9/8/14

Morning Report – September 8th – Rule 5, Sand Gnats, Firing TC, San Francisco Giants, Minnix-Chat


Kingsport Rule 5 Eligible Players –

            Gaby Almonte, Leon Canelon, Oswald Caraballo, Josh Dunn, Ramon Estevez, Jose Figuera, Juan Carlos Gamboa, Audry German, Carlos Gomez, Vincente Lupo, Yoryi Nuez, Luis Ortega, Persio Reyes, Ruben Reyes, Jean Rodriguez





Sadly, the Savannah Sand Gnats season came to an end on Saturday afternoon. The team really wasn't same as they were in the first half of the season before the majority of their offensive talent (LJ Mazzilli, Jeff McNeil, Gavin Cecchini, Cole Frenzel) were promoted to St. Lucie.

Even the playoff promotions of Michael Conforto and Jhoan Urena and Amed Rosario were too late to help.

A lot of talent came out of Savannah this year, especially the pitching. Both John Gant and Robert Gsellman have established themselves as future Mets starters to keep an eye on. A third, Robert Whalen, may be left behind next spring due to loss time this year due to an injury, but he may turn out to be the best of the three.

Three future prospect starters on one lower level team is a big deal in baseball.

A fourth pitcher, RP/CL Akeel Morris, looks like a winner also and could rise as high as Binghamton next season as their closer.

Lastly, 1B Dominic Smith will play St. Lucie next season and get in line behind Jayce Boyd as the possible replacement for Lucas Duda someday.

As I said, a very talented team with a very sad ending





.I’m now starting an ever-growing chatter field regarding the future employment of Terry Collins as the 2015 Mets manager. Please someone alert Reece Kaplan’s wife to get the Viagra out of his hand of this could be a double whammy of biblical proportions.


Adding to this today were addition reports that Sandy Alderson’s job is in jeopardy due the lower pitch counts coming from the Mets rotation pitchers.

I really find this somewhere between funny, stupid and downright insulting. Is ther actually a writer out there somewhere that truly believes that the General Manager of a major league baseball team has the ability to make pitchers throw more pitches early, be them out of the zone, or knicked off as a foul ball by some batter.
I will tell one thing that is etched in stone.

No one gives a rat’s ass if your starter have thrown 110 pitches through his first six innings and the team is winning 7-1.

Oh, I’m sure if he does this three or four times in a row after accepting his new dominant role in team pitching statistics, that a cup of coffee meeting could be beneficial between the catchers used in those games, the pitches called for, and the results of where they would up. Still… let’s remember all these games had the starter willing at 7-1 after 6.0-IP and 110-IP.

I’ve said this a number of times this season in a number of ways… you get me five starters that hold their opponents to under three runs for six innings… and I’ll win you at least enough games to finish the season at a .500 record.

Take it another step… if my team averages 5-6 runs a game using the same numbers. Well, this is simply math… I win 100+ games.

Yeach I know. Some of the relievers will screw up a few. Trust me…spot me 4-5 runs a game through 6… hold the other team to 3 through 3…

We’re in the playoffs and no one is saving fire no one.



We’re going to continue our annual breakdown we do of other teams before the season ends. All of this will target on possible trade or free agent candidates for left field, shortstop, or young pitching.

We started on Saturday with the Los Angeles Dodgers and we move on today to the San Francisco Giants.

The Giants spend around $150mil a year on salaries and are dominated by long term deals with untouchables like RHP Matt Cain, RF Hunter Pence, and catcher Buster Posey.

Free agents this season include RHP Jake Peavey, 3B Pablo Sandoval, RHP Sergio Romo, LF Michael Morse, and RHP Ryan Vogelsong.

Morse will play 2015 as a 33-yr old and is currently hitting: 436-AB, .280/.340/.477/.817, 16-HR, 61-RBI. He has started in left field since 2012 and was paid $6mil this year by the Giants.

Middle infield wise, it can probably be said that the Giants are looking for new players here as well. Ex-prospect Joe Panik (179-AB, .318) seems to have implanted himself into the future second basement for the team, but the job of shortstop is wide open. Currently, Brandon Crawford is the starter there, hitting only .228 in 429 at-bats. 23-yr old Matt Duffy (AA: .332) offers them a 2015 alternative

Their outfield is two-thirds set with Pence and the oft injured Angel Pagan. Gregor Blanco ($2.525/yr., 2015-ARB3) has filled in well (.260) while Tyler Colvin (.223) has moved up to the fourth outfielder while Pagan was grounded.

Mack summation: - It seems to me that the Giants have similar personnel problems with the Mets. They also have a ton of young pitchers down their pipe (Kyle Crick, Tyler Beede, Adalberto Mejia, Keury Mella, Ty Blach) that they can use in trades to fill in their lineup holes.

Their biggest problem may be two fold… one, they have a shit farm system and two, they have an arrogant VP regarding the talent that others feel isn’t in the system. “We always have what we need,” said club vice president Dick Tidrow. “We have turned down trades for all of these guys.”

I would move on if I was the Mets here, unless you want to make one phone call to Duffy’ agent to see if he would take a similar one-year deal the Mets paid this year to Chris Young.  




Minnix-Chatt -

Comment From Guest - Please share some sleeper wire picks for offense. Thanks!!

Nicholas Minnix: Juan Lagares is one of my favs, for speed.

Comment From Bomok - Who would you rather trade Harvey, Wheeler, Syndergaard, or deGrom?

Nicholas Minnix: Right now, Syndergaard, because I have seen the others have success at the MLB level, and it’s believable. All I can say on that, haha. Wheeler if Syndergaard wows as well. I’d want a chance to evaluate his pitch mix. … (Syndergaard)

Comment From Rated Rookie - Is there going to be room for Steven Matz in the 2015 Mets rotation?

Nicholas Minnix: I cannot see that. He’s like a might debut guy, to me.

Comment From Bomok - Wheeler for Russell- unfair for the Mets or Cubs
Nicholas Minnix: Um. … a little for the Cubs. Establishment in MLB carries some perceived weight, probably some real weight. Wheeler’s ceiling is debatable, perhaps, though. Cubs throw in a small piece, maybe that’d do it. But I don’t think they’d do that deal straight up, right now anyway.

            Mack – Look, this guy Minnix isn’t considered some grand bo-pa expect on all thing Mets. He just writes for a web site that has a lot of New Yorkers who’s entire live seems to be tweeting into their hand.


I agree with most he said and I especially like all the collective buzz about this team without one mention of Wright, Gundergroin, and Murphy. 

26 comments:

Tom Brennan said...

I'll write about him. Everybody that jumped ship back on Grandy's ship. He's up to .215!!! Heady stuff. Actually, radio broadcast Saturday said Grandy has has at least 7 stretches of 0 for 17 this year. Mind-boggling, frankly.

I would have wished they couldve promoted Akeel to AA for the Championship series.

If Addison Russell is half as good as Cazzie Russell was, I want him!

I want to give Kirk N some credit. I've bashed him, because of his Ks, but he is performing well. When guys exceed my expectations, I'm glad to admit I might have been wrong. I still hope Dekker plays almost every day.

Unknown said...

No one on Kingsport to protect, way to young.
Hey Mack who is "Duffy" that you said call his agent to?

Anonymous said...

I think this off-season will be the most,out of the last 5. The team is close to contending ,and our GM has a nack for making good trades of Veterans for prospects. Also think he doesn't need to make to many trades! If he can do a Russell for Syndergaard,and everything else stays the same I would be happy! Platoon LF with MDD and Soup? But you never know with Sandy? Maybe he does a big trade of Murphy Colon and a prospect? Anyhow exiting times ahead for sure

Anonymous said...

I wonder how Theo's view of Russell has been impacted with the debut of Baez and Alcantara. The latter started off pretty well in CF, but has tapered off pretty heavily since and the former has turned into one of the most prolific windmills in the game. I mean, I know rookies struggle to adapt, but his strikeout rate and low batting average have to be a MAJOR concern. Theo may have overplayed his hand a bit because both of those guys were hot commodities whose value is diminishing by the day. I have been a big Baez fan, but right now, there is no way that I part with a major piece for him until he proves he is not Mike Olt 2.0. If he is not careful, he could lead the league in Golden Sombreros in a little over a month's worth of play. He is K'ing over 40% and Alcantara over 30%. Baez is hitting low Interstate and Alcantara is just barely above it

Anonymous said...

I would try to get my hands on Scott Van Slyke and platoon him with Kirk or MdD in LF. I would also try Puello in RF against guys like Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Gio AKA "The though lefties". I mean, does it realy matters if Grandy plays against those lefties or anybody else?

Anonymous said...

I like the idea of staying internal or a low cost guy like Van Slyke until mid or end of next year. Full staff in tact, steps for younger guys and probably $30M coming off the books (with prospects coming back) for Gee, Niese, Colon and Murphy. I know people are tired of waiting, but just a bit more patience and this team could be in a position to roll for several years

Unknown said...

Just checked and we currently hold the 12 worst record(so we have the 13th pick), and the only guys I can see we may have any interest in that would be protected would be Hanley Ramirez, JJ Hardy and Nelson Cruz. I don't think any of these players would fit into our ownerships budget, so we won't have to worry about losing a pick this year as well. I believe we will just be making trades, if at all any moves get made.

Anonymous said...

Why is Sandt Terry and management going out of there way piss off our best players? 1st Harvey now Syndergaard? Call the kid up let him sit on the bench and atleast watch the last 19 games??

Mack Ade said...

Zozo -

Matt Duffy - hit .332 in AA this year
then promoted to the Giants

Reese Kaplan said...

On Syndergaard it's all about the Benjamins -- starting his arbitration clock ticking and it will cost you down the road. Super Two will smack him around, too.

There could, however, be another reason here. He was pretty awful ERA-wise this season but some will cut him slack for the hell-hole in Las Vegas where he plays. However, if he comes up here and stinks up his first start or two, his value plummets a'la Rafael Montero's.

Right now I'm far more concerned with the LF situation than SS. Wilmer Flores is proving himself to be an adequate fallback solution if nothing else evolves. We don't have that luxury in the outfield

bgreg98180 said...

I'm concerned about the LF & RF situation.

Unknown said...

Would Cubs consider Wheeler or Syndergaard for Bryant? Would you do it?

bgreg98180 said...

where is Bryant going to play?

Anonymous said...

@RIch

in a word.....no....Cubs are not giving up a potential 30 HR 120 RBI guy in Bryant.

Even if his promotion forces them to get rid of Baez, Alcantara, or Russell.....Bryant is absolutely untouchable

Mack Ade said...

Richard -

Chris is right - Bryant is going nowhere, so there is no reason to speculate

Steve from Norfolk said...

Bob,

I'm not worried about LF, as long as DD can keep up his present performance. Use Soup in LF for lefties if DD's splits stay the same If I were him(DD), I'd play winter ball and work on hitting lefties.

RF - nothing we can do unless we either want to release Grandy, trade him and eat a good chunk of his contract, or have a 16 million dollar 5th outfielder. That's right, $16 mil. His contract is center-loaded - $13 mil this year, $16 mil the next 2 years, and $15 mil in 2017. If he is moved somehow, it's Puello time, at least for a try until Nimmo is ready (maybe at the break next year?). Conforto should be ready sometime in 2016, hopefully.

Point being, we have some internal options. Who knows, even Nieuwenhuis is showing signs of calming his internal windmill!

Tom Brennan said...

I agree with you, Steve. There are still 19 games left, let's see what the kids do and evaluate from there.

I just looked back at the box score from the 2 HR Swoboda, 19 K Carlton game in 1969. In that game, a young shaky guy went 0 for 5 with 4 Ks. His name? Amos Otis. Mets need to use the remaining 19 games well and see who shows traction. And who might actually be the next Amos Otis perhaps.

While we're at it, sweep the lowly Rockies and get people dreaming of a long shot wild card again - in 2014.

Mack Ade said...

S.F.N. -

Regarding LF -

I'm fully happy if 2015 will be a Campbell/den Dekker platoon. I see this as a .300+ BA result with moderate combined power (10-15 HRs, 50-60 RBIs)

Good enough for one year.

Regarding Puello, I was a big Puello man and will gladly give him the job if he can re-earn it at the AAA level. His bat is perfect for Las Vegas and no one will talk about what happened to him out there this year.

But...

You have to plan this team with the Granderson contract staying around.

That means Lagares will continue to grow into an all-star centerfielder and left field, latest opening day 2016, will go to... Brandon Nimmo.

As for Grandy and RF... that will be when Michael Conforto takes over

That's how it is currently projected and, of course, anything can change.

bgreg98180 said...

unless the fences are brought in...
having the denDekker/Campbell & Granderson outfield is a risk.

The team needs more offense.
there are not too many positions that are available to upgrade at.

catcher, 1B, 3B, CF are all going to remain the same. Duda, Lagares, & D'arnaud are all having very good second half of the year performances, but the team is still out of the playoffs. Wright is the big opportunity for improvement....but can you bet that he will return to his previous All-Star performance?

2B will not be an area improvement will occur because Murphy has had a great year & if he moves on, the replacement can not be expected to do any better.

SS is an area improvement could occur, but by how much? Unless H. Ramirez is the new SS, their are no free agents that will improve the offense to the degree needed. Tejada is not the answer & Flores is a question mark handicapped by the history created this year by the manager's use of him.

Something has to be done to improve the team's offense.
Whether it is bring in the fences, or hunt for offense in the outfield/SS positions by trade or free agency, Something needs to be done if next year is not to be another 70-80 win team.

Or...... everyone on the current team could have career years offensively proving to be a statistical anomaly and Met fans can recapture the
"You Gotta Beleive" spirit

Unknown said...

I would move Granderson to left field and put MDD in right and then let Campbell platoon with both of them. Whoever is doing the least against lefties get platooned, I don't care how much Granderson is making...

Steve from Norfolk said...

Bob,

You should take a closer look at DD's performance since he came back up. In just his last 10 games, he's 9 for 24, with 8 walks (31 PA). K's are still high (8/31), but he hasreally improved at the plate. He' showing he can, at the very least, hold down LF in a platoon with Soup. The lineup we're playing right now has the potential to give us enough production to be competitive next year, especially with our pitching. I know it's hard not to show some doubt after the last 4 years, but we are almost there. When Nimmo and Conforto get here, we'll be already contending.

bgreg98180 said...

Competitiveness is a step up from the last few years.
But what is an acceptable goal?
70-80 wins?
.500 baseball?
90 wins?
I'm tired of hoping for .500 baseball
I'm tired of "if EVERYTHING goes right......" we'll compete for a playoff spot.
(Everything going right never occurs)

Mack Ade said...

Bob - there is only two acceptable goals in this game... the minimum is making the playoffs... the maximum is winning the World Series

bgreg98180 said...

I agree
unfortunately the Mets have not over the past few years

Mack Ade said...

Bob -

a lot of good and bad has come out of my mouth during the 10 years I have done these blogs...

I'm telling you...
the Mets will at least make the first round of the playoffs next year

bgreg98180 said...

There is nothing that would be better.
I would do cartwheels from ny to Georgia if you turn out to be correct.