Monthly Archives: January 2005
Use this thread to discuss the Mets through the remainder of the night…
Enjoy…
On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being complete confidence, 1 being no confidence at all, how confident are you that the Mets will make the playoffs this season?
Bruce Markusen has worked at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum since 1995. Markusen has written three books. His latest, titled, Tales from the Mets Dugout, which is due out in March of this year. Bruce joins me this afternoon to talk a little about the upcoming book…this afternoon, at MetsBlog Radio…
To listen to the interview, click play on the audio link below…
Matthew Cerrone, of MetsBlog.com…
The first thing that hit me in the book was a quote by Tom Seaver had mentioned about Gil Hodges – referring to him as a man’s man. I wonder what you feel is the difference between the type of man that would be expected to walk around the clubhouse in the 1960’s versus the type you’d find now – what do you feel is the major difference between the two eras…
Bruce Markusen, author of Tales from the Mets Dugout…
I think it would be difficult for Gil Hodges – as great a manager as he was – to manage today’s ball player because Gil didn’t talk to his players all that much. He was not a guy that would pamper players in anyway – he wasn’t what you would call a player’s manager, which is what, I think, most managers, today, tend to be because they have to, because the players, more often than not, are in control. So, I think somebody like Hodges would have to make an adjustment, to be successful today. But, you know, he was such a smart guy, maybe he could’ve made that adjustment – maybe he would have been more communicative with players.
I think with managers today, even the one’s who have a lot of success, they have some degree of discipline, but the tend not to criticize players in the press and they trend not to be too militaristic with players as, maybe, managers in the sixties might have been. I think, back then – and you’re talking before free agency, before arbitration, really before the player’s association became the powerful force that it is today – a manager had a little bit more sway in the clubhouse – he had a little bit more force simply because he was the manager and the players played for him.
Nowadays it’s a little bit different with the players, most of the time, making more than the manager does. So, its certainly a different structure in baseball. Guys like Gil Hodges, guys that were very tough, very demanding, would occasionally criticize players in the press…you know, there’s only so much of that you can today before it gets old with the players, and before they start demanding a change be made.
Matthew Cerrone, of MetsBlog.com…
I’m a great believer in serendipity, and you talk in your book about the potential trade of Ray Knight to the Cubs, before the 1986 season – and that’s an amazing anecdote. Can you talk a little more about why that deal fell threw, thankfully…
Bruce Markusen, author of Tales from the Mets Dugout…
Well, it’s really interesting, and I hadn’t been aware of this until I went back and did some research and looked through the Sporting News. Ray Knight, when we look back now, was an integral part of the 1986 team – he was one of the team leaders and he was a great postseason player, as well. And you forget that in the spring of 86 he was really an unwanted man. There were people in the organization that wanted Howard Johnson playing third base, people were so down on him there was even some thought that the Mets might release him outright.
They started talking trades with other teams, and the trade they apparently came very close to making was that principally would have been Knight to the Cubs for Davey Lopes – and I think there would have been one or two other players involved.
And Lopes, by that time, was a good utility player – he could play the outfield, he could play the infield, he could give you some power, some speed. He was really a more versatile player than Ray Knight. And I think he probably would’ve fit in real well in the Mets scheme of things because Davey Johnson loved to switch things around and he loved players that were versatile, who could play the outfield – but, in the case of Ray Knight and Davey Lopes, Knight ended up being a huge performer in the post-season and you just don’t know how Lopes would’ve responded.
Matthew Cerrone, of MetsBlog.com…
OK, Bruce, well thanks a lot. The book sounds very interesting, and I hope my readers all check it out. We talk with you again next week to discuss the book a little more, and also to get your opinion on a few other matters regarding the Mets.
Again, that was Bruce Markusen, author of the book Tales from the Mets Dugout.
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| Yates… |
| Mets RHP Tyler Yates has a rotator-cuff injury that will likely require a surgery that could leave him out for the entire season. |
| Ordonez… |
According to the Detroit Free Press, the Tigers and Scott Boras have agreed that OF Magglio Ordonez should receive a contract worth between $11 million and $12 million per season. However, the Tigers are offering a five-year deal, while Boras is seeking a seven-year deal. Both are believed to contain many clauses based on the player’s health. The Tigers continue to remain the front-runners to sign Ordonez. Rangers owner John Hart characterized his club as “long-shots,” with regards to acquiring Ordonez, reports the Star-Telegram. Though the Mets have no interest in giving Ordonez a five-year, $70-million deal, Newsday reports that the Mets might consider offering a deal guaranteeing $30-million over three-years, with health incentives that could bring it to $70 million) – similar to the offer made to OF Vladimir Guerrero last winter. It is believed that Ordonez will conduct a public workout for interested teams in California early this week. |
| MetsBlog.com… |
Not for nothing, but a guaranteed three-years, $30 million offer to Ordonez is exactly what I proposed in the Outfielder’s edition of What Would MetsBlog Do back at the start of the off-season. Subsequently, during the series, I also suggested the Mets keep Mike Piazza; trade Cliff Floyd, which they’ve tried and failed at; trade for 1B Doug Mientkiewicz and offer OF Carlos Beltran a seven-year, $96 million deal with a complete no-trade clause. I didn’t offer advice on the pitching staff as a market had not been set, and there was no telling how the Wilpon’s would affect the negotiations with LHP Al Leiter. However, it never occurred to me to sign Pedro Martinez – instead, I believe I was an advocate of dumping Leiter, keeping Benson and bringing in Odalis Perez. However, Pedro is a lot better, obviously. |
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| Sosa… |
| The Orioles agreed to acquire OF Sammy Sosa from the Cubs over the weekend. According to ESPN, the Cubs will pay $10 million of Sosa’s $17 million contract in 2005.
Jon Heyman of Newsday believes the long-rumored Sosa-for-Cliff Floyd deal would have had the Mets would have had the Mets paying Sosa $13.2 million for one-year rather than $13 million for Floyd over two-years. |
| Cameron… |
| Ken Rosenthal of the Sporting News writes that the Mariners would “love” to being back OF Mike Cameron. However, they cannot afford the $12 million he is owed over the next two seasons. Also, of Raul Ibanez and Randy Winn, Rosenthal suggests that it is Winn who is expendable. |
| Off-season… |
| ESPN’s Buster Olney, who typically has a pro-Yankees/anti-Mets slant, gave the Mets acquisition of OF Carlos Beltran three and a half baseballs, out of four, in his annual off-season review. He dispensed two and half balls for the Pedro Martinez signing, noting, “This deal will make Minaya look like a genius or a knucklehead, in the end.” |
| The Blade… |
| “We may regret this in three years,” a Mets executive told Newsday regarding the departure of A-ball 1B Ian Bladergroen. |
| Minaya… |
“As a child growing up in Corona, Queens, I was captivated by the Mets,” Mets GM Omar Minaya writes in a New York Times op-ed from Sunday. “I was inspired by the determination and hustle of these underdogs, who fought in the face of overwhelming odds. Now, many years later, I am fortunate to be part of an organization that is working tirelessly toward getting our team back on the right path.” “It has been my lifelong dream to help the Mets win a world championship. We have taken great steps in recent months, but we know that there is more work to be done to get us there. Only when we take a ride through the Canyon of Heroes and raise another championship banner at Shea will the dream be complete.” |
| MetsBlog.com’s Take… |
I’m not kidding. I like Beltran, Piazza, Pedro, Wright and so on…but, I want a Minaya jersey for opening day. This guy’s passion and focus is uncanny. Well done, man. Also, I’ve been rightfully critical of the Mets public relations department in the past. However, they deserve a ton of praise this off-season. The language last off-season was “meaningful games,” typical of the organization’s passive-aggressive mentality towards success. Now, with Minaya, the language is “transition,” “championship” and “dream,” which evoke a much stronger desire to succeed. Not only do they slip the language into press conferences and appearances on WFAN, but it pops up on their website, in quotes to journalists and now in an unprecedented op-ed in the New York Times. I love it. Great job, Mr. Horwitz. You’re efforts are noted. |
| MetsBlog.com… |
| One year ago, MetsBlog.com received 1,275 hits for the month of January. This January, we had 527,000.
Thank you for your amazin’ support. It is greatly appreciated. |
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Use this thread to chat about Mets baseball through Saturday…
Mets
3B David Wright was kind enough to take time from his busy off-season
schedule to talk with us about the Mets minor league system, his
approach to hitting and his respect for New York, in our final MetsBlog
Minor League Week post.
To listen to the interview, click play on the audio link below…
Note: attempting to post a comment during the audio stream will stop the feed…
Matthew Cerrone, of MetsBlog.com…
We’ve
talked a lot this week with reporters and guys from the team’s
management, and it seems everyone is confident in the talent that the
Mets have in their system. You’re only a
year removed, having played with a lot of these guys, so you’re
probably still pretty good friends with many of them, I would
think…from what you’ve seen, and what you know of the game, how do you
feel about the team’s ability to pull talent from the minor league
system, and do you think they have a good stock pile of talent…
David Wright, Mets third baseman…
Absolutely, just look at the last few years with the guys they’ve drafted and developed throughout their minor league careers. I
mean, the Scott Kazmir’s, the Justin Huber’s, guys that have been very
valuable in trades once they’ve developed to big time prospects.
What’s
great about our organization is that, not only do we develop our
talent, but we develop the winning part of the minor leagues. And
I think that’s what a lot of organizations don’t do – I think they just
try to develop them into Major League Baseball players, but in our
organization we develop winning, and teach winning. I
know, coming up, I kind of stayed with the same core of guys, in
myself, Scott Kazmir, Matt Peterson, Justin Huber, and I know that with
that core of guys we went on the field every day expecting to win – and
that was something that was taught to us. We weren’t okay with losing.
One
of the biggest things in my personal development is going out there and
expecting to win – because once you get to the big leagues it’s all
about winning.
Matthew Cerrone, of MetsBlog.com…
You know, that actually leads to my next question, which was gonna be: how important do you think team chemistry is overall? Be it at the Majors or the minors, Little League, whatever, how do you think that plays out and how important is it…
David Wright, Mets third baseman…
I think it’s very important. I
know from coming through the minor leagues with the same core of guys
for three seasons, not only were we very tight on the field, but we
were very tight off the field – we’d go out for dinner after the games,
we’d go out and see movies on off-days together, so we were a very
close knit group and kept in touch during the off-season.
We
pushed each other to become better players, because one of the guys in
the group wouldn’t want to be left behind by the rest of the group.
Matthew Cerrone, of MetsBlog.com…
How
difficult is it when you come up, and now you’re mixing it with a lot
of new guys, and maybe some of your old buddies are getting traded, and
maybe they don’t excel at the rate that you did…and that fraternity
begins to break up a bit…is that difficult to deal…how do you cope with
that?
David Wright, Mets third baseman…
The
first couple times I thin it is…you know, when I was in A-ball and
you’d see some of your friends get traded, but once you realized that’s
just part of the game and wherever you play, whoever’s on your team, it
doesn’t matter if…you don’t have to become best friends, but you have
to become a good teammate. And I think
that’s what very important…not all of us throughout the minor leagues
got along, by any means…there’d be your scuffles, you know, things of
that nature…but we had a great working relationship and we respected
each others baseball abilities and we had that mutual respect for each
other. And once you get off the baseball field you can choose your own friends.
But,
what’s great about coming up through the minor leagues is that even if
you guys weren’t the best of friends it was defiantly a great
relationship because you guys have something in common, you have the
baseball part of it in common and you have the same goal in trying to
get to the big leagues. Once you put
everything else aside, realize you’re out there to play baseball,
you’re out there to win, I think that brings the team together.
Matthew Cerrone, of MetsBlog.com…
How
do you feel about your own ability to be a leader on the team, because,
you’re young, and it’s a veteran team, but that transition’s gonna take
place at some point – and, let’s for instance say you’re in that
position, how comfortable are you in terms of the word leadership, and
is that a role you’re comfortable with…
David Wright, Mets third baseman…
Oh yeah, absolutely.
Right
now we have a lot of veteran guys that not only have I learned a lot
from their baseball abilities, but I’ve learned a lot from how they
deal with themselves in the clubhouse, how they work with the media…you
know, things like that.
I
look at the Mike Pizza’s, the Tom Glavine’s…the Mike Cameron’s, the
guys that assert that leadership…I don’t just go and try to pick their
brains and soak in as much as I can about their baseball abilities, I
try to soak in as much as I can about how they carry themselves off the
field, how they get the team to rally around them.
Matthew Cerrone, of MetsBlog.com…
I
was a huge Howard Johnson fan growing up, so I think that may be
something you and I have in common…I talked earlier this week with Ken
Oberkfell, also, and he seems like a great guy, as well – he actually
reminded me a lot of Lou Brown, the manager from the movie Major League. What did you think of him, what did you think of HoJo in the minors…and really the coaching in general within the Mets’ system…
David Wright, Mets third baseman…
Our minor league system doesn’t the credit that it deserves. Speaking
from being with HoJo and Obi over the last two years, being able to be
tutored by two great former third basemen, I think, really helped my
development out.
Obi was great defensively. HoJo
was a great offensive player and a great all-around player, a 30-30
guy, so working with those guys…once again, not only on the field, but
picking their brains about the mental aspect of the game, picking their
brain about thinking ahead, trying to position yourself at third base,
thinking, ‘what has this guy done a couple of at-bats ago,’ trying to
be one step ahead of the game.
Matthew Cerrone, of MetsBlog.com…
It’s
funny…I’ve got a list of questions here…things that I was brainstorming
about before we talked, and you keep jumping the gun…you keep answering
my questions before I ask them…hahaha.
David Wright, Mets third baseman…
Hahaha, sorry…
Matthew Cerrone, of MetsBlog.com…
No,
no, it’s great, my next question was gonna be: what was the greatest
piece of advice you were given, and it sounds sort of like that was
it…is there any one thing, when you look back…a phrase, a line…you
know, one of those moments…is there anything like that that kind of
sticks out for you…
David Wright, Mets third baseman…
One of the biggest things that HoJo and Obi taught me was that the game’s fun. Just because you’re struggling on the field, you can’t take that home with you and turn it into a 24-hour slump. You
have to realize that the game is fun, it’s okay to smile on the field,
it’s okay to have a good time, because we’re just a bunch of big kids
playing a game.
Matthew Cerrone, of MetsBlog.com…
You know, it’s funny…the fans could probably use that piece of advice, as well sometimes…
It is fun, and I think people sometimes lose that perspective…
I had this question, actually, from a reader of mine, so I wanted to flip it to you…
Does the system preach a particular style of hitting, system wide…or is it pretty much different from each level…
David Wright, Mets third baseman…
Each hitting coach kind of has his own thing. I’ve tried to, over the years, take a little bit from each hitting coach. But, I think, in general, our hitting philosophy is: we like to be ‘conservatively aggressive.’ If
you get a good pitch early in the count, go ahead and jump on it and
drive it – but, don’t get yourself out early in the count…just because
it’s a strike it might not be exactly what you’re looking for…you don’t
have to swing…just try to put the ball in play early in the count…get a
pitch that you can handle early in the count, whether it’s a fastball,
breaking ball, change up.
As
far as our hitting philosophy, we like to be pretty aggressive early in
the count if we get a pitch we can handle and hit hard. If not, we like to work the count a little bit and try to get on base and set the table for the guys behind us.
Matthew Cerrone, of MetsBlog.com…
Do
the things you learned in your minor league career help prepare you for
this up-coming, second season in the big leagues…I would figure it’s
safe to assume that pitchers are gonna be more aware of you this time
around…so, what do you do to sort of counter that…
David Wright, Mets third baseman…
It’s a cat and mouse game. The
pitcher’s gonna make the adjustment and I’m gonna make the adjustment,
err, try to make the adjustment towards the pitcher and it’s just gonna
go back and forth. I’d like to think that
there’s not too many big holes in my swing that they’ll be able to show
– but, there’s always work to be done.
I’m never satisfied with anything in the game – especially the hitting aspect. I think, there’s always room for improvement and I think that’s what I’ve been working on this off-season so far. And what I’m gonna be working on in Spring Training is trying to make those adjustments. You’re
gonna hit slumps during the season – but, trying to turn those…instead
of having a week long slump, maybe having a couple of games, and break
out of it and become more even keel, consistent throughout the year.
Matthew Cerrone, of MetsBlog.com…
I
pride myself on being someone who is trapped between the Mets fans and
the media…so, while I respect the job of a journalist, I also can’t not
tell you how excited the Mets fans are to have you as part of their
team. I think they look at you as one of
their own…a classy kid, a Mets fan growing up, from the system…is it
important to you to have a good relationship with the fans…and do you
have an appreciation for what it means to be a struggling Mets fan…
David Wright, Mets third baseman…
I couldn’t imagine playing anywhere else. The excitement and the energy that comes from Shea Stadium, that comes from New York, it’s just…you can’t put it in words. When that place gets rocking, you just get the adrenaline flowing and it’s a high. It’s unbelievable just hearing that place get going and that roar of the crowd.
I haven’t played in all the stadiums in the league – but, New York has that edge that nowhere else has. I’ve played in some good baseball cities – but, once again, New York just has an edge to it that no other city has.
Matthew Cerrone, of MetsBlog.com…
Well, I think I can speak for all the fans when I say: I’m glad you’re on our team.
Well,
listen, man, thanks for taking the time to talk with us…it’s an honor
to chat with you and hope to get you on again during the season…
David Wright, Mets third baseman…
Thanks a lot, Matt, I appreciate it buddy…
Matthew Cerrone, of MetsBlog.com…
Good luck this season, man…
That was David Wright, third baseman for the New York Mets.
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| Magglio… |
The Associated Press reports that OF Magglio Ordonez has instructed his agent, Scott Boras, to present a contract proposal to the Tigers. According to the Detroit Free Press, industry sources believe the Tigers’ offer could be worth as much as $70-million over five-years. Many believe Boras is seeking a seven-year deal for his client. |
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| Matthews… |
| The Mets are close to signing lefty Mike Matthews to a minor league contract, according to the Daily News. |
| MetsBlog’s Take… |
Though he posted a 6.30 ERA in 30 IP for the Reds last season, 8.84 before the All-Star break and 2.31 after the break, the previous three seasons, while pitching in St. Louis, San Diego and Milwaukee, Matthews had ERA of 3.24, 3.94 and 4.45 respectively. The 31-year-old left-hander has been striking out less batters and given up more runs, more or less, each year of his career – though, as a reliever, he is walking fewer batters, which is nice to see. |
| Sosa… |
“I think he will be traded, and I think Sammy (Sosa) will be one of the best pickups of the entire off-season,” Sosa’s agent, Tom Reich, told Ken Rosenthal of the Sporting News. “He deserves better than this. He’s determined, absolutely determined, determined to remind people he has a lot of productive time left…In my opinion Sammy Sosa will be a very productive player, in 2005 and beyond.” Um…you’re his agent – Of course, you think he’s still a great player. Anyway, Bob Klapisch of the Bergen Record told MetsBlog, yesterday, that Mets GM Omar Minaya’s ‘cabinet’ has informed him he cannot acquire OF Sammy Sosa. Today, the Chicago Daily Herald reports the same thing. |
| Extra Bases… |
Cliff Floyd has missed more than 100 games in the past two seasons. David Wright, on Doug Mientkiewicz, as quoted by the Bergen Record…”As an infielder, making that long throw especially down the line when you don’t have much time, you just have to get rid of it. Having a guy over there that you know is going to be over there to scoop it up and you know you don’t have to be perfect, it helps your confidence tremendously. When you know you don’t have to be perfect, you know you can just throw it over there in the general vicinity and have him pick it up for you, [him] being so mobile around the bag will help us out a lot.” Jose Reyes, on Mientkiewicz, as quoted by the Bergen Record…”He’s one of the best at that position. I’m going to feel comfortable. You just throw the ball and he’s going to pick it no matter where it is. We’ve got a real good first baseman now.” David Wright will appear at the Mets team store and sign autographs at Roosevelt Field on Long Island today from 3-4 p.m. |
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J.J.
Cooper writes for Baseball America, and recently concluded an extensive
evaluation of the Mets farm system, he joins us this afternoon to talk
about his list of the team’s Top Ten players…
To listen to the interview, click the play button below…
Note: attempting to post a comment will result in a stoppage of the audio…
Matthew Cerrone, of MetsBlog.com…
J.J., thanks for coming on with us today…
All
off-season, Mets fans have been penciling in Victor Diaz as a potential
starter at Shea in 2005, yet you’ve got A-ball players ranked higher
than him on your Top 10,
does this mean you’re not so confident in Diaz’s ability, or just not
as excited about as his ceiling as you might be about say, Conceptions’
or Milledge’s…
J.J. Cooper, of Baseball America…
If you look at the Mets system, and you rank the number four guy and the number fifteen guy, there’s not a giant difference…
I
think there still are some concerns with (Diaz) if you put him out
there in right field…he’s played there for one year, he’s kind of
struggled to find a defense position…especially if you put him in
right, how well will he handle that? I
think Victor will some, I mean, there’s no doubt about that…there is
some concerns from scouts I’ve talked to outside of the organization
who say, ‘is he that, or is he a guy who’s more of a .470, .480
slugging, with a .320 on base, who if he’s struggling, will not give
you a lot defensively and he’s not giving you a lot on the base paths,
that guy’s a guy you can start, but some people view that as more of a
second division starting outfielder instead of a guy you want on a
championship team.’
Matthew Cerrone, of MetsBlog.com…
Do you
find that the Mets system, as a whole, tends to go more for these
“athletic, speedy” kinds of outfielders…they never seem to produce any
sort of powerful kinds of guys…and is that something they go for, or…
J.J. Cooper, of Baseball America…
I
think if you look at it, I think there’s defiantly been a legitimate
knock on them a couple of years ago…really, if you looked at it going
into last season, the outfield prospects that the Mets had, you really
had Lastings Milledge, and after that there was a pretty severe drop
off. You’ve had those guys…the Wayne
Lydons, the Esix Sneeds, and all that…I do think if you look at the
Mets system now, their outfield depth is a little stronger…that’s one
position I think is stronger than it was this time last year…
Lastings
Milledge is a guy who can run, but he also has got bat speed that
compares to almost anybody out there…you know, he’s a guy who’s a bat,
that also happens to run…he’s not a guy who’s drafted because of his
speed…
Matthew Cerrone, of MetsBlog.com…
They’ve
got three, extremely young, exciting five-tool guys in Ambroix
Conception, Carlos Gomez and Jesus Flores…of the three, who would you
pick in a draft…
J.J. Cooper, of Baseball America…
Carlos Gomez did not make this top ten this year. And I just don’t think you can put him there from what he’s done up to know. You
can project down the road, but it’s something where you want to see
something a little bit more than what he’s been able to do yet –
because he’s really young…
Flores makes it, because of how loud of a year he had this year, in addition to his potential…
But, a year from now, Gomez is a guy that we could be talking about as being, kind of, a great talent, and really a five-tool guy…
At the
same time, Flores is a guy the Mets are understandably high on, in that
usually the catchers that you have, specially young catchers, are gonna
have one of two things: their either gonna be a guy who swings a good
bat, but you’re probably gonna have to move him off of position at some
point, or it’s a guy that can really handle himself behind the plate,
but…there are definite questions about whether or not he’s ever gonna
hit. There are a lot of teams out there
that are looking for that guy and if you look at it through the Mets
system over the last several years, the Mets haven’t had a guy like in
a long, long time…
Matthew Cerrone, of MetsBlog.com…
Of the two, Gaby Hernandez and Yusmeiro Petit, which will be the pitcher we’re talking about in the years to come…
J.J. Cooper, of Baseball America…
I think you’ll hear from both of them as we go along…
Pettit…he’s
further up… but he’s more of the, kind of, risk-reward guy in that if
you talk to scouts and you talk to managers and all, no one can really
put their handle on exactly what it is about him that’s so effective –
beyond the fact the he is very effective, beyond the fact that he knows
how to pitch and he has stuff…he’s got decent stuff – but, there’s
nothing that jumps out. We’re talking about
a guy that, every level he’s gone up, he still strikes guys out, he
still doesn’t give up a lot of hits and he still doesn’t walk a lot of
guys.
Gaby
Hernandez is a lot further away…I would say that when you look at Gaby
Hernandez, when scouts see him, they look at a guy as, ‘hey, this guy
has potential to have the above average pitches, or the pitches you can
project to be above average pitches,’ it’s a little easier to see that
when he goes up the levels that he can continue dominating.
Pettit’s
done it…Gaby Hernandez is a guy who’s pitched in the Gulf Coast League
all year, but as far as his assortment of pitches, he’s a guy who,
there’s not a lot to nit-pick on right now…he’s got a good frame, he’s
got a good clean delivery, he’s got a nice assortment of pitches and he
seems to have an idea of what he wants to do on the mound…
Matthew Cerrone, of MetsBlog.com…
My concern with Pettit is that he pitched a lot this year in the minors and now in the winter leagues…
J.J. Cooper, of Baseball America…
He’s piling up some innings, there’s no doubt…and it’s always gonna be of concern with a pitcher. He’s
got, you know, not the best body in the world, but he’s got a sturdy
body where he’s not real thin, where you worry about that, kind of,
straining his body. It’s the kind of thing we’ll find down the road whether that hurt him or not…
Matthew Cerrone, of MetsBlog.com…
It
seems the Mets have a wealth of solid, not great, but effective arms,
like Blake McGinley, Shane Hawk, Alay Soler and Royce Ring, could they
conceivable build a Major League bullpen from their farm system…
J.J. Cooper, of Baseball America…
Personally, right now, I don’t think that do…I don’t think they’ve got guys at AA, AAA that you can just build a bullpen out of…
I
think, of the guys you mention, of who, I think, right now, who could
step in…I think Blake McGinley can be a solid…he can be one of those
guys…I think there’ll be a transition when he gets to the Major
Leagues…he’s a guy who could be a seventh inning guy for you…
I
don’t think there are a lot of people right now who think Royce
Ring…unless he bounces back a bit…how much he’s gonna be able to help a
Major League team right now. He was left in the Rule V and went unprotected, and unpicked, for a reason…
Matthew Cerrone, of MetsBlog.com…
But
you’ve go these guys like McGinley, and Scobie who are at a point now
where they’re in their mid- to late-twenties, or getting to that point,
where…how much more do they have down there and are they reaching their
ceiling…and at that point, what’s next…
J.J. Cooper, of Baseball America…
I
think if you’re looking at a Major League bullpen and you’re talking
about guys who aren’t gonna be closers, which I don’t think of any of
the guys were talking about are projected to be…those guys are guys you
just find them where you can and age isn’t as important. Those
kinds of guys…middle relievers and set-up guys seems to pop up out of
nowhere…Brendan Donnelly…Ben Weber…you can find those guys…I don’t
think age is as important when you’re talking about a middle reliever,
set-up guy just from the point that we’re not talking about
high-ceiling guys…
Matthew Cerrone, of MetsBlog.com…
Considering
it’s the Mets, and it’s a New York market, I don’t expect them to ever
truly build from within…but if they are going to begin relying more on
their farm system, either for the bullpen or for the bench,
whatever…how confident are you that they’ll be able to do so in the
years to come…
J.J. Cooper, of Baseball America…
The Mets have…in some ways…they have and it’s paid off. But,
you’ve gotta look for those guys who have those high-ceilings, because
those are the guys with the Mets that will get a chance to make it up
the Majors…
It’s
something where, if you’re in Kansas City, the Victor Diaz’s, the Craig
Brazell’s, the Justin Huber’s, have more value for you as far as
helping your own team out because that’s a guy that could give you a
solid, potentially solid, Major League production at a cheap price. The cheap price isn’t as important to the Mets.
I think, really, if you look at the Mets system right now…the question is: what will we be talking about a year from now?
And I
really do think there are a lot of guys in this Mets system who, in a
year from now, if they keep taking steps…they could be really good
prospects. I mean, guys like Jamar Hill,
guys like Shawn Bowman, guys like Alhaji Turay, guys like Yusmeiro
Pettit…but, there aren’t many guys in this system who you look at. I mean, Lastings Milledge…he’s a guy who you feel pretty confident about…it’d be a surprise if he doesn’t make the Majors.
Most
of the guys on this list, they’re still at that point where a year from
now…if Jesus Flores hits .220 in Brooklyn this year there’s a lot more
questions about him than there was right now…
And,
so, it’s gonna be interesting to watch over the next year…obviously,
not all of them are gonna continue to take steps forward, not all of
them are gonna fall back…but, it’s really going to be interesting over
the next season to see…you know…there’s a little less impact potential
coming on down the road, but if you look at their prospects, like,
three, four through fifteen there may be a couple more guys, right now,
who have that chance to then next year be pretty good prospects…the
question is: how many of those guys turn out to do that?
Matthew Cerrone, of MetsBlog.com…
Well,
listen, J.J., thanks a lot – you do a great job at Baseball America,
and I really appreciate you taking some time to talk with me today.
J.J. Cooper, of Baseball America…
No problem.
Matthew Cerrone, of MetsBlog.com…
That was J.J. Cooper, Mets minor league expert at Baseball America.
To read J.J. Cooper’s Baseball America Top 30 Mets Prospects, log onto BaseballAmerica.com.
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