5/23/14

Morning Report – May 24rd – Matt Harvey, The New Rotation, Wilmer Flores



        Coming Later Today –

             10 am - Reese KaplanTerry Collins:  You Are The Weakest Link

           12 noon -  Ernest Dove - We May Have Ourselves A Closer 

          12 noon -  Nine Baseball - 5-21 Mock  
     
  2 pm  –  Top 12 3B in 2014 MLB Draft - - Updated 5-19-14

           4 pm -  Top 11 SS in 2014 MLB Draft - Updated 5-19-14

6 pm -  Sean Reid-Foley, Chase Vallot, Michael Kopech, Nic Wilson, Michael Conforto


I’d like to welcome two new writers to Mac’s Mets.

     -Matt Gad returns to Mack’s Mets after a ‘short hiatus’. Matt is sports writer for the Milford-Orange Bulletin and will add his unique perspective to the site.

     -in addition, one of our most loyal commenters, Thomas Brennan, is joining the Mack’s Mets staff and will handle the Sunday Morning Report, giving me a break.

Please welcome them both.



Mark Mokris to me -

Mack, I hope this letter finds you well. 

On Matt Harvey.  I think everyone is missing an important part of Harvey's procedure.  Harvey had adult stem cells injected into his elbow to speed the healing process.  When Dr. Jobe was on MLB Radio he was saying that there have not been any studies to determine how it would impact the healing process but the stem cell injection is significantly better than the prp injections because they only put body in position to potentially make the stem cells to promote healing whereas stem cell injections have everything in place to assist the healing process without having to hope that stem cells will be generated like in PRP therapy.  The bottom line in all of this is that Harvey may be just fine coming back in 10 months and to compare him with the 12 month standard protocol is a bit misleading.  Just look at Bartolo Colon who was just about out of baseball and had stem cells injected into his shoulder and elbow and basically has new shoulder and elbow as a result.  Hopefully the stem cell procedure will eventually completely replace TJS but until it does I don't think anyone should underestimate the benefits of the procedure.  Harvey should be just fine coming back in 10 months and to use the normal timeline for recovery from Tommy John Surgery is just not appropriate.  What the Mets should be doing is taking an MRI may be every three months to see how the elbow is recovering so they can help determine if the combination of Tommy John Surgery and Stem Cell Therapy does indeed shorten the recovery process.  Don't need to post this or anything but I thought someone ought to take a more reasoned approach to Harvey and Hefner's rehab timeline.  Thanks.

Thank you, Mark. Mokris is a regular here who is an attorney who prides himself on his knowledge of sports representation and medicine. You may remember his ad here on Mack’s Mets a year ago. Frankly, I had forgot all about the stem cell addition, but I still think the Mets will keep the horse collar on him this season. It may piss him off in September, but, in the long run, he’ll thank the Mets for forcing him not to pitch.


John Zozo said -

Mack I am not into rushing these kids into the pen this year, let them try and work it out in the SP roll first. This year I just hope we land another top ten pick in next year’s draft. Then after that I wanna draft last in the first round for years to come.

      Thanks for your comments, John.

      Here’s how I see this.

I really believe I am right about this and my job, as a Mets writer, is to express what I truly feel.

Reese Kaplan truly believes that Terry Collins should be fired. I truly feel that Rafael Montero should be in the pen. I believe that it is Reese’s responsibility to write about why he feels that way so others can be influenced… as I am going to point out every time Montero gives up zero runs in the first two innings he pitches. I’m already seeing other writers jumping about the train here because it makes sense.

John, all the bloggers read each other as well as the beat guys… and most of the beat guys read each other and a select group of bloggers.

I want you to keep coming back here and telling me I’m nuts, but I’m going to prove to you that I’m right here J


Fangraphs on Flores –

         
  On Tuesday, in Flores’ second start since returning from his illness, his lack of range was on display. In one instance, a ground ball hit several steps to his left forced an awkward dive and flip to Daniel Murphy. The Mets moved him off the position several years ago because he lacked range and foot speed. That hasn’t changed and it is clear Flores’ future is not at shortstop. A strong performance won’t likely change that but, as a bat-only player, it could convince his suitors that he can be productive at another position. His contact ability remains his best asset and his approach has improved, but unless Flores can prove that last season’s power was not a mirage he will not overcome his defensive shortcomings. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/prospect-watch-cecchini-and-flores-and-their-new-futures/

No one likes Wilmer Flores. I’m sure Jeurys Familia delayed that throw to second last night only because Flores was in the area. Everybody has written off any chance of this guy to work out defensively in the long run.

Flores also made a lot of fans last night when he got three hits, but three singles by a bad defensive shortstop is not going to get you a long term job in baseball.

There’s been a lot of comment chatter on Mack’s Mets regarding who should play short, either Flores or Ruben Tejada. The answer, in the long run, is neither.

The lack of offering a decent contract to first, Jose Reyes and then, Stephen Drew, tells me that Sandy Alderson has placed a value on this position far below what the rest of baseball does.


We could have been so done with this position so long ago.

21 comments:

TP said...

Morning Mack,
On Wilmer, he has to play every day until such time that he is either a defensive train wreck or proves to be offensively inept. Agreed that he is not the long term solution, but neither is Tejada. Flores' offenses needs to be judged fairly, by playing every day. He has a very high K rate in a small sample this year, but some of that can be blamed on spot duty. If his bat plays decently, it helps the team now and leave the Mets with some options - trade bait, 2B, and/or back up corner infielder.
I think Alderson really wants Didi G or Franklin at SS, but wants a reasonable price to acquire. This makes sense, especially if there is confidence that Gregarius can lead off vs. RHP. If this can be cone, and he can find a power bat for RF, he can shift Granderson to LF, wherre his D would be plus (too weak and arm for RF). He can then lead off Lagares vs LHP and Gregarius/Franklin vs RHP, and all of a sudden the team has some shot at offense. Two legit players would dramatically change the complexion of the team.

Mack Ade said...

Morning TP -

I think the team is back into piece mealing (SP?) again... just putting down a lineup each day based on hot bats and future exposure.

I've always thought that Flores' future is on an Americal League team. This next 45 days would be a nice time to prove his ability to knock in around 30 runs.

Anonymous said...

I understand your feelings on Flores. But yes he had 3 hits last night,and they were all singles. But he was robbed of a double by Puig. Plus when the game was tied, he lead off with a hit got to 3rd on a fly ball,and scored the go-ahead run. Let's let him play ,and not worry about what he is lacking

Anonymous said...

Each player has some warts. But Flores is a ball player,he helps the team and too me that's all right! I look past Sir David's strikeouts and Mr Murphy making bad baserunning decsions. Let's let the kid play and enjoy it,til Silly Sandy finds a true SS? Niese went 7,mejia picked up a save,Lagares had a game winning RBI! Flores scored the winning run,let's enjoy the kids playing
Steve

James Preller said...

As a fan, I would rather see Flores play than Tejada -- and I agree that SS has been criminally neglected by Sandy Alderson.

I just don't think you build a team around pitching and support it with arguably the worst defensive SS/2B combo I've ever seen in the MLB. I mean, think back. What keystone combo was worse than Flores and Murphy, defensively? Individually, I like those guys, wish them well, and think you could get away with one of them at 2B. Then when they sit Lagares and put CY in the CF, it's like no one in the organization believes in defense at all.

David L. Whitman said...

Mack-with all due respect re: Flores. Three singles? You're forgetting the blast Puig had to go into highlight reel mode to nab. It wasn't a hit but the way you describe his night made it sound like he was punch and judying it at the plate. Flores should stay at SS for the rest of season unless they trade Murphy at the deadline. If not they'll move Flores there after Murphy goes this offseason. I don't see Sandy paying him Murphy what he's worth on the open market.

On a team bereft of bats you shouldn't be so quick to want to jettison someone who can actually hit. Another thing just would you trade him for? It would be a mistake to trade Flores. This team needs all the hitting it can get. Bold prediction--Flores puts up better numbers than Drew in 2014.

Tom Brennan said...

Flores is better than any of the in-house alternatives. Note that the bats show some signs of life with him and Campbell in the line up. The cumulative hitting effect of two guys who can shore up two spots in the order lifts all boats.

One name that should be entering the future equation is Matt Reynolds for SS. After his .220 at St Lucie last year, a casual look would have indicated that 2nd pick was a busted one.

But he gets promoted to AA in this, only his 2nd full year, and flipped the on switch, hitting .352 with a .420+ on base %. On base 77 times via hits and walks in 43 games. Power lacking but at 6'1" 200 lb, he clearly has the body size to ramp that up. And, get this Met fans, 19 for 40 with runners in scoring position. An area where the Mets would love more clutch production, and this kid seems to meet the call.

It is early in the season still, but he has to enter the conversation for 2015 Met SS if they don't pull the trigger on someone else. in the meantime, I'll take Flores' bat. it cures a lot of ills.

He may not be Tovar in the field, but I for one am super-impressed with this start.

Mack Ade said...

Well, you guys sure told me... :)

Seriously, I'd love to see Flores in the lineup everyday for a myriad amount of reasons.

There will come a time that his defensive range (or lack of it) comes into play, but let the boy swing!

Unknown said...

Mack
I understand that it seems that Mejia and Montero look better in the first few innings, but this year of all years we should give them more than 5 starts to work it out. If they don't cut it put them in the pen next year. I would just prefer to wear out the starting pitching option first, since they both have high potential, then wait til it's too late and say what if?
Also I agree we should let Flores play for 2 months straight and improve his trade value to an AL team. He more than likely doesn't fit in with us in the long run.
Play the kids and SELL THE DAM TEAM ALREADY!!!

David L. Whitman said...

Sure let's trade to Flores to the AL and watch him hit for another team a typically Metsian solution. I just don't see a) what real trade value Flores has and b) any trade value he has would bring a lesser player in return. The Mets finally have a SS who can hit their weight and now some want to trade him in a few months so he can spend his career bashing baseballs for another team.

I think the Mets should look at a 6 man rotation that would solve the problem of getting innings as starters for Montero and deGrom, as well as keeping them within their innings limits. Then if you trade Colon and don't call him Thor, they can go back to the traditional 5 man.

But trading Flores anytime in the next 18 mos. would be foolish for a lot of reasons.

Ernest Dove said...

I'm basically beating a dead horse with this same comment/argument/d fense/support but............who keeps proclaiming that Flores can truly never play shortstop (the position he was originally signed to play)...
Again, you can't convince me that he is the worst SS in this league......Jeter was always terrible early on at the position. .......not saying he's Jeter, but the kid, last time I checked again, is 22 !!!!!!!
I don't remember the Mets and their fans demanding that David Wright move to second or first when he was making errors and terrible throws from the hot corner.
I don't hear anyone complaining anymore about how Daniel Murphy can't play 2B, mainly because he is most likely career .300 hitter, who can reach 200 hits consistently, steal 15-20 bases, and drive in runs.
How about waiting until the kid has 100 more games under his belt before we let spend the next 10 years as our backup, or an AmericAn league teams 10 year average of .275, 10-15homer, 75+ rbi guy.

Ernest Dove said...

Oh, and my other repetitive statement/theory is: if Lucas Duda, in 2013, hit .250 with 25 homers and 90-100 rbi, he would be in left field right now.......
Last time I checked, players like rafael soriano have always been terrible out there, but hitting 25-30 homers miraculously shuts up anyone complaining about solid defense.

Mack Ade said...

Zozo -

I'll give you your play time with Flores, but I won't let up on my back end pen of MONTERO, Mejia, and Familia (+Parnell next season)

Ernest Dove said...

Oooops, I meant alfonso soriano

Ernest Dove said...

I'll accept your bullpen.....but only if Parnell is the 8th inning guy.

Anonymous said...

Now that you have the backend of the pen,taken care of mack with mejia-familia-montero-parnell! Here are the other 3 members german-edgin and leathersich! Keep it close boys and the pen will be a shut down pen. I like flores don't mind him at SS for now! But I'd call up Tovar to be a late inning lead defensive player.
Steve

Mack Ade said...

Anonymous -

There isn't a pitcher in baseball that could be a more effective reliever... of ONE batter... than Leathersich.

Tom Brennan said...

Keep a seat in the bullpen available next to Jack Leathersich for the lethal Akeel Morris - he won't be in Citifield tomorrow, but he is simply lethal vs. A Ball Hitters.

24 innings, 7 hits, 39 Ks, no runs.

If he was in High School, and put up #'s like that vs. High School kids, he'd be on a top 10 RHP draft list. But he's doing it as a pro. Wow.

Unknown said...

If there was a trade out there that was available like a Flores and plaweki for Joc Pedersen, would u do it? I would. I have no problem letting him play 150 games a year at SS for us, but the way he has been treated so far this season it doesn't seem likely he will ever get a fair chance here. This GM and manager don't have the slightest way of running this organization. The reason why I don't think Flores gets a fair shot is because he is an Omar guy, just like most of these prospects so far. So from the front office if he succeeds they know they have did diddley squat.
I have always been a Flores guy but he probably won't ever get a fair chance with these Bozo's.

Unknown said...

So Sandy Alderson places less of a value on SS because he didn't match the Marlins absurd deal to Reyes when he's an injury-prone star who depends on his legs more than anything, doesn't sound like someone worth such hefty investment, and because he didn't give Drew more than he was worth (and the rest of baseball seemed to agree with the Mets in this case, because the Tigers and Twins need a shortstop just a bad.)

bgreg98180 said...

Semi
correction, Tigers definitely do not need a ss "as bad" as the Mets. Tigers as a team is hitting much better and WINNING. Tigers do not need more hitting from their ss. Mets do.