7/24/18

From The Desk...




Good morning.


I want to remind everyone that what you read here each morning has been written the day before. Therefore, some of this news seems late. Example: I’m writing this paragraph on Monday morning. Some of the things I might write about are the results of games on Sunday. You are reading it on Tuesday. This is the best way I can do it. I refuse to sit all day on Twitter and other social media sites and try to be the first person to ‘break’ a story about the Mets. It amazes me how some bloggers take a salary from someone and do them a disservice everyday by concentrating on Twitter rather than their jobs. You would think by now that their bosses would catch on.


I’m not sure I understand the logic of sending RP Bobby Wahl to Las Vegas. This is the time we should probably be trying to figure out who will be in our 2019 bullpen and what better time to figure out if Wahl qualifies than now, He pitched 1.1 scoreless innings on Sunday, striking out three… he’s 26 years old… he’s 0.77 in his last 10 AAA games, with 24-Ks in 11.2-IP… and we need a new closer. What am I missing here?


Cincinnati starter, Matt Harvey, missed a big opportunity to step up right before the trading deadline. He had four great outings before Sunday’s clunker… 3.2 IP, 8 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 4 HR, 59 pitches.. ray of hope: His ERA is still lower than Jason Vargas.


Ken Rosenthal and Matt Geib are both reporting that the Philadelphia Phillies are showing strong interest in the services of 2B Astrubel Cabrera. Who is in their pipeline that could help seal the deal?

          From Minor League Ball:

6) Jhailyn Ortiz, OF, Grade B: Age 19, signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2015 for $4,000,000; hit .302/.401/.560 in the New York-Penn League with eight homers, 18 walks, 47 strikeouts in 159 at-bats; big power, some observers giving 70-grades, and showed he could hit for average as well although still must prove he can handle higher-level breaking stuff; classic right field tools with strong arm and average speed though needs more polish on throws and general defense; very high ceiling as a power hitter; ETA 2021. 

2018:  A-Level - .243, 10-HR, 37-RBI

7) Adam Haseley, OF, Grade B: Age 21, first round pick in 2017 from University of Virginia, hit .390/.491/.659 with 14 homers, 10 steals in 223 at-bats for Cavaliers, then .284/.357/.405 in 215 minor league at-bats between NY-P and Low-A; pure hitter with polished approach, raw power is considered just average but batting average/OBP should compensate; can handle center field, “high floor” type prospect; ETA 2020.

2018:  AA/A+ Level - .302, 8-HR, 45-RBI

9) Jorge Alfaro, C, Grade B-/B: Age 24, on the prospect radar for what seems like 20 years at this point; hit .241/.291/.358 with 16 walks, 113 strikeouts in 324 at-bats in Triple-A, which was awful, but then mashed in the majors at .318/.360/.514 in 107 at-bats, though with a poor 3/33 BB/K; scouting reports really haven’t changed much: he has serious raw power and good defensive tools but is consistently inconsistent, especially with the bat, looking like Johnny Bench one day and Bob Uecker the next; I’m rooting for him to succeed if only because I have given up trying to predict what he will do and want him to graduate off the list; ETA 2018.

2018:  NL Level - .252, 6-HR, 21-RBI


One of ex-writers, Chris Soto, had an interesting take on the Familia trade –

          Mets getting unfairly killed for the Familia trade.

Look at Kelvin Herrera deal, Royals got (2) Future Value 45 grade players in AA and A+ & a wild card 2017 IFA signing.
Mets received (1) FV 45 grade player in A+, an MLB ready high K RP, and $1M IFA bonus
If that $1M is spent CORRECTLY (cough cough....Victor Victor Mesa).....
One could argue the Mets got a BETTER return than the Royals did.


It’s sad to see Tim Tebow go down with a season ending injury. No matter how serious you took this attempt at playing baseball, you must now regret that the fan base will be denied one smiley face day when he was going to be called up in September. 


Binghamton now shows only three active outfielders on their roster… converted third baseman Jhoan Urena, Patrick Biondi, and Kevin Taylor. No one stands out at St Lucie, with dud Wuillmer Beccera being the most productive OF hitter there (.242).


Mets prospect outfielder, Quinn Brody, was promoted from A-Columbia to A+-St. Lucie. Have to say the promotion is little odd at this point. He was only hitting .217 for the Fireflies. It also leaves them with only three active outfielders… Matt Winaker, Zach Rheams, and Jay Jabs.

9 comments:

Mike Freire said...

No worries, Mack......the mad rush to "be first" is one of the biggest problems now a days (in all media endeavors) since is results in partial stories full of partial truths, etc.

I prefer the way things are done here at MM's.

Need to get this out.....SCREW MATT HARVEY! OK, better now......on a more mature note, he embodies everything that is wrong with today's athlete (egotistical, self centered). I have no doubt that he intentionally pitched his way out of NY, likely at the behest of his satanic agent.

I hope the Mets do better then the Familia deal when they trade AC this week. I like the thought of adding to our cache of catchers, since it is a tough position to fill.

I still think we got hosed in the Familia deal......just because the Royals also got hosed in the Herrera deal doesn't mean our trade suddenly got better, right?

Mack Ade said...

Ya know Mike -

I just wish we could just pay off all this dead wood and clear the 40-man out.

Hobie said...

I don't get too up or down in trading a rental for some MinL'rs. We overvalue ours so much it's hard to look from behind the mirror. Thought Byrd/Buck for Herrera/Black was a steal... so it goes.

But yes Mack, I'd take a fling at Afara and be giddy if AC brought back Ortiz too!

Tom Brennan said...

I'm with Hobie - those Phillie prospects look good to me.

And, to echo Mike, screw Ha-ar-vey!

Tom Brennan said...

Sad also for Tebow - not to beat a dead horse, but he was out-performing every 2nd year player in their minor leagues. About to turn 31, this is the last thing he needed. Too bad it did not happen 2 months from now.

Hobie said...

Just curious. If TT had opted for BB post Heisman (i.e., no college BB) and performed exactly as he has in his 1st 2 yrs, what would have been the consensus for the 24 yr old Tebow?

Mack Ade said...

I think Tebow proved this year that a great athlete is... a great athlete.

Tom Brennan said...

Hobie, Tebow starting baseball 7 years earlier, he would probably be a Top 100 MLB prospect going into next season if he finished this year healthy.

Bob Gregory said...

Official: Rico needs to walk away from the Metz IMMEDIATELY!!

Look at the return Britton brought the Orioles compare to the pitiful excuse of a return Ricco managed for Familia.