 |
| PC - Ed Delany |
"HONEY, HAVE YOU SEEN THE KIDS?"
Tom Brennan - OLDER METS, YOUNGER OPPONENTS
Brodie VW has been trading for and signing vets this offseason - Cano, Lowrie, etc.
Older gents Jed Lowrie and Todd Frazier wasted no time this spring coming up lame, and quickly joined fellow 30+ Yoenis Cespedes (La Absencia) in the infirmary.
Younger 1B gents Dominic Smith and Pete Alonso are thankfully tearing it up at the plate. When I asked Smith why he was doing so much better, he said "CPAP", so I said "OK, sure, I'll go and ask your Father".
OK, I'm back...How about the Mets' opponents in the division - what are the young, relevant hitters on the Nats, the Braves, and the Phillies up to?
NATS:
Through Tuesday, the Nats' highly heralded, highly young Juan Soto and Victor Robles had combined to go 12 for 35 with 8 walks, 3 steals, a double, triple, and homer, 10 RBIs and a .340 average and .460 on base %. And still-young (25) Trea Turner has a .444 OBP.
Three headaches right there for Mets fans.
Three headaches right there for Mets fans.
BRAVES:
The Braves already have Albies and Acuna - and they have others, too.
#4 prospect OF Cristian Pache is supposedly ticketed for the bigs in 2020, but so far thru Tuesday, his split line was .364/.462/.545 in relatively limited at bats, so perhaps he gets up sooner.
# 5 prospect 3B Austin Riley, due to debut this year, is 4 for 17 and 2 walks - not great, but OK. The 21 year old hit a fine .294 with 52 extra base hits in 108 games in the minors last year.
Other Brave hitting prospects seem to be further away in terms of big league readiness.
PHILLIES:
Big power Dylan Cozens had an amazingly bad debut in 2018 with an astonishing 24 Ks in 38 official at bats.
But so far this spring, Cozens has gone 7 for 14, with 2 doubles, 2 homers, 4 walks and "just" 4 Ks as he has focused more on making contact.
The 24 year old lefty giant had hit 88 homers in 357 games over the past 3 minor league years. With "not-so-nice" Bryce arriving to suck up outfielder at bats, Cozens may be heading back in AAA for more fine tuning.
But so far this spring, Cozens has gone 7 for 14, with 2 doubles, 2 homers, 4 walks and "just" 4 Ks as he has focused more on making contact.
The 24 year old lefty giant had hit 88 homers in 357 games over the past 3 minor league years. With "not-so-nice" Bryce arriving to suck up outfielder at bats, Cozens may be heading back in AAA for more fine tuning.
# 3 Phils prospect OF Adam Haseley (#8 overall in 2017) is targeted to show up this year for the Phillies. So far this spring, he is a measly 2 for 16, but with just 3 Ks, along with a homer and 5 RBIs. Another guy who should be sad constrained by the presence of 700 Harper plate appearances per year.
I don't see their young hitters doing much in 2019, which I presume is half (or more) of the reason why they went out and got Segura, Realmuto, and Harper.
Am I missing any super hitter prospects from those 3 teams, folks?
We in Metsville have other good young hitters besides Smith and Alonso, of course - named Rosario, McNeil, Conforto, and Nimmo.
So, Metsies, we should be competitive in our Division on the youth front, even if the older guys linger in sick bay.
I think the guy who wrote Achy Breaky Heart must have been a Met once. He was fine before he came to the Mets.
I think the guy who wrote Achy Breaky Heart must have been a Met once. He was fine before he came to the Mets.
Tom -
ReplyDeleteMorning
I have tunnel vision at this point in my life. I don't stray outside the Mets world.
You are good at this and it is a win for the site.
I really really really didn't want to lose Dunn and Kelenic but I really really LOVE that deal. An all star closer and a HOF second baseman for 2 untested rookies. C'mon.
As for the rookie prospects left, they would be the same regardless of what these other teams have developed. I blame Sandy for this, not Brodie.
Putting McNeil back at third today is a good idea. I expect him to open there on opening day with Dom Smith at first.
We will figure out what to do with these two when Alonso comes up at mid-month.
Look, again: when teams sign free agents, they are ALWAYS going to be vets. That's how the world works.
ReplyDeleteBrodie inherited Todd Frazier, one year left, and an untradeable contract.
Amazingly, Brodie was able to dump Jay Bruce -- stuck with him for two more seasons, at a wildly overpriced sum -- and that cleared the way for Alonso and Smith to try to establish themselves at 1B.
He dumped Swarzak, another unmoveable guy, to make room for better pitchers.
Amazingly, and cheaply, he brought in a 24-year-old stud closer in Diaz, a guy who possesses electric stuff. Could his arm fall off? Sure, it could. Who knows!
McNeil has a real shot.
I'm glad he brought in Lowrie. AL all-star last season, and an affordable two-year deal. Could he fall off a cliff? Sure, maybe. I'm glad we have him.
And glad we have Cano: professional hitter. He's going to help the Mets win baseball games this year. That's a new idea at Citi Field, and obviously that priority has thrown some people off.
I don't agree with your these and don't think you have the facts to support it.
Respectfully, since I appreciate your enthusiasm for the Mets and the effort you put into this blog.
Jimmy P
Mack, thanks.
ReplyDeleteActually, Jimmy P, I think our kids are pretty good, and what I wrote implies it is not all roses in those other touted prospect organizations. But I sure do like the Nats' duo of Soto and Robles. I sincerely hope Lowrie is healthy and plays a ton of games.
I never liked the Frazier signing - it was an "I hope" signing - I hope hitting .213 in 2017 was just a down season...but .213 again in 2018 proves to me it wasn't. Up to him to prove us wrong. Seems like Michael Cuddyer Part II. Think this is his final season.
Frazier is Dave Kingman with less power (and probably no rats on the way to reporters he doesn't like). All or nothing.
ReplyDeleteWhat really upset me was the fact that they're now planning to play McNeil at 3B which I guess is their way of pushing Carlos Gomez onto the roster. I'd rather see Davis and McNeil than Gomez and McNeil (J.D., not Rajai).
Reese, Davis 3 for 3 today...he wants to stay. I'd keep him over Cargo Lite.
ReplyDeleteBVW gave up a lot to get Davis, so there's that. Saving face is responsible for a LOT of decisions.
ReplyDelete