Tom Brennan - CURIOUS CALL UPS
The Mets are a curious franchise, don't you agree?
Lots of curious decisions. Head-scratchers.
I see the Mets called up Ty Kelly and Dominic Smith.
Curious stuff.
See - in the interests of not doing curious things, when a team like the Mets has comatose bats, I first think:
"Who is red hot that I can bring up?"
I can think of 4 guys, none of whom were called up.
Let's start, though, with the two recent call ups.
First, let's start with 29 year old Ty Kelly.
Kelly started out this year in AAA "a house on fire."
His 1st 9 games, 15-34, 2 doubles, 3 triples, 4 HR, 11 RBIs.
Sizzling.
Since then, though, in the hitters paradise known as the PCL, he has had 168 ABs, hitting .226, with greatly diminished power, and he has fanned 55 times in 202 official ABs, a rate that likely would worsen in Queens.
- which brings me to Alternative # 1: Kevin Kaczmarski.
K Kacz was hurt for over a month at the season's start, then rehabbed in A ball. Since moving to AA, he is 19 for 48, 4 walks, just 8 Ks, and .396/.429/.542, which one could define as "HOT" - I see him as Brandon Nimmo with less power. Why not try the hotter hand?
Michael Conforto has been in a deep swoon - why not send him down to regroup against lesser pitching, and call up K Kacz? Maybe it is time for Joey Bats to go. Joey B has not been terrible so far, so my guess is he will stay for now, like A Gone did.
Secondly, Dom Smith:
I do see what I believe is the logic here - Dom perhaps has been depressed by being sent down, and maybe the promotion (after A Gone's release) will be just the kick start Smith needs. But when a guy like Smith, in an extreme hitters' league, is hitting just .260 with 2 homers in 250 plate appearances, he certainly hasn't earned his call up.
- which brings me to Alternative # 2: Peter Alonso.
In fairness, Pete has cooled somewhat (5 for 32 in his last 10 games, dropping him to .310/.441/.567), partly because they have been pitching him more cautiously, but the power hitter with 15 homers and 50 ribbies has clearly been better than Smith this year, and was more deserving of the call up.
Advice to Pete: get mad, and get even - your time is coming.
Thirdly, Jose Reyes, the man with 100 lives, somehow remains on the Mets - smart teams don't stand pat with .140 hitters.
- which brings me to Alternative 3, Jeff McNeil.
Simply said, McNeil, hands down, has been the best offensive player in the Mets minors this year.
One immediately thinks of Alonso as their best power guy, but McNeil's slugging % after Sunday stands 80 points higher. He is hitting .333/.406/.647 with just 23 Ks in 54 games and a ton of runs and RBIs.
The Mets may be more inclined to call up Phillip Evans, if anyone, to replace Jose, since Evans has already been on the Mets, and while Phil's been hitting less than Jeff, he has hit with decent power - but McNeil has outplayed Evans this year.
Release Jose, call up Jeff. If Jeff falters, which I don't think he will, then call up Evans.
McNeil also played CF in college, so he can play out there as well as 2B, 3B, and SS, so he'd give the Mets real versatility and a better hitter than Ty Kelly - and this team needs plenty of hitting help.
Lastly: Jeurys Familia and AJ Ramos are both out hurt - but right now, the pitchers on the Mets have collectively been good of late - but are there any pen arms not yet summoned that could help in Queens?
- which brings me to Alternative # 4, Drew Smith.
Acquired in the Duda deal, Smith has pitched very well this year. In Vegas, he has been a bright light, going 3-1. In his last 10 outings on a team that has allowed over 7.3 runs per game this year, Drew has tossed 13 innings, no earned runs, 6 hits, 4 walks, and fanned 13.
That tells me this:
Give this D Smith a shot.
As soon as you can find room for him.
I'm curious what you, the reader think.
This thinking of yours is fraught with, what do they call it, LOGIC. That's the problem. To think like the Mets organization you need to give yourself at minimum a severe blow to the head. As Pablo Picasso (or was it T.S. Eliot) once said, "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy." Either approach might help you learn to think more likes Mets management.
ReplyDeleteThe Wilpons are like General McClellan, who had to be asked by Lincoln if he wouldn't mind actually using the Grand Army of the Potomac: I wonder if the Wilpons don't like to promote hot prospects for fear of asset depreciation when they miss. Btw, if you have to go to a game, why spend a penny at the ballpark? There are better dollar beers and sausages in the Iron Triangle - food is generally plentiful in the US, including Corona before and after games. An "Eat and Drink Before the Game" campaign could be sexy and have reach. In this so-called internet-aided people-movement age, it is such a bellwether that this weak Wilpon trash remains ensconced.
ReplyDeleteThe 2 for 1 coupons are back out for the rest of the season in McDonalds.
ReplyDeleteNot to be critical of aspiring players, but I asked a co-worker, and he said, "TY KELLY???? PLEASE!!!!!"
If Jeff McNeil is anchored in Binghamton until the All Star break, and is still hot, I want him up here right then and there. If Cabrera stays healthy and gets dealt, he can step right in.
His competitors are either sputtering or hurt, or both (Reyes, Flores, Cecchini, Evans, Rivera). Let's try Jeff.
There is no one you mention, that is on the 40 man roster. There's logic and then there's who do I need to DFA to fit these guys on the 40 so they can be called up. Jose Reyes is one obvious candidate, but beyond that. Who do you want to lose to get these guys on the 40?
ReplyDeleteGood question. I will look at the list when back from lunch. Anyone else you would suggest to come off the 40?
DeleteI suppose you could move PJ Conlon off the 40, but as the Dodgers showed the Mets earlier this month, if you DFA him, someone will pick him up. Even though the Mets got him back after the Dodgers DFA'd him. I still think he has potential as a LOOGY. Beyond that, not much you want to lose. Cecchini? Jose Bautista?
ReplyDeleteAccording to Reese, Molina is on the 40 man - he could go. I would not lose sleep there.
ReplyDeleteI am not advocating calling up all 4 I mentioned right now - I would absolutely have not called up Ty Kelly, and instead called up McNeil. Take a chance, unless they are thinking he needs another month before either call up or trade chip.
I really wonder if PJ Conlon would be claimed. Actually, I doubt it. His MLB/AAA #s in 2018 are nasty: 48 runs allowed in 50 innings, 75 hits allowed, including 12 homers. Logan Verrett pitched better, and he is a free agent.
Probably crazy, because I am guessing he is done with baseball and the Mets, but Dillon Gee is 32, "inactive", and was unscored on in the majors last year in his final 7 September outings, and was 3-2, 3.47 in 49 innings last year despite two short outings where he gave up 9 earned runs. Seems he could help, if the bridge has totally not been burned.
I agree (mostly) and I am disappointed in some of the decisions that are being made.......Sandy seems smarter then this, but I have been wrong before.
ReplyDeleteI would cut Reyes and Bautista immediately, thereby freeing up two spots on the roster for a couple of the replacements you list in your article.
It seems like the team is starting to "tank" without actually admitting it....they have some work to do to catch the Orioles!