Tom Brennan - POUNDING PETE ALONSO
Just thought I would throw a quick update out there on last year's 2nd rounder Pounding Pete Alonso.
In the 2nd game of a doubleheader on June 19, the 6'3", 225 bopper flipped the light switch on a 2017 season marred in its early stages by a hand injury.
Up to that point, he was hitting a paltry .160 (13 for 81).
Where the heck is that light switch?
Ahh, there it is!
In 43 games (June 19 - Aug. 4), Pounding Pete with the healthy hands and shaken-off rust has hit .335 for St Lucie, with 17 doubles, 12 HRs and 44 RBIs in 176 at bats. Incredible, don't you think? Don't you?
I thought that was thunder I was hearing coming from Florida summer storms, but it was from Pete's vicious bat.
I thought that was thunder I was hearing coming from Florida summer storms, but it was from Pete's vicious bat.
15 errors in 62 games at 1B this year are a real concern but he's not coming up to the bigs tomorrow - he has time to work on that. But not too much time, because as a future Met or key trade chip, Alonso should be knocking on the major leagues doorstep by this time next year.
Knocking with his booming bat.
Perhaps like a once-upon-a-time pounding first baseman named Harmon Killebrew. Or play third base, like the equally slow-footed Killebrew once did for several seasons' worth of games Killebrew hit 40 or more homers 8 times in his fabulous career, maybe Alonso has that in him too. Stop and consider...don't rush by this point...he could do this.
Logistics:
For now, let's get Dominic Smith promoted to the Mets ASAP (today would be fine, Sandy, really), so we can promote Matt Oberste to play 1B for Vegas. That will free up AA first base for Pete Alonso, a position currently manned by hot (.315 in June, July, August) but low powered Oberste. Matt lacks Alonso's thunder, but is more than ready for AAA.
Every day these promotions do not happen is a day wasted ("Sandy, can you hear me?" asks The Who's Roger Daltry).
Pete is far too good for St Lucie.
Man among boys.
Move him up.
The following was said about Hall of Fame Killebrew,
and perhaps might someday be said about Alonso:
Orioles manager Paul Richards marveled at his immense power and prestigious blasts, “Killebrew can knock the ball out of any park, including Yellowstone".
I want him and Smith here for years to come.
So tell Alonso to work out at 3B this off season.
So tell Alonso to work out at 3B this off season.
His fierce bat may turn him into a Mets 3B by mid-2018.
3 comments:
Tom some of your best posts have been on Saturdays when I think they get overlooked...
still great job and couldn't agree with you more
I think the Mets will need to find him another position soon. Sure there's no garantee that smith will stick at first and become the Mets first baseman of the future, but I'd hope he has at least a season or two to figure it out and earn the spot.
Alonso may be ready by then and the Mets don't get a DH. At the same time, if his bat plays the way it could, they'll need him in their lineup. So, where does he play?
Charles, Alonzo is fielding like a DH this year, if you catch my drift - maybe the NL will have a DH by the time he gets here.
If it does, it will remove one of the few current Mets advantages - the team's better-than-average hitting pitchers will no longer swing the bat.
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