While there are strong arguments to be made both ways for whether the Cano/Diaz trade sending Jay Bruce, Anthony Swarzaz, Jared Kelenic, Justin Dunn and Gerson Bautista was a good one or a bad one, the fact is it changes the face fo the ballclub and raises a number of questions which need to be addressed. Some are old (catcher and reinforcements in the pen), but some are new as well.
As it stands right now, just as they dispatched one fan favorite in Wilmer Flores, another fan favorite, Jeff McNeil, went from the guy penciled in at 2B to the man without a position. Under the previous regime salary dictated playing time and no one is suggesting Cano be benched in favor of McNeil. However, when you place Todd Frazier on the scale vs. McNeil and it certainly tips to the man whose rookie season ended with a .329 AVG.
Losing Bruce for the moment opens up the centerfield spot to the perpetually disabled Juan Lagares in CF. At this time last year we heard a lot about the new launch angle which would improve Lagares’ offensive game and he was off to a sizzling start before his annual injury derailed his season. Going into 2019 counting on 162 games from Juan Lagares is about as foolish as would be expecting a full season from Travis d’Arnaud, though his right handed hitting and defensive prowess certainly would be welcome in a lefty-heavy lineup not known for its Gold Glove potential.
It’s interesting that the Mets apparently sent a list of prospects over to Seattle yet pulled back two names as untouchable – Andres Gimenez and Peter Alonso. Gimenez is probably a couple of years away but a case could be made to letting Alonso win the 1B job out of spring training as he would provide a right handed power bat that the team so desperately needs given the .213 hitting Todd Frazier’s dismal output. If salary does not dictate playing time but they do want to play the service time manipulation game, then I would expect Frazier to cross the diamond and McNeil to take over at 3B where he played 151 at 3B vs. 213 at 2B. It’s not as if the position would be new to him. I’d be more concerned about Frazier adapting to 1B where he’s only played 94 games vs. 917 at 3B.
So it would seem that outfielders (particularly right handed hitting ones), relievers and catchers are still on Trader Bro’s shopping list. The recently non-tendered candidates from other clubs include a few interesting names that might be worth having their tires kicked.
Perhaps the biggest name on the list is former Reds’ CF Billy Hamilton. A total disruption on the basepaths, like Eric Young, Jr. before him, the switch hitter has never learned how to steal 1B and owns a mediocre .245 career batting average. Being so one dimensional, even with the mediocre speed on most of the roster I don’t think he’s the right way to go.
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The White Sox tired of decent but never great Avasail Garcia. The big right handed hitting outfielder hit 19 HRs last season but saw his average dip to .236 after .330 the year prior. He’s primarily a right fielder, having logged just 33 games in CF during his 7 years in the majors. He was earning $6.7 million last year and is due for a downward adjustment.
Shelby Miller has the dubious distinction of being one of the hotter commodities whose career has been derailed by injuries and it surely pains the Arizona Diamondbacks to see Ender Inciarte become a regular part of the Atlanta Braves’ attack. When he was good he was very good, but the last few years have been mostly lost and the Mets may not have any interest in folks who spent considerable time on the DL. When healthy with the Braves he turned in a 2015 hard-luck 5-17 season with a 3.02 ERA and in 2013 was 15-9 for a much better St. Louis Cardinals club with a 3.06. He’s a lightning in a bottle roll of the dice. Think of it as taking a chance on Chris Jones (pitcher) whose performance was terrific when he could manage to stay on the field. A minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training might be the way to go and gauge how far along he is in his recovery.
One name I would certainly explore is the former Giant Hunter Strickland. His track record has been solid though he had a slight blip in 2018. For his career he’s 14-14 with a 2.91 ERA over 253 games. Last year was an anomaly at 3.97 but he certainly has a long enough track record to suggest he’s worth considering. He was earning just $1.55 million last year and it’s a head scratcher that the Giants let him go. He did have an embarrassing injury last year when he hurt his hand punching a door after a blown save, but it would seem that a pitcher of this quality should have been able to weather a few bad headlines.
The checkered path to the majors for Matt Bush is not a feel-good story at all. He was guilty of drunk driving in which he was arrested for having THREE accidents in a single day, including a hit and run after colliding with an elderly motorcycle rider. He was jailed and out of baseball until the Rangers took a chance on him. He responded with a stellar rookie campaign at the age of 30 with a 7-2 record, 2.48 ERA and batters not even managing to hit .200 against him. He’s trended in the wrong direction since then and had some arm injuries. He’s the ultimate wild card and has some bad PR baggage to accompany him, but the quality is apparently present in him.
Relief pitcher Brad Boxberger once saved 41 games for the Tampa Bay Rays but lately things have not gone as well. As a buy-low candidate, he started off like a house afire with the Diamondbacks last season but finished poorly. He’s a veteran arm that would likely cost very little but it’s certainly not a sexy move.
One name you may not know is Blake Parker who most recently served in the Angels pen after earlier in his career working out of Wrigley Field. For his career he has a 3.29 ERA after a 3.26 mark last season. He will turn 34 during the upcoming season and worked mostly as a setup guy throughout his career though he did log 14 saves in 2018. Durable, he pitched in 71 and 67 games each of the last two years. He earned $1.8 million last year and cannot be a free agent until 2021. I can’t imagine he would be very expensive.
One lefty I would be all over is Luis Avilan. Owning a 3.09 ERA for his career, the well traveled Avilan has pitched for the Braves, Dodgers, White Sox and Phillies. Throught his 399 major league games he has a 19-10 record. He was cut loose after earning just $2.45 million last season. He would seem to be a much less expensive replacement for Jerry Blevins.
By the way, I don't know if anyone noticed but the recently claimed Met and Yankee players -- Jordan Patterson and Ronald Torryes -- were both non-tendered as well. In the case of Patterson, I don't see a fit for the major league roster and in Torryes you have essentially Luis Guillorme, a guy who can play three INF positions with no power and no speed (but a .281 lifetime AVG). Jonathan Schoop is an interesting gamble, too, but the Mets are knee deep in 2nd basemen, so I don't see a fit.
Of course, should a rumored deal of Noah Syndergaard happen, then the whole equation changes dramatically once again. However, the non-tender guys may be a way to find some bargains compared to the traditional FA route and save those dollars to address the CF and C positions that are not to be found here.
11 comments:
I am very intrigued by both Boxberger and Strickland. I would sign both and hope to sign Andrew Miller. That would complete our relief corps.
I would also take a flyer on Billy Hamilton as our 5th outfielder. We need speed and a defensive replacement type.
Hard to write speculative articles, since in Brodie Land, a lot can still change. Maybe, for instance, Jeter decides he'll take Nimmo and McNeil for Realmuto - then we'd need an OF and a 2B. Maybe Rosario goers and they feel that Gimenez does enough things right to rush him to the big leagues, but then you'd need a viable SS back up in case he struggles a lot.
If we get Miller and Robinson for the pen, who we'd need after that changes somewhat. And then there are guys like Bobby Wahl, who had a really strong year in AAA, Mets get him, he gets called up, hardly pitches and tears his hamstring...he could be a back-of-the-pen high heat arm.
That said, you always manage to find interesting guys to consider for role positions.
On the topic of the Todd Man, I don't care what Frazier is paid, if he is here on opening day, he should be a part timer against lefties. Although career-wise, he is about equal hitting righties and lefties. .213 two straight years, declining power...hard to think McNeil would not be better, although a soph jinx is always a possibility.
I agree with Zozo on Billy Hamilton, if the price is right. He may have a .300 OBP, but speed makes a .300 OBP more valuable than a slow dude having a .300 OBP, so as a reserve OF, he works for me.
Avasail Garcia seems like an outfield version of Todd Frazier, bat-wise. Pass.
I really dont understand the Gimenez untouchablitity. I look at it differently maybe. The mets have a young shortstop already and its the one place in their pipeline where they have multiple potential players. Theya re currently asset rich in shortstops and asset poor everywhere else besides ml starting pitches. Now i understand Dipoto doesnt like latin american players (he's being sued but the female trainer they hired) and he mostly traded them away in his deals with the mets and phillies i am surprised Gimenez wasnt on the table vs Kelenic and dunn. I still wouldnt have liked the trade but for some reason Gimenez would have been a more palatable inclusion then kelenic and dunn even though he's the higher rated prospect. I like trading from strength.
Gimenez?
I can not understand how Luis Guillorme just simply tell off the map.
Luis has a 6-season, .287 batting average in the minors but only 67 at-bats in the bigs.
Sure, there is no power here but why doesn't anybody, at least, give him a chance to become the UT-IF next spring?
Luis Guillorme has a tough road. He can get on base but once he's there he's not blessed with great speed. He has no power whatsoever, so his value is as defensive replacement. Think a left handed Ruben Tejada with less pop (if that's even possible).
Hopefully Luis G was in the weight room as you wrote that, Mack. It worked for Jeff McNeil.
I think if Frazier and McNeil are both on the opening day roster, that McNeil HAS to start somewhere (likely 3B) and Frazier is your utility guy off the bench (unless we play service time games with Alonso).
As far as bullpen depth, I like your list Reese.
We have a shortage of lefties, so I would definitely focus on adding there (Zack Britton, please).
These pieces I have mentioned are supplemental/role players, not primary. There's no reason to ignore a guy like Andrew Miller even if you sign a Luis Avilan.
One of the big criticisms of Sandy was his "bargain-bin" shopping Now that he's gone, we get lists of bargains worth pursuing.
Damned if you do, damned if... 😈
Sandy shopped in the bargain bin for people who would play significant starting roles. There's nothing wrong with the bargain bin for role players to back up REAL players like Cano and Diaz.
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