MACK - Sunday Morning Observations

 

Mack’s Observations –

 

            A pet peeve of mine… the FCL players finish their schedule on July 25th. The St. Lucie Mets team season ends on September 8^th.

 

Both teams, like all rookie teams in the league, are filled with filler players that underperform and little case for them to be promoted to the next level.

 

 So, why not determine now which of the FCL players have already proven they will start next year for Lucy and then promote them now across the complex so they can begin the process of adjusting to this level?

 

Players like 3B Yonstan Henriquez, IF Jeremy Rodriguez, CF Simon Juan, and 1B Jake Zitella.

 

Just sayin… 

 

            Another pet peeve… pitch counts. I know science comes into play here and you all know what I think about mixing that with baseball. The recent Butto and Scott outings totally expose this practice. Two veteran arms well past their 21^st birthday are, in my opinion, being handled like teenagers coming back from TJS. I know Scott was pacing above 2023 pitch count levels, but, damn son, let the boy finish the inning in a game he had given up only one hit. Butto threw 133 innings last year. So far, this year, he has thrown 86. He’s 26 years old. You telling me he had to be pulled right then? Critical games during a sketchy at best playoff chase are being lost due to decisions like this. You can’t ask for starters to pitch longer into the game and then pull them when they are accomplishing that. Makes no sense to me and probably doesn’t to the pitchers either. 

 

I have written many times about the fact that this game is 50% mental. What better examples of this are how both Francisco Lindor and Brandon Nimmo are playing right now. Question. What two players are pissed off that they were left off the all-star roster and are out to prove those ass-wipes wrong right up to the Home Run Derby? This all comes from them reaching down and concentrating on the task ahead while producing stat lines even Aaron Judge would be proud of. What would be a perfect example of the reverse of this? Well, the collective batting average of the last 50 players sent down, during the first two weeks they played at their new “home”. Equate this into your own narrative. Has anyone ever enjoyed or made an extra effort taking the garbage out?

  

The recent promotions of first basement JT Schwartz and Nick Lorusso have caused a seismic shift in who plays that bag going forward for the top four affiliates… in Syracuse, Schwartz will obviously start, but that will leave both Mike Broussau looking for a new position. His natural position is third, but that is where Brett Baty plays… in addition, Luke Ritter has played some first there, but also plays second and third. On Thursday night, Schwartz played first in the first game of a doubleheader while. Ritter played left field. Ritter played first in the nightcap. … in Binghamton, Ryan Clifford played first, delaying the debut of Lorusso.  Brooklyn replaced Lorusso with Kellum Clark… Schwartz, Clifford (Lorusso played third), and Clark played first on Friday. 

 

I’ve always liked David Peterson. I was thrilled when the Mets drafted him, though I did expect more than this “more talented version of Mike Pelfrey” we wound up with. Peterson seems to be quietly becoming a stable SP-4/5 going forward, though he will never be the innings eater we had hoped for. It may be me, but he seems to always be in trouble. But his talent takes over at some point and pulls him through jam after jam. I never though he would get through six innings on Thursday, especially after having thrown as many pitches in the first two innings than Heinz has products. Way to go Dave.

  

Here’s a stat you will be following next season… Kodai Senga has a clause in his contract where he can opt out after the 2025 season if he reaches 400 innings pitched between 2023-2025. He has 166 right now. That would leave him 234 pitches to go for the remainder of this season and all of next year. Keep your abacus handy.

 

 In closing, it was a good week for the Mets. Lindor and Nimmo seem to get all the press, but let’s not forget what Butto, Peterson, the entire rotation, Harrison Bader, Jose Inglesias, and even a shaky Edwin Diaz did this week. For me, the true test will come when they go to the Bronx, followed by a return to Citi to face Atlanta. Lots of games left against the Braves and Phillies. They’re not done yet, but a playoff berth is looking better.

 

 

New Met – 

                                    LHRP Matt Gage 

            31/yrs old    6’3”   235 

            10^th rd. pk 2014 SF out of Siena College (NY) 

            Career MLB -           0.5-WAR      0-1, 1.83, 19.2-IP 

            2024 AAA -              1-3, 4.29, 20-apps, 21-IP, 27-K 

            2 pitch pitcher -     93-FB             87 cutter 

            This is a sneaky good sign. The Mets are in desperate need of good relief arms, especially lefties, and Gage is a veteran that’s been around. Definitely worth a look-see at Syracuse.

  

                        RHRP  Phil Maton              31/yrs old    

            Acquire from Tampa Bay for cash or a PTBNL 

            2024:             40-G, 1-2, 2-SV, 4.58, 35.1-IP, 30-K, 18-BB 

            6.25mil/7.75mil club option in 2025 

            Mets will pay the remainder of the 2024 salary 

           

Roster Moves –

 

            Mets –

                         RHRP Phil Maton acquitted from Tampa Bay for cash

                                    Or PTBNL 

                                               

            Syracuse – 

                        RHRP Eric Orze activated 

                        OF Rylan Bannon – 7-day IL 

                        C Hayden Senger – 7-day IL 

                        LHSP Joey Lucchese DFAd                       

                        1B JT Schwartz promoted from Binghamton

 

            Binghamton – 

                        1B Nick Lorusso promoted from Brooklyn 

 

            Brooklyn – 

                        RHSP Jack Wenninger promoted from St. Lucie 

                        IF Marco Vargas – 7-day IL