MACK – THOUGHTS & OTHER TIDBITS

 

MACK – THOUGHTS & OTHER TIDBITS

 

Thoughts

 

Word on the street is that 3B Bo Bichette will NOT opt out and will remain a New York Met in 2027. I love the idea. He’s the perfect bridge candidate to hold down the hot corner next season, but the question being raised already is does this mean the Mets won’t go after a big-time starter to fill the SP-1 slot? Let’s face it… Bichette’s contract is a whopper and could restrict any attempt to sign Tarik Skubal. The true question going forward here is will Steve Cohen become a money-wussie.

Now, all the Mets brass are lighting candles, hoping the injury Bichette was taken out of the game on Wednesday night doesn’t get in the way for a return to wearing a Mets uniform next season.

Look... I'm going to write later on in this report about a bunch of minor league Mets starters who are pitching quite well right now. There is a lot of starter talent in this chain, but the fact remains that:

1. The Mets currently have only 3 decent YOUNG starters in the MLB rotation.

2. The Mets currently have zippo decent starters on the AAA rotation.

3. Every starter at every level has been erratic this season.

4. If you want to win in 2027, you need an ace starter to head this MLB rotation.

5. If you are willing to wait until 2028, you don't need to spend big bucks on a long contract from someone, at best, is in his late 20s.

 

Promotions

 

RP Connor Ware promoted from A-St. Lucie to A+ Brooklyn

RP Carlos Guzman promoted from AA-Binghamton to AAA-Syracuse

P Nate Isler activated and assigned to A-St. Lucie

P Zach Grotchfelt activated and assigned to St. Lucie

RHP Aiden Keenan – promoted from FCL-Mets to A-St. Lucie

RP Saul Garcia from AA-Binghamton to AAA-Syracuse

 

Prospect Color Changes

 

RP Brian Metoyer from BLACK to BLUE

RP Saul Garcia from RED to BLUE

C Chase Meggers from BLACK to BLUE

 

Minor Tidbits

 

AAA/Syracuse RHSP Jack Wenninger is being Jack Wenninger again.

Wenninger’s last outing (Friday) produced five scoreless and hitless innings, while striking out six. He had just come off a brief stint on the IL for a torn fastball, or something like that. My guess is there was a good chance that this was just a manufactured pause after a shitty start.

Me was pulled after 71 pitches which makes of little sense. You’re the SP1 of the team and am throwing a no-hitter and you get yanked? Sooo Mets.

 

Speaking of starters doing good things, it looks like Jonah Tong is finally figuring out to:

1.     Pitch with the AAA baseball

2.     Deal with the AAA umpire situation

3.     Find a decent sushi bar

4.     Mix that new 5-pitch repertoire

Saturday added 5.2 scoreless innings to a string of quality outings and lowered his ERA to 4.86. Forget the ERA and concentrate on the string. Tong may just be ready for the jump again to the Mets rotation.

 

Nd then, on Sunday, it was A+ Brooklyn RHSP Daviel Hurtado’s turn. The 21/year old RED Prospect gave up zero earned runs in 5.2-IP, while striking out five. Hurtado lowered his seasonal ERA to 2.14.  This was his 15^th outing and 13^th start with the Cyclones and maybe he’s ready to push someone out of the AA-Binghamton rotation before the season ends. There are four BLUE Prospect starters there now… Gary Gill Hill, Noah Hall, R.J. Gordon, Will Watson… but no red ones. Hurtado is a red one. Move the young man.

 

Speaking of Mets starters in recovery mode, AA-Binghamton RHSP, R.J. Gordon seems to be back on track. Sunday brought 6.0-IP, 4-H, 0-R, 5-K, but more important, his last four outings have produced 23-IP, 14-H, 4-ER, 21-K. That translated into a 4-ST, 3-0, 1.57, 0.96 outcome in August. He’s had 18-started this season for the B-Mets. You may see a move here before the season ends.

 

A-St. Lucie catcher, Yovanny Rodriguez, may be beginning to figure out the A-level (these things do take time, ya know). On Tuesday night, he clouted two home runs while going 3-5 overall and knocking in three runs. Sure, his Florida League stats may still be 3-HR, .213, .706-OPS, but his 2-team seasonal stat line reads 11-HR, .261/.809. Not bad for a 19-year old playing stateside for the first time. Me? I truly believe that Rodriguez will be starting Mets catcher, if there is no strike) on opening day 2029.

 

Let’s face it… we may just need to start realizing that the Mets snagged a potential top prospect in 21/yr. old MIF Jefferson Rojas. He hit his 20^th AA home run on Tuesday and his combined AA stats through that game were 413-AB, .271-BA, 20-HR, 77-RBI, 18-SB, .819-0PS. Numbers like this, at this level, set him up to become the perfect candidate to follow Bo Bichette at third base after the 2027 season. Such a problem.

In Closing

 

I truly believe that Billy Amick is becoming the new Pete Alonso.

Let’s look at the numbers…  through 2026, Amick has played on three AA/AAA teams. He's had 461 plate appearances, producing 385 at-bats, 138 strikeouts, and 57 walks. This is so Pete. Moreover, he has 87 hits, 16 doubles, 33 homers, and has produced 99 runs batted in. Lastly, he is now playing over 75% of his games on first base. Trust me. This is not a coincidence.

I expect him to be assigned as a first baseman in the off-season Arizona Fall League (AFL) and open up in 2027 on the Mets first base. I also expect him to struggle that first year, hitting only around .220, but producing around 25-HRs.

The blossoming will begin in 2028 and Amick will possibly become the most successful Met obtained during this season’s trading deadline period.