RHP Frankie Montas has been facing hitters with an eye toward beginning a rehab assignment in the second half of May. Will need to build up his pitch count before being activated.
- If I had to guess, he will be ready to return to the starting rotation June 20, or returning to assume a bullpen role a week earlier.
LHP Sean Manaea began throwing off a mound on May 11 and could start facing hitters late in the week of May 19. Will require a lengthy rehab assignment to build up his pitch count.
- If I had to guess, he will be ready to return to the starting rotation July 1.
RHP Paul Blackburn has made four Minor League rehab starts and is tentatively scheduled for one more after his May 16 appearance for AA Binghamton. Will need to be reinstated after those outings.
- Could result in a trade, or someone in the pen now getting demoted.
INF Ronny Mauricio has been on a rehab assignment since April 27 and will be optioned to Triple-A Syracuse once his rehab clock expires.
- Could be an All Star break call up? A trade piece?
- He has not hit well, but on Sunday went 2 for 4.
OF Jose Siri was playing catch, working in the hitting cage and doing light sprints as of May 10. Carlos Mendoza said Siri is progressing more quickly than expected, but he would not say when Siri would start a rehab assignment.
- If Marte continues to fizzle, he could take Marte's place once he is ready. Right now, neither is hitting, but Siri is a much better defender.
To expedite healing, kissing the boo-boo to make it better is my best advice.
WAIT UNTIL IT WARMS UP
It must be frigid down in Florida. In their first 10 games, the FCL Mets were hitting .168. BRRR!
BLISTERING HOT MINOR LEAGUE HITTERS
Binghamton must have taken my Thursday jabs at their hitting personally.
Friday through Sunday was a hit jamboree for them. 22 runs on 40 hits. That will heal some players' batting averages.
Kevin Parada? I called for his demotion on Thursday. What did he do in response over the weekend? HIT! On Friday and Saturday, 5 hits and a walk - and 2 homers. Keep proving me totally wrong, Kevin.
CF Nick Morabito was hitting .188 in the Siberian tundra through April 20. Ouch.
Once the northern glaciers receded, however, he has gone 26 for 85 (.306) since, to climb to .263 with 14 swipes, while fellow speedster Jett Williams reached .291 on Saturday.
Ryan Clifford also was prodded by me on Thursday after a 4 game stretch where he was 0-14.
He responded with games on Friday through Sunday where he went 6 for 10, with 3 walks and 6 RBIs. Nice bounce back, Mr. Clifford!
And JT Schwartz had 4 doubles in his last 3 games. With 5 doubles and 2 HRs in 40 at bats, a now-healthy JT (whom I understand beefed up this off season to add needed power) seems ready to do damage in 2025.
Brooklyn’s offense continues to mash like no Brooklyn team in memory has.
Brooklynites who are totally rocking at the dish include:
Jacob “Wright” Reimer (.341/.433/.642, and an extra base hit and RBI machine) had Sunday off, and Brooklyn scored 7 anyway.
Simply a Juggernaut Brooklyn hitting squad.
Carson Benge has 4 HRs, 25 RBIs, and is at .309/.415/.504 in his first full season. My guess? Future MLB star.
AJ Ewing is playing insanely good baseball. .381/.477/.547 between St Lucie and Brooklyn, with 27 RBIs and TWENTY SEVEN STEALS! A 20 year old rocket ship. My guess? Future MLB star.
- But no, his stunning 27 steals in 33 games is not the minors best.
Some kid in the Guardians chain named Tommy Hawke had 41 steals in his first 36 games in A ball through Sunday. Apparently, the Mets don't like Crows or Hawkes.
Also hitting well for Brooklyn:
Chris Suero - 106 at bats, 7 HRs, 23 RBIs, 15 steals.
Eli Serrano - .248/.375/.464, with 5 HRs and 24 RBIs batting lead off.
Estarling Mercado - .318.
St Lucie hitters? Pretty chilly, but their hitting too is starting to accelerate.
Simon Juan, age 19, started out 4 for 40, with no HRs and 1 RBI. Ouch.
Since then, thru Saturday, he had waved the magic Juan. He went 20 for 66, 3 HRs and 10 RBIs. Another 2 RBIs on Sunday. And a huge sigh of relief after his 4 for 40. I put 20 for 66 in my calculator, and over that stretch, he is hitting .30303030303. Oh, my, oh, my, oh, my.
Colin Houck in May thru Saturday was.292/.386/.458, so the 20 year old’s trajectory is trending up. Up is good.
PITCHERS?
There is only one I can think of who, in his last 2 outings, has thrown 12.2 shutout innings, allowed just 2 hits, 2 walks, and fanned 22.
Who?
Mets’ FUTURE ACE JONAH TONG!
I pencil him as an SP 1 as early as April 2026. It’s my pencil.
RINSE AND REPEAT? WELL, ALMOST
Back in 2014-16, the Mets acquired and pitched a lad named Zack Thornton.
He was in the Ike Davis deal that sent Davis to the Pirates. He made it to AAA as a pitcher, but not the big leagues.
In 2023 in the 5th round, the Mets drafted Zach Thornton. This year, in High A and AA, the LEFTY is outstanding at 4-0, 2.04, 43 Ks.
This Zach will be better than that Zack. Future MLB starter?
CANNOT KEEP THEM ALL, I GUESS
Looked at ex-Met Eric Orze, now excelling with Tampa, 13 outings, 17.1 IP, 1.04. I said to keep him, didn’t I?
Meanwhile, Mike Vasil is 2-1, 1.98 in 27 IP for the Chicago White Sox, proving that AAA is harder for pitchers than the majors.
AND ONE WE KEPT
Who was used for 2 relief innings on Sunday? Dom Hamel, that’s who.
2 unearned runs in 2 IP. The start of a bullpen career?
FANS SAY THAT SOTO DOES NOT REMIND THEM OF CHARLEY HUSTLE
Should trotting Juan Soto’s walk up song be “Do The Hustle”?
Please weigh in, readers.
Willie did the Hustle. Hank did the Hustle. Rickey did the Hustle.
And why should I continue to criticize Mets struggling minor leaguers if the $765 Million Man is hitting just around a harmless .240? At least they hustle.
Well, if the Mets are crumbling, an annual rite of passage, at least the FCL Mets won on Monday. Six runs scored in 6 innings, with 5 hits - and 10 FCL Mets walks. Classic, crisp FCL baseball.
32 comments:
Missed last night's loss, but flipped on the 60 minute SNY summary this AM, to see Soto GIDP in the 3rd inning, his NINTH GIDP already this year. Just 10 times all of last year. Hit 'em where they ain't, Juan.
Juan also has just 20 RBIs, 9 of them due to his 9 HRs. So he has driven in 11 others, while leaving 79 on base.
Blackburn
My guess is he will replace Megill in the rotation
Mauricio
My guess is his only path to Queens is he puts up mega pop and .350 like BA. This could get him In DH role at all-star break
SIRI/Msrte
Right now I'm fine with Tony T in center
Marte can go open an assistant living facility
Siri could defend it for him
Tong
No pitcher in the minors have better K splits than this guy
A whiff machine
You got funny after NY, Mack. It ain't the same in the Northeast without ya.
Tong Terrific is more terrific than I thought.
Thornton
Yes, he is a future major league starter but not on this team. Will be blocked
Soto
Mendoza having sit down today with Charlie nada hustle
It's the water
Saw this on Soto in the Post - that the $765 MM Man is very glum:
“People that I talked to on the Mets side, and they can deny it publicly, because, of course, that’s what they have to do, he is very, very glum around the clubhouse,” John Kay said, according to Awful Announcing. “He does not have a hop in his step. He does not smile much. I’m not gonna say he is unhappy. Because how can you be unhappy with a $765 million contract? But money is not a guarantee that you are gonna be comfortable somewhere.”
“Why isn’t he happy? It comes down to this. I’ll say it now, and it will be denied. Of course, it has to be denied. But I have talked to people that I respect. He wanted to return to the Yankees,” Kay said. “That was his preference. His family said, ‘You are going to the Mets.’ His family felt very comfortable around Alex and Steve Cohen. And they said, ‘You are going to the Mets.’ And he is a guy that listens to his family. So I think at this point, he is probably a bit down, pouting a bit. And then to come into Yankee Stadium with three straight sellout crowds, at a place that was his Field of Dreams. It became his Field of Nightmares over the weekend.”
Hey, if he is so glum, he can always step away from his contract with the Mets permission and restart free agency. It might cost him $250 million, but he then wouldn't be so glum.
15 years is a long marriage. Be sure next time.
Thornton could get unblocked if they trade Manaea after this year. Get young, not glum.
Morning Gents,
It's my birthday so I will try to be good.
Soto: did you see after game interview about not hustling. He said no he was not...the ball was hard hit. Hated the signing from the get-go. 1,705 DAYS TIL OPT OUT .
Blackburn: As much as it pains me...he will probably replace Mc (April) Gill in rotation or become SP6, pushing him to bullpen where he belongs.
Tong Terrific: It gives us hope
Mauricio: I no longer give a crap. Will always be a shitty fielder.
If he hit .400 in AAA I will give a shit again.
If he's so unhappy...In the words of the horrible Yankee announcer Kaye....
SEE YA.
JoeP, happy birthday, and tell us how you really feel. LOL.
If you read about Soto's "glumness" in my comments, that could be the story of the year. Don't be a disgruntled employee, Juan, get over it. You made a choice. Make the best of it. Opt out when you can (after 5 years). Or go to the Catholic Church and get your contract annulled after the season.
Juan's non-production (which frankly is partly bad luck in hitting them at people instead of between people) is likely negatively impacting some other players, one of which I write about on Thursday.
We got stuck with a pouty, little baby. If he's so unhappy ask for a trade or a release. Maybe he will be happy in Toronto.
If he opts out in 5 years and the Mets resign him I will never watch another Met game.
This is me trying to be nice on my Birthday...lol.
Can't wait for your post on Thursday. I should have about 1,000 comments. All negative of course.. Yee Ha, I can't wait.
The articles have started pouring in on how he poo-pood his comments on lack of hustle.
He should be getting Booed big time by next home stand.
Kay is a dickwad
Enjoy your birthday
I don't celebrate them anymore
I switched to conceived day
More mysterious
Right
Soto is hitting the ball VERY hard
Just into gloves
Imagine Joe on non birthday days
Thanks Mack,
I'm entering the stage my like my grandmother. When I used to ask her how old she was she would always tell my...I'm 21+.
I'm 78+
Realize one thing: If Soto is truly "very, very glum", it is while the Mets have been in first place all year. How very, very glum will he be if they extend this recent drop off in winning, and fall out of first place? How many people do you know are glum making $50 million per?
I would be happy as a pig in shite if I was making 1m a year.
He has no idea how bad it can actually get. Imagine getting the same treatment as the Yankee fans game him. From your own team...FOR 15 YEARS.
I agree - that is pretty odd to say "his family made him do it". That said, the "glum" Soto is probably embarrassed. He should be - his lack of hustle on several plays is insulting to everyone, including himself. This is also a lack of leadership - if you are paid that much you are in a leadership position whether you want it or not. So show the other players that you are going to work your ass off every day, every play.
Kay is a Yankee shill. He's just trying to stir the pot and put the Mets in a bad light. Done it his whole worthless career
Ohtani earns his payday everyday and Nogo Soto doesn't even come close and were all thinking the same thing OMG as this has a chance to be the WORST FREE AGENT signing ever by a long shot. Stay tuned.
I'm back from Long Island. My main concern is the lack of creativity in the manager's seat.
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