The Mack Report - Daniel Murphy, Pete Alonso, Buck Showalter, Tyler Stuart, Power Ratings
NJ.com - Why is ex-Mets star — who earned $90M — still playing minor-league ball at 38? -
Why — at 38, after making roughly $90 million during his major-league career, earning a degree in business management, and with four kids at home — is Daniel Murphy schlepping around the East Coast as a minor-leaguer while fans point and say, “Hey, didn’t he used to be ...?”
The former Mets infielder, a three-time All-Star who retired with a .296 career average, says it’s because he’s become part historian, part mad scientist — discovering a new love for the game by studying its past while being energized by the physics of reinventing his swing.
Mack - I put up a picture of Daniel that I took at spring training, the year that he was told to learn to become a starting second baseman. Up to then, his defense at that position was sub-par.
I caught him on a back field working with one coach who continued, over and over, to send out grounders to him there. This went on for well into 30 minutes,
Matt Musico - Mets’ Pete Alonso: premier power hitter and … professional air humper? -
This is also the exact kind of thing that will be received in two different ways. It will endear him to the Mets fanbase that much more, along with making fans of other teams despise him even more. And you know what, that’s fine. We don’t want Pete going anywhere else anyways.
In a perfect world, I would’ve liked to have seen him sign a contract extension prior to Opening Day. But either way, it’s coming, and the man is going to get a truckload of cash thanks to his importance to the Mets.
Mack - Look. With Alonso, you get what you get. He is pure spontaneous emotion and adrenaline, 99% of the time being positive. He’s the heart of the Mets. Period.
Ken Rosenthal - MLB Manager Status Check — How comfortable is each skipper’s future? -
Buck Showalter, Mets: Yes, he was NL Manager of the Year just last season, but before the Mets’ current five-game winning streak, with every victory by one run, Showalter did not necessarily appear secure. Such is life for the manager of the most expensive team in major-league history, under an owner whose level of patience likely does not match his desire to win.
While Showalter, who turns 67 on Tuesday, is under contract through next season, Steve Cohen figures to make significant changes if the season ends badly. The recent performances of the Baby Mets helped revitalize the club, but so much depends upon Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, both of whom pitched brilliantly in Sunday’s doubleheader sweep of the Guardians.
Mack - I believe that Buck is secure as the Mets manager, whether they succeed or fail. It’s not his fault that this year’s pitchers went south. He didn’t trade or sign them, nor did he cause them any injuries.
I believe this will be his last managerial job and he will manage the Mets until he chooses to retire,
Eric Samulski - Mets pitcher Tyler Stuart emerging for Brooklyn Cyclones in 2023 -
The right-hander stands an imposing 6’9” and 250-pounds and, as is often the case with pitchers of that size, finding repeatable mechanics had been an issue for him in his young career. Getting all those long and hulking levers to move the right way on 80+ pitches a night can be a truly difficult task. However, the Mets clearly have been working with him on it, and the progress is showing.
Mack - It’s my belief the Mets have a winner here.
Wanna stand in against a 6-9 pitcher throwing 99? Come on. I dare ya.
Right now, he has a small blister/cracked nail situation going on on one of his pitching hand’s fingers, but it’s my belief, at max, he will miss only one start.
Look for Stuart to finish the season with the B-Mets.
Zach Buchanan, Nick Groke and Stephen Nesbitt -MLB Power Rankings -
14. New York Mets
Record: 25-23
Last Power Ranking: 18
I can say with a certain degree of confidence that, when healthy, Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander will deliver good results for the Mets. I will say no such thing, however, about a handful of veterans currently populating the Mets’ lineup and bench.
To oversimplify here, let’s say that if league-average OPS in 2023 is .728 (which it is) then residing in the .600s or below is a real bummer. And that’s where Eduardo Escobar (.685), Luis Guillorme (.591) and three of four outfielders — Starling Marte (.620), Mark Canha (.666), Tommy Pham (.664) — all reside.
That’s not even counting those with fewer than 20 games played this season. For Steve Cohen and the Mets, the quickest path to first place is to get those bats back on track. Marte had three hits Sunday to bounce his batting average from a career-low .231 to still-a-career-low .245, and he also homered and hosed a former teammate from right field, so maybe he, like the Mets, is coming around. — SN
Mack - Don’t care about this.
How about who is leading with the most wins?
Great snips, Mack!
ReplyDeleteI always loved Murph. Was devastated when we lost him to the Nationals.
Alonso is our guy - hope he is here forever. But he can skip the dX routine.
I am behind Buck - I think he is a great skipper for the team. He does not deserve the level of criticism he gets when his players underperform. I truly believe he is doing the best thing for the team, mixing the short and long term views.
And no, I will not stand in against Tyler Stuart. I'll just watch from here, thank you. :)
I will say this about Murphy back then. All business. No chit-chat with scum like me
DeleteUrph will be back in the majors…just a question of when and where.
ReplyDeleteAlvarez should help the Mets in the power rankings. He is an emerging beast.
Pete’s deal got pushed back, I guess, for budget reasons. He will get PAID starting in 2024.
Tyler Stuart has a real chance to be better than Dick Stuart. Dr Strangeglove hit 228 career homers. Three years of 114 or more RBIs. Who knew? Alonso Lite.
I too believe that Alonso will be here for a long time.
DeleteHe's both the face and a-- of the Mets
Gotta love Pete's passion .
ReplyDeleteYes, Pete is the F & A of the Mets. But I have been VERY pleasantly surprised by Alvarez' unbridled enthusiasm. I don't remember a catcher, here and elsewhere, with his attitude, and I can see him catching Pete soon.
ReplyDeleteJose Reyes said today that Daniel Vogelbach needs to swing at the ball if he wants to hit it.
ReplyDeleteGo figure
Mack, the reason for Vogie doing that is simple: he is VERY slow. Many balls he'd hit that McNeil and Nimmo can beat out, he's out by several feet. But if he walks, he's on base, no matter how slow he is. If he had average speed, he'd approach things differently. But his OBP has kept him in the majors.
ReplyDeleteTom
ReplyDeleteBut he is NOT material for a designated hitter.
Maybe he once was.
Not anymore.
Mack, I’d rather have Mauricio get ALL of his at bats RIGHT NOW.
ReplyDeleteVogey is an embarrassment period. How can you show up to spring training in his condition and not have a coach maybe pull him aside and say how about shedding 100lb. He can only do 1 thing and even thats not that good. He has to be the first man out the door when RM is ready.
ReplyDelete