Tom Brennan - How is NL ROY Race Shaping Up? Trade-Aways Excel; Amick

WE NEED A TROPHY! 

Just as pennant races and wildcard races really start to shape up once the calendar turns September, so also do those rookie of the year races. 

JJ Wetherholt, Carson Benge, Nolan McLean, AJ Ewing, Christian Scott, TJ Rumfield…and who else?

A few real long shots.

So let’s focus on these players.

Christian Scott - impressive, but not good enough, absent a killer September. And they’re really watching his innings. No chance.

AJ Ewing - last 30 games through August 23, he has hit .186/.269/.237, so he has played himself out of contention. No chance.

Nolan McLean - doing really well, Mets not getting him Ws. If they did hit for him, he’d be heavily in contention. Probably 3rd in the ROY race, through no fault of his own. If he had last year’s Mets offense behind him, a better story. But, he has September to be brilliant and still win it.

TJ Rumfield? He has Colorado-boosted #s. As of August 23, 41 Coors RBIs, just 19 RBIs on the road. So, the is a true long shot, although the Rockies’ steady-handed 1B is a goodie.

The two main contenders then are Wetherholt (7th overall pick) and Benge (19th overall pick).

Through August 23, Benge’s last 30 games were stunning:

.322/.372/.513. Basically Soto numbers.

Wetherholt, who was the prohibitive front runner before that same last 30 game period, had slumped to .202 over his last 30 games. 

Here’s my take: 

Keep in mind first of all that the Rumfield’s Reds’ home park is better for hitters than Citi Field. 

Perhaps that could be the slim margin of error, and Citi Field Acres will strike again. In a bad way.

But it will come down to who outshines the others the most in September, when it comes to the Benge/Wetherholt/Rumfield/McLean horse race.

I have my bets on Benge to win!

But McLean is a freak and could pull it out. I saw this:

“Nolan McLean has a 1.76 ERA over his last 11 starts.”

That ain’t chump change. That is Tom Seaver Cy Young 1969 quality.

That is SP-1 caliber, for all those who say the Mets lack an SP-1.

Anyway…

Whose team’s rookie wins has import - read this partial excerpt:

The Prospect Promotion Incentive (PPI) was implemented in the 2022 Collective Bargaining Agreement as a way to encourage teams to promote their best young players to the big leagues as early as possible, and it's added an interesting new wrinkle, not only to the Draft, but to the way teams construct their rosters coming out of Spring Training every year.

Before the PPI, teams kept their top prospects in the Minors for a few weeks to begin the season, rather than promote them on Opening Day, to benefit from the service time implications that triggered additional years of team control.

The PPI is intended to incentivize teams to bring those players north with them on Opening Day by hinging team benefits -- an extra Draft pick -- on individual player performance and awards.

How do clubs earn PPI picks?

MLB clubs can earn a Draft pick after the first round if a PPI-eligible player accrues one year of service as a rookie and then factors into a major award. That means he either has to win his league’s Rookie of the Year award or place in the top three in MVP or Cy Young voting prior to qualifying for arbitration.

THE “TRADE-AWAYS” EXCEL

For weeks, I didn’t look at how players traded away by the Mets have done.

Didn’t really want to, tried hard not to, but curiosity finally got to me.

Yes, I finally did. Let’s recap:

Peralta? Mostly lousy. But great the last two starts. Whipped the Mets.

Holmes? Terrific.

Minter? Terrific.

Raley? Mostly terrific.

Weaver? Mostly terrific.

Taylor?  Stunning. How?

Taylor has turned into a right handed Barry Bonds. As an ex-Met, he’s gone 18 for 44! Six Ks in 50 plate appearances! That was after a KILLER last 22 games with the Mets? He is 35 for his last 92 since late June, with 7 doubles and 8 HRs.  

BAR-RY TAYLOR!

Remember all the trade deadline guys the Mets acquired last year at the trade deadline. 

Collectively, they performed like Tijuana budget  retread tires, or like slugs, take your pick.

What is wrong with this franchise? After all…

Guys who come here need career CPR.

Guys who escape here wildly prosper.

Or so it seems.

DYLAN ROSS NIFTY MLB DEBUT

Two ground outs and a soft pop out. 11 pitches, 7 strikes. NICE.

SOTO NOT IN MID SEASON FORM

He came up with the bags full late in the game and popped up a fastball that when he is hot leaves the park.

AMICK THE CRUSHER

“Kingman II” hit a Kingman shot his first time up, well over 100 MPH and cleared the Syracuse pavilion. 

I think it finally landed, but I am not sure. Neither is NASA. 

Watch here:

AMICK MOON LAUNCH

 Next time up, he cracked a 399 foot sac fly.

I love power bats. His 35 HR, 104 RBI in 402 ABs qualifies.

I’m really pulling for this guy to make it as a Met by 2028, if not sooner.