6/16/16

Reese Kaplan -- The Other Shoe Has Dropped...

As soon as David Wright went on the 15-day DL with the neck injury, most of us who have had either firsthand experience with disc problems, watched the man play on the field or just observed NY Mets' luck over the past many years had already concluded he was done for the year.  Today it was announced that Wright will indeed go under the knife confirming what was suspected from the beginning.  Whether or not this development spells the end for his career is still up in the air.  There are cases such as that of Prince Fielder coming back after just 3 months.  However, given his more advanced age and the spinal stenosis complication, Noah Syndergaard's tweet pretty much said it all when he opined that the Captain was done for the year.

Now when the Mets do move him to the 60-day DL it will open up a spot on the 40-man roster.  How should they use it?  Do you look to sign a pending free agent such as Jose Reyes or the Cuban  Yulieski Gourriel.  Do you consider promoting players heretofore unable to move out of AAA due to roster status such as T.J. Rivera or Travis Taijeron?  Or do you hold onto that roster spot and see who else shakes out of the trees as other clubs seek to shape their rosters for a pennant chase?

Until you make that decision do you keep penciling in Wilmer Flores at 3B every day?  Does he wind up in a platoon of sorts with Kelly Johnson?  Do they promote Dilson Herrera and shift the also-ailing Neil Walker to 3B?  

The Mets finally must acknowledge they can no longer tread water and make a decision.  If they're serious about contending then the Ty Kellys and Eric Campbells of this world are not the way to go.  


11 comments:

Dallas said...

I don't know how they dont go after Gourriel. Not sure how else you get an impact player at this point in the season without giving away the rest of the farm. You wait too long and you risk falling out of NL East and Wild Card contention. I guess you also hope that Gourriel doesnt need much time in AAA. I guess Sandy is going to have to get a little crafty.

Reese Kaplan said...

They already have a very expensive Cuban ambassador playing CF every day. He seems to like it here and could be helpful to Alderson in this regard, though thinking outside the box is not his strong suit.

IB said...

I'd like to see Flores get a shot as a regular 3B. It was nice to see him in a RBI slot in the lineup last night, a spot he's thrived in his whole minor league career. Set him up to succeed. Maybe I'm delusional. I think the kid can hit. We'll see.

I think some of it depends on Lagares now. If he can't play I can see them bringing up an OF from AAA. My money's on Bernadina, a guy who has had some success as a bench role OFer in the majors. As much as I'd like to see Nimmo I don't think they'd put him on the bench in NY. September callup, certainly very possible.

Reese Kaplan said...

Well, the crux of the outfield situation is Michael Conforto. Do they keep trotting him out there to try to work out of his horrific slump or do they send him down? If the latter, then I could see them bringing up Nimmo as the left handed half of a CF platoon with Lagares.

Tom Brennan said...

If conforto struggles much more, send him down for a few weeks and call up Nimmo, unless they want to trade Nimmo and are concerned if he flops as to whether trade value disappears. Bernadina? He has been quiet in Vegas. Maybe he could be 5th OF.

Tom Brennan said...

How did Wright get the herniated disk? Did they say?

Tom Brennan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Tom Brennan said...

Yes. Yes. Yes. Gourriel hit. 500 in 174 at bats (224 PAs) last year.

Tom Brennan said...

Yes. Yes. Yes. Gourriel hit. 500 in 174 at bats (224 PAs) last year.

bill metsiac said...

It's time for Wilmer to show if he's capable of being an everyday ML player, and he deserves the opportunity to play 3B as long as he produces. I like his recent offense, though I still cringe when a GB is hit his way and he needs to make a strong, accurate throw.

Gourriel is someone to pursue, but there'll be a lot of competition for him and all it takes is one crazy owner to make an offer that no sane owner would match. He's about the same age as Cespedes. Would you give either or both the 5 or 6 years they likely want at $25m per? If it's either/or, I keep Yo.

Tough choices.

IB said...

Tom - Yeah, I think Bernadina would be a 5th OF and left handed bat off the bench. He's also got some much needed speed. Just a guess....