Tom Brennan: Mets Spring Studs and Duds; & How Did Ex-Mets Do in Spring Training? Opening Day is TOMORROW

An Old Shot of Relief Ace Eric Orze - MiLB.com

I often have scattered thoughts.  As I am sure you have noticed. Today is one of those days. 

SPRING METS STUDS AND DUDS

HITTERS:

SPRING MVP - Brett Baty soared to the challenge…bashing .353/.441/.745

SPRING RUNNER-UP MVP - that new fella Juan Soto: .289/.391/.658

INTRIGUING BAT - Alexander Canario - he fanned 15 times in 43 PAs, but still managed to hit .306/.419/.611

QUIET SPRING - Mark Vientos: 51 PAs, no doubles, 2 HRs, .239

HAMATE SPRING - Francisco Alvarez won the coveted Hammys.

DECENT SPRING, BUT - L.A. Acuna hit .250 in 52 ABs, but had just one 2B.

GOT THE MESSAGE: After I was less than kind in writing in my column to Jose Siri after a 1-21, 11 K stretch, he started to a) hit better to jump up to .214, and b) fan less. Will he beat out that guy Canario?

HITTING-CHALLENGED TRIPLETS: Luis, Jefry, and Omar Del Los Santos, who to my knowledge are not really triplets, combined to go 5 for 50, 21 Ks, and no RBIs. That’s no way to impress the boss.  Try cricket instead.

OH DONNY BOY: Donovan Walton got in 18 games and ripped all of 6 base hits (.171)…but did walk 7 times, to be fair and balanced.

INTERESTING NUMBER OF GAMES FOR A PROSPECT: William Lugo got in 11 games at SS, a high number of games, and was 2-10, with a HR. I would posit that a high number of games for an A ball guy is a sign of real current interest. We may have him undervalued.

SHUTOUTS: Yes, hitters with shutouts.  JT Schwartz, Drew Gilbert, and Ronny Mauricio all tied with zero PAs. Each was in exactly 11 fewer games than William Lugo.

PITCHERS:

CY YOUNG SRING AWARDS: Clay Holmes (0.93) and David Peterson (0.57) - both simply stunningly stellar.

OVERACHIEVER AWARD: Griffin Canning, for fanning 22 in 14 IP with a 1.88 ERA. Runner-up in the Cy Young race.

BULLPEN BEASTS: Max Kranick, Huascar Brazaban, Reed Garrett, Chris Devenski, and Trey McLoughlin - they combined for 43 innings, allowing a mere 6 earned runs, and fanned 56.  Anthony Gose pitched very well, too.

The Mets hockey team ended the spring with 13 wins, 13 losses, and 6 ties. Now that I am retired, I don’t even own 6 ties. That’s a lot of ties.

EX-MET SPRINGS

Another one of those scattered Brennan thought streams involved recent Mets hitters and hurlers who've gone on to play elsewhere.

I am writing about them on Friday afternoon, with 3-4 games left in the spring circuit.

HITTERS

TRAYCE THOMPSON - Boston Hammer: 6 HRs, 12 RBis, .270 in 37 ABs.

DOMINIC SMITH - .297 in 37 Yankee ABs, 3 HRs, 10 RBIs, no walks.

DJ STEWART - .270 in 37 Pirates ABs with 1 HR, 5 RBIs, and 14 Ks

MICHAEL CONFORTO - not-so-recent Met, the Dodger hit .269 in 24 AB, then 2 for 7 in their early season start.

RHYLAN THOMAS - 5 for 16, 2 doubles for Seattle.

JOSE IGLESIAS - 5 for 20 in limited action due to his late signing with SD.

TOMAS NIDO - 6 for 23 (.257), 2 HR, 7 RBI, 3K

LUSI GUILLORME - 8 for 28, .286, 4 RBIs

DANIEL VOGELBACH - No at bats, no pinch running attempts

KEVIN PILLAR - now 36, and with Texas, he is an OK 9 for 38.  He’s been gone for a long time, having played for the Mets in 2021 when he was hit square in the face by a fastball and came back to resume play in record time. For that heroic act I have never forgotten, I wanted to include him here.

PITCHERS

LUIS SEVERINO - 0-2, 12 IP, 5.25 ERA (sigh of relief, anyone?)

JT GINN - also on Oakland: 13 IP, 7.52/1.85, 2-1 record (somehow)

ERIC ORZE - 6.1 IP, 1.42/0.69, 10 Ks with the Rays

MIKE VASIL - 10.2 IP, 5.91/1.78, 10 Ks with the Rays. Released by Rays.

PAUL GERVASE - 3 IP, 5 K, 5 BB, 9.00 ERA with the Rays

So, there you have it - we Mets fans are not missing much from our dearly departed, other than Eric Orze.