Tom Brennan - METS' BEST PERFORMING MINOR LEAGUERS, 2018 TO DATE
I have always been the kind of person who values performance. So I'll rank the 12 best performers in the top 4 full season teams, excluding the 3 rookie ball teams who have not played enough to date to form definitive views.
Based on stats through Tuesday (except for McNeil) .
Journeymen are excluded, as I want this to focus on prospects.
But I do include a few of those very recently promoted to the Mets in this list:
Journeymen are excluded, as I want this to focus on prospects.
But I do include a few of those very recently promoted to the Mets in this list:
1. JEFF MCNEIL - hands down, the Mets minors MVP, who is hitting a spectacular .410 in 19 Vegas post-promotion games with 20 RBIs, and .350 overall, .418 on base %, and a .stunning .640 slugging %, with 63 RBIs in 76 games, many hitting first or 2nd in the lineup. WOW! And he is still in the minors because???
2. PETER ALONSO - was neck and neck with McNeil, but has not fared as well as McNeil since both were simultaneously promoted to AAA, despite Pete's 3 home run game a few weeks ago, he has gone just 5 for 32 over his last 9 games. Sits at .290/.422/.538 for the season.
At this juncture, I'd think giving Pete until Sept. 1 would make sense, to allow him to resume his booming ways.
3. JUSTIN DUNN - 4-4, 2.38 with 89 Ks in 79 IP are quite impressive numbers. Exclude his so-so outing on June 22 from his last 7 starts, and the numbers in the other are spectacular: 40 innings, 21 hits, 3 earned runs, 49 Ks. He suddenly seems to be rocketing higher. Excellent news.
4. NABIL CRISMATT - 8-5, 3.58 in 16 starts, and 94 Ks in 93 IP. Every time he has a shaky outing, he bounces back. Looking more and more like a major league back end of rotation starter.
5. DREW SMITH - 23 fine outings in AA and AAA in relief, followed by 3 good Mets innings so far. One blemish was going 3 for 7 in minors save opportunities in 2018.
6. TYLER BASHLOR - 20 fine relief outings in AA, followed by 2 mostly solid outings with the Mets, having had the manifold blessing of skipping over AAA Vegas altogether. 205 Ks in 145 career minor league innings.
7. HAROL GONZALEZ - he already knows what it is like to be a true Met, having gone just 1-6 despite a 2.82 ERA for low-hitting St Lucie. In Harol's last 9 outings, just 13 earned runs over 54 innings. I see a real fighter in Harol (just promoted to AAA - WHOO HOO!)
8. TIM TEBOW - Tom's usual refrain follows: only Mets prospect in his 2nd season that is as high as AA, where he has been all season, so his 2018 is all the more impressive.
In 74 games, Tebow is hitting .269, and smacking it at a doubt-dispelling .330 in 29 games since June 1. Confounding all the naysayers, or at least most of them.
9. JOSHUA TORRES - loves AA, hates AAA. 7-0, 1.20 with 38 Ks in 30 IP spanning 23 AA outings. In Vegas, 3.2 IP, 10 hits, 8 earned runs. This righty looks promising.
10. ANDRES GIMENEZ - the youngster has slumped since the beginning of June, hitting .205 in 101 at bats over that span. Growing pains, and probably it is twice as tough hitting in a line up where no one else is.
11. DAVID PETERSON - spectacular in Full A ball, looking more human in High A with St Lucie, with 3 post-promotion starts in which he has fanned just 7 in 17 innings. Still, a 2.25 ERA in 15 starts in his 1st full season? He'll probably climb this Top 12 list fast.
(His co-first rounder ANTHONY KAY, in his first full season in A ball after a long injury absence in 2016-17, has had its ups and downs, but his last start was terrific, and I believe more are to follow, so he will soon be a top 12 performer.)
12. RYDER RYAN - improved a lot in 2018 and is having a fine and promising season in relief in High A and AA ball. Let's see how he builds on that over the final two months of 2018.
I announce, however, a tie for # 12. I can't leave out:
12A. JOE CAVALLARO - tremendous starter for Columbia all season, got promoted to AA for a start on Thursday, where he pitched decently enough. Good for you, JC.
I announce, however, a tie for # 12. I can't leave out:
12A. JOE CAVALLARO - tremendous starter for Columbia all season, got promoted to AA for a start on Thursday, where he pitched decently enough. Good for you, JC.
SPECIAL MENTION:
OF Kevin Kaczmarski (AAA, Mets cup of coffee), IF/OF Kevin Taylor (AA), 1B Jeremy Vasquez (full A), C Ali Sanchez (A), C Scott Manea (A).
OF Kevin Kaczmarski (AAA, Mets cup of coffee), IF/OF Kevin Taylor (AA), 1B Jeremy Vasquez (full A), C Ali Sanchez (A), C Scott Manea (A).
A case could be made for all 5 of the Special Mention fellas to be in the top 12.
And last year's 3rd rounder Quinn Brodey has not been a best performer, but has shown recent signs of emerging from a season-long slump, striking out less and showing very good power. I expect two strong months to close out the season from Brodey.
There you have it, people.
The Delightful Dozen.
8 comments:
Gimenez seems to be heating back up, with 7 hits in his last 4 games. 26 steals in less than 80 games, too, which certainly indicates he has above average speed and base stealing acumen that Amed Rosario has not displayed.
Tebow hitting .373 (22 for 59) since June 16. Jokes don't hit .373 over that long a stretch.
At This Juncture of the Season
Mets fans, the ones who have not become Yankee fans or jumped off their home's roof, are hungry to see progress. Sometimes to move ahead three steps, a team has to step backwards one step. Maybe that is what is needed here if one step backwards is still possible.
Suggestions:
Conforto and Rosario sent down to AA Binghamton to regain and grow out more their fundamental skills and knowledge batting wise. Both have struggled unbelievably of recent, but both have also shown us some greatness in the past. Not unlike other NY Mets batters, they have forgotten how to swing level and their windmill swing isn't working so well. Think about it for a moment in physics. The batter has a much better chance of making solid contact on a pitched ball approaching that baseball from a level plain. Ask Mack, he knows this stuff for goodness sakes!
I find this idea to Binghamton or even Brooklyn to be probably the easiest and quickest way to get both of these fine players back up to the Mets totally whole again. Binghamton and Las Vegas have players that could be called up in their absence to the minors.
Brandon Nimmo should sit until his hand is 100% again and he returns his swinging level again. Playing Kevin Kaczmarski until then would be fine. Kevin is already up on the Mets, so it isn't a plane ride from Vegas.
Joey Bats is back! Has found the Fountain of Youth, but said that he will not share. Joey?
Righty starters Justin Dunn (2.38 ERA, 89 K's in 79 innings, 1.17 WHIP) and Joe Cavallaro (8-2 record, 88 K's in 82 innings, 1.09 WHIP) are showing well in Ponieland, and may be on the doorstep to a Las Vegas call up? (Hopefully)
My Own Personal Hope
I'd like to see Chris Flexen, Tyler Bashlor, and Drew Smith get more innings up with the NY Mets and soon. I think Flexen is the best starter in the farm system (at present) and is close. Tyler Bashlor has almost Chris Sale type aggressiveness on the mound, something I really like to see in a pitcher. The Mets have so few pitchers (especially in the pen) that attack the plate like that, but man we need more and I think Bashlor could be one!
Mets Trade Ideas
I still would like a big, late inning lefty reliever added into the Mets bullpen. Jose Alvarado from Tampa Bay would be great here. Tampa Bay has to need something in a trade back.
Mets Promotions
Well, I mentioned sending Conforto and Rosario down to the minors for work in an above post. Maybe OF Zach Borenstein from Vegas (he's got like 19 bombs and is upgrading his batting average the last few weeks too) and then either McNeil, Kelley, Neil, or Colon for the infield Rosario spot. (Pick one)
Can NY Mets batters here learn how to hit a baseball to the opposite field even just on the ground thus negating all these stupid opponent shifts we have to put up with each and every single game? Can we not do this somehow?
Finally, I think that the Mets fans want to forget that 2016, 2017, and 2018 ever happened. Lord knows I do. Maybe this off season would be a great time to re-design the home and away NY Mets uniforms so that the team and its fans can start over fresh and new in 2019. After all, this is the "New NY Mets Era of Baseball" and we all want to feel this brand new start! Plus, its good for fan uniform, sweatshirt, jacket, and hat purchases, right?
Lots of good thoughts, Anon. I will address a few, I'm running out.
When teams shift, hitters are foolish not to look to beat the shift. For obvious reasons - Bruce said that a grounder to the right side for him is an automatic out. Neutralize that shift. Be smart.
Level swings cannot hurt. Save the upper cuts for the barber shop.
Bashlor, I am on board 100%. Flexen has me baffled like Montero did.
Trade Buzz
There is some buzz lately regarding the Mets being interested in lefty starter Blake Snell from TB Rays. I always wanted 23 year old TB lefty reliever Jose Alvarado here as a NY Met. I think he could be both a set-up and then a closer as well. So Snell and Alvarado?
What would it take here?
Blake Snell is young and one of the top three lefty starters (in my opinion) in the NL right now, and Alvarado is an aggressive late inning/closer type that this team has not had here since Billy Wagner rode off. Would I trade Zach Wheeler, Steven Matz, and Lagares for them? A: Yes. Why? Because the Mets do not have any real sure thing lefty starters down at Vegas or Binghamton close to being called up and Blake Snell is younger and better than the often injured Steven Matz. Plus, Alvarado relievers do not just grow on Banana Trees!
Plus, the NY Mets have been waiting on Dave Roseboom since prohibition ended, I think! It's time for this Mets team to go out and get what they want and need here most. I like Zach Wheeler a lot, but he gets injured a lot too not unlike Steven Matz. How many seasons can this franchise waste on injured good players being out?
Would TB Rays do this trade?
Yes, I think so. Neither Zachary or Steven make that much in contract, I do not think. TB needs two starters added in, and if they want three pitchers then throw in Gsellman or Montero maybe.
Maybe with deGrom, Syndergaard, and Snell in tow the Mets rotation could see someone like a Chris Flexen or a Corey Oswalt added into the 2018 rotation equation. Then in 2019, maybe Justin Dunn and Joe Cavallaro could be invited to ST for their shot.
Plus, by trading Matz and Wheeler, the NY Mets still have trading pieces left to make more trades for player position pieces, or another fifth starter that they need.
It's a thought.
Meant Blake Snell is one of the top three starters in the AL, not the NL as I said above. My bad. He's probably in the top ten starters in MLB too, or very close.
Imagine a Mets rotation with deGrom, Syndergaard, and Snell in the top three slots?
"Lions, and Tigers, and Bears, oh my!"
Okay, the below completes my own personal wish list for the upcoming trade deadline, as if anyone should actually care beyond just me. And yes, I do realize that most MLB fans are disappointed with what their team receives back in trade at the deadline, if anything really at all.
I'd be very happy with TB lefty starter Blake Snell, TB lefty reliever Jose Alvarado, and Milwaukee Brewer catcher Jacob Nottingham.
To get them?
I don't know maybe Steven Matz and Zachary Wheeler for Blake Snell and Jose Alvarado. Then maybe Sal Mineo, Dominic Smith, and the dead-like contract of Travis d'Arnaud to the Brew Crew for 23 year old catcher kid Nottingham. Why Nottingham? Because he is young (23), has some pop, catches a decent game and I get the feeling lately going forward that MLB teams might be in need of two decent and platooning catchers much like hockey became awhile back, with its two platooning goal keepers.
Look at how many times a week that a fan sees their catcher hit in the head with a bat, or takes a 97 mph fastball off their wrist or arm.
It's just the way the game is going now. Catcher and even home plate umpiring is a dangerous occupation when the majority of MLB pitchers are throwing near to 100 mph.
I think it would take more than what you offer to get a quality young stud like Blake Snell. Alvarado looks interesting but it seems control is a real issue for him.
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