Mack’s Morning Report – 8-29-15 – WAR, Bryce Harper, Daniel Murphy, Bartolo Colon

Good morning.

John Larue http://www.hardballtimes.com/the-young-and-the-restless/ featured a great story on The Hardball Times about certain teams that had significant WAR –

While none will reach the Hall of Fame, beginning in 1985, the Mets found abundant WAR from Darryl Strawberry, Doc Gooden, Lenny Dykstra, Sid Fernandez, Ron Darling and David Cone, some of the best young talent ever collected by a single franchise.

Bryce Harper said –

 "I really don't care. If we don't win it doesn't matter. If something happens and we don't make it, it doesn't matter."

Mack – I really don’t care? AYFKM? Isn’t this the same guy that said earlier this year that he didn’t care what the Mets were doing? And, by the way… do you really want to play with someone on your team that ‘doesn’t matter’ whether your team makes the playoffs?

Look, I’m the first one to recognize Harper’s talent, but this guy so represents the Nationals arrogance we have all had to witness over this past off season. Let’s not forget the words of Jayson Werth while we’re at it.

I so hope the Nats are eliminated before the last series of the season at CitiField. Wouldn’t it be a hoot to play this team for something worth nuthin’.

I want to throw out the question as to whether or not the Mets should make a qualified offer to Daniel Murphy for the 2016 season. Yeah, I know he can be a real knucklehead sometimes on the field, regardless of what position he is playing, but I have to tell you, I’m going to miss his clutch bat. I really like what I’m seeing currently in the 2015 Mets and Murphy is one of those dugout/clubhouse leaders that have helped create this mental turnaround. Add that to the fact that he has always wielded a timely bat (and you just know there will be early injuries next year on this team), I’m just not sure if the Mets should let this guy go.

Thoughts?

Andy Martino http://m.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/martino-mets-steven-matz-pen-playoffs-article-1.2340130 wrote -

Bartolo Colon will spend the next few weeks basically auditioning for a spot on the postseason roster. The team has not ruled out using him in a late-inning relief role, but is leaving open the possibility of excluding him entirely.

          Mack – According to Martino, the Mets are starting to formulate in their mind who is going to be on their 25-man playoff roster. That makes sense at this point in the season.

There should be 11 pitches on the 2016 roster and any one of them could be Colon, Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey, Jon Niese, Noah Sundergaard, Steven Matz, Dario Alvarez, Vic Black, Tyler Clippard, Jeurys Familia, Sean Gilmartin, Erik Goeddel, Eric O’Flaherty, Hansel Robles, Carlos Torres, and Logan Verrett.

That’s 16 pitchers and, in my book, only deGrom and Harvey have locked up a rotation spot at this point.

It seems to me that Syndergaard and Niese’s next outing may be the most important they throw this season and could also help determine the fate of Colon.