FLASH: Terry Collins to Carry 3 Lefties in Bullpen, Josh Edgin Makes Team, Montero's Spot at Risk

     The Mets have announced that the team will carry 3 left handed relievers in the bullpen to start the both LHP Josh Edgin AND LHP Josh Smoker on the Opening Day Roster in addition to LHP Jerry Blevins. The reason for this decision is the fact the team views Smoker as a dual handed weapon because he did not have wide split difference between facing lefties or righties in the minor leagues. This leaves Edgin to be the true 2nd left handed specialist.

     This leaves only 1 spot remaining in the bullpen that the team has not decided on. After seemingly winning a spot after Sewald's re-assignment, RHP Rafael Montero is now competing with RHP Seth Lugo for that spot. Both guys will head up north with the team but only 1 of them will be added to the roster to be the swingman in the bullpen.

(There was talk about carrying 3 lefties in the pen early in the year....but after Lugo's impressive WBC performance and Montero's resurgence as a RP in camp...I figured that idea would be squashed in favor of carrying both guys. Instead now 1 of them will face a seemingly unfair demotion to AAA Las Vegas to be the club's first arm called up in case of injury to anyone in the rotation.)

Christopher Soto - Spring Training Battles: Back End of the Bullpen

     This has been a no holds barred cage match between a large group of guys with many of them pitching fairly well so far this spring. The current bullpen consists of 4 RHP (3 sans Familia) and 1 LHP so Terry can pretty much go with any combination of guys above and still have a pretty balanced bullpen. For this analysis though we will assume that the opening day bullpen will consists of 5 RHP and 2 LHP giving us 1 RHP spot and 1 LHP spot to fill. In addition, I am making the assumption that Seth Lugo is taking the last spot in the bullpen as the 6th starter/long man for the duration that Jeurys Familia is suspended for.

2nd Left-Hander Job

• Josh Edgin | 8.1 IP, 4.32 ERA, 3 BB, 9 K, .179 AVG against
•      Edgin has the inside track on the job by virtue of the fact that he is out of options and cannot be sent to the minor leagues without first being passed through waivers. The consensus amongst folks in the industry right now believe that he would certainly be claimed by another if that happen. That aside.....Edgin has pitched well this spring after shaky off a bit of rust in the early going. His lack of 'premium" velocity though is still a bit of concern as he has failed to regain the ticks on his fastball that he lost due to Tommy John surgery. With other left handed options advancing in the minor league system, the club could decide that it can afford to risk potentially lose Edgin.

• Josh Smoker | 10.1 IP, 1.74 ERA, 5 BB, 10 K, .200 AVG against
•       If Edgin were to be pushed.....this is the guy that would cause it. Smoker has been on the fast track to the MLB since the Mets resurrected him from the Independent Leagues in 2015. With a fastball that sits between 95-96 and can touch 100 mph and a wipeout slider that generates a ton of swings and misses, Smoker has the tools to be a premium MLB RP. The club also has quite a bit of confidence that he is ready for the MLB based on his performance in September last season. From Sept 3rd till the end of the season, Smoker faced 32 batters and struck out 14 of them (a 15.1 K/9 rate) while allowing a .241 Avg against.

• Adam Wilk | 9.1 IP, 1.93 ERA, 2 BB, 7 K, .243 AVG against
•      Signed to a minor league deal with a camp invite in January, Wilk was supposed to have legitimate shot at competing for the 2nd lefty role this spring.....until Blevins was re-signed that is. Now he's on the outside looking in but that hasn't stopped him from pitching extremely well this Spring. Unless an injury occurs, Wilk seems destined for AAA-Las Vegas where he can either be deployed as the LOOGY down there or he can even be used as a SP. In either scenario, he's an arm that the club will likely hold onto for the 2017 season.
• ***Adam Wilk was already re-assigned to minor league camp so he is out of the running.***

• Sean Gilmartin | 6.2 IP, 6.75 ERA, 3 BB, 4 K, .276 AVG against 
•       The former Rule 5 draft pick couldn't build off of his excellent 2015 bullpen season and was switched back to a SP in AAA-Las Vegas to provide the club some more depth last season. Based on his performance out of the bullpen so far this spring....it seems like he will likely be asked to do the same thing in 2017. With the numerous injury concerns in the club's rotation and the lack of higher end prospects forecasted to begin in AAA this season, Gilmartin could be one of the first arms called up should the injury bug plagued the Mets again.

• Tom Gorzelanny | 6.2 IP, 9.45 ERA, 4 BB, 6 K, .333 AVG against
•       Just like Wilk, Gorzelanny was signed to a minor league deal with a camp invite and was supposed to have a chance at winning this job before Blevins was re-signed. Unlike Wilk though, Gorzelanny has not looked very good this spring and is a candidate to be flat out released.

2nd Right-Hander Job

• Rafael Montero | 13.1 IP, 2.70 ERA, 7 BB, 20 K, .200 AVG against
•      Can the real Rafael Montero please stand up? If this is him....the Mets may finally be inclined to abandon hopes of him as a SP and carry him on the Opening Day roster as a low to mid leverage RP. The former control specialist is still having problems with his control this spring (4.7 BB/9) but the huge uptick in strikeouts (13.5 K/9) more than makes up for it. His stuff plus the ability to go multiple innings and makes him a perfect fit for an early bullpen usage innings eater role. The question is.....has the club seen enough to trust him?

• Ben Rowen | 10.1 IP, 1.93 ERA, 1 BB, 6 K, .156 AVG against
•      Why does a 28 year old an 82 mph fastball have the front office super excited? Well that would be because Mr. Rowen is a submarine style pitcher who has a career 1.85 ERA in the minor leagues. The Mets jumped on the opportunity and made Rowen their 1st minor league signing with a invitation to camp. So far he is proving exactly why the club likes him so much. In today's era of 95 mph+ fastballs from everyone in the MLB bullpen, Rowen gives opponents a very different/very strange look. Not only is the arm slot a rarity.....but his motion is almost wiffle ball like making it extremely difficult for a batter to get his timing right. Rowen has a VERY REAL chance of making it onto the MLB roster. The only thing giving the club pause is the fact that someone would have to be removed from the 40 man roster (or placed on the 60 Day DL) in order for them to add Rowen.
• ***Ben Rowen was re-assigned to minor league camp today so he is out of the running.***

• Paul Sewald | 10.1 IP, 1.74 ERA, 3 BB, 6 K, .143 AVG against
•      A rising bullpen star in the organization, Sewald has produced positive results as the closer for the St. Lucie, Binghamton, and Las Vegas teams over the past 3 seasons. Now he finds himself trying to force himself onto an MLB roster that is pretty crowded when it comes to right handed arms. Sewald doesnt really have the premium stuff most late inning RP have as his fastball only clocks in between 88-92 mph and his slider grades as a league average pitch. However, Sewald plays those pitches up with his unbelievable command of the lower half of the strike zone. It seems like Sewald will come up short this spring....but he may very well be getting a call to the big leagues at some point this season. 

• Erik Goeddel | 6.1 IP, 9.95 ERA, 0 BB, 9 K, .429 AVG against 
•      Goeddel has MLB experience......he's had MLB success......he possesses strikeout caliber stuff......unfortunately for him, he's coming off of elbow surgery and doesn't look like he is 100% yet. An assignment back to Las Vegas seems very much in the cards for him for now. However, since he IS on the 40 man roster, once the club does feel like he is ready, he could very well be the 1st right handed bullpen arm called up.
• ***Erik Goeddel was re-assigned to minor league camp today so he is out of the running.***

The Morning Report 1.28.2016 | Collins Setting High Expectations for 2016, Edgin Unlikely to Begin 2016 Season Until May, Potential Trade Match-up with Cardinals.

Maria Guardado | NJ Advance Media- Coming off a World Series appearance and armed with one of the best starting rotations in baseball, the Mets will enter the 2016 season with high expectations. Even manager Terry Collins plans to hold his club to an elite standard with the hopes of steering the Mets back to the Fall Classic. "We've got to go back,'' Collins said. "Let's win it all. You got to have those expectations. If you are afraid of it, you are in the wrong sport. You talk about goals in baseball, there is no bigger goal, and until you get to the World Series, you don't really understand how much fun it is.''

(Chris Soto: Terry Collins is correctly putting high expectations on the 2016 season. We as Mets fans have had a taste of the glory and fun that comes with a World Series appearance and we will rightfully feel spoiled enough to demand another one. Should a 100-62 record with a loss in the NLCS a failed season? No of course not....but with us having a better team than last year when we DID make the World Series....it sure as heck will FEEL that way.)



David Hong | Metsmerized Online- According to Adam Rubin of ESPN New York, Edgin is on pace to return about a month into the season and the Mets are anticipating his return to be around May 1. Edgin was the team’s top left-handed reliever in 2014, when he posted a 1.32 ERA with 28 strikeouts over 27 1/3 innings. The Mets re-signed fellow southpaw Jerry Blevins this offseason and he will be the primary lefty specialist until Edgin returns. The Mets also recently signed left-hander Antonio Bastardo to a two-year, $12 million dollar deal.

(Chris Soto: I'm not sure why but I was under the assumption all off-season that Edgin would be ready to go come 4/1. I understand now the Front Office's desire to acquire another solid left handed option......it was actually a need. When the Mets got off to that fast start early in the season, Collins was taking advantage of a 3 lefty bullpen. He will do so once again with Gilmartin being the low leverage lefty, Blevins the high leverage lefty, and Bastardo as the 8th inning guy who can face lefties or righties.)

HOT STOVE REPORT (courtesy of mlbtraderumor.com)

• According to Ben Frederickson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, The Cardinals aren’t exactly certain of when Yadier Molina will be healthy enough to make his 2016 debut. Molina underwent thumb surgery back in October and had to undergo a second operation in December after the first one did not fully correct the ligament issue.
• This is interesting news of note because the Cardinals do not have an internal replacement for Molina. While Travis d'Arnaud is certainly still an injury risk, this can be a strong opportunity for potential discussions between the Mets and Cards for prospect Kevin Plawecki.
• The Mets announced that they have designated outfielder Darrell Ceciliani for assignment, which will clear clear a spot on the team’s 40-man roster for the newly re-signed Yoenis Cespedes
• At first glance, it seems like Ceciliani will likely clear waivers and report to AAA-Las Vegas, however, lately there has been a strong history of Mets CF capable players being claimed away from them. 
• According to Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports, Lefty Eric O’Flaherty is set to throw for scouts in Seattle. He’ll be looking to prove that he’s not only healthy, but has worked out some mechanical kinks.

The Morning Report 12.8.2015 | Mets Await Zobrist's Decision, Edgin Making Progress/Expects to be Ready Opening Day, Baseline Value Set for Potential Jon Niese trade

Also at Mack's Mets:

Kristie Ackert | NY Daily News- Ben Zobrist’s camp informed the Mets and others at the Winter Meetings that they expect to have a decision by “the end of the week.” First, the 34-year old will meet Tuesday with the Nationals at the Opryland Hotel. Many believe the decision will come down to the Mets and Nats. Zobrist’s representatives told the Mets and others that they were all planning to sit down and begin making a decision on Wednesday. “That could mean he makes a decision Wednesday night,” one industry source said. “Or it could mean by Sunday or Monday. But no one thinks it goes much further.”

(Chris Soto: I have succumbed to the fact that the Mets really want Zobrist. Fine, I get it, I am all for any free agent signing that makes the team better. Let's just make sure we get him and not the Washington Nationals. To be fair...over his past 5 seasons, Zobrist has averaged 148 Games per season with an outstanding .796 OPS. He may not be sexy, but his numbers are outstanding and better than any season Murphy was able to post. If his skillset can age well like the Mets think it will, then I am ok with the signing.)



Brian Devine | Metsmerized Online- According to Assistant General Manager John Ricco, left handed reliever Josh Edgin is making progress from Tommy John surgery and could be ready around opening day. Edgin has not had any setbacks in his recovery, and could be an effective weapon out of the bullpen next season if he returns to full health. “It’ll be about a year out right around Opening Day, and he’s progressing, hasn’t had any setbacks to this point,” Ricco said.

(Chris Soto: Spring Training is going to be an important barometer for Edgin. Is he truly 100%? or is this another Bobby Parnell case where a talented reliever is going to never find his stuff again? We wont know until Edgin steps onto that mound come March. Regardless, the Mets need a much more sure thing than Edgin and even Blevins. If you could pair those two with an Antonio Bastardo for instance, who held lefties to a .138 AVG, you have the makings of a very solid bullpen that has depth.)



HOT STOVE REPORT (courtesy of mlbtraderumor.com)

• Per Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, the Braves could be close to finalizing a trade for young SP Shelby Miller today.
• The Nationals signed 31 yr old RP Shawn Kelley to an undisclosed major league contract. Last season Kelley posted a 2.45 ERA and 63 strikeouts. This could open the door for a Papelbon or Drew Storen trade as the club now has a surplus of late inning RP arms.
• The Boston Red Sox traded LHP Wade Miley to the Seattle Mariners for LHSP Roenis Elias and RHRP Carson Smith.

(Chris Soto: The Braves continues to blow up the squad and try to re-tool for 2017. Man Freddie Freeman should give David Wright a call to see how it feels to be part of a losing squad during the prime of your career.

It seems like the Mets and Nationals are continuing to compete for the same free agents every time a potential name pops up. O'Day, Kelley, Zobrist, etc. This is turning into a very heated battle to build the best team possible to grab control of the NL East.

The Red Sox deal is EXTREMELY important for the Mets as it sets a baseline for what the Mets should expect should they decide to deal LHSP Jon Niese. Both guys are 29 yr old left handed SPs, generally thought of as solid #4 rotation guys. Both have career K rates of 7.0 per 9 IP, Miley's BB rate is 2.8 per 9, Niese is 2.7 per 9 IP. Miley has a career 3.95 ERA, Niese is at 3.91.

The fact that the Red Sox were able to get a younger, possibly more talented, lefty in Elias + one of the best young RP in baseball in Carson Smith is an unbelievable steal! Do I think the Mets would get a similar package? Probably not, but as a Mets fan I would be exctastic if the club could get their hands on a controllable young RP who posted a 2.31 ERA thanks to a 11.8 K/9 rate with a slider filthy enough to make Mike Trout look silly.)

The Morning Report 03.16.2015 | Injury News Updates, Happy Harvey Day, Cuddyer's Impact.

Adam Rubin | ESPN New York-“Mets officials said they were continuing to await word Sunday from team doctor David Altchek about the state of Zack Wheeler's right elbow. Still, Terry Collins reiterated that he does not expect anything beyond tendinitis to be found. "Everybody gets MRIs today. That’s the nature of the beast. You come in with an upset stomach and they give you an MRI. And then you have an abdominal strain. It’s what you do to protect yourself."

(Chris Soto: It continues to sound like this is just a recurring problem that just needs general maintenance. That said, the strange volatile career of Zack Wheeler continues. About a week ago, Mack talked about who amongst the core young pitchers could be viewed as the potential "bust candidate," for me that guy has to be Wheeler. Of all the young arms we have, Wheeler has the worst control and the most inefficient performances both in the minors and so far in his career. For someone that we all thought could be a solid #2 guy, it's looking more likely that he will end just being a superb #4 or an average #3.)


Scott Cohen | Amazin Avenue- After a few days of thinking about whether to rest and rehab the stretched ligament in his left elbow or haveTommy John surgery, Josh Edgin has decided on the latter as his best course of action. Edgin will miss the entire 2015 season, which leaves Scott Rice as the only left-handed option in the bullpen with any extensive major league experience.

(Chris Soto: That is a shame...Edgin had himself a really strong 2014 campaign and was the primary reason that Alderson felt comfortable going into the 2015 season with him as the only experienced lefty in the pen, flanked by a 2nd non experienced lefty. Now the club is in a tough spot with having to rely on unproven internal options as the lefty free agent market is all dried up now. Alderson could also wait until roster cuts are made by other teams and pick up a potential LOOGY via that avenue as well.)

 

Adam Rubin | ESPN New York- Matt Harvey feels fresh. He felt “a little sluggish” in his last outing, when he allowed two runs on six hits and a walk in 2 2/3 innings in a 49-pitch effort against the Miami Marlins on Wednesday.“Certain weeks you feel a little bit better than others, especially during spring training. I talked to Dan [Warthen] about it. And he said a lot of the time, the second start is a little sluggish. For me, I definitely felt that. Other than that, everything feels great.”

(Chris Soto: Who's ready for another Harvey Day! I know I am. It's going to be fun looking forward to every 5th day that he's on the bump. The swing of emotions from fans this spring has just been absurd. It's only March 16th, and people are worried about Duda, Wheeler, Colon, the lefty situation, but also excited about how Wright, Cuddyer, and Flores look. Whether your pessimistic or optimistic, the closer we are to games the more exciting it becomes. 2015 is going to be a special year.)


Tommaso Di Blasi | Shea Dugout- The most significant difference for the Mets between last year’s lineup and this year’s is the addition of left fielder Michael Cuddyer. In Grapefruit League action, he has had four hits in his fourteen at-bats thus far, two of the hits coming in the form of solo home-runs. It’s only spring training, but this is definitely a good sign, and one of the many reasons why Cuddyer is an essential presence on the roster this season.

(Chris Soto: Cuddyer is being overlooked a bit so far this spring. I know the guys in my fantasy league laugh at my perceived value of him, but, Cuddyer is going to be a major piece of the Mets push for the playoffs. When he was healthy last season, Cuddyer was posted ridiculous numbers. In 205 Plate Appearances, Cuddyer was hitting .332 with 10 Hrs and a .955 OPS. Even when you sparse out the home and away splits, he was still batting a very respectable .282 AVG with a .734 OPS. That's 13% better than the average MLB OF'er and way better than anything the Mets have had in LF over the past 2 seasons.)

The Morning Report 3.11.2015 | No Interest in Gee, Reynolds Catching Eyes, Pitcher's Conditioning, My Kingdom for a LOOGY

Danny Abriano | Rising Apple “The Blue Jays lost starting pitcher Marcus Stroman for the season after a freak ACL injury on Tuesday, but the club reportedly has no interest in Dillon Gee. According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, Toronto doesn’t currently see Gee as a fit, and their plan at the moment is to fill Stroman’s spot internally."



(Chris Soto: Well there goes that idea. It is worth nothing that it was reported last month that the Blue Jays had already spent everything they had available in the budget for 2015 so perhaps they can't AFFORD to take on Gee's $5.3M salary. So far at this point, I get the sense that Gee may have more value to the Mets, as a injury replacement, then what he would return in a trade. There's still 3 weeks left in Spring Training though. A lot can happen in three weeks with other teams.)


Anthony DiComo | MLB.com “...With every swing he takes, [Reynolds] is nudging his way up the organizational depth chart. It's clear that he will reach Flushing at some point this summer, perhaps sooner rather than later. If Flores flounders, Reynolds is next in line to take his place. "There's a lot of things he does you like," manager Terry Collins said. "Everybody I've ever talked to that's had this guy … has said, 'Look, you're going to love this guy. He's a baseball player.' So we're going to play him this spring.""



(Chris Soto: I must admit....Reynolds is looking good so far this spring. Tom Brennan was certainly correct to buy the bandwagon early last year and now it's starting to grow. From what I have heard through the grapevines....Flores WILL be the primary starter for at least the first 8 weeks of the season. During this time Tejada WILL be the back-up and Reynolds will be assigned to AAA to play SS full-time. IF Flores is floundering, or his defense is just way to bad, AND, if Reynolds can prove that his 2014 is sustainable AND he can play adequate SS defense, then Reynolds would get the next nod to start at the MLB.)

 
Mike Vorkunov |  nj.com “The Mets dropped under .500 (Relax, it's spring and the results don't matter) with a 3-2 loss to the Braves here at Champion Stadium. Bartolo Colon is right on schedule, or so he says. The Mets starter allowed three runs in three innings, including a home run to Freddie Freeman. Colon isn't one for highs or lows and he said all is just fine as he prepares for the season after his second start of spring. "I was only scheduled to go three innings," he said through a team spokesman. "I'm right on schedule. I've got command of all my pitches. I'm hoping to go at least four innings in my next start. Overall, I feel pretty good."


(Herb G. We are seeing far too much of Mets starters fading in their final inning of work early this spring. With the Mets stress on good conditioning the past 2 years, with several players braving the wilds of Michigan to attend Mike Barwis’s fitness program a year ago, and with a much larger group taking up the Barwis regimen in St. Lucie this year, one has to wonder what effect all this fitness and conditioning talk has had on the organization. Are the players practicing what management preaches? OK. I realize that there is zero chance that Bartolo participated in Mike Barwis’s conditioning program, (to be fair, Colon was terrific in his first outing of the spring) and neither did Wheeler, to my knowledge. But I would have hoped that Mets pitchers would at least come to camp in shape to pitch their assigned number of innings in each start.)

　
Mike Puma | nypost.com   “If you are left-handed and can throw a strike, call the Mets. The team’s already precarious lefty-relief situation appeared even murkier Tuesday, when Josh Edgin was scheduled to undergo an MRI exam on his cranky elbow. After highlighting lefty relief as a need heading to the Winter Meetings, general manager Sandy Alderson took a pass on veterans.... Instead, the Mets opened camp with Edgin, Scott Rice, Jack Leathersich, Dario Alvarez and Rule 5 draft selection Sean Gilmartin. “It’s way too early to say anything about anybody,” pitching coach Dan Warthen said. “I know [Edgin] has had trouble with velocity every spring, and we’ll have it checked out, Hopefully everything is good. We had it checked out last year, everything was good then”　

(Herb G. Having passed on bringing in an experienced lefty arm this off season, the Mets will find themselves in a real pickle if Edgin‘s cranky elbow proves serious. The Rule 5 selection, Gilmartin, reached AAA in 2012 at age 22 and acquitted himself well, but failed to progress from there in the Braves organization. I am not optimistic about his ability to stick. Alvarez looks promising, but he has faced mostly younger hitters in the minors since joining the Mets, so he may not be ready to face MLB talent. On the other end of the spectrum, Leathersich has been a K machine playing with bigger boys, but has been plagued with command issues which could keep him back. Rice may be the best bet of the four contenders, if his health holds out. He was a workhorse in 2013, with surprisingly effective results, but he had a poor 2014 before going down with an ulnar nerve problem. To no one’s surprise, Mets officials said that there was absolutely no chance that LH Starter and top prospect, Steven Matz, would be a bull pen option to make up for Edgin’s absence. Gorski anyone?)

 

The Morning Report - 3.10.15 - Wilpon is unhappy, Wheeler is happy, Edgin's velocity down.

Joel Sherman |  nypost.com “It wasn’t a vintage George Steinbrenner moment. The Boss would have entered the manager’s office with more bluster. . . Fred Wilpon does not swagger in the same way, do bombast naturally. So there is more reading between the lines that Wilpon decided to stop by Terry Collins’ office for 25 minutes after a few bad Mets moments recently, including a 13-2 trouncing on Monday by the Marlins. And the subject of the meeting was problems with the team. Not dinner reservations. “He expects a much better team,” Collins said. 

　
(Herb G. It is refreshing to see Fred Wilpon expressing his disappointment in the Mets recent performance so early in spring training. Too many Met fans have accused the owners of not having the desire to win. It is clear to me that Fred, Jeff and Saul want a winning team, and want it badly. That they are committed to a process that has demanded patience, is not indicative of an indifference to winning. Whether it is due to the necessity of dealing with a lack of resources (English translation - money) or a fundamental belief that the best way to build a winner is by drafting and trading for outstanding young talent rather than giving seven figure contracts to aging stars, (or a bit of both) the Mets’ owners have acquired the enmity of a large segment of the fan base in the process. Perhaps if Wilpon displays his desire to win more visibly and more frequently, fans will begin to come around. Nothing, however, will convince the fans to appreciate the owners‘ commitment more, than putting a winning team on the field this year, and playing some baseball in Queens this October.)



Michael Hurcomb |  CBSSports.com “Mets starting pitcher Zack Wheeler took the hill for the first time this spring Monday against the Marlins, and when the dust settled he finished the afternoon sporting a 32.40 ERA. Wheeler's outing got off to a great start, as he retired the side in order in the first inning on 10 pitches. He even had a strikeout of Derek Dietrich. However, it quickly unraveled for Wheeler in the second inning. He had two strikeouts within the first four batters he faced, but he loaded the bases before Reid Brignac and Jordany Valdespin had run-scoring singles. "I was happy with the outing overall, I did hit two batters and walk a couple but it's still early. Fastball command was a little off. I was trying to go in a lot but it was taking off on me a little bit. I was having a hard time throwing down in the zone with my fastball.”


(Herb G. Wheeler‘s statement is the ultimate example of putting a good face on a bad situation. OK, It‘s true that pitchers are working on a variety of issues in early spring training. They are still working out the kinks. So there is no cause for alarm in Zack‘s horrible outing. Let‘s see how he adjusts his game and pulls it all together as the spring progresses.)



Adam Rubin |  ESPNNewTork.com “Terry Collins is concerned with Josh Edgin, the lone established lefty in his bullpen. For a second straight spring training, Edgin’s velocity has sagged. Edgin was summoned to face consecutive lefty batters Jordany Valdespin and Derek Dietrich on Monday and served up back-to-back run-scoring triples. Edgin’s fastball velocity sat at 88-91 mph. Edgin’s fastball averaged 92.4 mph last season.“What you look for right now is not necessarily anything more than making sure his velocity gets up. That would be right now a concern -- the fact that his velocity is not there yet. That’s going to be something we’ve got to certainly work on long-toss-wise, arm-speed-wise, because that sets the tone for everything“ Collins said. 

(Herb G. This seems like much ado about nothing to me. We went through the same scenario a year ago, and Edgin eventually got his velocity back to where it needed to be. True, he had to spend some time in Las Vegas to get it up there. Now, a year later, he (and the coaching staff) should have the information and experience to get it back up where it needs to be in time for opening day.)

Position Battles Worth Watching- Week 1

With a week's worth of Grapefruit League games now complete; lets take a look at the status of the positional battles in camp.

Backup Catcher

So far, Recker has done nothing wrong to warrant losing his spot on the 25 man roster. In 5 games he is hitting .375 with a HR and 2 RBI's against Teagarden's .273 AVG with 4 K's. Recker also has the advantage of already knowing the sequences that the rotation likes to use in games having been the back-up all of last year. In the later innings, Centeno has also seen some work and is hitting .400 with no extra base hits but he's walking in as a long-shot to begin with as it is expecting he will start 2014 in AAA.

First Base Starter

This battle has barely gotten off the ground as both guys have been sidelined with injuries so far early in camp. Davis has only 3 games under his belt and has hit a HR in 1 AB and struck out in practically all the rest of them. His swing still looks ugly as his hands continue to drop. We may be counting the days till he is cut from the team. Duda on the other hand looked fantastic in his 2 games launching a long HR and rocket for a 2B. Striking out 33% less than your competitor generally helps too.

Left Field Starter

Through 1 week so far and we have ourselves a dead heat for LF. While Chris Young hasn't done anything wrong in the field, his .211 AVG with only 1 extra base hit in 7 games leaves much to be desired. Meanwhile, EYJ missed 3 games with an early camp injury and its affected him early on. While he is hitting .273 in the 4 games he's played, he's generally been facing lower level talent (AA and AAA). He's also committed 2 blunders in the field that have cost the team some runs and was even caught stealing. This battle is going to come down all the way to the last AB of Spring.

Center Field Starter

So far this spring, Lagares has done everything right in order to break camp as the starting CF. He's hitting .353 through 6 games and has already made 3 fantastic plays in CF including an OF assist. I'm sure the club doesn't like the 5 K's but the SB is a welcome site. Meanwhile Chris Young has his hands full just competing with Eric Young Jr. that so far he hasn't challenged Lagares so far in camp. Adding Drew at SS or anybody who can lead off would help Lagares' cause substantially as it would put a major dent in Eric Young's chances.

#5 Starter

Some interesting developments have occurred this week in terms of this position battle. What used to be a 3 person race between Matsuzaka, Lannan, and Mejia seems to have turned in a 2 man race due to serious shortfalls by Josh Edgin. So far Mejia and Matsuzaka seem to be on even footing. Even though Daisuke has the backing of Terry Collins, he's given up 8 hits in only 4 Innings Pitched and has struck out 3. Mejia on the other hand has those 3 K's in only 2 IP and has only allowed 1 hit. However he's also surrendered 2 BB's vs Daisuke's 0 BB. If Mejia can put together a 3 IP start with better control in his next start that will give him a much needed boost.

2nd Lefty in the Pen

The tide has really turned on Edgin so far in camp. In 3 IP so far he's given up 6 runs on 8 hits with only 1 K against mostly AA/AAA hitters. Not good at all. Meanwhile, Lannan has been almost exclusively facing MLB hitters and has only given up 2 runs thanks to an error while giving up 4 hits and K'ing 4 in 4 IP. While Lannan has certainly pitched well enough for considering in the #5 Starter battle he finds himself here because of just how bad Edgin has been.

Position Battles Worth Watching: 13 Pitchers, 3 Bullpen Spots

One of the largest fights this Spring Training, as it is every season, will be for the final spots within the bullpen. This year only 4 guys are really guaranteed spots going into the season; RH Bobby Parnell, RH Victor Black, RH Carlos Torres, and LH Scott Rice. That leaves 3 spots left in a normal 7 man bullpen. Let's break this battle into two separate sections and assume that the team will carry 2 lefties this year.

Battle to be the 2nd Lefty

Favorites- Josh Edgin

Guys w/ a Chance- (none)

Longshots- Adam Kolarek

This is more of a minor ST battle that probably won't be a fight at all. While Josh Edgin is the incumbent and most likely winner, he was heavily criticized last season for his atrocious start. In 11 April appearances, Edgin held a 9.64 ERA and allowed a .325/.386/.525 batting line in mostly low leverage situations. Even worse, after being sent down to both AA and AAA, Edgin did not improve posting ERA's of 7.88 and 5.91 respectively. Edgin also suffered a season ending injury in August 

Adam Kolarek, meanwhile, had a career best year for the Binghamton Mets making appearances in 44 games and posting a 1.71 ERA and holding lefties to a .214 AVG and only 3 extra base hits all season. His low 90's fastball has a two plane break away from lefties which induces plenty of weak contact. He combines it  with an advanced change-up and a newly added slider which makes him just as effective against righties as well.

While Kolarek has looked good, Edgin has looked good in bursts at the MLB level and is on the 40 man roster. The team is almost certain to give Edgin at least one more chance while Kolarek gets some work in at AAA but he'll give Edgin a run for his money this ST. Don't be surprised if you start to hear his name more often if Edgin gets off to another rough start.

Royal Rumble over Last Two Spots

Favorites- Jeurys Familia, Gonzalez Germen

Guys w/ a Chance- Ryan Reid, Joel Carreno, Miguel Socolovich, Kyle Farnsworth

Longshots- Jeff Walters, Chasen Bradford, John Church, Cory Mazzoni, Logan Verrett, Jack Leathersich

Both Familia and Germen are expected to be major players in the bullpen this season but they may receive some stiff competition from recent minor league contracts signings in Reid, Farnsworth, Carreno, and Socolovich. 

The 29 yr old Reid had a career year in AAA last year and earned an 11 inning cup of coffee at the MLB level where he performed well in all but 1 of his appearances. 

The former Blue Jay, Joel Carreno, brings eye popping K rates into the competition thanks to a plus slider that's extremely tough on righties. In 2013 he held righties to a .101 AVG while striking out 41% of them. 

Lastly, there's the journeyman, Miguel Socolovich. The 27 yr old Venezuelan spent time in Boston, Chicago, Baltimore, and most recently in Japan for 2013. He didn't rack up many innings there (11.1) but he only allow 1 ER in his short time there.

The rest of the guys are longshots to make the team but, with chance to showcase their abilities, good performances could lead to potential promotions to the MLB level in case of injuries or ineffective by the other guys. Walters should be the 1st in line though since he is on the 40 man roster already. 

Are the 2014 Mets a Better Team on Paper? (Bullpen)

    We have clearly improved at the C, SS, and CF positions even though the players are the same. We expect the same lackluster production at 1B, and the same solid production at 2B and 3B. As we stated before, LF looks like its a real wild card since we still have no idea who's going to be starting and RF should be at least equal to last year's production but has a chance to be a bit better. The rotation is obviously not the same without Harvey, but the current group of guys may surprise you. Last but not least lets take a look at the bullpen.

(***Note this takes into account the team as it is today. Steamer Projections are extrapolated out to 162 games for the starter only.)

2013

Players: Scott Rice, LaTroy Hawkins, Scott Atchison, Bobby Parnell, David Aardsma, Brandon Lyon, Josh Edgin, Greg Burke, Gonzalez German, Pedro Feliciano, Carlos Torres, Vic Black, Rob Carson
Stats: 26-31, 3.98 ERA, 40 SV, 10 SO, 178 BB, 392 K, .256 BAA
(22nd in MLB ERA)

     Let's not beat around the bush for this part. The bullpen flat out stunk in 2013. Yea they finished 22nd thanks to a strong end to the season but only 3 teams gave up more runs than the Mets bullpen (Colorado, Houston, and Seattle). The same 3 teams were also the only ones who had higher BAA then the Mets. The bullpen even finished dead last in K's by a wide margin of 26.

     Parnell was the only household name in the pen last season and was excellent saving 22 games with a 2.16 ERA and even winning 5 games in the process. However a neck injury cut his season short leaving the bullpen to a bunch of minor league call-ups and spring training invite guys.

     Rice was a pleasant surprise in 2013 but heavy usage in April and May, due to Edgin's poor performance and demotion to AAA, led to him imploding in June to the tune of a .423 BAA and a 10.50 ERA. Once Edgin, was re-promoted to take some of the burden off him, both pitchers performed admirably posting sub 1.50 ERA's in July and August.

     Hawkins was also a pleasant surprise posting a 2.93 ERA and converting 13 Saves in Parnell absence. In fact, the 40 year old was the most consistent pitcher all year long and finished strong with 7 saves in September while giving up 0 runs and only 7 hits.

     Unfortunately after those 3 guys the rest of the pen was dismal. Aardsma had one good month before sporting a 5.00+ ERAs the rest of the way. Lyon and his 4.98 ERA was released halfway through the season after showing that he couldn't a be a set up man to Parnell (6.12 ERA in non save situation appearances). Atchison's old UCL-less arm couldn't stay healthy and couldn't strike anyone out (5.2 K/9) while Burke and his 5.68 ERA racked up some serious frequent flyer miles between NY and Vegas.

2014

Closer: Bobby Parnell: 28 SV, 3.15 ERA, 8.5 K/9, 3.1 BB/9

Set-Up: Victor Black: 3.50 ERA, 10.1 K/9, 4.6 BB/9
LOOGY: Scott Rice: 3.77 ERA, 7.3 K/9, 4.1 BB/9
ROOGY: Jeurys Familia: 3.66 ERA, 8.8 K/9, 4.2 BB/9
RH MR: Gonzalez German: 3.41 ERA, 8.0 K/9, 3.1 BB/9
LH MR: Josh Edgin: 3.84 ERA, 8.4 K/9, 4.0 BB/9
Long Man: Carlos Torres: 3.92 ERA, 7.4 K/9, 2.9 BB/9

     Much like the projections for the rotation, we need to take the bullpen projections with a grain of salt. That said, these numbers do not look that bad at all. One obvious thing that stands out is that this pen is going to be built on young power arms and will not repeat as the league's worst K machines. At the same time this group is also projecting to be one of the most inexperienced with only 9 years of MLB service time between them (Of which 5 years belongs to Parnell). The oldest guy in the bunch (Rice) will only be in his 2nd MLB season.

     This pen has some potential and is either going to be very energetic and strong armed or is going to implode in our faces. It will all depend on how Terry Collins uses them. Our saving grace here is that Jeff Walters, Jack Leathersich, Chase Huchingson, Cory Mazzoni, and Jacob DeGrom are all ready to hold a spot in the pen if any of these guys falter.

    Also from a statistical standpoint you can't be much worse then last year's group

Verdict: Massive volatility due to inexperience but at a bare minimum will be a push. Could possibly finish at moderate improvement if group can keep the BB rates in check.


You can't analyze the Mets pen without throwing in how they are managed.

It's like going to The Palm Restaurant, ordering the Filet, and asking for a bottle of ketchup.

First thing first... the starters have to average at least six innings per game. That happens, they may have enough here.

I still think there is one more outsider that will be signed for the pen. Until then, I'll reserve judgement. 

Javier Vazquez, Josh Edgin, Toronto Trade for Stanton, Michael Morse

Andy McCullough wrote:  

During the winter, the team has been in contact with both Shaun Marcum and Carl Pavano. Their scouts in the Puerto Rico winter league have watched one-time All Star Javier Vazquez, who is making a comeback after sitting out 2012. And there was also some interest in bringing back Chris Young, who posted a 4.15 ERA in 115 innings last season.

I’m targeting into Vazquez here. He would be 35 if he pitches next year and has a 165-160, 4.22, 1.25 lifetime MLB record over 14-years. One of them included 2004 where both the Yankee fans and writers butchered him for his 14-10, 4.91 season after signing a 4-year deal. He also pitched for the Yankees in 2010 (10-10, 5.32). Vazguez chose to sit out 2012 and has been playing in the PRWL… he’s started five games there, going: 1-3, 3.52, 23.0-IP, 30-K, 6-BB… sure it’s just a winter league but it looks like the fastball is still working.

          Bryan Grosnick wrote:

I'd like to think that an improved Josh Edgin could be a lot like former Mets reliever Pedro Feliciano going forward. Feliciano was an effective workhorse in the Mets' bullpen for years, using a left-handed slider especially well to knock out opposing hitters and consistently posting a high strikeout rate despite yearly variances in walks and home runs. The big difference between Feliciano and Edgin, right now at least, is the aforementioned changeup. Feliciano threw a change between 10 and 20 percent of the time as a Met, and it allowed him to match up decently against righties as well as lefties.

Sounds good to me… this gives ‘my pen’ as Frank Francisco in the closer role, Bobby Parnell in the 8^th inning, Robert Carson as the other lefty, and Greg Burke and Jeremy Hefner as my righties. Now, we haven’t even considered Elvin Ramirez, Jeurys Familia, or Jenrry Mejia. This is where we sit right now. Is it good enough? You tell me.

               

            Hi Mack, Look I know for us Met maniacs its real hard to check the puter a few times everyday for the last 3 years and not have a Minaya like blockbuster to excite us but we all know how that worked out. I'm really starting to finally "get" Sandy's plan and have to give some credit to the Wilpons (wow that was hard to type) that the only real $$ invested in the team after the Madoff mess was in the front office. Patience is not the strong suit of fandom but Sandy staying the course when all we hear is "you cant rebuild in N.Y" will hopefully be very rewarding. The Frank Cashen era was a long time ago and if there was something we really needed now is a solid plan and I'm all in. Now to just throw something out there as we wait for pitchers and catchers reporting is a trade question: would you trade the 3 principles in the Blue Jay deal and Flores for Stanton? Thanks, Gary Seagren

                No. Stanton is a great player, but I would still need 24 more to make my squad. The Toronto trade gives me two players in 2012 (Buck, d’Arnaud), and the potential of two all-stars as early as 2015 (d-Arnaud, Syndergaard). I have been committed to dominating this sport through rotational pitching and this is the first time that the Mets have an opportunity to do that since the Seaver days. I’m sticking to my plan, which also seems to be Sandy Alderson’s. 

Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post was told by a source that the Nationals and Adam LaRoche have agreed to a two-year deal.

So… what you’re left with here is Mike Morse, a 30-year old right-handed 1B-RF-LF who hit 18-HR and 62-RBIs for Washington last year and has no place to play. I can’t think of a better fit at this point in the off-season, though he might make Lucas Duda look like a Golden Glover outfielder. The problem is what do you offer Washington? They’re a conference rival with the top young rotation and they only thing you can tempt them with is one or two of your young prospects...  but, he may be a better fit as the DH/OF for the Yankees, making Scott Hairston have to turn his attention to whatever the Mets are offering. This one will be interesting to follow.

Stuff – Pedro Beato, Josh Edgin, Jordany Valdespin, Matt Harvey

Pedro Beato

I like Pedro Beato because he lives in my hometown of Ozone Park, N.Y. I thought this was a breat acquisition, which just hasn’t happened. He’s proven a number of times that he’s a big time minor league pitcher, but, so far, he has been unsuccessful in Queens (2011 – 60-G, 4.30, 2012 – 10-G, 10.38). Tonight they gave him a spot start in Buffalo, which, on paper, makes no sense. There is already a 5-man rotation in place (Zack Wheeler, Jenrry Mejia, Jeurys Familia, Chris Schwinden, Collin McHugh). Did I miss a promotion somewhere or could the Mets be serious considering shutting down Familia? I sure hope so.

Josh Edgin

Please, please, please don’t overpitch this guy like you did with Tim Byrdak and Jesus Feliciano. Edgin hasn’t allowed a run in his last 10 outings and is not afraid to challenge you with his fastball. He also has a nice curve to set up the heater. Lastly, it’s his attitude that stands out. He doesn’t want to beat you. He wants you dead. I really don’t care who you send down or release. What the Mets need to do here to thank Garrett Olson for his contribution and call up Robert Carson post haste. Anyone that knows or has met Robert knows of his super-confidence. Give him a shot. He can’t do worse than Olson.

Jordany Valdespin

Here’s your problem… you are never going to get this kid to stop swinging. He just loves it too much. Baseball Cube gives him an ‘8’ rating (out of 100) for patience. Career wise, he has 1,405 ‘official’ at-bats. He also has only 66 walks. In the majors, it’s 135-AB and 4-BB. His BB% this season is 2.8%. You can’t survive in the major leagues with these stats. Look, if you get ahead of this kid, you can throw him any kind of junk you want and the bat will try to hit the ball. I said I’d lay off this kid, but there’s so much lack of discipline here. This all comes from someone that dropped out of school to play baseball full time… in the fourth grade!

Matt Harvey

Too many relatives. What was the ticket count, around 130 given out? Jason Heyward welcomes him back to the neighborhood with a 2-run homer in the first and the journey continues. Harvey’s biggest problem came early because he hit 45 pitches in the second inning. Simply, put, the control just wasn’t there. Four walks in the first two innings do not win you games. Out of the box: 93 FB, 83 CB, 95 FB, 93 FB, 95 FB, 95 FB, 95 FB, 94 FB, 96 FB walk. They mean nothing unless they pound the zone and bats don’t touch them. Too many relatives.

LHP Josh Edgin promoted to Herd from Double-A Binghamton

Mets Recall Bisons Pitcher Jeremy Hefner,
Place Jordany Valdespin on 24-Hour Taxi Squad
LHP Josh Edgin promoted to Herd from Double-A Binghamton
C Jean Luc Blaquiere Activated

April 23, 2012 –The New York Mets today announced that they have recalled Buffalo Bisons RHPJEREMY HEFNER. New York also announced that INF JORDANY VALDESPIN has been placed on their 24-hour Taxi Squad.

With the roster space, LHPJOSH EDGIN has been promoted to the Herd from Double-A Binghamton. C JEAN LUC BLAQUIERE has been promoted from Single-A Brooklyn.

Edgin, 25, has posted a 1.42ERA and two saves in six appearances with the Binghamton Mets this season. He has stuck out five in 6.1 innings of work and retired the first batter he has faced in all six of his appearances.

The Mets 30th round pick in the 2010 draft, Edgin turned some heads with a dominating spring training for New York. The southpaw made 10 scoreless appearances out of the Mets’ bullpen this spring, with 13 strikeouts and only four hits allowed in 10.1 innings of work. He also converted two of three save opportunities during the exhibition schedule.

Edgin was 3-1 with 1.91ERA and 27 saves in 49 appearances between Single-A Savannah and Single-A St. Lucie in 2011.

Blaquiere has not played yet this season. He was activated to the Bisons, April 14-15, when the Mets placed INF Josh Satin on their 24-hour taxi squad.

Hefner and Valdespin were both on the Bisons Opening Day Roster. Hefner was 2-1 in his three starts with a 1.96ERA -8th best in the International League. He was scheduled to start tonight for the Bisons in Lehigh Valley.

Valdespin has been the Bisons’ leadoff hitter in 17 of the club’s 18 games this year. He has hit .276 (21-76) with two home runs and seven RBI. Valdespin ranks 5th in the International League with 13 runs scored and leads all IL hitters with 76 at-bats.

from team press release

I May Be Wrong, But… Armondo Rodriguez, Wilmer Flores, Josh Edgin, Eric Langill

·         RHP Armondo Rodriguez seems to be getting some serious attention in the parent camp this spring training. Today was his third outing, all in one-inning short relief situations. I have him as the SP5 in Binghamton next month; however, we may be watching  conversion to the pen here. We’ll see in a few weeks.

·         Wilmer Flores got to play with the big boys on Monday and proceeded to make two errors in a row while playing third base. This is not good news for the pundits that think he can replace David Wright someday in the Mets infield.

·         Josh Edgin got in the game on Monday, the same day he switched lockers from the minor league portion of camp to the Big Boy’s room. He gave up a double to his first batter, scoring a run charged to Jeremy Hefner. He was accredited with 1.1 innings and his ST ERA remains at 0.00.

     




   The Mets bullpen catcher, Eric Langill, was arrested for a DUI after flipping his car driving home Sunday from Bowling night. Well, at least it wasn't an oblique injury. 

I May Be Wrong, But… Mulvey, & Nitkowski, Last Minute 3B, CF, and RF shuffling, Josh Edgin, Toby Hyde

I May Be Wrong, But…  Mulvey, & Nitkowski, Last Minute 3B, CF, and RF shuffling, Josh Edgin, Toby Hyde

·         You can’t judge the Mets on signing both Kevin Mulvey and C J Nitkowski as some hair brained idea that both are going to become productive major league players at this point in their career. What you can say is they offer the Mets two pitchers that are heads up better than the pitcher the Bisons were going to have as an SP5 or RP 8. Yes, they complicate an already crowded minor league clubhouse that has literally run out of locker space, but that’s fine. The Mets pitchers had a remarkable positive health record last year and it’s only a matter of time the bat phone will ring in Buffalo. Both these guys can spot pitch. Good moves, Sandy.

·         The Mets will make some moved this week to insure they have someone to fill in for David Wright, Tim Byrdak, Kirk Nieuwenhis, and Andres Torrez. I see Justin Turner going to 3B, while Josh Satin, Dusty Ryan, or Vinnie Rottino could be the backup second baseman to Daniel Murphy. Nitkowski will replace Byrdak and my guess is Rick Ankiel will be signed the micro-second after he’s released.

·          I have no problem with pushing Josh Edgin. He was mature when the Mets signed him and he will play 2012 as a 25-year old. This is not an Eddie Kunz remake. I’m sure that, if the Mets take him north with them, that he won’t be the only lefty in the pen. Let’s wait and see what happens first this month in camp.

·         I was told that Toby Hyde wasn’t with the Savannah Sand Gnats anymore. That sort of is incorrect. He no longer works for the team but will continue to be the play-by-play announcer for the radio station that broadcasts the games. His job of being the media contact has been filled with someone else. Just saved me a bunch of gas...