Tom Brennan: Mets Minors On Base Brilliance; FCL Mets Are SCORING

“HEY! THAT GUY IS ON BASE…AGAIN??  WOW!” 

Something is in the water in the Mets minors.  Something GOOD.

On Monday, I note 10 guys who were fanning way too much. 

But…

So many guys in the Mets minors are getting on base - a lot. Tanta mucho.

Here goes (stats thru Friday):

AAA

Ben Gamel - .444 OBP in 30 games.

Rylan Bannon - .390 OBP in 28 games.

Mark Vientos - .379 OBP, to go with his 30 RBIs in 29 AAA games.

Luke Ritter - .373 OBP in 29 games.

- his K rate is down to 27 in 29 G; he has really improved there.

AA

Wyatt Young - 2023 sucked, but he’s totally back.  .448 OBP in 23 games.

JT Schwartz - .415 OBP in 25 games.

Rhylan Thomas - .390 OBP in 18 games.

Matt Rudick - started ice cold but 18 hits and 8 walks in last 12 games, pushed him up to a .368 OBP in 25 games.

(And Jett Williams had a .360 OBP before his extended IL stint began).

HIGH A

Nick Morabito - mostly in St Lucie, a sizzling .516 OBP in 29 games.

Drake Osborn - just bumped to AA, .436 OBP in 18 games.

Chris Suero - mostly in St Lucie, .388 OBP with 17 RBIs in 29 games.

Ryan Clifford - .441 OBP in 29 games.

Nick Lorusso - .364 OBP, 15 RBIs in 23 games.

William Lugo - he’s just 10 for 82 (.112), but don’t write him off. 

- His 25 walks in 26 games and 2 HBP give him a .333 OBP.

FULL A

Ronald Hernandez a little slow start with the bat, but walks a ton. 

- .364 OBP in 27 games.

COMPLEX LEAGUE

Just 4 games in, but Jeremy Rodriguez has a .500 OBP, and 3 others (Yonatan Henriquez Jake Zitella, and Julio Zayas) are in the .400s.

Simon Juan hasn’t walked yet but was hitting .389 with 7 HRs in 4 games.

That’s 21 hitters getting on base a whole lot. Those numbers sure are collectively impressive.

And the 5 teams are winning a lot, except for St Lucie. 

Nonetheless, St Lucie pitchers lead the Florida State League with a stunning 360 Ks in 270 IP (12 per 9 IP).

JORGE DE LEON AND OTHER FCL UPDATES

A new name for me, the 6’5”, 21 year old righty Jorge De Leon pitched 3 perfect innings for the FCL Mets yesterday, fanning 5.  In his 2 outings this year, 1 hit, 2 walks, 11 Ks in 5 innings. The Brennan radar system has picked him up.

And Simon Juan, struggling for 2 years, is 9 for 23 this year in the FCL with a HR and 7 RBIs. Still 18 years old.

After 6 games, the team is hitting .288 and has scored 45 runs in just 198 at bats. 

Wonderful.

Of course, the Yankees somehow have 3 FCL guys who combined are 22 for 51 with 17 walks, 6 HRs, and 24 RBIs. 

Sick.

How the heck do they have guys like that seemingly every year? The Mets’ entire team has 6 HRs, although the Braves team has just 1 HR and .176, so I feel better.

EDWIN HAS BEEN EXPOSED TO KRYPTONITE

He still is tough. He is no longer super-human. 

He coughed up a 4-2 lead in the 9th. Seems the fastball is down 2 MPH. 2 MPH is the different between being immortal and mortal. 

The Mets NEED him to be super-human because they are playing like the helpless damsel in distress.

A brutal, impotent 5-4 loss in extras. Shake this crap up. McNeil .230 with one HR, 7 RBIs in 39 games? Demote him. Apparently, no options are available. Trade him, then.

OK, not realistic? Then dump Wendle and Narvaez, who a) hits like crap and b) has thrown out no base stealers in 30 attempts after nailing just 6 of 52 last year. 6 of 82 as a Met? Resign in shame.

Quintana 10 wins and 21 losses since Labor Day 2019?  Absurd.  

- Who signed this guy? Trade him. Now.

Houser? Call up Joey Lucchesi or Joander Suarez and cut or trade Adrian.

It isn’t working with this inept bunch.

I really thought when they won 12 of 15 after losing their first 5, they had stabilized, the weather was normal finally, and they’d be competitive.

But they flop and fizzle. 7-13 in last 20?  Inexcusable.

Sorry, except for 2022, this is the Mets’ soft reality for every season since 2016. Soft, soft, soft.