Morning Report – 3-6-14 – Thole, SOGOTP, Boagerts, Molina, Game Notes

Coming Up –

             9 am - Mack - Baby Steps

           10 am - Herb G - March 5 - Plusses and Minuses in Today’s Split Squad Games

12pm noon – Reese Kaplan - Once Again, I'm Just Sayin'...

          2 pm – Christopher Soto – MM's Top 25- #4 RF Cesar Puello

          4 pm - A Quick Look - LHP - Mac Marshall - Parkview (GA) HS

6 pm - Jeff Hoffman, Kodi Medeiros, Braxton Davidson, Milton Ramos

Mike Vorkunov ‏@Mike_Vorkunov  - Ruben Tejada says hamstring is feeling better but being safe. Terry Collins hoping for Friday but Tejada says maybe later

Jon Heyman ‏@JonHeymanCBS  - Matt Harvey will be paid $546,625 in 201

Mike Puma ‏@NYPost_Mets  - Frank Viola on Steven Matz: "He's got a 2-seam, 4-seam fastball and changeup that will challenge anybody. I'll go to my grave with that.

Sully-chat –

Comment From Swing and a Miss Piggy- any hope for an Ike Davis resurgence? (if that would qualify as like a .230/.330/.470 line?)

Jeff Sullivan: Of course yes, some hope. Not enough hope

Josh Thole –

        This is Thole’s six major league camp. He went to Port St. Lucie as a Mets prospect in 2009, in 2010 he had a chance, losing out to Rod Barajas and Blanco. He was the everyday catcher with the 2011-12 Mets. Last year he came to Dunedin fighting for a job.

“Same thing this year,” said Thole in the first base dugout. “I know I have to hit to make this team.”

Thole, who hit .175 with one homer and eight RBIs, has two hits in four at-bats in the early going.

“I’ve only been here one year, I hit .175, so rightly so the perception is I’m a .175 hitter, I have to change that,” said Thole. http://www.torontosun.com/2014/03/04/blue-jays-should-go-with-an-experienced-catcher-for-ra-dickey

Mack – I don’t think there was a single player in the Mets organization that I was more at ease with than Josh, who seems to be having major problems holding on to his job in Toronto. Read the sad story.

A lot of writers, both beat and blog, are saying that it’s S.O.G.O.T.P. time for Sandy Alderson. Actually, the shiting and potting a Wilpon thing. Scott Boras still has two clients, one at first base, and the other at shortstop, that could be the difference in a bad to playoff season. They both could be brought to the Mets for around a combined $25mil a year for 2-3 years, which all could be paid back through increased ticket sales during these years. Trust me, you put a team on the field that is competitive and fighting it out with Atlanta or first base, you are going to sell a lot more tickets that don’t cost five bucks.

Ruben Tejada would make a wonderful backup middle infielder and you can pick between Duda and Davis to be the AAA/emergency first baseman. The other could be DFA’d off for a trade for a chip.

I’m sort of done with screwing around. This team needs to fill in the offensive cracks that this pitching staff deserves to have around it and what better was to do it than with more of Wilpon’s unspent fortune.

After years of establishing himself as one of the top shortstop prospects in the game, Xander Boagerts’ big postseason solidified his role as the starting shortstop for the 2014 Red Sox. With Bogaerts ready for the Big Show, management appeared comfortable letting Drew walk, with the future having already arrived. http://throughthefencebaseball.com/boston-red-sox-preview-2/41460#YjciW2YelX4A7DeP.99

Gary asked -

Good morning Mack, Just wanting your opinions on a few things. In Mets minors there's an article where Depo talks about a few minor leaguers all of whom I read about except Marcos Molina...your thoughts on him please.  Also I am always surprised when on SNY shows like  DNY and Loudmouths they can go on and on about wanting to see Thor pitching in Queens to start the season when the know: 1: he has a pitch count limit this season  2: he has only pitched a limited # of inning above single A  and 3: ownership would be foolish to lose a year of team control for a few months now. Lets go Mets, Gary.

        Mack – Thanks Gary for the questions.

Molina is one of the international guys that, like IF Amed Rosario, has impressed the scouts more than the stats created. Frankly, I had never know a thing about him until he popped up on one of the prospect ranking sheets (BA?). I did some checking around and yes, he was highly thought of by the scouts that saw him pitch. Everything is raw at these ages (I remember a 19-year old Jeurys Familia coming to Savannah) but when you hear that sound a ball can make in a catcher’s glove, you know you may have a big fish on your line here.

Regarding Loud Mouths, that’s organized chatter. I was in radio for the beginning of talk radio.  Howard, Rush, Imus, Eskin… all were told by program directors that, the more shocking crap that came out of their mouths, the more people would listen. I watch the Daily New half hour and then turn that channel off until the post game (Mets blockout game coverage in South Carolina).I suggest you get Netflix rather than watch that crap.

3-5 Game Highlights -

      Kirk Nieuwenhuis continues to hit his way into a utility slot on opening day...

      Eric Young Jr. wants to make sure everybody remembers he's still around... 

      Jenrry Mejia didn't do enough to earn himself the SP5 slot. He was wild and threw a ground ball into what seemed like the Atlantic Ocean. Major League starters have to have better control of their game, even if it's their first spring game. The good news was 3-Ks through two innings... the bad news... 4-hits, one throwing error and two walks in the first two innings... 

      Dillon Gee did... err... okay. Was pulled after 2.01-IP due to pitch count... gave up one run with one strike out...

      This might be the last time we see  John Church, Cory Mazzoni , and Adam Kolarek in Big Boy Camp this spring...

      Carlos Torres gave 1.2 more reasons he will be the 'long man' out of the pen this year...

      Anthony Seratelli proved he's capable of producing a clutch 2-run single... 

      Erik Campbell is doing everything he can to prove it's his turn this year...