Mack’s Morning Report – 2-10-14 – Viola on 2012 Gnats, Leadoff, More Kiner, A-Rod, Power Ranking

Coming up –

            10am – Christopher Soto – Top 25: #21

            12noon – Christopher Soto – Positional Battles Worth Watching: 13 Pitchers, 3 Bullpen Spots

            2 pm - Craig Mitchell - The Mettle of the Mets     

2012 Gnats –

            I got up early this morning and decided to clean out some of my old notepads. I came across what I had written down after a 2012 interview with Sand Gnats pitching coach Frank Viola. I asked him for some short, sort of one word answers to some names I would throw out and this was what he came back with:

                        Michael Fulmer – “impressive… he asks questions and is a quick learn

                        Domingo Tapia – “incredible stuff… needs to tune… 97 sinker

                        Jake deGrom – “love him… TJS, now 23”

                        Logan Verrett – “to early to tell… slider devastating”

                        T.J. Chism – “a bulldog… crafty… smart”

                        Marcos Camarena – “tough SOB… heavy sinker”

                        Alex Pants – “an enigma”

                        Rafael Montero – “incredible fastball and command” 

  

                       

                       Mike Puma –

                        Manager’s toughest challenge - Finding a leadoff hitter: It could be difficult for manager Terry Collins if the organization decides Juan Lagares should play center field. With Lagares in the lineup, Chris Young and Ruben Tejada might be the Mets’ only leadoff options. Eric Young Jr. is a natural leadoff hitter, but would be squeezed out in a lineup that includes Lagares, Chris Young and Granderson with Murphy at second base. http://nypost.com/2014/02/08/with-just-modest-additions-mets-could-improve-dramatically/

Mack – This is a good Sunday story on the highs and lows of the 2014 Mets going into spring training. I never put much importance on the leadoff hitter, past his OBP. He’s naturally going to get up more often than any other hitter, so the key here is getting on base, which doesn’t seem to be EYJ’s specialty (2013: Colorado - .290, NYM - .318). It’s impossible to judge CY or Grandy’s 2013 OBP against these numbers because they hit so badly. Lagares’ .281 makes EYJ look awesome. Nothing jumps off the page at you here. Murphy? I don’t know.

Marty Federrovich –

Cry no tears that we lost the honorable Mr. Kiner at the age of 91. What he gave us in his time here was far more than anyone has the right to expect. And his ability to morph into so many roles (at times completely antithetical to each other) almost defies belief. He was the home-run champion, but one of the greatest players never to make the World Series ... and yet for all time, he will be associated with two of the most improbable series ever, 1969 and 1986. http://www.nj.com/times-sports/index.ssf/2014/02/federovitch_magical_kiner_a_li.html

Mack – Another in a series of tributes to Kiner. I’ve stayed away from this subject because I really wasn’t a fan on how the Mets (and some of the beat reporters) handled Kiner in his last years. Even Federrovich spent too much time in this article talking about the many mistakes Kiner made on-air during his failing years. I found it awkward to watch him be (what I felt) the butt of Met humor and I would have hoped there was someone close to him that could have pointed out it was time to leave the camera behind. That’s Christopher Soto’s job here J

Mike Lupica –

Because he didn’t have a case, his defense was a show from the start. It was a reality series with him as the star, with everything except marching bands on Park Ave. in front of Major League Baseball’s offices, where the arbitration hearing was conducted and Rodriguez attended until his own cockeyed narrative — and fear of testifying under oath — forced him to storm out, to yell at Manfred that it was all a crock, or words to that effect, and somehow have a car already waiting for him outside. http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/lupica-truth-stays-a-rod-article-1.1607328#ixzz2spUIqpUy

Mack – This could easily be the last, best story around a really sad  guy that was a great baseball player before he decided to take drugs and try to be even better. Isn’t that what drugs and alcohol is all about? I had my last drink on July 5, 1984, but, before that day, I never thought I could have a good time or be in a good mood unless I was either high or drunk. A-Rod will forever be the poster boy for the PED-era that we hopefully are beginning to put behind us.

MLB listed their Top 30 Power Rankings –

28.  New York Mets:  Matt Harvey is hurt for the year, signing Bartolo Colon is not the answer.  Curtis Granderson will hit about 25 HRs and hit .220.  Poor David Wright.

Mack – Ya know, one expert after another keeps making things sound awfully bad for 2014… …