Hi Mack,
I'm glad that you continue to write. I have a couple questions for you. I know you have been focusing mainly on the minors, but I am curious about your opinion.
1. I understand that Ike Davis is more valuable in a trade than Lucas Duda, but Ike's first half crushed his stat line and I think he would not be as valuable as he could be to trade this winter. That said, rumors are popping up that Duda will be the first basemen and Davis could get traded this winter. For the first time, the other rumors are Davis is not listening to coaches and he stays out too late. Usually if a player is a problem child, you hear about it, especially with Mets players, as they come up through the minor leagues. This is the first time I have heard that about Davis. What is the real story here behind the scenes? Did he snub Adam Rubin and now Adam is trying to run him out of town? I think Davis is a piece to keep - good defense, turned his offensive season around. I think missing most of last year and whatever virus he had in the spring affected him more than was let on by the him or the organization.
2. Who is running the ship in the minor leagues? It seems like no one can decide what a player's future role will be and stick with it. I get that players like Jenrry Mejia and Jeurys Familia "project" as relievers, but at such young ages, why jerk them around? I'd like to see Familia get a couple starts and if he gets pummeled, he gets pummeled. Robert Carson looks good out of the bullpen, after he failed as a starter. I say let Mejia and Familia fail as starters before converting them rather than shuffle them back and forth. The same goes for the position players. The organization refused to move Wilmer Flores off shortstop forever, and then they shuffled him all over the infield.
Any insight you have would be appreciated.
Thanks!
bt
Okay... off the record (lol) ... and just my opinion...
1. snubbing Adam Rubin would make him the Captain of both the team and the press pool. NO ONE likes Adam Rubin. The team hates him, the players hate him, and the other beat writers hate him. And, IMO, it is earned.
2. Is Adam Rubin a decent reporter? Yes, he is... in fact, he is the best because he's such a pain in the ass. You have to follow him on Twitter (as a fan ) if you want every ounce of Mets info out there every day... he sleeps 3-hrs a day and does this 21-7
3. Personally, IMO, he's an absolute creep... but, that's just me.
4. There is nothing wrong with Ike Davis. He started the season with a fever that robbed him of his strength. (I have a pretty extensive garden... so far this year, I have been stung twice by hornets bitten once by a brown recluse spider... I spent 3 trips to the hospital and was sapped of my strength for weeks). Now, he's on pace to hit 30/100...
5. IMO, Lucas Duda has no trade value whatsoever. This is the best you get... don't read anything into him playing first base right now. It's just showcasing for a possible off-season package deal. Remember, first base IS Duda's natural position.
(the real decision the Mets need to make is what to do with their two potential "future first basemen", Aderlin Rodriguez, and Wilmer Flores. Both of these project as 30/90 MLB hitters but are currently without a position)
6. Paul DePodesa runs the minors, but TC decides who gets called up. Alderson looks over everything, but let's his VPs make their moves. It takes Collins to promote someone like Carson (btw, I am wrong about this guy... he looks like he has the stuff to make it big as a MLB reliever), and then TC can use him however he wants, but he has to be sent back down before DePo gets his hands on him and sends him wherever. Then, the manager of that minor league team choices the role for the player.
BTW... nothing gets done at the minor league level... lineups, demotions, assignments... nothing,,, without the permission of Flushing.
Mack
(boy, glad this shit is off-the-record...)
