After the Mets’ loss against the Marlins on July 28 - a game in which Fernando Tatis went 2-for-4 with a triple and 2 RBI - Mets manager Jerry Manuel publicly announced that Tatis would be the starting left fielder, saying:
“He right now is our leftfielder. There is no question about it.”
Since that proclamation, however, Tatis has started only one game in left field. Instead, he’s started in right field, while left has been manned by a group including Marlon Anderson, Nick Evans, Endy Chavez, and most recently Daniel Murphy.
OK, no big deal - the key has been Tatis in the starting lineup.
Rather, the big deal is that Tatis is only 5-for-21 (.238) with one RBI, one run scored, and no extra-base hits since being named a regular. This is a far cry from the July numbers (.397 AVG, .463 OBP, .767 SLG) that earned him a starting role.
Granted, Tatis does have a 10-game hitting streak going, so perhaps this recent stretch is a simple hiccup.
If not, the corner outfield positions are a concern – particularly since Ryan Church’s return has hit another snag. The Mets are counting on the suddenly struggling Tatis and the unproven platoon of Evans and Murphy to fill what are traditionally ‘offensive’ positions. If these three don’t provide significant offense, their inexperience in the outfield becomes detrimentally counter-productive.
Strangely, the Mets are looking at Rich Aurilia (as linked to by Cerrone earlier today), who has zero experience in the outfield. He’s a nice hitter, but will he hit enough to make up for his glovework? Not likely.
The Mets may have a short leash on the Evans and Murphy experiment, hoping one or both can blossom while Omar Minaya watches the waiver wire for a legitimate outfielder with a power bat. For example, Aubrey Huff might be a nice addition, but at what cost? The Mets have too many ‘untouchables’ in the high minors and can’t afford to deal any of their MLB-ready arms considering the state of the pitching staff. One would hope that if Evans continues to struggle, Val Pascucci will at least get a look.
After the trading deadline passed, Minaya claimed that trading a few of the Mets prospects wasn’t worth a ‘rental” playe’ – a bold statement for a team desperate. I’m not sure I agree, considering that a few of the ‘rentals’ that changed teams would have turned into draft picks in the offseason (as Type “A” or Type “B” free agents), while the other ‘rentals’ would not have cost the Mets their elite prospects.
But there’s still time for one of these prospects to show us why they weren’t dealt, and for Minaya to swing a waiver deal. Let’s hope that two months from now, Minaya’s non-moves prior to the deadline make him look like a genius.
August 4, 2008 at 3:58 pm
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36 comments
by Matthew Cerrone
will air tonight’s game between the Single-A Brooklyn Cyclones and the Staten Island Yankees.
What’s more, Toby Hyde from Mets Minor League Blog join Kevin Burkhardt during the fourth inning to talk about organization’s prospects and to recap his four-week minor league tour.
August 4, 2008 at 2:35 pm
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79 comments
by Matthew Cerrone
The Mets have lost five of their last six games, during which Jose Reyes had three walks, three runs scored, just one strike out and two stolen bases while batting .407.
…wait, but i thought where jose goes the Mets go…guess not…
…as i have been saying, it should read, ‘Where Jose goes, the Mets must follow,’ which is a testament to just how underrated he is this season…which is crazy, considering that some people will tell me he is overrated…in short, i think people are just confused as to how to best rate reyes…
Reyes is on pace to hit over .300 this season, with roughly 18 HR, 18 triples, 70 RBI, 55 stolen bases, a .370 OBP and 120 runs scored, which is on par – if not better than – his 2006 season, when he was the starting shortstop in the All-Star game and was featured on the cover of ESPN: The Magazine.
August 4, 2008 at 1:18 pm
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94 comments
by Matthew Cerrone
On Monday, July 28, the Mets moved in to first place in the NL East for the first time since April.
In the span of just six games, the Mets have moved back in to third place and trail the Phillies by three losses.
David Wright, talking to reporters following yesterday’s loss to the Astros:
“Well, we’ve got to get it going. We don’t want to be having to scoreboard watch and watching what’s happening ahead of us come September, so now is the time we have to push. We have some guys who are banged up, we have some injuries, but now is the time to push thought that. After this off day we have a rough stretch in August and we have to really bear down and make a move because, like I said, I don’t want to have to be making up too much ground come September.”
The Mets are off today, after which they will play 23 straight games without an off day, including match ups against the Marlins and Braves at Shea Stadium.
August 4, 2008 at 12:30 pm
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1 comment
by David Pinto
The Marlins want Chris Volstad to speed up his delivery with runners on base.
I believe in worrying about the batter, not the base runner. Even if a man on first steals, he usually can’t score if the pitcher gets the batter out.
The Battle of the Slugging Second Basemen opens Tuesday with Florida visiting Philadelphia. So far, Chase Utley wins the head-to-head competition hands down. Dan Uggla has three hits in 32 at bats against the Phillies so far, although two of the three hits ended up in the cheap seats. Utley collected 12 hits in 34 at bats against the Marlins so far, three of them homers.
Don’t blame 3B Chipper Jones’s injury for the Braves slump, as infielder Omar Infante is hitting very well in the third baseman’s absence.
The Nationals look to extend their winning streak to four games, tying their longest streak of the season. Aaron Cook, however, owns a 1.93 ERA in two starts against Washington since the team moved from Montreal.
For more real-time information, news, links and stats from around MLB, check out Baseball Musings.
August 4, 2008 at 11:10 am
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128 comments
by Matthew Cerrone
According to the San Jose Mercury, “A New York Mets official is following the 
Giants and has submitted a recommendation to acquire Rich Aurilia.”
…i have never heard the term, ‘submitted a recommendation,’ but i assume it means the Giants will put aurilia on waivers, he’ll clear and the Mets are interested in acquiring him…
In 96 games for the Giants this season, the Brooklyn-born Aurilia, 36, is batting .281 with eight HR and 37 RBI.
Aurilia has played every position on the infield, but never the outfield, during his 11–year career.
…given the state of the team’s current roster, and bench, i would be shocked if the Mets do not pick up some one on waivers…
Speaking of waivers, in a report for ESPN.com, Keith Law takes a look at four players who could clear waivers, including 1B-OF Aubrey Huff, as well as two players who will not.
Also, at MLB Trade Rumors, Tim Dierkes takes a look at a variety of players who could clear waivers in August, all of whom are unlikely to be traded, though Rangers OF Frank Catalanotto and Marlon Byrd could be.
To learn more about the waiver process, go to Paul DePodesta’s blog, It Might be Dangerous.
August 4, 2008 at 10:16 am
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81 comments
by Matthew Cerrone
Billy Wagner will have an MRI on his left forearm today in New York.
According to SNY’s Kevin Burkhardt, during yesterday’s broadcast of the game, Wagner loses the feel of the ball in his hands during the moment before he releases it.
Also yesterday, John Maine was put on the 15–day disabled list with a strained rotator cuff.
…the buzz around the team is that maine, though he could have made his next start, was put on the disabled list to be safe and allow the promotion of Eddie Kunz in the absence of wagner…
Speaking to reporters yesterday, Wagner suggested that he may very well end up on the disabled list since, as he put it, “This is the part of the season where you have enough time to take some time off and get back healthy for the push.”
August 4, 2008 at 10:04 am
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56 comments
by Matthew Cerrone
On Saturday night, 29–year-old OF Valentino Pascucci hit three home runs in one game for Triple-A New Orleans.
To read more about Pascucci, and to listen to the radio call of his third home run, check out 
MiLB.com.
Pascucci is batting .286 with 24 HR and 65 RBI during 89 games in Triple-A this season.
What’s more, he is hitting .377 against left-handed pitching with a .495 OBP.
…i am not willing to go so far as to say pascucci will be the team’s answer in left field, but when it comes to bringing in a power bat for the bench, pascucci has got to be the man…he reaches base nearly half of the time when facing a left-handed hitter, which is beyond impressive…as a pinch hitter, assuming he is comfortable in such a role, he does not need to play the infield…he’s job would be to hit, that’s it, which he is clearly capable of doing…
…Update…11:30 am…
For more, check out Ted Berg’s most recent report for SNY.tv.
August 4, 2008 at 9:43 am
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29 comments
by Matthew Cerrone
Luis Castillo played in two minor-league rehab games for the GCL Mets this past weekend, once 
starting as DH and once starting at second, while going hitless in five at bats.
Meanwhile, in 156 at bats when playing second base this season, Damion Easley is batting .301 with four HR and 24 RBI.
…it’s going to be very interesting to see how the Mets handle castillo…as of now, they are carrying three catchers, two natural outfielders and a whole bunch of infielders, not too mention a rookie-infield platoon in left field…
That said, since 2005, Castillo has just five at bats as a pinch hitter with one hit.
Also of note, while Argenis Reyes is batting just .250 as the team’s starting second baseman, he is batting .417 in 12 at bats as a pinch hitter.
…i think we tend to underrate just how difficult it is to be a consistently successful pinch hitter…from what i can gather, it takes a lot of work to stay warm, stay focused, stay prepared, and be able to get a hit on queue, usually in a big spot…there is no evidence that castillo will be a reliable pinch hitter, yet it’s very hard to justify putting him back in the starting lineup…
August 4, 2008 at 9:26 am
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52 comments
by Matthew Cerrone
Ryan Church traveled to Houston with the team on Friday to 
work out under the watchful eye of the organization’s trainers – though he did not take batting practice on Saturday, he did hit indoors on Sunday.
On Saturday, he told reporters that he will be re-examined by a doctor today in New York.
…from what i can gather, there is still no official timetable for church’s return, though the team would like to see him playing in a minor-league rehab game later this week…however, there is no rush…i admire the team’s restraint, frankly…he is listed as day-to-day, in what appears to be every sense of the word…
August 4, 2008 at 9:07 am
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0 comments
by Matthew Cerrone
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August 4, 2008 at 7:32 am
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30 comments
by Matthew Cerrone
Yesterday, with the Mets down by just one run in the third inning, Robinson Cancel was thrown out trying to steal third base, with David Wright at the plate facing a 
left-handed pitcher, against whom Wright is batting .387.
Jerry Maunel, on Cancel, while speaking to reporters following yesterday’s game:
“He was brain dead or something, something was wrong with him right there. He’s probably one of our more intelligent players, and, like I said, he’s brain something got crossed up there and he decided to take off. But, he’s a better player than that and he knows that’s not a good situation to run in.”
…it happens…it shouldn’t, but it does…this was basically just one example, though glaring, of the lack of execution and focus that ran rampant among the team the entire weekend, whether at the plate, in the bullpen or on the base paths…
