Mack – Morning Report – 2-1 – Best Mets Team, Dillon Gee, More Gee, Three Weeks, Almost There

Weekend Edition - 

CBS Sports –

                  Best team: 1986 - The World Series champs were 108-54 in the regular season, outscoring their opponents by 205 runs. They were the best team in the NL in runs, hits, walks, average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, ERA, home runs allowed (that is, they allowed the fewest) and toward the top in most categories. They won the NL East by 21.5 games and were never seriously challenged after a 20-4 start. The well-rounded ballclub had power in Gary Carter and Darryl Strawberry, speed in Lenny Dykstra and Mookie Wilson, some outstanding defenders in Carter and Keith Hernandez (and more), veteran leadership in Carter, George Foster and Ray Knight and a deep bench. The rotation was fronted by uber-talented Dwight Gooden with Ron Darling, Bob Ojeda and Sid Fernandez chipping in with quality seasons. The Roger McDowell and Jesse Orosco-led bullpen was great, too. And, of course, there was Davey Johnson at the helm.  -  http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/25006337/franchise-bestsworsts-new-york-mets

HNGN –

                  With Matt Harvey returning in April from Tommy John surgery, the Mets will have six starting pitchers to kick off the 2015 season. And that's not counting the eventual promotion of top prospect Noah Syndergaard, who is expected to reach the big leagues at some point in 2015. Gee, Colon and Jon Niese were subject of trade talks earlier in the offseason, but nothing has developed since the Rangers, Rockies, Padres and Giants expressed interest in Gee as recently as two weeks ago. Is he the most likely to be traded? According to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, it doesn't look like it right now. He says the team is "not close" to trading Gee, or any of their other starters. Jay Jaffe of Sports Illustrated suggests Gee or Niese are likely to be moved before Opening Day, but he doesn't limit them to those options. New York has a stockpile of young talent pitchers, including Syndergaard, Rafael Montero, Steven Matz and Marcos Molina. - http://www.hngn.com/articles/64718/20150129/new-york-mets-rumors-trade-coming-soon-for-dillon-gee-team-heading-into-spring-training-with-six-starters.htm

More Gee -

Mack - As of this morning, Mets pitcher Dillon Gee remains on the Mets roster.

The assumption here is he is going to be traded and the team will start the 2014 season with a rotation of Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler, Jacob deGrom, Bartolo Colon, and Jonathan Niese.

It’s becoming quite obvious that there just may not be a very good market for Gee, who went 7-8, 4.01, 1,25, in 137.1 innings last season. By league standards, these are pretty good numbers for an SP5, but let’s look deeper.

His MLB career stats are 40-34, 3.91, 1.29.

In a world where you covert good pitching, have we considered sending him to the Mets pen in April to await events to develop? Trades happen 52 weeks a year, as do pitching injuries.

Or, has anyone considered approaching Matt Harvey (duck when you ask this) and suggesting he go on some sixth day rotation so his innings are spread out over the season? Gee could be slotted in here as an SP6, as needed.

James Preller mentioned in a comment (Carlos Torres post by Ernest Dove) that Torres is the perfect ‘rubber arm’ needed in a bullpen. Wouldn’t Gee offer the Mets a more talented brand of rubber here?

Look, all of this have to go away when Noah Syndergaard is promoted to Queens, and I have no plan this year for Steven Matz. I’m just saying just don’t drop this guy until you get a proper return.

Dave Singer –

          The long winter is almost over, so on this Saturday morning you gets bits and pieces—we are all gearing up for February and that magical moment when actual players report for actual, official, baseball activities.  Pitchers and catchers report to camp on February 19th, signaling the beginning of Spring Training.  You just know that Daniel Murphy is chomping at the bit to get back in the action.  Position players are due in camp by the 24th, though most report early.  Long gone are the days where players regularly held out in the Spring to buy themselves a few extra weeks of off-season rest.  The first full squad workout is scheduled for February 26th.

Sad news yesterday when we found out that Bobby Ojeda won’t be back in 2015 to resume his duties for SNY.  Ojeda is ending a 6-year run for what appears to be money.  One source claimed that the differences in what Ojeda wanted and what he was offered was “not substantial.” - http://mets360.com/?p=24427

Michael Mordente –

          The Superbowl is tomorrow and it cannot come and go soon enough.  At least the talk of deflated balls will go by the wayside.  As for our beloved Mets it's time to start dusting off the equipment, move down to Port St. Lucie and see whats what.

The off-season is done, save for a minor trade or two, and while we have all complained, bitched and moaned about not getting a shortstop or another left handed reliever we need to take the roster for what it is and see where we end up.

So here we go, all positions are filled as of now.  There is the glass half-full and half-empty approach to this year.  I think it will be a complete bust or great improvement from the prior few years.

Infield:  Half-full - Duda continues to mash, gives 25 and 85, Murph does what Murph does, hits .300 and doesn't kill us defensively.  The Captain returns to form, hits 20 homers and around 90 RBI.  d'Arnaud continues to grow as a hitter, cuts down on the passed balls and makes Plawecki trade bait.  Flores surprises everyone, plays acceptable defense and hits .260 with 15 homers and 70 RBI. - http://effingmets.blogspot.com/2015/01/almost-there.html