Tom Brennan - SOMETHING TO REMEMBER WITH PETER ALONSO
Other than Dwight Gooden, every Met I can ever think of needed a good amount of time in the minors to enhance skills...deGrom, Wright, Harvey, you name 'em.
Amed Rosario accumulated around 2,000 minor plate appearances and wasn't really fully ready anyway.
Peter Alonso had just 516 plate appearances before this season, due to twice having broken hands. Now, after 2018, he's up to 1,090.
That's about the same # of PAs that Ronald "Acuna Mattata" Jr had before being promoted, and about 500 more than burgeoning kiddie star Juan Soto needed.
That's about the same # of PAs that Ronald "Acuna Mattata" Jr had before being promoted, and about 500 more than burgeoning kiddie star Juan Soto needed.
To do what Pete accomplished at AA and AAA after just 516 minor league plate appearances prior to 2018 is mind-boggling.
This year, in just 574 plate appearances, 31 doubles, 36 homers, 119 RBIs, 76 walks.
Highly impressive. Huge, in fact.
Often criticized for his fielding, he made just 9 errors (none recently) in 110 games at first base.
Oh, and just 3 errors in his 59 games at 1B in Las Vegas.
He is a hard worker, in-and-off season.
Hard work has its rewards.
I think he is coming very fast - and still improving.
I want this guy at first base for the Mets - and soon.
Tom, I must agree with your assessment on Alonso and feel that he will be the top Mets prospect on the nationally ranked prospect lists. Gimenez is nice, but Alonso’s stat line jumps off the page and it’s hard to overcome that. Hard to understand how you don’t have him first (cop out because McNeil got promoted? LOL) and how Mack has him third.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I screen-shoted your analysis last week of the top performers from this past draft to read it during the winter when I need some cheering up. The Mets system may not be the best, but it has improved in leaps these last two years. Can you imagine if they could have done something when they were actually clamoring that they were building it from 2010-2015? Where are all those prospects?
Does it bother you to see how teams like the Cardinals, Astros, Padres have such winning records in their systems and the Mets’ teams are barely breaking even? Am I reading too much into that?
Great job Tom, keep it up. I was in Greece for most of August and got out of rhythm with my participation, and there are times that I just can’t post a comment no matter how many times I try, but I enjoy your stuff and keep up the good work.
Thanks, TexasGus. I do need to update my prospect list again, too.
DeleteI just saw that you have Alonso third too? Wow. Didn’t you have him first until like, yesterday?
ReplyDeleteSorry, but I agree with all of the reasons the Mets have stated for holding off till ST. Especially, having to figure out what to do with Bruce, Smith, and Flores regarding 1B in the off-season. Do I want to see Alonso ASAP, of course, and I want to see him at 1B in ST and in NY in 2019. But especially if he isn't ready for MLB defensively (it isn't only about errors) then the Instructional League and the AFL will do him good. The roster spots during the off-season and the service time issues will also prove to be important.
ReplyDeleteI just think today's stupid rules hold guys back like Alonso. Suspend the 40 man and Super 2 rules after August and reward those who deserve it, when they deserve it.
DeleteThe age limit for a "prospect" is 24.
ReplyDeleteJust saying...
I think your high Mack
DeleteI always said if your 22 you better be ready (most Turn 23 during the season)
If you make it at 20 or 21 your special
By 24 you better have been there... (look at wright and Reyes as examples)
So whose uniform will Alonso be wearing in May of 2019? I don't think it will be orange and blue. They can't trade Smith due to his recent performance and get any kind of return. They can't trade Bruce due to his contract and poor performance with injuries in 2018. They could trade Flores but the return would not be significant. However, the gaudy Pete Alonso numbers are something other teams would covet.
ReplyDeleteI'm not saying I want it to happen, but I expect it to happen.
Reese, would you do a trade of Alonso and David Peterson for Vlad Jr?
ReplyDeleteTexas Gus, baseball aside, how was Greece? Any recommendations there of places to visit? May want to go with my wife for a vacation at some point.
ReplyDeleteTom, we're from Karpathos and that's a beautiful island without the tourist crush. Santorini is worth the attention it receives, Kefalonia and Lefkada are beautiful, and I went to Lesvos this past summer and was impressed. The best time to go is September or at least before the crush of the European tourists in August. You will love it, but bring plan as much as you can before you go because it can get pricey.
ReplyDeleteIn this age of player control, I think Bruce is being showcased this September and Alonso is the future. Alonso is a possible seven year combo of power and bat control that two years of Bruce will never duplicate. While everyone is tradeable, it takes the right kind of motivation to entice another team, but only if they know Bruce is healthy and producing.
The one caveat I would have in trading for Vlad Jr. as he looks like a bigger version of Prince Fielder. But, it's hard to say no to that deal.
I am expecting Alonso to be a top-30, possibly top-20, MLB prospect next January.
TexasGus, thanks for input on Greece!
ReplyDeleteI definitely am looking forward to Alonso rejoining the Mighty McNeil in Queens as Batman and Robin.
Another Alonso perspective: On July 19, he exploded from his Vegas slump. The last 41 games, he hit .317 with 15 doubles, 15 HRs, and 44 RBIs. Project those #'s out - pretty danged Ruthian.
ReplyDeleteSome guys end up with 15 doubles, 15 HRs and 44 RBIs for a whole season and we try to rationalize why they're a prospect - Pete did the above in 1/4 of a full major league season.
Tom, I see your new prospect order and I'm liking some of it, but how did you leave out Kilome? Just like Mack left off Petersen?
ReplyDeleteAlso, have to give Lindsey more time. Too many tools to write him off. Gilliam, Sanchez and Adolph are quite aggressive in my opinion, and I would offer Kilome, Bautista (with regard to pure stuff), and Lindsey instead.
Gus, I checked with Jake deGrom and he told me I couldn't have 4 and 9 Kilome in my top 15, since winning is ALL that matters! I would have Kilome and the hard throwing but all too hittable Bautista later in my top 20, and the struggling, but athletic Lindsay in my top 25. He needs to hit more, fan less, stay healthier.
ReplyDeleteDon’t jinx my buddy’s Cy Young chances by saying only wins matter. We are clamoring individual performance here in Metsville, LOL!
ReplyDeleteThe Nationals have been rained out quite a bit and have the Braves in Atlanta this weekend with Florence coming in around then. Looking for every person’s safety first, but if Scherzer could lose a couple of starts and get thrown off his game that would help too.