Mack’s Morning Report – 1-30-14 – Prospects, Stephen Drew, Sully-Chat, Brandon Nimmo, Kevin Plawecki

Coming Up –

11am – D Whit - How the Mets ended up 8th in payroll and 23rd in Wins since 2009 pt. 1

Prospects –

This is because prospects are perfect. Prospects never grow old, never disappoint us, never are sullied with the oppressive and banal expectations of real life. That only happens to them when they become actual Major League Baseball players. Prospects, they're always the same age. I can look at Miguel Sano or Oscar Taveras and imagine them for what I imagine them to be, rather than what they are, or will actually be. It's only later, when the average fan has seen all these players on the field, that prospect rankings are sullied by the drudgery of reality. Now, they're all going to be Mike Trout and Clayton Kershaw, and they're all going to change everything. http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/67202234/

Mack – A great article that breaks out the top prospects listed from 1994-2009. They made a special mention of Paul Wilson and Lastings Milledge

I guess we do need to keep going back to Stephen Drew until this finally plays out. There’s around 60 days left before the beginning of spring training which is ample time for Sandy Alderson to deliver a veteran reliever and Drew to round out a progressive off season. The question would be then did the Mets just spend money to appease the fan base and live up to their promise to spend more than they did last year.

It’s no big surprise that the majority of relievers unsigned are veteran retreads that have seen their better days, while the best bats are tied to losing the third round draft pick. A Drew signing bring us back to the question as to if it is worth signing a player you want but only under conditions that doesn’t include the loss of a draft pick.

The Mets are right now to pick at #85 and no one is going to scream off the page this far down the draft. I’m still perplexed why Alderson wouldn’t want to put this position to bed through the 2016 season with a quality player, but past long term burn jobs has, I’m sure’ left him guy shy. What is the alternative here until another light hitting shortstop (Cecchini) comes along in 2017.

And what happened about all these ‘young pitching bargaining chip’ everyone keeps writing about. Even Keith Law had sometime nice to say about the Mets. Christ, I expect Dick Young to come back from the grave and follow up.

Two area of this team are vastly improving… the rotation is becoming a league leader and the team defense is close to Gold Glove status at seven positions. By my count along, the Mets lost eight games the past two years, in late innings, in the field.

You do the math. Turn eight of the losses in the seasons this decade into wins and every one of your teams would have been pennant contender.

Something is still brewing here. I can feel it. 60 days is a lifetime in the free agent/trading game.

Wait his one out folks. I think you’ll be happy with the results of your patience.

Sully-Chat –

Comment From Guest - Keith Law said the Mets have the 6th best farm system. Now I tend not to listen to anything he says, but did this just make him totally uncredible to everyone else?

Jeff Sullivan: You are coming from a position of certain bias, seems like. Think of it less in terms of the ranking, and more in terms of the meaning. He thinks the Mets have a strong, top-third farm system. He’s super qualified to be making these declarations. Other people are going to disagree with him but all input from quality observers has value.

Comment From Grack Zeinke - Dark horse teams for Stephen Drew? A’s, Marlins or Twins?

Jeff Sullivan: I can’t stop coming back to the Blue Jays

Comment From Alan - Drew’s really not that much of an upgrade for the Mets, right? It’s not like Tejada is way below average, and at least he’s got youth on his side.

Jeff Sullivan: Well, so far, Tejada for his career is a little over 1 WAR per 600 plate appearances. Could improve. I don’t think Drew would be a massive upgrade, and the team probably won’t win in 2014, but while you can squint and see Tejada’s upside, you don’t need to squint to see how Drew would be better

Keith Law on Brandon Nimmo –

Nimmo was the Mets’ first-round pick in 2011 out of a high school in Wyoming that didn’t have a baseball team, which left him with limited experience, mostly Americal Legion ball and some showcases the summer before his senior year. Despite having several above-average tools, he didn’t have a lot of reps against decent pitching and moved slowly through short-season ball before reaching the hitter’s graveyard of Savannah this season.

He raked away from Savannah (.302/.421/.405) and showed great patience at the plate, a hugely positive marker for a player as inexperienced as he is. Nimmo has great rotation in his swing but can be a little long to the ball because he loads his hands high, behind his left shoulder. He’s a fringe-average defender in center — better with reads than with range — but he’ll be plus in either corner. The main areas for improvement for Nimmo are against left-handed pitchers — against whom he was better this season but still not where he’ll need to be to play every day — and staying healthy, as he had a nagging wrist injury last summer on top of knee surgery in high school.

High-OBP guys with other tools, especially defensive ability, are pretty uncommon, and a healthy Nimmo should be an average to above-average regular by the time he’s 24.

Kevin Plawecki –

           The Mets hope they have their catcher of the future in place with Travis d’Arnaud, but Plawecki isn’t a bad option either. In another year or two, Plawecki should be ready to be d’Arnaud’s backup, but he could also step in as the starter if d’Arnaud continues to struggle with injuries. Plawecki is a great receiver and defensive player with plenty of gap power as a hitter, and having him makes the Mets’ future bright behind the plate. 

http://www.rantsports.com/mlb/2014/01/29/new-york-mets-top-prospect-at-every-position-heading-into-2014/?Zv1dXa6If6mL1cP5.99