3/17/18

Reese Kaplan -- Juan Gone?


There have been a number of stories in the media about teams looking to acquire Mets centerfielder Juan Lagares.  That kind of deal probably has people at both ends of the spectrum, some figuring he hasn’t had the opportunity to show his new swing with limited appearances this Spring, while others think he’s failed on the extended looks between DL stints and failed to deliver.  From the front office perspective, he’s earning $6.5 million this year and $9 million next year with a $9.5 million option for 2020.  Getting out from under is a risk they likely deem worth taking to get out from under the financial obligation where he is now at best the 5th outfielder with Brandon Nimmo having leapfrogged him on the depth chart.


The problem for the Mets is that they are mighty thin in outfield prospects.  Internal options would include Phil Evans, Matt den Dekker and Zach Borenstein.  As a 5th outfielder any of them are probably passable options, but each comes with his own issues.

Phil Evans is kind of this year’s T.J. Rivera – a guy who can hit and is willing to play anywhere, but with little power, little speed and at best an adequate glove.  He did hit a combined .321 last year between AA and AAA as well as .303 in a limited September trial in Queens.  He’s not on the roster, but David Wright’s impending 60-day DL stint will open up a spot.

Matt den Dekker is a flashy fielder but he’s never delivered much with the bat.  Over parts of five seasons he has slashed just .234/7/29 with a dozen stolen bases.  He twice had lower minor league seasons with 17 HRs and over 20 SBs but as he ascended through the ranks he’s not been able to duplicate that level of production.

Zach Borenstein is one of those all or nothing type of hitters who draws mirror image comparisons to Travis Taijeron.  A left handed hitter, he’s good for about an average of 20 HRs and 90 RBIs per season with a .280 batting average.  On the surface that sounds pretty good, but at age 27 he’s yet to crack the majors.  He was one of the first cuts the Mets made to move him to the minor league camp which suggests they feel he’s merely filler for AAA.

There are options available on the FA market should the Mets feel they need to address a hypothetical Lagares vacancy on the roster.  There are some former star caliber players who at this stage may have to accept the fact they are bench players.  This group would include Jose Bautista, Melky Cabrera, Andre Ethier, Matt Holliday and Jayson Werth.

Then you have people who have been starters for much of their careers but not in the upper echelon. That list would include Seth Smith, Chris Coghlan and Franklin Guttierez.

Finally you have some wildcards – players who don’t have much of a track record like Arismendy Alcantara or (briefly a Met) Justin Ruggiano.

What do you all think about the prospect of trading away the flashy fielding but otherwise disappointing Juan Lagares?  I’d sign off on it assuming the return is a non-roster lower level minor leaguer.  That move would also open up a roster spot for someone not yet on the 40.  More importantly, it would provide salary relief now and next year as well.  Assuming Michael Conforto is back by mid May, Lagares’ ABs would be hard to find, though he does have right handedness in his favor with Jay Bruce, Nimmo and Conforto all swinging from the left side.

So has the Juan Lagares era come to an end?

23 comments:

Eddie from Corona said...

Juan will Be next year’s Cabrera.... over paid insurance policy

Tom Brennan said...

A lot has to do with Conforto...my guess is he could be back just after he files his taxes on April 15. Seems ahead of schedule.

Also on Cespedes' wrist - problem or not? I would not be surprised if this also is weight training related. Hopefully he will be fine soon.

To me, it does not seem the time to trade Juan. In a week? Maybe.

holmer said...

For Lagares to be productive he needs to be a starter or at least a semi-starter. With his glove I would love to see him in the line up every day and hope he hits .250 with some power. Because of the way the team is constructed, that's not going to happen this year. Nimmo has the skills needed as a fourth outfielder and he is a lot cheaper. I love Lagares but if the Mets could get salary relief by trading him, I'm reluctantly for it. A fifth outfielder should probably come from a utility player with the versatility to play a multitude of positions.

Anonymous said...

I hope they make ths move. While he excels def he’s been a disappointment at the plate, not to mention his medical history. Do it.

Mack Ade said...

I believe that Juan will always disappoint Mets fans at the plate but his ++ defense is a necessity on a team that lacks a lot of it.

It's not like someone is banging the door down from the minors.

Everyone thought this was a great contract when it was signed because it was back loaded. We'll pay for that next year.

Keep him until you can find a better alternative and use him, at least, for late inning defense.

stop worrying about his offense. It will not develop to a point you will be happy with it.

Tom Brennan said...

6 for 32 this spring, 1 RBI, and 11 Ks. I was wrong about Juan, I believe. Last year, 15 RBIs in 272 PAs. Allergic to RBIs.

Trade him at an opportune time unless he suddenly gets hot. Then, maybe trade him anyway.

Mike Freire said...

Maybe we can have his defensive prowess invade Michael Conforto's body "Exorcist" style?

***That movie scared the hell out of me as a kid, by the way.

Kidding aside, he just hasn't developed with the bat AT ALL. What makes it awkward is his contract, which turned out to be a mistake. In truth, he is a solid fourth or fifth outfielder and a late inning defensive replacement type......but, he is getting paid like a starting CF'er (oops).

I think he still has some trade value and it wouldn't hurt to get something back for him, while shedding some salary. Maybe Sandy can get a decent outfield prospect in return that is a season or two away, so we have a plan after YC and JB have moved on?

Viper said...

Anyone seeing these plays who thinks Lagares should be traded is crazy. All he needs is to hit around 250 which is very possible.

Reese Kaplan said...

And play when, Viper? Are you going to sit Cespedes, Conforto or Bruce to give him playing time? If he's relegated to 4th/5th outfielder status and another team would allow him to start, I think it's more prudent to get out from under the financial obligation.

Viper said...

Judging from history, what are the chances that Cespedes, Conforto and Bruce stay healthy all year?

TexasGusCC said...

Three times I tried posting this morning on how Alderson’s promise to Bruce about 1B and signing Gonzalez will hurt the pitching staff, which is this team’s bread and butter, by having to trade Lagares and breaking up what was a versatile outfield. The outfield was fine, albeit injury prone. But bringing in Bruce whose last good year was in 2011 (has last contract year) and promising he’s an outfielder, while bringing in a retread to play first base, has taken away a strength this team had and once again handicaps the pitchers that Alderson said he wouldn’t do again.

It was a better written post, but, I’m tired of writing it, LOL.

Reese Kaplan said...

I get the point, TexasGusCC, but to say Bruce's last good year was 2011 when he hit 32 HRs and drove in 96 is not accurate. In 2016 he hit 33 and drove in 99 and last year he hit 36 and drove in 101. Also in his last two years his strikeout totals dropped considerably from that 2011 season when he whiffed 156 times.

Reese Kaplan said...

BTW, if anyone saw the game today, how much like Todd Hundley did Wilmer Flores look in his LF debut? It didn't affect his batting since he went 3-4 with a HR.

TexasGusCC said...

I had more originally Reese, this was just a paraphrasing. But like you said, the point is there.

As I said, I could live with Bruce at first base and I would go with it hoping for the best. But, promising him the outfield and then handicapping our most talented players - our outfielders - by tying them to the bench to play Gonzalez is preposterous. Alderson completely screwed up there.

Too, how different is Bruce’s “I’m an outfielder” than Cabrera’s “I’m a middle infielder”?

bill metsiac said...

Why the hate for A-Gon? He's an All-Star GG-caliber 1Bman who had a bad year because of a back problem that seems to be healed. And he's a mentor to and stopgap for Dom.

He's making ML Minimum and can be cut if he doesn't help. He's blocking NO ONE.

bill metsiac said...

Happy Birthday, Juan Lagares! 👍 🙌

TexasGusCC said...

Bill, you make a wonderful point. And on behalf of the haters club, I will respond that his last good season was three years ago, as 18 HRs in 2016 and a negative UZR don’t light up my life. Add to it the blockage of young players that can be just as good and are trajecting upwards... that’s just from me.

I won’t even mention how he was in Europe while his team was in the World Series. Can you imagine if he was a Met? We would have inhaled him! That’s your mentor? LOLLLLLLL

Anonymous said...

Agree wholeheartedly with you Bill. I think that A-Gone still has a few good years left if his back holds up. However, with that in mind, I wouldn't mind if the Mets sprung a late preseason deal for Brewers 1B Jesus Aguilar. Because the Brewers have no room on their roster for him, he would come cheaply and provides some big right-handed hitting power off the bench.

Reese Kaplan said...

I'm actually kind of with Metsiac on this one. A-Gon is going to get his first milestone date when Conforto returns. His second milestone date is dependent on the offensive output of Brandon Nimmo and the health status of Dom Smith. Since Smith missed all of Spring training, he's probably 4-6 weeks of daily play at minimum before he'd be considered. So that would likely be deadline number two -- I'd say around June 1st. Gonzalez has between now and then to show whether or not he has anything left in the tank.

bill metsiac said...

We already have a bench player who hits RH with power and can sorta play 1B. Why trade for another when we have A-Gon here and Smith on the way?

Yaakov Richman said...

Baseball is hand eye coordination, pliometrics, and muscle memory. Doesn’t fall off a cliff at thirty six. Except Hanley Ramirez. Fine. He will either sink or swim by june. We have steady bench replacements and a future perhaps in AAA.

Anonymous said...

Here's what I think...

Juan Lagares: Peaked in his first season up to the bigs it seems thus far. See old games SNY shows. Was always a great CF, but has shown nothing much offensively since his first season. Trade while still can.

Wilmer Flores: Wilmer is so close to being a starter here every season, but it never really happens for him. Find time for him on third or trade?

Travis d'Arnaud: Having a really good ST offensively, but have a hard time believing he can stay healthy and do well for a whole season. But wish here I was wrong.

Hansel Robles: Tired of the "man bun." A good reliever, but nothing major as an outpitch. Trade.

Todd Frazier: Good one. Struggling in ST to bat last year's .213 BA.

Jason Vargas: Best thing to ever happen to P.J. Conlon. Give P.J. a live 92 mph fastball that dives and he beats out Vargas after Jason's return.

Tomas Nido: He's the new Plawecki as far as putting it altogether like Kevin now has done. Give him until around end of July perhaps to do so and see?

David Wright: Still love this guy. Was watching the older games on SNY and last night's was from 2010. David swung so hard that my back hurt. My God, how I miss that David Wright! It's just so unfair to have David out like this. And yet, the man endures and never gripes. True leader. Please find a way to keep him in a Mets uniform Jeff W.!

Thanks.




Anonymous said...

On Phil Evans...

Just looks big league solid. To me, I could see him being the all purpose utility player sort of like Kevin Mitchell was in the 1980's. Phil Evans can uniquely play the whole infield and also two corner outfield positions.

Here's the problem though...

Mets like Wilmer Flores and Jose Reyes. Jose can "play some" outfield and is a very good inspirational player. Was watching him 2010 the other day at SNY and had forgotten just how good he once was.

So the Mets could go with infielders Flores and Reyes, or Evans and Flores for the two bench infield players, and Reyes and someone else for the outfield. I like the later idea. Just not Lagares as the other outfielder because the NYM need to move on from him I think.

My bench would be Flores, Evans, Reyes, Borenstein (until Conforto gets back and because he should smack some dingers and let's see), and then Nido as the backup catcher once July 1st gets here.

I'd perhaps package up something like: Lagares, d'Arnaud, and Montero to see what you could get back?