The Morning Report 8.24.2015 | The Face of the Franchise Returns!, K-Rod to the Mets?, Conforto Defying the Odds

Matt Snyder | CBS New York- The Mets beat the Rockies Sunday, 5-1, giving them a three-game sweep and pushing their record to 67-56, matching their season high of 11 games over .500. They hold a five-game lead in the NL East and are about to get the (arguable) face of the franchise back. Seven-time All-Star David Wright will return Monday and he's going to start three games before resting Thursday and re-evaluating where things stand. How will his back react to multiple starts in the majors? How long will his adjustment period be to MLB pitching? He's been quite injury prone these past few years, so what if he overcompensates for his back and injures something else?

(Chris Soto: This is the big story of the day. The return of our +5.0 win per year All-Star third baseman. A healthy Wright is a massive upgrade over the bodies the Mets have been throwing out there on a nightly basis. During his rehab assignment Wright batted .321 with a .424 OBP so it looks like the bat is ready to go. How much is he going to contribute? Only time will tell....but I think you will all be quite surprised.)



Brian Devine | Metsmerized Online- [According to] reports, the Mets aren’t finished looking for relief help. Even with the additions of Tyler Clippard and Eric O’Flaherty, their bullpen has been unreliable and inconsistent during the second half. Mets’ relievers own an ERA just above four since the break, and they have allowed 13 runs in their last 17 innings. The Mets have looked into reuniting with the team’s former closer Francisco Rodriguez, but the fact that he is owed money beyond this year is an issue. K-Rod, who is dominating for the Brewers, is under contract next year for $ 5.5 Million. He has an excellent 2.06 ERA and 0.82 WHIP in 43.2 innings serving as Milwaukee’s closer this season.

(Chris Soto: I would be 100% behind reuniting with Francisco Rodriguez for not only 2015 but 2016 as well. You have to remember that Jhenrry Mejia is likely to be non tender after failing another drug test and it is also very likely that Parnell gets non tendered too after struggling to recover fully from Tommy John. In addition, Clippard, O'Flaherty, and Blevins are all free agents after this season so 2016's bullpen is pretty barren right now.)



Anthony DiComo | Mets.com- The Mets have not been able to shake him...[they] were ready to option Conforto to Triple-A Las Vegas days after his debut, when they traded for Cespedes, but Cuddyer's DL stint bought the rookie a bit more time. A few days later, they actually did option Conforto, but a DL trip for Nieuwenhuis ensured that he would never cash in his plane ticket. This weekend the Mets avoided demoting Conforto when  Duda hit the DL. Then Sunday, because  Verrett saved the Mets' bullpen with eight brilliant innings in a 5-1 win over the Rockies, the Mets decided they no longer needed to carry an extra reliever. So rather than ship Conforto out to clear roster space for Wright, they optioned Alvarez to Vegas. "It's crazy," said Conforto, "The way it's been happening, you don't like to see that, you don't like to see guys going on the DL. But the fact that I'm still here, I'm very excited. It's where I want to be."

(Chris Soto: As expected, Conforto is holding his own. He's not hitting everything....but his .258 batting average and .840 OPS is by far better than anything else the Mets have been putting out in LF during the 2015 season. As indicated by the wide split in his average and OPS, when he is making contact....it's very loud. In fact, of his 16 hits so far, 50% of them are of the extra base or HR variety.)

3-7-13 – Venezuela, Jon Niese, Francisco Rodriguez,

The best thing you can say about yesterday’s game vs. Team Venezuela is that the results seem to have determined the first set of cuts, all coming out of the bullpen. There is no positive way to spin that Carlos Torres, Elvin Ramirez, and Hansel Robles combined to allow ten runs in five innings of relief. Torres should be released. I really don’t know what to do with Ramirez. He pitches well in the minors, but has consistently sucked at the major league level. I know this is just spring training but these are all major leaguers you are throwing against and you’re supposed to get them out once in awhile.

Regarding Robles, I would rather release the gum drop that decided to send him to the parent camp this spring. Robles isn’t even ready for Savannah, no less this.

Stupid, stupid decisions. 

Are you sure Jerry still isn’t around?

John Delcos‏ - @jdelcos

Jon Niese said Venezuela made him work. Said his change-up needs work and is the last pitch he masters each spring. http://www.newyorkmetsreport.com

                   Just more bad news.

You might remember reading the ass-kicking Venezuela gave Philadelphia. Well, they did the same thing to the Mets on Wedneday.

The fact is that Team Venezuela is an all-star team of prime ballplayers, while the team that the Phillies and Mets are putting up in spring training simply isn’t. It does seem to expose your team, but one must remember your best stars are participating in the WBC series and teams like the Mets aren’t trying to wins games. At this point, they simply are getting all their players into shape and trying to evaluate who to keep around April 1^st.

Still, drubbings like this just make the camp even more glum.

Francisco Rodriguez

"I would love to return to the Mets said Rodriguez. They've got a great coaching staff over there. To come back and redeem myself would be great, because I've got to be realistic and honest. You would have to be real blind to not see that I fell when I was there. That's not even a question. To be able to get one more shot and get it done would be great."

                  I’ve never been a fan of going back. IMO, K-Rod represents a Mets era I don’t want to revisit. 

3-7-13 – Grayson Stadium,Todd Hundley, Jon Niese, Francisco Rodriguez

It’s not news that it is hard to hit homeruns in Savannah’s Historic Grayson Stadium

However, it turns out that relative to league average, Grayson Stadium with a HR park factor of .480 is the hardest stadium in which to hit a home run. Relative to league scoring, it is the second furthest from league average among actively used parks (behind only Sacramento).

                   An interesting article by Toby. Those of us that live here in the Savannah area have always known how hard it was to hit it out here, but I never realized it was that hard.

                   However, I still remember two homers…

                   The Mets Brahiam Maldonado’s shot to the street behind the old bleachers in left field (opening night, 2007)

                   Jayson Heywood’s line drive shot off the top of the centerfield scoreboard.

From 1953 until September 14, 1996, the single-season home run record for a catcher stood at 40, established by Brooklyn's Roy Campanella.

Todd Hundley broke the mark with a left-handed opposite-field swing on an 0-2 fastball away — not exactly his bread and butter — becoming perhaps the best power-hitting catcher in baseball. It was funny, as he had only lately become the best power-hitting catcher in his own family

          Hundley was a complete failure as a Dodger and never came close to hitting this many home runs again. It always made skeptics wonder…

John Delcos‏ - @jdelcos

Jon Niese said Venezuela made him work. Said his change-up needs work and is the last pitch he masters each spring. http://www.newyorkmetsreport.com

                   Just more bad news.

You might remember reading the ass-kicking Venezuela gave Philadelphia. Well, they did the same thing to the Mets on Wednesday.

The fact is that Team Venezuela is an all-star team of prime ballplayers, while the team that the Phillies and Mets are putting up in spring training simply isn’t. It does seem to expose your team, but one must remember your best stars are participating in the WBC series and teams like the Mets aren’t trying to wins games. At this point, they simply are getting all their players into shape and trying to evaluate who to keep around April 1^st.

Still, drubbings like this just make the camp even more glum.

Francisco Rodriguez

"I would love to return to the Mets said Rodriguez. They've got a great coaching staff over there. To come back and redeem myself would be great, because I've got to be realistic and honest. You would have to be real blind to not see that I fell when I was there. That's not even a question. To be able to get one more shot and get it done would be great."

                  I’ve never been a fan of going back. IMO, K-Rod represents a Mets era I don’t want to revisit. 

Mets: Francisco Rodriguez, Jack Leathersich, John Holdzkom, Mike Pelfrey

Milwaukee Brewers reliever Francisco Rodriguez, believing his former agents deceived him, might file a grievance or lawsuit against them this week, his attorney told USA TODAY. Attorney Richard Johnson said Rodriguez was pondering a malpractice or fraud suit after a 10-hour mediation hearing last week with his former agents, Paul Kinzer and Arn Tellem of the Wasserman Media Group, did not produce a settlement. He could file a grievance with the MLB Players Association. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/nl/brewers/story/2012-02-19/francisco-rodriguz-lawsuit-agents/53159032/1

2-10-12 - http://seedlingstostars.com/2012/02/10/s2s-2012-team-prospect-lists-new-york-mets/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter   - Relief Pitcher #2: Jack Leathersich. A fifth-round selection in 2011, Leathersich struck out 26 of the 47 batters he faced in the NYPL. That’s 55.3%, folks. Short-season relievers generally aren’t a good bet, but this small lefty has a classic low-90′s fastball/power slider combination that should make him a quick riser to a setup role in an NL bullpen. Grade: C+

4th Round (124th overall): John Holdzkom, RHP – Salt Lake CC - This was the first head-scratcher of the draft. Holdzkom was looked at as a big guy with big time stuff, but he had no command and was considered a head case—he was academically ineligible in high school and dropped out of community college because he got into an argument with his coach. It was an overdraft to say the least. As expected, Holdzkom showed the big stuff, but hadn’t a clue how to throw a strike. Eventually his poor mechanics and need to throw the ball through a break wall caught up to him and he needed Tommy John surgery in 2009. He came back briefly in 2010, but was released by the Mets in 2011. http://metsmerizedonline.com/2012/02/grading-the-omar-regime-the-2006-draft.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=grading-the-omar-regime-the-2006-draft

With Johan Santana recovering from shoulder surgery at this time last year, Terry Collins named Mike Pelfrey his No. 1 starter weeks before he had to -- and regretted the decision as Pelfrey took a big step backward with a 7-13 record and 4.74 ERA. Pelfrey was the ninth overall pick in the 2005 draft, but to this point, has failed to live up to that potential. If Santana is healthy this season, Pelfrey is likely to be slotted third or fourth in the rotation, and the Mets hope he'll be more comfortable -- and more effective -- in the middle. http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/three-mets-with-something-to-prove-1.3541005

Will Sandy give us something to talk about in Dallas? - Frank Gray

The Winter Meetings are upon us and that finally gives writers, and fans alike, the chance to talk about off season moves for the New York Mets. The Mets have done some of their best work there. They managed to sign Francisco Rodriguez in 2008, trade for J.J. Putz and Sean Green in 2009 and acquired Paul Lo Duca in 2005.

They are currently looking for a closer and some bullpen help. All have to come cheaper than the contracts they passed up for Joe Nathan (two years at $14.5 million or roughly $7.25 million a year) and Chris Capuano (roughly $5 million a year for two seasons).

They are looking at players like Octavio Dotel and Luis Ayala. These are good options, but they will certainly get into a bidding war for Ayala. It is already reported that six teams (including the Mets) are interested in his services. Those teams being Boston, the Yankees, the Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Angels and the Mets.

Who knows how many teams will get in on the bidding for Dotel? Other free agents still available, but expected to go quickly are Jon Rauch, Frank Francisco, Francisco Cordero and Brad Lidge, among others. A complete list of remaining free agents can be seen here.

The trouble with most of these pitchers is that the market has shown a high price range for closers and experienced relievers. Take the Philles signing of Jonathan Papelbon and the Marlins inking of Heath Bell as examples. Bell was signed for three years at $27 million with an option for a fourth year. Each year, including the option year is worth $9 million. The Phillies landed Papelbon for four years at $50 million or nearly $13 million a season.

Are the Mets ready to invest $9-13 million on a closer for three or four years? Not in the Sandy Alderson era they're not. I can't say I blame them either. While Francisco Rodriguez (also a free agent) was productive in his time in Queens, the argument can be made that he was hardly worth the financial handcuff that he placed on their payroll. His automatic option made him nearly impossible to trade. Is that a road the Mets want to go down again?

In the end, Milwaukee took him and gave the Mets a pretty good reliever out of the deal in Danny Herrera, well pretty good when he first came to the Mets anyway. The Brewers eventually worked out a restructure of K-Rod's contract that freed them of having to pick up the option, thus making him a free agent now. In an completely unrelated question, why couldn't the Mets have done that?

But I digress. The Mets are admittedly in a cash-strapped position and are not going to bid enormous amounts of money on free agents for the bullpen, regardless of their track record. GM Sandy Alderson has the right idea in that the Mets starting staff wasn't too bad, but the bullpen did a terrible job at holding leads the starters gave them.

It's the bullpen that needs the most help. Alderson wrapped up Tim Byrdak before the season was over and is apparently planning on focusing on this area during the meetings in Dallas. The question is whether or not they can find a solid contributor for an inexpensive price in this market.

The truth is, they will have to reach a little for a player that any other time they may get for a bargain. This off season, however, the players are in control of what they make. The market average has been set already. We can thank the Marlins and Phillies for that atrocity.

The Mets will be in the hunt, but they will be careful to not spend too much more than they can afford on one player. If they come out of these meetings with at least one reliever to add to their bullpen, not necessarily a closer though, it could still be a good thing for the team. The front office will at least look like they are trying and the team's biggest weakness will be made a little stronger.

There will still be time for them to obtain a closer after most other ones are signed up and the remaining players become desperate for a team to report to in the spring. That may be what Alderson is counting on.

For now, with the meetings upon us, at least we have something to finally talk about with these Mets. Instead of writing about how they are idle and waiting, standing by like some operator at a call center for an infomercial. At this point, any solid move is a plus.

Taking a Lap Around The Pen

The 2012 Mets are a bit of an enigma right now. Are they rebuilding? Are they trying to compete? Are they just treading water? One area I'm not terribly concerned with is the bullpen. Sure we don't have a closer and the most steady arm is over 37 years old... I think they'll be fine.

Current Depth Chart:

1. Bobby Parnell (R)
2. Manny Acosta (R)
3. Tim Byrdak (L)
4. Taylor Buchholz (R) [Non-Tender Possibility]
5. Pedro Beato (R)
6. D.J. Carrasco (R)
7. Daniel Herrera (L)
8. Josh Stinson (R)
9. Pat Misch (L)

What are we missing? Assuming that Byrdak and Herrera are both fine for 2012... a closer. The 8th inning can fall to a mix of Parnell, Acosta and Byrdak (Pressure lefties) and the Mets wouldn't be bad off. Carrasco can continue to be wonderfully mediocre and if he can't... Misch can be the long reliever (Or Gee, Schwinden, or Cohoon) and step in. That still leaves the Mets 1 closer shy of a bullpen.

And The Candidates Are:

1. Heath Bell (34) - We all remember the promise of Heath Bell when he WAS a Met. He wasn't yet a star. Seems all he needed was a little West Coast mellow to take his game to the next level. As a Padre he's been ELITE. There are two things working against Bell's contract: 1) He's 34 and 2) He's been protected by Petco. Even with all of that he's likely to be looking for $14 Million per year or more... and 3+ years. I can't see that happening.
   
2. Francisco Rodriguez (30) - Let's all groan at the idea of bringing Frankie back. Now let's grow up and realize that he wasn't BAD when not abusing the elderly and being injured. So... We re-hash a little K-Rod in the bullpen. Now... I don't think he's going to sniff $12 Million but I do think he'll be trying for 3+ years. I think a realistic offer would be 3 years and $28 Million (TOTAL). Would he even WANT to come back to Queens? I don't know.
   
3. Francisco Cordero (37) - Cordero has been pretty sweet for the Reds. At 37 and with a pretty good bullpen, I think the Reds are likely to allow him to walk. (Maybe not?) If Cordero is looking for a contract at 37 he'll be hard pressed to get over 2 years. I think 2 years at $10 Million per year is not a bad deal for a closer who has been as remarkably steady as Cordero has. Now that I've said that we'll watch him implode.
4. Ryan Madson (31) - At 31 he's still among the younger closers and I happen to think in terms of skill he's probably among the most talented. Prior to Phillies poorly budgeted signing of Jonathan Papelbon, I just have to worry over the projected price of what Madson would be. I also have this lingering doubt that Madson is a setup man and NOT a closer. His 2011 success aside, I have watched Ryan be thrust into the closer role a few times and fail. Phillies were talking 4 years and $44 Million. I don't think he'll get that but I think 3 years and $27 Million should be easy.
   
5. Frank Francisco (32) - Francisco is never the guy you WANT to have as your closer. Teams always seem to look at Frank as the ideal 8th inning guy, who gets THRUST into closing situations and can handle himself. I look at his numbers and I see him as the poor man's Francisco Cordero. He's got pretty good stats (Not great) but gets the job done. He'll likely be shooting for 3 years and $20 Million which isn't too bad for a pitcher like this.
   
6. Matt Capps (28) - Capps is one of the interesting names on this list. For one thing... he's only 28 and has 4 years before I typically worry about arms declining. For another he's been a successful closer. His 2011 will likely keep his overall value pretty reasonable but I do think he'll earn over $6 Million a year and seek a contract 2-3 years in length. Given his age, durability and success... he'll likely get it. I wouldn't be surprised if the Mets had him on the radar.
   
7. Joe Nathan (37) -Now... I think this WILL be Alderson's #1 target... BUT I also think there will need to be a safety net. He's 37 and coming off a BAD season (after being hurt for a long time). It kinda reminds me of the J.J. Putz situation but hopefully we'd get the second year back numbers. At 37 and coming off a bad year he's only going to want/get a 1 year deal and even inflating the price to match his former stuff... $8 Million? I can live with that.
   
8. Jonathan Broxton (28) - Allow me to introduce the safety net that EVERYONE wants. Broxton needs a change of scenery and that's fine. I'd LOVE to get he and another risky closer a shot in Queens... I really would. I simply think that because he's 28 and has a REAL upside, if he can regain his footing. He will want a 1 year deal with a player option. He will get over $6 Million from some team. I don't think the Mets would be willing to pay that for an insurance policy.
   
9. Jon Rauch (33) - Now... the safety net I think the Mets COULD afford. You can give a guy like Jon Rauch multiple years because at best... he's a closer and at worst... he's a setup guy. ALSO... if Chris Young and Jon Rauch are on the same team we'd have the tallest pitching staff in the majors. 2 years and $10-12 Million. Whether he's our closer or our setup guy/insurance policy I think I'm willing to do that.

Then The Phillies Ruin EVERYTHING:

Jonathan Papelbon (31) - Signs a 4 year $50 Million deal that throws all of my numerology out of whack. Sure... it adds Ryan Madson into the mix but it also pumps up closer values a good bit. Bell (Who would still be a better signing then Papelbon should get more annual money than Jonathan (at 34 I don't know about years). The deal is bad for the Phillies and I'm happy they made it on one hand but on the other... it adds $1-4 Million to each one of my projected yearly salaries.

Cutnpaste: - Zack Wheeler, Francisco Rodriguez, R.A. Dickey, Angel Pagan, Jordany Valdespin

 10-25-11: - http://www.minorleaguerundown.com/2011/10/25/2011-top-20-new-york-mets-prospects - 2011 Top 20 New York Mets Prospects - 2.Zack Wheeler, RHP (High Class A): Even though, statistically speaking (3.75 FIP), there may have been stronger pitchers out there, Wheeler has fantastic upside. His hard low-to-mid 90s tailing fastball gets on hitters quick, a pitch that sets up a quality hard breaking curve. As long as he brings down his 4.81 bb/9 IP in 2012, Wheeler should be well on his way to carving up AA hitting with an already strong 10+/9 IP strikeout rate. Only 21, his 1.68 FIP in 6 post-Beltran-trade starts show how good he can be when he keeps the walk totals low.

http://www.metro.us/newyork/sports/article/1019347--mlb-free-agency-fire-up-the-hot-stove - Francisco Rodriguez: 6-2, 2.64 ERA, 1.298 WHIP, 23 SV  Rodriguez spent the final few months as a successful setup man in Milwaukee, posting a 1.86 ERA and striking out 10.2 batters per nine innings. Even though he mostly kept quiet about it, he wants to close games again. A pitcher who will be 30 on Opening Day that has already racked up 291 saves is attractive to some teams. One could be the Marlins, who might not tender inconsistent Leo Nunez, otherwise known as Juan Carlos Oviedo.

Dickey's transition to becoming a knuckleballer came after years of trying to do something that simply was not working. He challenged the status quo, and by the end of the 2005 season, became one of the few knuckleball pitchers in baseball. In 2010, he made his way to the New York Mets after bouncing around the league and immediately became a fan favorite. Known, in part, for his fascinating, honest, and introspective post-game interviews, all in a deep, Tennessee drawl, Robert Allen Dickey has since become a voice to a franchise marked by inconsistency, injury, underperformance, and failure. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/9108331/ra_dickey_one_of_the_games_best_pg2.html?cat=14

The word is the Mets will tender Pagan so this might all be a moot point. I would still rather them take the gamble with Grady Sizemore, or if nothing else, see what somebody else can do. The Mets aren’t loaded with outfield options, but if Pagan produces as he did last year, he’s not offering much. For a team wanting to get better defensively and fundamentally, Pagan doesn’t bring much to the table. Defensively, he doesn’t judge balls well and has a below average arm. In 2010 it appeared he was ready to take over centerfield, but I don’t see that anymore. For all his speed, his .322 on-base percentage is poor and his strikeouts-walks ratio is roughly 2-to-1. Let him go and move on. http://metsmerizedonline.com/2011/11/2011-player-review-angel-pagan.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MetsMerizedOnline-GetMetsmerized-NewYorkMets+%28Mets+Merized+Online%29

11-9-11: - http://www.metsminorleagueblog.com/season-review-upper-level-shortstop  - Jordany Valdespin played 78 games at shortstop for AA Binghamton. Did you realize that prior to 2011, he had played 47 games at short stop in his entire minor league career? Really. Coming into this year, scouts did not think he could handle shortstop everyday, questioning both his hands and arm. They weren’t wrong. Valdespin tied for second in the Eastern League shortstops with 26 errors. That’s an error every three games. Errors aren’t perfect, but they do illustrate a point here. At age 24 by Opening Day 2012, he’ll be two years older than Ruben.  Of course, Valdespin can hit: his .297/.341/.483 with 15 homers and 33 stolen bases was eye-opening. I certainly don’t regard him as a competitor to Tejada at short if Reyes isn’t resigned. Rather, he’s a second baseman, who like Justin Turner can slide over to short stop in a pinch.

Cutnpaste: - Francisco Rodriguez, Blake Forsythe, John Olerud, Cam Maron, Timo Perez

 Francisco Rodriguez, Milwaukee Brewers -- After watching Jason Isringhausen show his age and Bobby Parnell show his unpreparedness for prime time, it's perfectly OK to admit that you miss K-Rod a little -- and not just because the Mets are paying $5.9 million for the privilege of seeing their former closer pitch for another team. Yes, Minaya overpaid him and yes that 2012 vesting option hung over Metsopotamia like a guillotine's blade. Let none of that blind you to the fact that he was one of the more effective Mets relievers in recent years. Maybe not $17.5 million good, but good enough. Then again, Brewers outfielder Carlos Gomez was one of the linchpins that brought Johan Santana to Flushing. So it's a toss up, but there's no losers here. - http://www.amazinavenue.com/2011/9/30/2459916/a-mets-fans-guide-to-recognizing-your-saints-in-the-2011-mlb-playoffs

10-3-11: - http://www.metsminorleagueblog.com/season-review-the-full-season-catchers  -  Coming into the year, Baseball America ranked Blake Forsythe as the 29th best prospect in the Mets system, the only catcher to make their Mets top 30. Forsythe earned the ranking because he flashed some power, and a strong throwing arm. Then he hit just .220/.295/.353 in 50 games in the first half of the SAL season. He was much better in the second half (and turned 22), both at the plate and in the field. At the plate, he drew nearly twice as many walks in the second half (36) as he did in the first half (20) while doubling his homer output from three to six while hitting .249/.368/.431. That’s the good news. The bad news? He still struck out 68 times in 55 games. For the year, he fanned in 28% of his at-bats. Behind the plate, Forsythe, to my eyes, became a better receiver, and more adept at blocking balls, especially those to his right. He threw out just 29% of opposing runners (20-for-68) this year, suggesting a need to improve his footwork and release.

John Olerud (1999): This one hurts. Ole revitalized his career in New York after then-GM Joe McIlvaine stole him from Toronto for Robert Person. Ole hit .354 for the Mets in 1998 and was the first baseman for “the greatest infield ever” in 1999. He departed after that season for his hometown of Seattle where his offensive revitalization continued. He also logged time with Boston and the Yankees before retiring with a .398 career OBP. To replace him, the Mets signed Todd Ziele, who did an acceptable job at first for a few years before departing via trade to Milwaukee after the 2002 season. The Mets could have used Olerud’s bat in the Subway Series and in their failed defense of the NL title in 2001. - http://www.metstoday.com/7084/11-12-offseason/adios-jose-five-free-agents-who-left-the-mets

10-5-11: - www.newsday.com  - When Cam Maron got his call-up to Citi Field last month, it wasn't to be a fill-in behind the plate for Josh Thole. That day may come eventually, but for now, Maron was happy to settle for the next best thing: the honor of receiving a Sterling Award as the Mets' top player at the Rookie League affiliate in Kingsport, Tenn. Maron, a Hicksville High graduate and Newsday first-team All-Long Island catcher, was among 10 organizational MVPs honored on Sept. 14, a group that also included 2010 first-round pick Matt Harvey. But only Maron is a truly homegrown prospect, one that spent his childhood going to games at Shea Stadium and idolizing Mike Piazza, so that took the experience to another level.  "There were a lot of emotions running at a function like that, an awards ceremony of that magnitude," Maron said by phone from Fort Myers, Fla., where he is playing in the instructional league. "I think growing up watching the Mets really kind of added more to it. "I didn't come to Citi Field as a kid obviously -- it was to Shea. But coming to Queens and being in that area again, it was kind of like, now I'm there. I'm starting to get there. I'm not that fan anymore, that kid. It was just an honor to be named in that class, among those guys."

Detroit Tigers farmhand Timo Perez, who helped the Mets reach the World Series back in 2000, was among four minor league players who were suspended by the commissioner's office Tuesday for violating the league's drug policies. Perez got a 50-game suspension for testing positive for Ritalinic Acid and Methylphenidate. Both drugs are used to treat attention deficit disorder. Perez has more than 600 big league games under his belt but has been in the minors since 2007; the 36-year-old hit .304/.344/.410 at Triple-A Toledo this season. - http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/prospects/2011/10/timo-perez-among-four-minor-leaguers-suspended

Cutnpaste: Josh Satin, Aderlin Rodriguez, Francisco Rodriguez, Mike Cameron, Stefan Welsh

9-15-11: - http://centralny.ynn.com/content/sports/557217/satin-named-mets-top-minor-leaguer   - Life just keeps getting better for Joshua Satin, who picked up his first major league hit in his first at-bat with the Mets Labor Day weekend and who has also picked up a pretty major minor-league honor. Satin has been named the New York Mets minor-leaguer of the year after hitting .323 with 12 homers and 76 RBI's while splitting time with Binghamton and AAA Buffalo this season. Satin was named an Eastern League all-star this summer, the third straight year he has earned a minor league all-star honor. The 26-year-old in his fourth season with the organization became the first B-Met ever to hit for the cycle and strung together a 15-game hit streak with the Bisons

9-15-11: - http://scoutingthesally.com/new-york-mets-third-base-prospect-aderlin-rodriguez-ranking-2011  - The scouting report for (Aderlin) Rodriguez after his 2011 season remains similar from a power standpoint. He’s still young, has plenty of power potential, but the holes in his offensive game were really exposed in full season baseball. His future at 3B is also now even more in doubt than at this time last year even though he appears to be in better physical shape. I am not a big fan of players comps, but at this point in his career, it is hard not to compare him to former San Francisco Giants prospect Angel Villalona, although he was admittedly younger as a player in the “Sally”. They share similar body types, similar prospect profiles and even similar statistics in the Sally League. Rodriguez has the potential to be the best power bat in the Mets system, but 2011 has made it more difficult to visualize.

9-15-11: - http://www.metstoday.com/7026/uncategorized/k-rod-shows-true-colors  - On Tuesday, reliever Francisco Rodriguez told a national baseball columnist that he wasn’t happy with the lack of save opportunities he’s had since the Milwaukee Brewers traded for him in July. When asked about his comments a day later, Rodriguez didn’t back off. “I wasn’t lying,” he said before the Brewers’ 6-2 loss to the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday. “There’s been plenty of save opportunities, and I’ve pitched once in the ninth inning and it wasn’t a save. “I’m not happy. That’s the bottom line for me. They told me one thing; they haven’t done it. And I stand by what I said. “I’m not lying. I’m not creating something out of nowhere. I’m just saying the facts, and that’s pretty much it.”

9-15-11: - The Marlins cut outfielder Mike Cameron late Monday night for conduct detrimental to the team. Two sources on Wednesday gave the reason: Cameron got into a verbal altercation with a flight attendant on the team's charter flight from Pittsburgh to Atlanta on Sunday. The altercation did not turn physical, but the charter company filed a complaint. The Marlins' front office believed it could not keep Cameron after the incident. He wasn't in the team's longterm plans, anyway, and his release gives the Marlins a chance to give Bryan Peterson (.280) more at-bats over the final two weeks of the season. Cameron was hitting .238. - Read more: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/sports-buzz/2011/09/umncaa-investigation-update-plus-dolphins-heat-marlins.html#ixzz1Y3A33jtK  

9-15-11: - http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/majors/international-affairs/2011/2612324.html   - Australia's roster includes fewer affiliated minor leaguers. The group includes ex-big leaguers Justin Huber and Chris Oxspring; first baseman Stefan Welch (Mets), coming off a .271/.361/.438 season with 16 home runs in the high Class A Florida State League; World Baseball Classic veteran James Beresford (Twins) at shortstop; outfielder Tim Kennelly (Phillies) and his brother Matt (Braves), a catcher; and righthander Hayden Beard (Padres).

Cutnpaste: Francisco Rodriguez, Reese Havens, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Mets DL Payroll, Dale Thayer

Francisco Rodriguez - $17.5 million option vests with 55 games finished. - Ron Roenicke said that he was going to give K-Rod some closing opportunities when the deal with the Mets went down. He has finished one game since the trade. I guess Doug Melvin and Brewers ownership let him know how things were going to go. There was no way in God’s green Earth that the Brewers were going to take a chance like that and pay a “closer” $17.5 million when they have Prince Fielder on the way out the door this winter. Rodriguez has finished 35 games this season and won’t come much closer to that vesting option. - http://thebaseballhaven.wordpress.com/2011/09/08/2012-mlb-vesting-options  

9-3-11: - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/833229-new-york-mets-ranking-their-current-best-prospect-at-every-position/page/7#/articles/833229-new-york-mets-ranking-their-current-best-prospect-at-every-position/page/2  - In 2008, the Mets had two first-round picks. The first went to current Mets star Ike Davis. The other went to Mets top prospect Reese Havens. The Mets have been very thin at second base for as long as this decade can show, and their long-term solution is absolutely found in Reese Havens. The South Carolina stud would have ideally been called up to the show by now, but injuries have created setbacks for him as many have praised his well-rounded approach at the plate.

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9-3-11: - http://metsmerizedonline.com/2011/09/prospect-pulse-buffalo-2012-help-on-the-way.html  - Kirk Nieuwenhuis - Captain Kirk returns from labrum surgery on his left shoulder, hopefully doesn’t miss a beat, and picks up right where he left off before his injury last May. The hope is that since the injury was to his non-throwing shoulder that his return will be sooner rather than later. At the time he went down he was the best player on the Buffalo squad, hitting .298, with a .908 OPS. His task at the time was to cut down on his strikeouts, and as soon as he makes progress in that regard he will be ready for prime time.

From the start of the 2009 season through the end of August this year, the Mets paid a staggering $107.2 million to players on the disabled list—based on Wall Street Journal analysis of the time they missed and their daily pay rate. Not only is that the highest figure in all of baseball over that span, it is nearly $47 million more than the next closest team, and more than double what 24 other teams paid their injured players. - wsj.  

With Jason Isringhausen dealing with a herniated disc in his lower back, the Mets will add Dale Thayer to the roster. Thayer made four appearances with the Mets in late May/early June, allowing two runs on five hits in four innings. He was 4-3 with a 2.66 ERA and 21 saves in 54 relief appearances for Triple-A Buffalo - http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/mets/post/_/id/34230/thayer-joining-mets  

My Glass Is Still Half Full

This season has been a SUCCESS. The Mets could finish in last place and the season would STILL be a success. We entered this season with few hopes of competing but with a few KEY things on the agenda.

1. Trade Francisco Rodriguez before his option vested
2. Trade Carlos Beltran for as much as possible
3. Make a decision on Jose Reyes
4. Develop the Farm

1) Trade K-Rod: You know... we didn't get anything back but that was okay. Sure he's still a quality RP and would have helped us stay in the Wild Card race to some extent, but at the same time his vesting option would have vested and the Mets would end up being STRAPPED for cash in 2012 because of a closer and the wasted shell of a Canadian OF.

2) Get Something For Beltran: I spoke to some bloggers before the season when Beltran showed up to Spring healthy and was pleading for the Mets to trade him. I was told that the Mets would have to PAY part of his contract to trade him and they'd only get a middling prospect back. Flash ahead and Carlos netted us one of the jewels of the minors AND... proved that he still is plenty brittle. Imagine if we held onto him for a playoff run. He'd be hurt and the team would be in the same place WITHOUT Zack Wheeler in the farm.

3) Keep Reyes... IF Possible: The Met fans have made their voices heard and the team will make a concerted effort to retain Jose Reyes beyond 2011. They will offer him a contract of 5 Years and hope that the injuries this and in previous seasons will scare off other bidders. If someone offers 7 and more money than logic permits... the Mets will get draft picks. It will stink... but what can you do?

4) Farming: Matt Harvey, Jeurys Familia, Jenrry Mejia, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Juan Lagares, Zack Wheeler, Darrin Gorski, Reese Havens, Jordany Valdespin, Matt Den Dekker, Chris Schwinden, Josh Satin, Zach Lutz, Gregg Peavey, Cory Vaughn, Caesar Puello, Fernando Martinez, Aderlin Rodriguez, Jefry Marte, Albert Cordero... and the most expensive draft in Met history.

Do not tell me that the season has been a failure. You just had the wrong impression of what the Mets needed to be a success. Sandy Alderson has done a FINE job.

Matt den Dekker, Carlos Beltran, Francisco Rodriguez, Bobby Parnell, Robert Carson

Matt den Dekker:


7-5-11: - http://www.metsminorleagueblog.com/aa-weekend-harvey-valdespin-keeps-on-hitting  - Slow start to Matt den Dekker‘s AA career: .179/.258/.232 in 14 games. Forget the batting average, I’m worried about the four walks and 16 strikeouts. The good news, I suppose? It’s only two weeks and he has two more months at AA this year to figure it out.


Carlos Beltran:


It's only a matter of time before teams start putting together trade proposals for Beltran, who has hit in 10 straight games, batting .349 over that span. Beltran's trade value is rising like his 13th home run, a moon shot. There's also renewed interest in closer Francisco Rodriguez. Teams have needs. The Mets have solid parts to trade. Through it all the Mets are having fun. What The Claw really shows is that the Mets are pulling for one another. They do what they have to do to survive. Reyes has been out three games with a hamstring injury. The Mets (44-42) have won all three games. http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/mets/amazin_hold_dodgers_at_bay_E3oPvaMlJCIEZReHJdGaLP#ixzz1RKLP6xbr  


Francisco Rodriguez:


No one really expected the Mets to try to deliberately prevent Rodriguez from earning this option. But no one expected manager Terry Collins to use K-Rod as liberally as he has, either. Of Rodriguez's 32 games finished, 11 have come in non-save situations. He entered Tuesday having pitched in 16 non-save situations, which was tied for the fifth-most among pitchers with at least 15 saves. "I've been a little surprised in some instances myself," general manager Sandy Alderson said, referring to how Collins has used K-Rod. "But that's his job. Am I aware of it? Yes. Do I spend my time counseling Terry on the proper care and feeding of K-Rod? No." - http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304803104576428210310581404.html?mod=googlenews_wsj  


Bobby Parnell:


It is never too early to start speculating on trade deadline activities. With current Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez apparently available for trade, Parnell is the likely replacement. The good news: Parnell’s strikeout rate has increased each season in the Majors, as has his average fastball velocity. His GB% remains above average and his skill set has yielded xFIPs below 3.00 last season and this year so far. The meh news: His control is just so-so and his SwStk%, although good at 9.9%, does not match up with a K/9 above 10.0. As a result, I expect the strikeout rate to drop back a bit. That said, he does appear good enough to be a solid closer if given the opportunity. Even if that chance does not arise, good middle relievers actually have value in deep leagues, so there is little downside here - http://www.fangraphs.com/fantasy/index.php/bobby-parnell-franklin-gutierrez-deep-league-ww  


Robert Carson:


7-6-11: - http://www.metsminorleagueblog.com/mid-season-top-41-review-part-three-26-30  - Fewer hard-hit balls are becoming hits, and his strikeout rate in AA has climbed back to his St. Lucie level. He’s been better in AA in 2011 than 2011. However, but I’m not sure that this degree of better will be enough to remain a starter, or at least one with much value in the big leagues.

Cory Vaughn, Jefry Marte, Alberto Baldonado, John Maine, Francisco Rodriguez

Cory Vaughn:


6-24-11: - Vaughn played his first game for St. Lucie last night, coming off a two week slump that drove his BA down to .286. That’s no problem with Vaughn going out and getting three hits which included a two-run homer off of Robbie Rasmussen. Cory’s going to fall in love the offensive power of this team and watch for him to take off during the rest of the season.



Jefry Marte:


6-23-11: - http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/futures-game/2011/2611986.html  - Major League Baseball and Baseball America are proud to announce the rosters for the 2011 All-Star Futures Game, which will be held July 10 in Phoneix. The game features a United States-World matchup, with two 25-man rosters made up of 10 pitchers, two catchers, four corner infielders, four middle infielders and five outfielders. - Jefry Marte, 3b Mets High Class A
 St. Lucie (Florida State) Dominican Republic - After taking two years to get through low Class A, Marte has shown the offensive potential that got him signed in 2007. He's also starting to tap into his raw power



Alberto Baldonado:


6-22-11: - You might want to jot down this name. Baldonado debuted with the GCL Mets today, going 5.0-IP, with 1-ER, and 6-K. The 18-year old debuted last year with the DSL Mets, going 3-1, 1.41, 50-K, in 44.2-IP. He’s a 6-3 lefty and was born in 1993. Write it down.



John Maine:


John Maine is mulling retirement after his latest poor start Monday for Triple-A Colorado Springs.Maine allowed 10 hits and eight runs in 4 1/3 innings Monday and now has posted a 7.43 ERA with a 35/37 K/BB ratio over 46 innings. He also dealt with some shoulder soreness last month and has yet to pitch more than 4 1/3 innings since early May. For now, he's taking a leave of absence while weighing his options. Even if he does decide to keep rolling, it's clear he's a long way from contributing in the majors. http://www.insidetherockies.com/  

Francisco Rodriguez


Francisco Rodriguez told the Daily News he would not rule out going to the Yankees in a set-up role for Mariano Rivera. "If I am going to be traded, obviously I want the opportunity to close out games," K-Rod told the Daily News' Kristie Ackert. "But if it's going to be good teams like the Yankees or the Rays, and it's going to be for two months, I can go out there and help them out." K-Rod did add: "I mean, I would definitely love to stay here." He indicated he was not aware of which teams were listed on his 10-team no-trade clause. – http://www.espn.com/