So with only about a week out from the end of Spring Training, what stories piqued your interest the most?
Let's get the injuries off the table right away. Things happen to all teams, not just to the Mets. You cope. You strategize. You whine. You move on.
So, in that spirit, let's see what other issues have arisen to make this annual visit to Port St. Lucie not quite according to expectations?
There is no surprise in the number of ABs granted to this rookie duo during the World Baseball Classic laden team needing to fill in roster spots while nations around the globe tried to out-thump one another. In fact, Vientos currently has more times at bat than anyone else in camp. The pleasant revelation was their mutual output at the plate.
Baty has been hitting at an All Star level while playing an inconsistent but likely acceptable third base. Vientos has hit in the .280s while taking turns at 1st base and DH while leaving Vientos to cover for Venezuelan third baseman Eduardo Esocbar. Both have shown they likely have strong futures with the Mets but the mystery remains whether that future starts in Syracuse or in Queens.
Everyone already knows that David Robertson, Adam Ottavino, Brooks Raley and Drew Smith were already written in ink on the 26-man roster heading north. Stephen Nogosek was close to a guarantee based upon his strong showing last year and him being out of options.
After that it's quite a bit murkier with mystery acquisition Elieser Hernandez likely coming north despite his horrific Spring (which followed his horrific past few major league seasons). Think of him as the pitching equivalent of Darin Ruf.
I've already advocated for Tommy Hunter and John Curtiss taking the other two relief pitcher openings at least temporarily, but it's still possible that someone who is a late cut elsewhere, a late signing to a free agent contract or even more surprising, a trade could take place to push one of them aside.
No one honestly expected Ronny Mauricio to somehow get promoted, skipping AAA altogether. He will not. The poor play both in the field and at the plate kind of sealed Francisco Alvarez's fate to get more seasoning. Somewhat surprising was the quick hook given to Rule V draftee Zach Greene. No one else getting demoted is much of a surprise.
As much as we enjoy reading occasional tweets from Mama Megill, the fact is that with lefthander Jose Quintana out for at least half a year would suggest that corresponding lefthander David Peterson has the edge to begin the season at Citifield in the starting rotation. It is possible they could pluck a starting pitcher out of the castoffs and unsigned wannabes, but with Peterson and Megill both having shown at times strong stuff in the majors when working as starters it is less likely to see that happen here than in the pen.
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Now everyone knows that Spring Training is supposed to be about resuming a normal regular exercise routine and working on some specific aspects of your game that need to advance. Still, people who watch the games would like to see positive output in the field and at the plate.
Newcomer Tommy Pham, returning DHs Darin Ruf and Daniel Vogelbach have all looked overmatched and have posted embarrassing stats. In the case of veterans on the upper side of thirty, often the whispers begin about skills eroding. For younger players there is more tolerance if they have produced in the past.
Right now no one is applauding this tenuous trio for anything they have done in Florida but only Ruf appears to be the only one inching towards thin ice. (One veteran shout-out or shout-at should also go to Eduardo Escobar whose work for the WBC was not good while his third base slot might be yanked out from under him.)
When the Mets inked various warm bodies to fill out the 40-man roster, no one paid much attention to the group of "fillers" who wouldn't hurt to have around but also who weren't expected to make much of an impact.
Outfielder Tim Locastro was very much in this group, never having hit very much in the majors but known more as a competent fielder and successful base stealer. No one expected the man at age 30 to post a .340+ batting average. Just as you are naturally quick to make excuses for a veteran who does not do well, you also can make similar rationalizations about someone who is playing well over his head.
Still, with Brandon Nimmo nursing injuries and Tommy Pham not exactly wowing anyone with his output, what Locastro has done suggests a fairly strong possibility he will be flying not quite as far north as Syracuse, at least to start the year.
Who has surprised you the most in camp?
6 comments:
The Mets regular hitters have done very little hitting so far. Of course, sometimes hitting can be non-stats. I read McNeil had 9 unofficial ABs at the minors complex yesterday (?). 0 for 9? 9 for 9? No idea. No stats.
I used to sit in the backfield and report what I saw live on the site.
Jay banned me permanently for this
Jay wanted media control, no doubt. Censors are ubiquitous.
Back then, no bloggers.
I got my credentials because I wrote for the Savannah rag owned by Morris Publishing
Never read the fine print on agreement that must have said no blogging
Member of beat press busted me to Jay
F Jay.
Tim Locastro was definitely a big (and pleasant) spring surprise.
It would be hard to call Ruf and Vogey not hitting a surprise, but they need to pick it up fast because Vientos was performing very well (not surprising).
My biggest surprise of the spring was that McNeil and Alonso wasted most of the session sitting the bench for the US team. What a travesty! Their April will look like March because of the lack of reps.
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