Morning Report – September 25 – Sandy, Cesar Puello, Pen, Brandon Nimmo, Toronto Blue Jays

So, I sat back and mulled over the three year extension to Sandy Alderson and the announcement that Terry Collins will be back to manager next season. I already said on the post I put up when the rumors came out that I was happy with the clarity of the Alderson decision. The team that was on the field in the second half of the season showed the promise of the future. It also was without its best player (David Wright), its best starter (Matt Harvey) and its closer (Bobby Parnell).

I’m not surprised at the Collins announcement either, though I’m glad it only covered a one-year period. I’ll tell you this… if the 2015 Mets don’t come out of the starting gate as one of the top teams in their division, Collins will not be around by the all-star break.

What I’m curious about is what will happen to Paul DePodesta (VP, Player Development and Scouting) and J.P. Ricciardi (Special Assistant to Alderson). Both have impressive resumes of their own and are capable of ‘general managing’ their own teams in this game. Are they going to hang around to see if Alderson’s long term plan comes to fruition?

We here at Mack’s Mets have been blessed this year with the addition of Thomas Brennan as a staff writer. He has added a level of coverage of the short season teams that this site (or any other Mets site) has never seen. What it also has done was frankly point out that the level of talent that the Alderson people are bringing into this organization just keeps on getting better and better.

I look forward to Alderson moving into the off-season with a list of his excessive starting pitches next to him. I hope he picks up the phone and doesn’t wait for someone to call him. The Mets are quickly developing serious depth of talent on some positions and they have the opportunity to package a juicy deal to get the kind of ‘superstar’ player they need for the few positions they don’t seem to have an internal solution for.

The extension of Alderson takes that drama off the table.

Now, let’s let the man do what he does in the off-season



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Comment From Guest - Why have the New York Mets refused to bring up Cesar Puello after the roster expansion?                       

                                  

Dan Szymborski: He’s really fallen out of favor in the organization and wasn’t particularly good this year.  I would not be the least bit surprise if he’s outrighted off the 40-man after the season

                    Mack – You win some and you lose some and this looks like a loss to me.

Remember… a team needs THREE outfielders each year in Queens. The 4^th is steak knives. Puello really fucked it up with the drug scandal and then coming to camp like it had nothing to do with it and I can duplicate my numbers if you just let me in the mother fucker game.

Okay, so now you fuck up number two with the Jorday Vadespin approach to team management who happens to be Wally ‘Get You Face Out Of My Face Before I Put it Up My Ass…”

And all through this the home office are sending stable ballplayer that can deliver, better, calmer numbers,

The Queens centerfieder is set with Juan Lagares… Curtis Granderson will teach any young outfielder how to better his game and that’s why we need Michael Conforto there as soon as possible. And Brandon Nimmo has now passed Cesar and will be the opening day 1^st in Binghanton, then Las Vegas (all-star break), and lastly, Flushing.

Lastly. Alderson is going to bring in a new LF, probably some on a similar high risk dead he had this past off-season with Chris Young. A one year deal

Don’t be surprised the extra bag of pills are already in Puello’s bag and, once the authorities pull him over, he’ll be working the taco line in a Mexican He-She bar, asking if you wanted your fajitas with corn or flour tacos.

You think I’m kidding?

I’ve seen worst.

I’ve noticed in the comments section of various Morning Reports that we all are wondering if the Mets have to go outside their organization to fill in their 2015 pen.

I think we can all agree that Vic Black, Josh Edgin (L), Jeurys Familia, Jenrry Mejia, Rafael Montero, and Bobby Parnell (DL) will be members of this pen. That’s six pitchers, or five if Parnell isn’t ready come opening day.

This leaves a various amount of both relievers and minor league starters that are ready to take the next step professionally.

The are: Dario Alvarez (L), Buddy Carlyle, Dana Eveland (L), Gonzalez Germen, Erik Goeddel, Scott Rice (L), Carlos Torres, Jeff Walters, Darin Gorski (L), Jack Leathersich (L), John Lannon (L), Chase Bradford, John Church, Cory Mazzoni, Zack Thornton, and Logan Verrett.

That’s 16 internal options to fill a couple of slots. That’s how much internal talent this team has right now coming off the mound.

My guess is that the addition of Montero to the pen will be a huge upgrade and the entire package could be one more pitcher away from one of the best in the national league.

Brandon Nimmo, OF (No. 3) - Nimmo's process of breaking down his body and building it back up again began last year in mid-October, when the outfield prospect began a diet and exercise regimen to shed a significant chunk of his roughly 208 pounds. A month later, Nimmo reported to the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., where trainers taught him to put the weight back on the right way.

Working alongside established stars such Pittsburgh's Andrew McCutchen and Chicago's Starlin Castro, Nimmo spent five to six hours a day training to improve his body control, flexibility, vision and nutrition. Combined with plenty of baseball activities, that work allowed Nimmo to bulk back up to a leaner, fitter 208 pounds by the start of Spring Training.

"It was great for me," said Nimmo, whose breakout 2014 season included a .278/.394/.426 line over two levels, as well as a stark decrease in his strikeout rate. "I think that's been the translation into this season and the [increased] power numbers that you guys saw. But it's also just me maturing. I'm 21 years old. I still have more growing to do. I still have more fill-out and more strength to get."

The 13th overall pick in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft, Nimmo should reach Triple-A Las Vegas at some point next summer. http://m.mets.mlb.com/news/article/95849306/mets-farmhands-take-right-mindset-into-2015

  Mack – Nimmo isn’t a lock to be the 2016 Mets left fielder, but he is the front runner of a basically lean top level outfield prospect projection. Only Michael Conforto can currently be projected as a future major leaguer, but he looks to be the replacement for Curtis Granderson someday in right.

My hopes is the Mets solve 2015 with a decent one year signing of a second-level current major leaguer. This would allow the Mets the option to actually slow this process down a little more and return Nimmo first to Binghamton in April (if they chose to).

However…  right now…. Your ‘future Mets outfield come 2018 is Nimmo, Conforto, and Juan Lagares. Anyone in the organization is welcome to make me into a liar.

We now look at the last team in the AL East, our old trading partners, the Toronto Blue Jays.

According to Cot[i], the Blue Jays 2014 salaries are $137,177,700.

We all know who’s playing shortstop here. There has been some chatter that the Blue Jays would like to move Jose Reyes ($22mil/yr – 2015-2017), but, even if that was true, there is no way the Mets would pay him more than they pay David Wright. As said as I want to admit it but the days of Reyes being a Met are over.

There really wasn’t any backup shortstop on the Blue Jays in 2014. 2B Ryan Goins (.284)  and 2B Mununori Kawasaki (.270) moved over to short through various ticky-tacky ailments of Reyes.

Outfield wise, Jose Bautista has the 2015 ($14mil) contract left, plus a team option in 2016. Melky Cabrera ($8mil) is one of the top players entering free agency in the off-season. He also is the Blue Jays left fielder and would fit perfect in CitiField, but it’s tough to figure out if he’s going to be above what the Mets are willing to spend here (remember… I’m operating that the Mets will ONLY sign someone for one year to cover left, waiting for Brandon Nimmo to grow into this position… I expect Cabrera to sign for more than this).

And then there is the ‘other’ free agency, CF Colby Rasmus ($7mil). His expected 2015 replacement is who he split center with this season, Anthony Gose.

Future wise, the Blue Jays have a lot of talented young outfielders. First, there’s Gose. Then there is Dalton Pompey, who will probably start the 2015 season in AAA.

Mack Observation – Toronto seems set in 2015. Gose will take over center and Pompey will grow within the system. I would make a run at Rasmus who has never been a stat guy, but can hit a home run or two (18-HRs in 340-AB, 119-K) . Remember… we’re looking for someone for one year that can clear fences

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[i] http://www.baseballprospectus.com/compensation/cots/al-east/toronto-blue-jays/