Craig Brown - I May be Wrong But...

On the infrequent occasions that I find myself with time to do some writing for Mack, I've always tried to be the guy that throws hair-brained ideas out there just to get some discussion going...I'm the guy after all that suggested the Mets sign Rick Ankiel to pitch out of the bullpen...I might be wrong, I might be right, but at least we're talking.

pic by Mack Ade 

My most recent "hair-brained idea", is that Omar Minaya should be in the discussion to replace Sandy Alderson when Sandy moves on. Wait...hear me out..Who out there is better at accquiring young talent? Who out there has a better knowledge of the Mets young core of players (considering he drafted or signed most of them)? Who out there better understands the potential pitfalls of NY? Omar is clearly a talented guy, and is just as deserving of another crack at this GM thing as Sandy was (Sandy failed miserably in San Diego)...I know it'll never happen, but its worth talking about...

I worry that the Mets may have ruined the once promising career of Travis D'Arnaud...Heres a guy that has hit well at every level of minor league ball, and looked good doing it, only to fail miserably as soon as he became a Met...Theres a developmental issue here that involves the organizational hitting philosophy, and the fact that Terry (Orville Redanbacher) Collins insists on hitting him at the bottom of the lineup where he almost never sees a pitch out over the plate. These factors have led to what I believe is a major confidence issue with D'Arnaud. My answer would be to send him to Vegas for a month, so he can spend some time with a Manager who understands young baseball players, and in the process almost assuredly hit about .350 in the dry Vegas climate...and then upon being called up I would hit him in the 2 spot in the lineup for the rest of the season no matter what...If that doesn't work, theres always Kevin Plawecki...

pic by Mack Ade

Did anyone else notice the Marlins quietly shipping off their #39 pick in this weeks draft to the Pirates for a AAAA relief pitcher? How great would it be to have that pick? Players like Michael Gettys and Derek Fisher could still be available at that point...How did Sandy not get in on that? You have to think Carlos Torres would have more value to the Marlins than the tomato can Pittsburgh sent them...and I don't want to hear about the Marlins not trading within the division...Ever hear of Mike Piazza? Al Leiter? Carlos Delgado? Sometimes with Sandy his biggest mistakes seem to be the deals he's not involved in.... Lets take a look at some up to date stats on the players most often identified as the potential ptbnl in the Ike Davis swap... Buddy Borden--2.63 era in 11 starts at the low A level...has 21 walks and 45 strikouts in 50 IP Neil Kozikowski--Rookie ball Assignment/has yet to pitch Blake Taylor--Rookie ball Assignment/has yet to pitch Cody Dickson--5.19 era, has allowed 62 hits in 51 IP, 22 years old pitching low A...Yikes Jacoby Jones--hitting .275 with 7 homers and 12 steals. lots of k's. playing ss, but many project him as an of The player we want here is Jones...but I would be almost as happy with Taylor. I'm hoping the Mets had a deal in place where they get to pick from a handful of guys based on performance over the first half of the season...in which case it would be Jones...Not a bad return for a guy that I predict will be playing for the Yomiyuri Giants by 2016..

 In 2012 the Mets rookie ball affiliate, the Brooklyn Cyclones boasted five starting pitchers who were all ranked in the top 16 in ERA in the NYPenn League. The Mets blog community affectionatly dubbed them the "Brooklyn five"...Lets take a look at where those guys are now. 

                  Rainy Lara is pitching for Binghamton, where he sports a 4.34 ERA. He continues to post a low walk rate, but has been very hittable, giving up more than a hit per inning.

                   Luis Mateo, the most heralded of the Brooklyn 5, needed TJS shortly after the start of the 2013 season. With that nasty fastball/slider combo, you have to think there's a bullpen spot in his future if he can ever stay healthy

                   Luis Cessa throws a little harder than Lara, but has been ho-hum...3.35 ERA, low walk rate...I see a bullpen guy here as well...

                   Gabriel Ynoa, was lights out in Savannah last year...but just like Lara has been very hittable this year in St. Lucie, giving up 67 hits in 55 innings...

                    In 2013 the Mets added Hansel Robles to the 40 man roster, which many, including myself found very surprising...He has been disapointing ever since, and was eventually removed from the 40 man leaving him exposed to the rule 5 draft...Just like Lara and Ynoa he has been very hittable, and has a future home in the bullpen... Theres a cautionary tale here when it comes to getting excited about Rookie ball stats...The Brooklyn Five were a dominating force because they threw strikes against kids who have yet to learn how to hit...That stuff doesn't fly at the higher levels...In the end, I think the Mets may get a couple decent bullpen arms from this group, which at the end of the day really isn't all that bad...

 I'm normally a big proponent of drafting high school talent over the college guys...The high school prospects generally have higher ceilings, and I like the idea of having the power to develop these guys at a younger age. I also just don't believe in drafting a college shortstop just because theres a need at the mlb level...I like Trea Turner, but at best he's still 2-3 years away...2-3 years is a long time, Are we ok with leaving Ruben Tejada at short until Turner is ready? I'm certainly not! However above all else I believe in drafting best player available...and in this draft, I believe it will be a college guy...I'm a long way from being an expert...but I read all the profiles I can find, and my list of probables looks like this...

 1. SEAN NEWCOMB--My favorite of the guys that might be available...At one point he was an under the radar guy, but not so much anymore...

 2. AARON NOLA--I'm guessing he'll be gone, but it sounds like he may be ready to pitch in an mlb rotation tomorrow...the problem is the Mets 2015 rotation is 8-9 players deep already...Its a problem i'm ok with though...

 3. TREA TURNER--I like him, but I worry about his size...

 4. BRAD ZIMMER--I like Zimmer too...but I just don't see a star here...Pretty good probability of a solid to good Major leaguer here...

 5. KYLE FREELAND--A little worried that he might end up in the bullpen, and if i'm drafting a relief pitcher in this draft, I would want Nick Burdi (who I think could close next year)

 6. JEFF HOFFMAN--Just had TJS...I might take the chance if I had multiple picks, but I think the Mets need to make this pick count since they are without a 2nd rounder...sometimes these things work out (Giolito), and sometimes they don't(Purke)

 7. MICHAEL CONFORTO--I would run away from this pick personally...he may or may not be a great hitter, but just because he's listed as an OF, doesn't mean he will ever play a game there...Truthfully, he is at best a first baseman, and more likely a DH...If the Mets call his name this week I will be seriously disapointed...But then again what do I know, when they drafted Kevin Plawecki I referred to him as "a future bullpen catcher"