MACK - Sunday Morning Observations

 

                                            Mack - Sunday Morning Observations

 (thru Friday’s results) 

 

Mack’s Observations - 

We are done with the March-April portion of this season and it’s time to award the first Mackie Awards for 2024: 

Shit, It Looks Like I Was Wrong About This Guy Award goes to Binghamton outfielder Alex Ramirez. He is really impressing the hell out of me so far this young season. He will easily finish the season in Syracuse if he keeps this up and will put himself in position for a 2025 call-up, along with the other top outfield prospects. Drew Gilbert. Both now line-up as future replacements for Starlin Marte and Harrison Bader. 

Shit, It Looks Like I Was Wrong About This Guy, But For The Wrong Reasons. Award go to Syracuse starter, Mike Vasil. Whether Texas Gus agrees or not, Vasil has been a major disappointment this season. His excellent 2023 AA season made me dream of more here. Sorry. Just me telling you how I feel. 

Runner-up for this award goes out to Binghamton catcher, Kevin Parada. This guy was suppose to mature one year behind Francisco Alvarez and this just isn’t happening, either offensively or behind the plate. Frankly, right now, both of the catchers named Hernandez (Jose at A+, Ronald at A) are not killin’ it the number one catcher prospect in the chain may be one of the two current DSL catchers, Julio Zayas or Yovany Rodriguez.

 What Does A Guy Have To Do Around Here To Keep A Job Award  goes to Syracuse ex-relievers, Tyler Jay. The former early first round pick threw 5.2 scoreless innings… that’s a 0.00 ERA for those of you from Ohio… with four walks, NO WALKS, and a 0.88 WHIP… and this didn’t get his cut once. Nope. So far (sic), HE HAS BEEN CUT TWICE. 

My Pure Helium Award goes out to St. Lucie starter, Jonah Tong. It’s hard not to get excited about this guy, even though it is very early in his professional career. The 20-year old was drafted in the 7^th round of the 202 draft and pitched to a 6.00-ERA last year for the combined FCL-Lucy teams, but his 38 strikeouts in 21 innings showed early promise. Still, the 22-BB showed worked was still needed maybe the new lab helped here.So far this season: 18.2-IP, 36-K, only 5-BB. Oh. And 0-ER. GTFOH.

 The Yeah, I Can Hit At AAA, So What? award goes to DH/3B Mark Vientos. So this guy is told he’s not good enough to be the everyday DH against all  pitchers, and is sent back to Syracuse to prove again he can dominate at this level by playing everyday against all pitchers. He hits beaucoup dingers and hits 300+ this season playing… still with me here?…. and just when he begins once again he can hit against pitchers left or right… the Mets call up J.D.Martinez to do that job. Jeez… Mark has become the Seth Lugo with a bat in his hands.

 The How Many Times Do I Need To Tell You That This Guy Goes Both Ways award goes to the Cyclones SP/DH, Nolan McLean. No one believed me when I touted this guy. Not even a writer here that will remain anonymous (cough, Tom, cough).Yes, it is early but the dude is hitting in the .350/1.200-OPS range plus tossed five scoreless innings (6-K) this past Tuesday night. But hey. What the hell do I know.

 

Lucy newbie -

 RHRP Candido Cuevas

 6-1 200 19/yrs old Bahamas

 2022 - DSL/FCL: 1-3 5.09 35-1-IP   42-K    21-BB

 2023 - St. Lucie:     2-2    4.56 23.2-IP   33-K    17-BB

 Signed 8-26-2021

 Twice injured in 2023

 2-pitch pitcher in 2023 - mid-90s FB  above average 2350 spin

 FB generates good % whiffs + weak contract & ground balls

 Low-80s 12-6 curve

 

Cyclone newbie -

                                             RHRP Justin Lawson

 23/yrs old 6-3 200

 2023 round 15/456 from NC State

 2022: NC St 19/apps 2/starts 5-3

3.82 37.2/IP 41/K 18/BB

 2023  NC St 27/apps 5-0 3.96

52/1/IP 67/K 17/BB 

Low 3/4 slot with simple repeatable mechanics

 Low-mid 90s fastball

 Sharp late bite slider low-mid 80s

 Could develop into a quality reliever

 

 FCL returnee -

                                     C Andriel Lantigua

 20/yrs old 6-0 190 D/R

 2022 - FCL: 56-AB .125/.269/.161/429

 2023 - FCL: 35-AB .257/.429/.314/743

 Above average bat speed

 Softer body potential up-the-middle guy

 

 Roster Moves -

                 Mets:

 LHRP Kolton Igram claimed by Texas

 RHP Grant Hartwig optioned to AAA

  RHP Michael Tonkin DFA’d

LHRP Josh Walker recalled

LHP Brooks Raley 15-Day IL with left elbow inflammation.

RHP Grant Hartwig activated

RHRP Sean Reid-Foley activated

LHRP Kolton Ingram DFA’d

 

Syracuse:

RHP Max Kranick reinstated from  IL - optioned to Syracuse.

LHP Nate Lavender placed on Syracuse's 7-day Injured List

LHP Tyler Jay clears waivers, is sent outright to Syracuse

C Hayden Senger transferred from AA to AAA Syracuse

Binghamton:

 C Matt O'Neill transferred from AAA to AA Binghamton

 RHP Luis Moreno transferred from AAA to AA Binghamton

RHP Andre Scrubb placed on Development List 

 

St. Lucie: 

Activated 2B Marco Vargas off the 7-day IL 

 

Prospect List Changes -

 

St. Lucie RHRP Jack Wenninger - black to BLUE prospect

 

Brooklyn OF/1B Ryan Clifford RED to BLUE prospect

 

St. Lucie C Christopher Suero - black to BLUE prospect

 

 Binghamton Rumble Ponies @RumblePoniesBB

Mark your calendars! The Rumble Ponies will be live on SNY, the flagship television home of the Mets, on all of the following dates!

 Saturday, May 4th - 1:05 pm

Saturday, May 18th - 1:05 pm

 Thursday, June 27th - 6:35 pm

 Thursday, August 1st - 6:35 pm

 Saturday, August 24th - 6:07 pm

 Thursday, September 5th* - 6:35 pm (game may possibly air on SNY)

 

Florida Complex League Mets  @FCLMets

RHRP Joseph Yabbour had 5 whiffs and 3 strikeouts over 2 innings in yesterday's Extended Spring Training game against the Cardinals, topping out at 98 mph with his fastball.

2B/SS/CF/LF A.J. Ewing went to the opposite field for his first home run (103 EV) of Extended Spring Training earlier today against the Astros.

 Tim Britton @TimBritton

 Tonight's the first of 39 games in 41 days for the Mets. They're likely to bring in a sixth starter. Could it be Christian Scott? Some intel within:

 Sub only

 https://t.co/zmSEMmsr58 

 

 Ken Rosenthal @Ken_Rosenthal

 Kevin Pillar designated for assignment so White Sox can make room for Tommy Pham

 

 Anthony DiComo @AnthonyDiComo

 Michael Tonkin has really experienced the "baseball is a business" thing hard this month. When the Mets traded him to the Twins, he broke his lease in NY and shipped his belongings to Minnesota. He had to fly to LA before his stuff got there while his wife waited for it. Now DFA'd again.

  

SNY Mets @SNY_Mets

 MLB players with at least 4 HR and 5 SB this season:

  Elly De La Cruz

 Mookie Betts

 Shohei Ohtani

 Mike Trout

 Starling Marte

 

 Soph @allidoiswinnick

 Starling Marte wearing a tracksuit 2/3 unzipped w no shirt underneath is the Mets 2024 vibe and I'm so here for it

 

 Not Gaetti @notgaetti

 Not enough people talk about John Franco

 • 424 SV, 90 W, 2.89 ERA, 138 ERA+

• One of 8 pitchers with 400+ saves

• Most saves by a lefty in MLB history

• Most saves in New York Mets history

• 3x NL saves leader, 30+ saves 8x

• Gave his #31 to Piazza after the trade

 

 Baseball -

 MLB's oldest living player celebrates 100th birthday

 https://www.foxnews.com/sports/mlbs-oldest-living-player-celebrates-100th-birthday 

 

BP:  The Splitter “Revolution” Part 1 -

 https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article/89832/in-the-dirt-the-splitter-revolution-part-1/?t=U9W7HBAk2yFZheFpWJNWXA&s=03 

 (sub needed)

 

 ROX ARROYO @ROXSystem

 IMO, Trevor Bauer’s MLB demise wasn’t so much the off field allegations as it was his on field antics. Throwing the ball out of the stadium, showing up teammates, mound nonsense, and Manfred trolling can’t happen. Nobody wants to hire a liability. Professionalism is everything.