Peter Cappiello | Newsday- John Smoltz spent much of his career on a talented Braves pitching staff that included eventual Hall of Famers Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux. Smoltz, who played 21 MLB seasons, said the Mets' current rotation is more than comparable to his group."Well, they're way better, They've got more talent than we could ever have. The opportunities that exist today won't allow a lot of staffs to find out what kind of staff they can be. You know, that's the shame of the game."
(Chris Soto: That is some high praise from one of the best "two-way" pitchers to ever play in the MLB. The fact of the matter is....these young guys for the Mets are doing something that has not been done in the MLB for a long time. To have 4 pre-abritration young guys all posting sub 3.50 ERAs all at the same time with only 1 or 2 years of MLB experience each is just ridiculous. The scary thing is....they are only going to get better. These guys have at least 6 years minimum left in the "PRIME" of their careers.)
Rich MacLeod | Just Mets- It’s been a season that’s severely lacked offense so far for the Mets, to say the least. But there is one Met, however, who has been productive at the plate this season. Often times, it’s been hard to notice, but Curtis Granderson has quietly been the most consistent player for the Mets all year long. Granderson is batting a very solid .251/.346/.426 this season. People have knocked Granderson, myself included, after he hasn’t been the big-time run producer fans had hoped he would be, but the reality is, he never was truly a prolific power hitter. Aside from his two full seasons with the Yankees, playing 81 games a year in the friendly confines of Yankee Stadium, Granderson has never had a season where he’s driven in over 74 runs.
(Chris Soto: Granderson gets knocked on so much due to the fact that the Mets are paying $15M a year for a guy who is "perceived" to not bring much to the offense. However, in reality Granderson's numbers are 15% better than the MLB average. He's one of the better lead-of guys in the National League right now, is on pace for 23 HRs this season, and has been worth +2.6 Wins Above Replacement so far this season. With each +1.0 equaling roughly $5M, Granderson is certainly well on his way to being worth his contract this season.)
Kristie Ackert | NY Daily News- While nothing is imminent, the Mets have gotten as far as discussing pieces with the A’s for a possible deal for Ben Zobrist, a source told The News Tuesday afternoon. Zobrist, who is earning $7.5 million this year, likely will be a free agent after the season. Hitting .259 with five home runs and 32 RBI, Zobrist would have been arguably the best hitter in the Mets’ lineup against the Nationals. With the ability to play second, shortstop and right field, Zobrist would offer the Mets a bat and versatility.
(Chris Soto: Everything I have heard so far is that the Mets are trying to acquire 2 players. One that can be sort of like the Red Sox Brock Holt, start 4 times a week while providing substantial value on the bench. Also one that can be an impact bat at a position of need to help the offense improve. In the talks for Zobrist, the Athletics have been seen at NYSEG Stadium scouting the Mets AA talent recently. The main focus seems to have been SP Michael Fulmer, SP Gabriel Ynoa, and SP Robert Gsellman.)
Mike Puma | New York Post- The Mets are pondering whether they should swap an ailing Michael for a fresh one. With Michael Cuddyer’s sore left knee showing no improvement, and a disabled list stint still possible for the veteran outfielder, general manager Sandy Alderson could turn to prized prospect Michael Conforto to fill the spot.“[Alderson] is thinking about it,” the source said before the Mets beat the Nationals 7-2 on Tuesday. For fans eager to see Conforto, the fact Alderson is considering the lefty-swinging outfielder represents progress over recent weeks, when the GM was against the idea of promoting the player from Double-A Binghamton.
(Chris Soto: This was the big news of the day yesterday. Cuddyer tried to run the bases yesterday but, while he did score, he was still running rather gingerly and seems like a good bet to be placed on the DL. With Ceciliani injured, along with Travis Taijeron, and Cory Vaughn both possessing scary high K rates in AAA, Alderson doesn't seem to have any options to call from Vegas thus changing his thinking on the Conforto situation. Reports are indicating that the team would wait till they get back to New York to promote him so that he doesn't have to face the Nationals dreaded rotation. Personally, I feel as though Conforto can hold his own right now at the MLB. Do I think he'll hit .300 with 5 HR in his 1st two weeks? No absolutely not.....but I am confident in saying that he can at least hold a .250 AVG with a manageable 20% K rate. It's sad, but those conservative stats would make him the 2nd best OF on the team. BRING HIM UP!!!)
Taijeron (.341/.450/.681) is killing lefties this year in over 100 ABs. He does strike out way too much, but Mayberry is simply awful. Why not switch to Travis?
ReplyDeleteCall up Conforto when Cuddyer is DL'd.
Tom - Mayberry seems to be a bit unlucky - he CRUSHED a line drive last night - straight at the CFer - it may have been the 2nd hardest hit ball (behind Duda's smash) of the night (Kirk also hit one hard to CF caught on the track)
ReplyDeletePlus, Mayberry - as bad as he has been - has a .661 OPS vs. LHP - not sure that Taijeron could beat that - I think there is a better chance that Mayberry gets his vs. LHP OPS closer to his career average of .800 than Taijeron being better -- also, Mayberry isn't a bad defensive OFer - not sure what defense Travis brings.
The Mets moved the fences in twice yet Curtis Granderson is being excused for not hitting like a middle-of-the-order bat? I don't buy it. He may be on his way to earning his keep but he's not there yet and I would gladly trade him to another club for the salary relief and go in another direction (Conforto? Nimmo? A free agent under 35?) for the remainder of this year and into next. His defense is adequate, arm non-existent and he doesn't run anymore. Consequently his value lies in walks and solo home runs. If he's going to post Rickey Henderson run producing numbers, then he'd better run like him, too. He wasn't brought on to be a leadoff guy. He was brought on board to hit behind Wright and Duda/Davis (remember him?)
ReplyDelete@Lew Rhodes -- it was only one game but I saw Taijeron play here in El Paso against the hometown Chihuahuas and he made a nice play on one ball and a stunning play on another. It's a small sample, but he certainly didn't look like a Cuddyer/Duda level of butcher out there.
ReplyDeleteSo - as I was at the game last night in great seats (nice to be a client of a law firm with a VIP box!) - here are some things I saw:
ReplyDelete- deGrom is very, very good - the way the glove pops on his fastball is amazing - there was a notable difference in his 96 MPH from Ross's 94 - shows the life.
- Cuddyer needs to go on the DL - NOW - I don't care who they bring up, but Cuddy was limping around the bases - boy it would be nice to have Castellanos in AAA - I think the team botched that one - I think I would prefer Vaughn over Taijeron - his OPS isn't as high vs. LHP, but it is still decent, and he strikes out much less that Taijeron - Taijeron's K-rate vs. LHP is over 30% - in AAA.
- Wilmer looked comfortable at the plate - so, remarkably, did Tejada
- Duda looked much better than he has lately - his blast to CF (off a lefty!) just missed being a HR to the deepest part of the park - it was a rope.
- Murphy on the other hand looked AWFUL
- Campbell's single was a very nice piece of hitting - he went with the low outside pitch and punched it the other way - I know his "hard hit rate" is the news of today, but he showed a nice piece of hitting last night.
- The Mets bullpen is beastly with 3 closers in it - plus - Parnell hit 94 twice and 96 once - so it appears his velocity is returning.
Speaking of bullpen - can anyone tell me why Collins had Familia pitch with a 5 run lead? Today is an afternoon game and Familia pitched Sunday - so why use him unnecessarily?
Mayberry was a nice role player....but you cannot watch him play and make a case for the possibility that he can be a productive player, at this point.
ReplyDeleteHe can no longer run or field....and his bat is slow and lifeless.
He's Done!
- Nieuwenhuis/Ceciliani and Taijeron should be our primary reserve OF. Jettison Mayberry.
ReplyDelete- Promote Conforto
- Trade for Zobrist if the cost is only Ynoa and/or Gsellman. Fulmer should be part of the team or moved in a deal for a difference maker, not Zobrist.
- Broken record/dead horse - target Ryan Braun.
3. Conforto
4. Braun
5. Duda
Is just fine with me as a middle of the order.
Reese,
ReplyDeleteCurtis is the best hitter on this team this year. Obviously a leadoff hitter in the NL is bound to hit a majority of solo home runs, especially when the bottom of the order can't hit.
Ragging on the leadoff guy for not driving in enough runs is a pretty weak argument. He's hitting .260 with RISP which is higher than his .250 batting average. He isn't an all-star but he isn't the problem. Move on to one of the other 7 bats; like Murphy who has had a pretty bad season in the field and at the plate so far.
Reese - Nice to know on Travis' defense - still his minor league K-rate needs to come down I think before he is a viable anything in the MLB.
ReplyDeleteOn Grandy - he never was a power hitter - only when hitting to the 300 foot porch in Yankee stadium - he is more like the hitter he was with the Tigers than with the Yanks - in 2012 he was swinging for the fences - yes he hit 43 HRs, he also struck out 195 times and put up a paltry 2.7 WAR despite the power numbers -- this year, he has already put up a 2.6 WAR in 94 games - if he stays at his current rate, he will be around 4.0 WAR at the end of the season
Frankly, a 4.0 WAR hitter is a bargain at $15 million - whether we want more HRs or not.
Also - Grandy put up a .915 OPS in June - and after a crappy start to July - he has a .985 OPS since the AS break -- so if he can get back to hitting like he did in June and stay there - he will end up having a pretty good year.
Great, we might actually get a decent return on him when we turn over the OF.
Delete