The easiest thing to cover today are the three remaining days of the midyear trading season that has not yet landed a player capable of eliciting applause from the fans or the media.
Now if you want to start a big argument with fellow Mets fans, ask the most rose-colored glasses wearing group how things have gone for the roster since the season began.
They will quickly point out that the club is in first place and has one of the top couple of records in baseball.
Yes, that is quite true, but it’s also true that any team (or any profitable business) strives for continual improvement instead of a rotating array of AAAA players and other has-beens instead of adding quality ballplayers to replace those lost to injury, illness or season-long slumps.
So while the New York Yankees added Ryan McMahon and Amed Rosario to try to bolster their fight for the pennant (more necessary after cleanup hitter Aaron Judge went on the IL with elbow issues), and while the San Francisco Giants traded for three time All Star and two time Silver Slugger Rafael Devers, the Mets have added no one to aid in scoring runs.
Now there is time left, of course. The close of the midyear trading deadline happens on July 31st yet the issues with scoring (and in particular with driving in runs when someone is in scoring position) have been here all year.
So, backing up to the multitude of bad injuries (primarily to pitchers) and the manner in which the Mets have addressed their ability to win ballgames, do you remember last month? Or was June merely a correction in an otherwise perfect season in which nothing has gone off the rails at any time?
Yes indeed, we are all happy the Mets have won over 60 games. However, we’re also left to question if it would have been over 70 had actions been taken instead of waiting for the July 31st deadline to happen.
16 comments:
They seem to have added Ronny Mauricio, who in his last 15 games is .295/.367/.523. And Baty (last 15, .273/.360/.455). Alvarez has also returned with a vengeance.
Soon, perhaps the Mets will realize Carson Benge is ready to replace Tyrone Taylor, too.
Or they could keep doing nothing but crossing their fingers.
First outing last night by Soto went excellently. Wouldn't it be nice...
Is this the new Mauricio or another one and done Kirk Neiwenhaus moment?
I don't see any promotions from the chain until the period begins when promoted kids won't lose qualification of ROY status
I think Mauricio is a keeper. Alvarez doesn't have a replacement right now. Baty is expendable, but if you read the article later by Angry Mike, you may think twice about it.
Kirk is my least favorite 4 letter word, Mack.
Mauricio is 3 for 27, 2 walks, 10 Ks as a righty hitter vs. lefties. I’d cut that guy. He couldn’t hit righty at all in 2023 with the Mets either, nor in the minors.
He rakes as a lefty hitter. Time to drop the switch. Now. Who in the front office cannot see that?
Alvarez (AAA and majors) in July? Blistering hot. Gotta go with him, and cut some slack. Even guys like Alonso and Lindor can go thru prolonged bad stretches.
We also have a lefty named Brooks Raley who looks pretty good. Our kids have fueled the recent resurgence.
Sorry Reese, I don't really think much help is coming offensively. Who out there is really a significant upgrade. The only open positions are CF and possibly 3B or Lefty DH.
Saurez is a pipe dream. Please don't bring up Louis Robert. Who would make us much better without giving away all our top tier prospects.
As Tom mentioned are kids have supplied a major upgrade lately. Even I have to admit Alverez is doing well.
I'd pick up another reliever or 2 and bring up Gilbert and give him some playing time in CF.
I ❤️ Raley and Diaz
Past that is a question mark
👍
It’s hard to make deals until the last few days before the deadline because so many teams are still deciding if they’re buyers or sellers. And that doesn’t just reduce the # of teams who are ready to go, but all of those teams are still waiting for the undecideds to see whether something better (than your desired deal) may become available to them.
I have no doubt that Stearns isn’t done. In fact, I’d be surprised if we don’t end up with at least one of the higher-impact relievers still on the market (possibly one with control beyond this year), and possibly two more relievers overall. I do think they’re also in on the CF market, but what (if anything) they do there will depend on price and availability. Robert Jr. would be a good upside risk, but his three team option years through ‘28 could prove more valuable to a team without a Carson Benge (or Drew Gilbert) in their system who could end up the starter at some point next season.
Regardless of that, I fully expect Vientos to be the centerpiece of our largest deal this week. With no real position to play (well) and zero speed, he’s truly just a RHH DH. And while he could very well bust out and hit 40 HR next season, if he doesn’t hit, and hit well, he has little value. And with Marte swinging a good bat all year - and seemingly getting better as the year goes on - there’s an easy bet to make on the vet as RH DH for the rest of this season. I think the FO would like to keep both Baty and Mauricio, so Vientos is the odd man out.
I was literally just thinking about that stretch when we used all those bullpen games. I’m still confused why we didn’t use our better prospects who are older, when there was a clear need?
Question with bringing on more than one relief pitcher is who would they option from existing bullpen core? Rico Garcia is first to go but then who? Blackburn (no options) is ready and/or coming soon also. Some painful decisions or trades certainly would be required if more than one one reliever is added as you can only have a maximum of eight total relievers with your five starters. What existing reliever would you option (Brazoban or Garrett)? Or a reliever put on the IL? Decisions, Decisions, Decisoins
Fred,
Couldn't some of those players you mentioned be considered as trade candidates?
Sure...a trade could happen. Blackburn certainly a possibility. But I don't expect the existing core seven relief pitchers to be traded: Brazoban, Butto, Diaz, Garrett, Raley, Soto, Stanek. So if I am correct, than there is room maybe for one more hopefully high end reliever. I just see many posts across the Met fandom discussing bringing in multiple new relievers...but if so, trades, optionable, dfa, IL, etc. would need to be considered with the existing core seven. As they say, things tend to work themselves out, especially with injuries. But July 31st is almost here. I don't see more than one reliever personally.
The only two players that I can see the Mets being able to trade without harming themselves are Vientos and Acuna. The reason being that they have Batty, Mauricio and McNeil who can play the 2B/3B position.
A trade that I cannot, CANNOT understand is the one for Luis Robert Jr. The Mets already have Taylor who can catch the ball but can't hit much which is the reason the Mets went and got Jose Siri who can catch the ball but can't hit either. So why in the world do the Mets need to get yet another CF who can catch the ball but can't hit?. Yes, there is potential there but so is the potential in Vientos who hit 27 hrs only last year and 5 more in the post-season.
To me the best thing the Mets can do right now is nothing. They have Sproat, McLean and others who they can use as relievers right now without trading valuable prospects.
If the Mets are willing to give a great CF with no bat a chance, why not just bring up Clifford while sending down Acuna?.
Sorry for the caps Mack, just frustrated.
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