Reese Kaplan -- Improving the Roster Composition

With the current rash of injuries the NY Mets roster is a living rendition of the old cliché that you can’t keep track without a scorecard.  Right now at the major league level the club is facing injuries to Yoenis Cespedes, Travis d’Arnaud, Todd Frazier, Juan Lagares, Rafael Montero, Kevin Plawecki, T.J. Rivera,  Hansel Robles, Anthony Swarzak and David Wright.  For what it’s worth, the Cardinals also have ten players on the major league DL as well.  It’s for you to decide if Rafael Montero or Hansel Robles actually are major league players. 

So the roster as of Tuesday consists of the following:

• Adrian Gonzalez
• Wilmer Flores
• Asdrubal Cabrera
• Luis Guillorme
• Amed Rosario
• Jose Reyes
• Phil Evans
• Brandon Nimmo
• Michael Conforto
• Jay Bruce
• Devin Mesoraco
• Tomas Nido
• Jacob deGrom
• Noah Syndergaard
• Steven Matz
• Zack Wheeler
• Jason Vargas
• Jeurys Familia
• Jerry Blevins
• Robert Gsellman
• Seth Lugo
• Paul Sewald
• AJ Ramos
• Jacob Rhame
• Chris Flexen

At some point you would think they would sacrifice a bullpen arm for some OF help.  Phil Evans doesn’t have a whole lot of experience out there but actually has more than the guy we were told repeatedly would get outfield reps, Jose Reyes.  Then again, the less often Jose Reyes plays, the better off they are.  (This sentence was penned BEFORE his two errors performance on Tuesday!)

It would seem to me that with Juan Lagares on the shelf for the rest of the year there is a dire need for a 4^th/5^th outfielder type assuming Evans’ stay is short term until Yoenis Cespedes rubs a sufficient amount of snake oil on the lower half of his body.  Towards that end I could see a few ways to achieve this change.

Trade AJ Ramos

While he’s not been very good he’s not been so bad that would rule out another team looking to take a chance on him.  He’s gone as a free agent at year’s end anyway and you’re overstocked in the bullpen (particularly if and when Where’s Waldo Swarzak returns.  All you’re looking for in return now is a right handed hitting outfielder already at the major league level or with an outstanding skills in speed, defense or OBP at the AAA level. 

Trade Gavin Cecchini

While he picked the absolute worst time to get a foot injury, the fact remains that when they were in need of help and wanted someone on the 40-man roster, the former first round pick was not getting the call.

Trade Dom Smith

Yes, it’s far too soon to write off this former first rounder but it’s clear that Peter Alonso and Jeremy Vazquez behind him and Wilmer Florres and Adrian Gonzalez ahead of him means that there are not going to be very many opportunities.  Apparently they're now experimenting with him in LF but as a LH bat with no baserunning speed he's not the answer for the Mets right now even if he took to it like the preverbial duck to water.  

Now who could you target in return?  One way to look at it are teams that have a crowded outfield situation already and have players in the minors who are likely blocked from advancing.  One such definition would include Boston’s Rusney Castillo, but he’s a special case since he signed a contract worth $11.7 million this year, next year and $14 million in 2020.  He has an opt-out clause but is no longer on the Red Sox 40-man roster and would be foolish to opt out of his deal.  Consequently he would be a VERY expensive bench piece unless you could be guaranteed that Boston would eat the remainder of his contract.  If so, the $2 million differential between what Ramos makes and Castillo makes could be equitable.  Last year for Pawtucket he hit .314/15/43 in 347 ABs.  This season he’s hitting .297 but with 0 HRs and 18 RBIs.  He’s right handed.  Those are IL numbers, not PCL numbers.

Another name worth looking at is Chris Shaw of the Sacramento River Cats.  He was a 1^st round pick in 2015 and last season delivered .297/24/79.  This season the average is down at .267, but he already has 10 HRs and 30 RBIs.  Maybe the Giants would be interested in a swap of former first rounders?

Frank Schwindel of the Oklahoma Storm Chasers (KC Royals affiliate) is coming off a great 2017 campaign which saw him deliver a combined .329/23/97.  Thus far this year he’s off to a more tepid .238/6/29 which means he might be a good buy low candidate.  He’s a local kid having grown up in Livingston, NJ and attending St. Johns. 

The Albuquerque Isotopes’ centerfielder Raimel Tapia is a career .321 hitter who has stolen as many as 33 bases in a season.  He’s currently providing the Rockies’ AAA club with .302/6/29 and 7 SBs.  He’s not on the Rockies 40-man roster.

The Cardinals organization continues to be a model for success and they’ve already promoted a couple of their hotter prospects.  Still lingering in AAA is Oscar Mercado, a guy who started off slowly his first four years but then turned it on last year in AA with a season of .287/13/46 with 38 SBs.  This year he’s off to an even better start with .320/5/17 with 10 steals for Memphis in AAA.

The Tampa Bay Rays have a non-roster player named Andrew Velasquez, a speed demon who once pilfered 50 bases in a single season.  While he’s never hit double digits in HRs, he’s actually improving as he ascends in the minors, currently hitting .281 in AAA.

The Pirates have an outfielder in their system by the name of Christopher Bostick who is a .271 hitter for his career and the last two years have included .296 and .304.  He’s stolen as many as 36 bases in a season.  He has about 10 HR per year power – probably similar to what Lagares would provide if he played regularly.

Tim Locastro of the Oklahoma City Dodgers has performed at a slightly higher level than the Pirates’ farmhand Bostick.  In 2017 he hit .308/10/40 with 34 SBs.  What stands out about him in addition to his bat and his speed is his OBP -- .375 for his minor league career.  For comparison’s sake, Brandon Nimmo was at .383.  So think of him as a right handed version with plus speed.

The Mariners have a speed demon in AAA named John Andreoli who has stolen 55 bases in a season while hitting a modest .269.  Given that he’s age 27 now it’s possible he could be obtained for far less than the three trade candidates previously mentioned.

Of course, you could also go after 4^th/5^th outfielders currently at the major league level, but the ideal bench players are the veterans who know their role.  A Craig Gentry of Baltimore would be a good example.  He’s a right handed speedster who has hit .258 for his career.  He’s stolen 24 bases in less than 250 ABs, so that’s some serious running ability. 

Finally, there is the ultimate in dumpster diving -- looking to the independent leagues to find someone who might be able to contribute.  Former White Sox first rounder Courtney Hawkins is currently leading his league in HRs and RBIs and is just 24 years old.  Veteran speedster Emilio Bonifacio would only require a ticket on the LIRR which should suit the Wilpons just fine.  He's hitting in the .370s.  Although he's a lefty, the former infielder/outfielder for the Mets who called Terry Collins an unprintable name, Jordany Valdespin, is Bonifacio's teammate and hitting .396.  James Madison University's Johnny Bladel has never had a shot at playing in the affiliated pros, but he's gotten better and better each season.  In 2017 he found himself among the leaders in his Can-Am League in several offensive categories, including runs scored, doubles, triples and hit .352 with 27 SBs in a 100 game season.  This year he's in the ALPB for the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs and is hitting a tidy .405. At just age 26 and having been the Can Am Rookie of the Year in 2014, he might be worth a look-see. 

Since the players in question are not likely going to be starters in the foreseeable future with Jay Bruce, Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo getting the majority of the ABs until Yoenis Cespedes returns, a right handed guy with speed would probably make the most sense.  That would also enable you to show Jose Reyes the door since speed is arguably his only remaining skill. 

What doesn't make sense is to pick up another over-35 retread whose best days are long behind him simply because he fits the penurious budget.  (This sentence was also written before the Mets announced that Jose Bautista was joining the club at age 37 after having been released by the Braves...would couldn't have seen the handwriting on the wall in a James Loney/Adrian Gonzalez/Jose Reyes way?)

Thoughts?