Christopher Soto - Spring Training Cuts

    The Mets have announced a round of cuts from Major League camp this morning.


Re-assigned to minor league camp
RHP Ben Rowen
OF Travis Taijeron

Optioned
IF Matt Reynolds to AAA-Las Vegas (2nd option year used)
SS Gavin Cecchini to AAA-Las Vegas (1st option year used)
RHP Erik Goeddel to AAA-Las Vegas (final option year used)

The Morning Report 7.16.2015 | OF not a Target for Sandy, Terry Collins Not Happy/Claims Mets Could be Even Better, d'Arnaud Progressing, Trade Targets (White Sox, Indians, Rangers)

David Hong | Metsmerized Online- Despite some of the worst ranked outfield production in majors, the Mets are not expected to acquire an outfielder before the July 31 trade deadline. [According to team insiders] if the Mets make any move by the Trade Deadline, it will most likely come at either shortstop, or to acquire a versatile starting player or a bench player. The front office views the shortstop position and their bench as their biggest weakness. So the plan is for the Mets to keep their fingers crossed and hope for a big second half rebound from Michael Cuddyer and Juan Lagares, and at least a little more improvement from Curtis Granderson.

(Chris Soto: I've been saying this for a few weeks now. Don't expect the Mets to add another OF to the fold for the simple fact that, if they so choose, the club will not want to block a potential Michael Conforto promotion to help with a playoff push. While it makes a ton of sense to platoon Cuddyer and Granderson, such a move would tie up $24.5M in RF. Such a large hit at 1 position would only make sense if the other corner was being manned by a stud prospect making the league minimum [wink, wink], not another $12M body.) 

Kristie Ackert | NY Daily News- Terry Collins grumbled Sunday that the Mets were not happy to go into the All-Star break just five games above .500 (52-47) and two games behind the Nats in the NL East. The Mets manager felt they should be in better shape, but looking at what he had to work with, his club is not in a bad place to start the second half. Consider, the Mets lost the anchor of their lineup (Wright), their most dangerous bat (d’Arnaud), their most reliable hitter (Murphy), and lefty specialist (Blevins) to injury. Still, they enter the second half with a very good chance to end a run of six straight losing seasons and still have the Nationals and their much talked-about playoff prospects within their sights.

(Chris Soto: Panic City ,Sandy new description of the Mets fan base, doesn't how much worse the 1st half of the season could have been for the Mets. Just look at 2 other team in the NL East for examples of what losing your cornerstone player can do to your season. The Atlanta Braves were actually threatening to drop the Mets to 3rd place at one point in the season but then Freddie Freeman went down and now they find themselves 5 games under .500. The Marlins didn't start the year with Jose Fernandez and the rotation struggled to pick up the slack. Once he finally did comeback, the club lost Giancarlo Stanton and the struggles continued. Now they find themselves 13 games under .500 with no hope in sight.) 

Rich MacLeod | Just Mets- While his return from his current stint on the disabled list isn’t imminent, Travis d’Arnaud is progressing towards rehab games. Sidelined since June 20th with a sprained left elbow, the oft-injured Mets catcher has been making strides, working out at the team’s Port St. Lucie complex.

(Chris Soto: Speaking of injuries, here is more good news for the club. There is no question that the Mets line-up is so much better with d'Arnaud in it and hitting near the top of the order. No one has even come close to sniffing his 2015 OPS of .873 since he has been gone. If he and David Wright can finally come back healthy, and productive, that's like making a blockbuster trade in itself.) 

Chris Soto | Trade Targets

Let's start taking a look at realistic trade targets that Sandy could possibly put together. We'll start in reverse standings order and climb the ladder a few teams at a time.

Cleveland Indians (42-46)- Two Weeks Ago: Prepping to sell NOW: Fighting for Wild Card

• Here is where we are going to run into problems in regards to trading for pieces to help with a playoff push. Over the past two weeks, the Houston Astros have been in a free-fall having lost 8 of their last 9 games. They lost their big young bat, George Springer, they lost their handle on 1st place in the AL West, and have fallen all the way to the 2nd wild card spot. So now, all 3 of the teams in today's review, are only 5.5 GB the Astros for a playoff spot! For the Cleveland Indians, they are already pretty much maxed out in terms of salary. The only way they will be able to improve their chances this season is to get better production from their current players or trade off one of their bad contracts in Brandon Moss or Michael Bourn and acquire a replacement OF in return. This is a scenario the Mets are unlikely to entertain.

NO FIT

Texas Rangers (42-46)- Fading but still with a chance for Wild Card

• For the Texas Rangers, as bad as the Houston Astros have been, they have been equally bad losing 8 of their last 10 games. Their normally good offense sputtered quite a bit in July but they still are in the Top 50% of the league in terms of OPS. The same can't be said of their pitching though. The Rangers SP is 20th in baseball in terms of ERA and they have the 3rd worst bullpen in the MLB. The Mets really aren't at liberty to provide bullpen help, but, they can provide some SP assistance. A ground ball heavy pitcher could help stabilize the Rangers rotation and provide some innings to help rest that weary bullpen which is currently among the leaders in total innings pitched.
• Trade Proposal: Mets send LHP Jon Niese for SS Hanser Alberto and LHP Yohander Mendez
• Reason: Niese is the perfect groundball type pitcher that can do well in Texas. Unlike the Mets, the Rangers can provide strong defense up the middle in Odor and Andrus that will keep Niese's WHIP down which drives his ERA as well. The Mets aren't going to get MLB help in exchange for Niese, but, what they can get is a SS that they are very familiar with in the PCL in Alberto. Hanser is a guy that K's less than 12% and did hit .250 is a small cup of coffee with Texas this season. Combine that with his .328 AVG in AAA this season and his strong defense at SS and you have yourself someone who is better than Tejada. (which isn't saying much). Mendez is more about projection than present and needs to add a lot of strength to his skinny 6-foot-4 frame, but he has the potential to become a legitimate lefty starter.

Chicago White Sox (41-45)- Still a chance, but prepping to sell and re-tool

• Like the Rangers and Indians, the White Sox are only 5.5 GB the 2nd wild card spot. They also entering the All-Star break pretty hot winning 7 of their last 10 games. Despite the favorable environment though, the White Sox are prepping themselves to be sellers this season opting to rather compete next year when more of their young superb talent is ready to contribute. Some sellable assets they have include RHP Jeff Samardzija, SS Alexei Ramirez, and UT Emilio Bonifacio. The Mets don't need Samardzija or Bonifacio but Ramirez could be an interesting add. He's had a terrible 2015 season so far, but, one can argue that he's had the worst luck so far and is a prime bounce back candidate.
• Trade Proposal: Mets send IF Matt Reynolds for SS Alexei Ramirez
• Reason: The old and rare 1 for 1 swap. Ramirez has no trade value right now, but, his Line Drive Rate, his Hard Hit Contact Ratio, K rate, BB rate, every saber metrical piece of data is in line to his 2014 season when he hit .273 with 15 HR and 21 SB. The Mets could surely afford $4M to give him a chance to bounce back and if he does, they would then hold a team option for him in 2016. As for the White Sox side, adding Reynolds would give them a young IF of Micah Johnson, Reynolds, and Tim Anderson to build around for the next 6 years. Not a bad play on their part.

The Morning Report 7.13.2015 | 2nd Half Mets Questions, Top MLB Futures Game Performances, Conforto Ready for MLB, Trade Proposals

James Newman | Mets 360- What a first half it has been for the New York Mets, as the team stands in contention for a playoff spot entering the All-Star break. At the end of Saturday, the Mets stood 46-42 and only two games behind the Washington Nationals, and one game out of the wild card race. While the Mets have hovered around a .500 winning percentage for most of the season, there are a lot of reasons to be excited for the second half. However, there are some questions that will need to be addressed as the season progresses.

(Chris Soto: James' questions in his article are all very fair ones. Will the Mets continue holding back young talent? Will Sandy make moves to improve the ballclub? When will d'Arnaud, Wright, Matz, and Blevins return? When talking about the current state of the Mets, I think it's very important to point out the following. At the beginning of the month we said that the current stretch of games against the Giants, Dodgers, D-backs, Cardinals, Nationals and then the Dodgers is by far the most difficult stretch the Mets will face all year. So far they are 7-2 against these opponents. If the Mets can continue this momentum and take a few games from the Nationals....they can turn this whole season around very quickly.) 

Ted Berg | For The Win- The U.S. team throttled the World team, 10-1, in the 2015 All-Star Futures Game at Great American Ballpark on Sunday. And though it’s impossible to conclude anything from a single exhibition game, the following prospects stood out from the rest of the pack: #5 Mets OF Michael Conforto. The Mets’ outfield hopeful showed why he was considered one of the most polished hitters in the 2014 draft with line-drive singles to center and right field in his two at-bats. Conforto also made a great throw home from left field to nail a runner trying to score from second on a single.

(Chris Soto: I watched the Futures Game pretty extensively yesterday and boy did Conforto stand out. Not only was he 2 for 2 against the top young pitchers in minor league baseball, but, he also looked....unchallenged or unphased, by the premium stuff that these guys were bringing. In addition, previous pre-draft reports citing that his defense needed significant work in the OF seem to be outdated and need to be thrown away. Not only is Conforto playing well in LF, but he is also displaying what seems to be a plus arm in LF. Conforto threw a runner out at home yesterday on a line and MLB Advanced Media clocked the throw velocity at 93mph.) 

David Lennon | Newsday- To Michael Conforto, the leap from Double-A to the majors is not unreasonable. He's seen it happen this season with the Cubs' Kyle Schwarber, the Rangers' Joey Gallo and a pair of Twins, Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano. So why not him? "Everyone's going to compare themselves to those guys," the outfielder said before Sunday's Futures Game at Great American Ball Park. "Yeah, I've pictured myself as that person. And I do think I'm ready. But it's not my call." Conforto, 22, wasn't shy about saying he could help the Mets right now. But not in a boastful way. And judging by the numbers, maybe he eventually will change the front office's mind.

(Chris Soto: After yesterday's Futures Game performance, Sandy's mind must be running around in circles about this guy. Conforto certainly "looks" ready to take on the MLB and most of the AA stats back that claim up. However, there is still 1 glaring item in his stat line, his K rate. Currently is sits at an even 20%, which is 5 basis points above in A+ numbers. However, Conforto has shown significant improvement in this department as well. During the 1st 2 weeks in AA the K rate was 28.2%, the following 2 weeks it was 21.7%, and these most recent 2 weeks it has dropped to 17.3%.)

Chris Soto | Trade Targets

Let's start taking a look at realistic trade targets that Sandy could possibly put together. We'll start in reverse standings order and climb the ladder a few teams at a time.

Colorado Rockies (39-49): "Re-tooling" mode 

• I feel like we say the same thing about the Colorado Rockies every season. They have one of the top offenses in baseball, but, they can't pitch worth a damn. You can blame the Coors Field event all you want, but, when your starting rotation is anchored by Jorge De La Rosa, who is likely no better than a #4 on most teams, you have a problem. However the Rockies solid core of young offense and young incoming pitching talent will prevent any thoughts of a full re-build. Everyone has their eyes on SS Troy Tulowitzki who is showing to not only be healthy, but, productive as well. In addition, the Rockies have been developing a very capable young SS in Trevor Story who has legitimate 5 tool potential and is now in AAA. The Rockies GM is a generally an irrational individual who is loyal to his players to a fault, but, with Story's rapid development, now may be the perfect time to deal Tulowitzki and net himself a massive package.
• Trade Proposal: Mets send RHSP Noah Syndergaard for SS Troy Tulowitzki + cash
• Reason: Man...I really DO NOT want to trade Thor.....but....the helium so far created by his performances to date may be enough to pick up Tulowitzki on his own. It's the basic, trade from strength to improve weakness strategy. Tulo instantly jumps the Mets from a bottom 25% offense to above the mid way point. Meanwhile the pitching would go from Top 3 to maybe Top 5 or 6. The net gain in offense would FAR outweigh the net loss in pitching.

Cincinnati Reds (39-47): "Re-tooling" mode 

• Just like the Rockies, the Reds have a solid group of young offensive talent and a young solid incoming class of pitching. Unfortunately, the Reds no longer have contract control over most of their current pitching staff so they need to re-tool the rotation in order to compete in future years. The club's biggest trade chip is of course Johnny Cueto, but, the Mets would have no interest in him with an already Top 3 SP rotation. Jay Bruce would also be another interesting name for the Mets to look at, but, with an already crowded OF and Michael Conforto potentially forcing his way to the MLB roster. I'm not sure Sandy would be interested in another piece blocking Conforto's path to the MLB LF spot.

NO FIT

Oakland Athletics (41-50): "Re-tooling" mode

• Let this sink in for a moment. The Oakland Athletics have only 2 players that are under guaranteed contracts past this season; Coco Crisp and Billy Butler. 5 of their top 7 contracts are coming off the books this season giving the club almost $40M to spend in Free Agency next season. Since the A's already have a strong core of SP's and GM Billy Beane always has a future vision, look for them to be really active this off-season to try an compete in 2016. Rather than letting Free Agents go for nothing, Beane is going to try and get something out of SP Scott Kazmir, UT Ben Zobrist, RP Tyler Clippard, and RP Eric O'Flaherty. Mets would certainly be interested in the versatile Zobrist as well as Clippard. Pending Jerry Blevins condition, they could also made a play for the lefty specialist Eric O'Flaherty as well.
• Trade Proposal: Mets send IF Matt Reynolds, SP Michael Fulmer for UTIL Ben Zobrist and RP Eric O'Flaherty.
• Reason: The A's farm system is completely barren after the failed Samardzija trade last season and needs significant help. Beane also loves his moneyball style utility players and Matt Reynolds certainly fits that bill. The Mets don't really need a late inning RP as much as they need a lefty specialist to replace Jerry Blevins who's fractured wrist is not healing well. 

The Morning Report 6.23.2015 | Mets Draft Signings, Collins on the Hot Seat, Why is Matt Reynolds being Overlooked?, Conforto Crushing.

Michael Baron | Just Mets-  The Mets announced they’ve signed 11 more players selected from the 2015 first-year player draft:

INF David Thompson (4th round)
OF Kevin Kaczmarski (9th round)
LHP Jake Simon (11th round)
RHP Joe Shaw (12th round)
LHP P.J. Conlon (13th round)
2B Vincent Siena (14th round)
RHP Dillon Becker (16th round)
RHP Jordan Humphreys (18th round)
RHP Thomas McIlraith (20th round)
OF Kenneth Bautista (23rd round)
C Anthony Dimino (28th round)

(Chris Soto: It's nice to see some of these high school arms signing. It's worth noting that many of the lower draft pick signing bonus have not been revealed. The slot value of every draft pick past the 10th round is $100,000 so anything above that will count against the Mets pool. With so many high school arms drafted, the club is unlikely to sign most of the rest of them but still....ya never know. Doesn't hurt to take a shot at someone with your late round picks. A good buddy of mine IMG Academy LHP Logan Allen, was dead set on pitching for the University of South Carolina. The Red Sox drafted him in the 8th round and offered an overslot bonus of $750k and next thing I knew he was wearing #26 for the GCL Red Sox. Things change quickly folks.)


Joe D. | Metsmerized Online- Since their 11-game winning streak in April, the Mets have gone 23-32. In that span they squandered a dozen excellent pitching performances that they should have won. The team has lost all semblance of the fundamentally sound team we saw in April, and players look lost at the plate either striking out or hitting lazy grounders and fly balls. The team was never good defensively, but lately its been exponentially worse. Despite all that, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports that organizational officials have insisted Terry Collins’ job as manager is not in any jeopardy. “Though Collins is unsigned beyond this season and would be an easy scapegoat, there is a “we’re all in it together” sense within the organization, according to a source, as the front office and manager work toward finding a solution to the team’s dreadful offensive production.”

(Chris Soto: No decision is going to be made on Terry Collins until Sandy Alderson finds some way to give him some legitimate offensive reinforcements. Right now this team's lack of wins falls on Sandy, not TC. However, as we have said before, it is still too early for major trades to happen as we are still not even at the halfway point in the season. As the trading season continues to slowly creep towards us, we should start getting a better sense of who is actually available and the price tags attached to them. For now though, come on Mets....hold on for dear life and keep the Nationals as close as possible. ) 


Mike Vorkunov | NJ Advance Media- The Mets are suffering offensively, worn down by injuries and offering little production. Over the last week they've scored six runs in five games. While the Mets consider the trade market, their internal options are limited. "We've had everybody from Triple-A here," manager Terry Collins said. One possible option still untried at Triple-A is shortstop Matt Reynolds. He is hitting .280 this season in Triple-A, with a .750 OPS, and can play multiple positions. One talent evaluator who has recently seen Reynolds play believes he is better than some bench options the Mets have used this year like Danny Muno and Eric Campbell, and that Reynolds while not better than Dilson Herrera is more major-league ready right now. "He's good enough to come up," the evaluator said.

(Chris Soto: I am a tad bit perplexed that Reynolds has not been tried at 3B yet over the ineffective trio of Muno, Campbell, and Tejada. His BABIP finally normalized this season and yet he's still hitting a reasonable .280 AVG. He's also showing a ton of gap to gap power as he's racked up 21 doubles in only 68 games, Yea, he's not going to have many HRs...but that's not his hitting style. The club could use his hitting style at the MLB right about now.)


Ben Berkon | The Beanball-  With the New York Mets’ below-average offense (ranks 20th with a 7.2 fWAR) incapable of providing necessary run support, however, even the most dominant of pitching efforts haven’t consistently resulted in wins. The front office could better evaluate the extent of their offensive needs by calling up top prospect Michael Conforto now. If Conforto could produce at a league-average or slightly above-league average rate, it would rightfully force the Mets to platoon Curtis Granderson with Michael Cuddyer. Any success at the major-league level would also take some pressure off David Wright returning too soon. In the event Conforto is over-matched in the proposed month-long audition, then the Mets can simply demote the future stud to Triple-A – perhaps recalling him again in September. No harm done.

(Chris Soto: As the Mets continue to struggle and Conforto continues to crush minor league pitching, your going to continue to hear this type of narrative over and over again. We have seen a number of promotions from AA straight to the MLB this season across the league. Most recently Twins and MLB #1 prospect Byron Buxton made the jump. For Conforto, if he's crushing AA pitching, there isn't much sense in sending him to a hitting happy Pacific Coast League. Lets give him about 2-3 more weeks in AA and if he hasn't cooled off by then....idk how you CAN'T call him up.)

The Morning Report 5.18.2015 | Marlins Fire Mike Redmond, Flores Being Flores, Murphy on the Trade Block?, Campbell Provides a Spark

David Wright Injury Tracker | Scheduled to Resume Baseball Activities Today

Adam Rubin | ESPN New York- The Miami Marlins fired manager Mike Redmond on Sunday and plan to announce his replacement Monday at 11 a.m. ET. But they have not contacted the New York Mets about hiring Triple-A Las Vegas manager Wally Backman as Redmond's successor, two Mets officials told ESPN.com. Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria reportedly was asking about Backman in April, when Miami was playing at Citi Field and the Marlins were stumbling to open the season. Las Vegas entered Sunday with a 25-12 record under Backman.

(Chris Soto: Boy...the favorites to win the 2nd Wild Card this season are really having a tough time so far this year. Honestly though, Can't really say I'm surprised by it. All off-season while the Marlins were getting so much love...pundits were quick to point out that the club's SP was probably the weakest in the division. With no Jose Fernandez until late June, damaged goods in Mat Latos, and injuries to Henderson Alvarez, who's periphals pointed to regression anyway, the Marlins were always pegged to struggle to limit runs.)

{UPDATE: The Marlins have hired their General Manager Dan Jennings as the club's new Field Manager.}

(Chris Soto: Huh.....ok.....talk about a shocker to top all shockers. Jennings has zero professional managerial experience and is coming into a situations were the Marlins need to turn it around and quick or else risks losing too much ground on the Wild Card race.)

Matt Turner | RantSports- When Wilmer Flores was chosen as the starting shortstop of 2015, the New York Mets knew exactly what type of player he was: one who could give you offensive production, while simultaneously giving you sub-par play in the field. Nearly a quarter of the way through the season, he’s fit the script perfectly. Although his .250 average isn’t quite what the Mets would like, he does lead the team with six home runs. In fact, he’s the only shortstop to be leading his team in home runs. It says something about the Mets’ offensive production, yes, but it also shows that Flores is no slouch at the plate. If he continues at this pace, 20 home runs by the end of the season is more than probable — it’s likely.

(Chris Soto: Thank you for pointing out what should've been pointed out weeks ago. This is Wilmer Flores folks. Anyone who was expecting anything different was kidding themselves. Flores currently T-1st in HR, 10th in Runs, RBI, K rate, and 5th in Isolated Power. The odd thing is that Flores still has a +2.0 defensive value.....but how? Well put simply, WAR stands for Wins ABOVE replacement. Surprisingly, SS around the entire MLB seem to be struggling defensively. Flores' +/- 0 Defensive Runs Saved is still good for an 11th place tie. The guys behind him, Didi Gregorius & Jhonny Peralta [-1], Starlin Castro, Alexei Ramirez, & Everth Cabrera [-3], Ian Desmond [-4], Elvis Andrus [-5], and Danny Santana [-8]. Be aware folks.....this is a problem not just affecting the Mets.)


Joe D. | MetsMerized Online- The Mets could eventually trade Daniel Murphy so that they could promote infielder Matt Reynolds to play shortstop and then have Wilmer Flores slide over to second base. Any change would not happen right away until a market for Murphy developed. Additionally it would all hinge on having a healthy  David Wright back in the lineup. The Mets have resisted promoting Matt Reynolds, mostly because they want to ensure he plays everyday, and with Murphy on the team it’s unlikely he would get enough playing time. One other potential concern is a divided feeling in the front office on whether Reynolds can be an everyday shortstop.

(Chris Soto: At this current point in time....I don't know how you can afford to trade Murphy with Wright and d'Arnaud still on the shelf. That said, if both guys come back healthy and producing...it becomes far more likely. I too though have heard the concerns about Reynolds as a full time SS. The difference between concerns for him and Flores though is that, Flores is defensive liability with the glove and his footwork. The concern with Reynolds is around his arm strength and whether he is able to gun down the speedier guys in the league from deep in the whole. )


J.P. Pelzman | NJ Advance Media- Eric Campbell got on a red-eye flight Friday night in Las Vegas and landed at LaGuardia Airport at 6 a.m. Saturday. But as you might imagine, he really didn’t mind the trip. "It’s better coming this way than going that way," Campbell said with a smile Saturday afternoon after being recalled by the Mets from Class AAA Las Vegas for the second time this season. Campbell said he made some "minor adjustments" to his stance during his stay in Vegas, but didn’t change his swing.

(Chris Soto: I was saying last week that the Mets needed to bring someone who was HOT down in AAA to provide a short term spark in the line-up. Campbell was cruising along with a .367 AVG and a 1.203 OPS during his latest stint in AAA so he was about as HOT as you can be. The Mets bring him up and what happens? How about 4 for 9, 3 runs scored, 2 doubles and 2 RBIs in his first 2 games back. Total Mets runs scored....19. Hang with em Soup!)

The Morning Report 5.4.2015 | Gee Deserves Better, Flores on the Hot Seat, Murphy on the Trade Block?, Thor the Next Man Up

Bill Madden | NY Daily News- Seems like every time Dillon Gee takes the mound for the Mets he’s looking over his shoulder at Las Vegas, where in case you haven’t heard, Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz are a combined 5-1, with a 1.86 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 50 innings. It shouldn’t be, however, that Gee should also have to be looking over his shoulder at his own infielders. Gee set a Mets record by turning in his 51st consecutive start of five innings or more, but it was all for naught when the only run he gave up — which came as a result of yet another breakdown by the Mets’ middle infield — proved the difference in the second straight 1-0 loss to the Washington Nationals. 

(Chris Soto: Gee has been fantastic and deserves better run support than he has received the last few times out. That said...Yes an error resulted in a run scoring, but that was not the reason we lost the weekend series with the Nationals. The team scored a total of 6 runs the entire series with 4 of them coming in a Matt Harvey start. While the Mets offense has been excellent the first month of the season a regression was coming and it him them hard this weekend. Hopefully a day off today and another one on Thursday will help reset the club back to their winning ways.)



Rob Piersall | MetsMerized Online- Matt Reynolds is tearing the cover off the ball at Triple-A Las Vegas so far this season, hitting at a vigorous .330/.398/.545 clip. With the Wilmer Flores experiment at shortstop not working, as he has struggled both offensively (.240/.278/.387) and defensively (7 errors; .917 FPCT). and Ruben Tejada batting just .167 this season, could Reynolds finally warrant a call-up? With the Mets already promoting Dilson Herrera to replace Daniel Murphy‘s poor defensive play at second, they should consider promoting Reynolds as well. Is he the answer at shortstop?

(Chris Soto: Flores has had an extremely rough past 10 days. After losing an 8 game hitting streak he's gone 2 for his last 20 AB's watching his AVG/OPS drop from .291/.800 to .240/.665. He's in a slump, it happens to everyone, but for Flores, his slump is magnifying his shortcomings defensively. According to Baseball Info Solutions, Flores is only converting 76% of plays in a normal SS's "zone" and according to Inside Edge Fielding, Flores is only converting 90% of "routine" plays. The MLB average is 98.9%.)


Scot Cohen | Amazin Avenue- Brian Sabean, Giants executive VP, has been seen at Citi Field during the Mets-Nationals series this weekend. The reason for the visit is unknown, but the Giants could be looking to upgrade at third base and the starting rotation, two positions at which the Mets have depth. Current Giants third baseman Casey McGehee is struggling at the plate, hitting just .164 with one home run. San Francisco also has big problems in its starting rotation as Tim Lincecum and Ryan Vogelsong have struggled early this season. Matt Cain and Jake Peavy have landed on the disabled list with injuries, as well. The Mets have two top prospects at Triple-A Las Vegas ready to jump to the majors very soon in Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz, which could make Dillon Gee and Jon Niese available.

(Chris Soto: This CANNOT be a coincidence. Eric Campbell was filling in pretty admirably at 3B before he went cold in the Miami series. You honestly had to have been very happy with what Campbell was providing while Wright sat on the DL. I found it very odd that he received such a quick hook from the position when Murphy was moved there but NOW it makes sense. The club feels that Herrera is ready for the MLB after he OPS'd .908 in 20 AAA games. The Giants bullpen is probably the strongest aspect of the team right now so perhaps we may see a swap of Murphy for former closer Sergio Romo?)


James Newman | Mets360- Although it has only been one month, and a very small sample size, Syndergaard is hitting his stride in Las Vegas. As of now, Syndergaard is 2-0 with a 1.66 ERA, 26 strikeouts, and 8 walks in 21.2 innings. His past two starts have symbolized what the Mets organization wants in their young pitcher, as he has pitched seven innings of shutout baseball. He struck out nine batters in his third start, and in his last start he struck out 10 hitters. The two walks in his past 14 innings also show how dominant he can be if he locates his pitches. This is the kind of stuff that has been expected of the 22-year-old pitcher.

(Chris Soto: With Rafael Montero now on the disabled list, the club is now looking for a replacement to fill the regular "spot starter" role that they have created to give the rest of the rotation extra rest during stretches of no off days. I initially thought that Bowman may get the first shot to fill the role but he just went onto the AAA disabled list. This leaves only Thor and Matz left and since Matz only has 29 IP above AA under his belt, logic dictates that Syndergaard is next up. After this short 2 game series with Baltimore, the Mets go on a 20 games in 20 days stretch that will require 4 turns through the rotation. Look for Syndergaard to squeeze in a start or two there to take some of the wear and tear off.)

MMs Top 25: #13 SS Matt Reynolds

#13 SS Matt Reynolds (LR: #21)

Bats: R Throws: R
Height: 6' 1" Weight: 200 lb

Age: 24
Acquired: 2012 Rule IV Draft, 2nd Round, University of Arkansas

2014: (AA/AAA) .343/.405/.454, 6 HR, 61 RBI, 20 SB (74%), 50 BB, 101 K
2013: (A+)         .225/.300/.335, 5 HR, 49 RBI, 9 SB (82%), 36 BB, 80 K
2012: (A)           .259/.335/.367, 3 HR, 13 RBI, 5 SB (83%), 12 BB, 26 K

     All aboard the Matt Reynolds bandwagon and the conductor Thomas Brennan! Seriously though, Matt Reynolds is a crazy anomaly. Is he the poor slap hitting, can't play SS, player that he was in 2012 and 2013? Or is he the .350 batting average stud that destroyed the upper levels of the minors and is forcing his way into consideration for the MLB roster? The answer depends on how committed you are to either traditional stats or sabermetrics.

    Contact oriented hitters are at the mercy of the baseball gods more than any other type of hitter. One stat that is extremely important to them is BABIP (Batting Average on Balls in Play). The MLB average for BABIP is roughly .300. In 2013, Reynolds posted a BABIP of .263 which resulted in a .226 AVG. In 2014 though, his BABIP skyrocketed to .419! which rose his batting average to a ridiculously good .343. This rate, by SABR standards, is ungodly unsustainable. In fact the highest BABIP rates in baseball right now is .377. Generally this high rates belong to only the most elite of players. The only proven guys with BABIP's above .350 are Puig, Goldschmidt, Cano, Gomez, Trout, Stanton, Altuve, Kemp, Tulowitzski, McCutcheon, and Rios.....all Superstars.

     While the actual contact abilities are certainly in question, Reynolds has made tangible and REAL improvements in other facets of his game. Power wise, Reynolds has gained both raw strength as well as game strength. Over the past 3 seasons, Reynolds Isolated Power Rate (Slugging - Average) has improved from .108 to .111 to .146 in 2014. The rate even made a brief appearance in the .200's when he posted a .208 ISO during the Arizona Fall League. The average MLB SS generally carries an ISO rate of only .105 to .115 so if Reynolds continues to display power rates in the .140 - .150+ range, he immediately carries more value than most other SS in the league. In fact, in 2014 the only MLB SS's who posted ISO rate above .150 were Hanley Ramirez, Troy Tulowitzki, Jhonny Peralta, and Ian Desmond.

     Questions surrounding Reynolds ability to stick at SS defensively have also been answered too. He has soft hands, good range, thanks to his sneaky good speed, and a least an average arm that could play. While he won't be a defensive star...he certainly won't hurt you either. Even if he doesn't become a full-time starter, he still carries very little risk as he defensive skill set can also match up well at 2B or 3B. I would personally declare him MLB ready and I honestly would not be surprised if we saw him either make the team out of spring or end up playing the big league club come the end of May.


Ceiling: Offense oriented MLB SS (Asdrubal Cabrera)
Floor: Back-up MLB Utility Player.
Anticipated Assignment: (AAA) Las Vegas starting SS

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 3.9.2015 | Flores, Niese, Reynolds, Nieuwenhuis All Looking Good, Yu Darvish and Tommy John Surgery, Tony Clark on the Mets

Mike Puma | New York Post - "On Sunday, Flores made two strong defensive plays and delivered an RBI single against the Red Sox, providing more hope for team brass he fits at shortstop.
“It is what you’re supposed to do; a couple of backhanded plays and I made a strong throw and everything went real well today,” Flores said after the Mets’ 6-3 exhibition loss at Tradition Field. At the plate, Flores is 5-for-11 (.455) over four Grapefruit League games.”

(Chris Soto: Defensively, Flores has been a bit spotty to start the spring but it's still early and guys are getting their legs under them still. Flores performance this weekend was very encouraging and should give fans confidence. He launched a shot into deep left center field that looked like it was heading out but the wind held it back. Even if he ends up grading out as a below average defensive SS, the upgrade in offense he provides over other MLB SS's will be more than enough to make up for it.)

Bill Madden | MLB Daily Dish - "Niese became the fourth of the Mets’ projected five starters to make his Grapefruit League debut Sunday and, like Harvey, Jacob deGrom and Bartolo Colon before him, accounted himself well until running out of gas in his third inning off work after throwing twice as many pitches than his three rotation counterparts. But more importantly, and in tune with all the happy developments going on here, Niese’s 52 pitches were PAIN FREE. "I felt great....I haven’t thrown that many pitches in a while. … Last year, I was just trying to find an angle where it didn’t hurt.”

(Chris Soto: Again....it's still very early in Spring Training.....but....I'm not sure how you don't get excited about this team with what we have seen so far. Niese was fantastic during his 1st 2 innings of work before he gassed out. He looked liked the 2012 version of himself that went 13-9 with a 3.40 ERA while holding batters to a .240 avg. The velocity looked good, the movement looked good, and more importantly, the arm looked healthy.)


Ted Berg | For The Win - “We monitor everything,” Clark said when asked about the Mets’ specific case. “It is an opportunity for us, as we monitor, to learn, understand and appreciate the dynamics of any one particular club at any particular time. To the extent that a club has a plan and is functioning according to that plan, depending on what those considerations are and how they manifest themselves according to the payroll and the play on the field, we will interject ourselves where necessary. Rest assured, whether it’s New York or anywhere else, we watch very closely what is happening and often times have conversations that don’t end up on the front page but are happening behind the scenes to understand what is going on.”

(Chris Soto: No one seems concerned about how the Mets rebuilding process went.....except irrational Mets fans. The Players Union, player agents, the MLB Front Office, all understand the processes that Sandy Alderson put into place to try and get this team salary balanced again. The team is now primed and ready to compete for the next couple years as well as have space to extend core players to lucrative, yet fair, extensions.)

Joel Sherman | nypost.com “The sad word circulated throughout the game Saturday that Yu Darvish likely needed Tommy John surgery. However, Darvish’s injury should not have been a reason to think further about dealing Gee. It should motivate the Mets to keep him. After all, the Mets’ rotation currently consists of the majors’ oldest starter, the anti-Adonis, Bartolo Colon, 41; the dubious shoulder of Jonathon Niese; two Tommy John surgery survivors, Matt Harvey and Jacob deGrom; and the power stylings of Zack Wheeler. So if Gee were dealt, the Mets would have to hope either Rafael Montero, Noah Syndergaard or Steve Matz is major league-ready now."

(Herb G. It certainly looks like Gee will start the season in the Mets’ pen. Alderson has tried to move Gee over the winter, and continues to try during the spring, to no avail. He clearly would like to send Gee packing, if he can get the return he seeks. (Isn’t that always the case with Sandy? Holding out for maximum return. It’s worked before.) Sherman, however, makes good sense here. Rookie pitchers, like Thor or Matz, or even Montero, although they may eventually have outstanding careers, are rarely that effective in their debut years. (A tip of the hat goes to Jacob deGrom.) So, if the Mets are to be contenders in ‘15, perhaps Gee is worth the $5.3 million insurance premium.)


Mike Puma | nypost.com  “Matt Reynolds has wasted little time getting noticed this spring. “He’s probably not that far away from playing in the major leagues,” general manager Sandy Alderson said Saturday, a day after Reynolds hit a ninth-inning walkoff homer against the Tigers. “He looks solid, confident in the infield, so he’s done a nice job.” The Mets are expected to begin the season with Wilmer Flores at shortstop, but Reynolds would like to make the decision difficult. “I came in here with the attitude I’m going to compete my [butt] off to try to win the job,” Reynolds said.”

(Herb G. It certainly looks like Reynolds is intent on making his case. Of course, this early it is a miniscule sample, but in 4 games he is hitting .444 with a 1.278 OPS. His problem is his glove. Were he a better fielder, he would have a legitimate chance to unseat Tejada as the backup shortstop.)
　

Kristy Ackert |  nydailynews.com “Kirk Nieuwenhuis is out of minor-league options but he’s full of confidence. Nieuwenhuis continued to build on an impressive start to the spring, going 3-for-4 in the Mets’ 6-3 loss to the Red Sox at Tradition Field. In four games, he is now 9 of 15 (.600) with two doubles. “Well he’s just swinging very good,” Terry Collins said. “He came in with a determination to be the fourth outfielder here.” With no options left, Nieuwenhuis would have to make the 25-man roster out of camp, if the Mets don’t want to risk losing him on waivers.”

(Herb G. Nieuwenhuis may actually make the team on merit. Most Met fans seem to be pulling for den Dekker to win the other bench outfielder spot. But if Nieuwenhuis continues his hot spring, he will get it hands down. Hmmm, is a 2016 bench of Nieuwenhuis, den Dekker, Campbell and Reynolds just a pipe dream?)

Morning Report: 2-18-15 | Ya Gotta Believe!, Parnell on the DL, Bullpen Strength, Retired #'s, Reynolds, Farm Ranking

Kevin Kernan | New York Post - "Closer Jenrry Mejia took a page from Mets closers past on Tuesday at their spring training complex.“We gotta believe,’’ Mejia said of the Mets’ postseason aspirations for 2015. “If we don’t believe in our own team, who is going to believe? We have to think about the playoffs and we’ll be there and everything."

(Chris Soto: Ok 2 points to make here. 1) People don't realize the potential Mejia has to become a clubhouse leader. His fiery personality is almost equal to Matt Harvey's. He brings inspiration to the rest of that bullpen and installs a bulldog attitude that is infectious to the rest of the guys in there. 2) I love, love, love, the confidence coming out of camp right now. If this team has a solid spring and then performances reasonably well against the Nationals during the 1st few weeks of the season we may be getting a bandwagon started. All this talk is starting to remind me of the arrogant but confident 1986 team.)


Adam Rubin | ESPN New York - "Bobby Parnell is due to open the season on the disabled list, in the final stages of his rehab from Tommy John surgery. Asked how long Parnell might miss, a source told ESPNNewYork.com that he did not believe the absence would be lengthy. "I would think two to three weeks," said the source about the absence from Opening Day, while cautioning that time frame is far from certain. 

(Chris Soto: Rubin basically is just confirming what we already knew. Tommy John Surgery takes somewhere between 12-18 months to heal and Parnell has his surgery 11 months ago. That said, all the talk from Terry Collins about the closer's job being his to lose is bullcrap. Mejia has excelled in the role and his personality is one that fits the mold of a closer well. Even once Parnell is healthy, he's gonna need about a month or so to get his legs under him. I'd much rather have him be a weapon in a lower stress inning like the 7th to bridge the game to Familia and then Mejia. That combo would generate far more "Put It In the Books" than last year's combo of Rice/Farnsworth/Valverde.)

Matt Ehalt | NorthJersey.com - "It often had been the other way around in recent years, with the bullpen usually considered the weak area of the Mets and constantly needing a reconfiguration in the off-season. Instead, with pitchers and catchers due to report Thursday, the bullpen is one of the Mets’ strengths and a reason why confidence is high around the team...As general manager Sandy Alderson adjusted his roster this off-season, he barely touched the bullpen and brought in no reliever on a guaranteed deal... stark contrast to previous years, when Alderson usually had to retool the unit after the young arms flamed out and free agents flopped. Established veteran relievers such as Frank Francisco, Jon Rauch and Brandon Lyon had less than memorable – and some forgettable – stints after signing with the Mets.

(Chris Soto: I'm surprised the Mets bullpen hasn't been talked about more. We are talking about a unit that finished 2014 with the 8th best bullpen ERA in the MLB WITH a month and a half of awful re-tread performances from Farnsworth and Valverde. This year's group of Mejia/Familia/Parnell/Black/Edgin/Torres and [insert 2nd lefty] has enough talent to challenge the Kansas City Royals for the best bullpen in MLB title. Will they do it? Probably not.....but make no mistake this is a Top 5 caliber squad out there and is a distinct advantage the Mets have over other NL teams.)



Bill Price | Daily News  -“...now that the floodgates have opened in the Bronx, with the Yankees announcing that three more numbers – including that of an admitted HGH user who played three seasons in Houston – will be retired this summer, I say the Mets have to rethink their approach. I mean if Jorge Posada can be put in the same class as Yogi Berra and Andy Pettitte can be mentioned in the same breath as Whitey Ford, well then hell, pretty much any Met who has won a ring can join Seaver on the Great Wall of Flushing."

(Chris Soto: Bill's right...Posada was good, but come on # retirement worthy? I don't think so. During his career Posada posted a 121 park adjusted OPS+ whereas the catcher in our neck of the woods, Mike Piazza, posted a 143 OPS+. That alone should be enough to tell you that Piazza is more retirement worthy than him. Pettitte's case is even worse! A 3.85 career ERA...that's not even Hall of Fame worthy. I like the approach the Mets are taking, waiting for Piazza to inevitably get into the HOF and then using the opportunity to celebrate his legacy and retire his number. As my Yankee friend said yesterday, "Seriously? Soon they are going to have to start double up on numbers....lol.)

Kevin Kiernan | NYPost.com - “Don’t be surprised if the Mets take the field at some point in 2015 with Reynolds at short...Wilmer Flores is penciled in at short for the Mets with Ruben Tejada backing him up, but you can be sure Reynolds is in the middle of the Mets’ plans as he continues to improve at the position. “I feel really comfortable at short...I think I can definitely stay there and hopefully I can make a contribution to the team this year.I feel like with a little more seasoning and experience, I can definitely help this team." said Reynolds. There is a sense about Reynolds that he belongs, that he is a good fit for a major league team. Talk to anyone around the Mets about Reynolds and the first thing mentioned is the laser focus. He is locked in from the moment he walks onto the field.”


(Herb G.: What’s not to like about Reynolds? The only question mark is whether his breakout 2014 was a fluke. He averaged .234 over his 2 previous minor league seasons. The good news is that he was facing pitchers quite a bit older than himself in both Binghamton and Las Vegas. Most analysts think he is the real thing, and I am inclined to agree. I think, however, that most Met fans are hoping that Wilmer Flores flourishes and there will be no need for Reynolds in the majors this year. His problem, if that occurs, is that he would not be regarded as a late inning defensive replacement as long as Ruben Tejada is wearing a Mets uniform.)

   
Mark Anderson & Jeff Moore | Baseball Prospectus: 2015 Organizational Rankings: #5 New York Mets - “Not the best, but likely the most balanced farm system in all of baseball, the Mets have everything you could want from a group of minor-league players—a potential ace (Noah Syndergaard), a major-league ready, everyday player (Dilson Herrera), an up-the-middle regular (Kevin Plawecki), a next wave of prospects coming behind them (Brandon Nimmo and Steven Matz), potential bats with a few years to go (Dominic Smith and Michael Conforto), and young, unproven, high-ceiling talent (Amed Rosario and Jhoan Urena). Not all of these players are going to work out, but the Mets, as an organizational whole, have enough safety nets to continue to refill their major-league roster for the next few years.”


(Herb G.:  Up from #8 last year, the stature of the Mets’ farm system continues to improve under the Sandy Alderson regime. Of the six players in Baseball Prospectus’ list of the Top 101 Prospects, five were acquired by Alderson - 2 drafted, (#69-Nimmo, #80-Plawecki) 2 by trade, (#9-Syndergaard, #82-Herrera) and 1 international signing. (#78-Rosario) One, (#33-Matz) was drafted by Omar Minaya. Most encouraging is the organizational depth, with players like Michael Conforto, Dominic Smith, Marcos Molina, and Gabriel Ynoa knocking on the door of the Top 101, leading to the comment that the Mets have enough safety nets to continue to refill their major-league roster for the next few years. That statement may justify Alderson’s decision to not be ultra active in either the free agent or trade market this off-season.)