It sometimes AMAZES me that certain guys are not moved around the field in the minors to get them more versatility.
Take, for instance, Adeiny Hechavarria, whom I will call AH. After all, it takes longer to say his name than for AH to run from home to first. Keep it short, I always say. But don't always do, to make a long story short.
AH has been a competent MLB hitter (.254/.290/.345 in over 2,800 MLB ABs).
Last year, he hit .247/.279/.345 in 300+ ABs in the bigs - not great, but not terrible.
He only just turned 30, so he is not too old. He has been a fine defensive shortstop, who has also gotten some playing time at 2nd base and 3rd base.
But no games in the outfield! Majors or minors. Nuts!
I bring it up because thru Tues., AH in AAA was hitting a very solid .333/.379/.417.
Meanwhile, OF Keon Broxton is 6 for 36 with SEVENTEEN STRIKEOUTS with the Mets - decidedly substandard.
Somehow the Mets seem to have back ups like this each year, hitting a buck something, and they somehow stick around far too long, somehow.
You'd want to make a change there, I'd think, if you were the GM - but the in-house choices are slim:
Travis Taijeron, an OF playing 1B for Syacuse, is hitting .255/.391/.725, with impressive power (7 HRs so far), but has a similar K problem to Broxton - 23 Ks in 17 games, and a way-too-high 24 Ks in under 60 MLB plate appearances.
So, he seems to not be a solution to the Keon Dilemma.
Other Syracuse outfielders? Blanco (.235), Gomez (.197), Rajai (.190), Tebow (.167, and a lefty), and Liriano (.161) have done nothing to warrant a promotion.
Hecchavaria seems to be a legit major leaguer stuck in the minors.
If it were me, he's a fine fielder and I'd give him a crash course in the outfield - and then bring him up to replace Keon.
Dilson Herrera has hit fairly well in AAA (.277/.358/.489) so far, has major league experience, and has played a handful of outfield games in his career. He could be another Keon alternative, I guess.
What do you think, folks? Why not AH?
13 comments:
AH career OPS+ is 75, which is 25 percent below 'average'. Funny how people on this site were asking for the Mets to cut Lagaras and only play Broxton after spring training. The Mets have high hopes for Broxton because of his speed and athleticism. But he does need to hit more and strike out less.
I think that was me, Rob
Rob, good point. I have my doubts on K Brox. I hoped Chili D could do wonders for him, to help "Kut the Ks".
But...he is a guy who fanned a stunningly high 126 times last year IN THE MINORS in around only 350 plate appearances. Based on that, I'd be quite un-confident for a change and try someone else.
Hechavarria might well not be that one - but considering he is a solid SS, if he could play some OF, he could also give Amed some blows. So, my point is, why not give the guy 20 games in the outfield and make him somewhat acclimated to the position, for versatility purposes. If he had played 50 or more outfield games in the minors already, I'd call him up today to replace Broxton.
Broxton would have been a perfect reserve, to me, back when teams had 15 non-pitchers. He could pinch run - be a late inning D replacement - and hit on rare occasions (team down big, put him in.) But not when you only have 13 non-pitchers. To me, the guy has to be able to adequately hit and make contact.
You ask "Why not?"
Hechavarria has never been able to hit, never been "competent," has always been a glove-only type player -- but you think he should be an outfielder? As if that's an easy thing to do.
The one thing we do conclusively know about him is that he can't hit. Across 2,800 ABs.
Jimmy P
CAREER .254 MAJOR LEAGUE HITTER - I'D SAY HE CAN HIT - METS HIT WHAT, .235 LAST YEAR, AND THE WORST HTTERS ON METS LAST YEAR (COMPILING 20% OF LAST YEAR'S AT BATS) HIT A FAR WORSE .198.
AND 2 FOR 2 SO FAR TODAY! ADEINY ROCKS!!
(Whoops - Unlock my caps lock) He also strikes out about a third the rate of Broxton. Put another way, Broxton fans 3 times as much.
Strikeout Lives Matter.
If he could play outfield, I'd release whiffin' Keon and bring up Adeiny.
I also wonder if Chili D is hurting Broxton - not just 17 Ks in 36 at bats, but just 6 hits, all singles. He has always hit for some power.
When Lowrie returns, K-Brox is Toast.
Lagares, Nimmo & Conforto can get by in CF, McNeil, JD, and even Smith or Frazier can play a corner in a pinch.
No to Hecch as in in Ecch.
Do not forget Braxston Lee, currently hitting .313 for the B-Mets
Hecchy Varia is now 3 for 3 - 343
Hobie, I am not looking at Hetchy to start - just be a bench guy who can hit and fan.
And Lowrie may not be back until 2021 at this rate
I think the better route is to swap Dom Smith for another team's similar blocked outfielder.
Reese, that might be a good route to go.
Just a Hecchy Four hit, 3 RBI Varria game today.
On Hechavarria, let's ignore 2,800 ML at-bats and his weak (but consistent) performance in camp this Spring, and get all excited about his AAA work!
I see the two main writers here agree that the Mets should flip one of their (hopefully) few, young, tradeable assets to upgrade . . . the 5th OF position. Because that's sooooo important. Who cares about the bullpen!
The 5th OF role will go away entirely when Lowrie returns. And Cespedes. Hopefully.
In short, you're just whining. I'm out.
Jimmy P
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