Mack’s Mets – ‘Stuff’ – New Writers, Yoelkis Cespedes, Updated Top Prospects, Relief Market

Good morning.

First, some dirty laundry…

I started this blog around 10 years ago and the first writer to join it was the old Mets Fever writer, David Rubin. Well, David has returned to Mack’s Mets and, trust me, you will enjoy the content he will add. As Jack Flynn told me in a private message on Facebook, it looks like the old gang is getting back together. 

In addition, a long time reader of the site, Charlie Hangley, has also joined the site as a new writer. Charlie also doubles as the Deputy Treasurer for the Borough of Fort Lee, New Jersey.

And lastly, the guy that kept me above water the past few years through all my health issues and countless retirements, Christopher Soto, has returned. There is nothing boring about what Soto says and this is a huuuuuuge addition to the site.

What a week.

Now, if we could only find Michael Scannell, Ernest Dove, Stephen Guilbert, and Michael Freire

There is another Cespedes in baseball.

Yoenes Cespedes has a younger brother, Yoelkis, still playing Cuba ball. He’s 19 and hit .297/.361/.460 this past season. Check out the picture on the left… he’s already wearing a Mets shirt. Do you think his brother could get his agent to start working of getting this kid to the Mets complex in Port St. Lucie?

You may want to peek over to the right column on the front page of the site and review my top prospect list. I revise it weekly and here’s some recent changes I have made –

            I have taken off Seth Lugo. He pitched last year as a 26-year old and he no longer qualifies as a prospect.

Robert Gsellman has been raised to the #2 slot, based maily on what he produced last year in Queens. He will pitch 2017 as a 23-year old, which will technically be his last year on the prospect list.

Justin Dunn now comes in at #4. All of baseball seems to agree that he is already one of baseball’s top 100 prospects.

Same with Thomas Szapucki, who I have raised to #5.

P.J. Conlon is now listed at #8 and this might be conservative.

And Merandy Gonzalez (Cyclones – 14-starts, 6-3, 2.87, 9.26-K/9) comes in at #16

          MLBTR reports –

             As the Mets look to bolster their bullpen, the team is still weighing a variety of free agents, per Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). In addition to keeping open the possibility of a reunion with lefty Jerry Blevins, the Mets are also considering righties Sergio Romo and Joe Smith.

                       Blevens is 33-years old and pitched last year for the Mets: 73-games, 4-2, 2.79, 11.1-K/9. He was paid $4mil by the Mets.

                       Romo will be 34 and is now a free agent after being paid $7mil last year by San Francisco. 2016 stats – 40-games, 2.64, 9.7-K/9.

                       The ex-Met Smith will pitch 2017 as a 33-year old and was paid $5.25mil by the Cubs last year (16-G, 2.51, 1.11, 9.4-K/9)

           I really have no problems with any of these guys if they are healthy, but there is no way that Sandy Alderson is going to spend this kind of money on Romo. It’s not going to happen.

           Right now, my guess is Jeurys Familia will be staying home in April. This will leave righties Addison Reed and Hansel Robles looking for five other guys to join them in the pen.

           On paper, that is lefty Josh Edgin, lefty Josh Smoker, and righty Seth Lugo (Lugo would return to being a starter when Familia comes back and he’ll be shipped off to Las Vegas to await the phone to ring).

           In addition, lefties P.J. Conlon, David Roseboom, Sean Gilmartin, Adam Wilk, and righties Chase Bradford, Erik Goeddel, Kevin McGowan, Marcos Molina, Rafael Montero, Paul Sewald, Corey Taylor, Logan Taylor, and Ben Rowan are on the 40-man squad.

           You can look over this list of names as many times as you want and you still will walk away knowing that this team needs relief help.