Open Thread - Who WIll the Mets Call Up as the Roster Expands Tomorrow?

Simple question from Mr. Open Thread...

Going from 26 to 28 manana:

 - who do you add to the roster?

Who's on it now? Look below for the 26.

Pitchers
	Chris Bassitt 40
	Jacob deGrom 48
	Edwin Díaz 39
	Mychal Givens 60
	Tommy Hunter 34
	Seth Lugo 67
	Trevor May 65
	Adam Ottavino 0
	David Peterson 23
	Joely Rodríguez 30
	Max Scherzer 21
	Taijuan Walker 99
	Trevor Williams 29

 

Catchers
	James McCann 33
	Tomás Nido 3

 

Infielders
	Pete Alonso 20
	Brett Baty 22
	Eduardo Escobar 10
	Francisco Lindor 12
	Jeff McNeil 1
	Darin Ruf 28
	Daniel Vogelbach 32

 

Outfielders
	Mark Canha 19
	Starling Marte 6
	Tyler Naquin 25
	Brandon Nimmo 9

Mack’s Daily Minors Recap 8-30-2022 Games

AAA - 

Tuesday night’s game between the Syracuse Mets and the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders was postponed because of inclement weather. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Thursday, September 1st with first pitch of game one scheduled for 5:05 p.m. 

The Mets and RailRiders will now open the series on Wednesday, August 31st at 6:35 p.m. 

Prospect stats: 

C  Francisco Alvarez -      DNP

DH Dom Smith - DNP

3B Mark Vientos - DNP

1B Daniel Palka - DNP

OF  Jake Magnum - DNP

RHRP Bryce Montes de Oca - DNP

 

AA - 

Tuesday’s game between the Binghamton Rumble Ponies and Somerset Patriots at Mirabito Stadium has been postponed due to inclement weather in the forecast. The game will be made up at a later date to be determined. 

Fans will still get a chance to cheer on their favorite bars in “Bar Wars” which was initially scheduled for Tuesday night. It will now take place on Thursday September 15th featuring The Brickyard, The Grove, and Red Jug Pub. 

Fans with tickets to Tuesday’s game can exchange their tickets to go to any future Rumble Ponies home game this season. 

Prospect stats -

SS Ronny Mauricio - DNP

 

A+ -

The Cyclones opened their final homestand of the regular season with a 2-1 victory over the Wilmington Blue Rocks on Tuesday night. Jose Mena went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles, including one that plated the go-ahead run, to pace the Brooklyn bats. While Daison Acosta worked in and out of trouble in the ninth to close out the win.

Prospect stats - 

RF    Alex Ramirez - 1-3, .268, 4^th E

RHSP  Christian Scott - DNP

RHSP  Dominic Hamel - DNP

LHP    Keyshawn Askew - DNP

 

A - 

The St. Lucie Mets dropped a fourth straight game, losing 4-3 in 10 innings to the Jupiter Hammerheads on Tuesday at Clover Park. 

New York Mets pitcher Joey Lucchesi (Tommy John surgery) made his third rehab appearance with St. Lucie by pitching a scoreless inning of relief in the fourth. He struck out a batter and worked around a one-out double. 

Omar De Los Santos went 2 for 4 with a pair of singles, a walk and two stolen bases in the loss. He now has 69 stolen bases on the year and is just six off the team record of 75 set by Wayne Lydon in 2003. 

Kevin Parada, the Mets first round draft pick, went 1 for 3 with a single, walk and sac fly. His infield hit in the 10th inning was his first with St. Lucie. 

Prospect stats - 

CF Omar De Los Santos - 2-4, R, .266  

RF Carlos Dominguez 0-4, ,240

C Kevin Parada - 1-3, .143

2B D’Andre Smith - 0-4, .316

SP Blade Tidwell - 2.1-IP, 0-R, 2-K, 3.38

SP Calvin Zeigler - DNP

 

“For more detailed information on the minor league teams and their recent results, see the links in the column on the right.”  

2023 Draft Prospect - SS - Arjun Nimmala

 

Arjun Nimmala 

SS

 

8-28-22 - Joe Doyle @JoeDoyleMiLB 

Best swing of the night so far has come from SS Arjun Nimmala (FL). Turned around a good heater for a liner up the middle that was caught. Freaky athlete with a ton of projection left in the frame. Bat speed, twitch, length. Big prospect.

The Mack Report - Jeff McNeil, 2023 Pen, Unionizing Minors, Traded For Themseles

Jeff McNeil

 

LFGM120 @lfgmetsny120 

Jeff McNeil Appreciation Post 

Fielding (2B)

E: 1 | OAA: 7                            

fielding %: .997 

Batting

AVG .321 | AVG with risp .339

OPS .833 | SLG .460 | OBP .373

H 132 | 2B 34 

Mack - I love the TBS announcer that said that Jeff likes to scan what the defensive setup is before getting into the box and then directs his swing to holes in the infield. 

A true hitting genius. 

These are the kind of players I wished never got old. I had the pleasure of meeting Jeff when he played in Savannah and there couldn’t have been a more respectful player in baseball. Treating press nice is rare. Treating old guy press in small markets is, well… 

What’s always missed here is how hard he has worked on his second base defense. He was a total liability there. Sort of like Daniel Murphy v.2.0. But he is now a match for his middle infield teammates at that position. 

Just love this guy.

 

2023 Pen 

Pro Baseball Radar @BaseballRadar 

I don't trust Eppler to sign and trade for an entire replacement bullpen for '23. The relief market is the worst place to shop due to its year-to-year volatility and likelihood of overpayment. 

This is where letting go of the Sewald's & Crismatt's & Szapucki's catches up to you. 

Mack - I guess we can go back and forth on who is good and who is bad here, but, for the love of me, I can’t see a place for that Joely guy here. 

The choices Buck is making after a day off against the best team in baseball are very puzzling. Sort of a lot like our past manager.

 

Unionizing Minors 

The Major League Baseball Players Association is pushing to unionize minor leaguers. 

MiLB players have been sent cards to vote on designating the MLBPA as their collective bargaining representative. 

How do you feel about this? 

 

Traded for themselves 

There are very few trades in baseball that everyone can agree are objectively equal. But there are four players in MLB history that got an exactly even return: themselves. Each of these four players were traded for a player to be named later, which would ultimately turn out to be… themselves. 

Catcher Harry Chiti was the first player in baseball history to be traded for himself. Cleveland sent him to the Mets for a player to be named later on April 25, 1962, only to get him back on June 15 as that player. 

Similarly, in ’80, the Yankees traded catcher Brad Gulden to the Mariners, and Gulden was returned to New York a year later. 

Pitcher Dickie Noles was sent from the Cubs to the Tigers for just 33 days in ’87 before being returned to Chicago. 

The Tigers were again involved in a similar swap in 2005, when they received infielder John MacDonald from the Blue Jays in July, only to give him back to Toronto that November.

Reese Kaplan -- The Dodgers Are a Really Good Team

For a minute let's forget about the challenges recently presented by the games against the Braves and the games against the Yankees.  No, they didn't go as Mets fans would have hoped, but the last time I looked at the standings the Mets still stand atop the National League East.  

However, before we breathe a sigh of relief about the state of who's in first place vs. who's in second, the Mets are about to embark on a series that has way more important implications for October baseball than either of these two contentious sets of games. 

The Mets are going to face off against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the best record in the league and perennial contenders at the top of the NL West.  THESE games mean a lot more because if the Mets are indeed able to hold onto their sometimes tenuous grip on the NL East then it is the Dodgers they will likely face for the National League Championship to determine who proceeds to the World Series.

Most of the time when you compare one team to another your inclination is to do a position-by-position parallel to see how you stack up to the competition.  Mets fans are always living on the edge when it comes to offense, but as you start this analysis of the two teams, it's pitching that's the real rub.

Starting at 1st base, the Mets have Pete Alonso and the Dodgers feature former Brave nemesis Freddie Freeman.  He was always a major thorn in the side of the Mets and he's continuing his success in Chavez Ravine.  Alonso is currently hitting .273 with 31 home runs and 103 RBIs.  It's still August.  

By contrast Freeman is hitting .327 with 16 home runs and 81 RBIs.  As good as he is, you'd have to give an edge to the Mets.

At second base the Mets pretty much feature Jeff McNeil there most of the time.  The last time I looked people were speculating on whether or not he could contend for a batting title.  What he's doing is certainly quite good though not quite at that level.  

He's hitting .321 with 7 home runs and 49 RBIs.  Gavin Lux is playing 2nd base for the Dodgers and having a very nice season, hitting .293 with 6 home runs and with 39 RBIs.  The edge once again would go to the Mets.

At shortstop it's an interesting battle.  The Mets feature their $341 million man, Francisco Lindor.  Everyone knows it was a rough first year in New York, but he's gotten better and right now is aiming towards a best-ever RBI season.  He's hitting .264 (which is a little low) but has 21 home runs and has already driven in 85.  

His career highs are 38 and 92 respectively.  The 38 home runs likely won't be reached but the 92 RBIs should be obliterated.  The Dodgers feature Trea Turner at shortstop and he's delivering well for them.  He's hitting .311 with 18 home runs and 86 RBIs.  The Dodgers get a slight edge here when you factor in his 21 vs. 14 edge in stolen bases. 

Now third base has historically been a black hole for the Mets with the exception of the David Wright years.  Right now the primary third baseman has been a down-on-his-luck Eduardo Escobar who is hitting just .214 with 12 HRs and 44 RBIs.  

You'd think that adding in stats from others who spent time at 3B would help the Mets to win this competition, but it turns out that Max Muncy has been even worse.  Muncy who turned from diamond-in-the-rough into a regular player in the Dodger roster is hitting just .189 with 16 homers and 51 RBIs.  Flip a coin since neither team is getting what they expected.  

In left field the Mets are primarily served by Mark Canha who has been hot lately after a long cool period.  For the year his power is down a bit as he's hitting .278 with 10 HRs and 50 RBIs.  The Dodgers have gotten even less with Chris Taylor primarily covering left while hitting just .227 with 8 HRs and 32 RBIs.  Edge here goes to the Mets.  

In center field the Mets have featured a surprisingly healthy Brandon Nimmo for this season.  Mets fans know he's an on-base machine.  He's hitting .263 with 12 HRs and 44 RBIs.  His claims to fame include his .354 OBP and dramatically improved defense at the position.  

The Dodgers have slugger Cody Bellinger out there who is delivering power but not much else.  He's hitting just .208 with 17 HRs and 54 RBIs.  His OBP is just .265.  As odd as it seems, I would call this matchup a push based upon what they're doing this year vs. previous seasons in which Bellinger would win easily.

Now right field is where it gets big in the Dodgers camp.    One of the best acquisitions Billy Eppler made in the off season was Starling Marte who fields beautifully, runs well and just takes professional at-bats.  He's currently hitting .291 with 14 HRs, 59 RBIs and he's contributed 18 stolen bases.  

Of course, the Dodgers counter with Mookie Betts who is hitting .281 but then the edges go to him.  He has 31 HRs and 69 RBIs.  Marte's 18 SBs outpace Betts' 12, but the victory on this position definitely goes to the Dodgers.

Finally we hit catcher which has been a painful position for the Mets all year long.  The Dodgers feature Will Smith who is hitting .269 with 19 HRs and 75 RBIs.  I'm not even going to add up all the Mets players who have tried and failed behind the plate when it comes to swinging the bat.  Huge edge goes to the Dodgers.

So if we look back through the offense right now the Mets have three clear winners in Alonso, McNeil and Canha.  The Dodgers have two winning entries in Trea Turner by a hair, Mookie Betts with his power and Will Turner behind the plate.  That's six positions out of eight.  

There are a couple of pushes with center field and third base.  So it's not the offense propelling the Dodgers to their superior record.  Next time around let's look at the pitching.  Keep the antacid or adult beverages handy for that entry.  

2023 Draft Prospect - OF - Max Clark

 

Max Clark 

OF                  Franklin Community

 

8-3-2022 -

Ranking the Top 30 2023 MLB Draft Prospects - 

https://www.oddschecker.com/us/insight/baseball/mlb/20220803-2023-mlb-mock-draft-ranking-the-top-30-2023-mlb-draft-prospects - 

3. Max Clark, OF, Franklin Community HS (Franklin, IN.)

Clark could easily be the first pick of the MLB Draft if the team drafting at the top wants to be patient.

 

7-26-22 -

2023 MLB DRAFT - TOP 100 HIGH SCHOOL PROSPECTS - https://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2022/1/15/2023-mlb-draft-prospects-38awn - 

#1  Max Clark Outfield Franklin Community 

Max Clark is one of the best pure high school hitters the draft has seen in recent memory. One area scout called him "The next Jarred Kelenic, with more physical upside." Clark has a fantastic feel for the strike zone and has a swing catered toward using the entire field. He's a pro hitter. Clark doesn't try to hit homers. He's a line drive machine. That said, he's really begun developing into plenty of game power and should run into 20+ homers at his peak. Clark figures to stick in centerfield where his double-plus run times and fantastic routes should age beautifully. The floor here is pretty substantial as far as prep bats go.

 

7-20-2022 -

2023 MLB Draft mock

https://www.mlb.com/news/2023-mlb-draft-mock - 

4. Nationals: Max Clark, OF, Franklin Community HS (Franklin, Ind.) 

The Vanderbilt recruit has the best all-around toolset in the class and can do everything well on the diamond. He didn’t put up huge numbers in PDP League play, but he showed tremendous bat speed, solid exit velos, good raw power, a plus arm and speed.

  

The Mack Report - Jake Renewal, Mets verses Braves, David Ortiz, Ernie Harwell

 Jake Renewal 

So Steve Cohen made a public statement on Old Timer’s Day that he will do everything he can to get our ace, Jake deGrom, to re-sign with us.

I was told recently that he might do this, as well as raise the 2023 payroll to the 350-400mil range, so this doesn’t come as a surprise to me. 

What does, is turning over the negotiation power here to his agent. 

There is a lot of magic going on in that clubhouse right now and I think there has been a special bond formed between Jake and Max Scherzer. No proof here. Just a feeling. 

First, and this is coming from a guy that appreciates good health lately, let’s wish Jake good health going forward no matter where he signs… and, secondly, let’s light a candle and hope Mr. Cohen can get this done.

Ed Leyro @Studi_Metsimus 

Braves vs. losing teams: 52-20

Braves vs. winning teams: 27-30 

Mets vs. losing teams: 45-18

Mets vs. winning teams: 37-29 

Braves only do well against second division teams.  Mets do well against everyone.  Believe in the Mets.

David Ortiz  

David Ortiz doesn’t like what he sees lately in baseball. 

Ortiz things young players are far too focused on homers and could care about the art of hitting. 

“I have major issues with the way they’re these teaching kids to play the game nowadays,” he said. “Nobody taught me how to hit homers. Homers were the last thing you were thinking about when it comes down to hitting. You want to make sure you stay with the ball, you want to make sure you track the ball, you want to make sure you have an idea of what the pitcher is going to try and do against you. You have to go through all of that, and then begin thinking about hitting the home run. But it seems like more hitters, all they think about is hitting home runs. That’s why you see so many guys hitting for bad batting average. Unfortunately, a lot of the hitters nowadays aren’t hitting for power or batting average because of it. I think baseball needs to go back to the basics.”

Interesting… thoughts?

 

 Ernie Harwell

 Detroit Tigers announcer Ernie Harwell in the broadcast booth Sept. 16, 2002, after leaving the game earlier to check on his wife, Lulu, who became ill during the Tigers celebration in his honor the day before.

Before becoming a Hall of Fame announcer and Detroit Tigers icon, Ernie Harwell was traded to the Dodgers for a minor leaguer. 

Longtime Dodgers announcer Red Barber had to take a leave from the team in 1948 due to a bleeding ulcer, and GM Branch Rickey found a replacement in Ernie Harwell, then calling games for the minor league Atlanta Crackers. Only one problem: the Crackers wanted a player in return for releasing their broadcaster from his contract. 

That’s how Cliff Dapper, then a catcher for the Class AAA Montreal Royals, ended up being the only baseball player ever traded for a broadcaster. Dapper spent one season with the Crackers as a player-manager, and put up a .281 batting average. 

Harwell called the Dodgers for a year and spent most of his Hall of Fame baseball broadcasting career with the Tigers. He and Dapper met for the first time in 2002, the year Harwell retired.

Tom Brennan - Saturday Mets Thoughts for a Tuesday Article

Much to the relief of millions worldwide, I don’t expect to have much time to write over a 2 week period.  Much to their dismay, I still will, but the timing may be a bit skewed.

Like today. Writing on Saturday morning for Tuesday.  Oh well, here goes:

METS HAVE A SCHEDULE ADVANTAGE OVER THE BRATS:

I alway spell Braves wrong, sorry.

Anyway, on the concept of the Braves’ tougher remaining 35 game schedule than the Mets. It is truly tougher because of their schedule having tougher teams and 20 of the remaining 35 Brats games being on the road while the Mets have 20 of their last 35 at home. That still doesn‘t mean the Brats wont go 25-10. Mets are in quite a dogfight. Their theme song should be the Ramones’ “Beat on the Brat with a baseball bat, oh yeah.”

Jeff McNeil: .411 in August. QUICK, DIAL 411….SQUIRREL ON FIRE!!!

Against the pitching-tough NL East, Jeff gets fired up. Hitting a hard-charging .360 in nearly 200 at bats. Pay the Squirrel. Keep the Squirrel. Enjoy the Squirrel.

JETT WILLIAMS: the 1st rounder finished his FCL debut with 11 hits and 6 walks, and 7 steals, in 46 plate appearances. Solid debut for the 19 year old speedster. His 7 career steals compare to Mark Vientos’ 2 career steals.

MARK VIENTOS: his nickname might just be Moe Lasses, because molasses and Mark might tie in a foot race, but the dude has 45 homers in his last 152 games, at ages 21-22 in the high minors, after losing 2020 altogether.  

In 37 July-August games, 39 RBIs, 11 HRs, and .352. In AAA. Not having him getting ABs for the Mets in 2023 would be malpractice.

PETE ALONSO: was in comparative hitter’s heaven Las Vegas for the last 60 games of his minors career in 2018. He hit .260, not .352. He was 23. Compare to Vientos.

Alonso, of course, has 25 game winning RBIs in 2022. Wow. 105 RBIs thru Friday. Wow. And we all forget he was in the traumatizing triple rollover car crash in spring trading, when he was broadsided. So, everything he’s done this year is TRIPLE WOW. Pete is simply amazin’.

BRYCE HARPER: obliterated minor league pitching in his 2 game rehab, 2 HRs, 2 doubles, and got called up. Dom Smith has hit like a solid AAA player in his exile. Nothing special. No call up.

SIMON JUAN: the Big Bonus Baby could not emulate Bryce Harper in the lowly D League. 201 at bats, .203, 2 HR. Not 2 impressive. He did, however, swipe 16 bags. When all else fails, steal. By comparison, a non-Met named Cassiani hit .375. And 7 DSL players had between 10-13 HRs.

GIVENS: man, did he look happy when the Mets rallied, after his failed relief appearance. I saw just two highlight pitches…a grounder through a hole, and the multi-RBI double on a good fastball on the outside corner. Reminder: opposing hitters are paid to hit.

EPPLER: “you didn’t get enough relief pitching, Billy. AARGH!” 

But, didn’t pretty much everyone think at the trade deadline that Megill and Smith would return by the middle to the end of August? Instead, it’s Joey Lucchesi forging ahead with 2 scoreless, 1 inning relief rehab outings.

Is Smith a bad name for the Mets in 2022? A Dom question if I ever heard one. Seems to be a bad name indeed.

LGM. BEAT ON THE BRATS….

Sometimes, strugglers turn the corner with a vengeance. 1-15 former Met Paul Sewald is STINGY this year. 53 innings, 22 hits allowed.  BAA of .120.

His first 2 seasons as an ex-Met? Sensational. 

I guess Citifield was a hostile work environment.

Paul is Sleeping Well in Seattle.

Actually, while Paul is not Edwin velocity-wise, I think Sewald's fastball pitching style is similar to Edwin's now. He has a similar release to Edwin and throws a lot of rising fastballs, as does Edwin - and it works for Paul - think I misspeak? Then how does Sewald have 163 Ks in 117 innings as a Mariner? And just 66 hits allowed in those 117 innings?

Some think Atlanta’s Ronald Acuna give the Braves a distinct edge over the Mets with Starling Marte. But Marte has 3.5 WAR this year, Ronald McDonald Acuna just 2.2 WAR. Who exactly has the distinct edge? My NY Mets.

On catching, though, the Braves’ catchers? #1 in baseball in OPS. 

THE Mets? # 30 (I.e., dead last). 

Switch the Mets catchers to the Braves, and Braves catchers to the Mets, and the Mets would have a 15 game lead.

Lots of Facebook Mets experts simply say d'Arnaud was hurt too much, that it was time for a fresh start, why dwell in the past, he sucked, and such ilk that belies profusive levels of Facebook aficionado intelligence.

Curious myself, however, as I often am and Facebook experts are not, I googled "why did LAD release d'Arnaud?" and found and read a very interesting article on the subject (below), which I recommend. See who thought he'd still be very good. See what LAD coaches did to try to help him - and help him they did, in the very little time he spent with them. Consider which franchise did not help him during his very long time with them - yes, the Mets.

"Why Did d'Arnaud Get Released by LAD?"

For the Mets, this was (to me) another sign of a very dysfunctional Wilpon franchise that Steve Cohen is looking to fix on the fly.

Two quick and easy fixes which the Mets failed to identify for Sewald and d'Arnaud - imagine those two, performing as they now are, on this 2022 Mets team?

They'd be unstoppable.

FCL QUESTION: 

Why does the Florida Complex League stop playing ball a week before the end of August? Are they afraid of overtaxing young arms? Our FCL Mets lost their one playoff game but finished 33-22, in case you were wondering.

The DSL I get, in terms of it stopping early. Kids probably need to get ready for the school year.