8/9/12

STUFF – The Kids, Manny Machado, Latin Hurlers, Dope

The Kids –


This might be the right time to throw the proverbial towel in and start playing the kids that represent the future of this team. For one, bringing back Lucas Duda and having him stumble his way around  right field couldn’t hurt. Next, let Jordany Valdespin play either center or left for the remainder of the season, facing both lefties and righties. David Havens (new rally-name) hasn’t earned a shot at second, but showcasing Josh Satin couldn’t hurt. I’d even consider spotting David Wright a little at third with Wilmer Flores (again, a good trade bait showcase). I would shut down Johan Santana and go with a rotation of Jon Niese, Matt Harvey, RA Dickey, Chris Young, and Collin McHugh. Relief wise, Robert Carson would be in Queens, along with the last Pedro Beato shot. Radical, yes, but, what the hell? 

Manny Machado

I see that the Orioles called up Manny Machado AA - .266/.344/.438/.782, 11-HR, 59-RBI). The numbers don’t scream out at you, but the intend on making the pennant chase into a race does. Machado was picked 3rd overall in the 2010 draft, the same one that produced Bryce Harper (.251). Three players from that first round made it to the Bigs last season: Drew Pomeranz (5.40), Chris Sale, (2.58) and Chance Ruffin (4.08). Things are moving a lot faster in baseball these days. The Mets? This was the draft that produced Matt Harvey. We did well here. 

Latin Hurlers
Bygranddesign”, over at NYFS (yeah, I peeked after being alerted to the feature) did a wonderful job breaking out the great young pitchers that have come out of the International market lastly… Domingo Tapia, Rafael Montero, Hansel Robles, Gabriel Ynoa, Luis Mateo, and Rainy Lara. What was interesting was the fact that only two of them, Montero and Mateo, were signed by the scouts that were in place when Omar Minaya was the General Manager (are all these guys fired like the stateside scouts were?). The other interesting fact was their ages… one,22… three, 21… one, 20… one, 19. Jeez, the Mets future pitching is bright! 

Dope
Mets RHP Nicolas Debora, an 18-year-old who tested positive for metabolites of Stanozolol, an anabolic steroid commonly sold as Winstrol… Cubs LHP Andin Diaz, a 19-year-old who tested positive for metabolites of Stanozolol… Yankees LHP Carlos Diaz, a 17-year-old who tested positive for metabolites of Stanozolol… Royals RHP Jose Geraldo, a 17-year-old who tested positive for a stack of Stanzolol and Nanrdolone, an anabolic steroid often sold as Deca-Durabolin… and it just keeps rolling on. Nothing seems to change in this part of the world which also happens to produce more superstar baseball players that weren’t born in the United States. Baseball may be the national pastime in America, but it’s an obsession in the DR and a ticket out of Venezuela. Oh yeah, there’s Cuba and who knows what makes those kids tick.

No comments: