Let's echo a few questions recently posed:
1. Question: Has Brandon Nimmo earned a spot on the 2018 Roster?
Answer: Yes.
His OBP is over .400, he runs deceptively well, plays solid defense and should the Mets allow him to get consistent at bats, he may prove to be a solid singles-doubles hitter with flashes of power. He can spray the ball well, but has never, even with injuries, been able to play every day. I believe his potential could lead to the type of hitter who can lead the Mets in batting average; a perfect number 2 hitter. With the shift to OBP over speed today, he could even be used as a non-traditional lead off hitter. I only hope he gets the chance. An outfield with Nimmo, Cespedes and Conforto could come close to a collective .300 average (.280 Cespedes, .300 Conforto, .320 Nimmo) should Nimmo echo AAA. They could hit a collective 70 HRs.
2. Question: Is Rafael Montero pitching himself into the 2018 Rotation?
Answer: Maybe. Much will depend upon health and with health, much depends upon both chance and leadership.
If Noah Syndergaard, Matt Harvey, Gsellelman and company, all are in charge of their own rehab, the opportunity for Montero to grab a spot increases.
If strong leadership is hired and pitchers are to toe the line and follow team medical professional protocol, Montero will have stiff competition but should he continue strong, he could earn a roster spot for long relief. If Steve Matz finally gets his left arm healthy, he could be a force.
Mets insiders are hoping Harvey pitches well enough to get trade value as he intends to depart from the Mets after next season with his dreams of alcohol, supermodels, and frat boys in the Bronx.
Seth Lugo is said to have the brains to figure out how to be a pitcher, and has shown some flashes of such. Zach Wheeler is extremely competitive, but follows team medical advice and is considered a strong "team first" player.
3. Question: Why Don't the Mets put Cespedes, Conforto, Wheeler, Flores, and TJ Rivera on the long term DL and call up youngsters?
Answer: Protection of their 40 man roster is the priority but after that, it makes sense to use the lost September to allow the precious on field time for youngsters; something Terry Collins is very reluctant to do.
The company line calls it "protecting the field" and giving real competition to teams in the hunt. This is something Ron Darling would not say in the presence of Keith Hernandez as Hernandez can barely abide what he sees put on the field. Recall our lone All Star, Michael Conforto, riding the early season bench with Hernandez unable to conceal his anger.
The truth of playing the vets is that when a manager has lost the clubhouse in a losing season, he clings to the vets for support. He no longer thinks of the best long term for the team, but his own self. Losing is always rough but to lose and have vets on the bench is even rougher. Collins does not have the authority to lead.
Collins linguistically falls on himself in explaining his philosophy of starting line up of:
Jose Reyes 34, no contract for 2018
Norichika Aoki, 35, waiver, no contract for 2018
Astrubal Cabrera, 31, demanded trade, option 2018, clubhouse cancer
Rather than giving the invaluable opportunity to play game after game for players such as...
Matt Reynolds
Gavin Cecchini
Travis Taijeron
or anyone else.
Terry Collins on Winning
Collins recently said he plays them because "winning is contagious." The recent Mets "hot streak" came at the expense of the Phillies (.382) and Reds (.428) which catapulted the Mets to .438 winning 5 games of 10, or, in Collins' world: the "contagiousness of mediocrity."
He cites Jose Reyes recent hot bat specifically.
Reyes, of whom he put at 2B is batting .239 with a .309 OBP because his hot late season surge. He has hit .308 in September just to raise his average above his weight.
His tutelage of Amed Rosario is unwelcome.
This is the same Reyes who took himself out of a game to preserve his individual stat, and felt not need to remain with the Mets. His early season play ran in the negative WAR, further assuring before Summer arrived, that the Mets would be out of the hunt for the post season. His bat: April .174, May .216, and June .213 conspired with poor defense (at one point, the combo of Cabrera and Reyes was dead last in defense) and even poorer base running. He showed us why Colorado was paying him millions to play against them.
Q. How did someone with three months of abject failure and helping dig the team into a lost season keep his spot in the starting line up?
A. Collins' folly. He had to keep the pouting vets smiling.
We don't need the young talented Rosario learning to dance before the camera and put himself before team. We need him to learn the lessons of the Grandersons and Bruce's of the game.
The last question posed to a beat writer may shed light on this.
Question: "Who has the most coherent voice of the players in the clubhouse?"
The beat writer's response was absurd and ingratiating.
Terry Collins told us the real answer.
When team leadership was dismantled, Curtis Granderson and Jay Bruce were the strongest leaders in a divided clubhouse.
There they faced off against the arrogance of Yoenis Cespedes and Astrubal Cabrera.
When Grandy, Bruce, and Neil Walker were gone, the student-teacher, Michael Conforto, was recognized as the leader.
This was not something Terry Collins could abide.
Collins went public and humiliated Conforto by telling the press, "he's not the leader; I told him so."
Conforto was taken under his wing by Jay Bruce who used diplomacy to not only help get Amed Rosario promoted, but to get younger players valuable playing time.
Conforto moved out of his apartment with Syndergaard and went 100% baseball dedication: eat, sleep and breathe baseball and eschew the nightlife. Some hope that young Dom Smith will cling to Conforto in Spring Training and pick up all these winning habits, including nutrition.
I do not expect Jay Bruce to be offered a meaningful contract if Terry Collins is going to return. If Collins is resigned and a contract offered, expect Bruce to decline it.
Bruce plays to win, and favors talent over contracts. Collins has consistently abdicated leadership allowing young players to run themselves into the ground, and has played Sandy Alderson's choice$ until it was too late for post season run.
Nothing says "hope for tomorrow" like seeing a 35 year old waiver wire signing getting meaningless playing time over youth.
6 comments:
Who should go first, Collins or Alderson?
Both and very well put Peter but isn't it exciting when Aoki gets AB's ahead of Nimmo who has the best eye at the plate I've seen in ages so good job Terry. Fact is the ownership has to WANT to improve the club and it just doesn't seem to be the case here which means their making money anyway so why spend more as even playing .500 ball these days keeps you in the playoff picture and fans coming to the ballpark.
Very well put Mack,
Reese, I think Collins and Alderson should hold hands and walk out together to never come back.
Both of them have the same problem, the game passed them by. The Genius has a team that still has the same holes it did 5 years ago. Still has no leadoff type player, very little speed and full of lead gloves. He went as far as to say that defense is overrated, imagine that.
Collins AKA "The Imbecile in the dugout" on the other hand is the exhibit "A" when people say old dogs can't learn new tricks. He will be loyal to his useless veterans even if he drags the team into last place.
There is nothing we can do about the "Wilponsis" but if they want to win, they need to move on from these two useless baseball minds. If Alderson hasn't been able to put together a team that can compete year after year, why would I trust him with more years? Ditto for Collins who finds ways to lose?. Tell me if last night, when you saw Hansel Robles coming in, didn't you think game over?. Yet, that's who Collins chose to come in.
Sorry, meant to say Peter not Mack
And more good news there keeping the trainer Barwis after all he's done a great job right?
Alderson, then Collins - the same day would be nice.
Play the kids, the vets can sit and pinch hit.
Keep Smith away from Taco Bell - actually, he just needs to realize that weight is his career enemy. It takes years to make big bucks, so the time to be dead serious on weight is now.
I'd like Bruce back - if that means a GM and managerial change, so be it. I have more articles coming out in the coming days that emphasize that a lot more is wrong with this organization than an unusual rash of injuries.
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