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4/15/19

Reese Kaplan -- 1986 Mets Made Too Much Depth Work



The only time the NY Mets had a “laugher” of a season was in 1986 when they dominated almost from Opening Day through the end of September.  Yes, the tension and emotion of a hard-fought pennant race are certainly something to get the juices (and blood pressure) moving, but how nice was it for once to have had pretty much no doubt from the first crack of the bat in April?

I bring up this journey down memory lane because of something one of our regular readers, Bill Metsiac, has been saying repeatedly whenever the topic of the current roster composition comes up.  A lot has already been written about the depth the Mets already have and will expand when Todd Frazier and Jed Lowrie are finally available.  If you look back to the 1986 squad, they too enjoyed a similar embarrassment of riches and rode it all the way to the World Series.

If you asked someone right now who, for example, was the centerfielder on that club you would alternatively get people answering Mookie Wilson and Lenny Dykstra.  It was not strictly a platoon, but both played a significant amount during the year, finishing within 50 ABs of each other, both productive and helping lead the club to the post-season.  Combined they provided 17 HRs, 90 RBIs and 56 SBs while hitting over .290.  Wow, who wouldn’t want that kind of production?

The Mets’ outfield may not be quite up to that caliber right now, but on the days when Mickey Callaway plays Jeff McNeil, Brandon Nimmo and Michael Conforto together, I don’t think anyone is complaining about the offensive potential they provide.  Should Yoenis Cespedes come back at some point this season then the OF becomes that much more potent.

A similar question would be answered differently if you asked about 2nd base.  Some would respond Wally Backman was the starter while others would remember the efforts of Tim Teufel.  While neither provided much run production, you can’t forget Wally hit .320.

Most everyone would agree that World Series MVP Ray Knight was indeed the starter at 3B where he did have more than 500 ABs while delivering 11 HRs, 76 RBIs and hit .298.  However, the Mets still managed to find lots of ABs for Howard Johnson and Kevin Mitchell – even more than Knight received – and they combined to provide 19 HRs and 82 RBIs.  Of course, both of them occasionally even saw some action at shortstop where the only weak link in the lineup, Rafael Santana, hit but .213 for the season. 

So many people are wondering what becomes of Frazier and Lowrie, given the fine work provided by Pete Alonso, Dom Smith and Jeff McNeil already?  Frankly, who cares?  The idea is to win and if you’re getting contributions from everyone then the depth is indeed a luxury to enjoy.

About the only folks not happy with the impending return of the veteran infielders are likely Luis Guilorme and J.D. Davis whose grips on major league roster spots are tenuous at best.  In Guillorme’s case, he’s not yet shown the type of bat in his limited opportunities to justify remaining on the big league roster.  Davis has most definitely shown flashes of great bat speed and exit velocity, but the young man has minor league options and the thought is that Todd Frazier would provide the same right handed power. 

In an ideal world the Mets would be able to peddle some of the excess to another club to obtain fortifications for the 5th starter slot or the bullpen, but the guys you’d most want to trade are probably the least desirable to other clubs.  However, rather than losing sleep over how to make room for everyone, just look back to 1986 as a model for how you can use depth to your post-season advantage.

11 comments:

  1. The joke is starting, "Who will return first, Jed Lowrie or David Wright?" Jed got hurt 8 weeks ago. Where, oh where, is he?

    Todd Frazier is an example of subtraction by addition. Mr. .213 (his average in both 2017 and 2018) has hit an unsurprising .207 in 29 A ball rehab at bats - all singles. Why should we expect him to hit over .200? But he will no doubt get some playing time upon his upcoming return. May he earn every at bat - or every DNP.

    My guess is Luis G will go down. JD has been up 43 times - and produced. Luis is 1 for 9. Seems a no-brainer.

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  2. I don't believe that Todd Frazier makes the Mets better. He's just going to take the spot of a more useful player.

    I mean, short-term, before Lowrie arrives, it won't be too much of a problem. Guillorme goes down and Rosario never rests, I guess. Not ideal, since days off was seen, as recently as last year, as an important piece for this young developing player.

    Todd is the guy we don't need. Do they cut Smith? The reality, for me, is there's not a single player I would want on the bench in order to see Todd Frazier play. JD Davis and McNeil sit for Frazier, Mr. .215 and in his final season with team? There's really no reason to play this guy, ever.

    OTOH, Lowrie should help. He was an AL All-Star last season and has true positional flexibility.

    In '86, Mets used a strict platoon at 2B, which is not really the solution presented by the 2019 Mets.

    Too much talent is a good thing; Todd Frazier is not.

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  3. You make a good point but this years team is in trouble if Cy DeGrom isn't well his Cy Young self. Freddy and Jeffy must have whispered in Brodie's ear "tell em were sticking with what we have" because his comments this morning didn't sound like the positive upbeat Brodie we've been used to hearing since his hiring. Look it's a tough division to be sure but we have to win it to go to the post season because were just gonna be knocking each other off so there won't be enough wins left for a second place WC. Last night really hurt because we could have made a statement and gotten a leg up but reality stepped in. I just hope the FO doesn't push this Vargas is fine crap to long and we lose out on getting Keuchel when maybe he could be the difference.

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  4. Fraziee can be a useful reserve, particularly vs LHPs. But Reese's points are excellent. Too much talent is great to have, like too much money in my investment account (I WISH!).

    Yet, no matter who is playing on a given day, a talented teammate must sit, and fans of the latter will gripe. If the Internet existed in '86, we'd be reading the cries of agony from the naysayers. A few days ago, Pete had a scheduled day off, and Dom, who was hitting "only".418 played. He had a 1B, 2B, and BB, raising his BA to .438,yet some fans wanted Mickey boiled in oil for this "moronic" (or worse) decision.

    As Reese said, let's enjoy the bounty before us, like the holiday dinners on the tables in the weekend ahead, instead of lamenting the foods that didn't make the cut.

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  5. I agree with Unknown re: Frazier.

    My best infield would not include him, either offensively or defensively.

    Now... will the Mets have the guts to admit that the team would under perform
    with him in the lineup.

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  6. Also, I like Davis above Frazier in a back-up role.

    This is all he has ever been so his head can deal with this better than Frazier.

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  7. The conundrum is that you need to play Frazier a bit in order to have any hope to entice another team to take him, unless you're prepared simply to release him (which heretofore has not been in the Wilpon DNA).

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  8. Mack,

    Sorry, didn't sign "unknown." I have issues with signing in any other way.

    Jimmy P

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  9. Metsiac:

    Frazier might be "useful" on a worse team. Vs. LHP, the Mets have J.D. Davis in that role. Would you sit him to play Todd? Send him down?

    To me, Davis has real potential -- tore up AAA -- and he has a future. Either as a Mets or as a trade chip. Sending him down, limiting his role, for Mr. .215 would be insane. I'd prefer to invest time and ABs in players who can contribute now and in the future. The more Smith plays and produces, his value increases. Same with Davis.

    Todd has some small value defensively at 3B. He's league average. But if it came down to that, wouldn't Guillorme be better? Or, again, aren't we better off trying to find ABs for McNeil and Davis?

    If Mets don't ever play Broxton/Lagares, you are living with weak OF . . . in order to play Todd Frazier?

    Why, why, why?

    Vargas, Lagares, Frazier are vestiges of the Sandy Reign. $25 million right there.

    I don't think it's "a good problem" to have. I think it's . . . a problem. I'm frustrated because from what I read at other blogs and papers, the entire focus is on who gets cut to make room for Todd. I'd be happier if he went away.

    I don't think he's tradeable. But maybe. Not really seeing it. Not without paying most of his contract.

    The best guys should play.

    Jimmy P

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  10. On a day when they want to sit Nimmo or Conforto or McNeil against a lefty I'd like to see how J.D. Davis fares in a corner OF role. Versatility may be the key to him sticking around.

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  11. This is not ST or September. If you want to see how he does in the OF, send him upstate for a month when Frazier returns, and let him play OF every day there.

    We have 2 RH CFers here, and D still counts.

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