7/3/18

From The Desk…




Good morning.   


      1.    Once again, SP Corey Oswalt failed at the major league level. We’ve seen this before with dominant minor league pitchers, like Rafael Montero, In the case of Oswalt, he hasn’t pitched dominantly since last season in AA-Binghamton. And then there is guys like Jacob deGrom… 4.80-ERA in 2013 for Binghamton… and 4.52-ERA in Vegas. Some pitchers turn stats around, other do not and having a dominant fastball like Montero doesn’t mean you are going to be any more successful than a soft toss pitcher like Oswalt. For now, I would send Oswalt back to where he had success (Binghamton) and then have him as SP1 in Syracuse next season.

     2.    Everybody is spending the past few days bitching and moaning why Dominic Smith is the latest young prospect chip sitting on the Mets bench. I’ve watched Mets Twitter readers and Mets writers (including my own) complain through, now, two Mets managers and two management teams, and still, no change in operational philosophy. I just don’t understand why any of you can’t understand or accept what I have been saying ad nauseum… it’s NOT the field manager or General Manager that is making these decisions. ALL are being, and have been, made by the Wilpons via John Ricco.

     3.    I especially appreciated Jake deGrom’s comments after his loss on Saturday. Even he admits he is sick of losing at this point. I guess Brandon Nimmo is the last one left with a smile on his face. I expect we are close to the beginning of the selloff.

     4.    If this was my team, I would focus the rebuild for the 2020 season, not 2019. Success takes time as well as the removal of failure does. Think of this as a business that needs to be rebuilt. Imagine owing 20 billion dollars, spending 900 million more a year that comes in, and having 80% of the monies that come in represent fixed assets that can’t be lowered. Try turning that madhouse around. Well, the Mets aren’t that bad, but let’s pass on the quick fix and build a team around our 2020 assets.  1B Peter Alonso2B Jeff McNeil… SS Andres Gimenez… 3B Amed Rosario… OF Brandon Nimmo, OF Michael Conforto, SP Noah Syndergaard, SP Stephen Matz, SP Justin Dunn. SP David Peterson, SP Anthony Kay… RP Drew Smith… RP Robert Gsellman, RP Seth Lugo, RP Ryder Ryan, RP Nabil Crismatt. And right behind these guys will be coming SP Jordan Humphreys, SP Thomas Szapucki, RP Harol Gonzalez, RP Joseph Zanghi, IF Ronny Mauricio, 3B Mark Vientos, CF Jarred Kelenic. This is a good base to start with if you target it for the 2020 season. Keep the veterans on this list healthy in 2019… fast track the kids. And you have plenty of players on your current 40-man to go out and fill in this list. We need a quality catcher, another strong healthy bat in the outfield and maybe keep Luis Guillorme around as a young defensive minded utility infielder. Past that, a good quality fill-in outfielder, and two or three more powerful young healthy relief arms. We must keep looking for a successful pen. You can’t win at this game without one. Remember… target 2020.

     5.    Ken Rosenwald has reported that trade talked between the Mets and Yanks, for the services of Jake deGrom, are ‘heating up’. He said that any trade possibility would have to include RP Chasen Shreve in the deal. Shreve is an ex-11th round pick by Atlanta in 2010. He’s 27 and has a five year MLB stat line of 185-G, no starts, 14-6, 3.76, 1.36, 176.1-IP, no saves, 205-K, 90-BB. He’s 2-2, 4.82, 1.57 for the Yanks this year. Hell, we got better LOOGY stats than this on the team now.

     6.    Mets transactions this week… IF Andrew Ely came off the Binghamton disabled list while IF Nick Sergakis bounced back on it. I don’t know why Sergakis never seems to stay active this season and this could be nothing more than one of those roving phantom injuries you find on minor league rosters. He’s only hit .179 in 56-ABs this season for the Rumble Ponies…once prospect chip and recent suspended meth head, Columbia IF Walter Rasquin, has come off the medical table for one reason, only to go back on the DL for reasons unexplained...

     7.    Dov Mochari - @DovMochari - Columbia Fireflies, 24yr old, RHP, Joe Cavallaro, is now at: 8-2, 2.09 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, .199baa, 77.1inn/83k/26bb, Promotion...?

     8.    Vets4Mets - @Vets4Mets - 29,831,205 million dollars. That’s the amount the Mets will have paid Bobby Bonilla by 2035 as a deferral for a 5 1/2 million dollar buyout. And it was all Bernie Madoff’s idea.

     9.    Fangraphs question from reader - is the Mets’ player development as bad as it seems from the outside? Media reports on that front have not been glowing, basically describing it as a disorganized mess with no communication or consistency between any levels, leaving it to the major league staff to do basic instruction –   Eric A Longenhagen:   I think there are issues, yes. Especially with player dev and the way the pro department covers ground (as in, not enough) but also think the amateur side, especially internationally, has done a great job. It’s a mix, like with most orgs.

     10.  Keith Hernandez:   "I've never seen anything like this in my entire career in professional baseball. I'm from a different school but at this point right now this club is sleepwalking and waiting to lose, and someone needs to rattle their cage."

     11.  Mickey Callaway: "We haven't gotten the job done on defense, for whatever reason."

     12.  Devin Mesoraco:   "I don't think I've caught anybody with the stuff that Jacob has."

      13.  The Boston Red Sox sent scouts to the Mets-Miami game on Sunday. They need of a middle infielder (Cabrera?) and late inning reliever/closer (Familia?). Remember… I’m looking for chips to help me in 2020, not 2019. Power bat, 3B Michael Chavis, potential SP3 RHP Tanner Houck, potential power reliever RHP Mike Shawaryn, and (my favorite out of their chain) catcher Roldani Baldwin are some to consider. 


14. Matt Ehalt - @MattEhalt - My understanding is Mets pitchers have all drawn trade interest. Now, we'll see if they actually will move any of them.

15.  Devan Fink - @DevanFink - Matt Harvey has been worth 0.8 fWAR in 10 starts since joining the Reds. He had been worth -0.9 fWAR in his last 27 appearances (22 starts) with the Mets.

16. Jesse Sanchez - @JesseSanchezMLB - Here's another for the Mets. Their reputation in Latin America and across the globe is a strong one. Source: #Mets agree to a $1.45 million deal with outfielder Freddy Valdez, #25 on @MLBPipeline’s Top 30 Int’l Prospects list.

Others signed are C Francisco Alvarez, OF Mario Paiva, SS Luis Castillo
SS Bradley Encarnacion, LHP Javier Atencio, OF Jhonny Ventura
LHP Brandon Sanchez, RHP Jhon Franco

17. Mike Puma - @NYPost_Mets - The book on Venezuelan catcher Francisco Alvarez, who is receiving a $2.47 million signing bonus from the Mets: Good power, solid arm, but needs to improve his catching.

18. Anthony DiComo - @AnthonyDiComo - Francisco Alvarez ($2.7 million) sets a record for the largest bonus the Mets have handed out in a signing day deal. For a farm system lacking top-level talent, it's an important talent infusion at the lower levels.

19. Michael Baron - @michaelgbaron - Overall, Steven Matz is 4-5 with a 3.46 ERA on the year. But in his last 11 starts, he’s pitched to a 2.92 ERA. His road ERA for the year is now 2.25. He has shown a marked improvement as the season has gone on, which is a big key for his career.

20. Carlos Collazo - @CarlosACollazo - Mets No. 6 overall pick Jarred Kelenic has gotten off to a hot start as a pro: .579/.619/.737 (1.356 OPS) through 21 plate appearances. Just five games, but nice to see in the Gulf Coast League.

21. Matt Ehalt - ‏@MattEhalt - The Mets may soon need to hire a new GM. The early favorite is John Ricco since a logical pairing is him with Omar Minaya as his top lieutenant. However, keep an eye on JP Ricciardi. Sources say he has a very big ally in the organization in Fred Wilpon.  It sure didn’t take long for Sandy’s name to not even make the paragraph. Can you imagine what it must be or these three to go to work every day? They have to have around the same kissy kissy relationship that Crosby Stills and Nash had back in the day. Me? My money is on none of these guys, though I do expect Ricco to survive in some front office role.

12 comments:

Tom Brennan said...

Oswalt needs to figure out something after getting torched the last start.

If Thor has his health, the Mets really do have a fine first four starters. The rest of the team, in total, is brutal.

Can the Mets play off ravenous teams against one another to get them overpay in a significant manner for Jake and Thor? The Red Sox deal is a starting point. Whoever gets Jake ma win a few World Series as a result, so the cost must be PAINFUL.

Mack Ade said...

Mets could play a parlor game with their troika

3 calls same time to 3 clubs

Robb said...

No one is worse, then the kid of the parent who made all the money. You cant run multi-billion dollar businesses like small family businesses in anything but real estate bc its such an easy business to make money in. After you build or acquire you really dont have to do much. Im not sure why anybody would ever think someone who made their money in commercial real estate is qualified to run any other type of business. The Mets seem to prove that theory.

Mack Ade said...

The Wilpons are dug in.

Only their own Board or the league can change the course set

Bob Gregory said...

Let me get this straight.

Ken Rosenwald is talking about a deGrom to the Yankees trade and identifies the Mets as
having one "must have"?
Ok...
I get that.
BUT .....
The "must have" is a RP???!!!
AND...the icing on the cake is that he is 27 yes old???!!

I would completely dismiss this as obviously insane....if it weren't for last year's trade deadline disaster.

Michael S. said...

Shreve would be a dealbreaker for deGrom?

FML

Mack Ade said...

Bob/Michael -

So...

you both assume that all this desire for 4.00+ ERA 25+/yr old relievers is... Sandy?

Michael S. said...

Never did, this ownership group is poison

Bob Gregory said...

Mack
I guess this trade season will tell the definitive story.

See what Wilpon meant by the "be creative" directive he gave Ricco and crew

Mack Ade said...

Bob -

I don't look for much.

The 29 other teams know that only Cabrera and Familia offer them any true mid-season value.

I also don't think they will trade either Syndergaard of Jake. Fo different reasons. Thor because his healing period is too long and Jake because the fans will burn the stadium down.

Bob Gregory said...

Disappointing thought.

I would love to use deGrom, Syndergaard, Wheeler, Familia, and Matz to see what riches could be gained from the Yankees, Braves, and White Sox.

TexasGusCC said...

Have to cash in 30-y.o. DeGrom, but it won’t be the Yankees. The Yankees will either not give up the package needed in order to not look like they caved in, or will get JDG at cheaper than they should pay. Problem is, I just don’t see the prospect haul out there for an ace with three years’ control to pitch in playoff games.

The reason I don’t see it being the Yankees is that in their top 20, the Yankees have like 15 pitchers and the Mets don’t need pitching. So, Cashman would have to gut his player prospects to make a deal and I don’t think he will. Happ for a couple of young pitchers keeps the balance. Only if the ultimatum is JDG or bust, can the Mets really cash in.