12/5/14

The Morning Report – December 5 – Matt Reynolds, Brooklyn Cyclones, Dilson Herrera, Lucas Duda, Eric Young Jr.



Mack’s Mets writer Ernest Dove has been named Editor in Chief of Gymunity, Inc.  Please check out the websites at www.gymunity.com  and www.unitybymacdecker.com .



Toronto signs ex-Mets Ezequiel Carrera to a minor league contract with an invite to Big Boy camp. I’ve written in the past that I thought Carrera would have made a good 2015 5th outfield option. He hit .261 (69-AB) for the Tigers last year and .307 (6-HR, 41-RBI) for their AAA affiliate.



Ken Rosenthal ‏@Ken_Rosenthal  - Sources: Chad MacDonald expected to join #Braves’ scouting department. Previously was #Padres’ assistant GM in charge of amateur scouting. MacDonald was Mets scout that convinced Sandy Alderson to draft Brandon Nimmo, and he then quit a few days later to take the San Diego job




Richard Justice on Matt Reynolds [i]-

            Here's a name to remember: Matt Reynolds.

Reynolds is a 24-year-old shortstop and former second-round pick out of the University of Arkansas coming off a season in which he split time between Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Las Vegas. He had success at both, compiling an overall .859 OPS.

As the Mets have checked out the inventory of available shortstops, they keep coming back to Reynolds. Is he ready?

Mack – Another beat reporter jumps on the Thomas Brennan bandwagon. 

What’s that, three now?



Bob Freitas Award Short-Season Winner: Brooklyn Cyclones[ii]

Fans stood in the July heat waiting for their Keith Hernandez “magic loogie” bobblehead. MCU Park was renamed Vandelay Industries Park, the Cyclones took batting practice in pirate puffy shirts, a fan reeled in a slice of marble rye bread with a fishing rod from the suite level and a guy named George Costanza drove down from Rhode Island to throw out the first pitch. Once inside the cozy park right off the beach, fans were “entertained” by an Elaine Benes dance contest.

For Cohen and his staff, the Seinfeld promotion was just the latest in a long list of wacky promotions. A few seasons ago the team changed its name to the “Baracklyn Cyclones” for one game in honor of the president, wi th fans receiving an Obama bobblehead. And then there was the “Salute to Pregnancy,” otherwise known as “bellies and baseball” by a front office staff member. The night included a “seventh-inning stretch mark.”



Robert Emrich on Dilson Herrera[iii]

Dilson Herrera, St. Lucie (67 games), Binghamton (61 games), New York (18 games): After spending all of 2013 at the Class A level -- most of which was in the Pittsburgh organization -- Herrera went from the Florida State League to the Major Leagues in just four months. Along the way Herrera was third in the organization with a .323 batting average and fifth with 71 RBIs. It appeared that the jump to Double-A at the age of 20 didn't faze him either, as Herrera compiled a .967 OPS in 241 at-bats with Binghamton, more than 200 points higher than his OPS with St. Lucie. "I'd say he exceeded our expectations," he said. "We were excited about him when we traded for him the year before -- thought he had a good chance to go to Double-A at some point during the course of 2014, but I don't think any of us imagined he'd be as productive as he was when he got to Double-A and then be able to make the jump all the way to the big leagues. It was a huge year for him and he had a great, great year. We have very high hopes for him."




Anthony DiComo on Lucas Duda[iv]

           He is still a quiet person, moving about Japan with a beanie slung low over his mop of light brown hair. When a picture of Duda grinning ear to ear next to a Japanese geisha hit Twitter, Vic Black joked that he could hardly believe his teammate's smile. Wright received the photo in an email and simply laughed; he, like Daniel Murphy, is one of Duda's better friends on the team, which tends to mean quiet dinners on the road vs. boisterous nights out.

Teammates marvel at Duda's wry sense of humor, even if for the most part he keeps quiet. In Japan, on the nights when his father watched batting practice from the field, Duda would greet him with a quick hug, maybe a fist bump. Then he would move on his way, back into an All-Star clubhouse increasingly suited to him.



Eno Sarris on Eric Young Jr.[v]

           Eric Young - The speedy Mets outfielder was actually worth a win last year, despite his obvious flaws. Only his left-field defense and speed were above-average skills for him, and that probably wasn’t going to be worth almost the almost three million dollars he was due this year in arbitration. Well, maybe that’s too harsh — Young is projected to be worth about a half win by Steamer this year, and that’s maybe worth three million. So this is probably just a case where the fit wasn’t right. Since Michael Cuddyer is only getting $6.5 million from the Mets this year, they got back half his salary by letting Young go. The Angels currently have the right-handed Collin Cowgill in the fourth outfielder role. It might make sense for them to get a switch-hitter there instead. The Tigers may want a cheap guy to platoon with Rajai Davis in left. The Blue Jays could maybe use an outfielder. He’ll probably get signed, and should probably get signed.


19 comments:

Tom Brennan said...

With all the beatings many of us gave EY Jr while here, he did not do terribly, and I wish him well.

Mack, my Matt Reynolds bandwagon is a 1969 Chevy station wagon 9 seater, with the rear seat facing backwards. Any other prognosticators want to jump in the wagon, we will make room. Bring their own air bags and air sickness bags.

Dilson Herrera is the Machine, who could probably play 300 games a year without blinking. He'll be here soon.

Sounds like Cyclone freebie nights are the place to be in New York City!

Duda has a rye sense of humor, especially when the rye is stuffed with cold cuts. I think the Tokyo Dude will have a huge year in 2015.

95 wins in 2015.

Kevin S said...

I think we're too far back in the Rule 5 pecking order but I think Delino Deshields Jr would make a pretty decent replacement for EYJ.

Tom Brennan said...

DeShields is an intriguing talent, but one has to wonder if the Mets could carry him for a full year after hitting just .236 in AA last year. Seems he'd struggle to hit .200 in majors and play little, although he'd be a great pinch runner. Looks like an EY Jr clone with less (as of now) hitting skills but more pop.

I think carrying a guy like that for a whole season would not make sense for the 2015 Mets to contend.

Hobie said...

See What Shakes Out Department:

Reynolds & Herrera EVERYDAY in LV to July deadline.

Cesar Puello replaces EYJ (at least through July).

Then make some important decisions. My 2 cents.

Oh, and Wright, Cuddyer, Duda & Murph... who plays Athos, Porthos, Aramis & D'Artagnan?

eraff said...

THIS: "my Matt Reynolds bandwagon is a 1969 Chevy station wagon 9 seater, with the rear seat facing backwards"

We HAD that Car!!! The rear facing seat we referred to as "The Puke Seat"---younger brother was forced to sit back there.... he hasn't been nice since.

Brian Joura said...

Congratulations Ernest!

greg b said...

Matt Reynolds can't be any worse the the SS were rumorded to be getting. If its not Castro then stick with Reynolds.

Anonymous said...

Yankees are close to acquiring Didi Gregorius from the Arizona Diamondbacks in a 3 team trade

Yankees get: SS Didi Gregorius
Detroit gets: RHP Shane Greene
Arizona gets: 2 prospects from detriot

Tom Brennan said...

Eraff, my folks had 8 kids.

That 1969 Chevy was packed with the 10 of us, man. I can still smell the rear seat fumes too.

Anonymous said...

Robbie Ray is listed as 1 of the 2 prospects.....

Robbie Ray is no where near the caliber of prospect that Syndergaard is.

Montero is even a bit better then Ray.

Ernest Dove said...

Thank you Brian..... just like our favorite mets players, I also am trying to live out my dream.

Ernest Dove said...

As always, it sounss easy for me to say stick with Wilmer because of his upside, and give Reynolds a shot...... but heck im a mets homer, and I like who I know and already support now, so stay in house with ss.

Anonymous said...

For those wondering....an equivalent package from the Mets would be Rafael Montero + Matt Reynolds in my opinion.

Robbie Ray has a good fastball....but he has significant trouble "missing" bats and his secondary stuff in below average to average. Ceiling is a #4 starter.

Mack Ade said...

Thomas -

Duda's rye would probably be filled with sushi

Tom Brennan said...

Mentioning sushi, Lucas as a born and bred Californian probably likes one of my Japanese restaurant favorites, the California Roll. Try it, you'll like it.

Zozo said...

Congrats Ernest

Anonymous said...

Yanks making moves.....

They sign Andrew Miller for 4 years, $36m total ($9m Annual Average)

Tom Brennan said...

Congrats, Ernest. Missed reading that earlier.

Miller to Yanks...i know my brother sees it as Yanks willing to do what it takes vs. Mets timidity. Time will tell.

Kevin S said...

That's a lot of $. I know Big Papi is not happy that Miller is staying in the AL East