METS‘ RONNY MAURICIO NEEDS TO TOSS OUT HITTING AS A RIGHTY
FIRST:
TONG WON THE FIRST OF HIS 300 CERTAIN MAJOR LEAGUE WINS!
He was…TERRIFIC, what else.
One earned run, 6 Ks in 5 innings of a 19-9 Mets explosion, with Nimmo rocking 2 HRs and 4 RBIs. (The Mets missed two extra points).
Dwight Gooden in 1984 allowed just 1 earned run in 5 innings, with 5 Ks, in his MLB debut. Hmmmm….
Soto interesting stuff:
His 2 run first inning HR made him 7 for his last 7 with RISP, after a very substandard first 120+ games with RISP. Then, after former Met Tyler Zuber in relief had retired 3 straight in the first and second, Juan stroked an opposite field single with two outs. The second inning did not end before the Mets scored 7 runs in the second. Amazing.
Juan somehow has just one double in 37 “second half” games, but has scored 99 runs with 2 games left in August. Wow.
Nimmo haters must admit that his 22 HRs, 77 RBIs and .262 are impressive in his 128 games.
Tong and McLean are giving the Mets an immense shot in the arm, as did Lugo and Gsellman late in 2016.
Philly won, so their lead over the Mets is still 5.
But the Mets are reenergized. Look out.
ON TO MY ARTICLE:
Our very own Big Mack Attack writer Angry Mike did a very positive and detailed article on Ronny Mauricio earlier this week.
If you missed it, you can find it in the side bar. Read it.
I’ll be angry if you don’t.
Me? I think very highly of Mauricio, too.
He is (as I see it) just one silly (not so) little tweak away from becoming a bona fide MLB everyday hitter.
He needs to stop hitting righty. Go 100% lefty swinging.
At least that is what the numbers tell me:
Through Monday, his career MLB numbers against lefties were putrid:
11 for 81, 4 walks, 31 Ks, 1 HR.
Jerry Koosman would have been sure he could have done better than that in his days as a weak hitting major league pitcher.
I did not ask him, but even positive Ernest Dove would likely say those righty hitting R-Mo hitting stats are AWFUL.
MO: Against righties?
.283/.344/.441 as a lefty MLB hitter in his career. Strong slash, huh?
MINORS?
In 2022, in the minors, just .226 righty, but .267 lefty. In 2023, just .250 righty, but .297 lefty. And in those 2 years in minors as a righty, he walked just 9 times in roughly 260 plate appearances vs. lefties.
Awful, pretty much.
And a lot less power.
So why do it?
It is like, prior to the days of the DH, when pitchers got to swing the bat in games (e.g., Warren Spahn had 2,056 plate appearances), Ronny would have been a #5 hitter lefty, but a #9 pitcher’s slot hitter righty.
Time to dump the righty hitting?
BRENNAN’S NO-COST RECOMMENDATION:
This off-season, drop the righty swinging, Mo.
Go 100% lefty.
It would be great if the Mets could hire a few decent AAAA lefty pitchers to pitch to him this winter, to help with the transition.
Remember those Rocky movies against Mr. T. and Ivan Drago?
Rocky knew he had to make significant adjustments to win.
He trained to recalibrate his fighting style. It was hard, but it worked.
To become a possible major league star, Ronny needs to recalibrate.
He needs to drop the righty at bats. Period.
BANG FOR THE BUCK?
With less than 20% of the season left, through Monday, the Mets spent $42 million on Manaea and Montas this season.
Probably $85 million, including tax levies.
For that? They’ve gotten 4-4, 5.75 ERA, 75 innings. Egads.
Of course, there are weeks that Uncle Steve probably made $85 million, just on surging crypto. Easy breezy.
Minimum wage McLean and Tong? 4 starts, 4 wins.
WEDNESDAY, THEY CAME OUT OF HIDING
PER SNY:
“Jesse Winker appears to be on the mend.
The Mets' outfielder/designated hitter kicked off a rehab assignment on Wednesday afternoon, batting second and serving as the DH for the Low-A St. Lucie squad.
Winker took just two at-bats, finishing hitless with a double play and strikeout. (Brennan note - And 3 more Ks Friday night.)
Jose Siri was also in the lineup as he began a rehab assignment of his own, leading off and playing center.
He played five innings and reached in his two at-bats, drawing a walk and being hit-by-pitch.”
Siri was 2 for 2 last night.
Meanwhile, a beast lurks…
RAMPAGING REIMER
Jacob Reimer, the 21 year old who was injured for most of 2024, went through a couple of slumpy, dumpy months from June though mid-August.
I started to wonder about the lad a wee bit. But…..
Then, from August 14 thru 29, I wondered no more - he went on a AA rampage.
He realized, perhaps, that his AA classmates were promoted and he was left back. That would tick me off.
Anyway, he has gone 26 for 52 (.500) over that 15 day stretch, with 5 HRs and 16 RBIs. And his 73 RBIs in just 406 at bats this year are impressive.
What to do?
Promote him to AAA in September after the AA playoffs conclude.
DO YOU REMEMBER HIM?
In 1974, San Francisco Giant Ron Bryant at age 25 led the NL in wins, going 24-12, after going 14-7 the year before.
He promptly went 3-16 over the next two seasons and his career was done at age 27.
He was 5-2 career vs. the Mets.
Do you remember him? I should. But I sure don’t.
I do, however, remember Jellybean Joe Bryant and Kobe Bryant.
22 comments:
On Mauricio...
A baseball team is allowed to only carry 26 active players
That includes 8 starters in the field, a DH, five rotation pitchers, and usually eight relievers.
That's 21
Five to go
At best, that's a platooning DH that doubles as a UT-OF, another OF, a catcher, and two infielders
Mauricio didn't work out in the outfield
Mauricio doesn't play first
Baty and Vientos are hot
Jeff is, well, Jeff
That leaves Mauricio in an at best backup role until somehting better comes along
That's the fact, Jack
Ronnie Mo Eye of the Tiger bro kind of like our Nolan McLean who wisely dropped the 2 way pitching/hitting thing to contentrate on pitching smart move. Watching last night's game I can't imagine how Jonah made it through under that pressure ( I have socks older than him) in front of a full house focused on every pitch but that's what makes a major leaguer so keep up the good work young man.
Gary, very good comp. And shame on Mauricio for not being a competent outfielder.
He put himself in that position.
Ron Bryant was 57-0 in games he won, and 0-56 in games he lost. My profound observation of the day.
As of this AM, Ronny is .286 hitting lefty, .136 hitting righty, in his career. I know what I would do.
What's the comp?
Gary's socks?
Tom, I just read Mike’s piece now. I like his enthusiasm for Mauricio, but I’d like to see Mauricio in CF. During his minor league days, there was a pop up down the LF line and Mauricio was at SS. The way he glided and ranged for that, I will NEVER forget. That kid would be a gold glove CF.
Then isn’t it idiotic to have kept him out of the outfield
Tom
I felt like you were talking to me when calling out a Nimmo hater
As I said I don’t believe in ruining a kid for being brought up “too early”
(That is my bring in the fences equivalent)
McLean and Tong Should have been brought up in July and an argument could have been made for sooner than that.
They could have been what propelled us to a top seed and we may have saved ourselves about 6 prospects at the trade deadline what could have been used later
Is it them, or is it him?
You think all those baseball guys didn’t see it, but I did?
Eddie, in July, Tong was still in AA. Stearns was trying to get another year out of them…
Oh I completely agree that was the strategy… I just didn’t agree with it
Eddie, I try Otto judge guys before their season’s masterpiece is painted. Iflatout blew 2 by opining early: 1) Tyrone Taylor, whohas sharply pivoted - can it last?), and Kevin Parada (horrific to hell-raising at the flips a switch). Reimer today would fit that, if you dumped him on August 14:
Nimmo? He is a pro. It is not his fault that they structure a contract that is even salary, when he should make much more early in the 8 years than towards the end. Nimmo is a very tough opponent in tight situations. A hot finish and he could have 100 RBIs this year. But….we all do it. Sometimes we are right, sometimes not.
I hate my tablet - I meant to write, “I try not to”. My space bar is balky
I was wondering who Otto was. Need to create space for Benge and Williams in 2026. Nimmo may need to be traded to open some room.
Amazingly, Nimmo had stolen just 25 of 43 prior to 2024, but 27 of 28 since. Not losing a step, but adding one?
We do need to keep in mind that Mauricio has 10 RBIs in 151 ABs, and is 4 for 34 with RISP. Any surprise he is sitting?
Does he still have an option left?
Zozo, R-Mo has one option left
Great article Tom! I agree 100% on Mauricio dropping hitting righty. He just looks more comfortable from the left-side and with time I’m sure he’ll be able to have success hitting lefties. Can’t do any worse.
Question: Do you think Stearns dishes out $75 million to Manea based on his limited number of seasons logging 30+ starts with similar numbers to 2024? Or do you think he pulled the trigger on Manea’s extension because signing Manea for the 2024 was one of his key acquisitions?
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