1/14/15

The Morning Report – 1-14 – Donations, Full Belly Clams, Dan Duquette, Off-season Inactivity, Rafael Montero



I should mention what Reese McNight said in one of his comments early this week. We change nothing to participate and we use to have two major drives for donations, They turned into ‘send us $24.95’ and you get a box, in return, of either freshly baked shortbread (actual product), or chocolate brownies (actual product). These are good things to write about to close out the Saturday and Sunday posting schedule so be ready for the pizzazz ad on those days. You’ll like them and what a perfect time to have something to munch on while Uncle Sam is busting your chops.

By the way, Mrs, Mack and I are going to have to spend every third week in Port Orange, Florida, taking care of her mother while she’s being placed on dialysis so, if any of you live down that way or are pasing through and want to share the best plate of New England full belly clams (flown in every day from Maine for lunch), give me a call at 843 683 0376 and we’ll see if we can hook up.


“The owner has a right to put all of the resources into the current team,” Duquette told me in an interview several years ago. “Charles Bronfman got all of the executives together and said he wanted to make it clear that we were going to do everything we could to win now. Johnson was traded for Langston, a solid third-starter type, because Langston would help us more (in 1989). The future wasn’t part of the consideration of the trade, because the only future the owner had with the team was that season.” – Dan Duquette[i]


                          Mack – I often wondered what the Mets fan would do in the off-season if their ownership went ‘all-in’ and attempted to build a winner for 2015 with absolutely no regard for 2016 or past that. Let’s face it, Troy Tulowitzki would be your shortstop, but two of your top four pitchers wouldn’t be on the squad anymore. And what if the Mets went further and Sandy Alderson became Billy Beane? You could just stay with the same team doctors and walk out with Carlos Gonzalez while leaving behind your young centerfielder and a couple of more top prospects. Would the fans be thrilled? How about the readers here?


Beisbol.org[ii] seems to spend an awful lot of time writing about the Mets (a fan?). This time, it’s about the off-season’s inactivity –


              The National League East is in a weird situation at the moment. The Atlanta Braves are looking to rebuild and should be in contention for the number one draft pick in the 2016 MLB Draft. The Phillies rebuilding process is ongoing, if you believe it has started at all. They will likely be doormats in 2015 for the remainder of the National League East. Depending upon Jose Fernandez’s return, the Miami Marlins are likely to be stronger in 2015. It is really up in the air with regards to what the Washington Nationals will do in 2015. There have been trade rumors surrounding Jordan Zimmermann and Doug Fister, two key parts of their rotation. Tyler Clippard, Ian Desmond, and Denard Span will also be free agents after the 2015 season, so they could possibly be on the trade market depending upon how extensions go down, how the team fares in the first-half, and what General Manager Mike Rizzo wants to do. With two teams with no shot of contention in the Braves and Phillies in the division and a team possibly on the decline due to trades and contracts in the Nationals, 2015 seems like a bright year for a team like the Marlins or Mets to emerge and possibly claim a playoff spot, if not the NL East division crown.


  Mack – It’s worth reading, though it is another anti-Wilmer Flores story. I wished the author stressed a little more what a difference it would have made if maybe one more off-season move was made this off-season by the Mets.


The late Sunday night reports that Sandy Alderson was busy this past weekend trying to be part of a three teal deal (Rays, Nats) that would trade SS Ian Desmond to the Mets. I didn’t think the Mets we’re still putting worms on the hooks, simply because everyone keeps asking for one of the top four starters in the chain (Harvey, Wheeler, de’Grom, Syndergaard). Like I’ve said before… I sure hope this Syndergaard guy proves out to be a great Met some day. Do you know how long the list is of decent players that have crossed Alderson’s desk for this guy?


                        I will say this in Alderson’s defense. Desmond has one year left on his existing contract. I would NEVER trade one of my projected top prospects for someone I’m going to lose the following October.


Kenny Rosenwall’s parting flow yesterday on the MLB Hot Store show is that the Mets WILL be trading P Dillon Gee. Didn’t say how, or didn’t say when, but he was pretty damn confident that this would take place before I’m writing this. We’ll wait it out.

12 comments:

Tom Brennan said...

Dillon Gee is surplus and some surplus needs to be moved out of the warehouse.

Mets will do heavy lifting in '15.

They will have two patsies to kick around in Phils and Braves - how sweet it is.

Article in NY Post on Mets working out left you feeling good about David Wright and others.

Where is Orchard Beach near, Mack? MapQuest is not helping.

All these writers have to stop picking on my starting, opening day SS Wilmer Alejandro Garcia Flores.

bgreg98180 said...

Why would Desmond HAVE TO be gone next season if the Mets traded for him?
Just sign him if he was traded for.
Believe it or not, it has been done in baseball before.

Zozo said...

I have no problem with Wilmer as our shortstop this year, but would prefer him to be our 2nd baseman.
So can we finally trade him and get something for him, instead of losing him like we did With Jose Jose Jose and get nothing? Trade Murphy and Granderson to Baltimore for whatever you can get (send some money as well in the trade) and go get us Elvis Andrus.

Tom Brennan said...

Hey Bob, think more like a Met fan, will ya? When we get porridge and the other kids get steak and eggs, learn to like it.

I may be a contrarian, but Desmond's D is, as I understand it, so-so. Like Wilmer.

He has Flores beat hands-down in speed, but a lot of guys start to slow at his age.

Last year, he was .255/.313/.430. I really believe Flores will do as well or possibly better. Maybe in 2016, he's better offensively than Desmond.

Given that, I'd keep our prospects and Wilmer. Come Memorial Day, I may be kicking myself for saying that, but for now, the rose-colored glasses are on.

Ernest Dove said...

Hey Thomas there's an orchid beach, located next to vero beach....thats like a 2hour drive for me...........maybe thats it.

TP said...

Thomas,
Desmond's D is very strong according to Fangraphs and the eye test. He has overcome early career jitters, but he is very athletic and has a good range and a good arm. His offense, while excellent for a SS, has declined somewhat and his K rate last year is concerning. However, over the last 3 years, Fangraphs has him as the top WAR SS (partly because Tulo was hurt). Bottom line - he is an elite MLB SS in his prime as he will play 2015 as a 29 year old.

That said, I agree with Mack that Alderson cannot spend his bullets on someone he cannot control more than one year. I also agree with Bob Gregory above that there is no reason why he can't be extended, even in the wonderful world of Wilpon ball. Based on his stance with the Nats, whether the Mets trade and sign or court him as a FA< he will cost the same. That means the Mets can get him next winter for their #1 pick, vs. 2 of their top 3 prospects. Alderson had to pass on that offer.

I think most Met fans can accept 2015 as an "in" year as opposed to an "all in" year, given the quest to build a sustainable winter. The problem is, Alderson to date hasn't done enough to make in an "in" year. He needs to all talent to the 25-man roster for it to be an "in" year. Washington is still much better, but they are vulnerable and the division might be the weakest in baseball. Time to get creative and find some more upgrades for opening day.

Hobie said...

None of the shortstops not named MONCADA intrigue me. Sign Yoan and go with Wilmer. That means rolling the eyes at the Duquette "all in" philosophy. How dis that work out out in 1989 (1989-1999 for that matter)?

And isn't Orchard Beach in Maine? :-)

Tom Brennan said...

Thanks, TP. Good insights.

he does have 120 errors in 758 career games, which seems high.

I agree that this Mets team as currently manned could be "in" but may not have done enough so far to cement that. David Wright's health comments today were certainly tilting me towards "glass half full."

Anonymous said...

I am agnostic on his fielding as I have not seen much of it, but I think it is a bit presumptuous to say that there is no reason why he cannot be extended. There is one very good reason: He doesn't agree to it and since he already turned down 100 million from the Nats, you have some idea of a starting point and would likely have to overpay him to agree to forgo free agency, which he seems to be inclined to pursue. The question remains whether or not they see him as a 130 million dollar player, which would likely have to be the minimum offer for him to consider passing on free agency, maybe more. From that perspective, if you had to part with Noah to get him, would Castro be a better target, if he becomes available? He would probably also cost Noah, but he has a far more reasonable contract, with pretty decent offensive numbers and while you may have to pay a premium in talent, the cost is already settled. I would prefer to pursue one of the younger studs with Thor + and use resources to sign either Heyard or Upton next year. This way you fill two needs for the same cost in talent and money
Anon Joe F

Mack Ade said...

My bad on Orchard Beach... (see how many times I visited her...)

It's Port Orange, Florida

Mack Ade said...

Port Orange is near Daytona Beach

Anonymous said...

Anyone see the New York Post article with David Wright.

Some good stuff coming out of the Barwis camp.

According to Kernan there are currently over 40 Mets players attending + a few players from outside the organization like Indians OF Michael Brantley.

Wright, Duda, Niese, Parnell, d’Arnaud, Familia, Montero, Wilmer Flores, even Ruben Tejada is currently there.

Hell I wouldn't doubt that the entire forecasted 25 man roster is probably there right now.

Hiring Barwis as the strength and conditioning coach was probably the single BIGGEST acquisition the Mets could have made this off-season.