Mack – Morning Report – 2- 5 – Bartolo Colon, Amed Rosario, Steven Matz, Dominic Smith

New Mets #’s - TdA #7, Mayberry #44, Matz #32, Syndergaard #34, Mazzoni #47 and Leathersich #51 

"We simply were not going to trade Noah Syndergaard." - Sandy Alderson

Daniel Marino -

Last season, before Spring Training began, I blogged how the Mets would rue the day they signed Bartolo Colon.  The Mets did not need Colon...not on a team that was going nowhere.  His spot should have, and could have been filled by Noah Syndergaard.  Many will argue that Syndergaard wasn't ready, but were his struggles a result of not being ready, or because he pitches in the thin air of Las Vegas?  And if the Mets were out of contention, why not let him or Rafael Montero join the rotation in Colon's spot?  Had that plan been in place, perhaps Steven Matz could be starting this season as the Mets number five starter.  And not only did Colon's presence stunt the young guns growth, but his $11 million dollar salary took up any salary that could have been used for free agent bats - 

http://quickhits.sportsblog.com/posts/1743986/how_2014_ruined_the_2015_ny_mets.html

Keith Law on Amed Rosario -

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:12267183

           This was passed on to me by a reader. The video includes information on three players that just missed making the top 100.

           It’s interesting that Law went out of his way to showcase Rosario here, who I feel is odds on favorite of someday replacing everyone else in the Mets chain that claims to be a starting shortstop. It’s just going to take some time here for the kid to develop.

           We’re discussed this before. He turned 19 this past November and will most probably start off the 2015 season in Savannah, possibly splitting time with one of the other hot shot defensive shortstops, Luis Guillorme.  A path to St. Lucie will open up as soon as Gavin Cecchini is promoted to Binghamton.

More Amed, this time from BP:

                  Amed Rosario, Mets - The recipient of the highest international bonus in club history, the Mets have challenged Rosario with aggressive assignment since he signed two years ago. He performed with aplomb during his most recent campaign, slashing .289/.337/.380 in short-season Brooklyn at only 18 years old. There’s a chance that Rosario shifts to third base down the line thanks to a solid frame, but his arm could be an impact weapon and help him stick at the more valuable spot. It’s likely the Mets will give him every chance to stick at shortstop, so don’t worry too much about his positional value just yet. Rosario has some of the biggest growth potential in terms of prospect lists, both real and fantasy, thanks to quick hands that generate impressive bat speed, and allow him to show more power than you might think given his current lank. Long term, we’re looking at a player who could have three league-average offensive tools while playing a premium position.

Mack – Everybody seems to be getting on the Amed-train early, which is just fine by me. As I have said in the past, this is my future starting shortstop in 2018… however…  I love the comment that he could be converted to third base down the line. Rosario on third, Herrera on second, Wright on first… hmm..

John Harper on Steven Matz -

Certainly there is something about Matz that inspires visions of greatness. Last year Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen compared him to another lefty, one Clayton Kershaw, raving about how explosively the ball comes out of his hand.

And now Frank Viola, the Mets’ Triple-A pitching coach whom Matz credits for teaching him the mental part of pitching when they were both in Class-A Savannah in 2013, invokes the name of the lefty who all but singlehandedly won the World Series for the Giants last season. Yep, Madison Bumgarner. - 

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/meet-matz-mets-pitching-prospect-line-article-1.2102556

Mack – Big words coming from talented Mets coaches. Again, Matz is going to have to stand in line (he’s not being blocked!) to get his shot, which should come either sometime after the 2015 all-star break or opening day 2016. I sure hope its 2016 and everybody just lets the kid build up innings this year. 

More from Karl de Vries – Juan Lagares –

                            For a guy who hit just 31 home runs with a .403 slugging percentage in 633 minor league games, there’s little reason to expect a double-digit dinger spike or a bunch of RBIs. His potential to deliver 20 steals, however, is much more intriguing; manager Terry Collins says Lagares is the early candidate to bat leadoff for the Mets, where he swiped nine bags (just four less than his season’s total) in 37 starts last year. This was a guy who stole 21 bases in Double-A as recently as three years ago, and if he can improve on his ugly walk rate, he might be a cheap source of steals off the waiver wire for owners in deeper mixed leagues.

Jim Callis on players that just missed his Top 100 prospect list –

                            Amed Rosario, SS, Mets - All of his tools grade as solid or better with the exception of his power, and he still might grow into 15-homer pop that would give him more than most shortstops.

                            Dominic Smith, 1B, Mets - Which is the real Dominic Smith -- the guy who got drafted 11th overall in 2013 because of his premium bat and power, or the one who hit just .271/.344/.338 with one homer in low Class A?

          http://m.mlb.com/news/article/108243276/callis-breaking-down-the-prospects-who-just-missed-the-top-100