2/1/16

Mack’s Morning News – 2-1-15 – Mike Barwis, Jenrry Mejia, Drew Butera, Juan Lagares



Good morning.

Bob Gregory asked –

Mack, I'm wondering if you have heard anything about the Mets and Mike Barwis's strength and conditioning training program this off season? For the past 2 years it was the highlight of the off season training that would remake Flores's agility and Duda's conditioning.  Last year it seemed like there were more Met players that attended the Barwis training than didn't.   Captain Wright joined the younger players as well. This year however there hasn't been any news, that I have seen at least, regarding the Mets and the Barwis training. Is there anything you have heard? If no Mets are attending, is there a reason for the drastic change? Any thoughts if not participating will affect Duda and Flores in any way, good or bad?

          Mack – Bob, thanks for the question.

I searched my remaining sources and no one has heard anything about Barwis and the Mets still working together in the off-season. My guess, at this point, is that some players are still individually working with Barwis, but there probably isn’t any formal indorsement.

I wouldn’t worry about Duda or Flores regarding Barwis. Every player is sat down before they break for the off-season and are given, on paper, directions on what the Mets expect them to do rehab and exercise wise before they report to camp. This includes destructions to NOT do certain things, like throw a ball, etc.

The toughest thing the Mets have on their hands right now is how much this team wants to report and play. They are pumped.

UPDATE – Caught this on an Adam Rubin report on 1-27: Flores is currently working out at the Mike Barwis fitness and conditioning program at the Mets' complex in Port St. Lucie, Florida, and is scheduled to begin hitting this week.
So there.

Additional Barwis pics - 



Sidd Finch: What happens with Jenrry Mejia? I guess the Mets appear to still have faith in him, they just made a deal with him to avoid salary arbitration. Do we know if he’s eligible for the post-season next year? Even if he does perform well, how do you think the suspensions effect his trade value?

Paul Swydan: I would guess he starts in a set-up role, and probably won’t move beyond that.

Jeff Zimmerman: Truthfully, I just don’t know … I will have to think about it more

          Mack – I wonder if this is the same Sidd Finch who comments here at Mack’s Mets.

          I don’t think Sandy Alderson is thinking past the value of Mejia for the race to the pennant in 2016.

          I also don’t think he has any trade value. He has a death sentence hanging over his head and no one wants anything to do with that.



There’s a  great story  out there about ex-Mets minor league catcher, Drew Butera, and the last ball thrown in the 2015 World Series –

When we last saw the Kansas City Royals, they were dancing in a happy mob near the mound at Citi Field in New York. It was just after midnight on Nov. 2, and Wade Davis had frozen Wilmer Flores with a 95-mph fastball for the final out of 2015. The Royals won their first World Series in 30 years and tied a major-league record with their eighth come-from-behind victory of the postseason -- a fitting tribute to the resiliency of a close-knit team that ...

Hey. Wait. What happened to that ball?

Mack – From Wikipedea: In 2007, Butera batted .258 with five home runs and 22 runs batted in for the St. Lucie Mets to be named a Florida State League All-Star. Following the All-Star game, Butera was promoted to the double-A Binghamton Mets. After a month at Binghamton, he was dealt to the Minnesota Twins at the trade deadline along with Dustin Martin for second baseman Luis Castillo.

I happened to pick up this info on the net when it happened, wrote down the players involved in the trade, approached Tim Teufel, and handed him the details on a piece of paper. He looked at it for a considerable amount of time and never said a word to me about the trade or the players.



And lastly… Tim Eckert-Fong wrote an intresting article for Athletics Nation –

I'd like to start off by saying that no, there have been no rumors tying the A's to Juan Lagares or the Mets at all. While it seems obvious that an outfielder may be on the move, rumors around the Mets have been quiet in the days since Cespedes signed, so it's not a guarantee someone will move, just more of a logical conclusion. That said, I'm writing this because A) the A's are shallow in the outfield for seasons to come and have made comments about not being done this offseason and B) I absolutely adore Lagares and want you to know about him prior to his ending up on a team I hate like all my baseball crushes inevitably do.

          Mack – Is Lagares available? Would you trade him?


          Let’s discuss.

13 comments:

Ernest Dove said...

I would NOT trade lagares and here's why:

Cespedes can opt out after this year.
Grandy has only two years left.
Nimmo is hurt......again right now.
There's literally nobody on the 40man roster that can replace him right now.

If Nimmo was healthy and maybe Beccera was at least starting in AA ball this year it would make a trade more interesting but for now......

Tom Brennan said...

I would trade Lagares if it got us a true OF prospect or bullpen ace type. But owners should keep him, spending at that level, work around the crowded outfield, and use him a lot as a late defensive replacement. He most likely would help us win 2 or 3 more games. 2016 is all about winning.

February is here...pitchers and catchers before we know it, and live from Florida
updates from Ernest Dove. Sweet.

Ernest Dove said...

Ha.......yeah Tom I have plans to be there for a february workout and already have tickets to a spring game.

Mack Ade said...

Morning guys -

I too would not trade Lagares and, frankly, I wouldn't trae anyone going into this season.

I like this roster and I believe this is the one we should use in 2016

Zozo said...

I couldn't agree with you more Mack. I hope no one grabs cecciliani. Why they didn't drop Campbell is still unbelievable, he must have some incriminating stuff on the Wilpons or Sandy? Lol

Reese Kaplan said...

Would you trade Ruben Tejada and his $3 million salary if someone was foolish enough to ask? I'd live with Matt Reynolds as the backup infielder.

Mack Ade said...

Reese -

IMO, Lagares is worth every penny of the $3mil they pay him.

Mack Ade said...

Zozo -

I will never understand the DC move...

Tom Brennan said...

Just for the fans to be able to chant Darrell, Darrell again

Metsiac said...

With the Cespedes signing, de Aza becomes irrelevant except to PH. How many LH-hitting OFers do we need? Hopefully, DC clears waivers and plays at Vegas, ready for call-up if needed.

de Aza is the one I'd look to deal.

Tom Brennan said...

Maybe de Aza dealt later in season, but great to have real hitters on bench

Hobie said...

Went for the head-fake, Mack.

Thought Drew Butera somehow wound up with the WS ball! :-)

Metsiac said...

de Aza is paid appropriately for the primary part of a CF platoon. As a 5th OFer he'll likely see under 150 AB unless others get hurt. The money is better spent elsewhere. I'd love to have someone who can be a #3 Catcher so Plawecki can be used to PH.