11-2-11: - http://baseballinstinct.com/2011/11/01/2011-mlb-draft-second-basemen-review - Daniel Muno, 2B New York Mets – (22) – Round: 8 Pick: 252 - The Fresno State product was a New York-Penn League All-Star in 2011. He hit .355/.466/.514. and had HR-2/3B-3/2B-23/RBI-24/R-45/SB-9, and a 39/43 K/BB in 220 at bats over 59 games for the Brooklyn Cyclones. Not surprisingly, Muno set a school record with 200 walks at Fresno state. Our own Dave Reiffer pointed this nugget out in his Touch’em all | New York-Penn league article in August. Dave’s estimation of him starting 2012 with the Single-A Savannah Sand Gnats of the South Atlantic League is a fair one, but it came before the end of the season. Based on the way that he has performed and the fact that he will be 23 when the season starts, I think he will be with the High-A St. Lucie Mets of the Florida State League in no time. This is good news for us as we can get a 1st hand look at him and take some video.
The New York Yankees released Brackman, their 2007 first rounder, earlier this week. I do think they are going to make a run at bringing him back at a salary less than the $1.5 million or so that he was due, but maybe the Mets should take a long look. They don’t need to go crazy. After all, Brackman did issue 54 walks compared to 41 strikeouts before being moved to the pen later in the season. While there is little production to get excited about, there is no denying that he has plenty of raw talent. Outbidding the competition for Brackman’s services might be a foolish maneuver, but at the same time I don’t think it will be a particularly expensive one. It’s not everyday that (relatively) young – Brackman is 26 – front-line prospects (feel free to refer to him as a former front-line prospect if you want) become available. I think the New York Mets should take advantage of this rebuilding period and give the 6’10″ flame-thrower a contract. http://www.rantsports.com/new-york-mets/2011/11/03/should-new-york-mets-consider-andrew-brackman-for-a-2012-roster-spot
Projection: Assuming Ike Davis is healthy and fully recovered (he did mention this is something he is scared might plague him for the rest of his career) there is no reason to think he won't be valuable this year in the CI or UTIL spot. As good as he is, he isn't an everyday starting 1B for Fantasy because the position is just too flooded with talent. If Ike is afraid of the ankle being a problem forever we should be to, so he might get rested more often than your typical 1B. - .280 Avg, 27 HR, 85 RBI, 72 Runs, 2 Steals, .890 OPS, 570 AB's
Uncertainty has defined Angel Pagan’s future with the Mets since he botched his audition as Carlos Beltran’s replacement last season. The team is still debating whether to cut ties with its center fielder. If they decide to proceed without him, the Mets could shop Pagan and, if that fails, nontender him. In that scenario, which has been a solid possibility since midsummer, the Mets will likely seek a strong fielder - and an affordable one. His is a name loaded with Disney drama and back-page dishonor, but Rick Ankiel could be the right outfielder for the price. Team insiders - while noting that Pagan might still return, and that they have not contacted Ankiel’s agent or decided to pursue him - have not shot down the notion, and point out that Ankiel, the free agent who earned $1.5 million last season with the Washington Nationals, might be precisely the type of short-term replacement for Pagan that the Mets are seeking https://mail.google.com/mail/?shva=1#inbox/1336e9b37c4d9bef
Desperate times, indeed. The Mets finished just 25 games behind the Phils this year, earning them second-to-last place in the division, just ahead of the woeful Marlins who play in front of roughly 342 people each night (including beer vendors). The friendly confines of the nearly $800 million Citi Field didn’t help matters—the Mets were better on the road than at home, where they posted a woeful 34-47 record. So what’s a cash-strapped, underperforming team to do? Make life easier on their hitters and bring in those fences, boys! It sounds like Extreme Makeover: Ballpark Edition. Cut that 16-foot left field wall in half! Shorten up that power alley! http://blogs.phillymag.com/the_philly_post/2011/11/04/stop-laugh-mets
