FLASH: Zack Wheeler Makes Opening Day Roster, named 4th SP in Rotation

   
     The Mets have announced that RHP Zack Wheeler will open the season on the MLB roster as a SP and will be 4th in the rotation. The Wheeler announcement comes after the Mets learned that while an MRI for LHP Steven Matz came back clean, team doctors did recommend he be shut down from throwing activities for 3 weeks.

     Without the option to use a backdated 10 day DL to get Matz to pitch Game 6 of the season, the club re-visited their initial plans in regards to a proposed 100-125 Innings limit for Wheeler in 2017. Per assistant GM John Ricco yesterday, “There’s going to be some number but we don’t exactly know what that is. There’s no sleep chamber that you can put him in and then wake up in Mars. No matter what you do, there’s stuff that’s going to happen in the interim.”  Ricco followed up by saying the team will let Wheeler perform to the best of his abilities and revisit the topic with team doctors as the season progresses to re-evaluate Wheeler’s workload.

     The biggest reason the club felt confident with this decision is due to Wheeler's excellent progress this spring. Wheeler started the spring with a fastball between 91-93 mph but has since over the past 4 weeks strengthen it back to his pre-surgery range of 95-97 mph. According to scouts at his last game, "He had life on the fastball and his breaking balls had a nice edge. The ball really came out of his hand today. Good rotation on his breaking ball. Had a good changeup. He’s coming along real fast.”

(In my opinion, this has been quite the unexpected but pleasant development. It wasn't too long ago where scouts believed Wheeler could be the best #2 SP in the MLB so if he's 90% right now and can get to 100% as the season moves along....this is a HUGE boost for the Mets rotation. This also allows them to carry Seth Lugo in the bullpen to possibly limit Wheeler to go only 5-6 IP which (if the 125 IP were still valid) could get him all the way to August.)

The Morning Report 11.16.2015 | Murphy Declines Qualifying Offer, Wheeler Not Being Shopped but Available in Trades, Mets interested in CF Jackie Bradley, 1B Freddie Freeman on the Trade Block

Jared Diamond | Wall Street Journal- Longtime Mets infielder Daniel Murphy declined a one-year, $15.8 million qualifying offer before Friday’s deadline to do so, indicating that he intends to pursue a multiyear deal elsewhere. If Murphy departs for another team, the Mets will receive an additional draft pick between the first and second rounds of next June’s draft as compensation. On the open market, the 30-year-old Murphy will probably command upward of $10 million a year for up to four years. At this point, the Mets don’t appear interested in retaining Murphy under those conditions, likely marking the end of a relationship that started nearly a decade ago.

(Chris Soto: Murphy was always unlikely to accept the Qualifying Offer. He has always expressed himself as a family man, especially when unfairly took fan abuse for skipping games to be at his child's birth. As a family man he was likely to test the open market in hopes of obtaining long term stability for himself, his wife, and his children. We wish Daniel Murphy as the best as he truly was a an exemplary Met during his career. He will be sorely missed but this is indeed the right move for both sides.)



Mike Axisa | CBS Sports- As we saw in the postseason, no team boasts as much impressive young pitching as the Mets. One young pitcher we did not see in October is right-hander Zack Wheeler, who missed the 2015 season while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. The club remains open to discussing Wheeler in trades, "We're not actively shopping Zack by any stretch," Ricco told Newsday. "But as with the other starters, if something came up that we thought made us better, we're going to talk about it."

(Chris Soto: The nixed deal between the Brewers and Mets for Carlos Gomez both resulted in the Mets acquiring OF Yeonis Cespedes, as well as, establishing a trade base for the injured Wheeler. Despite still recovering from Tommy John, to be able to acquire Gomez with Wheeler as the centerpiece shows that Wheeler still has immense value in trade talks. The Mets will likely need to be blown away with a similar offer in order to trade but I would bet good money that we will likely see something go down this winter.)



Michael Baron | Just Mets- Last week, Mets assistant GM John Ricco said the club had no intention to replace Juan Lagares in centerfield, and would instead like to find a left-handed complement to Lagares to form a potential platoon. One player the Mets are exploring is Red Sox OF Jackie Bradley Jr. He’s a left-handed hitter and an outstanding outfielder, capable of playing in all three spots. He has spent most of his big league time in center field, and as was the case with Lagares in 2014, Bradley was tremendous in center.


(Chris Soto: I can certainly see the fit...Bradley is a superb defensive CF and his left hander while Lagares is a superb defender and is a righty. Only problem with the logic is that Bradley hit almost 80 points better against lefties than he did righties this past season. The reverse split is consistent with his career thus far. In addition, the Red Sox do not view Bradley as a platoon CF, they feel he can be a superb defender with an above average bat as evidenced by his .832 OPS this season. A mark that is almost 200 basis points HIGHER than Lagares' 2015 OPS. The asking price for Bradley is going to be quite high. )



HOT STOVE REPORT (courtesy of mlbtraderumor.com)

• According to Ken Davidoff of the NY Post, the Mets are one of the teams in the running to sign Ben Zobrist this offseason. The club views Zobrist as a candidate to replace Murphy at 2B while also providing depth in the corner OF spot.
• The Mets have signed minor league IF Ty Kelly to a minor league contract with an invite to big league camp. During 2015, Kelly hit .226 with a .619 OPS in AAA while playing 2B, 3B, and all 3 OF spots.  
• Having traded SS Andrelton Simmons, the Braves now are looking to trade star 1B Freddie Freeman as they continue to shed payroll off the books. Freeman is scheduled to be paid $12M this season followed by $20M starting in 2017 through 2021.

(Chris Soto: Boy....the Braves are just cleaning house huh. I would love to have Freddie Freeman on the team, however, just like with Simmons, the Braves are very unlikely to trade him in house to a division opponent. On top of that, Freeman is going to be making a ton of money starting next season for a long time. Even in a improved financial state I'm not quite sure the Mets would be able to handle such a large percentage of the team payroll being tied up to both Wright and Freeman.)

The Morning Report 7.30.2015 | What the Heck Happened Last Night? Review, Analysis, and Fall-Out. Mack's Mets Injury Report

Also at Mack's Mets:

Carlos Gomez Trade | Christopher Soto - Let's slowly recap what the heck happened last night.

• Review
• Yesterday before the start of the game, the Mets and the Brewers agreed on a deal that would send CF Carlos Gomez to NY in exchange for SP Zack Wheeler and IF Wilmer Flores. The deal was agreed upon pending physicals and the Brewers even informed Carlos Gomez that as soon as the team's flight landed in Milwaukee, he would be connecting to NY. During the game, Team Doctors on the Mets staff became alarmed about a potentially significant hip issue that was on Carlos Gomez's medical report. The medical team reported back to Sandy Alderson who then proceeded to pull the offer from the table.

• Analysis: 
• For the Mets, when healthy, Carlos Gomez is one of, if not, the top offensive/defensive combination CF in baseball. Over the past 3 seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers, he has average a .276 AVG, .815 OPS with 22 HR and 37 SB per season. This kind of production combined with his defense would be worth +5.5 Wins Above Replacement per season. Carlos Gomez is also signed for 2016 as well.

• For the Brewers, Zack Wheeler is a tremendously high upside arm that is recovering from surgeries to repair his UCL tear and a flexor tendon tear. Currently he is not expected to return to the mound until late June of 2016. Of the Mets big pitching prospects, Wheeler turned out to be the most inefficient one of the bunch as he regularly had trouble getting out of the 5th inning before throwing 100 pitches. It is reasonable to believe that Wheeler will not return to 100% form until 2017 which gives the Brewers 3 years of control. If Wheeler returns to his usual self he returns an average of +2.5 WAR per season. Wilmer Flores would serve as the Brewers new 3B where his defensive abilities would play up . So far this season Flores has been worth +1.1 WAR and could reasonably finish at +2.0 WAR. He would come with the same amount of control as Wheeler.

• In total the Mets would received a forecasted +7.0 future WAR of value from Gomez while the Brewers would receive +15.5 WAR from the combination of Wheeler and Flores. On paper the Brewers would win the deal, however, the Mets would receive the bulk of their value up front while the Brewers would be waiting till 2017 really start receiving the benefit. You could conceivably argue that if Gomez were extended through the 2019 season (when Wheeler and Flores become free agent) the WAR value would be around +19.0 for Gomez thus making the Mets the winners of the deal. In the grand scheme of things......this would have been a very fair trade for both sides.

• Fall-Out
• 1st.... The bridge is burned with the Milwaukee Brewers. That means no Gomez and no Gerardo Parra either.

• 2nd....This sets the markets for OFs with an additional year of control. Looks for the Mets to revisit Jay Bruce and Josh Reddick.

• 3rd.....With news that it was Gomez's medicals that didn't check out....not Wheeler....other teams could now be interested in Wheeler as a trade piece. Perhaps the Rockies would be interested in Wheeler plus prospects in an exchange for Charlie Blackmon.

Mack's Mets Injury Report- 

• It is with great regret and disappointment that I would like to officially announce that Mack's Mets will be placing me on the 15 Day DL. After multiple medical reviews, it has been determined that I have sustained a Rotator Cuff Tear as well as a Labrum Tear in my right shoulder. I will be going under the knife on August 5th to get the tears repaired and will be unable to maintain the website for the next 3-4 weeks as I will be immobilized. Mack Ade will be returning starting August 3rd to provide coverage while I am away.

The Morning Report 6.22.2015 | Collins Pleading for Help, Flores Offense Not Covering Defense, Gee Placed on Outright Waivers, Wheeler on the Mend.

Michael Baron | Just Mets-  The sad truth for the New York Mets is there are no more players to call upon at Triple-A to even attempt to provide the Mets with any kind of boost. And Collins knows it. “We’ve had everybody from Triple-A here,” Collins explained. “One guy hitting .500, he’s here. Another guy hitting .375, he’s here. Another guy hitting .350, he’s here. I don’t know what you want me to tell you. We’ve done everything we can. We’ve brought all those guys up that are swinging the bats good. This is not the Pacific Coast League. You can make all the changes you want. When they come up here, they’ve got to get the job done.”

(Chris Soto: You almost have to start feeling bad for Terry Collins here. He is flat out pleading Sandy Alderson for help and yet nothing is happening yet. That's not to say that it's Alderson's fault either...currently it is still too early for trade markets to develop. In addition, the pieces that Alderson wants to trade, no one is biting on, whether he likes it or not, and much to potential fan disapproval, Sandy's going to have to trade one of his big arms in order to gain any sort of substantial bat that can help push the Mets towards the playoffs.)


Larry Smith | Mets 360- The dividing line between the Flores factions is the question of whether his bat is potent enough to make up for a questionable (to be kind) glove. Let’s generalize then and say that offensively Wilmer Flores is in the top third of shortstops offensively. More specifically we could say he is the bottom of the top third even though that’s splitting hairs. If he’s not the worst defensive shortstop in the game today I can’t see how he can not be in the bottom three. The 10th best offense (remember that in OPS he was 9th and weighted OPS 11th) and 28th best defense makes for the 19th best overall shortstop in the game. That is bad but not disgraceful.

(Chris Soto: Here we go again with Wilmer Flores...remember a few weeks ago when he had a week long struggle defensively and wasn't hitting at the same time? Well he's in another mini slump hitting .227 over the past 2 weeks with only 1 HR and because of it, he's not covering his defensive shortcomings which have flared up again. Hopefully he responds the same way he did last time, by utilizing a day off + and team off day to clear his head then come back and just starting raking for the next 2 weeks to bring those stats back up. For what it's worth, he is in the middle of a 21 game error-less streak, although errors committed don't take into account ALL misplays.) 


Mike Vorkunov | NJ Advance Media- The Mets have put Dillon Gee on waivers after being unable to trade the starter away. The Mets designated Gee for assignment Monday, giving them a seven day window to trade him before having to choose the next step. Sunday, the report says, Gee was outrighted. If he clears waivers, Gee will go to Triple-A.

(Chris Soto: Well...we've been saying this all along, you can't trade a guy that there is NO market for. This could go two ways now, with Gee on outright waivers, a rival club could place a free claim on him and add him to their roster while picking up the remaining ~$2.9M left on his contract. If Gee clears waivers then the next step here is a decision from Gee himself. He could accept the assignment and go to AAA, or, he can refuse the assignment and forfeit his remaining salary in hopes on signing on elsewhere as a SP.)


David Hong | MetsMerized Online- Right-hander Zack Wheeler stopped by and visited with his teammates in Atlanta on Friday as they  began a weekend series with the Braves. Wheeler, who is in the recovery phase of his return from Tommy John surgery, told reporters he expects to start throwing a baseball next month. For now he’s been doing a lot of running and conditioning exercises while he rehabs at the team’s complex in Port St. Lucie. “I’ve been basically just doing upper-body and lower-body lifts. That’s really about it. Just running, lifting. Same thing every day, so it’s starting to get kind of old. Hopefully, when I pick up a ball, it’ll start moving a little bit faster and change some things up every once in a while.” 

(Chris Soto: It's good to see Wheeler on the mend, that said, as we know all too well, Tommy John recovery is a LONG tedious process. Wheeler will likely not be ready to throw in a MLB game until June of 2016 but when you look around the league at other receipients of the operation, you don't feel good about it. Jarrod Parker, AJ Griffin, Kris Medlen, and Brandon Beachy are all guys still on the mend from last year and are not making good progress. Hopefully the Mets found a magical rehab program with Harvey that can help Wheeler come back 100%.)

The Morning Report 3.19.2015 | Montero vs. Gee, Wright's Health, Ligaments, Tendon, and Pitches per Inning ...Oh my!

Marc Carig | Newsday- Before a torn ulnar collateral ligament wiped out Zack Wheeler's season, the Mets worried about a different issue in his troublesome right elbow: a torn tendon. The tendon tear, a source told Newsday, is what prompted Wheeler to undergo platelet-rich plasma therapy twice this offseason. Doctors hoped the treatment would speed up healing and allow Wheeler to keep pitching. They thought that the rest and the PRP would allow it to calm down," the source said. "And it didn't... For whatever reason, it didn't help, it didn't take.".

(Chris Soto: Alderson, the front office, and even Wheeler's agent all continues to deny any wrongdoing in regards to how they handled Wheeler. Since everyone is on the same page, guys are now digging around trying to find any ounce of evidence to show that the club was negligent in some regards. The fact of the matter is...all long as doctors say that a player is good to go, and the player himself understands what's going on with his body and still wants to play, who are we to say otherwise? )


Matt Vavaro | Amazin Avenue- In Rafael Montero, the Mets have a major-league-ready starter whose profile mirrors Gee’s. Like Gee, Montero is a finesse pitcher who relies on pinpoint control rather than overpowering stuff. The only difference: Montero is younger, his stuff is better, and his ceiling is higher. Over these next two and a half weeks, the Mets should give Montero every opportunity to prove that he belongs in the team’s rotation to start the year.

(Chris Soto: Vavaro makes an interesting case for Montero over Gee. Montero's pure stuff is certainly better and the last few starts of last season were certainly encouraging enough to give him a chance at displacing Gee. However, what I saw first hand last season is a guy who struggled to keep himself composed with runners on base and failed to trust his stuff. Montero's pitch usage information, via Pitch F/X, will show that he got away from his bread and butter which was his fastball/change combination. Instead he tried to use his slider more often and it got destroyed last season.)

 

Stephania Bell | ESPN- On the same day, the Mets were on the verge of receiving bad news with regards to Wheeler, there was also good news to be found. Veteran third baseman David Wright hit his first home run of the spring. It also happened to be his first home run since July 2014. It didn’t just creep out of the park either. It was a smash over the centerfield wall, a signal perhaps that the power that eluded Wright and his injured left shoulder in the second half of last season might just be returning.

(Chris Soto: I've seen multiples videos of the David Wright so far this spring and I have to agree with Ms. Bell.....Wright looks VERY Healthly. His entire approach this season has been going up the middle and to the opposite side of the field and he is driving balls successfully. The home run he hit was a 430+ ft monster to dead center. The swing he put on it looked like a vintage Wright swing from his 2012 MVP Caliber season. If this team is going to compete for a playoff spot, it will depend on how well Wright performs.)


Brian Mangan | The Read Zone- Many have criticized the organization for allowing Wheeler to throw too many pitches, in line with a lot of the new conventional thinking about pitch counts. However, as I have tried to explain, simply counting pitches without counting the number of pitches per inning is meaningless. There is a huge difference between 110 pitches over 5.1 or 110 pitches in a nice relaxing complete game. In fact, here’s the bottom line: since 2005, no pitcher has been pushed to throw as many pitches over as few innings as Zack Wheeler was. Not one.

(Chris Soto: I found this to be an extremely interesting read. I continue to hold on to my idealogy that no matter what we do, no matter what we track, or how we handle our guys......pitchers are going to break no matter what. That said, Mangan lays out an interesting concept that Wheeler has been the most inefficient pitcher of the last decade and the unusually high pitches per inning has a connection to his injury. I can't say that I deny it, but the information he lays out does have a fatal flaw....Only Chad Billingsley and Scott Kazmir eventually injuries.)

The Morning Report 03.18.2015 | Opening Day Starter, #HairWeGo, Wheeler's Usage, Bullpen Problems

Bill Price | NY Daily News- I get that Opening Day is a special day, symbolizing the end of winter and the birth of a new season that brings hope and optimism to every fan in America. And sure, getting the nod of Opening Day starter is a big deal to the pitcher itself, but to look at it any more than that is a bit silly. If it were me, I would start Colon on Opening Day, deGrom in the second game and Harvey in the third game (which I happen to be going to) and go to Atlanta with Niese, Gee and Colon. Start deGrom at the home opener and Harvey two days later.

(Chris Soto: I have to agree with Bill here sans flipping deGrom and Harvey. I'm not sure how you CAN'T have Harvey pitch the Home opener. Colon would be a smart choice to pitch the Opening Day both from a nerves perspective AND a ticket sales perspective. The Mets 1st 6 games of the season are on the road which means the #1 guy in the rotation is pitching twice on the road. Fans would rather see a Citi Field opening of Harvey, deGrom, and Niese over something like Colon, Niese and Gee.)


Adam Rubin | ESPN New York- DeGrom allowed only one hit -- a leadoff single in the first by ex-Met Jordany Valdespin, whom he promptly erased with a double play. The reigning NL Rookie of the Year faced the minimum while striking out six. DeGrom has now walked only one batter and has a 2.45 ERA in 11 Grapefruit League innings.“I’m just going out there trying to repeat my delivery and pound the strike zone and locate, and try to eliminate those walks -- because every time I walk somebody, they seem to score,” deGrom said.

(Chris Soto: Here is the difference between when Harvey went down late 2013 versus Wheeler this year, there's back-up. Rather than fans falling into a doom and gloom state due to the loss of a major piece of the rotation, we get to watch Harvey toy around in his start and still throw 4 shutout inning, then, we get to watch deGrom just carve up the Marlins across 5 innings the next day. Don't take this the wrong way.....but the loss of Wheeler does not hurt this team.)

 

Jared Diamond | Wall Street Journal- On Tuesday, general manager Sandy Alderson vehemently defended the Mets’ use of Wheeler last year, showing an uncharacteristic amount of fire in doing so. He pointed to how the Mets handled staff ace Matt Harvey when he hurt his elbow, and he emphasized the unpredictable nature of elbow injuries and the mystery surrounding what causes them. In Alderson’s mind, the Mets acted in good faith.

(Chris Soto: Everyone is looking for someone to blame for Wheeler's injury. However, going after Alderson or Terry Collins or Dan Warthen or anyone is the wrong thing to do. Whether a pitcher throws every 5th day, 4th day, or 6th day has no bearing on injury rates. Whether a guy throws 90 pitches a start vs. 130 pitches a start or has side sessions vs no side sessions has no bearing either. PITCHERS BREAK.....that's just how science and the human body works. The overhand throwing motion is not a natural body movement. The moment you decide that hey I'm going the have my 10 year old kid play baseball, is the beginning of the slow deterioration of the throwing arm.)


Dan Martin | New York Post- Terry Collins used one word to best describe his bullpen. “Unsettled.” That seems accurate, with Josh Edgin having undergone Tommy John surgery on Tuesday, Jeurys Familia getting hit hard against the Marlins on the same day and struggling with his velocity at times, as well as other issues.“Yeah, it’s a little unsettling to think, ‘Who are we going to get to fill those roles?’ ”

(Chris Soto: We still have 2 weeks and change before the start of the season, so there is still plenty of time for the bullpen to take shape. That said, one of the team's strength heading into the season is beginning to draw some serious concern. We've already lost Edgin, Black is dealing with shoulder problems, Familia's velocity is down [potentially, due to overusage last year], Parnell won't be ready to start the year, and none of the other lefty candidates have been inspiring thus far.)

The Morning Report 3.17.2015 | Thor and Matz's Chance, Wheeler's Actual Replacement, Don't Overlook Gee

Kristie Ackert | NY Daily News- With the news Monday that Zack Wheeler is likely out for the season, Syndergaard moved up on the depth chart. While Mets manager Terry Collins said bluntly Monday that Dillon Gee will slide into the open rotation spot, there is clearly a chance for Syndergaard and/or lefty Steven Matz to force their way into the major leagues this season.“Right now, we came into spring training with a number of guys that gave us some real security with starters and all of a sudden now we’re getting a little thin,” Collins said.

(Chris Soto: From what I have seen so far in Syndergaard's 3 Spring Training starts, there is no doubt in my mind that his pure stuff is ready for the MLB right now. However, his "presence" on the mound is not. So far we have seen Thor be lights out when the bases are empty but as soon as there are runners on base, his tempo slows down, he commits to his fastball too much, and rather than trusting his stuff he tries to spot the ball. He needs more time with Frankie V. down in AAA to correct this problem before he comes to the MLB full time.)


Marc Carig | Newsday- But manager Terry Collins threw his support behind Dillon Gee, the odd man out who now appears to be the front-runner for the last of five rotation spots. "I would say it's Dillon Gee's job right now. I think they've got to pitch their way up," Collins said of the Mets' young arms. "But I think those decisions will be made later in spring."

(Chris Soto: He's right. Based on the information that is coming out of camp, the Mets knew "something" was wrong with Wheeler's elbow for at least 6 months, but 3 separate doctors and 3 separate MRI machines couldn't figure out. This is probably why they did not trade Gee, instead, they held onto him as an insurance policy in case something were to happen and guess what? Something did. While an injury like this certainly sucks, it's not devastating for the Mets. For the 1st time in a while, the club has the depth to absorb a loss like this and keep chugging along like nothing happened.)

 

Christina Montana | Shea Dugout- ...With the amount of time the results took and Terry Collins’ dismissing the constant MRIs, you have ample ammo for Mets fans to spiral into a craze of rumors, expletives, and calling this injury a “reason for the Mets to tank.” That’s not the case. This...is exactly the point everyone is ignoring in their state of shock and the overwhelming pessimism that has swallowed the fan base today. The Mets have good pitching. Dillon Gee is a wholly capable pitcher. Don’t forget, Mets fans loved him when he won eight straight upon promotion to the Majors in 2011. Dillon Gee can start, and can succeed, and pitch deep enough into games to be serviceable.

(Chris Soto: Christina is right. Look....Gee is no Zack Wheeler....we know that. However, Dillon Gee is a capable #5 MLB SP who can slot in at the back of the rotation and give you consistent innings while keeping your team in games. With the improved offense the Mets have shown so far, if the healthy 2013 version of Gee appears, he may net 13-15 wins this season. That's pretty much what we were expecting from Wheeler, right?)

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 - 3.10.15 - 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.)

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

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. Lets switch over to the arms and see how the rotation will far without Matt Harvey.

(***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: Dillon Gee, Matt Harvey, Johnathan Niese, Jeremy Hefner, Zack Wheeler, Shaun Marcum, Carlos Torres, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Jenrry Mejia, Aaron Harang, Aaron Laffey, Colin McHugh
Stats: 48-57, 3.68 ERA, 4 CG, 10 SO, 280 BB, 817 K, .257 BAA
(8th in MLB ERA)

     We figured 2013 would be a transition year to guide us to eventually having the best rotation in the MLB with 3 of the top 10 SP in it. Little did we know that this raggedy bunch would be a Top 10 rotation in baseball. Harvey surprised us all by not only improving on his solid 2012 but vaulting himself into Cy Young consideration in only his 2nd year. All year long he was fooling batter after batter with his 97+ MPH fastball and a devastating slider that made even the best hitters in the looks look absolutely silly.

     It wasn't all him though. After Dillon Gee struggled mightily through April and May with 5.25+ ERA's in both month's, he eventually found his stuff become a lights out pitcher posting 2.73, 2.88, and 2.13 ERA's over the next 3 months showing that maybe we should consider him something more than just a #5 pitcher.

     Niese also struggled during the 1st half of the season as he saw his ERA rise and his K rate fall thanks to back issues which led to arm troubles. After taking the month of July off he came back and was excellent posting a 3.00 ERA the rest of the season and getting his K rate back up to a healthy 7.6 K/9.

     Outside of a 5 game stretch in June where he posted a 1.80 ERA, Hefner was terrible. Marcum never got going losing 10 of his 12 starts before spending the rest of the season on the DL. Torres proved extremely useful as a reliever (1.47 ERA) but not as useful as a starter (4.89 ERA). Mejia made some strong starts posting a 2.30 ERA on a balky elbow but eventually ended up on the DL as well. Haranag and Matsuzaka were ok in their cups of coffee with the team but Laffey and McHugh were busts.

     Lastly, we saw the debut of our 2nd young guy Zack Wheeler. While he did not perform as well as Harvey in his debut, after he got through his first 3 starts, Wheeler did post 2.73 and 3.13 ERA's before reaching his innings limit in September. Following the same path Harvey did, spending this spring with the big league club could lead to a break-out season in 2014.

2014

Starter #1: Jonathan Niese: 11-12, 3.90 ERA, 3.59 FIP, 7.0 K/9, 2.8 BB/9

Starter #2: Zack Wheeler: 11-13, 4.12 ERA, 4.00 FIP, 8.2 K/9, 4.2 BB/9
Starter #3: Bartolo Colon: 12-12, 3.80 ERA, 3.54 FIP, 6.5 K/9, 1.7 BB/9
Starter #4: Dillon Gee: 11-13, 4.17 ERA, 3.92 FIP, 6.6 K/9, 2.6 BB/9
Starter #5: Jenrry Mejia: 12-12, 3.79 ERA, 3.57 FIP, 7.4 K/9, 3.3 BB/9

     Wow.....I am very shocked at how poorly STEAMER is projected our rotation to be. I basically do not agree with any of these projections. While the Niese projections is fair, I feel a return to his healthy 2012 is more likely, especially since his K rate towards the end of 2013 did return to his 2012 rate. STEAMER is actually forecasting regression for Wheeler which I just cannot see happening. I like the Colon projection, hate the Gee projection and am surprised by the Mejia projection.

     For what its worth another projection system called OLIVER, does not agree with STEAMER either. OLIVER is much higher on Niese, Wheeler, Colon, and Gee, while lower on Mejia. In fact OLIVER projection believe that there will be enough improvement from Niese and Wheeler to make up for the loss of Harvey. Overall, OLIVER is projecting a team SP ERA of 3.81 while STEAMER is projecting 3.96. As to be expected there will be regression from the loss of Harvey but both projections are still in the top half of the MLB and OLIVER's is still a Top 10 rotations.

    Plus as a side note. Neither projection takes into account the expected debuts of Syndergaard and Montero so there is a ton of room for upside.

Verdict: Small regression with some HEAVY upside. Eventually could settle at push to slight improvement even without Harvey depending on how well Montero and Syndergaard perform.

Mack - I don't know how to come up with a positive spin on a rotation with the loss of Matt Harvey.

I love the Colon signing, just for the innings he's going to eat. I don't expect Mejia to last the season because guys like him never do.

Projecting a regression for Zack Wheeler is just stupid.

'On paper', due to the loss of Harvey, the Mets rotation is less talented in 2014, but we haven't factored in Syndergaard, Montero, and anyone additional Sandy might sign.

My guess... and it's only a guess... the Mets will hang in there through May and Sandy will throw out the Super 2 when it comes to Montero. Then it could become interesting.

The LTJ Report: Donate Coats for Mets Coat Drive, Colon becomes our new SP4, and why Wheeler is going for HARVEY-like numbers in 2014

The LTJ Report
Author: Luis Tirado Jr.
Twitter: @LTJ81
Website: http://www.TheNYExpress.com

If you are able to donate some old/still usable coats on Wednesday, December 18th, 2013 at Citi Field from 9:00am – 5:00pm EST I'm sure the New York Mets will be extremely grateful. Living in New York is brutally colder when you are less fortunate and don't have a coat, so if you are able to, please do so! You can donate them at the Mets Team Store inside the Jackie Robinson Rotunda. As a treat, you will get a voucher for two free tickets to a Mets home game in 2014. You will also get a coupon for a 15% discount off regularly priced merchandise in the Mets Team Store for that day only. Also note, if you attend between 11:00am – 11:30am EST, both Starting Pitcher Zack Wheeler and Second Baseman Daniel Murphy will be on hand to greet and thank fans!

I was very happy to hear that the Mets were able to bring in Starting Pitcher Bartolo Colon to the team on a reasonable deal. He was offered and accepted a two-year/$20 million deal and effectively becomes our fourth Starting Pitcher in our rotation. Confirmed for the most part are Wheeler, Gee, Niese, and now Colon. I'd like to see maybe Mejia get that 5th spot but I still see the Mets grabbing one more veteran arm to throw in there as he continues to develop and come back from injury. Mejia had some bone spurs removed from his throwing elbow, so if anything, he should come back better. Another big reason why Colon makes sense is because his experience of over 15 years in baseball will help give the younger pitchers around him some invaluable advice in pitching. Overall, nice acquisition.

You know a starting pitcher has a good head on his shoulders when all he wants to do is prepare ahead of everyone else before deadlines hit. Wheeler stated that he plans to be in Port St. Lucie on Wednesday February 5th, 2014, ten days before pitchers/catchers report. I love his mentality and willingness to start preparing because now, the spotlight will be on him since Starting Pitcher Matt Harvey will be out for most of if not all of the 2014 season. I've always believed that the early bird gets the worm, and now, he can focus on making us all not miss Harvey too much in 2014. I predict he will have a breakthrough season, I'm sure Harvey will be chiming in his ear to make him continue his progression.

Mets 2013 Awards Pt. 2

Last week, I gave out some awards to Mets players in the 2013 season for reasons both good and bad. Here is part 2.

The Rising Star Award- Zack Wheeler

Another no brainer. Half of the 2013 season was spent waiting for Wheeler's Super 2 date to pass and when it did, we weren't disappointed. Now, Wheeler wasn't demolishing opposing lineups and making us forget about Matt Harvey. He gave up 10 homers and struggled with his location at times. He also has to reign in his off speed pitches to make sure he isn't just a fastball or 2 pitch pitcher. But a 3.42 ERA is pretty good and you can tell that this kid belongs. With Matt Harvey now getting Tommy John Surgery, Wheeler becomes the only young ace in Queens. Look for him to take the leap next year and give the #2 starter this team needs to make any noise in 2014.

The Good Riddance Award- Frank Francisco

Terrible teammate, terrible signing and a terrible pain in our collective behinds. The best thing he did this year was  stay away for as long as he did. The bullpen performed better than any of us could have imagined this year. With contributors like Scott Rice filling in a spot where Frank Francisco might have occupied had he been healthy. Bobby Parnell was also free to handle the 9th all on his own without the fear of being yanked for Francisco. Sandy Alderson has expressed interest in shoring up the bullpen. Let Frank Francisco be a lesson learned. Stay away from goons like this.

The "Where Did You Come From?" Award- Jenrry Mejia

It is odd how we sort of forgot about Jenrry Mejia. He was supposed to be the next big thing years ago and he has been overshadowed by Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler. Until he got his shot to pitch this year. Mejia, though cut short by bone spurs in his arm, was pretty amazing. His pitch location looked miles ahead of where it was when we saw him struggle in the bullpen all those years ago. Hopefully, Mejia removes the lost cause mindset some might have had for him and stays healthy to contribute to a roster that seemed to forget all about him.

The "You're Killing Me, Smalls!" Award- Daniel Murphy

Something strange happened at the beginning of the season. We praised Daniel Murphy for his defense! He actually looked like a competent fielder at a position that seemed impossible for him all of 2012. Well, the other thing that happened was that Murphy regressed and put up 16 errors and a -16 in defensive runs saved. Not exactly signs of improvement. What I find interesting is that no one tries harder than Murphy and he struggles in the field, whereas Robinson Cano seems indifferent to his fielding and makes some very effective plays. Ironic, no? There were some plays that certainly had all Mets fans shaking their heads. His only saving grace is that the offensive numbers are there. It is certainly possible that the Mets try to deal his bat to improve the outfield, but the options behind him are found wanting on defense as well.

 

Mack Ade – Noon Report – 8-23-13 – Masahiro Tanaka, Trace Evans, Chris Flexen, Zack Wheeler, Dominic Smith, Davey Johnson

Several teams expect Japanese righthander Masahiro Tanaka to make the jump to Major League Baseball next season, but there could be changes to the posting system on the way that affect his future. Earlier this year, MLB teams received a memo from the commissioner’s office stating that MLB and Nippon Professional Baseball were in discussions regarding potential revisions to the protocol agreement between the two leagues. Nobby Ito, the NPB chief of international baseball operations, also told The Japan Times this month that MLB and NPB are in negotiations about the posting system. Contrary to what some teams have believed, MLB confirmed that the posting system is still in existence, but declined to comment on any potential discussions to modify the agreement. http://www.baseballamerica.com/majors/as-teams-scout-masahiro-tanaka-posting-system-changes-could-be-coming/

 

 



 

A year ago, Carlos Gonzalez of the Colorado Rockies became the 22nd player in major league baseball history to hit a home run in four consecutive at-bats. Last week, a big kid with a mop of blond hair named Trace Evans hit a home run in 11 consecutive official at-bats to power the Las Vegas Baseball Academy Lightning to the championship of a 104-team tournament for kids 12 and under at Cooperstown Dreams Park, which is 5.3 miles up scenic State Route 28 from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y. While most 12-year-old baseball pitchers do not throw nasty sliders, I consider the young Las Vegas slugger’s the more impressive feat. http://www.reviewjournal.com/columns-blogs/ron-kantowski/las-vegas-12-year-old-swats-11-homers-row-cooperstown-tourney

 

 



 

After a rocky start to the season the Mets 2012 14th round draft pick, Chris Flexen, has stepped up his performance and developed into one of the most productive pitchers in the Appalachian League. Impressively, Flexen currently ranks among the top pitchers in the league in several  key categories. He ranks  fourth in ERA (2.14), fourth in strikeouts (56) and he is tied for third in WHIP (0.95). He is also tied for first in wins at 7 and is the only pitcher to throw two complete games this season (although one was in a 7 inning double header). http://metsminors.net/flexen-lighting-up-the-appalachian-league/

 

 

 



Wheeler is the future to Matt Harvey’s present, a guy with a big fastball and ace potential. He may never reach that apex -- he doesn’t yet have Harvey’s command, let alone his complete arsenal of secondary pitches -- but he has pitched much better than I expected after watching his first couple big league starts, with a 3.49 ERA through his first 12 spins in the rotation. Those outings included a 12-strikeout gem in his previous start in San Diego and a one-run, no-walk effort the game before that in Arizona. Wheeler’s fastball is a weapon almost by itself. Since his recall on June 18, only 10 pitchers have struck out more batters on fastballs. His other pitches -- slider, curveball and changeup -- are works in progress, with the slider looking like it will become his top off-speed pitch. Ask Jason Heyward about the one he struck out on in the third inning. http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/39340/team-of-the-future-in-n-y-its-the-mets

 



 

The Mets 2013 1s round draft pick, 1B Dominic Smith, continues to impress for the GCL Mets. Smith went 3-4, 1-R, 2B yesterday and raised his seasonal batting average to a season high .277. He went into that game with a .308 batting average in his last 10 games. It’s hard to project what team he will play for in 2014. My guess, because of his young age, will be Brooklyn where the suits can get a nightly look-see at him.

 

 

 

 



 

Davey Johnson did his weekly appearance with the Junkies on 106.7 The Fan today, and it produced yet another best-ever quote from the Nats manager. “I’ve got scouts out there that you guys have been really raunchy today,” Johnson scolded the Junkies shortly into their interview. Jason Bishop then explained that they had been discussing the news that Red Sox slugger Mike Napoli apparently is dating a porn star who goes by the name Rachel Starr. Johnson’s reply: “Well none of my guys could, ’cause we can’t score.”

 

Mack Ade – AM Report – 8-13-13 – Kyle Johnson, Mark Cohoon, Zack Wheeler, Wilmer Flores, Jose Abreu, 2014 Draft

You don’t have to look far to find the players that have made a difference lately in this team. Here have been seen notable additions this year, six of which have been home grown. None statistically scream out at you however, none stink up the joint either. They are:

SP Gonzalez Germen – 11-games, 1-1, 3.14, 1.33, 14.1-IP, 13-K, 8-BB

SP Zack Wheeler – 10-starts, 5-2, 3.63, 1.39, 57.0-IP, 45-K, 28-BB

RP David Aardsma -   27-games, 2-1, 3.46, 1.23, 26.0-IP, 22-K, 11-BB

IF Wilmer Flores – 6-games, .261/.320/.435/.755, 1-HR, 9-RBI

IF Josh Satin – 40-games, .296/.425/.429/.854, 1-HR, 10-RBI

OF Juan Lagares – 76-games, .272/.304/.417/.721, 3-HR, 24-RBI

OF Eric Young Jr. – 103-games, .248/.314/.343/.657, 2-HR, 19-RBI

The recent additions of Germen, Flores, and Lagares all prove that us pundits don’t have all the answers sometimes. There isn’t a single Mets writer, expert, whatever out there that had all three of these guys performing admiralty at the major league level, at the same time.

How did this happen? Germen didn’t really do anything in the minors to show us this. Lagares projected as best a defensive late inning replacement. All this proves that we need to slow down and let these kids develop in the time needed.

 

We've talked recently about St. Lucie outfielder Kyle Johnson. The Mets traded OF Collin Cowgill to the Los Angeles Angels for Johnson, a leadoff type hitter known for his success in stealing and on-base percentage. The 23-year old continues to impress and should be the B-Mets leadoff hitter on opening day 2014. For now, he has played 2012 for the Burlington Bees (LAA), Savannah, and St. Lucie and has combined stats of: .293/.393/.4-6/.799.

More important, his A+ St. Lucie  BA stands alone at .287.

I really like this guy and I hope to see him in the Arizona Fall League.

 

 

Lynn Worthy –

Binghamton Mets left-handed pitcher Mark Cohoon earned Eastern League Pitcher of the Week honors for August 5 through August 11, the league announced this afternoon. Cohoon, a 12th round pick of the New York Mets in the 2008 draft, threw a seven-inning complete game for the B-Mets in a 6-1 win against the Altoona Curve in the second game of a doubleheader on Tuesday.  He allowed just one unearned run on four hits and one walk while striking out three http://php.pressconnects.com/blogs/bmets/2013/08/12/cohoon-win-pitcher-week/

 

Michael Scannell –

Zach Wheeler has now thrown 10 starts.  His ERA over his last 7 is 3.07.  If you add in his first start against Atlanta, he has a 2.68 ERA over 8 of 10 starts

Mack – I really only have one problem with Wheeler at this point in his growth. He just seems to throw too many pitches, especially in the early innings. The good news is he not only becomes more efficient as the game goes on, but his velocity actually goes up. He was sitting at 94 in the early innings of his last outing but ended up in the 96 range. I’m probably nit picking here. On any other team he’d already be the SP1.

 

John Coppinger –

As much as I loathe lazy crutch statements and thoughts such as "low-risk high-reward", I have to admit this "different hero every night" schtick is starting to grow on me. The more "heroes" we have means the more halfway capable players are around. Still plenty to go, but remember this: The Mets are 29-22 since the end of Western Civilization. If the bottom is going to fall out, it better do it soon because the bottom is running out of time. http://www.metstradamusblog.com/2013-articles/august/breaking-bad-conditions.html

 

Dick Jones –

Mack, love the new site. Looks like you were right about Wilmer Flores. Where do you think he’s going to wind up playing?

Mack –Hey, Dick. Thanks for your comments. Actually, I’ve been one of the critics about Flores as he stumbled his way through the system. I think all of you have now got a small glimpse about how slow he is on the base paths. At the same time, he’s proving early that his presence in the lineup is a plus offensively. He seems to have that rare ability to drive runs when needed. Time will only tell whether he can sustain a decent batting average at the major league level.

The Mets have a rare opportunity to play him at third base while David Wright heals. I can’t help but feel this is all trade staging, especially since Ike Davis has returned from the dead. Davis.

I will tell you one more thing you’re not going to like. Daniel Murphy plays a better second base defensively. It’s all about the feet, speed, and movement. Flores just can’t make the turns.

Davis, Murphy, Flores… somebody has to go folks. Somebody has to go and I would strike while the Wilmer iron is hot.

 

Mike Puma     ‏@NYPost_Mets       -     

I asked a Mets person about the hesitancy to play Flores at 2B: "He's a way-lesser Murphy," the person said.  "Range is the whole issue."

 

Jonah Keri –

                                Jose Abreu, a 26-year-old Cuban slugger who's probably the best power hitter in the world not playing in the majors or the minor leagues, just defected from Cuba. He's going to make a ton of money as a full-fledged free agent. I wrote this long-form story about him a year and a half ago. Asked A's assistant GM David Forst if he had a comp for Abreu. His response: "There are legitimate comparisons to Ryan Howard." (Forst meant that in a good way re: peak Howard, of course.) If your favorite team needs a 1B and has money to spend, you should probably get to know Jose Abreu.

 

Derek asked  -

Mack, I know it’s a little early to forecast the 20134 draft, but do you have any early thoughts.

Mack – a few things…

1. 1.       There’s no sure fired first pick in the draft. The closest right now would be North Carolina State LHP Carlos Rodon, but he’s not a lock

 

1. 2.       It’s a much talented and much deeper draft than 2013, especially in both college and high school starting pitchers.

 

1. 3.       Right now, the Mets are projected to draft in the 7-14^th overall pick which get them a very decent player

 

1. 4.       Some names to look for:

 

RHSP Michael Kopech – Mt. Pleasant (TX) HS

 

SS Nick Gordon – Olympia (WA) HS

 

SS Jacob Gatewood – Clovis (CA) HS

 

OF Braxton Davidson – TC Robertson (N) HS




 

Mack Ade – PM Report – 6-29-13 – Mike Harvey, Zack Wheeler, Rafael Montero, Noah Syndergaard, Jon Niese

Washington 6, New York 4

Look, I know how hard this has to be on all you Mets fans. You have the second coming of either Tom Seaver or Dwight Gooden, depending upon your age and the era you came out of. And, what happens? The guy is getting minimal support.

Now, the initial reaction is why in the hell doesn’t TC leave the guy in for at least one more inning? Let’s remember, that he is on some kind of pitch count that is going to rear its ugly head sometime late in the season. Secondly, whether you want to hear it or not, this isn’t our season and his team is destined to play just outside both a payoff spot and a great 2014 draft pick.

You don’t want to do anything to hinder the growth of the two most important pitchers to come along in years, Harvey and Zack Wheeler. They will serve up the future playoff victories but only when it’s time.

Sit back and enjoy this now competitive season. Young is running all over the place. Byrd is timely hitting. And Satin is finally getting his shot. And guess what, here comes Wheeler this weekend. I love it.

Maturation

                I mentioned a few weeks ago how to watch these games. I turn on when Matt Harvey pitches and I turn off the game when they take him out of the game. Frankly, by that time of the night I’m working on material on all the minor league games so the last thing I need is the distraction of some Mets reliever pissing the game away.

                Naturally, I have added the same process when Zack Wheeler now pitches and I will do the same once Rafael Montero and Noah Syndergaard join this rotation. Then, and only then, will I have the rotation I will be happy with.

                One of our most loyal readers, ‘Charles’, may have it right. He says to keep all the young pitches and trade none of them until enough of them mature to give you the rotation of your dreams. Mine comes on opening day 2015. I have the three speed kings Harvey, Wheeler, and Syndergaard, the lefty Niese, and Rafael Montero, who I’m not sure how to classify right now. He’s pitching in the non-pitcher friendly PCL. Everything was peachy in AA (11-starts, 2.43), but, after four starts in Las Vegas, he’s sitting at a 4.50 ERA. The good news is the strikeouts are still there (20K/20IP), but the BBs are up, six in 20.0 innings. This could be nothing more than different interpretations of strike zones by AAA umpires, but, whatever it is, there is nothing good about having a AAA franchise in a league like this. Your hitters look too good and pitchers looks like shit.

                Trust me… stop watching the last two innings of Mets games and add more internet time following guys like Montero and Syndergaard. You’ll feel better about this team.

7^th Inning Specialist

                Where is Pedro Feliciano, how that we really need him?

                Yeah, I know, he’s down on our farm, and he has a combined A+/AA stat line of: 9-G, 9.0-IP, 7-K, 2-BB, 1-ER, 1.00.

                Remember when he pitched in, like, 162 games in one season for the Mets (and then we sold him and his dead arm to the Yankees)? This team needs two things… a manager that will allow the starters to pitch at least six innings regardless as to what the scoreboard says, and a  Feliciano-type sitting in the bullpen waiting to pitch the seventh and then hand it over to the rest of the pen. If the starter goes seven, let him rest for another day.

                There is some rehabbing going on which includes both Feliciano and Tim Byrdak. Hopefully, there is help on the way here.

3-5-13 – Jeremy Hefner, Shaun Marcum, Rafael Montero, Zack Wheeler

It’s no big secret that the Mets could use a starter to step up this spring. Johan Santana is still pouting and Shaun Marcum is still doing his diva thing.

RHP Jeremy Hefner had three excellent innings yesterday, going 3.0-IP, 3-H, 1-R, 2-K, 1-BB. His spring ERA is 3.68. That’s 7.1 good innings, far more than most pitchers in camp. Let’s face it, there seems to be little chance that Santana will be ready for, at least, the first go-around in the rotation and, right now, that job is Hefner’s to lose.

Shaun Marcum

will return to the mound in a "B" game Thursday after missing one turn of the rotation to participate in an arm-strengthening program. Marcum appeared in the Mets' first Grapefruit League game on Feb. 23, but decided afterward that he wanted to extend his long-tossing program rather than immediately appear in another game.

       Correct me if I’m wrong, but has anyone shoved a tape recorder or microphone in front of this guy ask asked him what’s the story here? I would think the tone of what he said alone might tell you an awful lot about the person behind the delay…

Jim Callis‏ - @jimcallisBA

No. 3 SP ceiling. @dan_celso: what is your projection for Rafael Montero? #Mets

       Okay, we can live with that, right?  Harvey, Wheeler and two SP3s, Syndergaard and Montero. Why do we always have to keep waiting for this team to happen?

Jim Callis‏ @jimcallisBA

I'll go with ace. @toogooden16: Zack Wheeler, ace or ace? #Mets

       I don’t think anyone has any doubt about Wheeler at this point. I just hope the Mets baby him through this camp.