Tom Brennan - IT HAPPENS EVERY SPRING
It Happens Every Spring was my favorite baseball movie, one I'd forgotten about - check it out.
Anyway, I have loved this
Mets spring training so far. I am in the camp of fans who want more offense
out of the Mets, and almost the entire spring, the Mets have obliged, with
perhaps the best offensive showing of any Mets team ever.
|
When guys are hitting
like that, who wants anyone to get sent to the minors?
And frankly, the Mets
pitching has largely followed suit, with the exception of a few bad innings
that have boosted the team ERA.
But you can't fit a size 40 roster into a
size 25 shoe, so the exodus that happens every spring has started and will pick
up its pace this week.
On the pitching side,
favorites of mine, (Matz, Thor, Leathersich) all gone by Tuesday. BANISHED TO LAS
VEGAS.
Jack Leathersich had the
one atrocious outing in early spring, compounded by the following pitcher
surrendering all the baserunners Jack left to inherit - which destroyed his
spring ERA - so despite having 6 scoreless - and walk-less - outings
thereafter, the die was cast, and off he goes to show the brass he can stop
walking so many hitters, dominate his fellow lefties, and kick some AAA butt.
Steve Matz and Thor?
Neither perfect, but both exciting, in their outings this spring, both
capable of joining the rotation now if the Mets needed them to, but both sent
packing early to remove them from the limelight and get them readier for
post-Super 2 pitching in Queens in 2015. And I liked starters Matt Bowman and Tyler Pill
this spring too, but both got early demotion notices, as expected.
Vic Black is a concern,
so (as of Wednesday AM) that means one more hopeful may secure a spot in the
pen. One would think the recent Zach Wheeler experience would make them quite
cautious with Vic.
There is still a
handful of pitchers (mostly of the southpaw variety) vying for the bullpen opportunity
to go north. I won't make any predictions, as none of the remaining
lefties has excited anyone other than close family members this spring.
Sandy is watching the waiver wire very closely.
Back to those
offensive juggernauts. Ten guys (Nieuwenhuis, Dekker, Castellano, Puello,
Campbell, Monell, Recker, Muno, Reynolds, and Tejada) in my opinion came into
camp vying for spots, and collectively have put the foot to opposing pitchers' derrieres:
In about 380 combined plate appearances,
the 10 fellas have put up an All Star caliber .294/.370./.475 slash, making
cut-down from 10 guys to 4 likely spots very, very difficult this spring.
(Possibly up to 6, if Flores and Murphy injuries prevent them from being ready
on opening day). What they do in the
days ahead, up until cuts to get to 25 occur, will be worth watching.
If a Danny Muno (on
base a mere 19 times in 42 plate appearances) gets the heave-ho, no one can say
he did not put his best foot forward. But Muno could make the team if
neither Flores nor Murphy can put their their worst feet forward out of
Injuryville by opening day. When Flores heard that he was fitted with the
same boot Ike wore, he immediately took it off, by the way.
Besides Muno, what
about other guys vying for offensive slots?
Matt Reynolds has
slacked a bit offensively of late, while Ruben the Ripper Tejada has shown he
owns a bat, and really stepped up his offensive attack. So Matt may be visiting the seasoning aisle
of your local Las Vegas grocer soon. Interesting days of decision lie
ahead for both.
Catcher Johnny
Monell has quieted a bit at the bat, and a big game on Monday from
the otherwise catatonic Anthony Recker may help keep Recker in the back-up
catcher slot and exile Monell to Vegas, but that is no sure thing as of this
writing. I still like having a lefty hitting catcher.
Dekker and Kirk? One will stay.
Both have slipped offensively in games this week, but no-options-left
Kirk has hit better and likely has the edge.
Cesar Puello has not been
bad (.380 on base % in 28 plate appearances) but not dazzled – will he
stay? He’s out of options. His
righty counterpart, Alex Castellano, has been quite decent with 5 of his 8 hits
for extra bases.
But Soup Campbell may
make it difficult for either to stay, although he like Dekker has the dreaded
option left, so he might just see the casinos of Vegas again soon - but he’s
done well (.257/.409/.600) so I am betting he stays.
Not in the list of
10: Kevin Plawecki was only an option to stay if d’Arnaud was injured – so he
is certainly off for a final tune up in Vegas, and will likely return some time in 2015.
However it sorts out,
this has been a really fun spring, watching the Mets hit better than perhaps
any spring in their history.
Another
week and a half to “play ball.” Can’t
wait.
4 comments:
I'm 'cautiously optimistic' about the Mets offense this spring.
Frankly, I just want a good April for both Granderson and d'Arnaud.
The rest of baseball has finally caught up regarding the quality and depth of the Mets starters.
Now, it's going to left to the bats to score one more run that the team gives up.
Just when I try to put on the logic hat and take off the "heart" hat by putting Tejada, Recker, and Kirk ahead of Reynolds, Monell, and Dekker, the latter 3 dudes go a combined 5 for 5 yesterday, with 2 homers and 5 RBIs.
Incumbents always seem to have an edge over the less rooted players in the Mets org, but I think the latter 3 deserve a shot over the former 3.
The Recker and Newee is an established ability to fill a very specific bench Role---they have all been able to contribute in tightly defined roles.
Tejada has shown himself to be a completely valid MLB mid infielder--- and nhe's the ONLY guy they have who fits the definition. He's a boarderline starter, if Flores goes down or fails--- but Reynolds is more likely to be next in Line to START if that happens---with Tejada remaining as a "Caddy".
Monell would be nice as the LH Catcher with 35 Starts--- not sure whether he provides any Platoon Differential. Recker has been a good backup.
DD will get his shot....somewhere...probably soon.
Reasonable point of view, Eraff. And that likely aligns with management's thinking too.
It has been a fascinating spring training.
Post a Comment