Mack's Mets: December 2022

12/31/22

NEW INFO - 2023 Draft Prospect - SS - Roman Martin

Roman Martin

SS Servite HS

12-28-22 - 2023 MLB Draft – Top 50 High School Prospects

https://www.prospects1500.com/general/2023-mlb-draft-top-50-high-school-prospects/

15. Roman Martin, INF, Servite HS (CA) – There will forever be guys who succeed despite unorthodox/less than ideal swings, and Martin just may be one of those. He has an incredibly wide base and steps even wider, but somehow gets his hands into a good spot, clears the zone well, and gets the bat to the ball quickly. There are some concerns that, as he fills out and potentially loses some pliability, the swing won’t play as well, but he is a really good hitter now and has projection. He has displayed excellent pitch recognition and won’t chase a bad ball very often, making the bat tool play up even more. The arm is legit and will play at short or third, but the athleticism does suggest he will be able to stick at short.

12-9-22 - Les Lukach @LesLukach

After a bomb last night, ‘23 SS Roman Martin stays hot here tonight. Muscles a chopper over 3B before banging a 2 RBI 2B to give Servite Friars BB a 4-3 lead in T5.

https://t.co/gbGl3CV0yX

Past entries:

12-6-22 - 2023 MLB DRAFT - MOCK DRAFT 2.0 - https://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2022-mlb-mock-draft-n78w7-st9r4-wa35p-2n5ls-8addg-ed27s?s=03 -

39. Oakland Athletics

Roman Martin, SS, Servite

The Athletics dipped into their own backyard last July selecting Henry Bolte with their first round pick. Let’s say they do it again. Roman Martin has been a famous name in this class for a long time and he has a ton of fans in scouting circles. A big winter could prime him to soar further up boards.

11-10-22 - 2023 MLB Draft: Gut Feel Guys

https://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=21408&s=03

Roman Martin, SS, Servite (Calif.)

Current Draft Board Rank: 37

Martin did not necessarily have the year he was hoping for, but the UCLA commit possesses a mix of tools and projectability that is hard not to be intrigued by. Advanced athleticism and footwork allows for quality defense up the middle with arm strength that plays from deep in the hole. There is projectability at the plate with some juice present. If it all clicks, Martin has the upside of a potential first round pick.

10-19-22 - https://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2022/1/15/2023-mlb-draft-prospects-fx4td?s=03 -

43 SS

Roman Martin

Servite

Martin has a wide setup at the plate with explosive hands and a line drive approach. He's got plus bat speed and certainly has the ability to put one in the seats. Martin is a long, lean frame and his hands really work well at the plate without any added movement. Martin has a strong arm too and may be able to stick at the position as a pro.

If he ends up at UCLA, he'll be the next in a long line of decorated infielders to come out of the program, but he's got significant interest already from scouts. Martin has the range and the arm to stay at shortstop, that is without question.

9-19-22 - Joe Doyle @JoeDoyleMiLB

Servite SS Roman Martin is an extremely decorated, 5-tool infielder with the ability to impact the game in all facets. A UCLA commit, Martin figures to be in play in the first round in the 2023 MLB Draft. https://t.co/AMXZlPoRDK

7-28-22 -

2023 MLB DRAFT - TOP 150 PROSPECTS -

https://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2022/1/15/2023-mlb-draft-prospects -

20. Roman Martin Shortstop Servite

Martin has a wide setup at the plate with explosive hands and a line drive approach. He's got plus bat speed and certainly has the ability to put one in the seats with above average raw power projection. He’s a long, lean frame and his hands really work well at the plate without any added movement. Martin has a strong arm too and may be able to stick at the position as a pro, though a shift to third base would be buoyed by the bat just fine.

He’s a strong athlete with high makeup in terms of on-field instincts. For now, Martin has the range and the arm to stay at shortstop, that is without question. If he ends up at UCLA, he'll be the next in a long line of decorated infielders to come out of the program, but he's got significant interest already from scouts.

All the 2023 Draft Prospects in the Mack’s Mets database can be viewed by going to www.macksmets.blogspot.com and clicking on 2023 DRAFT PROSPECT DATABASE found on the top, left of the front page of the site.

Reese Kaplan -- Enjoy Holiday Champagne to Toast a Former Met

Throughout the years the Mets have employed a great many ballplayers whose career once they exited the diamond have prospered better than they did when throwing, hitting or fielding the red stitched sphere used to play this game of baseball.

One such player who came to fame many years ago was Billy Beane, a struggling outfielder who spent parts of six seasons playing for five teams, none of whom cared to keep him around for more than his brief trial. His best season came in 1984 as a AA player for the Jackson affiliate when he batted .281 while slugging 20 home runs, driving in 72 and stealing 26 bases. That combination of power, speed and contact hitting suggested a bright future for the then 22 year old, but after promotions to the Mets twice in 1984 and 1985, the Twins in 1986 and 1987, the Tigers in 1988 and the A's in 1989, it became clear that he didn't have what it took to advance to the highest level of play.

His career as an athlete ended before age 27 with a career batting average across his six partial seasons of just .219.

Unhappy with his late 20s being spent shuttling between small towns on long bus rides, he approached his General Manager (none other than Sandy Alderson) to ask about terminating his playing career and becoming a part of the administrative side of the Oakland franchise.

Alderson initially set him up to be an advance scout which would keep him directly around the game but no longer in a playing capacity. He did that from 1990 to 1993 when he was then promoted to the role of Assistant GM.

In his early years for the A's he was focused upon improving the minor league operations which coincided with the death of free spending owner Walter Haas, Jr. The new regime ordered Alderson to cut costs drastically and the club rapidly went from the highest payroll in the game to one which was more small market in magnitude. To cope with this new approach Sandy Alderson embraced what we now consider the new metrics and he taught Billy Beane to consider things like on-base percentage to identify valuable players whose contributions didn't stand out in the traditional back-of-the-baseball-card way.

When Beane became the full GM in 1997, his approach was ridiculed by a great many baseball professionals, but quickly that turned into wonder and even a little envy.

It didn't happen overnight as his club played to a 4th place finish in his first year in charge in 1998, but made it to second place in 1999. Starting in 2000, the A's went to four straight postseason appearances with a lot of players who were castoffs from other organizations due to the understanding and advocacy of stats other teams weren't valuing.

Now the whole Billy Beane story is not new to folks after the tremendous success first of the book Moneyball by Michael Lewis and then again 8 years later when it was converted into a movie starring Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill which dramatized what the A's did to become a winning franchise once again.

The movie also starred the late Philip Seymour Hoffman playing a man whose name sticks in the craw of every Mets fan, Art Howe.

These days Billy Beane is still affiliated with the Oakland A's but now as the Executive VP of Baseball Operations and a part owner. That's not a bad career ascension for a guy who couldn't hit a lick when given the chance.

12/30/22

OPEN THREAD - Collectively, the Best Five Mets' Offensive Prospects Ever?

A simple question:

We've focused a lot on our top 4 hitting prospects:

Alvarez, Baty, Mauricio, and Vientos.

Some prognosticators think that by this time next year, Kevin Parada will perhaps be the top catching prospect in baseball (Alvarez having already graduated to the big leagues).

So...is the quintet of Alvarez, Parada, Baty, Mauricio and Vientos the best group, ever, of 5 prospect hitters in the Mets minors at the same time?

If yes, why?

If no, which players from a prior year collectively were superior?

And...happy new years. Prospero ano y felicidad.

NEW INFO - 2023 Draft Prospect - OF - Drew Burress

Drew Burress

OF Houston County, Perry, GA

12-28-22 - 2023 MLB Draft – Top 50 High School Prospects

https://www.prospects1500.com/general/2023-mlb-draft-top-50-high-school-prospects/

30. Drew Burress, OF, Houston County HS (GA) – Currently an above average runner, center field is his current projected position although much grown from his 5’9” 175 lbs. frame and he could slow enough to move to a corner. If he does, the arm is more than enough to play in right and could even be plus there. He is very instinctive in the field and on the bases. He has a very open stance with a leg kick, but he gets the foot down early which allows him to time pitches well, although there are a lot of moving parts and it probably needs to be calmed down some. He can really drive the ball thanks to his quick hands and healthy hacks, which again lead to swing and miss, but the power is real.

11-30-22 - PG/Rawlings Finest in the Field: 2023 - https://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=21485&s=03 -

Outfield: Drew Burress, Houston County HS (Perry, Ga.)

Burress was covering an ocean’s worth of grass during his team’s WWBA World Championship run and is really adept at reading fly balls. He’s got a strong arm and is quick footed as well, but his ability to find the landing spot really allows him to time up dives and defend past his speed. Burress also has a strong arm where he can nail runners, and was no stranger to highlight catches this summer.

11-4-22 - WWBA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS NOTEBOOK - https://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2022-wwba-world-championships-notebook-1?s=03 -

CF Drew Burress, Houston County (GA), 2023

Performance: 5-20, 3 2B, 8 BB, 4 K, 4 SB, .883 OPS

Commitment: Georgia Tech

Drew Burress put together a good performance for Top Tier Roos 5 Star Mafia during their championship run at Jupiter, smacking balls all over the yard. While some evaluators are concerned about the irregular rhythm of his swing, all Burress has done this summer is hit advanced pitching and show off a myriad of plus physical tools. He remains at or near the top of follow lists in Georgia, and players of that caliber don’t usually make it to campus.

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

35 OF Drew Burress

Houston County, Perry, GA

Big time favorite of Georgia area guys due to an advanced feel for hitting, as well as finding the barrel. Explosive hips and big bat speed help Burress generate power well beyond what you might expect from a smaller frame. Athletic, runs well and has plenty of arm for center field. Swing can get uppercut heavy when he really tries to lift the ball, will be tested against high velocity.

UPDATED RESEARCH - 2023 Draft Prospect - OF - Colton Ledbetter

Colton Ledbetter

OF Mississippi State

2022 Samford stats - .318/.407/.640 with 16 homers, 16 doubles and 14 stolen bases

12-2-22 - 2023 MLB Draft: Ten Rising Hitters To Watch - https://d1baseball.com/prospects/2023-mlb-draft-ten-rising-hitters-to-watch/ -

Colton Ledbetter, OF, Mississippi State– Ledbetter put up big numbers as a sophomore at Samford last year, hitting .318/.407/.640 with 16 homers, 16 doubles and 14 stolen bases, then tore up the NECBL this summer, hitting .383 with a league-best 11 homers and 45 RBIs in 141 at-bats, along with 11 steals and more walks (26) than strikeouts (25).

At 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, Ledbetter is a physical specimen with serious athleticism that plays in center field, where he has good range and a strong arm. And he has a smooth, powerful, well-connected lefthanded stroke as well as a knack for barreling up hard line drives. He has Day One draft potential and a chance to be an All-American this spring. (Aaron Fitt)

11-28-22 - 2023 MLB Draft: College Top 100 Prospects - https://d1baseball.com/prospects/2023-mlb-draft-college-top-100-prospects/ -

26 Colton Ledbetter OF Mississippi State SEC

Reese Kaplan -- Predicting the Roster While Ignoring Carlos Correa

So let's push aside all of the Carlos Correa contract and health talk for awhile and look at the rest of the Mets team. Without Correa the team is essentially offensively similar to what was put on the field last year. Pitching-wise they should be improved (particularly if the hurlers remain healthier than did the crew in 2022). There are still some issues to resolve.

Bullpen

No one is arguing about the decisions to bring back Edwin Diaz and Adam Ottavino. The addition of David Robertson more than makes up for the loss of Seth Lugo. The big unknown is whether Brooks Raley's 2022 season was a turning of the screw for the veteran pitcher or if it was a one-off stellar season much like lefty Aaron Loup had for the Mets in 2021.

In 2022 the Mets had Diaz, Ottavino, Lugo, Trevor May, Trevor Williams, Drew Smith, Joely Rodriguez and a slew of others for short term stays. Going into 2023 the Mets again have Diaz, Ottavino, Smith and have added both Raley and Robertson. That's seven pitchers last season with some form of track record and only five this year.

The would-be relief pitching core includes wild man Bryce Montes de Oca, long term holdover Stephen Nogosek, Rule 5 former Yankee Zach Greene, holdover veterans John Curtiss, Elieser Hernandez and Joey Lucchesi, 2022 mostly starters Tylor Megill and David Peterson, then a bunch of others including Jeff Brigham, Jose Butto, Stephen Ridings and Tayler Saucedo.

While it's possible some of this group could emerge to be solid options, many feel the Mets would be better securing at least one more known commodity with a good track record to break up this logjam of wannabes.

Designated Hitter

This space is not going to be devoted to reciting how poorly people in the DH role performed for the Mets last year. Suffice to say that Daniel Vogelbach was passable at best but no one else even hit the level of competency.

Many feel the best way to go in 2023 is to hand at least the right handed hitting to one of the younger players like Mark Vientos. Others feel that Eduardo Escobar being a switch hitter could be a full time DH for what should be his final year with the club.

The spend-for-a-pennant bunch would instead like to see the Mets grab hold via free agency or trade one of the veteran solid hitters available to take over this role. Whichever way the front office moves, it can't possibly be worse than what was exhibited in 2022.

Outfielders

One of the great unsettled issues for the upcoming season is where to play Jeff McNeil, Brett Baty, Eduardo Escobar, Mark Vientos, Mark Canha, Luis Guillorme and when healthy, Danny Mendick. Rotating Jeff McNeil to left field would open up second base for one of the infielders.

Remaining with Mark Canha in left field addresses right handed hitting with a decent but unspectacular hitter, but does nothing against right handed pitching (which is the majority of at-bats).

They could set up a platoon of McNeil in left field against right handed pitching and at second base against left handed pitching with Canha in left. That solution leaves the home run power issue somewhat unaddressed and still leaves the Mets razor thin when it comes to spare outfielders.

No one is banking on Khalil Lee turning into a star since he's struggling at AAA. Here another outside bat could help, whether as bench material or as the named starter in left. Again a trade or free agency could address the matter, with free agency being the primary avenue if the Correa deal falls through.

So who do you feel belongs and who does not? What players should the Mets target in free agency or trades and who would they give up if it turns out to be the latter? Naturally the plethora of third base options is one surplus they may draw upon to address other needs.

The pitching is a bit thin after the stellar but older starters, so it would seem looking for AA/AAA starting pitching talent might make some sense.

Put yourself in the GM shoes and tell me what you would do to improve the roster.

12/29/22

UPDATED RESEARCH - 2023 Draft Prospect - RHP - Tanner Hall

Tanner Hall

RHP Southern Miss

2022 SM stats - 9-3, 2.81, 146-14 K-BB, 109 innings

12-9-22 - 2022 Fall Report: Southern Miss

https://d1baseball.com/fall-report/2022-southern-miss/?goal=0_98c95d11a2-efdc4df70c-536911606&mc_cid=efdc4df70c&mc_eid=b3ee91b95b

The centerpiece of the pitching staff will remain righthander Tanner Hall, of course. After going 9-3, 2.81 with a sparkling 146-14 K-BB mark in 109 innings last year, Hall spent the summer with Team USA, allowing just three hits over four shutout innings while striking out seven in his lone start in the Netherlands.

Hall dealt with some shoulder soreness this fall, and Berry said his arm slot was noticeably lower, but he checked out fine and will spend the winter resting up for the spring.

He’s the epitome of a proven commodity, with advanced command of an 87-93 mph sinker from a low three-quarters slot, a dastardly changeup that he manipulates extraordinarily well, and a useful slider at 78-82.

10-19-22 - https://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2022/1/15/2023-mlb-draft-prospects-fx4td?s=03 -

65 RHP

Tanner Hall

Southern Miss

Despite his absolutely overwhelming numbers, Hall doesn't have prototypical overwhelming stuff.

The fastball is heavy and it can get up to 92, but usually sits 89-91 with ease on the mound. It's a bowling ball heater that he commands brilliantly, some calling his feel for the pitch comfortably double-plus. He does, however, possess a slider that is a legitimate weapon. It's a low-80s sweeper that misses an immense amount of bats.

His changeup doesn't have a ton of separation, but it does tumble hard at the plate and tunnels well off the fastball. Hall might not have huge stuff, but his exceptional feel for the strike zone, starter traits and above average breaking ball should get him drafted nice and early.

Paul Articulates – When do you bring up the big prospects?

Last year was an interesting year for Mets fans. We enjoyed 101 wins, never suffered a long losing streak, and seemed to be destined for a long playoff run. The wheels came off late, and the mad scramble to fill some holes that had been there all year was unsuccessful. In retrospect, the call-ups of Brett Baty, Francisco Alvarez, and Mark Vientos were too late. Why did this happen and how would it have been handled better?

First, the team’s success got in its own way. We all knew that there was a DH problem, as the acquisitions of Darrin Ruf and Tyler Naquin failed to provide a reliable right-handed DH against lefties. Daniel Vogelbach got some big hits from the other side and did a nice job working pitch counts, but he faded late as well. The lack of hitting from the DH spot and the 3B position most of the season was overshadowed by the team’s ability to generate runs from the rest of the lineup and the pitching staff’s ability to hold down opposing teams.

With the team winning consistently with the lineup they had, it was easy to let the top prospects continue their development in the minors where there is less pressure to perform, less distractions off the field, and less formidable pitching to ruin a batter’s confidence. So the development continued deep into the summer and into the fall. When the call finally came for Baty, then Vientos, then Alvarez, they were thrust into a situation where there was no time to observe. They had to suit up, take the field, and perform. The race with the Braves had gotten very tight and now we HAD to win. None of the three excelled, and the season ended before it should have.

This was a very unfamiliar situation for the Mets. They have rarely had teams that were so successful that they could hold their prospects for further development. They have rarely had teams that were in a heated division race that created performance pressure on young players. Yet here they were, and the calls came too late, and the three prospects had their first taste of failure at the MLB level.

In fairness, I should note that Brett Baty was called up in mid-August and had some initial success with that bomb he hit for his first MLB hit. Injury kept him out during the heat of the divisional race. But with the other two, it certainly would have been better to get them some low pressure at-bats earlier, and to immerse them in the learning environment that the Mets had created with this team.

So what does the team do this coming year to get their top talent seasoned with MLB experience? How does this very deep team they have built in the off-season make room for their touted youngsters? There are going to be some difficult decisions when you have seasoned MLB players in utility roles and “ready” prospects on the doorstep of the big leagues. I think they are going to have to make room and pay the price for player development at the earliest stage when rosters expand.

Tough decisions, but a wonderful problem to have when it’s difficult to figure out how to play good players.

Tom Brennan - How Many More HRs Will the New Fence Dimensions Result In? Plus: Final Quiz.

NO, NO, NO, NOTHING NEW ON Carlos Correa.

When you are talking about a contract the size of the GDP of Madagascar, things take time…so just relax.

Since Joe Biden won’t talk about fences, allow me…

FENCE FOLLIES

We all know that baseball is a game of analytics. Every decision is analyzed - well, almost every decision. The 2009 original Citi Field dimensions were decided upon by someone who needed analysis of the psychiatric kind.

In 2011, when the first of two fence move-ins occurred (the other in 2015), the NY Post reported this:

"According to research conducted by Alderson and his staff, the Mets would have hit a combined 70 more home runs over the past three seasons in Citi Field using the new dimensions. Opponents would have hit a combined 60 more home runs."

So I'll just guess: had the original 2009 dimensions been moved straight to the 2015 dimensions without the first foolishly inadequate move-in during 2011, over the first 3 seasons (2009-11), I estimate that not 130, but 200, more home runs would have been hit.

And the later shortened 2015 dimensions still favored the pitchers.

Well, the new 2023 dimensions are supposed to move in the fences 8.5 more feet for about a 50 foot stretch - not a huge length, but I'd say enough to park about 10 more HRs by both the Mets and their opponents annually.

How many more HRs do you think such a move in will result in annually, and which Mets hitters might most benefit from this 3rd inward move?

And is this enough of a move-in to finally make the park more offense-neutral?

A 1969 Quiz Question: Which NY Met lent his glove to President Richard Nixon while he sat in the stands, in case of a foul ball?

Ans: The great Bobby Pfeil.

Now for the 2022 quiz....

Yes!!! 2022 METS QUIZ QUESTIONS!

Rejoice! My quiz series is over today!

And it will be my final ever quiz.

Finishing today my 10 article series involving quiz questions for different Mets' seasons, starting with 2013, ending with today’s 2022 Mets-related quiz questions.

Why quiz questions?

To allay the boredom of a quiet and uneventful off-season, naturally.

But now that joltin’ Jose Peroza, Junior Tilien (once he turns 20, will he still be Junior?), 100 Watt Wyatt Young and perhaps even jettison-man Jett Williams appear blocked in their exhilarating and soaring upward ascents thru the Mets minors by the presumed Lindor/Correa Blockade, on to the 2022 Q&A we go.

Questions at the top, answers below, to give you time to see if you can guess the right answers before you actually read the right answers.

If you can't guess all the answers without peeking, are you REALLY a Mets fan?

1) Which Mets hurler was tied for 144th in MLB wins by a pitcher, with 2 fewer wins than mighty Mychal Givens??

2) Which excellent pitcher, at the 2013 start of my “quiz question series”, also had a very solid year as an ex-Met in 2022?

3) Two ex-Mets pitchers had these nearly identical 2022 stats…can you name which two?

* Starter #1: 10-10, 3.94, 135 IP, 95 K.

* Starter #2: 8-9, 3.73, 137 IP, 95 K.

4) What Mets player pulled off what perhaps no one else in MLB history has ever done, rallying from 50 points down in late July to win the NL batting title?

5) Which Mets hitter led the major leagues in a significant offensive category, but finished 4th on the team in WAR?

6) Why is having a guy named Buck on your team always a good idea?

7) Which team members should win team MVP and pitcher of the year?

8) Which numerical coincidence exists between the subs and scrubs' brutal hitting through mid-2015 and the brutal hitting of the 2022 Mets' subs and scrubs?

9) The Mets decided that Dom Smith and JD Davis could perform well enough that they went with them, rather than sign an available free agent. Who was that free agent, and what did a major league star say to advocate for the player the Mets passed on?

10) What is my favorite brand of vino?

11) Which class was easy, which was really tough?

12) Bonus question…which Met hit 122 points, 101 OB%, and .332 slug % points lower in 2022 than in his peak career season?

13) Bonus Question # 2: Why did the Mets only poke 171 homers in 2022?

See Answers Below.

Answers:

1) Jake won just 5, Givens won 7. Jake was tied for the 144th most wins in the majors. In 2021, he was tied for 92nd most wins. His 2021 AND 2022 seasons wins combined (12) would have been enough to tie him for 27th most in 2022. But, we all agree in one voice, he was a WINNER!

2) Zack Wheeler was 7-5, 3.42 in 2013. Still very tough this many years later. Escaped from the Wilpon Plantation and lived to tell about.

3) Noah Syndergaard and Chris Flexen. How many of you would have ever thought back in 2016 that Flexen could possibly clone Thor?

Of course, Flexen had far better combined seasons in 2020 and 2021 than did Noah the Blonde. Image isn't everything, the Dark Knight once told me.

4) Such an easy question, but I like to remind people of Jeff McNeil's remarkable feat whenever I can. Heck of a golfer, too. He once shot a 59 at Canyon Lakes Golf Course. Which I believe was 12 under par.

5) Pounding Pete Alonso had 131 RBIs, leading the NL, but his 4.0 WAR trailed teammates Lindor, McNeil, and Nimmo in WAR. Quite remarkable to have 4 guys with over 20 combined WAR.

6) I asked this same question back in 2013, but in 2013, it referred to catcher John Buck, who drove in 60 runs in 101 games as the team's primary catcher. In 2022, Buck Showalter got a lot more out of his team than Luis Rojas had when he managed the season before.

7) Edwin Diaz, and Edwin Diaz. Without Edwin, the season through August would not have been nearly as pretty, as he was virtually invincible every time out.

8) A .184 average. Several years back, I wrote this about the 2015 Wilpon "walking dead" back up hitters:

"The Mets in mid-2015 looked pretty awful and hopeless. They could not hit. Articles were being written mid way through the season that it was the Mets' worst scoring team since 1968's squad scored just 473 runs.

"In 2015, the Excruciating Eight - Dilson Herrera, Darrel Ceciliani, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Eric Campbell, Johnny Monell, John Mayberry, Danny Muno, and Anthony Recker - hit a collective, incomprehensibly bad .184 (129 hits in 702 ABs, with those 702 pathetic at bats constituting an astounding 13.5% of all non-pitcher Mets ABs in 2015)." Their motto? Undoubtedly, “make love, not WAR”.

In spite of the excruciating 8, the 2015 Metsies somehow made the World Series.

In 2022, this happened: 804 ABs by the lowest 14 hitters on the roster resulted in those dudes hitting a collective - wait for it - .184.

9. - An article in late March 2022 provided the answer - Kyle Schwarber:

The Phillies got the big bat they needed in left field. The Phillies on Sunday announced their four-year deal with Kyle Schwarber, which is worth $79 million…“He’s a proven winner,” Bryce Harper said before the team’s workout at BayCare Ballpark. “Everywhere he’s gone, he’s done a really good job. It just gives us a huge opportunity to fill that void in left field, and it gives us a huge opportunity to get that much better.”

“Harper made it clear that the Philadelphia needed to get somebody in left field. He specifically mentioned Kris Bryant, Nick Castellanos and Schwarber. Harper felt so strongly about the three that he spoke on Tuesday night with Phillies managing partner John Middleton and other club officials about them.

“Schwarber is not coming to Philadelphia for his glove. He is coming to hit homers and show the Phillies how to win. He is regarded as a tremendous person and clubhouse presence. He has postseason experience with 121 plate appearances in 35 career playoff games. He helped the Cubs win the 2016 World Series.“

So. all the late-signing Schwarber did was crush 46 regular season dingers. In 315 Mets at bats, meanwhile, Davis and Smith combined to hit 4 balls out for the Mets. A mere 42 HR gap between them and Kyle.

10) The Adam Ottavino winery blend, best consumed while eating sharp cheddar sliders.

11) “Season 101” was easy, “Playoffs 101” was a very tough class indeed.

12) No, that was not Robby Cano, whose drop in 2022 slash stats vs. his peak MLB season was even worse, but the correct answer is Dom Smith. His .616 slug % in 2020 is the standing Mets record, while Bud Harrelson had a higher slug % 9 times than Dom Smith’s .284 in 2022.

13. Why only 171 HRs? Partly the park (9 less homers at home) but also, McCann, Nido, Guillorme, Davis, and Smith had 20% of Mets at bats in 2022 and hit a horrific 12 homers. That will be partly addressed by Alvarez, Baty, and perhaps Vientos power at bats added in 2023.

Partly due to that, the 2022 Metsies never made it to the World Series.

How many questions did you get right?

And the final quiz question and answer....

Will I ever do a quiz question series again?

Answer: I very sincerely doubt it.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

12/28/22

Tom Brennan - Darin Ruf or Mark Vientos?

Mark Vientos is the better choice.

Here’s why.

Answer to “Ruf or Vientos” might be “neither.”

Cohen may eat all but the minimum to move Ruf.

He should. He’s toast.

He’d only play against lefties, he stunk up the joint last year as an aging hitter vs. lefties, and in 2023, he will be a year older. Fossilized.

McCan’t, just older.

Mark Anthony Vientos, on the other hand?

He had 112 at bats vs. lefties in AAA last season.

Slashed .330/.408/.732.

13 HRs, 37 RBIs.

Wow.

He got his major league debut jitters out of the way in 2022.

Just 1 for his first 18, then improved to 5 for his next 18.

Me? Moi-meme? I want that dude as a DH vs. lefties in 2023.

Lucas Duda was a “Vientos ditto”, but as a thundering lefty vs. righties.

Lousy vs. lefties. You bet. First….

Painful short Duda 2010 MLB debut.

Shook it off, as any good Lebowski should, and the following season, a dandy Duda delight:

.297/.380/.506 vs. righties.

I think Vientos could do that in 2023 vs. lefties.

Mark “yes”, Ruf “nyet”. Send the Ruffian packing.

He could still be traded before the season starts, of course.

And Mark did start slowly in 2021 and 2021, so I’d be OK (as of now) with him starting out in AAA for a few weeks, but Vientos before Ruf to me is a no-brainer.

Vientos.

Alvarez, too.

UPDATED RESEARCH - 2023 Draft Prospect - OF - Matthew Etzel

Matthew Etzel

OF Southern Miss

2022 Panola College stats - .433/.509/.711

12-9-22 - 2022 Fall Report: Southern Miss

https://d1baseball.com/fall-report/2022-southern-miss/?goal=0_98c95d11a2-efdc4df70c-536911606&mc_cid=efdc4df70c&mc_eid=b3ee91b95b

Southern Miss center fielder Matthew Etzel (Aaron Fitt)

Finally, don’t be surprised if juco transfer center fielder Matthew Etzel proves to be USM’s best player in 2023. The No. 74 prospect on our Top 100 list for the 2023 draft, Etzel is another very physical, athletic lefthanded hitter with a 6-2, 211-pound physique.

He has a quiet, hitterish look in the box, with advanced plate discipline, exciting bat speed, and good foot speed as well. He looks ready to be an instant star in Hattiesburg.

12-2-22 - 2023 MLB Draft: Ten Rising Hitters To Watch - https://d1baseball.com/prospects/2023-mlb-draft-ten-rising-hitters-to-watch/ -

Matthew Etzel, CF, Southern Mississippi– Originally at Texas A&M his freshman year, Etzel transferred to Panola College (Tex.) for his sophomore season where he slashed .433/.509/.711. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound left handed hitter continued to excel this past summer in the MLB Draft League where he was regarded as the highest riser and best pure hitter (.371/.463/.586 with more walks (19) than strikeouts (13).

He continued to put all parts of his game together this fall in Hattiesburg. Etzel’s innate bat-to-ball skills, superior strike zone awareness and plus speed give him top-of-the-lineup upside.

Currently it’s a hit over power profile, but it’s safe to project double-digit homers as he matures given his barrel awareness. Defensively, he shows slightly above average arm strength with carry and accuracy, strong instincts and the closing speed to reach batted balls that usually fall in for base hits. He will likely patrol center field for the Eagles this spring.

Talk of the next Reed Trimble, albeit in a larger, stronger frame, has already begun.

11-28-22 - 2023 MLB Draft: College Top 100 Prospects - https://d1baseball.com/prospects/2023-mlb-draft-college-top-100-prospects/ -

74 Matthew Etzel CF Southern Miss Sun Belt

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