The Mack Report - Saturday, June 18th

First up, let’s talk about the rotation. 

The good news is it seems that both Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer will be returning in July. These represent the best the Mets have to offer and, hopefully, they can put aside the injury bugs to their aging bodies for the remainder of this year. 

The Tylor McGill injury is a team setback, but it does make one wonder if he should only come back as a middle reliever. I loved him when he first came up as a starter, but he seems to be becoming Corey Oswalt v2.0. That being said, convince him that he could be a great addition to the Mets pen and make him one of the middle relievers the team seems, at times, to desperately need. 

For now, until our two past CYW winners come back, the rotation looks to set up as Bassett, Walker, Carrasco, Peterson, and Williams. Still talented, but not what we had expected this season. 

Two of these guys will be removed in June and one I vote for is another pitcher I thought was going to be a killer starter when the Mets drafted him. David Peterson should also be sat down and told how much more valuable he will be as a member of the pen than a starter in Syracuse. 

This would leave Walker, Carrasco, and Williams to fight it out for the last two slots. Me? I would not try and trade for another starter during the upcomng trading period and slot in Walker and Cookie. I would send Williams back to Syracuse to be added to their rotation and keep him arm stretched and I would concentrate any mid-season trades on an addition prime cut reliever with, at least, one more year under contract. 

 

I’m going to change my ETA on Alvy. 

Francisco Alvarez is embarrassing AA pitching. And, he’s only 20 years old. 

I was a little pissed at him when he mouthed off to a reporter that he should be in the majors like other players on other teams his age. He was right, but this is not the kind of thing you talk to reporters about. I’m sure someone sat him down with his interpreter and told him in Spanish, to “stifle yourself, Edith”. 

Still, this kid doesn’t need to be in the minors in 2023. I would send him away for summer ball to continue to work on his defensive game and start him for the Mets next season, either as the catcher or designated hitter. 

This season? I think he could definitely help the team if they make the playoffs. There simply is no better player out there that is more talented than him in the chain. 

 

If we are featuring Mets minor league players that are excelling this year, we need to talk about Brooklyn’s RF

Brandon McIlwain. 

McIlwain is a 6-1, 205, rightfielder who can play all three outfield positions. He was drafted by the Marlins in 2019 (26^th round), out of the University of California-Berkeley. 

He chose to remain with Cal, went undrafted in the 5-round 2020 draft, and signed as an UDFA with the Mets to play for them beginning last season. 

Last season, he showed promise for St. Lucie - 239-AB, .255 (but 89-K). 

This year, for the Cyclones, his career looks to be taking off. Seasonally (thru Friday) so far, he is hitting .298 in 161-AB (45-K). 

He was tagged early on as a below-average hitter; however, he may be proving those critics wrong. 

His age alone warrants a bump. 

 

The Mets held a first-of-a-kind meeting with the organization Advocates for Minor Leaguers and New York State Senator Jessica Ramos to discuss potentially improving pay and working conditions for minor leaguers in the Mets system. 

A second meeting is planned for the near future. 

Ramos had met with Mets minor leaguers and supplied Mets owner Steve Cohen a list of subjects to discuss. They were:

1. Pay weekly salaries all year round, without periods of free work.

2. Provide or cover the cost of in-season housing.

3. Provide or cover the cost of three meals per day during the season.

4. Provide multiple buses on road trips and sleeper buses on overnight road trips.

5. Assist players in shipping their cars to a new affiliate if reassigned and assist players without a car in getting to the field each day.

6. Cover the cost of offseason training.

7. Adjust salaries and per diems based on the cost of living in different affiliate home cities. 

This is a first for any major league team. 

I can speak volumes to the archaic way the Mets minor league players were paid and housed when I was in site covering the Savannah Sand Gnats. Ernest Dove can add to this that the current system hasn’t changed at all. 

Kudos to Steve. 

 

Joe Doyle @JoeDoyleMiLB 

Outfield: 

1) Gavin Cross, VT

2) Chase DeLauter, JMU

3) Jordan Beck, Tennessee

4) Drew Gilbert, Tennessee

5) Spencer Jones, Vandy

6) Dylan Beavers, Cal

7) Jacob Melton, OSU

8) Brock Jones, Stanford

9) Jud Fabian, Florida

10) Colby Thomas, Mercer

10b) Ryan Cermak, Illinois State 

    Mack - Good list. 

1. I have DeLauter first, regardless to his recent arm injury

2. I have Spencer Jones listed as a first baseman.

3. My top five are DeLauter, Cross, Beck, Gilbert, and Brock Jones