Tom Brennan - IMAGINE A TEAM BUILT ENTIRELY OF MET MINOR LEAGUERS

IMAGINE A TEAM BUILT ENTIRELY OF MET MINOR LEAGUERS

By Tom Brennan

Imagine if the current Mets disappeared.  Poof!  All of them vanish suddenly, except Mr. Dilson, whose recent cup of coffee prevented his disappearance?  Sounds like the stuff of a riveting Rod Serling sci fi flick.

The authorities search high and low, but they’re…just…gone.

Baseball would go on.  So what would the Mets in, let's say, 2017 look like, if only homegrown talent was available to replace them? 

John Lennon might sing, “Imagine a team built of Mets minor leaguers, it’s easy if you try…”

I DID.  MY RESULT? HOW ABOUT A CONTENDING TEAM IN 2017?

·       First base, manned by a capable, Olerud-like hitter in Jayce Boyd, capable of Daniel Murphy-like offense.  And with Dom Smith nearly ready to stake a claim in say mid-2017 if Boyd faltered.

·       Second base, a star in Dilson Herrera, channeling a little bit of the great Joe Morgan.

·       Shortstop, a .300 hitting Matt Reynolds. Amed Rosario closing in on him, though.  And let’s not forget Gavin Cecchini.

·       Third base, L J Mazzilli, putting up decent offensive #'s while Jhoan Urena edges closer to cracking the bigs and giving him a run for his $$.

·       Catcher, All Star Kevin Plawecki, putting up big offensive #'s.  Xorge Carillo’s big bat is ready by then to be a great back up.

·       Outfield, two current hot prospects are now bona fide major league regulars, Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo.  For our 3^rd OF, I speculate that Champ Stuart will by then have channeled Mookie Wilson, and be an exciting lead off guy.  4th and 5th outfielders? How about power hitting Travis Taijeron and 5 tool Cesar Puello, both of whom may be good enough to start for most teams by then?

·       Utility IF, how about Jeff McNeil?  Came along quite nicely in 2014.   Muno or Rivera, if not snatched in Rule 5 draft are alternates.

Pitching?  

·       Well for starters, how about Syndergaard, Matz, Bowman, Pill, and Molina, with several capable, major- league-ready alternatives like Ynoa, Whalen, Meisner, Gant, etc.  Tough to beat.

·       In the pen, Jack Leathersich, Akeel Morris, Brad Wieck, Kelly Secrest, Luis Mateo, Corey Mazzoni, Hansel Robles, or your choice of several others.  Tough to beat (whoops, already said that).

 IMO, quite a team.  And notice, no current short timers like Flores, d'Arnaud, Montero, or Dekker were included.  Include them if it suits you, but they vanished, so find them first.

Looking at the Mets’ farm system this way, it is truly impressive to think of what is percolating in the system.  I think the above roster could win in 2017 or 2018. 

Am I too pie-eyed?  What do you think?