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6/22/17

Mack’s Morning Report – 6-22 – 2018 IF RP, Michael Paez, Mid-Season Promotions



Good morning.


So, where do we stand with ‘my’ 2018 Mets –

            SP: (5) – Noah Syndergaard, Jacob deGrom, Zack Wheeler, Steven Matz, Lucas Giolito
            RP (4) – Jeurys Familia, Seth Lugo, Robert Gsellman, Jerry Blevens
            1B (1) - Eric Hosmer/Dominic Smith
            IF (3) – Manny Machado, Amed Rosario, Wilmer Flores
            OF (5) – Michael Conforto, Yoenes Cespedes, J.D. Martinez/Jay Bruce, Juan Lagares, Brandon Nimmo/Victor Cruzado
            C (2) – Jonathan Lucroy/Carson Kelly/Travis d’Arnaud, Rene Rivera
Total players: 20 – 5 to go… 2 infielders… 3 more relief pitchers.


I’ve decided since starting this series of posts that Wilmer Flores (SS, 3B, 1B) will be the starting second baseman on my 2018 team. This leaves me looking for two utility infielders that can play multiple positions. It also limits me to choosing, at the point, only players from within my pipeline. That’s not a problem, only a limitation.

Our choices are:

-T. J. Rivera – (1B, 2B, SS, 3B, RF, LF)I’m sold on Rivera as a 2018 utility infielder, but no more. I also think the blush is off the rose a little here, but he can play all four infield positions and, in a pinch, both corner outfielders. He has made my 2018 25-man squad.

-Gavin Cecchini – (SS, 3B, 2B) Let me word this carefully… I now feel that drafting Cecchini with a number one draft pick was the wrong thing to do. Now, after having such a bad AAA season so far this season, I’m not sure he’s anything more than a AAAA player. The best I will offer him is a utility position on the Mets bench.

-Matt Reynolds – I’ve met Matt. He’s a nice guy. I would cut him loose and give him the opportunity to hook up with another team that could offer him more major league at-bats than I would.

-Astrubel Cabrera – yes, Cabrera is a viable option at second base, and can play a credible third, but I would thank him for his service, put the money I would have spent here back in the kitty for one of the other names I have written about here, and go with a continuing youth movement, especially in the infield.

            -Jose Reyes – please…

            -Neil Walker – Thanks, but no thanks.

            -David Wright – This is so sad. I’ll take the $10mil+ offered by the insurance company and offer David a job in the organization, starting with bench coach.
This fills my openings in the infield, leaving three more relief pitchers to go.


As for relief pitchers, I never speculate on the last openings. No one would have any idea how the team would fill these slots at this point. I will say this… if we can’t dump Matt Harvey in an off-season trade, I’d put him in the 2018 pen as a middle reliever.

That’s my 2018 team.

If you have one, send it to me at macksmets@gmail and I will post it up on the site.


Michael Paez

            This might be a name we have to start to remember.

I never heard of Paez in college and I even live close to the school he went to (Coastal Carolina). And, I definitely didn’t follow him when he finished up playing for Brooklyn last season (179-AB, .190). Yes, he had a nice junior season in school (15-HR, 51-RBI, .519-Slug%, 881-OPS) but I still though it was a stretch to draft him in the 4th round.

Then came this season in Columbia. So far (through 6-17), Paez has put up a stat line of 220-AB, .282/.376/.505/881. I’m especially impressed with the 8-HRs and 43-RBIs he’s compiled so far this season. That’s only three ribbies away from leading the league! He also does lead the league with 21 doubles.

Yes, he has 10 errors, what middle infielder at this level doesn’t have this degree of hiccups?

It was announced last night that Paez was promoted to St. Lucie after the
all-star game.

There really is no one standing I his way to make it to Queens for the start of the 2019 season.


Mid-Season Promotions

           We’ve reached the end of the first half seasons for all of the full season minor league teams, which means movement of the players that have produced more than their clubhouse mates have will be promoted to the next level.

           Actually, this already started earlier this month with the promotion of SP Chris Flexen from St. Lucie to Binghamton… though, because of past injuries that slowed down his progress, many considered his Lucy sting to be like a rehab assignment.

           All of this promotion stuff usually starts using the cream rises to the top theory. So, with that…

A: Columbia –

          SP Jordan Humphreys was promoted last night.

It’s only a matter of time that the other member of the ‘dynamic duo’. SP Merandy Gonzalez , follows him to Florida.  There is nothing left for either of these kids to do in South Carolina.

Any promotion of 1B Dash Winningham would be tied to Dominic Smith being sent to Queens from Vegas. This would create an opening for Matt Oberste to fill for the 51’s and Peter Alonzo to be sent to Binghamton. This could all be blocked if Alonso isn’t moved, who really is still coming back from a broken hand.

As I mented earlier, 2B Michael Paez was promoted last night.

It seems to me that the first Firefly reliever to leave the nest will be Adonis Uceta. He’s got an ERA below 2, a WHIP below 1, and a K/9 above 9. That’s what you need to get promoted.

A+ - St. Lucie –

           A case could be made for 3B Jhoan Urena, but that would take a promotion of David Thompson from Binghamton to Las Vegas and I just don’t see that happening.

           What I do expect is C-1B Patrick Mazeika and splitting time at first and behind the Binghamton plate.

           The only St. Lucie starter that could move soon would be Nabil Crismatt.

           My pick for the first pen guy to move here – Kevin Canelon

AA – Binghamton –

So much of what happens in New York State is dependent on what happens in Vegas, and the Mets have proven time again that what happens there never stays there.

Honestly, I don’t see any of the prospects here (P.J. Conlon, Corey Oswalt, Flexen, Marcos Molina) moving up at this point. Oswalt is on the DL, Molina and Flexen are just getting going at this level, and Conlon’s season hasn’t warranted a promotion.

I don’t see any reason that Kevin Taylor shouldn’t be promoted to Vegas.


Three relievers have already moved up… I’d leave it at that. 

9 comments:

  1. Michael Paez has those great numbers after a bad first two weeks, so even more impressive.

    Maybe Paul Sewald will push his way in for 2018 and replace Salas.


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  2. Merandy Gonzalez will probably be promoted today.

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  3. Paez is really good. Great pop for his size. They move him around quite a bit. He plays 3B and 2B. His future is at 2B. He also seems to hit in the clutch. Dash deserves a promotion. He needs a shot. He has two good years of stats in the SAL. Lindsay has the tools. Needs more time. Gimenez will be really good too. Once Paez moves this should open the door for Carpio and Gimenez to play everyday. Milton may have the best glove on the team. Has work to do at the plate still. Sanchez is a solid catcher. He should continue to develop. Great arm. Jordan and Merandy have dominated the SAL. They need to keep moving. Uceta has been great too. Low 90's but great movement. Just my two cents coming from a season ticket holder.

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  4. I don't think peter Alonso has played well enough for a promotion to AA. After blasting away in 100abs in Brooklyn, I expected a lot more than racking up strike outs in single A.

    Maybe he's got a lingering health issue we're not aware of, but 2016's second round draft pick hasn't barreled up many balls. I like the raw power but this kid needs to get his strikeouts down quickly.

    If Dash is stuck in Savannah waiting on Alonso, he may be waiting awhile. Although Dash hasn't exactly tore up low A either. He's got pop, but also doesn't hit for average at all. Maybe he's bored after repeating a level. Let's hope so.

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  5. Anonymous -

    Would you like to write on Mack's Mets each week as a season ticket holder?

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  6. Jhoan Urena hitting very well and should be headed to Binghamton, but the 22 year old's defense has been much, much better at 1B...so it really should be as a 1B. I wonder if Alonso can play 3B? We have too many 1B's, not enough viable 3B's (unless Eudor Garcia returns and surges).

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  7. Anonymous, do you think Tim Tebow has growth potential? You've seen him a lot - or is he hitting a plateau?

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    Replies
    1. Tebow is the x-factor. Sandy has stated his star power was good for the brand. Who knows what they will do with him. Great leader. Draws fans. Has to work on his swing. Hits a lot of balls on the ground. Takes a lot of pitches too. It seemed early on he was struggling to identify the spin on the ball. He started swinging earlier in counts and had success. Great story and I'm rooting for him on a personal level. In my opinion, he needs to stay in Columbia or maybe St Lucie. He struggles with strikes on the outside corner. I just don't know how committed the Mets are to a 30 year old in A ball. At some point they need him to succeed or fail. At best he is an average left fielder (I'm being nice). He does not look comfortable on the bases. I'm not bashing the guy. He is a great athlete and hasn't played in a long time.

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  8. Anonymous, good update on Tebow. He has an advantage no other minor leaguer has - he is the top draw at the gate in the minors, so his leash is longer. he is simply great for their businesses.

    I have noticed in the box scores that he grounds out a lot, as you mentioned. Maybe that will change soon and he'll square up better.

    I think that any young Mets minors outfielder of real promise (i.e., guys with real major league shots) should not lose at bats over him - but outfield-wise, there are not a lot of guys that fit that bill for the Mets minors - as long as he does reasonably well, he should play most days and pinch hit when he doesn't, to give all those Tebow fans what they came for.

    I'd like to see him get 2 months in St Lucie and see what he can do (or not do). The crowds will show up for him.

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