Reese Kaplan -- Random Mets Thoughts

Word filtered down that the cash considerations extended to the Padres for James Loney was a single dollar.  For years we joked about the Wilpons only shopping at Dollartree…apparently many a truth is said in jest. 

Asdrubal Cabrera has been a pleasant surprise on the defensive side.  He came into the year having posted inferior defensive numbers to Wilmer Flores at shortstop, and while he’ll never be confused with Ozzie Smith out there, he’s played a solid game and is hitting about as expected when he was signed.  He’s on track to meet his career averages.

Neil Walker’s power explosion has him looking to set a new single season high for home runs which is somewhat ironic as Citifield is not known as a launching pad.  With David Wright’s precarious health, he may be more than the one-year stopgap envisioned when Jon Niese was sent whining to Pittsburgh.

Terry Collins rejoined the Mets in the dugout after a medical scare.  While I’m happy for the man not suffering any kind of medical malady, I couldn’t help being reminded of the classic Yogi-ism about going for tests after being hit in the head with a pitch.  Yogi said, “They x-rayed me but didn’t find nothing up there.”

By all accounts Travis d’Arnaud is set to return in a week to ten days.  While it’s too much to put on him to become a middle of the order threat to help generate some runs, whatever he delivers is going to far exceed the offensive contributions of Kevin Plawecki and Rene Rivera.  Most are calling for Kevin Plawecki to head to Las Vegas and keeping the more solid glove/arm guy in Rivera (along with his .143 average).  Pitchers like throwing to him apparently more than they do to Plawecki, so there’s that factor as well. 

Does Michael Conforto have to suck it up, put on his big boy pants and work his way out of his slump?  Or should the Mets send him to Las Vegas out of the spotlight for awhile to let him right his ship while promoting the surprisingly successful Brandon Nimmo?  The guy most labeled as a first round bust has quietly finally put together the kind of solid offensive showing that they’d hoped to see when they took a flyer on him out of Wyoming.  He’s batting .330 with an OBP over .400 and a slugging percentage at .527.  Take some off for the PCL effect, but still it’s encouraging.  He’s already on the 40-man roster, so making this change is easily accomplished.  Nimmo has been playing RF for the 51s, but is a centerfielder by trade.  Consequently he could platoon with Juan Lagares (assuming his thumb is still attached to his hand), with Cespedes back where he belongs in LF and Curtis Granderson collecting a fat paycheck in RF.  Also, if Nimmo does look good and Conforto gets back on track, do you part ways with yet another outfield mistake by Sandy Alderson – Alejandro De Aza?

Bartolo Colon is apparently rapidly becoming the Donald Trump of the Mets.  No matter what he says, no matter what he does, people cheer and applaud.  No one else seems to get that kind of latitude from the fans and the media.  PEDs?  No problem!  Failure to appear in court about your two kids fathered while married to someone else?  No problem!  While the media jumps all over Matt Harvey for being out of shape, in Colon’s case they even created a one-of-a-kind “Bobble Belly” doll to celebrate the man. 

Let’s hear some applause for the job being done by Addison Reed.  When he was acquired last season he was kind of overshadowed by Tyler Clippard.  While it was clear from the start they would not be players for the kind of money Clippard would demand, some expected them to consider non-tendering Reed given his expected salary in the $5.3 million range – more than a full million higher than being paid to closer Jeurys Familia.  However, he did a stellar job in his 17 game trial in 2015 and was rewarded with a new contract.  All he’s done this year over 31 games is to keep his ERA well under 2, giving up less than a baserunner per inning pitched and striking out over 10 per 9 innings.  Wow!

Sandy Alderson uncharacteristically ponied up what the going rate was for two years of young veteran lefthander Antonio Bastardo to fortify the bullpen.  The results thus far have been mediocre after several strong seasons in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.  Frankly I think his future as a Met hinges upon Josh Edgin’s health.  Once Edgin appears ready to take the ball on a regular basis I have a feeling Bastardo will be dangled in trade and let someone else pay the balance of his $12 million two-year contract.    

While the Mets said the right things about giving the bullpen a boost when Logan Verrett was pressed into starting duty, the fact is that that Verrett train has been losing velocity for some time now.  He was once released off the 40-man roster by the Mets and while he’s delivered some quality innings, they likely are happier handing the ball to Erik Goeddel who, when healthy, has turned in major league level performances as good as any middle reliever in the game.  The job is probably his to lose, not just a short term stay due to Verrett’s workload. 

Hansel Robles and Jim Henderson are providing strikeouts when needed and keeping the runs off the board for the most part.  It’s part of a surprisingly solid bullpen that is no longer requiring the Costco-sized containers of Rolaids or Tums every time the phone rings down there.   Combined with Jerry Blevins’ stellar sub 2.00 ERA and nearly 10 Ks per 9 innings it’s refreshing to know the middle innings are covered.

On the other hand, Jeurys Familia is starting to give people Armando Benitez flashbacks of a guy who is either going to strike you out or implode.    You can’t argue with the 21 saves, but the strikeout rate is down, the WHIP is up and batting average is not anywhere near the .207 of 2015.  For a guy with so much success, he still makes me more nervous than anyone else out in the pen.