Reese Kaplan - A Glass Half Empty Look at the Mets

As much as we’ve enjoyed the team overachieving this firsthalf primarily on the backs of David Wright, R.A. Dickey, Johan Santana andRuben Tejada, there are way too many holes to fill that suggest another secondhalf swoon is pretty much unavoidable.  The team has no power, no speed and no bullpen and no outfielders whowould start on most other teams.  Theyhave four starters (one of whom is a hangnail away from another season endingsurgery) and no one other than Byrdak in whom you have confidence once the starterleaves the game.  It’s gotten so bad thatthere are many people welcoming back Jason Bay with open arms, somehow thinkingthat he will have rediscovered the talent that’s eluded him since changing hisaddress to Queens.

It’s not all doom and gloom, however.  Ike Davis finally seems as if he’s back ontrack, though finishing the season with an average north of .250 seems like apipe dream.  Daniel Murphy is driving theball with some authority.  Jonathon Nieseseems to have stepped up his game a bit, though you’re never really sure whenhe will implode.  Jordany Valdespin hasshown some electricity on the rare occasions Collins deigns to start him.

On the flip side, however, you have Hairston overexposed playingevery day.  You have Nieuwenhuis in freefall.  Duda seems equally lost at the plateand you can’t afford him in the field if he’s not swinging a big stick.  Torres’ recent offensive surge has seen himclimb all the way into the .220s.  Thebloom is off Quintanilla’s rose.  Cedeño,like Hairston, used exclusively against lefties and in small doses, can beproductive.  Otherwise he is a waste of aroster spot.  The catching tandem ispretty abysmal with no power and little RBI production.  In fact, Nickeas drives in runs at a higherrate than Thole and he’s hitting well below the Mendoza line.  (Thole has progressed on defense and handlingof the pitchers, but he’s never going to make anyone forget Jerry Grote). 

There’s precious little help in AAA.  Your “stud” pitchers are not performing assuch.  Harvey is the closest but he’sshowing control problems.  Familia hasbeen good over his past handful of starts but that’s after stinking up thejoint for the first few months of the season. Mejia is definitely not ready.  Backfrom injury, Adam Loewen is mashing the ball, but also striking out once ever 6ABs (plus despite his powerful arm he fields like Duda).  Satin and Lutz can hit, but they’re blockedby Davis, Murphy and Wright.  The othersdoing well are the AAAA types like Pascucci, Rottino, Lewis and Wimberly – not longterm solutions. 

There is some talent further down the chain, but the Metsare loathe to bring up players without spending some time at AAA, so that makesone wonder how they intend to improve? Building from within seems to be the mantra, but does that mean fansmust wait for the A and Rookie league players to mature?  They sniffed contention for awhile, but beforethey completely succumb to battling the Phillies for the basement, they shouldmake some changes to try to improve. 

First of all, whatever sins or past transgressions Valdespinmade at the feet of former minor league guru Terry Collins must beforgiven.  It’s time for Collins to puton his big boy britches and do what’s in the best interest of the ballclub andnot his ego.  Start him in CF every dayuntil his bat cools off, his glove cost them more than Duda’s or he makes moremental mistakes than Angel Pagan.  He haspower.  He has speed.  He’s hitting over .290 as a starter.  He might be a part of the future (or avaluable trade chip).  Gluing his butt tothe bench to play Torres ahead of him accomplishes nothing. 

Farm out Nieuwenhuis and/or Duda.  Both need to get their heads on straight onceagain.  Duda presses too much in the bestof times.  Right now he’s completelylost.  Nieuwenhuis can’t buy a hit.  Let them spend a month or so in theminors.  If the Marlins can send GabySanchez down and the Blue Jays can jettison Adam Lind, both of whomaccomplished more at the ML level than these two have, the Mets can followsuit. 

Bring up Wimberly or Lewis. Both are singles hitters who play the OF and can run.  While stealing bases is not a priority forthis regime, you can’t deny the value of being able to pinch run for an Ike Davisor Josh Thole late in the game when you need to score.  Surely Jeremy Hefner or Rob Johnson can bedropped from the 40 man roster.  Youcould also make a case for Reese Havens being dropped, too, because at 25 andhitting .200 in AA with so much time lost to injuries, he’s not exactly aprospect anymore.  Zach Lutz’s window hasprobably closed, too.

To improve the bullpen you may have an in-house optionpeople have repressed in their memories considering how his 2012 season began –Manny Acosta.  He has been LIGHTS OUT inAAA and this team needs all of the bullpen help it can get.  Create the spot by sending Miguel Batista tothe old poet’s home. 

So while people have pipe dreams of Justin Upton, CarlosQuentin or Josh Willingham coming to the Mets for peanuts, it is possible toimprove in-house without giving up any of the crown jewels of the minor leaguesystem for a rental or saddling yourself with a long term obligation.

P.S.  Leapfrog Wheelerover Harvey and have him take Gee’s spot in the rotation.  He’s got a 2.39 ERA.  There is no magic formula for when someone isready.  How much time did Gooden orStrasburg spend in the minors?