Well, the injury news certainly isn’t getting any better. Now we hear both A.J. Minter and Danny Young have opted to go under the knife for season-ending surgeries and Jesse Winker is now out 8 weeks with his oblique issue. Depth and breadth of the farm system are going to be stretched paper thin.
On the DH side of the equation, no one was at all surprised when Brett Baty was returned to the big club to take Winker’s place given that the club was now short of a left handed hitter and that attribute plus final option year uncertainty make Baty an understood if not terrific choice.
Looking at little further into the folks on the AAA roster you find quite a few right handed hitters who wouldn’t necessarily help address what Winker was slated to provide. The other issue is who is and is not on the 40-man roster.
Now the Mets do have new-found flexibility with Minter and Young both now on the 60-day IL which would open their spots. Currently Jose Siri is still on the shorter term IL but could also move to the 60-day group if the club had another roster need.
Recently mentioned Drew Gilbert is another good option. He’s still working his way back to complete health, but is hitting .273 and is also a left handed batter. In his case you would expect him to take center field duties in a platoon with Tyrone Taylor and perhaps move Jeff McNeil into the left handed half of the DH platoon which gets far more ABs than does the RH half manned by Starling Marte.
On the pitching side of things it’s a muddy mess. Obviously Blade Tidwell’s single start was highly forgettable and Brandon Sproat is not performing at AAA as he had at other levels. Right now they are in need of relievers. Dedniel Nunez is back but he is right handed. Genesis Cabrera is still wearing a major league uniform but he’s not exactly star quality. He is the sole lefty in the pen.
An interesting side note for speculation is what do the Mets do when Paul Blackburn, Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas return to the 26 man roster? The question would become what players are asked to pack their bags to make space?
22 comments:
They need the bats to thunder. Which, aside from the 3 recent games where they scored 34 runs, have been rather somnolent, instead.
Can any of our injuries be the old-fashioned 2 week variety? Everyone misses months. Pete, Soto, Lindor, though? Three Iron Men.
This would have been a great time for Mauricio to step up, if it hadn't taken him 8 years to recuperate.
As far as the pitching goes Blackburn would slot into SP6, then moved to the pen when Manaea returns.
In my mind Montas would have to beat out McGil or Canning, unless 1 of them faulter. I also think they should move that guy Waddell to the pen as a lefty, Cabrera is horrible.
They should also give Baty as much time as possible. Lefty DH/ spell Vientos. This is make or break time for him.
Marte, McNeil and Winkler have been awful.
Put Vientos at DH and Baty at 3rd.
I would mix them both at DH and 3B. After this year (or sooner) Marte will be gone, Winkler will be gone, and McNeil will move into Marte's role...bench warmer
Nimmo will be gone too.
You can only hope...but who would possibly take his contract.
That would work. Like a lefty/right split. I think Baty is better defensively than Vientos, but Vientos has much more pop in his bat
Nimmo has roughly 365 at bats since last year’s All Star Break. In that span, he is hitting .197. Egads.
Who would have thought, before the season, that the best Mets Brandon by early May would neither be Nimmo nor Sproat, but Brandon Waddell.
Since Sept 1 last year, regular season, Mark Vientos has hit .220. Baty, if he were to get hot, has a chance to eat into Vientos playing time.
Citifield Blues:
In his career, Brandon Nimmo hits 30 points higher on the road (.274) than at home (.244). And Alonso has 23 more HRs and 20 points higher average on the road. How long until I complain about the same disparity re: Soto as a Met?
There's no way his body holds up for 5 more years. And yes, he needs to go back to getting on base. His swinging for the fences has hurt his worth to the team
IMO
The Mets need a major reboot in the outfield
1. Soto is in RF until the sun don't... well, you know where I am going here.
2. Siri should be DFAd when he heals and then released if no one offers a subwya token here (moved out of NYC in 1980... do they still use them?)
3. Marte should be DFA's. No one will claim him unless the Mets eat 75% of what's left on his contract. If not, release him
4. Put Jeff in left... name Acuna your starting 2B and backup SS, and Baty your backup 2B and 3B
5. Get on the phones
6. Make Nimmo a DH. You're stuck with this contract
7. Call up Drew Gilbert and let's see what he has. Put him in center
7.
4.
Nimmo should not be wsinging for the fences until Uncle Steve moves the fences IN IN IN
I still think Nimmo should be stuck in the #2 slot between Lindor and Soto with Alonso dropping down to clean-up. Then make sure Nimmo knows his job is to get on base with walks, singles and doubles. An occasional homerun is not a bad thing, but that is not his job.
I'm still trying to figure out the rest of the order. I never have been a Vientos fan and still am not sold. Say all you want about Baty and his chances, but I still say if you put him somewhere (probably 3rd base) and leave him there every game for 3 months, he will come around and be a productive major league hitter with decent defense.
Very good points Mack, 69.
69, I would move Nimmo up ONLY if he goes back to the high OBP guy. If not, drop him to 7 hole. I would say DH him but right now I would give Baty as many AB's as I could find him.
I wouldn't touch Pete until he cools off a little.
To Macks points,
Soto eventually has to become the full-time DH.
With you on Siri and Marte.
Acuna should get the lions share at 2B. When he plays we win, when he doesn't, we lose.
I would see what I could get for McNeil also. If you can move him, call up Gilbert and give him a shot.
Acuna has earned playing time. Sitting him is a mistake
Once again way too many high priced players clogging up the roster and when does someone tell Soto he's our full time DH period and it would be better for the team for him to do so. Lindy start by playing "My Guy" when JS comes up to the plate and then everyone can tell him how much he's loved. Insert a big hug here.
Vito. So has Baty!
I'll take 2 weeks. 😆
Brett Baty .190 in 58 ABs, 4 RBIs. His resume is weak.
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