Metsville Can Be a Sad Place
The San Diego Padres are rolling and all in. World Series or bust.
They might well have sold off instead, like the Mets, except the utterly vilified-by-Mets-fans Gary Sanchez, through Wednesday, had 14 HRs and 35 RBIs in just 173 at bats for the now-hot, all-in, Padres.
The man fans sneered at by foolish fans in Queens. Sanchez, you see, was worse than doggie doo on their brand new Keds sneakers.
He looks to be in a happy place, far from the snarling Facebook Mets fan mongrels who thought him to be complete trash, despite his 16 HRs and 61 RBIs in 419 at bats last year.
590 at bats this year and last, 30 doubles, 30 HRs, 97 RBIs.
Trash, right. I can see that, can’t you?
You find a place for that, just like the Phillies find a place for low average, high muscle Kyle Schwarber.
Narvaez and Nido? 17 for 110, 6 RBIs for the out-of-the-running, yea verily the plummeting, Mets.
Those Mets fans (if you want to call them that) are in a sad place.
(Being very low IQ, they may not be aware of it, of course.)
In their case, “fans” means foolish and not smart. I say that again why? Because, as a test, yesterday I posted Sanchez’s San Diego accomplishments for the still-in-it Padres on a Facebook page. The first 3 respondents STILL DEFENDED GETTING RID OF HIM. In reaction, I dropped out of that fan page for good.
Anyway…not just a sad fan base.
So are their players. Sad.
So is the franchise. Sad.
Swept badly by KCR? Tragic.
Buckle up. Downdrafts can be wicked.
SHEER SYRACUSE BEAUTY:
Messrs. Yacabonis and Reid-Foley tossed 3 perfect innings, fanning 5.
Low scoring affair? Not exactly.
The other Syracuse hurlers allowed 17 runs in their 6 innings.
- Goodness gracious. Resume time.
Carlos Cortes, though, was 5 for 5, in the 17-9 loss, jumping to .264.
Wyatt Young, struggling in AA this year, is 4 for his first 9 since being sent back up to AAA.
- He is .360/.455/.440 in 20 career Syracuse games. Not shabby.
JT Schwartz, meanwhile, is supernova hot in his last 4 games in AA.
As in, 13 hits in 16 at bats blistering. .813 hitting. Wow.
He raised his AA average 72 points from .241 to.313 in those 4 games.
Tip of the cap to JT.
Still time to reach 3,000 career hits in 2023 at that pace, JT.
TYLER STUART GEM IN AA.
7 shutout innings last nights got with what looked like a Greg Maddox line.
This year, High A and AA, 6-0, 1.70 in 101 innings. The 6’9” Stuart has just ONE game this year where he gave up 3 earned runs, and about 4 where he gave up 2. All others, one run or less. Wow.
At this point, he and Blade Tidwell are duking it out for Mets minors pitcher of the year. Edge right now to Stuart, currently listed as the Mets’ # 16 prospect.
I give POY to Stuart.
ReplyDeleteFar more consistent
JT could move to AAA this week
ReplyDeleteVoit released last night
SELF-released. Too bad we couldn't sell high and trade him.
DeleteMeaning...
DeleteReleased
Bout opted out of his contract.
ReplyDeleteVoit
ReplyDeleteI don’t blame Voit. Not one bit.
ReplyDeleteSchwartz in AAA seems a no-brainer. Just hope he is better than Jayce Boyd turned out to be. He’ll need to up the power game, unless he is the next Dave Magadan.
JT was another good Florida college 1B sign but he will never have the home run potential as Pete
DeleteJT from UCLA
DeleteThis is the first time I have been excited about this NY Mets team since April 2024. I almost don't know how to react. We have not only good young players in the farm. But actually very good young players on the farm.
ReplyDeletePinch me.
Sorry, meant April 2023.
ReplyDeletePinch me anyway. Is this a dream?
Mauricio .225 with sub .300 OBP in 41 games after May. Weak.
ReplyDeleteNow weak hitting to go with weak LF D and from hunger SS play
DeleteLooking things over at this juncture.
ReplyDeleteHere's what I see...
1B One from Mark Vientos/JT Schwartz duo. Other goes to bench role.
2B Jeff McNeil
SS LuisAngel Acuna
3B Brett Baty
LF Ronnie Mauricio
CF Captain Nimmo
RF One from the Drew Gilbert/Ryan Clifford duo perhaps
C Francisco Alvarez (there is no apparent backup catcher in the organization at current. Kevin Parada is still a bit young.)
DH DJ Stewart (The man deserves it.)
Potential Batting Lineup
1. Captain Nimmo 2. LuisAngel Acuna 3. Jeff McNeil 4.Francisco Alvarez 5. Ronnie Mauricio 6. DJ Stewart 7. Mark Vientos 8. Brett Baty 9. Drew "Rod" Gilbert or Ryan Clifford
It's time to go to the six-man rotation already. No matter what the traditionalist have to say. You want evidence, try this on for size: Matt Harvey, Noah Syndergaard, and Jake deGrom. Even Zach Wheeler got banged up here. We need to be woke here. (I wouldn't mind getting "Wheels" or Taijuan Walker back!)
The NY Mets overall team batting average dipped like .030 pts (so far) in 2023 compared to 2022's. The hitting was lackadaisical and inconsistent. There were way too many games lost because of this. It's time to seriously get back with Eric Chavez on this topic. The 2024 NY Mets team is a whole new deal. It will be a younger and hopefully more exciting team than 2023. A new manager here is not a bad idea. Let Eric Chavez be the hitting coach and manager? The players obviously like him and they listen to him as well.
Starting Pitching:
1. New Body (no golden oldies here again please. It felt like an assisted living center sockhop here in 2023.) 2. New Body (Trade or FA) 3. New Body (Trade or FA) 4. Kodai Senga 5. Blade Tidwell 6.Tyler Stewart. The Mets do have some very good young MiLB pitchers now. I think Mike Vasil will need a bit more time in Syracuse. But he could be totally ready mid-season next year.
Point to be made here is this.
The third starter above could be an acquisition of another team's top young AAA starter. The Mets need left-handed starters really badly. Right? We all see this. The Steven Matz/David Peterson experiment did not work here (D+). The NY Mets will need someone capable for this left-handed starter opening. Perhaps like rookie Kyle Harrison (SF) or a Ricky Tiedeman (TOR) for instance here. Whereas the one and two starters will need to be somewhat established from other MLB teams, but young enough still.
Relief Pitching:
We are thin here, please identify this factoid. Hopefully Edwin Diaz will be off the walker thing and roaming about freely again.
Guys I'd like back from the 2023 pen are: John Curtis, Edwin Diaz, Adam Ottavino, Brooks Raley (lefty), and possibly Grant Hartwig (rest of his 2023 season being the determinant for this.) So this will mean the Mets need one or two more really good and young relievers.
Bench: INF: Luis Guillorme OF: Abraham Almonte, Lorenzo Cedrola C: TBA
I miss "Big Sexy". He kept things fun and light. Can we get him back here as a coach of some sort?
H,the times they are a changing. Look out Nats.
ReplyDeleteI'd be very surprised in 2024 if DJ Stewart or Abe Almonte have any role. This team is going young. If Vientos really starts hitting, it will get really interesting to see if a $25-$35 million a year Alonso is worth keeping as opposed to a $1 million Vientos.
ReplyDeleteBut the game of baseball needs PRODUCERS, WARRIORS who can hit a lot to help a team win a lot. Potential means nothing, production is the essential.
McNeil was perceived as having little potential 6 years ago, but he has produced a lot. But, by comparison, some in baseball clearly produce more. We need producers in good times AND tough times.
Annonymous, don't put Mark Vientos and JT Schwartz in the same category.
ReplyDeleteVientos is a hitter with power that struggles to play defense.
Schwartz is a hitter for average with very solid defense.
On my team, I would play JT at first every game and Vientos as DH. Unless I had Pete. Don't give away Pete.
Paul, a few things.
ReplyDelete1. No one is giving away Pete Alonso. Pete is awesome, although he did also struggle to play defense earlier on. There was concern with this as I recall. But we have to get a far younger and better with the Mets starting rotation. Free Agency is normally good but older starters. So by trade the top two 2024 NYM starters will probably get here. Who will command the best starters via trades? Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor. That simple really.
The NY Mets starting rotation is this franchise's hallmark when at its utmost best and competitive. It needs to be made so once again. Yes, there is Tyler Stuart. There is Blade Tidwell. There is Mike Vasil. All three top young right handed starters although untested in MLB. But one day soon, all three may be here together providing that hallmark upgrade.
You add into this equation Kodai Senga and possibly a topflight left handed starter or even two and you get kismet. Then too, you add in a Japanese friend for Kodai Senga like pitcher Yoshinubo Yamamoto, and guess what happens then...double kismet. Birds start flying over Citi Field again. The sky is bluer and it only rains at night after games.
On Tom's bench role guys.
ReplyDeleteWe need here players who can produce from the bench and accept their roles. Abraham Almonte is 35 years old and had a decent 2023 at Syracuse. But the guy who could probably play anywhere in the outfield and hit well. DJ Stewart caught my eye towards the end of the 2023 ST when he hit for the cycle. He has that next level switch to him, and his recent Ron Swoboda catch in right field also caught my eye. He's a true warrior.
Meant to say above, the guy who could probably play anywhere and hit well is Lorenzo Cedrola, age 25. So with Almonte and Cedrola from the Mets AAA Syracuse team, they could cover these two bench openings for outfielders. With Luis Guillorme well versed as the infielder go to backup man and occasional starter.
ReplyDeleteThis is good because then the Mets don't have to go out shopping for these role players.
On Ronnie Mauricio
ReplyDeleteHe's hitting at current .290 BA, with a high of around .330 earlier on. He injured his ankle June 10 in a collision at second. It was still bothering a few days later and he got an MRI. It bothered him for awhile.
I am not certain this left ankle bone bruise adds into why the lower BA, but it could. Still though, .290 ain't chopped liver.
I think Ronnie needs Winter Ball after he gets a break following season end. I think come ST, he could be acclimated to LF and doing quite well. I am optimistic here.
Unlike most NY Mets fans...
ReplyDeleteI am neither negative nor sad about this team and franchise. I loved the trades at trade deadline. It made this a real up and coming franchise, whereas 2023 and maybe slightly before it was an "all or nothing" franchise.
This team has grown legs now and I am absolutely delighted. It was a really tough call, but the Mets did it beautifully and it was "the right thing" to do.
Everyone likes homeruns and fast cars. Chics dig it too.
ReplyDeleteBut I like batting averages and game wins far, far more. It's a team approach thing. Personally speaking, I'll take a first baseman who hits .288 with 15 homeruns a season, over any other first baseman with 42 homeruns and a .235 BA.
To me, it's all about winning the ballgames and not the glitz in defeat for one or two players. We need to get back to this approach.
You cannot predict out a rookie player anyway. Look at Don Baylor, Bobby Grich, and Dwight Evans for the reasons why.
I am watching the games again, and I cannot wait for the 2024 NY Mets season to begin. It's a whole new start and to me a promising one now. A sort of rebirth to a new championship run. That's how I see it.
ReplyDeleteIt all comes down now to the first three 2024 NY Mets brand new starters. Like Japanese Yoshinubo Yamamoto, or someone like him from Japan. Maybe two of the Mets very best MiLB starters, like a Tyler Stuart and Blade Tidwell, along with Kodai Senga. And then getting that really top level lefty starter from another team's AAA level to mesh it altogether.
I am so psyched.
What's the final piece to the 2024 redo puzzle you ask?
ReplyDeleteA: Bartolot "Big Sexy" Colon as a coach here. Maybe a player coach as well? He's only age 50 and he played MLB until 2018. The I think he played out of the states afterwards.
Pete Alonso
ReplyDeleteHe's been hitting between .216 and .221 for over a month, since that injury thing. But is a career .254 MLB batter. At .254 BA and a lot of homeruns fine. But at .216 BA, no.
Guys,
ReplyDeleteDo we need a lead off hitter who can and will steal bases and put Nimmo down in order to drive in more runs? We seem to hit into a lot of first inning double plays.
Maybe your onto something. The orioles moved their fences and there having a lites out season.
ReplyDeleteThe One True Realization
ReplyDeleteThere are enough good young players within the Mets system now to find starters at nearly every open position. It will come together but I cannot assure you yet of a timeframe for this.
What needs to be realized by everyone is that the Mets are short right now their 2024 1-3 starters in the rotation. Grandpas are all gone now with their achy-breaky arms. The highest in the rotation is Kodai Senga. Sure, there are ample good young arms for the last two starting openings (probably Tidwell and Stuart) but the top of the rotation will have to basically traded for.
I don't normally like FA pitcher signings here. The reason being that each pitcher going FA, in the off season, is trying their utmost best pitching performance wise, so that they can maximize their new contract offer in FA. It's somewhat deceiving. What I do favor for a team is to actually trade for the best younger arms available from other organizations to fill holes in the top portion of the rotation now existent.
What I am saying here is simply this. The two trade players that these NY Mets have that would bring back the best younger starting pitchers is Pete Polo Bear and Francisco Yellow Hair. It's the obvious truth.
In their respective places, I would have either Mark Vientos or JT Schwartz for first, and then LuisAngel Accuna for shortstop. Mets lose a few homeruns sure, but neither Lindor or Alonso have been tearing it up at the plate this season.