Comments on: Minors: Sickels Grades Mets Prospects

By: squad

squad — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 06:10:19 +0000

Sele actually should have gotten more of a chance to pitch in a real relief role rather than once every 30 games. He was actually better than Mota this season. I know, not saying much, but every little bit could have helped.

By: BiggieSmalls

BiggieSmalls — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 05:27:44 +0000

last year Bannister just got the chance to perform under no pressure for his first full year in the majors.. and incidentally, only got 27 starts in for 165 innings… his Batting average on balls in play was 258 which is incredibly lucky

When he strings 20 years of smarts together we can compare him to Greg Maddox.

By: will

will — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 05:16:21 +0000

You write as if ‘smarts’ is not a commodity in a pitcher. I wonder if Greg Maddux would agree. Last year proves that Bannister – unfinished as he is – is not so easily replaced as you say.

By: BiggieSmalls

BiggieSmalls — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 03:00:36 +0000

Bannister was never used because he blew out his hamstring.

Bannister is – at best – a crafty pitcher getting by on a pedigree and smarts. While in hidsight the Burgos Deal looks bad right now. HE has a TON of talent and is still very young.

When the deal went down we were dealing from strength to shore up a weakness with a power arm that has a ton of potential. Bannister is infinitely replaceable. He is nothing special.

By: BiggieSmalls

BiggieSmalls — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 02:49:10 +0000

Haren, born in Monterey CA was born 9/17/80
Johan, born in Tovar Venezuala was born 3/13/79

So who’s birth certificate would you be more likely to believe?

Incidentally, Santana was signed in 1995 when he was supposedly 16 years old.

Haren was drafted in 2001 out of College.

By: tonylett

tonylett — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 01:43:44 +0000

Amen !, A Bannister instead of a Burgos would have
meant a playoff berth. Oh, and a solid Pitcher for next
year Not a hope and a prayer for the future.

Thanks again Omar !

By: will

will — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 01:26:06 +0000

Bannister was a very good prospect. He will be a good major league pitcher. He knows how to pitch; ie, an understanding of location and changing speeds. He has a very good curveball that for some reason he never much used when he was pitching for the Mets (at the major league level).

I regret his loss.

By: metinDC23

metinDC23 — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 23:57:40 +0000

So was Sele…

But I actually totally agree with you. A releif pitcher isn’t worth Milledge and I’m pretty sure Estrada and Schneider are the same player.

By: squad

squad — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 23:29:36 +0000

I wouldn’t do Milledge by himself for Cordero and Schneider. Seriously, why on earth would we do this?

We need to come off this infatuation with overpaying to rebuild the bullpen. Kevin Towers and Billy Beane have shown that you can build a very effective bullpen by making shrewd moves. Essentially turning someone else’s trash into our treasure.

Just wait until free agency shakes itself out and then scoop up some leftover starters and convert them to relievers. This has worked time and time again. We saw it with Darren Oliver. Cal Eldred did it with St. Louis. Eric Gagne was a failed starter.

It’s a complete waste of resources to trade our best chip for a setup man and a weak hitting catcher.

By: toomanyuniforms

toomanyuniforms — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 23:18:15 +0000

Was Bannister ever on the list? Serious question — not snarky

(I agree about Vargas and Bostick, though)