6/6/15

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

Good morning.


The Dangerous Mabry asked - @keithlaw Is there any reason for Dominic Smith to still be in St. Lucie?

Keith Law - Still only 20 and hasn't even played half a season there yet.



ESPN 

Ty asks –

          Okay Mack, we all beg every night for some more offense, but it simply isn’t going to happen with this team. That means, as you’ve been pointing out to us all year, the Mets can only get to The Promise Land through its pitching staff. Any thoughts now that June has begun?

Mack – Thanks for the question, Ty.

I’ve always been one to deal with strengths and I really don’t care home many pitchers there are in the Mets rotation. What I care about is the quality of pitching and nothing more.

Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, and Noah Syndergaard are locked solid in my rotation for the remainder of this season… no, this decade. Yes, there will be bad outings once in awile, but these are three great pitches and they will surely win more games than they lose.

I can’t be more thrilled from the results of Bartolo Colon. He’s been one of the most consistent pitchers in the rotation and now he’s even producing runs with his bat (I love the Mets pitcher hitting, but maybe someone could spend some time teaching these guys how to bunt also).

My fifth starter would be Steven Matz. June is the Super 2 month and it’s time for him to arrive and claim his spot behind Syndergaard.

As for Dillon Gee and Jonathan Niese, I really have no home for them right now. I have more confidence in Gee as a long man and he would accept the role much more easily than Niese. Niese should also be able to bring some decent 4th outfield prospect.

So, in my world, five man rotation with Matz, six man if you want to use Gee, and no changes until Zack Wheeler comes back next season.

ESPN 

Frank P. asked –

          Mack, you’re always talking about the players that are going to make it big someday in this organization and I remember getting an email from you when I applied to become a writer an one of the primary prerequisites was to never personally slam a minor league player.

That being said, there’s got to be some guys out there that you just know are never going to put on the New York Mets uniform in Queens.

Come on… share some of them with us. I won’t tell anyone what you said.


          Mack – He he, Frank.

          First a general statement… you have minor league teams with an average of 30 ballplayers (active and DL) on each team… that’s 270 players trying to find one of the handful of opening that come open each year on the Mets 25-man squad. Is this fair? Absolutely not.

I’ll take a stab at four here.

    1.     Some fail because there simply are two people playing the same position they play… better… either in Queens of the combination of Queens and AAA-Las Legas. This is where SS Matt Reynolds has fallen into. A very young SS Wilmer Flores has been given the job in Queens while another very young shortstop, Ruben Tejada has been anointed his backup. All of this has nothing to do with Reynold’s talent. The opera’s sold out and the ticket booths are closed.

    2.     OF Cory Vaughn has had a number of times to impress the Mets during his 6-year career as a Mets minor league outfielder. His pinnacle of success was leading the FSL League in 2012 for a while with 23 home runs, but his success was always preceded with dud results (2011: FSL - .219 and followed by even duller (2014 – Binghamton: .190 – 2015 – Las Vegas: .213). Vaughn is now playing a young man’s game at 26 and names like Brandon Nimmo and Michael Conforto will most probably take away what field time he has left for the Mets.

    3.     There was a time before last season started that some Mets pundits speculated that LHP Darin Gorski should be moved to the bullpen so he could find a quick road to Queens. This wasn’t done and Gorski remains a part of the Las Vegas rotation. In a town where Steven Matz and Noah Syndergaard have mastered, Gorski has not and currently ois producing a 5.00+ ERA. I would DFA him when either Rafael Montero comes back or when the next promotion comes in from Binghamton.

    4.     It’s only a matter of time that Brandon Nimmo comes off the Binghamton disabled list and joins Michael Conforto in the B-Mets outfield. When this happens, it should be the the time to cut the chord with ex-prospect Gilbert Gomez, who has done nothing other than disappoint since signing with the Mets.

Joel asked –

          Mack, I know you’re not some kind of offense guru, but do you have any theory on why the Mets always seem to come up short when it comes to building an offensive team around their pitching staff?

          Joel – Thanks for the question, Joel.

          I honestly don’t believe Sandy and Company go out of their way to sign new ballplayers that they want to under-perform.

          What I do think is that all the trades and free agent deals under the Alderson administration have been determined by cost first and projected performance next.

          I also think that the David Wright extension was based on emotion rather than common baseball sense that here was a baseball player that was going to start that slow but steady road downhill. The Mets decided that not signing Wright would be a death warrant for the fan base… something they may have been right about… but, it’s quickly looking to be that this money could have been spent better on another player.

          I love the Bartolo Colon deal, but neither the Curtis Granderson or Michael Cuddyer signing looks like it will eventually be worth the paper it is printed on.

Cuddyer is hitting better this week, but it's a long season and I question whether he will hold up due to his age and past injury history.

Were these the best players available at the time of their signing? Did the Mets pass on anyone they should have signed. Well, there was always Stephen Drew (sic).

No, the problem here was money. Teams that sign Cuban super-prospects or players like Nelson Cruz do not do this with money being the deciding factor. They chose talent first and then work out the money.

Let me put it this way, in spades, and without any emotion. Replace the Wright signing with Cruz and stick him in the lineup since day one, batting fourth behind Lucas Duda. I guarantee you the team would still be in first place, and in a much more comfortable position.



ESPN 



Bob Gregory asked -

Hey Mack, I hope things are going well.

Interesting debatable question.

Given D. Wright's situation, just what do the Wilpons vs Alderson vs fans vs Mr. Mack believe the Mets owe it to Wright to provide him with a team that is FAVORED to play in the post season?

To what extremes do you see each party willing to go in order to accomplish such a goal? Have a great day

Mack – Hey Bob.

I would hope that everything you pointed out first starts with what the doctors want for Wright.

As an old businessman, I would go the insurance option if I was the Wilpons. I owe Wright nothing more than his last check, a retirement of his number and a tip of the hat. He was a great Met and will always be The Captain.

If I’m Wright, I need to understand that I have to step aside and let this team do whatever it has to, to make it a winner. If that means retirement, so be it.

And regarding the fans… well, they aren’t going to be happy under any scenario, are they?

23 comments:

Tom Brennan said...

Nice Q&A, Mack. Wright has to carefully consider what he is really capable of doing as a pro hitter, and go from there. It seems he'll never be the same. Can he retire under that scenario, or will ins co say he can still play and dispute it? He'd need clear medical evidence, I guess, that further playing is hazardous to his long term health. Then retire, appreciated greatly. If he comes back and hits a powerless. 220 and that is the best he can do, all parties lose. Complicated.

Ernest Dove said...

Well u know how I feel about Dom Smith ;) let him play 2015 A ball, 2016 AA, 2017 AAA. if hes hitting over .275 with double digit homers and 20+ doubles by aaa all star break, his value will be through the roof no matter what Mets decide.
And again and again and again I say KEEP Noah and Matz. Lets see what changes (if anything) once TDA and Herrera are in the lineup.
3B is a huge issue. But if this team actually makes the playoffs. They would conceivably have Harvey deGrom Thor Matz as a playoff rotation. I'll take my chances with the offense.

eraff said...

As of a Month ago, Dom Smith had not done anything more than IMPRESSIVELY SURVIVE his experiences as an extremely young player at every stop of his Minor League Tour.

He now shows some signs of getting above the struggle and he's beginning to thrive...I'd let him settle in to some success. He's going to need a good base going forward.

Tom Brennan said...

One more thought - 2 factors in Muno's promotion over Reynolds:
1) been here before
2) Reynolds has not played 3B.

So I ask: Why the heck has Reynolds not played any 3B? Would it be so hard to let him play there some games? Tejada has. He's not a 3B.

Reynolds may not say it, but he must be pissed. I'd be. Put him at 3B in AAA today and stop jerking him around. If he can play SS and 2B, he can do 3B.

My only guess is perhaps they feel he'd fail if promoted, and want to keep his trade value up. Any thoughts?

ZachBoyer said...

There's something conspiratorial about the fact that Reynolds has yet to be called up …

Mack Ade said...

Morning guys -

Re: eraff on Dom Smith - you are correct... this is the best he has been and because of his age alone, the Mets will most probably leave him alone in St. Lucie.

Aderlin Rodriquez was doing quite well in the past month playing 1B in Binghamton and they still brought in Brock Peterson. I can't see them doing that if they intended to move Smith up there soon.

Ernest Dove said...

I agree Zach
I mean, the whole 40 man roster spot excuse went out the window 8 or 9 injuries ago.
And its not like he's Michael Conforto or anything.
Somethings up.

Mack Ade said...

Re: Zach on Reynolds

I don't know why no one other than Tom seemed to ever be excited by Reynolds.

The promotion of Muno is a safe move. It's based on second base being his natural position and Murphy could move over to third where he plays better.

Murphy going down was not expected and now the combination of Campbell, Tejada, and Numo is going to have to hold the fort down until the return of Wright, Murphy, and Herrera.

Reynolds can obviously see the handwriting on the wall at this point.

Mack Ade said...

Tom -

No one is going to talk a lot about David Wright right now.

I listened to the Sandy Alderson interview on WOR yesterday and you could tell that he is even being fed info only by the spoonful.

No one wants to say it, but it's going to be a long time, if ever, that you see Wright on the field again.

Tom Brennan said...

Nice Q&A, Mack. Wright has to carefully consider what he is really capable of doing as a pro hitter, and go from there. It seems he'll never be the same. Can he retire under that scenario, or will ins co say he can still play and dispute it? He'd need clear medical evidence, I guess, that further playing is hazardous to his long term health. Then retire, appreciated greatly. If he comes back and hits a powerless. 220 and that is the best he can do, all parties lose. Complicated.

Tom Brennan said...

I am a voice crying in the wilderness for Reynolds! Kidding aside, He has not hit well by and large over the last 30 games. You gotta earn it.

bgreg98180 said...

Injuries for the Mets appears to be a systemic problem that is proving to be even more pervasive for the Mets than all other mlb teams.

Systemic problems are the results of poorly planned or executed systems.

Systems for an organization begin at the top layer of decision makers.

Unfortunately injuries will most likely continue to effect the Mets organization until new systems are put into place for organizational operation.

Usually this is most effectively accomplished by new organizational leadership and reorganization.

Mack Ade said...

Bob -

I don't follow other teams like I follow the Mets but I am sure they all have their share of injuries during the season.

I don't think anyone can criticize anyone on the Mets for this bizzaro set of circumstances. This season defines 'shit happens'.

Still, the team is one game out of first place and third in the running for a wild card slot, one game back.

The first goal for me is to split the next two games against Arizona and get on a plane.

The true test may be the home schedule that comes up next... Giants, Braves, Toronto. We need to win 6 of those 8.

FYI... Herrera and d'Arnaud had a great night rehabbing last night and both are on schedule to return next week.

bgreg98180 said...

I don't agree mack.

bgreg98180 said...

The Mets injury problems have been excessive over the past few years.
This year it is worse than any other organizations

Tom Brennan said...

Mack and Bob, all teams have their share of injuries....but our guys went back to the buffet table to pile on an extra plateful of hurt. If we had that many injuries spanning the entire season, it would be a lot.

Hopefully Herrera and d'Arnaud are back in mid season form by Tuesday.

Mack Ade said...

Bob -

I understand.

You and I agree on very little when it comes to the Mets, which is just fine. You are terribly hurt by how this team has operated, especially under the SA administration.

I simply am not and approach all this first as a writer. Don't get me wrong, I love the Mets, but I NEVER have seen any big dark plan to lie to the fan base.

It is a team that is owned by a family that considers this a secondary investment in their porfolio and will only pour so much into it. In addition, they were burned by a good friend in a Ponzie scheme and they aren't going down that road again.

I will tell you this about Mets injuries.

The team operates VERY CONSERVATIVELY with the healing process of ALL injuries. They literally have a chart which breaks out the minimal amount of rehab time they will assign to each player per each injury.

Injuries happen for a number of reasons but this year's increase could easily be accredited to bulking up in the off-season. Everybody on the Mets was more aware of the off-season camps that the Mets were sending players to. If you weren't sent there, you sure as hell went to your own gym.

I don't know... like I said, in the case of you and I, I say white and you say black, but that's fine. That's what all this commenting and communicating is all about.

I only wish the players (cough... Lagares... cough) that are playing with injuries communicated with team doctors as well as you and I do with eeach other.

bgreg98180 said...

Injuries are also more prone to occur when athletes attempt to over-perform.

ZachBoyer said...

I hate how TC only pulls his starter until AFTER he's given up the lead or things have otherwise gotten out of hand. It was like Niese HAD to go 6 innings last night.

Our starters lead MLB in innings and our relievers are last—and that's generally a good thing—but I feel like TC is obsessed with that.

And it hurts with Niese specifically … because even when he's going good—like he was last night—he seemingly NEVER gets that big out when he needs it.

Mack Ade said...

Zach -

No one hates to be pulled in the middle of any inning more than Niese.

There was a tremendous amount of 'humidity' in the dugout last time TC did that. He even addressed it during the post news presser.

I'm sure he was trying to avoid that again.

ZachBoyer said...

Well, if that's the reason, then:

When your manager is scared of your 5th starter, you have a pretty big problem.

Steve from Norfolk said...

Mack.

Looking at a lot of the injuries that are happening, your reasoning sure looks sound to me. All of the injuries that can't be directly linked to serendipity, look like a conditioning routine way too heavy on weights with not nearly enough emphasis on flexibility. Both of Murphy's injuries could be linked to flexibility issues. Lagares' injury could very well have to do with overlifting. Even Wright's condition could have been aggravated by hitting the weights too hard. Dou you know how much of Barwis' conditioning has to do with flexibility?

Mack Ade said...

Steve F. N. -

No, I don't...

But I think bulking was #1