This is more about what I think the Mets should do vs. what I think they should do. I'm also going just with their current roster and not looking ahead to potential trades. I'll do that during the Winter Meetings.
I'm going to start with the outfield since Cespedes just signed. I'm hoping Cespedes wants to do whatever is best for the Mets. I don't think that is CF. I want him in the lineup as often as possible. I think a corner outfield spot will keep him there more often. That corner spot should be RF and not LF. That's were Cespedes should spend the next 4 years. His arm is built for RF.
Conforto should be our everyday leftfielder. I think he has more trade value than the value he brings off the bench. I believe he is more like the player we saw late in 2015 and in early 2016 than what we saw the 2nd half of 2016. LF is his.
I would give Juan Lagares every opportunity to win the CF position. I value defense. Especially up the middle defense. Bad defense adds to a pitchers, pitch count. Good defense subtracts from a pitchers, pitch count. It also minimizes the number of stressful innings for pitchers. I think most fans can see the immediate impact of extended innings due to poor defense but I think we greatly under estimate the roll over effect of poor defense. The toll it takes on a pitching staff during the course of a year.
Now to the infield.
I would give Juan Lagares every opportunity to win the CF position. I value defense. Especially up the middle defense. Bad defense adds to a pitchers, pitch count. Good defense subtracts from a pitchers, pitch count. It also minimizes the number of stressful innings for pitchers. I think most fans can see the immediate impact of extended innings due to poor defense but I think we greatly under estimate the roll over effect of poor defense. The toll it takes on a pitching staff during the course of a year.
Now to the infield.
1st base. I would look to some type of platoon between Lucas Duda and David Wright. I was glad the Mets didn't give up on Duda. I feel there's a Chris Davis in Duda somewhere. Before he got hurt he showed extended periods of great production. He just hasn't been able to maintain it through a whole season. I think Wright is done at 3B. If there is any chance of him contributing with the bat he needs to make the move to 1B. How well he comes back and how well Duda plays will determine the mix.
2B and SS are all but done with Walker and Cabrera.
3B is Reyes'. He needs to be in the lineup every day. I don't think Wright can handle that position anymore. He can no longer provide the defense that Reyes will and it takes to much out of him and his offense will suffer.
3B is Reyes'. He needs to be in the lineup every day. I don't think Wright can handle that position anymore. He can no longer provide the defense that Reyes will and it takes to much out of him and his offense will suffer.
Catcher. I will be able to tell once I see d'Arnaud's 1st swing. If the barrel of his bat is pointing towards the pitcher I would call a vendor from the stands and trade him for a bag of peanuts. Hitting a baseball is hard enough. Having to change the direction your bat is moving in the middle of your swing makes it much harder. Some players can do things that are totally against any type of logic and get away with it. If you noticed, Travis is not one of those player. Rivera is a much better defensive player and pitchers prefer pitching to him. If d'Arnaud is not going to hit, and he will not with his current approach, he has less than replacement player value.
Pitching - I'm hoping and I think MLB will be going to a 26 man roster. I would like to see the Mets use that spot with a 6 man rotation if everyone is healthy. Syndergaard, deGrom, Harvey, Matz, Wheeler, and Gsellman. I would give Lugo a chance to win the 6th spot over Gsellman.
Pitching - I'm hoping and I think MLB will be going to a 26 man roster. I would like to see the Mets use that spot with a 6 man rotation if everyone is healthy. Syndergaard, deGrom, Harvey, Matz, Wheeler, and Gsellman. I would give Lugo a chance to win the 6th spot over Gsellman.
I post more about the bench and bullpen during the winter meetings as things start to shape up.
If the roster expands, I want 3 catchers, especially if one can also play another position. Having a 5-man bench in the NL is enough of a restriction in any case, but when 1 of the 5 is "frozen" in the dugout it only makes us weaker.
ReplyDeleteRichard -
ReplyDeleteGood stuff, but a reality check on first base.
1. David Wright does not want to play first base.
2. The Mets do not want David Wright to play first base.
And 3. Damaged professional baseball players in their thirties are not physically able to teach themselves a new position and compete at that position at the level of a professional baseball player.
Platoon Flores with Duda.
bill - I can see that working if both catchers on the bench could hit and if they batted from opposite sides of the plate. Most catchers, especially those coming off the bench, are defense 1st with little hitting. I wouldn't want to carry two weak bats just to have three catchers. They couldn't be the two weakest bats off the bench.
ReplyDeleteAs long as ONE can hit, he can be used to PH for a pitcher without fear of the #1 getting hurt with no one to replace him.
DeleteMack- that may be the case. If it is then David Wright needs to retire or be the highest paid pinch hitter in history.
ReplyDeleteRichard -
ReplyDeleteYou may get that wish. avid will not stay around and pull this salary if he is not able to compete at a level that makes him happy and does not embarrass him.
He is too much of a class act for that.
Baseball Players Union and Owners have reached an agreement on a new five year collective bargaining agreement. Details will come out tomorrow.
ReplyDelete25 man rosters and expanded September rosters will remain the same
ReplyDeleteNo international draft, but int'l signings are said to be capped to 5-6M per team per year.
ReplyDeleteNice job, Richard. I'm with Mack, Flores needs that 1B time, not Wright.
ReplyDeleteDontcha like this team so much more than when we had to hope we'd get production out of the likes of Campbell, Tejada, and Kirk, to name a few?
ReplyDeleteAnd Rosario and Smith will be here soon. Somewhere, Tom is smiling.