5/25/17

Mack’s Morning Report – 5-25 – Seth Romero, Robert Gsellman, Gavin Cecchini, Patrick Mazeika





Good morning.


Seth Romero

It’s no big secret that Seth Romero is one the most talented pitchers eligible for June’s draft. The 6-3, 220-LB lefty had a 2015 freshman stat line of 1.94 ERA in 83 innings with a 92/22 K/BB, which was followed up in 2016 with 2.29 ERA in 94 innings with a 113/28 K/BB. His fastball early on averaged at around 93 and topped off at 95.

It’s also no big secret that he has been thrown off the University of Houston baseball team recently for repeated violations of the team policies. His first suspension was in February 2016 for “conduct detrimental to the team”. Then, this April, he was suspended again for “a violation of university and athletic department policy”. The Houston AD said “at this time, it is important for Seth to focus primarily on his academic and personal life”. Ironically, Romero was leading D1 baseball at the time of his suspension with 76-Ks in 44.1-IP.

The final hammer fell when UH kicked Romero off the team earlier this month. The school cited ‘an undisclosed event’. Sources said he had a fistfight during batting practice before Houston was to play Rice.

His complete Houston 3-year stats were 47-appearances, 28-starts, 2.43, 226.1-IP, 290-K, 70-BB.

I bring up Romero because it’s just about guaranteed that he will still be on the board when the Mets #20 pick comes up. Take away all the bullshit and he would have been a definite top ten pick and possibly the second lefty taken behind Louisville’s Brandon McKay. Now, who knows? You pass on him and you most definitely lose a future start in this sport. You draft him, and he goes back to school at some junior college so he can stat up and come back next year for an earlier pick in the draft and a higher $$ slot.

Tough call, but you pass on this guy and you may be making a big mistake.


Fangraphs reviewed a list of 2016 rookies they wrote about last year –

          



Robert Gsellman, RHP, Mets: The Mets have struggled with injuries early on in 2017 but rather than step up, Gsellman has taken a step back. He’s producing lots of ground balls but he’s still allowing too many homers (five) and he’s not missing many bats (28 Ks) through his first 36.2 innings. He’s been peppered for 52 hits already and his ERA is north of 7.00. The bullpen might be a better place for him right now.

          
Gavin Cecchini, SS, Mets: Known mostly as a good-glove, decent-hit player coming into pro ball, Cecchini hasn’t done much to disprove that scouting report. However, he’s moved through the minors well and is at triple-A as a 23-year-old. And he’s already had a taste of the majors. Asdrubal Cabrera is hurt and Jose Reyes is struggling to hit so Cecchini might get a chance to play a little as the year progresses — especially if Cabrera struggles to stay healthy (or becomes trade bait) and the Mets continue to fall out of the playoff picture.

                       Mack – I have two thoughts here:

1.     I hope we didn’t give up too early on Gsellman as a starter

2.     I would give Cecchini the second base job after the all-star break

MLB.com had an interesting article on Patrick Mazeika

If Mazeika can polish his catching skills, his prospect ranking with the Mets -- No. 26 right now -- could rise dramatically. His Major League potential at the plate isn't questioned.

The left-handed hitter batted .354 in 2015 for Kingsport in the Rookie Appalachian League, then .305 last season with Columbia in the Class A South Atlantic League. Mazeika got a late start at Columbia, though, because of an elbow injury -- and his arm was already fringy in the view of scouts.

"I've been working hard to catch up with my defense," Mazeika said. "My arm is coming along, and I think I'm getting a little bit better at everything."


Mack – No one loves Mazeika’s bat more than I do, but I still believe his ticket to the majors will be at first base. Still, it doesn’t hurt to try and improve behind the plate.


A great story last week on Corey Oswalt and P.J. Conlon

11 comments:

Tom Brennan said...

Morning, mack...Gsellman was good last night - hopefully the start of a turnaround for this fumbling bunch.

Cecchini has to start hitting. he hit about .370 last year after April - what happened to drive him down to .240?

Corey Oswalt was always off my radar scerren - maybe he can be another Dillon Gee.

Conlon may get a major league opportunity sooner than later, after a brilliant outing yesterday.

If Seth Romero is capable of being stable, another lefty can't hurt. Smoker is a Joker. We need the Mets to become a non-Smoker franchise again. Neil Ramirez can pack up and leave quietly too.

Tom Brennan said...

Pat Mazeika could turn out to be a better hitter than Rosario and Smith - glad he is on our side.

Mack Ade said...

Morning Tom -

We went into this season with a 7-pack of starters... Syndergaard, deGrom, Harvey, Wheeler, Matz, Gsselman, and Lugo...

We thought we would not have room for all these guy.

Sadly, the 2017 version of this team has no other SPs in the pipeline that can pitch in the majors.

This has become a 'score more than you give up' team than a 'give up 3 runs or less in the first 7 innings' team.

Tom Brennan said...

Hold our noses for a few weeks and hope the returning injured can turn the tide

Anonymous said...

Mind boggling that Terry Collins is still employed........the guy has a career record UNDER .500, which tells you what he is (below average). Furthermore, he makes questionable calls on a regular basis, to include his criminal mismanagement of our bullpen. Is it a shock that the bullpen is already overworked? He has done this every year as the Mets manager, so at least he is consistent.

If Sandy doesn't see this as an issue, then perhaps he should be replaced as well.

This season is looking going belly up unless there are changes.

Mike

Anonymous said...

Make that "this season is going belly up unless there are changes".

SIde note, I am done with Grandson......nice guy, but he is no longer an asset to this team. The "bases loaded, no one out and failing to score bottom of the ninth in a one run game against the worst team in the NL" was like a novocaine free root canal (Grandy's K set the tone).

I think I would try a Nimmo/Lagares platoon in CF once Cespedes comes back, with Conforto taking over RF.

Hobie said...

Mack, there's no way I'm drafting a guy (Seth Romero) in the first round who makes jordany Valdespin look like John Olerude.

That Adam Smith said...

If you want the Romero kid, I'm betting that he's not only still around late first round, but late second, third and fourth rounds as well. Teams aren't going to risk high picks on a kid, years away from helping them even if everything goes right, who was staring at huge success, but couldn't make it through his draft season without getting kicked off the team.

I really, really hope Mazeika can be the hitter he looks like he may be, and it would be great if he could do it behind the plate. No chance the kid can play 3B, huh?

I wouldn't mind seeing Cecchini getting his shot, but as of right now, my 2018 infield is Smith at 1B at least half time, Flores at 2B, Rosario at SS, and someone who isn't now part of the org at 3B. And that guy needs to be good.

Tom Brennan said...

Adam, sent Mazeika a 3B glove.

Granderson is playing like a Granddad, And Grandpas either (mis)manage in the Mets' dugout or sit in the stands. It is time for the Un-Grand one to go.

Mack Ade said...

Hobie/Adam -

I understand the concern with Romero but he has an incredible amount of talent.

You also wouldn't have to pay him slot money and you could save some of that money for a prep arm down the draft.

Tom Brennan said...

Elton John's Saturday Nite could be Romero's walk on song.