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11/28/14

The Morning Report – November 28 – Sully-Chat, Luis Cessa, 2nd Draft Pick



A few words about this Morning Report.

Some of you have asked me why I quote so much from Fangraphs and the writers over there.

The main reason is simply… it’s the off-season and there just isn’t that much being written about the Mets right now. The Q and A over there gives me an opportunity to post a subject about a Mets player, give you my quick thoughts, and then open it up to all of you in the report for comments.

Consider the Morning Report here as just the vessel that gets things started here every day. You don’t have to keep on subject and are welcomed to ask anything you want. It’s a watering hole for loyal readers.


We really need some more active writers to keep the site humming. Right now, Thomas Brennan, Reese Kaplan, and Ernest Dove are punching out a combination of five posts a week. We need nine more per week to cover the period of 8am-2pm.

           Please consider joining the site as a writer. Also, please pass on our needs to your friends out there that would love to be heard.

           Tom is a perfect example of the growth from silent reader to comment maker to infrequent writer to feature writer. And, it’s fun.

           (and… to those of you that have been Mack’s Mets writers in the past, be them still within the system (see list of writers on the right side column of page one) or those of you that have moved on… we’d love to have you back again and active.

           Email me:  macksmets@gmail.com   to discuss.


Sully-Chat -

Comment From Bret - Why do the Mets seem to think Ruben Tejada is the worst? I know he’s not perfect, but he’s young, cheap, and reasonably productive. Seems like a lot of teams would be satisfied with that, but with the Mets he’s a giant black hole.

Jeff Sullivan: He hasn’t developed, he’s had some off-field concerns, and while he’s an adequate defensive shortstop, he’s not great and he definitely doesn’t hit, and now he’s getting expensive. He’s not a *problem* but he’s not starter material

Mack – Wow, it’s been a long time since anyone has brought up the name of Tejada.

Bret is obviously not a Mets fan and hasn’t gone down the dead end road that Ruben traveled. I think Sully has him tagged very well and I really like him as a utility infielder, but nothing more than that, ever again please.

Comment From Alex - Mets send: Jacob deGrom, Kevin Plawecki, and Daniel Murphy. Rockies send: Troy Tulowitzki . Who says no? What’s added to each side? Do you think the Mets try to push for Tulo?

Jeff Sullivan: Rockies say no to that

Mack - Mets fans keep trying to revisit any possibility of securing the services of Tulo, while, at the same time, offering less than he’s worth.  I’m not sure the Mets have a player right now that could anchor a trade for a player of this status. Matt Harvey maybe if he wasn’t coming off TJS but definitely not simply the ROY and a couple of prospects. And, we’re talking about someone currently on the disabled list.

Everyone needs to move on from this subject also.


Baseball America put out a feature on key players available in the Rule 5 draft[i]… one, under the section called ‘flame throwers’ was:

                       Luis Cessa, rhp, Mets: Another conversion project, Cessa has been a slow-mover as he’s been used as a starter. He has an athletic delivery, with a big arm (93-95 mph fastball) and a fringe average breaking ball and changeup, and he throws a lot of strikes (1.78 BB/9 in 374 IP).

Check out the entire article… it’s a good primer on around 50 players available in the Rule 5 process and features a handful of other Mets as well



Sandy Alderson said on Wednesday that he was not opposed to giving up a second draft pick “if a player is available toward the end of the offseason at a discount.”

It also has been reported that the Mets will keep their eye on the situation in Boston and SS Xander Bogaerts. "It’s not like we’re knocking down their door to see if [Bogaerts] is available," the source said. "But we’ll wait and see how things shake out."

My thoughts on this are not to read much into what comes out of Alderson’s mouth. He loves to be cute about subjects like this and will jump from one side of the fence to the other. I love how he says the Mets would be interested if a player like Nelson Cruz came available at a discount. 

Hey Alderson. That was last year, remember?

31 comments:

  1. Morning, Mack

    Yep, Mack mapped out my route from first becoming aware of the site, to finding it intriguing and informative, to posting comments, to becoming a writer here. Been a lot of fun, really. If you readers out there have a way with words and know Mets stuff (and some posters clearly do) give it a whirl.

    Tejada = losing baseball in my mind. That's why he has gotten phased down and perhaps out. It's Wilmer Time, unless Sandy gets creative this off season.

    I dunno - if I am Rockies, I really think about doing that trade, quality talent for a guy like Tulo who only plays 70% of a season until proven otherwise. Throw Tejada in to cinch the deal.

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  2. couldn't believe someone defended Tejada

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  3. Un-Injured, Tulo is in the conversation as The Best Player in Baseball. He's also the Franchise Player--"Their David Wright"....and he's a reason for Rockie Fans to buy tickets in November through April.

    Let's turn this around...ask yourself what you'd want in Return for David Wright, or even Matt Harvey. From a baseball valuation standpouint and from a business marketing perspective, there would need to be an overwhelming value received in a trade---and btw...Throwing Reuben Tejada in the trade wouldn't make account for a drop of difference--Do you thing You are the only person whoi doesn't thing he can play???

    A Tulo trade probably involves a Young established Player/Pitcher, a useable MLB player or two, and several Top and Close propsects--- Wheeler, Matz, Herrera, Conforto in exchange for Tulo....and I don;t know if Colorado could sell even that to their fan base.

    BTW-- I would not like that trade.

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  4. Sandy, sandy...., Sandy? ???

    Tomas signs for nowhere near a $100 million contract.

    Could have gotten both Cuddyer and Tomas.

    Probably a. Strong argument to be made to choose the younger, more powerful, lower injury risk Tomas over Cuddyer if an either/or choice needed to be made.

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  5. Do you writers have an edit function?...I'm sorry--Killing it with thypos!!!...Happy TG Mack's Metters!!!!!

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  6. OY!!!---even the "typos post" has TYPOS!!!!!!!!

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  7. Hey, my typo infested post was just finished Mack and ready to be published ;)
    And yes, shame on us voluntary writers for not thoroughly reviewing and perfecting our posts on a mets fan blog/website.

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  8. Hey Mack, I think its inevitable that Mets will lose at least one player to rule 5 draft thingy........ is there one particular player u are worried the most about losing?

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  9. Hey eraff

    My Tejada cinching the deal one liner was meant in jest. I need say no more. Tulo has actually been in an average of 106 games a year over the past 5 years - seems like a real stretch to think he'll be a 140+ game starter - if one could reasonably assume that he could do 140 a year for the next 5 years, why not? Except even if he is healthy, could the injuries force him off SS in the not-too-distant future?

    If I'm Mets, I'd be sorely tempted if it took deGrom, Plaw and Daniel Murphy and nothing more. But injury history is scary - just look at Griffey and A Rod. Guys often become mortal after injuries. With immortal-sied paychecks for years.

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  10. Trying not to look at it as a Mets fan, and still I say deGrom, Pawlecki and Murphy for Tulo is a bad deal for the Mets.

    Yes Tulo is awesome - WHEN HEALTHY; his injury history is long and (un)distinguished.

    Whereas, deGrom is a cost controlled potential #1 starter (at least a #2) making near league minimum for 2 more years; Pawlecki is most likely at least an average ML catcher; and Murphy is an above average ML hitter (put him in Colo 80 games a year and he likely hits 20 HRs).

    That is two starters and a front line pitcher for less than Tulo is making, and they all have relatively clean bills of health.

    Given the ages and the injuries, that is a bad deal for the Mets.

    Of course, for the reasons stated by eraff, the Rockies would say no to it as well.

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  11. As for Tejada - he would be a much better utility infielder than this team has had over the past few years.

    I like him in that role, and I think Sandy will hold onto him unless something better materializes or Reynolds completely forces his hand by hitting .500 in Vegas through June

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  12. PLEASE, JUST SAY NO ON TULO!

    1. A healthy Tulo would be a desirable player, no doubt.

    2. A healthy Tulo at his current price point is debatable, at best (but still worth it, most likely).

    3. A healthy Tulo, at his current price point AND what it would cost the Mets to get him is probably not worth it in the long run.

    ***Notice each bullet point started with a "healthy Tulo"......not a guarantee and not likely, if you look at his past (usually the best indicator of the future).

    He is on the DL, so the point is currently moot....but even if he was "available" you CAN'T take that kind of risk if you are Sandy and the Mets.

    Lastly, why do you think the Rockies would entertain a trade?

    If Tulo was healthy and productive, he isn't getting traded.

    In short, if the Rockies are exploring trades, it is because they see him as a liability (all things considered).

    I think we are better off with Flores and all of our "pieces" that would otherwise get dealt to the Rockies in a Tulo deal.

    By the way, Happy Thanksgiving, Mack (and crew).

    MIke F

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  13. Hey Mack, it's never a day late to give thanks. Thank you (and the rest of you guys) for all that you do here. The morning report is generally my first read of the day - and since I'm out on the west coast - the early comments are my second read. Great site, nice job, thanks much!

    On Tulo, all I can say is it must be late November. The guy is not only injury prone, he TORE HIS HIP this season. That's not just something that is going to heal and be forgotten. Right now, with the Mets finances the way they are, you couldn't get me to commit to his current contract as a FA - much less give up multiple top prospects and young players for him. That contract would hamstring the org for years - and don't think that even the die-hard fans who congregate here will stick around, going to games, reading blogs while Tulo collects checks from home for the next 5 offseasons, discussing ways to position the team for 2020 or something when that money comes off the books. And if people think that the Rockies are going to eat big chunks of his salary without demanding your top 3-4 prospects plus, you can forget it. This team simply cannot take the kind of risk entailed in taking on that contract. Period.

    It's nice to see someone, somewhere, defending Tejada. Not that I want him starting - or even particularly want him as a utility guy - it's just that as a personal matter, at 25 years old, and not having committed some heinous crime - the guy shouldn't have the ENTIRE world hating on him all the time. Guy who asked the question is probably his cousin or something, but still.

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  14. Ernest -

    there has been so much due diligence done on the young Mets pitchers that I would assume at least one of them would be lost

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  15. I agree, Mack, on pitchers at risk. I can't, for instance, imagine Verrett might not be a starting upgrade for some major league team, at $500K. So I'd be shocked if he is not snatched.

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  16. Thankfully the Mets farm system is so stacked with young pitching, that lost players is simply an easier opportunity for everyone else to safely move up a level without already being blocked by 5-6 guys at that level.

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  17. Let's keep in mind that a Rule 5 pick must remain on the 25-man roster of the claiming team all year. He cannot be farmed out for development.

    Yes, kids like Cessa may have tremendous potential, but are they ready to spend a full year on the ML roster? That will affect their likelihood of being lost to us.

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  18. Mike F -

    I'm well past thinking about Tulo but he's a good subject on a cold day

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  19. It says something about the Mets depth that Verrett is unprotected

    Re Tulo: Not Mack's fault - it was brought up on another chat!

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  20. Mack, any chance Amed Rosario is our home-grown Tulo in 2 or 3 years? What do you think?

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  21. The optimist in me sees Rosario being our (healthy/fingers crossed) version of Hanley Ramirez.

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  22. Hey, longtime lurker, (very) infrequent commenter here. Absolutely love the site, don't know how I'd occupy some ~30 minutes of my day without it. Best Mets site I've seen.

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  23. There is always a chance of a team with "some space" shooting at some of the Mets Rule 5 Pitching Depth---but if any team had a strong feeling on a guy like Verrett being a #4/5 this year, they'd have traded a non-rule 5 prospect to the Mets YESTERDAY.

    Major League Starting Pitchers are a very rare "outcome".... there are many, many Logan Verretts on most MILB depth Charts. I hope, for him, that he becomes an MLB STarter.

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  24. And with that, let me be the first to proclaim Jacob to officially be a new best friend of all Macks Mets writers....................
    And further thoughts on future Mets, I simply enjoy being a dreamer myself. I like dreaming of a day where a urena, rosario, Herrera, dom smith infield, with a nimmo lagares conforto outfield and a harvey wheeler degrom matz molina rotation averages 90 wins a year

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  25. Ernest -
    Bet you a five-spot we hit 88
    this year!

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  26. Thomas -

    I like Rosario ALOT.

    I remember when he was signed. One of the international scouts said he's as good as they come at that age.

    My hope is he plays Savannah on opening day. I think he is easily the top SS prospect in the organization and that's saying a lot because, currently, there are some good ones at the lower levels

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  27. Thank you Jacob.

    I've had a particularly stressful week on Mack's Mets and I can't tell you how much I needed what you just said.

    Mack

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  28. Steve/Ernest -

    I don't know if I want to get into this 'win production' thing.

    I expect a healthy Wright, the addition of Harvey and Cuddyer, and netter full seasons for Granderson, d'Arnaud, and Flores.

    All of this should be worth, what, at least 10 wins?

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  29. Ernest - I like the names of your Met future, above, but not your math - let's bump that average up to 95!!

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  30. I think Logan Verrett is likely the one to be nabbed -- AAA experience, good numbers prior to this season -- but no room at the inn given the strong arms in the organization.

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