Mack’s Morning Report – 12-26 – Ryan Reid, Christmas Cheer, Look Ahead To 2014

 

The New York Mets put a claimer waiver on another best-buddy Pirates player, RHRP Ryan Reid.

As I have said over the years, you can only judge your picks ups vs. the players they would replace.

He’s a long term minor league pitcher with a career (8-yrs) 9.02 K/9 and 3.67 BB/. His small MLB line (7-appearance in 2013) is impressive.

Overnight, he becomes competition for Josh Edgin (2-yr MLB: 8.8 K/9 and 3.77 BB/9) and Scott Rice (13-yr MiLB – 6.51 K/9) and 4.29 BB/9.

You have to love the fact that ther will be three LHRP in ST to compete for the two slots opened.

Most impressive here was the 2013 major league stat line for a pennant contender (28-yrs old, 0-0, 1.64, 1.09, 11-IP,7-K,3-BB,) An excellent low risk pick


Anthony DiComo -

.These aren't your grandfather's Mets, your father's Mets or even your older brother's. No, the 2014 Mets already have an identity all their own, for better or for worse.

Fans of the 2013 edition may hardly even recognize this year's team, which will mix big-ticket free agents such as Curtis Granderson, Chris Young and Bartolo Colon with a host of other newcomers. Matt Harvey will not play at all as he rehabs from Tommy John surgery. But Zack Wheeler and Travis d'Arnaud expect to log full seasons in the big leagues, while Noah Syndergaard also eyes his debut

With change, of course, comes uncertainty. Some of the organization's most pressing questions at this time last year still apply, though many have taken on different shapes or increased urgency. With that in mind, here are the 10 most important issues facing the Mets heading into 2014:  http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/nym/new-york-mets-look-to-big-ticket-stars-young-arms-in-2014?ymd=20131226&content_id=66138172&vkey=news_nym 

 

So, we all open the gifts that Santa left for us and still no shortstop, or additional reliever that can hold down the closer role until Bobby Parnell is healed. The Mets won’t tell you this but, first base, second, third, catching, the outfield, and the rotation are already determined from within the organization. There needs some definition on a utility infielder and the fifth outfielder, though Lucas Duda could fill that role in an emergency. The addition of Ryan Reid this past week is far from what is needed in the pen and I expect Sandy Alderson to sign one of the good free agents that are still out there.

There is enough money left for one good reliever or one almost good shortstop. You pick your poison. Under the current budget restraints, I’ll take the closer and let Ruben Tejada have another shot at short until the trading season around the all-star break. No money spent then would be tied to any budgets set now.

Folks, we’re getting real closer to pitchers and catchers reporting. There’s a lot of big names still out there unsigned but we’re just not playing in that league this year.

A backend reliever… a utility middle infielder… and a 5^th outfielder.

Look for these spots to be filled in the next two to three weeks.

The 2014 Mets will, in many ways, look a lot like the 2013 version; however, it will be missing two main cogs that made this an ‘almost’ .500 team… OF Marlon Byrd and SP Matt Harvey. In addition, there is no IF Justin Turner and C John Buck.

The additions (so far) are OF Chris Young, OF Curtis Granderson, RP Ryan Reid, SP Bartolo Colon, and (sometime during the year) SP Noah Syndergaard, SP Rafael Montero, and OF Cesar Puello.

This is going to be a far more talented team in 2014, even with the one-year loss of Harvey. The Mets will actually start to develop an excess of top level talent, both in the outfield and in the rotation.

It especially will become interesting around the all-star break if starters like Jenrry Mejia, Dillon Gee, Jon Niese, and Bartolo Colon are holding their own. You easily could see Montero and Mejia head to the pen, joining fireballer Jeurys Familia for a whole new approach to saving a ballgame.

I’ve said this before… the 2014 (and beyond) Mets will be a pitcher driven team whose goals will be to generate a rotational ERA under 4.00 while, at the same time, averaging 7.0-IP per outing. If the Mets were able to accomplish this, and had a talented backend bullpen, the team would need less than four runs per game to win in the 85-90 games range.

Additionally, the 2014 Mets (on paper) look to be one of the more talented defensive National League teams. This alone could bring you 3-5 more victories during the season.

You’re now talking a range of 88-95 wins, all without their best (Harvey) rotation in the lineup.

I’m not looking at miracles here. I just want a decent season from the guys the team signed this year (Young, Granderson, Colon) and increased numbers from current team members (Ike Davis, Travis d’Arnaud, Juan Lagares, Tejada).

The bonus here could be some additional pop from Wilmer Flores and Puello when they get in the lineup.

No, I truly believe there is enough talent here to make the playoffs, but a lot of things have to go right that, in the past, have usually gone wrong.

I will make one prediction… if this team is going to make headlines in 2014, it will be with their glove. Games will be additionally won in the field rather than with the bat. You’re going to see a lot more 3-2 games in 2014 and the guy with three runs will win because their players prevented the other team from scoring more than two