plan…

 

Baseball America –

                Post analysis of 2013 draft –

                                Best Pure Hitter… 1. D.J. Peterson, 3b/1b, Mariners … 2. Dominic Smith, 1b, Mets … 3. Austin Meadows, of, Pirates … 4. Billy McKinney, of, Athletics …5. Colin Moran, 3b, Marlins

                                Fastest Runner… 1. Johnny Davis, of, Brewers ... 2. Omar Garcia, of, Brewers … 3. Matt McPhearson, of, D’backs … 4. Adam Engel, of, White Sox … 5. Champ Stuart, of, Mets

                                Best Defensive Player… 1. Reese McGuire, c, Pirates … 2. Luis Guillorme, ss, Mets … 3. Stuart Turner, c, Twins … 4. J.P. Crawford, ss, Phillies … 5. Daniel Rockett, of, Royals