Watching the Las Vegas 51s is a lot like watching the New
York Mets. The organizational philosophy
of favoring over-the-hill veterans over youngsters with potential is
pervasive. It was a great contrast
between how San Diego operates its AAA team and what the Mets do with theirs.
Take the lineup for the 51s.
It included Ty Kelly at 2B (age 30), Patrick Kivlehan at 3B (age 29),
Zach Borenstein in LF (age 28), Matt den Dekker in CF (age 31), Bryce Brentz in
RF (age 30) and Jose Lobaton behind the plate (age 34). Pitchers include Scott Copeland (31), Drew
Gagnon (28), Ian Krol (27), Cody Martin (29) and Kyle Regnault (30).
The Chihuahuas, by contrast featured Luis Urias (21) at 2B, Carlos Asuaje (26) at SS, Ty France (24) at 3B, Javy Guerra (23) and Forrest Allday (27). Pitchers Logan Allen (21), Walker Lockett (24) and Cal Quantril (24) started games in this series.
Is it any wonder that while developing younger players the
Padres have one of the strongest farm systems in baseball and the Chihuahuas
are perennial pennant winners? The 51s
use retreads and AAAA players for no logical reason whatsoever and then fight
to stay out of the cellar. That formula
doesn’t work in AAA just as it doesn’t work in the majors.
These mistakes repeat on the big club, too, with Jose Reyes
(35), Jose Bautista (37), Austin Jackson (31) and Devin Mesoraco (30) getting
playing time at the expense of younger players who are not scheduled to depart
as free agents and thus potentially part of the team’s future who should be
evaluated in this garbage time of the season.
You’re stuck with some older dead weight like Todd Frazier and Jay Bruce
upon his return, so playing them is somewhat understandable as they are
virtually untradeable.
I’m begrudgingly willing to let them continue the Geritol
brigade for another 10 days in the hopes they can peddle them off to another
club, but come September 1st when rosters expand and players who
change uniforms are not eligible for post-season play, there is NO EXCUSE
WHATSOEVER to let any of the aforementioned quartet get off the bench except to
visit the water cooler.
In September I want to see Dom Smith platoon with Wilmer
Flores at 1st, Jeff McNeil at 2nd, Amed Rosario at SS, Todd
Frazier at 3B, Brandon Nimmo, Michael Conforto and Jay Bruce in the OF and
Kevin Plawecki behind the plate, night after night, with only a rare rest here
and there. As much as it pains me to
push Wilmer Flores to the bench most of the time, you need to see what Smith
can do and Monday night’s debacle in LF suggests his position in Callaway’s
doghouse is now more firmly entrenched than ever.
Things are not going to improve greatly until the Wilpons
are gone. However, a minor improvement
could be expected if ANYONE but John Ricco is handed the reins for next year.
Don’t bank on it.
11 comments:
I heard Wheeler was pissed the other night - imagine, if you will, that instead of 0 for 5 Reyes playing, Jeff McNeil (1 for 1 as a PH) played. Maybe Wheeler wins a close one, and smiles. PLAY YOUR BEST GUYS!! Play McNeil daily...lefties and righties.
I think Mesoraco's days are clearly numbered - he seems only like a better version of Anthony Recker.
I think we see Plawecki starting next year, and d'Arnaud as a back up once he is healthy, which could be by opening day or by May 1. I can live with that, assuming d'Arnaud's arm fully heals.
So Plawecki ought to play constantly, as you suggest. Get him as ready as possible for starting next year. Tomas Nido was hot for a while, then recently went ice cold...I do not believe he will ever hit well enough, and only is suitable as a short term call up/fill in type of guy.
I an starting to wonder, out of all the oldies, if Kivlehan could be a future 5th outfielder. 200 MLB at bats, mostly in 2017, hitting just .203, but with 10 homers...he seems to be getting better, and is red hot lately. SEVEN homers in his last 8 games for Vegas, and he is hitting .303/.348/.548 in 86 games there.
Nothing the Mets do for the remaider of this year is going to change anything.
And next year's team will will be just as old.
6 of the top 15 Mets prospects are playing in Kingsport. That's over 33%
True, Mack, and it is likely a few of the 6 prospects in Kingsport will falter along the way.
Tom
I really like what the Mets have done over the past 2 drafts and Int'l signees.
But we need 3 more of these to build the kind of pipeline talent a successful org. has.
For now, we have contract commitments
Alonso Mcneil Rosario Frazier Flores Rivera Plawecki d.Arnaud should be your infield.
Cespedes Bruce Conforto Nimmo Lagares your outfield
Go from there
Mack:
it's not the first time I've read that the Mets' drafts and int'l signings have improved the last two seasons; what change has happened? is it Omar Minaya?
It very well could be the Mets are hesitant to send their young prospects to Las Vegas. There is the bad field, its a place with plenty of distractions off the field, and they are far away from the front office.
If this happens next year when the AAA team moves back to the east coast, well then there are no excuses.
Jon -
Nick Francona told me that it's Chris Beccera that is doing all the right things internationally.
As for the draft, it's Tommy Tanous
Omar looks over both of them
Anon -
I agree. The Mets have given up on the PCL atmosphere. It distorts both the hitting and pitching results.
Still, there isn't a ton of talent being stockpiled at AA right now.
I'm doing a post on this the first week in September where I break out only the top prospects in the system and where I project them to be playing
I have only 2 'A' prospects playing in Syracuse on OD... Dunn and Kilome
And, I have only 3 in AA: Peterson, Kay, Gimenez
That's 40%, a lot better than 33%.
Forgive me, but the most glaring weakness is a catcher who can control the running game. Give me that plus another bat and the Mets will be competitive with any other team as long as they don't trade away their starters.
While I agree with what Raymond says about the need for a catcher, where is that other offense going to fit? Let's assume for now you can pencil in McNeil at 2B, Rosario at SS and Frazier at 3B. Then you have Nimmo, Conforto and Bruce in the OF.
Now, compared to the 2018 season, a full year of McNeil is probably on par with what Cabrera delivered, perhaps a slight upgrade. Frazier battled health problems and should be slightly better. Rosario is the most interesting of the infielders as he's showing now why he was so well regarded on his ascent to the majors. Speed and consistent hitting from him would be huge.
In the OF you have Nimmo and Conforto who should be solid. Jay Bruce is capable if healthy and one of them becomes excess if/when Cespedes returns.
The big wildcard in offense is Pete Alonso. He's hit another wall in AAA in the hitter friendly environment but 30 HR/107 RBIs is notable at any level. Warts and all he's decidedly better than Adrian Gonzalez and a worthy gamble. However, will he produce more initially than Wilmer Flores? They don't need two slow-footed power hitting first basemen.
If, and that's a huge if, they remain healthy, the offense could probably withstand a defense-first catcher.
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