4/6/17

Mack’s Morning Report – 4-6-17 – Back Relief, Eight Starters, Breakout Guppies, Update on Rotations




Good morning.


Back Relief

I always worry about two things when it comes to the Mets… injuries and relief.

I don’t worry about the ton of starters and the depth of bats on this team, but with Jeurys Familia basically sitting out April, and most of the starters on pitch counts early in the season, you can’t get off to a good start without a winning 7-8-9 inning combination. Fernando Sales (7.36-ERA) and Addison Reed (8.18). Didn’t scare anyone. Hansel Robles (0.00) was the exception.

So, how has it gone so far?

Game 1 Monday – Robles and Salas had scoreless one-inning outings, which was followed by a bizarre decision to pitch SP5 Robert Gsellman in the ninth. There was no Reed sighting since there was no save opportunity.

Game 2 Wednesday - the only reliever that pitched poorly was Rafael Montero, who was supposed to be our weekend spot starter


       Eight Starters Need
  
        Sandy Alderson was asked in the off-season how many starters he needs to go to camp with and he told the press gaggle that the number was ‘eight’. Most Mets fans could easily find this confusing since the plan at that time was for the Mets to have a 5-man rotation. Sure, they could push it to six, but this isn’t college and there is no need for a ‘Friday Starter’ system.

Well, the Mets proved early that Alderson was right. A blister will cost Noah Syndergaard his next start and Seth Lugo could now be out until sometime in May. This has already created a need for a fill-in starter before Thor comes back. It’s pretty dismal past that and the Mets may want to consider signing someone with big team experience, at the lowest cost to the team, to stash away in Vegas in case this downslide continues. Anyone got the cell number for Big Pelf?

(Thor's 3-2 pitch to strike out Nick Markakis was thrown at 93.7 and dropped 21 inches... )


Breakout Guppies

Ex-Mack’s Mets writer David Groveman wrote another fabulous article on  Mets 360. It’s a post about potential minor league breakout players with the emphasis on Michael Conforto. It also mentions –      

 Thomas Szapucki, SP: Can we bank on a breakout year after a breakout year? Depends. For those of you who are not yet excited about Szapucki, prepare to be.

Desmond Lindsay, OF: The Mets are hoping that Lindsay can start to gain steam as he progresses in 2017. The Mets would like to establish a firmer timeline on when he might contribute at the major league level.

Wuilmer Becerra, OF: Becerra was hitting everything in 2016 and then he got hurt. Look for a healthy Becerra trying to make up for lost time.

Patrick Mazeicka, C: Injuries combined with the SAL held Mazeicka’s numbers to more normal levels. In 2017 he should be healthy and graduating to the FSL. I expect a boost in his offensive output.

Marcos Molina, SP: Injured for nearly all of 2016, Molina got a lot of time in spring training. The Mets seem ready to promote this young pitcher aggressively.
David knows his guppies and I agree with all his choices, except for Mazeicka. I’m just never high on minor league catchers.

As for the rest, I see Molina as the next great Mets closer.


Short report today... heading to Clemson with daughter and grandchildren for the Clemson spring football game


And lastly

            Let’s never forget Donny Everrett http://www.baseballamerica.com/college/born-to-be-a-vandyboy/#Gjdfb9IPfKusDhyi.97



11 comments:

Tom Brennan said...

Mack, enjoy Clemson.

Man, do I HATE it when Met teams waste brilliant outings by their top starters due to impotent bats.

Bartolo was clocked at 93 on one pitch. Can we have him back?

Szapucki and his shoulder impingement: will it derail him, or is it relatively minor?

Mack Ade said...

Tom -

Thanks. Plan on having a wonderful weekend with my daughter and kiddies.

You are correct about the bats. Mets pitching has only given up 3 runs in 21 innings.

You never can get details on Mets inuries, especially in the minors. I have had some really good relationships with some of the media relations head of some of these teams and have had many an 'off the record' conversation on a number of subject. I still never was able to find out any details or ETAs on injuries until the morning before a particular player was returning. I'm not even sure my contact knew the details.

I do; howver, worry about Szapucki. This is his second major injury in two years and could be a bad sign for the future,

bgreg98180 said...

Contact contact contact.

If hitting is contagious. ...Then NOT hitting is contagious as well.

That is the Achilles Heel of this offense. Too many strikeouts.

Hitting may be contagious. .. Getting walks is not contagious.

More contact... more hitting....spread the "hitting bug"

Mack Ade said...

Bob/Tom -

It is 2 games...

I try not to analyze too much in the first 30 games. If I did, Jose Reyes may never get another at bat on this team.

I want to emphasize the good so far... our SP1 and SP2 are as ordered.

Tom Brennan said...

That's true, Mack, but I won't give them 30 games to start hitting. I did not see the game last night, so I do not know how many (if any) possible homers died in the April air/breeze.

But I hate to see both these guys throw 6 shutout innings and get no decisions. It happens WAY too often to Mets pitchers, historically. History does NOT have to repeat itself here.

Evidence that spring means little when the regular season gun sounds:

Bartolo had awful numbers this spring, and voila, he pitches well.

In Yankeeland, Bird and Sanchez hit .400 this spring with 12 homers. So far, they are 2 for 26 when it counts in the real season.

bgreg98180 said...

Mack

Absolutely true...only 2 games into this season.

The concern comes from the previous 2 seasons tendency to strikeout, the hitting philosophy of hunting for walks, and the preference of Alderson to under value batting avg and over value walk rate.

There will most likely be many fun to watch 8-10 run games. Unfortunately there will also be many games like last night that will be lost due to too many strikeouts.

Mack Ade said...

Two facts about last night -

1. Bartolo Colon was spot on.

2. Jay Bruce seems ready to hit this year

bill metsiac said...

Extremely small sample, but it's good to see Edgin looking sharp. If he still looks effective when Jeuris returns, the right move IMO will be keeping him a day sending Montero to Vegas as a SP, to become our #8.

bill metsiac said...

Damn auto correct. That's "and", not "a day". Is there a way to edit my posts after they appear?

Tom Brennan said...

Bill Metsiac, I call it what it really is, Auto Incorrect

eraff said...

Guys...there is not a drilled down Hitting Philosophy with this group---and it's CERTAINLY NOT "Hunting for Walks". This is an Is what it Is Group...they are well established and they do what they do.

It'll look alot like last year in "style"...the results should be better than last year's freakishly bad run scoring. It was Statistically Outrageous and unpredictable....and not repeatable.