Peter Hyatt - Revisiting the Non Promotion of Amed Rosario

                                 
                                 So, what's the hold up?

It is believed that the Mets have moved safely beyond the salary arbitration time table and both Met fans and beat writers clamor for the promotion of Amed Rosario.

What's the hold up?

Here is the latest whispering from Metsland. 

"He's just not ready yet.  He is THIS close but just not ready yet."

Rosario is hitting .333 and has played solid defense.  

It is not his bat, and it is not his glove. 

Rosario does not lack confidence, is an "old soul" personality type, but is said to be like a little kid on the field, playing with enthusiasm of a kid in the old sand lots. He's in love with the game. 

His bat is ready. 
His glove is ready. 
His head is ready. 

So, what's the hold up?

The internal debate may now yield, even though .249 Gavin Cecchini has been summoned for the hamstring injury of Neil Walker, much to the howls of anguish from the fan base, but...

it appears that Sandy Alderson is the hold up and Alderson has, as fans know, an almost blind devotion to statistics. 

He does not like the lack of bases on balls of the slugging Rosario.  

Shortly after arriving in New York, Alderson instituted a complete organization wide program on every level, insisting that bases on balls increase.  

The emphasis has caused some serious frustration and anger throughout, as sluggers love to be aggressive. 

Critics say it has decreased confidence for some, and messes with the heads of kids with power, while defenders say the saber metrics of OBP simply work out in the long run.   

Amed is batting .333 with 7 home runs but his on base percentage is .374  with only 15 walks in 64 games.  With an average of .333, Alderson wants .400 with many more walks.  Cecchini, adjusting to 2B from the start of the year, has 22 walks in 2 less games than Rosario.   

Whispers from around the league suggest that many believe Alderson's slavish devotion to the walk is foolish and does not take into account the player as an individual.  It also is disconnected to clubhouse  issues that Alderson is incessantly battling.  Saber metrics do not address team psychology nor the spark that youth (and new players) can bring.  It may be that only reluctantly and from lots of pressure from locals that Alderson has begrudgingly admitted that Tim Tebow's impact upon developing kids has been a net positive.  This is quite a concession from the GM, though ticket sales have been consistently high since Tebow joined Columbus.  Perhaps at .226, his OBP of .324 with 22 walks in 56 games made the chemistry argument a bit more palatable for Alderson.  

"Moneyball" is his claim to fame, not team chemistry, encouragement nor sacrifice.  

I hope the call up comes soon, just the same, and the kid is allowed to play his aggressive and exciting style of baseball.  

The internal debate continues, as Jose Reyes bats an almost unsustainable .187 with a dismal .267 OBP, with a negative overall WAR. 

The games Reyes cost the Mets cannot be recovered.  

The time is now for Rosario.  

update:  Just before Thursday's defeat at the hands of the Nationals, Sandy Alderson gave a short interview. 

It was slightly contentious and Alderson defensive.  He said he is happy with the play of Jose Reyes as his first reason for not brining up Rosario. 

After going 0-3 and committing an error by a ball hit by Murph (generously scored a hit) Reyes is now batting .184

A scout who wished to remain anonymous said that even defense alone, Rosario is better than Reyes.  

Claiming to be happy with the play of Reyes, who is a - WAR was met with scorn or surprise by Met fans in social media world.  

The organizational wide mandate for base on balls helps some, but hinders others.  It helped Michael Conforto who, although a good first ball hitter, once that first pitch goes by, he is much better being disciplined. 

Coaches, scouts and even Wally Backman have complained, however, that the mandate hurts aggression. This psychological aspect of hitting, at the highest level, is tenuous at best, as the slightest miscalculation of a player is the difference between success and failure.  Some sluggers need to be aggressive and struggle to adjust. 

Is Alderson punishing the aggressive and strong Rosario?  Or is he still worried about the 22% arbitration issue that would cost his bosses money? 

Telling Sandy Alderson that Saber Metrics doesn't always equate to  success is an exercise in futility.  

Alderson showed contentment with mediocrity.  This isn't truthful; it is ego talking.  This is how he digs his heels in.  It's hard to find someone batting as low as Reyes in MLB because few are given as many at bats as he has.  We can never get back the games he's cost us.  

Should the New York media and Met fans continue its pressure and Reyes continue his decline, Alderson will have to yield.