With the Mets in the midst of an almost unfathomable 3-game win streak, Saturday's rainout and the subsequent scheduling of a day-night doubleheader for Sunday really was bad timing for the enthusiastic and impressive wins the Mets garnered most recently. Granted, the starting pitching has been more down than up, but the promise to the Guardians to face both Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander on the same day had to make the Mets feel as if the potential for wins to continue was better than average.
So at a time when the ship is moving in the right direction and come-from-behind is no longer just a pipe dream, what must Billy Eppler and Buck Showalter looked to do to make the team even better going forward? There are still a number of underachievers on the roster, injured players in various levels of rehab before they could return to the big club, and some hot prospects bubbling at the surface for promotion to the majors.
One thing the Mets have done a little bit under the new regime in charge is admit defeat (though sometimes painfully slowly) when players on the roster simply are not getting it done. Robinson Cano and Darin Ruf are two clear examples.
Now veteran outfielder/DH Tommy Pham is in danger of becoming the next player to face the same consequences. His work is not pretty. Batting at the Mendoza line with just a few home runs there is no justifiable reason for him to play which then calls into mind the reasoning as to why he's still on the active roster? Yes, he's earning a relatively modest $6 million salary, but if he's not contributing to winning then why is he here? It's possible that no matter how well liked he is by fellow Mets players and how thin the outfield is that his days are indeed numbered.
Big Daniel Vogelbach is still not hitting for any power and despite his major league minimal batting average and high OBP due to walks that it's simply not enough to keep the $1.5 million ballplayer a member of the Mets. Getting on base frequently helps more if you can run the bases effectively. Lower batting average is tolerable if HRs and RBIs are aggregated in an impressive level. Defense can sometimes underscore a need despite a weak offensive profile.
Right now Vogelbach is delivering none of these things. The combined Vogelbach/Pham primary DH combo is simply not getting it done and many are whispering loudly that the smiling Daniel Vogelbach has worn out his welcome as he has done on other clubs in the past.
Despite a dramatic game tying home run upon his call up to the Mets, Mark Vientos remains a man without a position. They oddly benched Brett Baty to allow the defensively challenged Vientos to man third base for a game but otherwise his chances of playing regularly will depend on clearing out the roster from underachievers like the aforementioned DH pair. Otherwise, like Luis Guillorme before him, Vientos may find himself once again bound for Syracuse in a surprising roster move when he's not done anything to deserve the demotion.
Surprisingly, the newest New York Met, veteran catcher Gary Sanchez, is also on razor thin ice when it comes to his Mets future. The stories people are hearing is that the Mets want to see the slugging backstop playing his defensive position despite the increasingly regular contributions the club is getting from youngster Francisco Alvarez. With two injured catchers eventually slated to be able to return there will be a need to decide who is staying and who is going. Fans and media would go absolutely ballistic if the answer to the question was Francisco Alvarez.
Tomas Nido could remain in Syracuse working on his hitting while adjusting to his corrected vision. That still leaves free agent acquisition Narvaez a left handed option to return to the club in place of right handed Sanchez unless the team inexplicably wants to carry three catchers with Sanchez getting DH duties for his lifetime .225 batting average. If I was Sanchez I would be happy for the new opportunity to play in the majors but I wouldn't sign any long term leases to live in New York.
5 comments:
Narvaez had a good year in 2021, but hit .176 in shortened 2020 and .206 in 2022. He is now 31, which is old for a catcher. If Sanchez asserts himself, maybe Narvaez and not Sanchez departs when Omar is healthy?
Every AAA day that goes by, Pham and Vogelbach are in greater jeopardy from the hard charging .360 Ronny Mauricio. 21 doubles in 45 games for R Mo? That is an amazing pace. Hitting like AAA David Wright in the year he was called up in mid season, so Ronny sure looks like a future star.
Vientos I give time to - Shane Bieber is no picnic, so I am not judging him on his first 3 games, other than to happily note that he's had 2 very important hits already.
Alvarez is not only hitting, he's getting huge hits in pressure situations.
Escobar has gone a fine 11 for 28 with 3 HRs since he flounder at .120 after a miserable spring. What took him so long, who knows, but he is producing. And when you produce in a part time role, that is such a plus to a team.
My thoughts this morning....
1. See how much easier this is when you have great starters going deep into the games?
2. According to the experts, both Baty and Alvarez have changed the minds of the Mets brass and, going forward, they will both be the regular starters at their positions, 3B and C.
3. Mark Vientos gives the team and adequate 1B2 and 3B2 while also gearing up as a DH.
He needs time but he also needs reps.
4. As well as the pitching went on Sunday, nothing has changed about the rotation going forward. It needs help and a lot of praying by Mets fans.
5. Sanchez will determine his future role. If he fails at hitting during his limited reps, he would be my C2. If he rakes, he would be one of my DH hitters and I would probably carry a 3rd catcher.
6. The Mets know that both Pham and Vogy do not fit into the future. When they pull the trigger is up to them. Trist me, if Vientos was hitting .400 and had 4 home runs already, it would done this week
5 game winning streaks change a lot of things. So do those HRs,power over small ball every day. Finally the rotation might finally be rounding into shape. Sherzer. Verlander and Senga could be outstanding. If Carrasco comes back they’ll be tough.
Peterson and Luchessi having very strong AAA starts is also a good sign. I hope Peterson has a beat on what has been failing him.
They really need to give Vientos a shot to prove himself. His game against Bieber was not great but Bieber is a top NL pitcher and Vientos held his own in the previous 2 games. I really hope they give him a chance to succeed.
First game in Cubs series against lefty Smyly. Let’s see how Vientos and Alvarez do. Then comes little Marcus. Then Taillon and his 8+ ERA. THEN Colorado. Let’s run off an 11 game win streak.
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