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11/2/23

Tom Brennan: Mets I Simply Do Not Want To See Back


Some Personnel Suggestions For You, Mr. Cohen 

Which players do you want here next year?  

Everyone is interested in that.  

But the converse is:

Which players DON’T YOU WANT BACK?  

Few writers want to ruffle feathers, though, and come right out like this and say it.

But you’re a reader, not a writer.

Which players do you want replaced? Banished? Pronto.

I have no more patience, not a lick or a smudge on, what with me turning 70 in 2 days, and having been 33 when they won their last World Series. 

So…

I will give you my list…several, our Reese Kaplan recently noted, have been given “thank you for your services notices, don’t let the door hit you on the way out” memos already. He wrote: “ Already the Mets have dismissed six players from their 40-man roster -- Jonathan Arauz, Anthony Kay, Danny Mendick, Vinny Nittoli, Michael Perez and Rafael Ortega.”

I see 7 hitters from 2023 who left us wanting for MUCH more.

Luis Guillorme - 9 RBIs in 120 PAs? .224/.288/.327? He has long been a fan favorite at Mack’s Mets, and can snag flying bats with the best of them, and dazzle in the field, but we need more offense. He had this in common with Daniel Vogelbach: zero steals in zero attempts. Pretty miserable year. Just 48 RBIs in 823 career plate appearances. We need better.

Jonathan Arauz - 8 for 59? .136? 9 RBIs in 66 PAs helped a bit. Maybe some other franchise can use that. Reese noted he is gone.

In the DSL, perhaps? What does a .136 MLB hitter hit in the DSL?

Danny Mendick - .185/.232/.277? Just 4 RBIs in 69 PAs. He can rebound somewhere else, IMO.  Maybe with the LI Ducks? OR…the Bad News Bears? Reese noted he is gone.

Rafael Ortega - .219/.341/.272. His OBP isn’t bad, but he slugged like Jim McAndrew, or Buddy Harrelson. Even a slug slugs better than that.  And, just 8 RBIs in 136 PAs is a miserable stat. See ya. Reese noted he is gone.

Tim Locastro - did somewhat decently in a short stint, but just 3 RBIs in 67 PAs? Nah. I’d rather see Drew Gilbert on the opening day roster.

Tomas Nido - 1 major league RBI via 7 for 56 hitting in 2023, not many more RBIs in AAA. His woeful hitting frames him. He can instead frame houses, rather than Mets’ pitches, or latch on with … oh, I dunno … the Ducks. Are the Aardvarks a team? Or are they extinct?

Omar Narvaez - he may be here in 2024 due to his contract, but his 128 at bats, .211, 7 RBIs in 2023?  In a word?  Awful. Two words? Really awful.

Those two catchers? Just eight RBIs in 207 PAs? 

Good grief.  That’s a ton of miserable.

While Pete Alonso, in not his best season, drove in 118 runs in 658 PAs, these seven guys above drove in just 41 runs in 665 plate appearances while barely hitting .200?  That gross failure is a formula for sub-.500 Mets baseball. So, sub-.500 baseball is what we got. SURPRISE!

Buh Bye to the Underwhelming Seven. Buh Bye.

Daniel Vogelbach is a harder call…his 48 RBIs in 275 at bats on its face aren’t bad…but being the most athletically restricted, one dimensional offensive player in all of baseball (I can only hit righties, not lefties, I'm the slowest, I can't play the field, Yada, Yada) in my mind says, goodbye, let’s try a normal multi-dimensional guy instead to assume what would have been Vogie’s at bats in 2024. Like Ronny Mauricio.

If Vogie had his girth as a Bartolo or Mickey Lolich type hurler, that could possibly work…but hitters can’t be as one dimensional as he is and not be a real problem to the team when it comes to what counts..winning.

Send Vogel Bach where he came from. Buh bye.

I’m not done.  Pitchers to go? 

Due to injuries and trades, lots of 2023 innings came from the more borderline types on (or added to) the roster. 

Some succeeded, some were passable, some stunk.

For me, that means 7 pink slip pitchers to add to the 8 hitters above…

No more Hunter, Reyes, Yacabonis, Coonrod, Santana and GarrettNo more Cookie, either. 

You may have a few others you may never wish to see again this side of AAA; feel free to name names.  Reese noted the briefly-auditioned Anthony Kay is gone, as is Vinny Nitoli, for instance. Having that happen on a pitching-short team is not promising for that duo.

Most of the above names might have been rejected by the 1962 Mets. 

(Yeah, I know…harsh. But guys like these are how you miss the playoffs, and in point of fact, how you missed the 2023 playoffs).

For pitching in 2024…

Overstock the pen with real talent, rather than under-stock it, or next season will again be like a Fram oil filter commercial. Pay us now, or pay us later. 

We pay way too much for unfiltered waste from the dugout in Metsville.   

Dispose of it all in an environmentally safe manner. But dispose of it, pronto.

CONGRATS

To the Texas Rangers on their resounding playoffs and World Series win.

Jake wins a World Series without playing in one.

They tell me more people crossed the southern border illegally this year than attended the games of the border state Texas Rangers, but what do I know? 

Meaningful November Baseball: 

Only  one major league game will have been played in November…the most important one of all. The one game deciding who gets the crown. Now, everyone, including the Mets, is no longer playing. 2023 is history. Focus shifts to 2024.

PARADA AND SCHWARTZ

Kevin Parada had a single, double and walk last night. Still sub-Mendoza at .194. JT Schwartz went 0-5 with 3 Ks, has cooled off, and is down to .263. They were the only Mets to play in Glendale’s 11-2 win. 

Glendale started out 2-10, but has since gone 9-4. AFL Season wraps in about a week or so. 

They should also play Fall baseball in Nevada, so we could also have an NFL season. I just got sacked by Mack for that one. He hits hard, but it was a clean hit, no flag was thrown. 

Showalter told me not to retaliate for the hit. “Just take it, son, you’ll be the better man for it.” Me? “Don’t call me son, Buck, I’m older than you. Heck, this is my last article before I turn 70 this Saturday.” (“Last article? What a relief!”)

Have a great day, folks, and avoid getting sacked. The Visigoths are back and would love to sack us. Stay safe.

25 comments:

  1. agree with all of this, Tom enjoy your birthday

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  2. Thanks, Nickel.

    I still remember being the 5’7” freshman who could ball up his sweaty tee shirt after a pick up game of hoops and dunk it on a regulation rim. But that was so 56 years ago. Now, I only elevate to run to the bathroom in the middle of the night LOL

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  3. Happy Birthday, Tom. I agree with most of the above, but give Nido a little slack. He started the season with a serious eye condition, which (of course) significantly affected his hitting. Once it cleared up in Syracuse, he rebounded strongly. If we can dump Narvaez on someone else, I'd give Tomas a shot as Alvy's backup.

    I also have a question, which I think I know the answer to---If we non-tender someone, can we immediately re-sign him to a minor league deal and free up 40-man room in the process? Some of those on your list might be worth keeping upstate.

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  4. Happy birthday Tom. I always look forward to your articles. I turned 73 last June so you are close to being a young whipper-snapper to me.

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  5. the Mets have released a slew of players this week:

    C Nick Meyer
    RHP Kolby Kubichek
    LHP Matt Minnick
    OF Carlos Dominguez
    3B Chase Estep
    RHP Dylan Hall
    RHP Luis Montas
    RHP Luis A. Rodriguez
    RHP Sammy Tavarez
    INF Luis Castillo
    OF Dyron Campos
    C Fernando Villalobos
    RHP Joe Joe Rodríguez
    C Greg Leal
    INF Yordis Perera
    OF Eric Santana
    RHP Christopher Vasquez
    INF Manuel Guance
    RHP Ramon Henriquez
    RHP Pedro Mercedes
    RHP Elliot Johnstone
    RHP Jonaiker Palacios

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  6. Oh oh,this Parada,looks like Vientos,Baty,are Baby Mets need to be better.

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  7. Les Elkins, thanks so much. 73 is the new 50.

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  8. Mack, I guess the “biggest name” there is Nick Meyer, but that list? A truly forgettable bunch.

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    Replies
    1. Was surprised about Nick

      Every minor league team needs 3 catchers and Nick was one the best

      Delete
    2. An important thing about AAAA catchers

      They are picked based on their ability to work with young pitchers and make them better

      Delete
  9. Anonymous, give Parada more time. Just one full season in his career, and he missed most one of those months with injury. He has had 4 doubles and 3 HRs in fairly limited playing time.. I still expect a strong 2024 from him. I think he will pair up nicely with Alvarez starting perhaps next Sept.

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  10. Mack, I would add that the only slight surprise in that list to me is the release of Luis A Rodriguez.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A few raised eyebrows but nothing done wrong here

      Mets particularly clearing out room for promotions to A+ and A levels

      They will be replaced by new names via the draft

      Delete
  11. Mack, I agree on Meyer. He will turn 27 in February, though, and his powerless bat never rose to an exciting level, but in a real pinch…maybe he could have caught a few games.

    One less obstacle for Parada.

    Oddly in his last 2 seasons, Meyer stole 20 of 25, a very uncatcherly thing to do.

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  12. Villalobos raised an eyebrow for me. They gave up on him that quick?

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    Replies
    1. Again

      Might not line up as both a future major leaguer and not defensively capable to help young pitching

      Delete
  13. Great list Tom! For your birthday I would like to buy you a coffee - how about Dunkin'?

    Tough to see Guillorme on your list of "gotta go" guys. He was always one of my favorites because he could come cold off the bench and play defense like he had been on the field all day every day. That has palpable value, especially on a team where some of the baby Mets have not yet proven their fielding prowess.

    Also tough to see Nick Meyers let go. He deserves more than just a release paper. This guy may not have been true MLB caliber talent, but he worked every day, moving up and down in the organization to accommodate the schooling of young pitchers and young catchers. He was the real life version of Crash Davis from the movie Bull Durham (without the HR record).

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    Replies
    1. Coffee from Dunkin is fine but just don't buy Tom s whopper large fries and beverage from a particular Connecticut McDonald's

      $18

      Delete
  14. Mickey D can be expensive but it is good.

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  15. A supersized meal…or Mets box seats. It’s one or the other.

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  16. What is good at Mickey D…and I rarely go there - is the double quarter pounder with cheese. Tastes like a real burger.

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  17. I did see in Gavin Newsom’s funny money California, Mickey D workers will soon be making $20 per hour. Unreal.

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  18. Tom I'm right behind you at 67 going to be 68 in Feb,I agree with you.I think we need more speed than fat guys just saying.It would be nice to get in scoring position instead of going for the all or nothing homer.Also speed gives you normally better defense and chance to make plays.

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    ReplyDelete
  20. Bunch of guys I did not want to see back when I wrote this on Nov. 2 have since been handed pink slips. Addition by subtraction. Good.

    ReplyDelete