4/25/22

Tom Brennan - Nimmo vs. Gwynn - and Questions, I Have So Many Questions


I love to post little tidbits on Facebook, just to gauge reactions from some of the Hot Dogs who comment there.

I posted recently that Nimmo's career .393 OBP is higher than Tony Gwynn's .388 OBP.  

That got some Mets fans upset.  To which I say...

Hold on just a second...I noted it to make a point - don't underestimate Brandon.  

Gwynn's career OBP and Slug % are .388/.459. Nimmo's is .393/.450.  

Pretty identical.  

And Nimmo's recent years' numbers exceed his career averages in those areas.

And if their career WAR totals are compared by adjusting Brandon's WAR to the same number of plate appearances as Tony's, well...

Brandon's WAR would be 71.8, while Tony's is a lower 69.6.  

So, does that mean Nimmo is better than Gwynn? No.  

It does mean that you should think twice before you put down Nimmo.  

Just happens that Brandon is - I don't know how to put it - excellent. 

And he is now in the heart of the prime of his career.

GO, BRANDON, GO.


Questions - so many questions: 

Is Megill, somehow, already as good as Scherzer and Jake with just 253 pro innings?

Is David Peterson (0.64) turning into Jerry Koosman?

Isn't it nice to have a JD Davis coming off the bench instead of Almora and Maybin?

Edwin allowed the Saturday game-tying 9th inning HR.  Who besides Peterson was more upset with Sugar than I was?

Are you enjoying watching Marte beat out that grounder in the 10th on Saturday with a sprinter's burst out of the batter's box and sheer, unadulterated speed?

Are you sending Michael Conforto a Get Well card and writing "Fire Scott Boras" inside?  He may need a shoulder to cry on.

Are you aware that Javy Baez has played in just 6 more games in 2022 than Conforto?

Why are so many Mets' minor leaguers hitting below the Mendoza line?

Do you care that that kid Kelenic is hitting .154, with 7 hits and 22 Ks?

Jeff McNeil is hitting over .300 so far....unlike me, are you surprised?

How does it feel to be sitting comfortably and with a sizable lead in first place? 

Are you glad Freddie Freeman is now three time zones away?

Is Robby Cano washed up, despite giving his All, and will the Tide turn for Cano, or is he just Can-old now?

12-5 without HIM - have you wondered how extremely well this team will perform when its 2-time Cy Young award winner returns?

Does it disturb you that Need-a hit and Macaroon are a combined 8 for 54 when they take off their masks and pick up a bat?

Would the Mets have won the division in 2021 with Buck Showalter as manager?

Are you surprised that a team without deGrom, Syndergaard, and Loup has a 2.53 ERA?

Are you aware the Dodgers have a 2.22 ERA without ERA expert Trevor Bauer?

Are you aware that the Mets scored the 3rd least runs last season but the 3rd most so far this season?

Did anyone else notice that 51 MLB hitters are hitting under .200 and wonder what is going on?  Something pretty shifty, perhaps?

Cubbie Pete Crow Armstrong is .326/.463/.581 in 11 A ball games with 7 steals.  Do you want a "dumb-trade do-over" as much as I do?

Did you know that low mileage Thomas Szapucki has thrown just 5 innings so far, but fanned 9? Did you know his career started in 2015 and he has just 195 pro innings? Do you think he's good for 100+ innings this year?

Did you get a whiff of the news that Brooklyn's Jaylen Palmer has fanned 272 times in 177 games over the past 3 years?

Are you thankful that St Lucie is hitting a robust .247, given that Syracuse is raking at .204, Binghamton is smoking at .229, and Brooklyn is scuffling at .191?  Why is 2021 repeating itself in 2022 in the minors in that regard?

Did you know that former hard luck Mets pitcher Steve Matz is 16-8 in 2021-22 as an ex-Met despite allowing hits galore (177 hits in 163 innings)?

Is Tim Tebow planning a comeback and, if so, in which sport?

Are fans who throw garbage actually garbage themselves?  After all, half the Mets' minors hitters are under .200, so he can definitely still compete there, right?

Are you wondering when I'll stop asking questions?

Am I wondering if you'll respond?

11 comments:

RDS900 said...

Keep them coming. Got some chuckles out of me.

Tom Brennan said...

Thanks, Ray - just stuff that rumbles thru my addled brain LOL

Nice to be 12-5, though, that's for sure.

TexasGusCC said...

I really don’t want to know who insisted on the Baez trade.

Are you aware thatJD Davis has the least plate appearances of the Mets DH types but he is their best hitter?

Are you aware that the Mets look better with Guillorme at second base than anyone else, but McNeil is their best second baseman?

Are you aware that Tony Gwynn was an all-star 15X and Brandon Nimmo is still trying for his first? Or, that Gwynn won five gold gloves despite being considered a bat first player? I’m sure that you knew that Mr. Padre only won eight batting titles and seven silver slugger awards…. My point is that there is an old saying about “lies, damn lies, and statistics” and players in their walk years. Where was this all before? I keep struggling with whether the Mets should go all out to resign Nimmo, or try to get him at a reasonable rate… i keep struggling with how much to offer JDG and for how long. What if he wants to “Freddie Freeman” the Mets, that is ask for the moon from his old team but sign elsewhere for less?

Mack Ade said...

Love these

More

Tom Brennan said...

JD needs to play

Nimmo needs to stay

Is he Gwynn? No way.

Seriously though, JD could be a starting 1B for a lot of teams. He can hit. A poor man's Alonso.

Anonymous said...

I wonder what Tony Gwynn’s team’s aggregate won-loss record was during his playing days?

Gary Seagren said...

The problem with Nimmo was Jose Fernandez was picked right after him in 2011. Can you believe he's been dead 6 years now. WOW time flies and such a shame the way he died in such a foolish manner.

TexasGusCC said...

Gwynn’s aggregate won/loss record? Probably the same as Ralph Kiner or Billy Williams.. maybe better than Mike Schmidt or Mike Trout’s… what’s your point?

Tom Brennan said...

That Nimmo HR was pretty clutch last night - just saying. He's a keeper

It was also a joy to watch Starling Smith beat the play at 1B last night, too :)

Tom Brennan said...

It does appear that in Gwynn's 20 seasons, the Padres were 54 games below .500, 13 of 20 seasons at or below .500, and made the playoffs 3 times, so the comparison to Kiner and Williams was a pretty good one in that regard.

Nimmo hasn't done great in terms of win loss record and playoff appearances to this point either.

Paul Articulates said...

I really like Nimmo, and have consistently praised him for his self-improvements year over year. I'm realistic enough to know he's not Tony Gwynn, but he has been producing at the plate and in the field, so keep him out there!

By the way, speaking of Nimmo, during the Arizona series, Buck made a late game switch to bring in Jankowski for Canha. I looked at the outfield defense of Jankowski, Nimmo, and Marte and realized that we had three center fielders out there patrolling the yard at Chase Field. Not too shabby when you're protecting a late lead.