The Morning Report – 1-23 – Daniel Weiss, Vanderbilt, Flores-Herrera, Yoan Moncada, Noah Syndergaard

I’m very excited to announce that, Daniel Weiss, (A.K.A. "Brooklyn Cowbell Guy") owner and operator of the Brooklyn Cyclone site, http://brooklynbaseballbanter.com/, has joined Mack’s Mets to cover the Cyclones 2015 season. His Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/DanielSWeissNYC and  https://www.facebook.com/BKCyclonesNewsMemes?ref=br_tf

From his site –

Daniel founded Brooklyn Baseball Banter, and it’s Facebook page Brooklyn Cyclones: News & Memes during the Winter of 2013-14. He has written almost every article on Brooklyn Baseball Banter. Aside from running Brooklyn Baseball Banter, he is an admin of 2 Brooklyn Cyclones Facebook Groups.

Daniel has been a Die Hard Cyclones Fan since 2001. He is a Season Ticket Holder in Section 16, where he is known as the Brooklyn Cowbell Guy. Daniel is featured in the 2014 Brooklyn Cyclones team set.

While not attending games, Daniel works at SubSational, located in the Brooklyn College Hillel. Daniel is a currently a Communications Major at Brooklyn College.

His first post is later on today and please welcome him aboard when it comes out in print.

We all know that the Mets will not have a first round pick in the 2015 draft, but there’s still 49 other players that have to be picked. Mack’s Mets isn’t covering the draft as much as it has in the past (concentrating 100% on the Mets now), but I do want to alert my readers to certain programs that are known to punch out winners, year after year.

The Vanderbilt University won the NCAA Division I College Baseball World Series this past spring and three of their top juniors will most probably be picked in the first 50 picks.

SS Dansby Swanson and starting pitchers Carson Fulmer and Walker Buehler all are projected to be drafted in the first 60 picks, which means one or more could still be around when the Mets finally get to pick their first pick of the day.

In 2014, Swanson hit .333/.411/.475, 3-HR, 34-RBI, while 5-11 RHP Fulmer went 7-1, 1.98, 91-IP, 95-K while RHP, 6-2 Buehler went 12-2, 2.64, 102.1-IP, 111-K.

Wild Card:  SP3, 6-3 RHP Tyler Ferguson – 8-4, 2.69, 77-IP, 65-K

The shortstop debate (eraff vs. Sid Finch) continues to grow on Mack’s Mets.

The latest was the defensive skills (sic) of Wilmer Flores vs. Dilson Herrera and which one would make a better middle infielder based on their arm, feet, and glove, not their bat.

This is a totally subjective subject at this point, plus they are both currently playing different positions. I’ve been pretty predictable on my opinions of Flores over the 67 years he has played in the Mets organization. I think he has the potential to hit like a ‘baby bull’, I always liked his arm, he has cement feet and will never be an effective shortstop at the major league level, and he runs like a tank.

I wish Flores all the luck and success in the world and, boy, wouldn’t it be great if he hit 30 home runs this season and led the team to the playoffs, but the Mets will not play top level team ball (and consistently make the playoffs) without a quality defensive, Gold Glove type candidate at that position. 

There are some in the organization that could someday qualify for that position defensively… Luis Guillorme, Amed Rosario, Milton Ramos… but we’ll have to wait a while to find this out.

If I was a betting man I would say that this whole issue will go away between today and the end of the 2016 Hot Stove season when someone is brought in from outside the organization, a move that we all know should have been done three months ago.

Anthony DiComo Verified account - ‏@AnthonyDiComo - From what I can gather, #Mets have done due diligence on Cuban SS Yoan Moncada, but don't view him as a realistic option given their budget.

Mack – I wish I knew if this was the exact wordage from the Mets or was this rhetoric from a beat reporter. Nobody outside of this ‘administration’ likes being the kid standing outside the white tablecloth restaurant, in the snow, looking in the window while not having enough to eat. But, if this ‘realistic option given their budget’ is coming from within the Mets offices… and this was in an official press release or statement from the Mets, then all this is, is some pompous, arrogant throw-away that once again is designed solely to insult the fan base and incite the beat press.

If it’s beat reporter generated, then whoever ‘started this’ ought to be ashamed of themselves. We all know that this guy’s total package is going to be something in the $80mil range and the Mets simply don’t operate this way for untested international talent. We don’t have to keep having our nose rubbed in it over subjects like this.

MLB has ranked Noah Syndergaard as the #2 RHP prospect in baseball –

A big, strong classic power right-hander, Syndergaard combines plus fastball velocity with outstanding command and control. He can crank his fastball up to 98 mph and will run it in on right-handed hitters. Syndergaard will add and subtract from his curve, giving hitters different looks. His changeup improved in 2014, giving him a third above-average offering. He's always been around the plate, having walked just 2.6 per nine innings through the 2014 season while striking out 10. He's a good athlete and repeats his delivery well, throwing downhill consistently from his 6-foot-6 frame.

Mack – Syndergaard wouldn’t be ranked this high unless he was starting to develop decent secondary pitches that can complement his heater. That’s what he is working on this off-season with the hopes of making the Queens rotation out of camp.

His chances are slight due to blocking, but let’s give the kid kudos for wanting to succeed.