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3/8/17

Reese Kaplan -- Who Goes North For The Mets?


There are about 4 weeks left until the team comes north for Opening Day and it’s time to make some roster predictions:

Starters
  • 1B           Lucas Duda  -- He’ll likely miss some time due to pain, but he’ll start at 1B
  • 2B           Neil Walker – He’s not getting paid $5 million more than Daniel Murphy to sit on the bench
  • SS           Asdrubal Cabrera – Amed Rosario isn’t even a pipe dream in 2017
  • 3B           Jose Reyes – He’s done nothing to earn it, he’s already been anointed as the starter
  • C             Travis d’Arnaud – The new swing is yielding positive results.  Fingers crossed…
  • LF            Yoenis Cespedes – ‘nuff said
  • CF           Curtis Granderson – Too experienced and expensive for TC to bench him
  • RF           Jay Bruce – He'll either help the Mets directly or to drive up his trade value
Bench
  • C             Rene Rivera – No way Kevin Plawecki gets the nod over Rivera
  • IF            Wilmer Flores – Backing up at 1B, 2B and 3B
  • IF            TJ Rivera – A temporary reprieve from Las Vegas due to David Wright’s injury
  • OF          Juan Lagares – He’ll exist for defense alone like Rene Rivera
  • OF          Brandon Nimmo – Superior defense & speed wins out over Michael Conforto

 Starting Pitchers
  • SP1         Noah Syndergaard
  • SP2         Jacob deGrom
  • SP3         Matt Harvey
  • SP4         Steve Matz
  • SP5         Robert Gsellman – better pedigree than Seth Lugo and healthier than Zack Wheeler

Relievers
  • BP1        Addison Reed
  • BP2        Fernando Salas
  • BP3        Hansel Robles
  • BP4        Jerry Blevins
  • BP5        Josh Smoker – big strikeout arm and the other Josh is playing himself off the team
  • BP6        Seth Lugo – Long man and spot starter
  • BP7        Erik Goeddel – if he’s healthy enough, he’ll get the nod. 
If Goeddel needs rehab time, then (surprise) Rafael Montero should get the nod.  This pitcher is likely gone as soon as Jeurys Familia returns from his mandatory vacation.  I see Zack Wheeler being kept in Florida in extended Spring Training until it warms up some more.

They won’t let the non 40-man roster invitees get a chance because it means exposing someone to being claimed by another team.  Guys like Ben Rowen, Paul Sewald and Tom Gorzellany fit this category for pitchers, while Ty Kelly, Travis Taijeron and others fail this litmus test for offensive players. 

So, have at it.  Do these roster choices at this stage look close to what you predict?
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10 comments:

  1. Tom BrennanMarch 8, 2017 at 8:12 AM

    Yes, and it is very sad for Conforto, who is ready ready ready. But before him stands Grandy Grandy Grandy.

    Reyes will get plenty of rest - I see him starting 5 days a week - still adds that speed element that is sorely needed. If Flores had above average speed, he'd be a major league starter, period. But he is slow, Mo.

    Montero could still beat out Goedell, whose name I always mispel.

    I like the team - let's hope it stays healthy.

    Lastly, let's hope Harvey is back to at least a # 3 level starter when they break camp.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mack AdeMarch 8, 2017 at 8:32 AM

    The Mets no longer trust Montero. He will pitch 2017 in Las Vegas one more time.

    Goeddel is safe until Familia comes back.

    I like your 25

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mack AdeMarch 8, 2017 at 8:41 AM

    Game today is on ESPN at 1pm -

    Thor starts it, Tebow bats 8th

    subs named for games on lineup card include: Kaczmarki, Berrios, Oberste, Thompson, Carpio, Boyd, Sanchez, and Brosher

    should be fun game to watch

    ReplyDelete
  4. DallasMarch 8, 2017 at 9:13 AM

    I don't see anyway Conforto gets the nod over Nimmo unless they just want to make sure he gets consistent at bats in AAA. I still hope for the last minute Bruce trade and it becomes a non-issue.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Reese KaplanMarch 8, 2017 at 9:33 AM

    There is one twist here I hadn't mentioned. Once Familia is suspended, his status is kind of like being on the 60-day DL. What I mean is that he doesn't count against your 40-man roster, thus a non-roster player could be added to the team going north without having to remove anyone currently on the roster. The problem is that once demoted you still run the risk of that person being exposed to a claim by another team.

    ReplyDelete
  6. HobieMarch 8, 2017 at 10:00 AM

    I was going to mention the suspension 40-man exemption. I think they will use it & worry about the consequences later. Most harmless would be to let Nimmo play CF regularly in LV with (gulp) Ty Kelly becoming the 25 man as long as Wright is out.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Reese KaplanMarch 8, 2017 at 10:10 AM

    Ideally I'd like to see Michael Conforto playing CF regularly in AAA since he already knows the corners. That way they can determine whether or not he's a viable option when they pull the plug on the Curtis Granderson as starter era.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Eddie from CoronaMarch 8, 2017 at 12:25 PM

    your probably 100 Pct accurate...
    Still I am hoping for Ben Rowen... I like that motion brought to mess with guys after seeing thor for the first 6-7 innings

    ReplyDelete
  9. bill metsiacMarch 8, 2017 at 8:00 PM

    No Lugo? I'd give him a pen spot over Smoker.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Reese KaplanMarch 8, 2017 at 10:01 PM

    I guess you skipped over him, Bill. He's there in the pen.

    ReplyDelete