Mark is a Man Who Can't Miss (photo: Richard Nelson)
A few days ago, Mark Vientos had just finished a 2 game, 0 for 9, 4 K performance, and I looked at his K rate in his time in AAA and concluded he was missing the mark.
My article was premature and myopic. I missed it.
Why?
The next 3 games showed why, that's why.
In those next 3 games, just 1 K. Good.
And 2 singles, 3 doubles, 2 HRs, 2 walks, and 8 RBIs. What??
Insane.
Mark the last two years got off to very slow starts.
But after last night's game, in 15 games, he is .364/.446/.764 with 17 RBIs.
The mark was definitely missed. By me.
I missed the mark about Mark. Let's hope Eppler is getting it, too.
16 comments:
Joe D passed
We will see him as soon as Billy has had enough of Vogey.
Sorry to hear about Joe D.
Vogey is heatin up, Mack, it is the two bogey's, Nido and Escobar, the .120 boys, that ought to go.
Vogie's been on base 14 of 34 times. Nido and Esco have been on base 15 times...in 91 plate appearances. So Vogie just has to go 1 for 57 to "catch up with them".
Still, if Baty plays third and Vogey is the LHDH, where would Vientos play?
RIP Joe D.
I can't remember when the Mets have had this many prospect bats close to the bigs. While it is a problem finding a home for everyone, it is a good problem, especially with the geriatric starting pitching.
Vientos will play if he hits. I can see 50-50 with Vogelbach, and if Mark really hits, Vogelbach turns into late-in-career Rusty Staub - lots of pinch hitting. He would be the Grander Orange.
WHy is Baty here? One reason is just 3 Mets lefty HRs so far, in 246 lefty at bats. Dead ball era. Mauricio could help that too.
A Sept 2017 article I did on Vientos, when I had him # 7:
Tom Brennan - MY METS PROSPECTS # 7: MARK VIENTOS
The Mets sometimes sign young power bats at fairly high levels, with mixed results.
Ivan Wilson was 3rd rounder a few years back with big power and, as it turns out, a gargantuan hole in his bat, who saw the writing on the wall and gave up the game.
Desmond Lindsay may still turn out to be great, and I still have him highly ranked, but he has had his hiccups, not the least of which is missing about half his teams' games in 3 seasons due to injury.
In the 2017 2nd round, the Mets picked young and powerful again, with Mark Vientos, who will only turn 18 around Christmastime. So far, he looks like a superior pick to me.
The extremely young Vientos played 51 games for mostly the GCL Mets (last 4 at Kingsport). Playing 51 games at SS for mostly the GCL Mets, he impressed, hitting .262/.318/.398.
Once August showed up on the calendar, he was even more impressive the rest of the way: .305/.340/.467 in 27 games, with just 21 Ks in 112 plate appearances.
In 23 games at SS, just 4 errors. In 14 games at 3B, just 2 errors. Just 6 errors in 37 starts for a 17 year old? Far better than Gavin Cecchini circa 2016. Quite impressive.
I could see Mark as a 21 year old opening day 3rd baseman for the Mets in 2021, admittedly a long look into the future.
Time to recognize the inevitable. Vogelbach should have trade value. Bring up Vientos and move Vogie.
Rds 900
Thanks. I concur.
This team is a bit myopic. They had a wonderful player wave come up about 4-5 years ago or so. Players like McNeil, Alonso, Nimmo, Nido, Rosario, and a healthy Noah "Thor" Syndergaard... But that was like 4-5 years ago. They are all veteran players now. They are this team's true core, along with Lindor.
So the Mets probably felt like they were in an "in-between wave place" at current. In-between the last wave of callups, and the one that everyone was anxiously awaiting with guys like Baty, Vientos, Mauricio, Butto. So we wait.
The problem simply is, that some of the players they went out and grabbed to fill "this space of the grand in-between" (a place between reality and the make believe) really are not as good as the next wave sitting down in AAA twiddling their thumbs and waiting to get their FT chance on the parent club. But is that in the cards?
So Brett Baty is up on the parent club, watching the games from pine seating. Just great. Last night they started Eduardo Escobar at third base. He's hitting a .120 BA. Not kidding here. It makes no sense to me when you have a better and younger player on the bench, just sitting there and watching the game go down the commode. Escobar 0 for 2, and pinch-hit for by Vogelbach later inning, Although Vogelbach singled. Four singles for the Mets off Kershaw all night, now 3-1.
In all honesty here, I am thinking of not watching/following anymore Mets games if Vientos and Mauricio are not soon called up and starting for this team. It isn't their record of wins and losses, but rather their acceptance to forego winning opportunities. Look Bucky never won a single World Series in his life, and to my eyes, this could possibly be why. Common sense is not prevailing here. I am sorry people.
Being extra concerned about playing the veteran type players that you may have had on your teams prior, is a nice touch and all. Family like one could say. But none of Bucky's families ever won the World Series. Maybe this is why.
I am not trying to defame Bucky. He's been the Manager of The Year four times. He's a decent enough manager with a .513 won/lost percentage. 313 wins to 268 losses as of the start of 2023 season. He was manager of the year in 2022. But this allegiance to veteran players, because they are older and maybe familiar? Is that a formula for a WS ring you think?
In other news...
Jake deGrom hurt his wrist. Could be out six weeks I read, especially if history dictates here. See why not to sign old injury prone pitchers with shredded lettuce arms. Told you. The Texas Rangers have assigned him his own WWII MASH UNIT to sit outside his residence, and then hotels when on the road.
Ray, you have always driven the Mark Train. Maybe Pittsburgh would want Vogie back.
I've long believed we should get younger and more athletic. Canha and Vogelbach are good players but Vientos and Mauricio are the future
The sooner the better.
Vientos keeps hitting he’ll get his shot. But again,no position,too many Ks he has to hit when he gets here.
We have a tough high obp team that is great at causing high pitch counts. At least Another bopper is needed balance for hr and esp RBI production. Yes 30% SO rate is horrible but worth tradeoff for 25+ hr and 80+ rbi? Some successful former MLB power hitter have had high SO rates in minors and majors. Mark Reynolds Adam Dunn.
And truckhorse Schwarber worked hard to learn at least minimal outfield play. Understanding that he plays in bandbox outfield. Vientos should have worked on it all winter. And please move Mauricio around for versatility. Frustrating
Joe, I’m ready for Vientos. He’s rocking.
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