Michael Scannell -
It's obviously very early in his career, but do you think the comparisons to Robinson Cano that I've read (size, approach, swing, patience, power potential) are warranted at this stage?
Mack – I think this is a good comparison.
I consider Baseball America pretty conservative and it’s tough to get them to tag someone as the “best bat to come out of 2014 draft”, but that’s what they said about a week ago about Smith.
It looks like, to me, that we have a real potential star here. Now, we just have to figure out a plan to get him to Queens.
Me? I would hold him back and start him in Brooklyn on opening day 2014. Remember his age and he only played GCL rookie ball last year.
I would leave him in Brooklyn for the season (under the watchful eyes of the guys in Flushing), bypass the pits of Savannah, and have him play opening day 2015 in St. Lucie (under the watchful eyes of the St. Lucie coaching team).
2016 could be spent in Binghamton and wherever we have a AAA team that year and he could be ready on opening day 2017 to play Queens. I wouldn’t push it any faster than that.
Right now, he has the potential to be the best first baseman the Mets have ever had.
2013 Reviews –
Mack – I consider these post season analysis’ sort of asinine at this point in the post season. We all know what did what these guys have done and we can’t evaluate the 2014 team until new players come board, Christopher Soto, Stephen Guilbert, and I will be back around the end of December and report what the Mets have accomplshed and evauluate what this new team looks like then. We don’t have to send any more time telling you that Ike Davis sucked in 2013. You now that already. Let’s see what the powers of be come with first with some of the solutions to out problems
This is a short morning report… I will be offline all day Monday and Tuesday… there will be no morning report on Tuesday
I'd push Dom Smith along as fast as his bat allows. I don't like using age as a barometer for development. Some times there's special talent that dictates the pace and perhaps Smith is the rare bird that flies faster then the rest of the flock.
ReplyDeleteHe showed great skill in the GCL and in 6 ABs in Kingsport hit 4 doubles. I'd push him to Savannah and if there's any issues, they could always transfer him to Brooklyn when the season starts. This kid needs at bats against the pros
But, what do I know? I literally know nothing about development . I just don't like the pace some of the youngsters are on. Pawlecki and Boyd shouldn't have been in Savannah last year . They should've started in Lucy and ended in Bingo.
ReplyDeleteThis FO pushes the pitchers quicker then the bats. I think it's to get them into taking pitches more.
I agree with you that Smith starts at savannah, your right sometimes its not the age of player that dictates where he starts.If your good your good.If Arod was with the mets when he made the majors at 18, he probably wouldv'e been at brooklyn or savannah.
ReplyDeleteMack i"ve been reading an article about Ahmed Rosario,the scouts love him, he has speed, power and plays solid defense do you think the mets make him skip brooklyn and start him at savvanah?
ReplyDeleteAmed (German) Rosario just spent his first season stateside this year as a 17 yr old with Kingsport and while he wasn't overwhelmed, he showed that he still has a long way to go before becoming a Legit prospect.
ReplyDeleteI fully expect him to repeat at Kingsport before moving to Brooklyn late in 2014. That would set him up to be in Savannah at age 19 which is still young for the league.
Dominic was fantastic for the GCL team this season but thats against fringe minor league players and other high schoolers...most of which will never make it.
ReplyDeleteA promotion to Brooklyn would be perfect for Dominic because it will set him up to face some mid to later round level college pitchers 4 yrs his senior. If he succeeds there then forget about Savannah, he'll be in line for St. Lucie in 2015.
Repeat Kingsport? That's almost like a demotion. The kid didn't do great, but he also didn't fail. He'll be a year older and stronger. He'll have more of an understanding of playing everyday.
ReplyDeleteI'd expect him to get a promotion. Probably Brooklyn.
Charley,
ReplyDeleteHe needs more instruction and thats what Kingsport is...an instructional league. He wasn't fluid in the field, he was inconsistent at the plate, his pitch recognition was awful. He's got loads of potential but he still needs work.
You send him to Brooklyn against college level pitchers who possess at least 1 good pitch he's gonna crash and burn. This is why you don't rapidly promote prospects.
Finally some sunshine after weeks of doom and gloom. I'm glad Smith is getting praise, it's got a certain legitimizing effect on the minors. First, the Mets develop their top-flight staff to (hopefully) carry them through the next decade - Harvey, Syndergaard, Niese, Wheeler, etc. Then, they have a core of hitters on the way up to follow them in Smith, Nimmo, Rosario, and possibly Cecchini/Herrera. Add another elite bat from the 2014 draft and David Wright (and hopefully Travis d'Arnaud and another star hitter) should have a great supporting cast in their more 'mature' years.
ReplyDelete