6/5/15

Mack – One Third Done


It’s hard to believe that one third of this season is over.

It’s also hard to believe that, after all the players that have been placed on the disabled list, the team is half a game out of first place.

A lot of their ranking success can be accredited to their competition. It seems like the Mets have done everything they can do to give back the lead they had after their 11-game start. Still, with key players like David Wright, Travis d’Arnaud, Jerry Blevins, Jenrry Mejia, Vic Black, Bobby Parnell, Josh Edgin, Rafael Montero,and Dilson Herrera not available to them, this still has been a relatively good season so far.

Every team has highs and lows and the 2015 Mets are not without them either. Most readers here would vote for either Jonathan Niese or Dillon Gee as the most disappointing Met this season, but my vote (in my post) is right fielder Curtis Granderson. The Mets have never received a proper return for the $60mil they spent here and I’m sort of sick watching Granderson not pull out some of these close games the team has lost with a knock or two. There’s still two more very expensive years left on this contract and it only is going to get uglier.

I define a great pitcher when he’s in the game and I’m not afraid to miss a few pitches and go to the kitchen to refill my glass. The Mets only have had one pitcher like this in 2015 and that’s closer Jeurys Familia. He’s only had one blown save and it would be criminal if he didn’t make the all-star team.

I can’t tell you where this team is going this season until the majority of the people listed above heal and return to action. This season seems like the kind that you hang in for the second third of the season, heal, and then make your run in the last third with your best players. The last third will also be where you play the most games against your own division teams, who are the weakest in the National League.


Are the 2015 Mets a playoff team? Well, their current pace of 87-88 wins won’t hack it, but the good news is everybody else has to play each other too. What the  Mets have to do is start playing a little more respectable on the road and return to producing the dominant rotation pitching everyone in baseball expected them to produce this season.

Last night was a good start and the bat of John Mayberry was a welcome addition. 

12 comments:

Reese Kaplan said...

A lot of people get on Sandy Alderson for the bench and cite Mayberry as an example of the failure, but Alderson is not the one swinging the bat. If Mayberry performed as he has throughout his career then he's a very good value at $1.4 million. Last night is hopefully a sign of him getting back on track.

Now if you want to fault him for expecting guys like Recker and Nieuwenhuis to be capable backups when the season started, that's fair game. He knew their poor track records yet did nothing to improve the team by bringing them back.

It's interesting how nearly every hitter who comes to the Mets seems to tank upon entering Queens. Since it happens on the road as well as at CitiField, you have to wonder if it's the hitting coach or manager not doing their jobs properly to motivate the players or get them to adjust whatever they're doing wrong. Really...think about it awhile and see if you can name one player who flourished offensively upon arriving since the 2011 season began?

ZachBoyer said...

Byrd … on some level. Or are you just talking minors?

IBfromWhitePlains said...

In Granderson's defence, I really found the sudden move to the leadoff spot a head scratcher once the season started. You get him in a RBI role mode in ST, he tears it up and then ask him to be your setup man. I don't like the move and it wouldn't surprise me if Granderson doesn't like it either. As Yogi said, the game is 90% mental, or something like that. But, Granderson's a gent and a good soldier, a team first player. I still like watching him play even without the big hits etc.

Tom Brennan said...

Reese: two hitters flourished upon arrival....Thor and Jake.

With Murphy presumably out, Johnny Junior has to step up. I looked at his stats - never a game at 3B, majors or minors. When you are not a star, why do teams not try to play a guy around a bit and be able to, for instance, try a Mayberry at 3B because he played, say, 40 games in the minors there? Unless he's a complete stiff?

For instance, Taijeron has only played OF, not even a game at 1B or 3B. Plawecki has never played 3rd as a pro. Meanwhile they have 35 year old Conrad absorbing AAA starts at 1B.

Puzzling.

Mack Ade said...

Reese - I find it very hard to analyze this season at all. There seems to be new drama every day.

We can talk about this every day for the rest of the season but the Mets simply did not have the right bench players for this season. I think Mayberry is fine, but, past that, the guys that came out of the system simply didn't have the talent to succeed in this role.

As I said in the past, bench players are good spots for 33+ ex-everyday players that know their prime career is over and can metally deal with this role.

On another subject... my guess is someone has been flown in to await the medical decision on Murphy. I hope they keep it conservative and stay within the boundaries of the positions needed.

The team deasn't need another shortstop nor do they need to move Flores. Put Tejada back on third and bring up Muno until Herrera is ready.

It's the best the team can do.

Mack Ade said...

IB - I don't agree with you on Granderson.

The leadoff spot means you get to bat first ONE TIME IN A GAME... period. Batting first shouldn't create a .220 hitter.

IMO he's been the major offensive problem on this team.

Mack Ade said...

Okay...

both Danny Muno and Wilfredo Tovar have been flown to Arizona waiting on the results of Daniel Murphy's MRI and diagnosis.

My guess... Murphy 2-3 weeks... Herrera returns next week...

IBfromWhitePlains said...

Mack - yeah, that's true, .220 doesn't cut it, but how many times does he come up with RISP? I just looked it up and it's 28 times so far this season and he's hitting a respectable .286. .436 OBP which means he's not swinging the bat enough, being pitched around or both. No homers unfortunately. That hurts.

Take a look at Cuddyer's splits. He's been up twice as many times as Grandy with RISP and has 5 more RBI's. Hitting .200. Talk about stinking!

I don't mean to create a strawman argument but I was curious.

Mack Ade said...

IB -

No, I'm glad you looked that up. I agree with the stats on Cuddyer also. He has disappointed me many times with runners on.

In the case of Grandy, he seems almost frozen on the first pitch and doesn't want to swing until he has one or two strikes on him. He also seems obsessed with his walks.

IDK... I'm just not happy with him at all.

IBfromWhitePlains said...

I didn't think I could be any more down on Cuddyer than I am now. Awful. I was at a Bar Mitzvah recently where they hired a Sleight of Hand card guy to entertain the tables. So, if all else fails....

Tom Brennan said...

On Grandy and Cuddyer, I agree both underperformed in the first 3rd of the season. Let's hope they overperform in the 2nd third of the season.

Cuddyer has hit 40 point higher than he did in April, so that is hopeful. Grandy added pop...but also strikeouts. Hopefully both will at least modestly improve in the second 3rd, in warmer weather.

The idea of MC having another year and CG having 2 more gives me a headache.

Tom Brennan said...

Mack, I agree with you on Grandy not taking early strike. Does not work for Duda, nor Grandy. Swing early, boys.