Mack’s Morning Report – 8-8-15 – Gavin Cecchini, YC, LOOGY, September Roster

Good morning.

OF John Mayberry Jr. was signed by the White Sox and assigned to Triple-A Charlotte.

Some questions from Gary –

Hi Mack, I was just wondering about what you think of Gavin Cecchini. He really gets very little press for a former first round pick and few mention him in future lineups.

Mack – We’ve talked a lot about Cecchini recently, even quoting his stupendous July stats yesterday that won him Player of the Month. What you aren’t going to read about is him winning any defensive awards during the same season.

It’s hard to hate Cecchini’s bat which is obviously why he was drafted by the Mets in the first round of the 2012 draft (12^th pick overall) over the likes of… don’t get me started here again.

Gary, I don’t see him getting a proper chance for similar reasons Matt Reynolds hasn’t gotten his shot this year. A nice bat, but not projected as having enough ‘clubs in the bag’ to get the whole job done at the major league level.

Couple this with Wilmer Flores and Ruben Tejada ahead of him, and top prospect Amed Rosario biting on his ass an affiliate down, my guess is Cecchini will be one of the major trade chips used in the off season to plug some new holes that develop at other positions.

Also knowing our WOO [window of opportunity] is probably 3 or 4 years with the fab five how far would you go to try and sign YC and if not ,who would your replacement be? 

Mack – the addition of Cespedes has changed the amount of talent on this team, the way the talent on this team approach their game, and the way other teams have chosen to pitch to this team. Players that hit before him are in the opposing pitcher’s mind because they know who’s up next. Players that bat immediately after him are enjoying the benefit of the results of having him in the lineup.

There are only so many ballplayers in this game this talented and they are all paid in the same range. It will take a package in the range of 6-years, $120mil to take Cespedes into his 35^th year which, on paper, could easily be two more than productive, but it could insure Mets success for the next four years while you have control of this young pitching staff before they begin to hit free agency.

I would do it, but remember… it’s not my money.

Last question is about getting a solid LOOGY now that Blevins is gone and how scary  O'Flaherty was last night, short sample size or not, he has not pitched well this year. Thanks.

          Mack – Well, first of all I have no problem with using O’Flaherty as the LOOGY. He was brought in with 7.2 innings done n order to face a left handed batter and get out of the either inning… which he did. Thus, he performed the LOOGY role. The problem here was TC trying to expand the role he was signed to perform and bring him back in for the beginning of the eight.

Others are already calling for the return of Dario Alvarez, but, if  O’Flaherty is a true LOOGY than the Mets must play by the rules and use him that way.

David Wright is the 4th best hitter vs LHP since 1960 (167 wRC+)... Only Barry Bonds, Ryan Braun, and Paul Goldschmidt are ahead of him

It’s getting closer every day to the day that rosters can expand. The only restriction is that the player has to be a member of the 40-man squad. In fact, every player that’s a member of the 40-man squad can come up if you chose to pack the dugout like a sardine.

My thoughts on who will return…

        Pitching wise, RHRP Vic Black and RHP Logan Verrett should join the club. It also may not be until September 1^st for LHSP Steven Matz to return. LHRP Dario Alvarez may wind up already being on the 25-man if LHRP Eric O’Flaherty stumbles a few more time, but I don’t expect to see RHSP Rafael Montero, RHS Gabriel Ynoa, or RHP Akeel Morris. I could easily be wrong here about Montero but I expect another setback in August.

        Bat wise, 3B David Wright and LF Michael Cuddyer should already be back, IF/OF Eric Campbell, who probably was sent down between this week and the end of August, will most probably return and the Mets have to once again pick between Johnny Monell and Anthony Recker as their third catcher (my choice would be the potential power Recker would bring to pinch hitting). Past that is only a guess and mine would be yes to OF Darrell Cecilliani, and 2B Danny Muno and pass on 2B Dario Alvarez, the injured OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis, and SS Wilfredo Tovar.