2/26/15

The Morning Report 02.26.2015 | Rehab Coins, 2nd Lefty Competition, 2015 Cuddyer Projections, Thor's Frustration, Familia's Development



Tim Rohan | New York Times - "For the last few years, the Mets’ rehabilitation team has given metal coins  to more than 40 players for getting through a program designed to get them healthy. Not every player receives one. The injury must be a significant one — such as Harvey’s Tommy John surgery — that keeps the player out for a while, and the player must put forth a genuine effort. The coins, then, are their reward. Pearson views them as a motivational tool, something the players can strive for, a keepsake they can cherish later in life. Some players are ecstatic to receive their coins; others are indifferent. But in general, they understand the coin’s purpose."

(Chris Soto: My military vet friends will understand the significance of the "challenge coin." A momento for all the hard work that you put in for X amount of years, a reminder of the botherhood that you established with the other guys you were with during your time. While not exact, these coins serve a similar purpose. A reminder of all the hard work they had to do to get back into the game. A reminder to love the game as much as you can, because, in one moment it can be taken away from you for a significant amount of time.)


Mike Puma | New York Post - "Manager Terry Collins said he expects to give Gilmartin every chance to succeed this exhibition season in a lefty competition that also includes Scott Rice, Jack Leathersich and Diego Alvarez. As it stands, Josh Edgin is the only lefty assured a spot in the bullpen. “You have to give him an opportunity to pitch,” Collins said Wednesday. “He’s got to show us what he can do. In that situation you don’t want to send him out there once or twice. As we get into spring training we’re going to find out, ‘Can he get that left-handed hitter out?’ "

(Chris Soto: Strap in folks....cause this is going to be one heck of a battle. This is the 1st time in a while where none of the starting positions are up for grabs, so the primary battles in camp are going to be for bench spots and the 2nd LOOGY role. Gilmartin is going to in for one heck of a fight as Rice and Alvarez have both shown the ability to get lefties out, while Leathersich is just a K machine against both sides.)


Brian Joura | Mets 360 - "The Mets didn’t sign Cuddyer because of his defense. Instead it was the promise of a big right handed bat that made him so attractive to the club. Two years ago, Cuddyer won the batting title and he arrives at Citi Field with a lifetime .352 wOBA. He’s clubbed 112 HR the past six years and brings the promise of a big stick to the lineup. Cuddyer offers the possibility of being an ideal fifth-place hitter.....So, how do we see him doing in 2015?"

(Chris Soto: Joura and his team are projecting a .800 OPS in 2015 from Cuddyer. If he attains that, then i will do cartwheel in the 3 feet of snow that is sitting outside right now. Only 13 OF'ers posted an OPS of .800 or better last year, so that kind of production will put Cuddyer amongst the top offensive OF in baseball again.)



  Mike Vornukov |  nj.com/mets Noah Syndergaard's frustration finally came to a boil midway through last July. Beat up by the Pacific Coast League, his ERA hovered above five. Frank Viola, his pitching coach at Las Vegas, would not relent with his pupil. In Syndergaard, he saw a talented pitcher in need of guidance. By late August, Viola noticed a modification. Syndergaard produced better workouts and side sessions between starts. He accepted there was improvement to be made. His attitude had adjusted to the rigorous demands, and his performance lifted too. Syndergaard arrived to spring training this month flying under the radar. Matt Harvey's return has garnered the spotlight. Steven Matz is the hot-shot prospect who has stolen the attention. Yet, Viola says, Syndergaard is better than ever before. A season of deep-set struggles has changed him and bettered him. Syndergaard will testify to the results. The crucible of hitter-friendly Las Vegas has turned him from robotic hard-thrower to pitcher. A curveball and changeup now provide steady compliments to that fastball. And a person who had difficulty handling the demands of his stature received what Viola deemed a "wake-up call." Viola says the Syndergaard that has arrived here is "not the same Noah I had last year. It's that drastic difference." His bullpen sessions are more precise. He is more confident and understanding. When he will be able to pitch in a rotation with Harvey, Zack Wheeler and Jacob deGrom is unknown. "Being in the big leagues has been my dream ever since I was a little kid," Syndergaard said.”

 (Herb G. Thor certainly seems to have matured in 2014, and both he and his spring workout buddy Steven Matz, will be hard to leave out of the Mets rotation in 2015. Both appear to be ready. However, if the Mets’ brass is serious about making a run at the post season, they certainly might opt for experience and leave Niese and Colon in it until the end. On the other hand, if the Mets have fallen out of the race, they could go with the youth program and bring up the dynamic duo from Las Vegas.)


  Mike Puma | nypost.com Jeurys Familia might have raised the bar too high for himself last season. The right-hander was so good for the Mets — pitching coach Dan Warthen said he was maybe as good as any reliever in baseball for the season’s final five months — it might be best to lower expectations on Familia for 2015. That’s asking an awful lot,” Warthen said Tuesday referring to Familia’s 1.86 ERA from May 1 through the end of the season. “But I have great confidence that he will be a big factor.” The 25-year-old Familia took a long-awaited leap last season. In a bullpen that includes power arms Jenrry Mejia, Vic Black and Bobby Parnell, it’s Familia who might have the best overall stuff. He is expected to begin the season in a setup role, but the Mets still view Familia as capable of handling the ninth inning.”

 (Herb G. The emergence of Familia is an exciting development. He has always had great potential, but seemed to fall short on delivering it each year. Now we are left to wonder if the way he finished last year is the real Familia. If so, he has to be added to the mix of possible closers on the team. It is a good problem to have, but does not make T.C.’s job any easier. Although he may be the best of the lot, he is probably #3 in line behind Mejia and Parnell. And without closer experience, his value as a trade chip would not be quite as high.) 

16 comments:

Tom Brennan said...

"wOBA": I googled the formula for wOBA, and I thought "Whoa Boy".

I think Cuddyer is a big reason why I feel the Mets will go from 629 runs in 2014 to 740 in 2015. As alluded to in the Grandy segment of this report, having other hitters surrounding you that can HIT takes a lot of pressure off, and can add a certain swagger and "can do" mindset. It can help lengthen hot streaks and shorten bad streaks, where guys feel they're letting the team down as it does not score and loses.

I am rooting for Leathersich - sorry to all the other lefty wannabes...I hope Jack comes in improved. Having jack would help us have a K machine bullpen.

I'd give the rehabbing guys a silver dollar coin - 100 cents, alluding to their giving 100% to get back, and also alluding to a high win goal: 100 wins.

Almost March: March is spring training games. As long as snow melts by opening day, we're good to go.

2-3 years ago, Matz and Thor are in our opening day rotation. Nowadays, it will take a little longer.

Anonymous said...

Leathersich bombed at AAA last year. And though he's a LHP, he doesn't particularly do well against LH batters. He's got a ways to go.

James Preller

Anonymous said...

I'm not too overly concerned with his efforts at AAA. The K/9 rate was still there.

You are certainly correct in pointing out his reverse platoon splits which is why I don't think he will win.

My money is on Gilmartin.

Reese Kaplan said...

Leathersich has reverse platoon splits but don't expect the mental midget to understand that. To him, if you are lefty then you can only face lefties.

TP said...

Lot's of Omar guys still in the mix and with prominent roles. Just saying...

Dallas said...

Are they seriously thinking of not including Montero on the 25 man roster? They really need to move past Gee and Colon, its silly at this point. With the glut of guys they have is it really much of a competition? Maybe if they punt Gee.

Herb G said...

Guya - For that second lefty spot in the pen, do not overlook one Buddy Carlyle. With a 2.65 FIP and 0.903 WHIP last year at age 36, he must be considered a strong contender. Remember how Robbie Hernandez came from out of nowhere in 2005, at age 40, to give the Mets such a solid season. Carlyle could do the same. (or maybe he already has)

Anonymous said...

I saw the post about MC on Mets360 and have just a bit of a different angle. I don't think he was signed as a "big" bat, but more of a professional bat that will come up with important hits and do the job in situational spots. I don't expect a batting title or 25+HR, but I am hoping that during the course of the season, we as Met fans are delighted that MC is at the plate when the team needs a hit or score a runner from 3B with less than two outs.
Anon Joe F

Tom Brennan said...

Agree with you, Joe F.

James, I saw progress by Leather vs. lefties last year vs. 2013, while he killed righties for the 2nd straight year, unusual for a lefty.

Hopefully, in the off season, he realized he absolutely needs to take a leap vs. lefties to make his case for a bullpen slot and worked on that. if so, he could be the best of the fringe bunch. if not, he can continue in the minors until he gets it.

The way the Mets operate, unless Jack is off-the-charts lethal this spring, they'll send him down and tell him to show them he can crush AAA hitters.

Reese, I read Collins' 66th birthday is May 27. You may wish to send him a card. A funny one. Or a retirement card as a hint.

eraff said...

28 walks in 53 Innings.... 7 in 8 AAA innings...

....pitch in AAA to start.

He doesn't get to lose games by walking the park before prooving that he can throw strikes (in AAA).

Mack Ade said...

Morning everyone...

IMO...

there simply isn't going to be much room (or any room) for additions from the AAA squad to the 2015 pen.

It seems to me that the addition of BOTH Gee and Montero would be a huge upgrade over what is available from last year's Las Vegas' pen.

In addition, Gilmartin will get his shot beginning on opening day because of the delay from Parnell.

No matter how you do the math... the pen looks locked.

James Preller said...

My take on Leathersich is that he's not going to cut it. I've seen him pitch, btw.

There's deception in the arm angle, yes, but not in the breaking balls. He's had great success by aggressively challenging hitters, despite the fact he hasn't shown an ability to control where the ball goes.

I think this is the type of guy who Major League hitters will eat for lunch. He's not a "pitcher." I don't think it will work.

Bullpen work is based on small sample size, so guys can get lucky for a time. The numbers can deceive. I can imagine that he'd maybe have short streaks of success here and there. But overall, I see a guy who in a typical inning will strike out 2, walk 1, and give up a double off the wall.

I could obviously wrong. The K/9 ratios are unreal; just as the K:BB numbers are not. As an unfamiliar face, throwing from the south side, he'll have a decided advantage. For a while.

I don't think this guy makes it unless the secondary pitches make a huge leap forward.

#notabeliever

Charles said...

Because of Gilmartin and Gee, I don't think Montero will go north.

Black, mejia, familia, Torres, Edgin, Gilmartin, and gee. That's 7 and unless a starter gets injured or gee gets traded, Montero is in Vegas.

Obviously Gilmartin can bomb as well, but I don't see Montero as a lock at all.

Tom Brennan said...

Thanks for your insights on Jack, James. he could well be the next Henry Owens and nothing more.

IMO, Montero not being on the opening day roster would be criminal. But sometimes there are logjams and certain guys get screwed as a result. Hopefully, he is in the pen from Day 1.

I still think of Shaun Marcum going 1-10 in 2013 - if Montero were ready then, Marcum would never have worn a Met uniform.

eraff said...

Leathersich can't be used as a high leverage situational pitcher because of the walks. You cannot bring him to the inning with runners on base.

Unkess you're Handing over the top of the 7th or 8th (or 9th!!!???) there's no place to use him with any confidence or justification.

He needs to clean it up by at least 30-50%...then he can bring that K Rate to the game.

Anonymous said...

The advantage to Gilmartin is that pre-injury he was a highly regarded prospect. He must stay on the 25 all year or be lost (like Darren O'Day a few years ago ). If he shows well in ST, bring "keep him or lose him " adds points in his favor.