10/14/19

OPEN THREAD - Position Developing: Shortstop



We don't have a tremendous amount of depth in our chain.

Starting pitching, relievers, a catcher, and an additional power outfielder are all needed to make the Mets into a world class team.

What we do have is a bunch of shortstops.

As an extension of the Open Thread question this past Sunday...

Amed Rosario is becoming a star of this game. He will play 2020 at the ripe old age of 24 and hit .287, with 15 home runs.

Ronny Mauricio played Columbia last year as an 18-year old and hit .268 in 470 at-bats. Many, including me, think he is the top shortstop prospect in the chain.

And then there is what many consider the other top prospect in the organization... Andres Gimenez. The 2020 22/yr. old Gimenez is tearing up the Arizona Fall League as I write (.333) and is earning the promotion to Syracuse that he will get on opening day next spring.

Three top athletes all playing short and the Mets haven't tried to covert any of them to another position (that's the Mets way).

So, I ask you...

Whivh one of these can we trade off and for what equal value at what position?

9 comments:

Mack Ade said...

FWIW...

It is stupid to have 3 prospect SS in the top 5 levels when there is so little depth in many of the other positions.

Rosario proved in 2019 that he is a keeper and he has 4 more team controlled years that segues perfectly into a Mauricio arrival.

For this reason alone, Gimenez is expendable for an SP5, OFer, or new catcher

Tom Brennan said...

Agreed. Gimenez can be traded if we get good value.

Anonymous said...

I think Rosario proved that offensively he is an asset. His improving defense still leaves him far below league average. He rarely makes a play that looks like a hit off the bat.

The timing is problematic, as the next in line in not readily available, so I don't think a move to CF is in the immediate future. I don't love locking myself into a SS who can't backhand the ball. If team wants to improve overall defense, this is an obvious area to consider.

I do think the offense would be a plus for a CF, if he could hack it. I'd still like to see them give it a try in a season or two. Back burner for now.

On Gimenez, he had a disappointing 2019 season. Arizona means next to nothing. You'd be trying to flip him on a down year. Maybe he can hit in the pros, maybe not. The defense plays. As for Mauricio, we don't know if he'll be able to stick at the position or will slide over to 3B. I don't believe his trade value is very high. He wasn't great in Binghamton. What makes him better than, say, Hecchavaria? That we think he'll improve? Some guys do, some don't.

Lastly: It's not stupid of organization to have a number of shortstops. You can always slide them down the defensive spectrum. Lagares was a SS. So was Jake. A lot of guys used to be shortstops. That's where teams at lower levels stick their best athletes. Teams always draft a lot of shortstops. You can convert down the road.

Jimmy

Reese Kaplan said...

If you don't flip Gimenez, then start him on the CF conversion path.

Eddie from Corona said...

these are assets
so If we can turn a asset to a position of need we should however having so many SS is never a problem...

Tom Brennan said...

Reese, keep in mind that Gimenez would then be another lefty bat in the OF, where we already have Jeff, Conforto, Nimmo, and Smith.

Mack Ade said...

You are right... You can't have enough prospects at any position, but we have no depth at other positions.

Why not considering evening thigs up?

Mike Freire said...

The team needs a CF'er, whether it be in the pipeline or ready to patrol CitiField in 2020 (preferable).

If we are trading our top prospect (by the list), then we should get a young CF'er, who can also handle the bat. OR, as others stated above, can he convert to CF?

Just my 2 cents, of course.

Anonymous said...

I don't get it.

Two people here talk about converting Gimenez to CF.

We know this: Rosario is below-average SS defensively. And Gimenez is above average. Why is he the guy you send out to CF?

Jimmy