7/25/15

Mack’s Morning Report – 7-25-15 – Q and A


Good morning.

Gary asked –

Hi Mack, I was wondering why SA didn't consider Aoki this past off season instead of Cuddyer and at 1/4 the price. We need a leadoff hitter more than another bat behind Wright (remember this is last off season when we didn't know about Wright's injury) because Grandy could've filled the 5 spot. We always think SA is thinking $$ first but I didn't get this trade then or now. What was the rush to sign him early and for 2 YEARS! He wouldn't have taken 1 year and an option? As for Upton that's a no for me but a question on both he and Murphy if we did deal for him. Both will get multi year deals so wouldn't it behoove us to offer them both arbitration and get draft picks? A question about  Cecchini. Is he a real option for SS or another guy who has to be moved to another position to utilize his bat and will we ever see Travis Taijeron with the big club as I see they let Castellanos go w/o giving him a shot. Thanks

            Mack – Hey Gary.

            I have no idea on the inner workings of why the Mets and Cuddyer agreed to a deal and the Mets and Aoki didn’t. Remember, everybody has to first want to play with each other. As for Cuddyer, I’m sure the David Wright factor was involved here and everybody thought they would be bouncing around together in the outfield prior to each game.

There’s a lot of opinions out there on the lack of defensive ability at shortstop by Gavin Cecchini. Given the fact that Amed Rosario is only one year behind him, I don’t see a rosey future for Cecchini in Queens.

And Travis Taijerson… tough call. Strikes out far too much and the Mets are full of guys like this.

We should all know the fate of Michael Cuddyer and Michael Conforto by the time you read this on Saturday morning. Even SA can’t keep stringing out this drama.


Metsiac asked –

Hi, Mack, I'm still wondering about Cesar Puello. The injury that disqualified him from being DFA'd in March was supposed to be "not serious". If the Mets, as some theorized, want to dump him, he could be activated if healthy and DFA'd. If they want to give him a chance, and he clears waivers, he could go to Vegas. Where is he?

Should we call the FBI to trace his whereabouts?

Mack – My ‘people’ have told me that he is in Florida at the minor league extending camp complex which is located on the opposite end of the complex. This is where the GCL Mets hang their uniforms for their home games played on the back fields, and all houses all the walking wounded doing rehab would.

Puello is pulling the full minimum major league salary (around $500,000) for being ’persona non grata’ on this team. He (or his agent) somehow found some loop hole that could get him assigned to the Mets DL, thus earning him a major league wage without playing a single inning. This absolutely sealed his fate with SA after losing this kid the year before to a drug suspension.

Bill, for all I know, he may be that guy with the grey beard being held in an Iranian prison.


More from Gary –

Good morning Mack, After the Kershaw  show on Thursday I looked back at the 62' lineup to see just how bad ours was last night and the 62' bunch would have been an improvement which is scary. I totally agree with you that injuries have really hurt us this year and if we had even half the injuries we've sustained we'd be in 1st place. My question is about innings limits. Steve answered me on one of the posts but the question still remains. Exactly how many innings do the big 3 have left and if were limiting them to make it to the end of the season it certainly reduces our chances dramatically which is why I still believe the FO is looking at 2016 and not 2015. This week will tell the story about whether they're serious or not but it’s a shame to waste an opportunity like this because we may be stronger next year but so probably will the Nats and Braves among others. Also what’s with leaving McGowan in to take that beating last week? Character building? Thanks, Gary Seagren

Mack – Leaving McGowan in that long could mean that the team’s bullpen was overworked that week and someone just had to take the hit. Past that, this sometimes happens to someone that goes on the ‘DL’ sometime in the next 48 hours and is eventually cut in the off season.


Regarding the amount of innings left:

Per Reese Kaplan


Harvey

IP - 118.1
Limit - 190
Remaining - 71.2


de Grom

IP - 119.2
Limit - 210
Remaining - 90.1


Syndergaard

IP - 78.2 majors+29.2 minors -- total 128.1 
Limit - 165
Remaining - 36.2


Matz

IP - 13.2 majors+90.1 minors -- total 104
Limit - 160
Remaining - 56

Yes... this is a problem, especially Syndergaard.


Per Chris Soto:

Here are the rough estimates for remaining innings and approximate starts left for our SPs.

Harvey – 82 IP – 12 starts
deGrom – 90 IP – 13 starts
Syndergaard – 62 IP – 9 starts
Matz – 67 IP – 10 starts

Right now Syndergaard is really the only one in danger of reaching his innings limit.

12 comments:

Ernest Dove said...

Gonna be weird to watch Cuddyer get paid MILLIONS in 2016 to sit on the bench.

Tom Brennan said...

Morning, Mack. I think Matz has more innings in him still because he also logged playoff innings, and this injury is almost like a mini off season for him. But we need to get to the playoffs first.

Man, Justin Turner looks impressive. Slugging % is a Piazza-like .560+.

I'm one sense it was good Niese tried for the team, but he'd have been better off leaving for the birth and letting another guy pitch. Hard to believe Grienke is back to pitch Sunday.

Ernest Dove said...

Hey Thomas, sorry to hear about your loss (Muno). We're here for ya buddy. Whatever you need.

Greg B said...

Morning Mack, question on 2 Mets farmhand, Eudor Garcia and John Mora from Savannah. Any reports on them. Look good so far.

Anonymous said...

Ernest, as I've said all along, Cuddyer makes for an ideal 4th outfielder and backup 1B. He can get 350 ABs next season -- and be a huge help to the team. Overpaid? I guess, but that's baseball economics. Sandy will have a starting rotation that earns under $5 million combined. There's a lot of room to absorb Cuddyer's salary.

It's unfair to say, and we'll never know for sure, but I'd say JT is a good candidate for steroid use.

James Preller

Mack Ade said...

Greg B -

I particularly like Garcia though he does seem frozen this year in Savannah. Great fielder.

I have little knowledge on Mora. Maybe Brennan has more to say on him.

Tom Brennan said...

Danny Muno will be released, picked up the Dodgers, and bump Justin Turner out of the line up. LOL. Ernest, at least I know someone remembers what I write. LOL # 2.

Muno has no one to blame but himself for not charging his way past Eric Campbell. You know, the guy with the .277 stat line (oh, that is Eric's slug %, sorry). I was a big Campbell advocate last year...just part of my diagnosed condition, Muno Disorder, where objects appear larger than they actually are...but I have sworn off eating soup until there is another roster change. I like yesterday's two changes. May the next needed change come quickly.

And hurry up back, Travis D...I would like to see the catcher who has 1 RBI other than his 2 homer game banished forever to the land where Mike Nickeas now dwells.

Tom Brennan said...

Mora has been a solid player, and he sure can pile up triples, 23 in under 1000 at bats, which to me is the indication of a true Jose Reyes type hustler. Based on that, not sure why his steal % is not better. Seems he could be a good back up major league OF some day...fields very well, good on base guy. Hopefully he adds to his listed 165 pound frame and develops a little more pop once he is promoted from Savannah. Doing that could be a long term difference maker for him.

By comparison, good hitting Luis Guillorme has NO career triples in almost as many at bats, yet has a better steal rate than Mora. That is puzzling to me.

I just have a feeling Eudor Garcia is about to explode. Last night's game (3 doubles, HR, BB) does not surprise me.

James, I thought Turner has either been spending a lot more time in the weight room or...his physique definitely upgraded. Nice scruffy beard, too.

Mack Ade said...

The question now will be how will these two new acquisitions be applied in the lineup, who sits, and will Conforto be sent back down.

Here NOW are the top 5 Mets current 25-man OPS:

1. Juan Uribe - .817

2. Kelly Johnson - .772

3. Curtis Granderson .761

4. Lucas Duda - .754

5. Daniel Murphy - .705

Reese Kaplan said...

While I agree that Muno did not distinguish himself in his time in the majors, it's hard to get into a groove of any kind when you play just 2-3 ABs per week if you're lucky. It's not like he squandered his many starting opportunities.

Anonymous said...

Muno is brutally bad. Nothing has changed. At 2B, he's behind Murphy, Flores, Cecchini, Mazzilli, Herrera, Tejada, etc.

He did not in any way merit more ML at-bats. It was a disgrace that he was up with the big club in the first place.

Recker is a good backup catcher, IMO.

Steve from Norfolk said...

Anonymous,

Recker has a BA of .130 and an OPS of .506, oWAR of -0.1, and dWAR of -0.2. Not good. At best, slightly below average.