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8/10/17

Mack’s Morning Report – 8-10 – Friday Kingsport Update, Casey Thomas, Terry Collins, Aug/Sept Wishes



Good morning.


Friday Kingsport Update

Beginning tomorrow morning, Clay Ramsey will be posting a weekly Friday 8:00am report on the Kingsport Mets, which will include highlights of the past week, stats, and Clay’s thoughts and observation.


Casey Thomas
This is a sad story about Oakland minor leaguer Casey Thomas that died this past week from an accidental overdose of Fentanyl, the same drug that killed singer Prince.

            Very sad.


Terry Collins

             Buster Olney on Terry Collins -

With the trade deadline now in the past and the team increasingly focused on preparing Amed Rosario and others for next season, it would behoove the Mets’ brain trust to arrange a sit-down with Collins and work out a graceful resolution. At 68 years old, Collins -- a baseball lifer -- might prefer to get to the finish line of the season. Or, if the Mets don’t intend to bring back Collins, maybe they could offer him the opportunity to go home for the final weeks of the season. With this much service with the Mets, he should be given the right to choose, and to answer questions directly and honestly about what his future will be beyond the last game of this season.

Mack – I’ve stayed away from, for quite some time, all this ‘let’s get rid of Sandy and TC’ talk here on the site; however, I think it is time for me to chime in at least on the Collins portion of this discussion.

No… let’s discuss both.

I was ‘VP and General Manager’ in Dallas-Ft. Worth, for the most difficult man to work for in radio broadcasting, John Tenaglia. Back in those days, everybody in radio broadcasting had at least one ‘JT’ story to share over an after-hours drink.

People would always ask me how I was able to pull this off (worked for him twice!) and I would tell them you can’t unless you liked the guy to start with. I did like John. I thought he was nuts, but I did like him and I closed my ears during his rants and waited for him to come back to earth before getting back to the task of being a General Manager for both a dysfunctional team and owner.

Do you see where I am going here?

As for Terry, it truly is time.

Yes, Collins is 68 years old and would be 69 if he came back next year. It seems to me that the Mets are at least two years away from rebuilding a playoff team, which would make him 70.
I believe he should retire for two reasons.

1.     It is close to impossible for a 30-year old to breath in the pressure filled humidity of the New York press, no less being 69.

2.     His inning to inning decisions seem to be missing a beat as he gets older.

Now, I know some of you may feel that this is an age biased statement. Well, I can say this. I’m 70-years old and know I could never do this job at my age. 162 games… countless trips to the airports… thousands of microphones in my face… and, when the day is done… ‘JT’ buzzes down and wants to see me.

Come on Terry. You did the best you could with what this team gave you. You didn’t pick these players. And the vast majority of the ones that were hurt weren’t because of any decisions you made.

Go fish or play golf, dude. Better yet, write for Mack’s Mets. I’ll pay you the same I pay Kaplan and Brennan.


Aug/Sept Wishes - 

There are a few things that I hope the Mets do for the remainder of this season...

    1. Keep P Chris Flexen in the Queens rotation. There's no reason for him to pitch a 6.00-ERA in Las Vegas when he can do the same thing here. Let the kid work the kinks out.

    2.  Bring up P Corey Oswalt to join his buddy Chris. We have idea what guys like Harvey or Syndergaard  are going to dhtis year, no less next season. We need to start work on the 2018 version of 'you need nine starters to pitch six'. Oswalt is going to be one of them next year so throw him into the fire now.

    3. Don't bench Amed Rosario. Not everyone can hit the minute they come up like Aaron Judge or that freak the Dodgers have. Keep him playing. The bat will come around.

    4. Bring up C Kevin Plawecki and let him start for the remainder of the season. This is another guy we need to see what he has.

    5. Give Brandon Nimmo the lion share of outfield starts now that Jay Bruce was traded for another top prospect reliever (sic).


13 comments:

  1. The problem is they are putting Rosario in the 8 hole. Put him at the top of the order where he is protected and belongs. Then put Conforto in the 3 spot.

    Pick up Van Slyke to be your OF and 1B reserve player.

    Damn Wilpon's better spend money next year or there will be a revolt once again.

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  2. Collins' age has to have him fatigued. I am 6 years younger and I sure am. Retire, Terry, and take time to smell the roses. We do also, as Mack suggests, need more writers :)

    Hey Mack, where is #6 - calling Tebow up in Sept? Another game winning hit last night.

    Mets may have gotten more from the Yankees for Bruce, but they couldn't risk him going on a batting tear in the Bronx.

    When does the September pinch hoting farewell tour for David Wright begin to be talked about? Would think that is going to happen.

    Corey Oswalt deserves a September to remember in Queens.


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  3. Well, as surprised as I am by the Bruce deal (if he were to go FIRST--ahead of Grandy, Cabrera, et. al.--I would have thought for a more immediately promising return), if you want to see Dominic (and Nimmo) on a regular basis, this is what it takes. Picking up Van Slyke, unless on a minor league deal, makes zero sense in that regard.

    Oswalt? Yes--Montero has had his shot.

    Terry? The ONLY reason to keep him another year would be to assign him David Wright as Bench Coach for a one year apprenticeship.

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    Replies
    1. Get him and tell him once Granderson or we go to a 40 man roster then you come up. I have liked this kid for awhile and would love him to be our 5th outfielder going forward.

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  4. Zozo -

    I sort of like rookies hitting 8th... make their bat earn a higher slot. Still the same pitcher they are facing.

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    Replies
    1. Yeah but he is gonna get crap to hit if the pitcher is hitting behind him 3 at bats a game. It's gonna ruin his game because he is gonna want to impress with his swing.

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  5. Tom -

    If Oswalt continues to pitch like he is doing right now, he will get his September call up.

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  6. Hobie -

    This is sad.

    This was a team that was built to win NOW.

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  7. Ryder Ryan is apparently pretty raw in terms of pitchers' experience. He may be able to touch 97, but in Columbia-level A ball, in his last 8 outings, he has gone 8 innings, allowed 19 hits and 13 earned runs. Maybe just fatigue in his first full season. However, he sure looks like a long shot. About as long a shot as a Jay Bruce HR.

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  8. I want to see this FO sign Lorenzo Cain, Mike Moustakus, side winder Smith and bring back Reed! I think the 3 amigos catching is fine for another season, while Nido and Maz continue to come up threw the minors. But the team needs better defense, and needs team speed! I wish the Mets could have gotten Greg Allen from Clev, Lil guy with speed to play CF

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  9. Ryder Ryan is the Brando Nimmo of pitchers. Just as Nimmo didn't have a high school baseball program, Ryan gave up his stellar pitching from high school to try to become a position player throughout college. He was drafted with thoughts of converting him back to pitching after a 4-year layoff from the mound. Raw is right, but given his late start (and the Mets' characteristic resistance to moving people quickly through the system) don't expect him until he's 25 or 26 at the earliest IF he can develop into something. Sandy Alderson should be in hiding today for what he did.

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  10. >> This was a team that was built to win NOW. >>

    Yes it was, Mack--on dominating starting pitching. That disappointment has little to do with making room for Smith, Rosario and Nimmo PT.

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  11. Is Chris Flexen now our # 2 starter? I was going to suggest Rafael Montero, but then I balked at doing so.

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