tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-592615130369356022.post8272409606986073580..comments2024-03-28T17:57:21.603-04:00Comments on Mack's Mets: TJ Rivera vs. Jeff Keppinger: a Comparison - by Tom BrennanMack Adehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09730548449011685243noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-592615130369356022.post-17179421409489234222015-09-16T08:10:04.314-04:002015-09-16T08:10:04.314-04:00I don't recall ever seeing Rivera, but I proba...I don't recall ever seeing Rivera, but I probably did down in Binghamton.<br /><br />I wonder about the glove. <br /><br />Most folks who report on the minors in the Metsblogosphere are just looking at box scores, there's very little feel for the real player.Defensive evaluations tend to be guesswork or non-existent.<br /><br />When you look at Satin, Lutz, and Campbell, these are three guys who simply cannot field. Three guys who are outright liabilities with no position. They were never credible major leaguers. Muno is another guy with a lousy glove. That's a kiss of death.<br /><br />I don't know if that's Rivera's deal or not. <br /><br />In basketball terms, there are guys who a tweeners. Too short to be power forwards, too slow to play the perimeter. They compile good stats -- and are good players -- until they reach the NBA and suddenly it's a dead end. I wonder if River is another "in between" type player. Not enough pop for a corner, not enough speed to make up for the lack of power, not enough glove. If he can't play SS, it has to be 2B. Seems like the Mets already have Murphy, Flores, Herrera, Johnson, Mazzili, etc.<br /><br />It's a brutal game. Very hard to rise to the tippy top. That said, I remember all the Keppinger debates on the old message boards from long ago. He could always hit and he carved out for himself a very nice career.<br /><br />I feel 99% certain that Rivera would pass through waivers without a single team picking him up. <br /><br />James Preller<br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-592615130369356022.post-75914731815392575662015-09-16T07:21:27.975-04:002015-09-16T07:21:27.975-04:00Keppinger...Marco Scutaro...... I believe they ha...Keppinger...Marco Scutaro...... I believe they had more SS Bona Fides, but they're great comparisons for a career that includes Grinding it POur and WAITING for a chance.eraffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06493607580550078769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-592615130369356022.post-41711947336972107712015-09-15T17:51:32.199-04:002015-09-15T17:51:32.199-04:00I was remiss to not add that TJ was .325/.364/.449...I was remiss to not add that TJ was .325/.364/.449 in 110 games in 2015 at AA and AAA in 2015, so he was above his career norm in two of those categories in 2015, and right at his norm in the other (OBP). Too bad he did not play 140 games to show us a full season's stats.Tom Brennanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01032383157195393857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-592615130369356022.post-71053708798164922912015-09-15T16:38:49.381-04:002015-09-15T16:38:49.381-04:00Rivera fan here.
Great article. loving the compar...Rivera fan here.<br /><br />Great article. loving the comparsions. kid has big league potential. can only hope if the mets dont see the need for him that he will be traded or picked up in rule 5 this year and not just used as a mets minor league filler. he has made all of his home town fans proud. keep pushing tj your almost there. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-592615130369356022.post-50190734934819254442015-09-15T16:34:44.905-04:002015-09-15T16:34:44.905-04:00Hey Ernest. I will admit first off there is more t...Hey Ernest. I will admit first off there is more to a player than his batting average. <br /><br />That said, Campbell underperformed TJ in his career until his 2014 and 2015 time in the minors. And both Satin and Lutz (who was again injured this year) struck out a whole lot more in the minors than TJ...about twice as often. Whether he is better than Campbell remains to be seen, but I'd put him ahead of Satin and Lutz.<br /><br />The player he comps best with is Keppinger, in my opinion,and TJ could do far worse than be compared with him.Tom Brennanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01032383157195393857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-592615130369356022.post-29628012910127254602015-09-15T14:38:56.865-04:002015-09-15T14:38:56.865-04:00Strange to see minor leaguers like this who hit .3...Strange to see minor leaguers like this who hit .300 at every level but get little respect.<br />Perhaps Mets just see him as another Campbell/Satin/LutzErnest Dovehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12054861033443392454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-592615130369356022.post-78169893780781623592015-09-15T13:08:25.932-04:002015-09-15T13:08:25.932-04:00I am surprised no TJ Rivera fans have responded. ...I am surprised no TJ Rivera fans have responded. They must all be out shopping at TJ Maxx.Tom Brennanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01032383157195393857noreply@blogger.com