No homers on your minor league resume? The majors may not want you much.
The big leagues covets homers, you see.
At a time when (as of last week) the average major league team was on pace to hit a whopping 216 home runs, the Mets minors are doing nothing of the sort.
I will note Mets minors totals (through April 26), and Phillies totals, just as point of comparison:
AAA?
The veteran heavy Syracuse Mets team? 16 in 21 games.
The Phillies AAA team? 33 in 20 games.
AA?
Binghamton's Ponies have 8 in 15 games.
Phillies' team has 10 in 17 games.
High A?
St Lucie's Mets have 6 in 22 games.
Phillies' team has 15 in 22 games.
Full A?
Columbia has 7 in 21 games.
Phillies' team has 17 in 21 games.
Heck, the Twins' Full A team alone has 28 homers in 21 games, 7 more than Bingo, Lucie and the Flies combined (21) have in 58 games.
The Phillies on the 4 levels (75 HRs) have 38 more homers than the Mets' teams' 37 dingers.
Something wrong there, folks.
For sure, there are no Alonsos in the Mets minors this year. Not even close, folks.
It's a conundrum. If you draft power hitters, you must accept strikeouts. If you draft contact hitters, they have to work twice as hard to get noticed.
ReplyDeleteFor the most part the Mets simply don't draft GOOD hitters.
2 exceptions - Mike Conforto and Jeff McNeil
ReplyDeleteSoon to folloe - Gimenez
Too few.
Pete Alonso and perhaps Dom Smith as well
ReplyDeleteAre all of the minor league parks larger (i.e. pitcher's parks) to mimic what they will encounter when they get to NY?
ReplyDeleteIn the case of Alonso, I consider him a power hitter, not a pure contact hitter.
ReplyDeleteI want to see what he does after the ASG... Given the proper time for other teams to adjust their approch to him.
In my book he could be an Ike Davis one hit wonder and Dom could turn out to be our long term 1B
PA's swing is fleet and sweet through the strikezone, he's even-tempered, and analytical. I pray thee, he is no ostensive Ike Davis. I see him adapting to scouting well. And, Dom Smith must be turned via alchemy to an 8th inning reliever.
ReplyDeleteIke has a hitch, Alonso's homers hit a ride on the Space Shuttle.
ReplyDeleteMike, part of the lack of minors homers for the Mets is the cold April weather - it was 39 windy and gloomy on Saturday for Binghamton. Ball won't carry.
I did hear an announcer on MILB TV refer to Syracuse as a pitcher's park.
Reese, I'd be happy to have more McNeils in the minors. Long fly outs are long fly outs. They add up to .000 in the stats.
Travis Taijeron has 7 of those Mets minors homers (in just 77 plate appearances). He's a 30 year old AAAA player who has also stuck out 28 times in those 77 PAs, which makes the situation even worse than it looks.
ReplyDeleteVery true, Dave.
DeleteTravis is Chris Davis without the moolah.
Jarred Kelenic started the season just 2 for 25 - since then, though, 25 for 67 (.373) with 11 extra base hits. Costly trade.
ReplyDelete