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| Connor Grey - MiLB.com |
In my third article over the past several days regarding young players being treated like chattel:
The speed of the annual bullpen shuffle in Queens (like the spin cycle in a clothes washer) is heavily dictated by remaining options of pitchers.
I have noted that the pitching game in baseball has drastically changed over time, as in 1969 and 1986 the Mets used just 15 pitchers, but over the past two seasons, annual pitcher usage has averaged in the mid 30s.
More hurler ups and downs than a Coney Island Coaster.
Spotrac is a neat site which, among other things, notes the number of options remaining of Metsies.
Steve Nogosek, in that light, is now a happy man, because he has no options left. He cannot be sent down without risking losing him to another team. Which makes him less likely to be sent down. Or at some point in 2023 more likely to pitch in the majors elsewhere.
Since first appearing in a Mets game in 2019, he has gotten into 20 games totaling 32 innings, going 1-3, 4.55, with most of that in a much-improved 2022, when in 12 games, he was 1-1, 2.45 in 22 innings. Since 2019, though, he’s had many more (97) minor league appearances, with 2 of the 3 years involved being excellent, including a 1.07 ERA in 50 innings, and in 2022, a 2.30 ERA in 43 minor league innings.
If the Mets don't keep him on the roster, my guess is based on that 2022, some team will snatch him.
Brooks Raley, meanwhile, joins Steve in the Nogosek life raft, also having no options left.
Options remaining include the following:
Three Options Left:
Bryce Montes de Oca, Tylor Megill, Zach Greene, Stephen Ridings.
Two Options Left:
David Peterson, Tayler Saucedo, Jose Butto, Jeff Brigham, Joey Lucchesi, Drew Smith. (Saucedo was just DFAd to make room on the roster for Tommy Pham.)
One Option Left:
John Curtiss, Elieser Hernandez.
Of course, a guy who has yet to make it to the majors, but is likely to do so in 2023, Eric Orze, has 3 options just waiting to be used. Also, guys like Grant Hartwig and Connor Grey and their 3 available options could come into play in 2023 as well.
And one non-option way to shuffle the pitching roster is to send a guy to the IL, which does not burn an option.
Which is a reason David Peterson has 2 options left and Megill has 3 left. They have both been on the IL during their Mets' tenures.
All in all, these options give the Mets plenty of pitcher flexibility in 2023 - but will lead to many, if not most, of these guys spending time in the minors in 2023, especially the ones with options left.
Of course, management has to be prudent in using up player options in 2023, because they will need lots of pitchers with options left to be used in each and every subsequent year.
One inescapable conclusion:
With available information like this, reading Macks Mets is not optional.
16 comments:
Good morning to all. Ps. 118:24
There has been hints out of camp that Megill and Peterson will BOTH play the same role out of camp.
My guess is SP 1 and 2 in AAA.
I think Nogo is a keeper come April.
I think Nogosek has grinded his way to the majors - it was a tough journey.
I personally hate major leaguers spending any time in the minors, but that is a result of being on a superior team. On a number of teams, they'd be penciled in as SP 3 and SP 4 right now.
My prediction is Megill and Peterson will get 10 starts each at the major league level.
I know that this is off-topic, but I feel compelled to bring it up for discussion:
Where is Keith, and why hasn't he been re-signed?
Tom is right - if you want to stay informed, reading Mack's Mets is not an option it is a must. As for the pitchers, I hope Nogosek finds a role where he can stay with the Mets. He has shown some promise.
If I was Peterson and Megill, I'd have no problem with that if, like Trevor Williams in 2022, I was on the MLB roster all year.
Trevor got in 30 games and 9 starts in 2022. Minors outings? None.
Their key to a big payday is to be healthy and productive as they approach free agency. Less innings now might help reach that goal. Peterson will be 31 in 2027 at free agency, Megill 32 in 2028. Long ways off.
Getting back ON-topic, I've read in several places that, while Chafin, Britton and others are available, the Mets reportedly are giving priority to signing guys with options.
Does that justify lowering the standards for filling the pen? Not IMO.🤬
10 starts each? You’re an optimist! Figure the rotation misses 30-40 starts.
Woodrow is likely right. Even in the Iron Man seasons of 1969 and 1986, starts by other than the top 5 were 18 and 14. I’ll bet we need to fill a minimum of 30 starts from 6 thru 8 this year, too.
So, maybe Megill 15, Peterson 15, Lucchesi 5 starts.
Bill
No word on Keith but it is in the hands of Jeff and his father.
I realize that, but it still makes zero sense to not make a decision either way this late in the off-season.
If they don't sign him soon, it's very late to find a replacement. Might they just go with G_R?
UNTHINKABLE!
I don't think the Lugnuts really care.
If they can save money they probably will.
Paul Mack ran out of options years ago so were all up to stay. Where else would we want to be! In many other seasons Nogo would be our opening day starter so lets really appreciate this team and enjoy the ride but we all are Met fans and worrying is a birth right but I'm working hard on the "chill" thing. Ask me how it's going in July.
Gary, we have to learn to celebrate while we dominate
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