6/24/15

The Morning Report 6.24.2015 | Mets Not Executing, Mejia Begins "Rehab" Assignment, Wright Still Not Cleared, Mets Brutal July Schedule



Mike Vorkunov | NJ Advance Media-  Terry Collins sat up in his chair, towards the desk in front of him, and tented his fingers together. The emotion built up in his voice with each passing minute. There was so little that had gone right on this night so each topic only became a source of agitation. The shoddy defense had brought home another run with another miscue. A lineup that continued to whither against whichever pitcher stood on the mound. A bullpen that slipped up once too often. "All I know is we're not executing sh*t," Collins fired, his voice rising.   

(Chris Soto: The team looks so bad right now...no one is hitting and no one is fielding. The guy that was brought in to be the back-up leader for David Wright is not helping, the team's future star catcher is hurt again, the 3B turned 2B turned SS is not hitting or fielding, and the 30 HR power guy at 1B is hitting .190 over the past 30 days. This team needs help so badly right now....)


Mike Puma | New York Post-  Jenrry Mejia is on the clock for a return to the Mets. The suspended reliever began a 16-day rehab stint with the Gulf Coast Mets on Tuesday, and is scheduled — barring rainouts — to rejoin the major league club on July 7. Mejia was suspended 80 games in April after testing positive for steroids and had been working out independently in the Dominican Republic until earlier this month. According to assistant general manager John Ricco, the elbow inflammation that forced Mejia to the disabled list in the days before he was suspended is no longer an issue.

(Chris Soto: Despite his ineligibility for postseason play, a healthy, effective Jhenrry Mejia would be welcome addition to the front end of what has been a leaky bullpen over the past month. A 7th/8th/9th inning combo of Parnell, Mejia, and Familia could be one of the best in baseball if Parnell continues to build up arm strength and add velocity. Despite that, he's still been pitching pretty well.) 


Matt Cerrone | Metsblog- David Wright has not been cleared for baseball activity, Assistant GM John Ricco said on Tuesday. GM Sandy Alderson told reporters that Wright could return by the All-Star break at the Brooklyn VA Hospital last week. Wright remains in Los Angeles receiving treatment on his back for spinal stenosis. In early June, Wright said doctors have told him now is not the time to have surgery on his back, and that his potential return is still on a week-to-week basis. Wright maintained that he expected to return this season.

(Chris Soto: Does anyone really believe that Wright is coming back this season? I sure as heck don't. The club needs to push forward figuring that Wright will not be coming back. That means going out and finding a rental 3B for the rest of 2015. Unfortunately, there's no one to be had right now...I was in the camp that wanted Minnesota's Trevor Plouffe but his availability was based on Miguel Sano's continued mashing of AA pitchers. Instead Sano is in a bit of a funk which leaves no desire to promote him and supplant Plouffe.)


Brad Kallet | CBS New York-  The Mets are remarkably fortunate to be just 1 1/2 games behind the Washington Nationals for first place in the National League East. But that number — 1 1/2 — is just going to get bigger and bigger and bigger until the games are rendered completely meaningless. Outside of the NL East, they’re just 13-20. The Mets can only beat up on Philadelphia and Miami so many times. Oh, and have you happened to glance at the upcoming schedule? It’s daunting, to say the least. Try not to pass out or get too depressed, for it’s awfully ugly: three vs. the Cubs, three at the Dodgers, three at the Giants, three vs. the Diamondbacks, three at the Cardinals, three at the Nationals, four vs. the Dodgers, three vs. the Padres and one vs. the Nationals, taking them into August. Yeah. Drink that in.

(Chris Soto: Brad's right...July is going to be put up or shut time for the Mets as they play 4 teams in contention for a division title, 2 teams competing for a Wild Card spot, and 1 team that's not competing but still has one of the top offenses in baseball. One thing we do have to look forward to as we turn the page to July is the eventual premier of LHSP Steven Matz.)

21 comments:

Ernest Dove said...

I honestly dont even enjoy watching the games anymore. Thankfully, last night, it was on with my tablet, but I was in and out doing dad stuff so I didn't actually suffer through 3 straight hours of watching this mess. Might be a good strategy going forward.

eraff said...

D'Arnaud and Murphy will return--- that will add quality and depth to the Lineup and Bench.

However, that adds nothing to the OF rotation... Grandy is "Ok", but he's stuck in the leadoff spot--- I don't see the plus value there! He's also batting sub .170 versus lh pitchers with a .392 OPS--- He's a PLATOON Player!!! PLatoon Him!!!

Cuddyer is at .684 OPS--does not need to play every day!!!

Lagares- a no Power, Low contact...severe problems versus RH Pitching... He has about 1200 plate appearances that SCREAM.."I haven't learned a Thing!!!!"

The offense could be scratch and claw competent with some of the injury returns--- they'll still have low speed...high dp... low situational ability---but they COULD get by--- but the OF is what it IS---- they need an OF Bat.

Anonymous said...

You can basically run on the whole OF and any ground ball in the infield has a chance to be a single. We have no lead off hitter and no true back up for any position. All the pitching in world can't win every game unless they strike out eceryone and never let the ball in play.

bgreg98180 said...

Regarding the Wright situation.

Would it really surprise anyone, given how the organization has been run, that the misinformation and no information on Wright's return is a result of the decision makers not wanting to come out and tell Wright they don's want him to come back this year? They would rather collect the insurance money.

It's terrible that such a thought even comes to mind, but given the way the Mets have been run the past few years, unfortunately there is reason enough to entertain the possibility.

It's possible, the front office, does not believe Wright can come back and play they way he needs to this year. They may not feel comfortable coming right out and telling him this. Instead they allow him to go off and give his all to his recuperation.
In the mean time, instead of investing in the team to improve the roster, they see how far this batch of players can perform. Allowing this group to Float or sink.
If they rise to the occasion and succeed, they win.
If they sink, Wright has less reason to fight to come back this season. He holds off. The organization collects the insurance money. They win (in their minds).

I know it is rotten to think such a thing. But isn't it rotten and doesn't it say a lot about the organization's present state, that there is even a chance such a scenario could be true?

Mack Ade said...

Bob -

I don't believe that the front office thinks Wright will be back.

Nor do I think that Wright's doctors believe he will be back.

Looking at July schedule, the Mets could be way out of this by mid month and it could be a good time for this team to become a seller and put players like Wright and Lagares on the shelf for the rmainder of the season

bgreg98180 said...

Mack

Everyone is hurt.
Who do they have that Alderson would sell?

Granderson? Cuddyer?
Niese? Gee?

under-performing players are not the type of deals that Alderson seems to be able to pull off.

Lagares? Murphy? or one of the other injured players?
Injury= no trade

Young pitching?
This is Alderson we are talking about. That would mean altering his "plan". Would his ego allow that?

It's really looking like this is it.

A real shame. This season could have been so much more successful, with a different approach the second half of last year and during the off-season.

ZachBoyer said...

I think they put out propaganda about Wright just so the fans still have some sliver of hope, even if it's the false kind. That way the attendance doesn't start dipping down from the already-unpopulated 20,000 to a wretched 13,000 or so.

I think these guys are at best liars and at worst just downright dirty crooks. But I'd LOVE to be proven wrong. …

Mack Ade said...

Bob/Reese -

And THIS is why I call for this team to regroup, heal, and reload for 2016.

I'm going to start writing a series of suggestions in Friday's report and Saturday's Q and A about this.

There's a bunch of quality pieces here but the team can't compete unless all of them are on the field at the same time.

Additionally, the team seems to be rudderless again defensively.

In basketball we used to call this 'playing for the coach to be fired'.

bgreg98180 said...

Mack

Do you really have faith in the decision makers for making 2016 much better?

Mack Ade said...

Bob -

What the Mets have to sell is EITHER Syndergaard or Matz... IF... you take a bad contract like Granderson off our hands.

Mack Ade said...

Zach -

I don't expect any good news regarding Wright, but I'm sure the doctors haven't told the Mets enough for them to lie about let.

He simply isn't capable of playing major league baseball.

Mack Ade said...

Bob -

Re 2016 "Faith'

No, I don't, but what else gives us a reason to come here every day?

eraff said...

Mack--- the RE-LOad idea concerns me... Yes...they have some quality players, but HEALTHY they are still short of the task. HEALTHY they dont run...or field....or hit with much power.

They Pitch.... they should go for it NOW. I'm hopefull they're waiting out bigger deals, fearful that they will sit out bigger deals.

Mack Ade said...

eraff -

your comment confuses me...

they have been 'going for it now' and this has been the results... relative quality pitching with no hits or fielding behind them

I'm missing something. Help me out. What more can this team do NOW to 'go for it'?

Tom Brennan said...

Could always well Colon next month. Have Niese and Matz in rotation for rest of 2015. Besides being anemic and flawed, even a guy who isn't for the most part,like Duda does not generate excitement,being so low key. His excitement quotient is far below a Jose Reyes type.

Tom Brennan said...

Sell Colon, not "well Colon" as my tablet decided to spell check.

Mack Ade said...

In defense of Alderson not being able to get a deal done, there aren't that many players right now on this team that are playing well enough for him to represent them in a trade.

bgreg98180 said...

Anyone want to compare Omar and Alderson now?

Please remember to take the rose-colored glasses off when discussing Alderson.
and
Refrain from placing the poo-poo-colored glasses when discussing Omar.

All of the concerns and warnings regarding Alderson's "plan", that were once dismissed, seem to be coming to a head.

Mack Ade said...

Bob -

I always was a big fan of Omar mainly because I got to know him a little in camp. I still remember fondly the day I caught him having a catch with his son on the practice mound outside the clubhouse.

I still consider the vast majority of whatever success this team has had being moves that Omar did.

I do fault him for some of the people he surrounded himself with, but, even though I do Respect SA and what he has done, I truly miss Omar.

bgreg98180 said...

The Redsox had the "Curse of the Bambino".

Will the Mets, someday, be known as suffering through the "Curse of Omar"?

Steve from Norfolk said...

Nope,

We are suffering throught "The Curse Of The Wilpons". Also featuring "Inertial Sandy" - the man without a trigger finger.