7/31/17

Reese Kaplan -- Rosario Promotion a Smokescreen


So, according to the smartest man in the room, the “plan” all along was to promote Amed Rosario in August. 

Really? 

Methinks the plan was to deal away Asdrubel Cabrera and one of Jay Bruce or Curtis Granderson at the deadline.  Failing to do so puts the microscope on the rapidly eroding Sandy Alderson legacy.  Promoting Amed Rosario on the day of your big failure shifts the focus (and pressure) to the man everyone is clamoring to see and the harsh glare of the media spotlight is now successfully deflected.  
While many people are chiming in that what the Mets got for a two month rental of Addison Reed was a sufficient return, I’m very much in the quality over quantity school of thought.  For comparison’s sake, the Mets’ top prospect lists include such folks bringing up the rear as Luis Carpio (.245), Guerrero (.245) and Ali Sanchez (.232) all ranked significantly higher than any of the people acquired.  Even Drew Smith, clearly the best numbers of any of the four minor league pitchers obtained in Alderson’s paltry two deals, is ranked number 30.  In other words, you likely have have more Erik Goeddel and  Matt Koch types.  You don’t remember Matt Koch?  He’s one of the warm bodies shipped to the Diamondbacks to obtain Addison Reed in the first place.  Now the cycle is complete. 

There were any number of creative things that could have been done such as paying down already allocated salary or forcing the bundling of less desirable pieces (like Granderson) in order to obtain the more desirable pieces.  Nothing was done in this regard and what you see is the result. 

Hey, I hope I’m wrong and these “Wild Thing” pitchers somehow get it together and contribute someday to the pen, but aside from Smith, I’m not holding my breath.  

15 comments:

TP said...

Reese,
I agree that this wreaks of a bone to the fan base in light of another significantly disappointing day in this 2017 Met season, which in my books is one of the 5 worst in the history of the team.

None of us know what these acquisitions will amount to, and it certainly doesn't hurt to have 4 more arms in a thinned out system, but at this time there is nothing to get excited about. Yes, SA secured a 2nd late inning/closer arm for 2018, albeit a second tier closer with troublesome control. But, I have no faith that he will revise his bullpen approach. If Ramos is slotted into the 7th inning, and they acquire another closer capable arm, along with other proven arms to round out the pen, I'll reconsider.

Zozo said...

I couldn't agree with you more Reese. I think we gave up way more to get Ramos then we received combined in all 3 trades.

Eddie from Corona said...

Preach on preacher

Rob said...


Wow, just wow. Almost every expert has the Reed trade as a great trade for the Mets, but Reese find the crap in the gold. I hope whatever problems in your life find some peace, because it is not healthy to be so negative about everything. God Bless.

bgreg98180 said...

Check out what other teams got for their relievers.
Heck check out what Joe Smith was traded for.....

Two month rental Reed should have brought back better quality especially if so many reported teams were interested

Reese Kaplan said...

Thank you, Bob, for addressing the reality. A sore-armed Smith netted a .293 hitter and a pitcher with 9.5 Ks per 9 IP with a 3.13 career ERA. Sandy Alderson did a terrible job here.

Rob, look at the numbers of the players obtained from Boston for a clearly superior and healthier pitcher.

Reese Kaplan said...

The Phillies traded Neshek (another inferior pitcher) for a SS prospect hitting .324 with great speed, a pitcher with over 12 Ks per 9 IP and a 3.08 ERA and a starting pitcher with a 4.82 ERA.

Anonymous said...

I'm slightly confused by your reasoning at times Reese. First in the article itself you complain about the rankings of the return for Reed, but neither of the prospects gotten in return for Smith were in the Indian's top 30, or any ranking by "experts". Wilson was a lefty with an extra year of control, packaged with Avila who's having a solid year. Then I wouldn't categorize the returns for Tony Watson, Benoit, Cingrani as any better at all. Then if we're looking strictly at minor league lines and peripherals, Callahan has a much improved line when only looking at his relieving work, with 12 K's per 9 over AA and AAA this year, while Nogosek has a career 3.25 ERA with 10.5 K's per 9. It's slight reaching on your part. I understand where it's coming from when you look at how much of a seller's market it's been in past years but this year it was surely a buyer's market, with zero interest in power.

- Nick

Anonymous said...

Man the negativity. Boston had no intention of giving better prospects if the Mets paid off the salary. They got pitchers that fit their mold. In the end, the moves set us up for next year.
Take a Deep Breath and let the negative vibes go

Tom Brennan said...

I wonder how Beck Wheeler feels with the Mets getting all these relievers? He probably thought his 9.19 relief ERA in Vegas would be good enough to get him to Citifield. Oh, where's my coffee?

I spoke to my brother. Put us both in the "disappointed" column that more unloading did not take place. My brother sees the Yanks rolling and what Sandy didn't do, and again aptly summarized things: "we suck."

bgreg98180 said...

Spot on Thomas.

Reese Kaplan said...

I'm a numbers guy and the numbers of the people obtained by the Mets pale in comparison to what others got for Joe Smith and Pat Neshek.

David Rubin said...

A scout friend of mine likes 2 of the 4 arms we got back very much, but he confirmed what many of us figured to be true which was that the Mets had no intention of adding money to any deals to get back better prospects. In a week when Bud Selig, The man who allowed the Wilponzis to maintain Control of this organization is inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame and the Yankees, along with the Dodgers own the trade deadline, it is beyond understandable for Mets fans to feel like second-class citizens in their own city. Sandy has not been able to step beyond thE restraints the Wilponzis have put upon him and he continues to play the good soldier but the reality is that we had an opportunity to go after some high-quality prospects and we did not do it and Sandy continues to create a bullpen from spare parts instead of focusing on it the way successful teams have.

Mack Ade said...

I was told this morning that the original deal for Reed included only TWO of the three pitchers received and Sandy held out for a third... FWIW

Reese Kaplan said...

I have highest hopes for Drew Smith