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6/11/24

SAVAGE VIEWS – June is Busting Out Mendoza


I remain convinced that Mendoza will be the long-term solution as manager for the Mets; however, in the meantime we will suffer the consequences until he completes his on-the-job training.  Sometimes he forgets that the reason we play the game is to put out the best possible product.  

Baseball is not a democracy and not every player is guaranteed playing time.  While it was nice to beat the Phillies on Sunday, it felt as though we put an inferior team on the field.

Mendoza had a choice among three pitchers to start – Megill, Peterson or Quintana.  He chose Quintana, the least effective of the three.  Coming into the game, Vientos, Marte, Bader and Iglesias were all wielding hot bats.  All sat in favor of the underperforming Taylor, Stewart, McNeil and Baty.  

For reasons I cannot understand, JD Martinez continues to man the number four spot in the lineup despite not being very productive.  His overall numbers are about on par with Baty, and Baty is back in Syracuse.  

JD’s lack of clutch hitting is having a detrimental impact on the team.  While it was good to see him get a hit Sunday to drive in two, overall, he has shown an alarming inability to deliver when men are in scoring position.  

Eventually he will be moved, the sooner the better, to open up a spot for Baty to play every day.  That is, if Mendoza is willing to play Vientos and Baty in the same lineup.

At this stage of the season, it’s clear that we are, at best, a marginal playoff team.  Without question, several players will be moved prior to the trade deadline.  On the pitching side, at least two of Manaea, Severino and Quintana are likely to go leaving openings for Senga and Scott to take their places.  The bullpen is a mess, and it appears unlikely that the return of Diaz will make a significant difference.  He has lost the “it” factor. 

While the Mets are likely to part ways with players such as Marte, Stewart and perhaps Alonso and McNeil, the returns are probably going to be underwhelming.  So far, none of the prospects acquired at last year’s trade deadline have excelled.  In my opinion, we should be targeting power arms to reinforce the pen.  

We have lots of “prospects” in the system to keep us in contention for the foreseeable future.  What is lacking is a difference maker.  There is no future Strawberry, Soto or Betts coming up the ranks.  I would not be terribly upset if we qualify for a top six pick in next year's draft in the hope of landing a top talent.

We should have learned our lessons in handing out long-term contracts.  None of Diaz, Nimmo, Marte, and McNeil have performed well and are all locked in for the next few years.  The idea of giving Alonso a deal of more than four years is not a sound business practice.  The only way I sign Alonso to a contract is if he can be paired with someone like Soto.  However, I’d be surprised if Soto leaves the Yankees. 

We’ll keep from being disappointed if we keep our expectations low.

Ray

June 11, 2014

19 comments:

  1. Ray, before we get too pessimistic...

    Let's see if this Mets team can sweep the Marlins. The Mets will only be facing one of their regular starters (Luzardo) and two fill ins. All have ERAs in the 5's. The Marlins offense is 29th in runs, ahead of only the basket-case White Sox. The Mets have won 4 of 5. Can they make it 7 of 8 with a sweep here?

    The Mets' hitters have been reawakening, with 31 runs in the last 5 games, and this Marlins team could be exactly what they need to rev the V-8. Alvarez and Edwin coming back will help, too. I want a sweep. Then the .500 Padres come to town, winners of just 4 of their last 10. The Padres are better than the Marlins by a lot, but they are .500 nonethless.

    Essentially, the Mets' playoffs start NOW.

    I like a rotation of Severino, Manaea, Scott, Megill and Peterson a lot. I think it helps Edwin to transition back in, to have the weak hitting Marlins in town, too.

    So, I too have been pessimistic. But I see more positive signs right now. And that 8 games under .500? They need to win 5 of these 6, right now.

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  2. I do agree on the hitting side there are no superstar types in the system. I think Sproat could be Jake II. Time will tell.

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  3. A few things

    I don't want to waste time on trying to get the last wild card team only to be eliminated by a far more talented team

    My guess is things will be status quo through June

    Another guess is the Mets will concentrate mid-season acquisitions AND the draft on bats

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  4. Mack,
    I totally agree we don't need to strive this year to only go to the playoff as a wild card team. Make the trades now, have a selective draft,get our payroll down and shoot for 2025. I honestly prefer to see a young team that wants to win. We have some good, young prospects. Let them play.

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  5. It's almost like a Terry Collins flashback with Wilmer Flores. Go out and get 4 hits in a game, then wind up cooling your butt on the bench the next day. We all know how that went as Collins owns the team record for the losingest manager in club history.

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  6. The managerial shortcomings that Ray points out have been common with the last few managers. I think there is another influence - this has happened consistently regardless of the managers' experience or capability.

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  7. I agree with Mack and DJ completely.

    While every game is important, this was an unusual stage and it was good to let all your players participate. Don’t hate for that.

    While we may not like it, these people have feelings too and being Venezuelan without tenure, if Mendoza snubs a fellow Venezuelan there will be whispers behind his back. They did win the game and Quintana wasn’t out there that long. I didn’t see the problem.

    The answer is coming soon: Rokii Sasaki

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  8. Quintana need not be off the team. He needs to join Houser in the pen. ASAP.

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  9. Tyrone Taylor was delightful into late April: .327/.358/.510 on APril 24. Of course, please remember 1 of his 2 HRs, and 4 of his RBIs, came off a 50 MPH Guillorme BP pitch, deceptively inflating his stats.

    Since then? He's been a no-power 12 for 73 with a few walks.

    DJ Stewart? A pretty solid March and April: .208/.377/.472, 14 RBIs.

    Since then? just 8 for 51, 2 RBIs, 8 walks. And he is 6 for 52 in losses.

    My opinion? Both can go.

    A big reason for the plunge from the start of May until a week ago is the 2 of them.

    Baty can immediately replace one of them. Figure out the fielding later. Call up Acuna, too, for speed? Or Trayce Thompson, who at least hits HRs.

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  10. Tom, Baty needs to stay in the minors and play everyday, while figuring out how to lift the ball consistently. Let Vientos play everyday in Queens. Enough of this tag team.

    As for Taylor, like all players he has a dream. But, when Mendoza went live on the air and said that Taylor is perfect for his role and he can sit for a week but be ready, he might as well have kicked Taylor in the groin. Last year for Milwaukee, Taylor played consistently the second half because he got hurt the first half, and the guy had decent numbers. I was very surprised and upset to hear Mendoza say that about Taylor. Mendoza has much in the job training to get, but I do agree that he is the right guy for the long haul. Maybe saying that he will do everything he can to get Taylor in there as item as possible was a bit better? As for Stewart, his catch in right field the other day made me realize that he is a DH or nothing; and he ain’t much of a DH. I can’t believe people thought that was a great catch when the guy lost it twice and almost tripped over his own two feet but luckily he had enough to catch the ball.

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  11. Back after playing 18 and did not break 100 again. My putting is compatible to Marte playing RF. 9th 9

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  12. Replies
    1. I hope he clears and goes upstate. He hss a lot to offer the young pitchers there.

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  13. The Mets need to start thinking towards the future and stop dreaming. This team is not going anywhere and even if it wins a WC, is not going far after that.

    Get the valuable prospects, get the payroll under the penalty threshold and move on.

    Boras is the agent for both Alonso and Soto so you know that he will take them to free agency.

    In my opinion, the Mets have the 1B of the future in Vientos. Let Alonso go and try for Soto instead. But I don't think he would leave the Mighty Yankees to come play for the Lowly Mets.

    Why don't the Mets use Jose Butto as a reliever / long man now until trades clear a starter position for him?.

    Is Steward worth keeping?

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  14. Nido DFA. Nido has enough service time to refuse being sent to Triple-A Syracuse.

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  15. My plan: Trade Alonso, Martinez, McNeil, Severino, Manaea, Bader, Quintana, and Marte. Throw in a marginal prospect to get the other party to take on salary and give a better prospect (Consuerga/Schwartz/Senger, for example) and take all of the money owed. The need isn’t for great prospects, but to take $60MM (half their pay) off the payroll and sneak under the $279MM from the present $339MM, thus avoiding the draft penalty next year.

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  16. Texas,
    Isn't Scherzer or Verlander salary off the books at the end of the year?

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