6/27/15

Mack’s Morning Report - 6-27-15 – Q and A



Good morning.

Jason asked –

          Mack, you seem to be going from ‘half-full’ to ‘half-empty pretty quickly this month. Any second thoughts?

Mack –

          No, not really.

          I’ve defended this team for a long time and I really looked forward to this season coming together, but I just don’t see that happening in 2015.

The 2015 Mets need a multiple amount of changes to make things gel, the first being the ending of all the injuries that continue to plague this team. You have to shut down Juan Lagares, put the knife to him, and move Darrell Ceciliani into the lineup for the remainder of the season. Just this move alone is going to tell the baseball world that you are willing to sacrifice the remainder of 2015 so, in the long run, you can build a better team. The object here is the 2016 starting outfield to be Lagares, Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo.

The next move is just as simple. Tell the baseball GM-world that either Noah Syndergaard or Steven Matz are available in a trade, but the team must also take on the contract of Curtis Granderson. The Mets have to start clearing contracts and the two years left on Grandy would be a perfect place to start. Arizona and the Cubs, who both have an excess of young, team controlled infield prospects, would be the perfect teams to contact first.

You know I have called for the Mets to hold on to their great young pitching, but you simply are not going to start to build a quality, deep lineup without better core players. Addison Russell could be on this team if you were willing to trade Syndergaard. Are you actually telling me you wouldn’t do this for long range success?

My next move would frankly be a sad one. I would move catcher Kevin Plawecki for the best AAA third baseman I can find in a deal. I love having the luxury of having Plawecki as part of this team but he’s more valuable as a trade chip. Additionally, no matter how much you feel that Travis d’Arnaud’s injuries are just a case of bad luck the fact still remains that no team is going to deal for a guy with this track record.

Getting back to third base, I think you are all seeing the handwriting on the way regarding the future of David Wright on the Mets, and baseball.


Lastly, move Bartolo Colon and Daniel Murphy for mid-range minor league prospects. Sandy Alderson is good at these kind of deals. The least you could get is a decent 4th outfielder that could fill in before Conforto is promoted.



Gary asked -

Hi Mack, I know it’s been awhile but hopefully I'll try and send you questions more often from now on.

My take on all things Mets is that the management has been gearing up for 2016 not 2015 because there is no other way to explain starting a season with a terrible bench and knowing the severe pitch count limits on just about everyone not named Gee or Niece. Couple that with losing Wheeler AND Edgin to TJS and not having Meija, Black or Parnell for the bullpen is not a situation that screams "we ready to contend".

If you’re S.A. It makes more sense to see how this year plays out with Harvey coming back from almost 2 years off, integrating Syndergaard, Matz, Herrera and possibly Conforto and Nimmo onto the major league roster. All that and it doesn't even take into consideration how a 23 year old will handle SS full time, a ROY will fare in his 2nd year and ditto our first basemen and let’s not forget our off injured starting catcher. So that's my take. What do you think?

Hope everything’s good with you.

Gary –

Long time. Good hearing from you.

I think your take on the Mets is spot on. I think the Mets thought they had enough offense for the quality pitching staff they were going to throw up, both starters and relievers. Then, down goes Wheeler, Edgin, Mejia, Black, and Parnell. Add to this everything that happened to the field players and neither Sandy Alderson or Terry Collins have the intestinal fortitude to stand up and admit that this season is toast.

I think a few things.

I think we probably will see Conforto in Flushing when the roster expand, but not Nimmo.


I think that Herrera will return to Las Vegas as soon as Murphy comes back. He really has been rushed this season both offensively and defensively and I’d like to see him put his mental game together before a fresh start next season… but, I’d also like to see an external deal done for a new middle infielder that could move Flores over to second next season.

19 comments:

Tom Brennan said...

Games like yesterday's is why they are loathe to trade Syndergaard. If Matz is the same, maybe (I hate to say it) we need to keep them and wait for Conforto and Nimmo, both of whom are hot and rising.

I'd like to see the killer rotation kept intact.

I wish Rosario was a year older and more advanced. Cecchini has shown a lot this year, but so many errors, I am not sure if he is ready or not bere 2017.

Tom Brennan said...

the killer rotation of deGrom, Harvey, Thor and Mats, that is

Mack Ade said...

Tom -

You may be right and I'm going to write about that tomorrow in my 'Random Thoughts'

Anonymous said...

Tom

I don't think the Mets can wait for Conforto, Nimmo, and Rosario. Harvey becomes a FA after the 2018 season. I believe if the Mets can win a World Series by 2017 or maybe even 2018 that signing players like Harvey becomes possible. They might sign with the Mets at the market price. If the Mets don't win they will need to over pay in order to keep their stars. They will not do that. The Mets window for winning has just opened but it is a small window for winning with the current core.
Richard Jones

Anonymous said...

I didn't like the Granderson or Cuddyer signing. I didn't think they were real bad but I preferred Byrd and Cruz. Bryd is about the same as Granderson but Cruz would be a difference maker.
Now I would like to see them get aggressive with Conforto and platoon Cuddyer and Granderson.
Richard Jones

Mack Ade said...

Richard -

The current pitching staff (and the addition 0f Wheeler next year) is the best it's ever going to get for this team in my lifetime.

I agree with you on Nimmo and Rosario. My ETA on both of them is 2018.

We need more offense before that in order to win anything.

ZachBoyer said...

It's actually rather interesting. Harvey is a FA after 2018, but all the others are locked up through 2021 (or so I've heard—correct me if I'm wrong). You don't NEED 5 potentially Hall-of-Fame-type-caliber pitchers. 4 so young is unprecedented as is. Harvey's leaving doesn't have to be the proverbial slamming shut of any window. And the 2018 off-season doesn't have to be the death of the Mets. His injury history notwithstanding, I'd sign d'Arnaud sooner than I would Harvey.

Ernest Dove said...

Hate to throw fuel in fire but. ......maybe the rumors are true that nobody really wants to play for this ownership. I mean, it's not really that we are all outraged at the signings of Chris Young, Colon, Grandy or cuddyer. Its more about the money and years given to them. Maybe its true that Mets HAD to overpay just to have SOMEBODY come here and help.
Which brings me to my next thought. ...should be all the more reason to lock up your homegrown talent to nice extensions, no? Or maybe I already answered my own question as to y these guys may be balking at the idea of signing long term with Mets.

Anonymous said...

Zach

I thought Wheeler was only one year behind but I was wrong. Wheeler 2020, deGrom 2021.
As of right now only deGrom and Harvey are stars. Syndergaard, Wheeler, and Matz have that potential but they're not there yet.
You are correct. They don't need all 5. They can even turn Harvey over for prospects that can prolong the Mets window. I would like to see the Mets win because Harvey and player like him want to play for winners. The Mets will have a hard time attracting talent until they start winning. Until then they will stuck with the lower tier free agents like Grandrson and Cuddyer. We hoped Granderson and Cuddyer would do a decent job as a bridge to Conforto and Nimmo but I don't think they were the top coices of Met fans.
Richard Jones

Anonymous said...

Ernest-

I agree the Mets should be lucking up their young core with extensions. Not always possible with guys like Harvey when they have Boras as their agent.

Ernest Dove said...

Mets need to send a message.....
How soon is too soon to lock up deGrom?
If you're homegrown and you meet/exceed expectatons, this organization should become known as one that will reward you handsomly.

Christopher Soto said...

Brandon Nimmo's ETA of 2018? That's quite slow considering he's already done pretty good at AA. In 2016 he will be assigned to AAA with a September call-up at the latest. The same can be said for Gavin Cecchini....these two are tied at the hip for the forseeable future.

For Conforto, if the Mets are in the playoff hunt and need OF help, he'll be here September 2015. If not, rest of 2015 season in AA. Start 2016 in AAA, call up in late June.

As for Amed Rosario, they need to slow him down a bit as he's barely holding his own in A+ ball (which for someone his age is still superb). He'll finish 2015 in A+, 2016 in AA, 2017 in AAA with a Sept. call-up.



Christopher Soto said...

The future Mets squad is:

C- d'Arnaud [now]
1B- Duda [now] (if no extension signed, Dom Smith) [Sept. 2017]
2B- Herrera [now]
SS- Cecchini [Sept. 2016] (maybe...if Wright is unable Rosario)[Sept. 2017]
3B- Wright [now] (maybe...if Wright is unable, Cecchini) [Sept. 2016]
LF- Conforto [June 2016]
CF- Lagares [now]
RF- Nimmo [Sept. 2016]

SP- Harvey [now]
SP- deGrom [now]
SP- Syndergaard [now]
SP- Matz [now]
SP- Wheeler [July 2016]

Christopher Soto said...

As for Free Agency timelines (at end of season listed)

Colon, Murphy, Parnell, Blevins - 2015 ($25.1M salary freed)
Cuddyer - 2016 ($12.5M salary freed)
Duda- 2017
Mejia, Harvey, Familia- 2018
Wheeler, Lagares, D'Arnaud-2019 ($9M freed)
Wright- 2020 ($12M salary freed)
deGrom, Herrera- 2021
Syndergaard, Matz - 2022

We are a long ways away from having to worry about when the team's "window" is going to close. We should expect to see Harvey and Familia signed to extensions this off-season with most of the $25M that gets freed up.

Bob Gregory said...

See Reese's amazing post today.

Looking at the track record he shines the light on.....can you truly trust Alderson is the one to make the right decisions to move the Mets into a contending team?

and..
regarding Granderson and Cuddyer....
It would be better to just trade them on their own....eat money if needed...

Then Matz and Thor or whichever pitcher being moved, would be able to bring back that much more in value.

Time for ownership to either stop limiting options due to money or get out of the professional baseball business.

Mack Ade said...

Locking up your young talent to an extended contract is always the way to go, especially during the year prior to hitting your first arbitration year.

It looks like this turned out to be a good deal for Niese. Who else would have paid him $9mil+ next season.

As for Lagares, his $6.5mil/2018 and $9mil/2019 are still, IMO, debatable.

Of course, it would be in the best interest for the Mets to lock up as many of the 'big 5' pitchers (and Familia) as they can, but does a great pitcher want to pitch the rest of his career for an organization that will not spend the money to add the bats that are needed to round out a great team?

ZachBoyer said...

Mack, I don't know how they signed Lagares given they knew about his elbow. His arm is 1/2 of what won him that Gold Glove last year. It was a GREAT CF arm.

And someone's finally said this! I think it was Darling the other night? But I've been saying it since the 1st week of the season: He's put on weight.

I think it's muscle, I don't know, but either way he's not quite covering that remaining 1/3 of the Earth.

It's subtle and yet noticeable.

Mack Ade said...

Zach -

Putting on muscle doesn't seem to have been a close friend to the Mets lately.

bgreg98180 said...

Unbelievable.
The highest batting average on the Mets is .259.

Disappointing.