Mack Ade – Morning Report – 11-7-13 – Nodule, Rafael Furcal, Matt Joyce, Greg Burke, Corey Hart

 

I had my latest CT-Scan on Wednesday morning to confirm the nodule found in my left lung last week via xrays. This was to create the screenings needed for my biopsy. Well, according to the doctors, there no longer, or never was, a nodule. What the xrays were seeing was a scar or something. Bottom line, the nodule has left the building, thus, no biopsy. The wife says we all prayed it away. That's a good enough explanation for me.

 

MLBTR –

•The Rangers have let other teams know they are willing to at least talk about one of their middle infielders -- Elvis Andrus, Ian Kinsler, or Jurickson Profar -- in any trade discussions that come up this offseason, writes MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan.  Industry sources say the club doesn't feel a sense of urgency to move any of the three, but they're keeping an open mind as they have other areas of need to address.  Texas has also made it clear to other teams they are not trying to dump Kinsler's salary and they won't pick up any part of the contract in order to facilitate a deal http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2013/11/rangers-notes-profar-andrus-kinsler-mccann.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Mack – Interesting. We have been waiting for this for some time now. First, let’s look at the numbers:

Andrus – 24-yrs. old - $15.25mil through 2022

Kinsler – 31-yrs. old - $16mil-2014, $16mil-2015, $14mil-2016, $11mil-2017

Profar – 20-yrs. old - team control minimum –

On the surface, Kinsler looks like the guy I would move and the 4-yrs/$57mil would probably be a good fit for the Mets, but the teams don’t line up for needs. Texas is losing David Murphy and Nelson Cruz in the outfield and the Mets can’t help them out there. Mitch Moreland had a better year than Ike Davis or Lucas Duda so I can’t see any desire for a Met first baseman. No, this would take one of the Big 3 starters to head up a package and you know my thoughts on that.

The Mets are simply not in any position to make a major trade this year. They don’t have anything but three healthy starters and David Wright. You can add back Matt Harvey a year from now plus, if Jenrry Mejia, Noah Syndergaard, and Rafael Montero produce a good year, you have seven starters. Two of them can get you what you need… then. Not now.

Plus, we wouldn’t even get a true shortstop.

Any thoughts?

 

 

John Farrell -

Stephen Drew is a very good shortstop,.  know there will be people who say what’s the infatuation with him based on the postseason performance. But he’s a darn good shortstop. He had a very strong year for us. He’s a left-handed hitter. Otherwise, we would have an entire right-handed hitting infield, which creates further balance in the lineup going forward. I can’t sit here today and say that he’s going to be back here. Personally, I’m hopeful he’s back. It buys us some time, whether Xander Boggerts is the guy going forward next year at shortstop or if he’s at third base.”

 

 

Most of the work I’ve done this week for The Mack’s Mets Report has been prepared in waiting rooms of various doctors I have appointment with. Very few have WIFI for their patients. I guess it takes funds away from their Mercedes lease payments.

I don’t seem to be missing that much during week one of The Hot Stove season, though I did notice the interest in signing 87-year old Rafael Furcal.  Sandy and Company are already starting off in the wrong direction.

 

 

Christopher Gamble –

Now that the Tampa Bay Rays have extended David DeJesus for two years the Rays could look to flip reserve outfielder Matt Joyce. Joyce and DeJesus are similar on offense, with both holding firm platoon splits that favor their sitting against left-handed pitching. However, it looks like the Rays have made their decision and it doesn’t look like the 29-year-old outfielder will fit into the Rays’ plans. If the Rays do shop Joyce the New York Mets would be a perfect destination. The Mets outfield last year was pretty awful, especially after Marlon Byrd was traded. Adding Joyce would give the Mets an outfield bat with some pop, even if it is in a platoon role. Last season, Joyce hit .235/.328/.419 with 18 home runs, 47 RBI, 22 doubles and scored 61 runs in 413 at-bats. The 18 homers would have been good to place second on the Mets, tied with David Wright behind Byrd who had 21. Read more at http://www.rantsports.com/mlb/2013/11/05/new-york-mets-matt-joyce-could-be-a-nice-addition-to-outfield-situation/?HJElG6g1dUxkOP47.99

Mack – I never thought about Joyce before. He does hit just below 20 home runs a year, but isn’t known as a batting average guy (.249 lifetime, .235 in 2013). You’ve like to get at least 30 home runs from a .235 hitter, not 18.

                2014 is his ARB-2 year and he will be a free agent in 2016.

                No, the more I look at this, the more I see Lucas Duda numbers.

 

Clayton Collier –

In the winter of 2011, super-agent Scott Boras stated that the Mets are typically in the “steak section” however are now found in the “fruits and nuts category” in reference to their offseason spending habits. The Amazin’s remain far from the ‘steak section’, but that doesn’t mean they are picking through pistachios either. The Mets have the money to spend significantly, and if they are looking to put their long-followed plan into action, the time to spend is now. Whether that means a top-flight free agent or a lesser-known name; anything beats the stopgap, bargain bin, fruits-and-nuts acquisitions that have entered the mix since the rebuilding process began on October 29th, 2010. http://metsmerizedonline.com/2013/11/mets-offseason-13-14-anything-beats-the-bargain-bin.html

Mack – Clayton makes a good point here, but let’s remember that Boston basically rebuilt their team by staying almost exclusively on the bargain aisle of the baseball supermarket.

I think the first move the Mets make this year will set the tone. We’ll all take Alderson and Company a lot more seriously if they come out of the box with a Choo signing or a trade for a Colorado outfielder. Everything goes in the other direction if it’s another Collin Cowgill.

As for pitching, leave it alone. You have four great starters and two more joining the team in July while your ace will come back next spring. Either Carlos Torres or Aaron Harang can hold the fort down until Thor arrives.

 

Jorge Castillo –

Reliever Greg Burke and the Rockies have agreed to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training, Burke has confirmed to The Star-Ledger.

The right-hander spurned an offer from the Mets after spending the 2013 season shuttling between the Mets and their Triple-A affiliate in Las Vegas.

“It seemed like the best opportunity,” Burke told The Star-Ledger in a text message. “I enjoyed my time with New York. It’s a great organization and they were very transparent in their intentions. It was a tough decision.” http://www.nj.com/mets/index.ssf/2013/11/former_mets_reliever_greg_burke_signs_with_minor_league_deal_with_rockies.html

                Mack – This is classic.

                Is this the great first move.

I can hear Burke now…  ‘no, rather than pitch for the Mets, I’d rather take my 5.68 to a town that is like the worst place on earth for a pitcher to, err… pitch’.

This is friggin’ embarrassing.

More information on Burke deal -

Jared Diamond - "The Mets and Rockies offered very similar deals. Burke simply worried there would be more people ahead of him in spring training with NYM... Secondary issue was commute between New York and Las Vegas versus Denver and Colorado Springs if he's up and down from minors like last year

 

Mike Puma -

About a dozen teams showing interest in Corey Hart - and the Mets are among them.

Mack – Let’s get the bad over first… he missed the entire 2013 season because of two separate knee injuries. He’s now a free agent after making $10.334mil for the Brewers in 2013. He also will play 2014 as a 31-yr. old.

His OPS has been wonderful at home in Colorado (.891), but it’s his road .761 that sends up a big red flag.

He also is now exclusively a first baseman (knees).

The good news – he has hit .276 for his career with a .334 OBP, 154 home runs and 211 doubles in nine seasons, including All-Star selections in 2008 and 2010. He easily has as much power as any of the other free agents out there. He also hits lefties very well.

Lastly, he has told Milwaukee he would be willing to take a bog salary hit to stay in Milwaukee, but they don’t seem interested. This could simply be a ploy because he and his agent know he’s going to take a hit anyway.

Conclusion – Hart is a viable 1B alternative that just about guarantees better offensive numbers than either Lucas Duda or Ike Davis would produce.

It’s your call.