Mets

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by Westheim

And now it [Citi Field] sits empty for six months.

You know, great minds think alike, even if one of us is procyonic and the other porcine (although, I have been on a health-induced diet; almost 30 pounds so far, and back in the pants of a 30-year-old me!)

I was just thinking about my earlier post about a deserted Citi Field and wondering whether it does sit empty most of the time. Apparently, like Yankee Stadium, it does host other events.

For example, "New York City Football Club games, Governors Ball Music Festival, Motley Crue and Def Leppard in concert, The Color Run and The Spartan Race."

Also, many of this astonishing array of eateries are apparently open year round; good for the procyons and bad for the porkers:

Citi Field Dining Guide

[BBGiovanni]

Originally Posted by Cod

The Mets' starters in the WC round have combined salary of $87,483,333 whereas the entire Guardians payroll is $82,057,492.

Honestly, I'm not entirely sure how the Mets fix their problems. Payroll probably is going to be a problem, but I'm not sure how they fill-in some of their needs without getting closer to the $300M mark. Signing deGrom or Edwin Diaz long term will put them in tax purgatory for a long time, where the fees keep going up.

At least they have a third baseman ready to take over and provide some production (offensively and defensively) from the hot corner.

I don't get how this happens, there are so many guys on expiring contracts and not enough in the shed in SYR to replace all of them even just to have a ML worthy roster. And we just watched the Giants to see what happens when after piling up a lot of regular season wins a team sits on their hands in the offseason or makes fill-in pickups. I can't see them tearing things down, but that's been perpetual since 2015.

[Amazin69]

Am I on cocaine or am I just blanking on who this "third baseman ready to take over" is supposed to be? Baty? Need to see more evidence.

Also, I hadn't heard that Escobar was.a free agent. Let's not "plug holes" that don't exist.

[Cod]

Originally Posted by Amazin69

Am I on cocaine or am I just blanking on who this "third baseman ready to take over" is supposed to be? Baty? Need to see more evidence.

Take your pick of Baty, Mauricio, Vientos, or even Palmer.

Also, I hadn't heard that Escobar was.a free agent. Let's not "plug holes" that don't exist.

A production hole exists, regardless of whether or not he's under contract. Mets are also locked into Vogelbach for another season, just going to trust him as the DH? Looking at the season stats, the Mets have holes at Catcher, Third Base, and DH. Francisco Alvarez should be a bump at Catcher, but I still think you have to move Escobar to DH and trust one of the young guys at third next season.

[Cod]

Originally Posted by BBGiovanni

I don't get how this happens, there are so many guys on expiring contracts and not enough in the shed in SYR to replace all of them even just to have a ML worthy roster. And we just watched the Giants to see what happens when after piling up a lot of regular season wins a team sits on their hands in the offseason or makes fill-in pickups. I can't see them tearing things down, but that's been perpetual since 2015.

If I'm not mistaken, the Mets have a good chunk of players on options (mix of club, player, and mutual). Also, I haven't checked the recent minor league depth charts, but last time I looked (mid-Summer), the Mets have a lot of outfield prospects that could make a splash in the near future. There's even talk of moving Baty to left field because Vientos is too slow for the outfield.

[dsvitak]

Originally Posted by Amazin69

Am I on cocaine or am I just blanking on who this "third baseman ready to take over" is supposed to be? Baty? Need to see more evidence.

Also, I hadn't heard that Escobar was.a free agent. Let's not "plug holes" that don't exist.

Arenado may not resign...or the Cards may not resign him.

[Cod]

Originally Posted by dsvitak

Arenado may not resign...or the Cards may not resign him.

Do people really think Arenado is going to opt-out? I don't think the Mets adding another monster contract for a guy about to hit 32 years of age is a wise investment honestly.

Also, the Cards have no reason to push him to opt-out because Colorado is still paying decent chunk for him to play in St Louis. If Arenado doesn't opt out, Colorado has to send $20M to St Louis to be paid out from 2023-2027. If he does opt out, Colorado has to pay Arenado $20M directly.

[Amazin69]

Originally Posted by Cod

Take your pick of Baty, Mauricio, Vientos, or even Palmer.

You said "a" third baseman. That implied that you had one in mind. Four candidates, none of whom have hit at the big league level as yet, is not "a third baseman ready to go".

Escobar hardly had the best season, but he was NL Player of the Month for September, with an OPS well over 1.000. Given that new players often take a bit of time to settle into NY (see Lindor, Francisco), I think the front office is more likely to be glad that Eduardo didn't fall prey to Soderholm's Disease, and look forward to continued success next season. (A strong finish usually does portend good things going forward.) I doubt there's any plan to bench him and play an unproven kid in his place. (Neither Baty nor Vientos cracked .200 or had a .600 OPS; both posted negative WaR.)

It's possible that Escobar could be moved to DH so as to get Guillorme's glove on the field, but I think it's more likely that McNeil would be moved to the OF and Luis will play 2B.

[Cod]

Originally Posted by Amazin69

You said "a" third baseman. That implied that you had one in mind. Four candidates, none of whom have hit at the big league level as yet, is not "a third baseman ready to go".

Apologies, I should've been more specific about a group of infielders the team could choose from.

My assessment of needing another option at third base is solely based on the end of season data I pulled from Baseball Reference. The team was well above average overall at every position except the three I previously mentioned.

[Westheim]

We're stuck with James McCann't for TWO more years?

(wails)

[Cod]

Originally Posted by Westheim

We're stuck with James McCann't for TWO more years?

Do they have any options left on Nido? I'm hoping the Mets give Alvarez the job from opening day next season because he has a ton of upside. Paying McCann the money they are as a backup isn't ideal, but not the end of the world.

[BBGiovanni]

Originally Posted by Cod

Do they have any options left on Nido? I'm hoping the Mets give Alvarez the job from opening day next season because he has a ton of upside. Paying McCann the money they are as a backup isn't ideal, but not the end of the world.

Nido's been out of option years for a while, remember they brought him up really early one year when they ran out of catchers. I thought he'd already been through waivers but I guess not. Anyway I'm with you, since they have to pay McCann anyway they should let him warm the bench and upgrade in the starting spot. THey can sign somebody else to be the Crash Davis in SYR for Alvarez. Then there's a Plan B and C rather than just assuming Alvarez will be great out of the gate next year.

[dsvitak]

Originally Posted by BBGiovanni

Nido's been out of option years for a while, remember they brought him up really early one year when they ran out of catchers. I thought he'd already been through waivers but I guess not. Anyway I'm with you, since they have to pay McCann anyway they should let him warm the bench and upgrade in the starting spot. THey can sign somebody else to be the Crash Davis in SYR for Alvarez. Then there's a Plan B and C rather than just assuming Alvarez will be great out of the gate next year.

I just don't understand the love for Alvarez. His strikeout rate is 40%..and that's in the MINORS.

[Cod]

Originally Posted by dsvitak

I just don't understand the love for Alvarez. His strikeout rate is 40%..and that's in the MINORS.

From the scouting reports (even during this season), he has a lot of intangibles that operations departments, even outside the Mets org, absolutely love. The words I've seen written and heard mentioned multiple times include "awareness", "personality", "relationships he builds with pitchers", "motivation", and more. At the plate, he has a ton of upside and has the tools to be one of the best hitting catchers in the bigs. His swing is very compact and when combined with his ability to transfer weight, Alvarez can hit the ball well to the opposite field gap.

I've heard he can't frame at all, which may not matter with automated balls / strikes on the way. He also has very inefficient throwing mechanics, which is somewhat ignore able thanks to his plus arm strength.

Could he be a bust? Sure, but he's got the raw ability and the mental makeup to succeed from what I can tell.

[Amazin69]

So, as discussed in the post-season thread, I've decided to make up for my upcoming boycott of MLB by filling in the seasons that I missed when I didn't have TV service. I've downloaded game 1 of the 2011 season and I'm grooving on the idea of basic National League baseball.

(I'm sure there are one or two too many relievers on the staffs, but it shouldn't be too insane.)

A few notes:

• The date is April 1, 2011. Mets at Florida.

• Yes, Florida. This is the final year of the FLORIDA Marlins, and their final season at SunLife Stadium (previously Joe Robbie and who knows how many corporate names since then). The new park, the failed Ozzie Guillen superteam, the new logo and colors and the Clevelander and the fish tank and the home run sculpture, all of those come next season. Right now I'm just taking in the old, square park with those acres upon acres of orange upper-deck seats…unspoiled by human habitation.

(Seriously, how have the Marlins kept their franchise? They can't draw flies.)

• 2011 is before the MLBGlobal YT channels (my video source) started offering a choice of broadcast. So, most often it's the home team call, so no GKR.

(Not that I really mind Rich Waltz and Tommy Hutton, though. I could do without the generic FOX Sports opening for this season, however. Gimme the SNY 7 train, any time.)

• Uniform check: the Marlins look a bit drab, having reduced the teal only a whisper of an accent; it's pretty much just black and white here. Mets have gotten back to using the MLB "Tuscan" font, thankfully, but the colors on the "New York" are pretty aggressive…it's a very dark shade of blue and the orange border is fairly thick. Not my favorite.

• National Anthem is performed by Clarence "The Big Man" Clemons on his saxophone. Clarence looks pretty good…you'd never know he drops dead about 10 weeks after this. (d. June 18th). Huh.

I wonder if this is his final public performance? I know Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band weren't touring at that time. (Next shows in Australia, for southern hemisphere summer, early 2012.)

• And yes, this is Terry Collins's first game as Mets manager. It was a pretty exciting seven years, overall, IMO.

Now, can anybody guess the players in Terry's first Mets lineup? Give me one name at a time, and I'll slot them in appropriately (if they're in there). There are a couple who stumped me, I'll admit.

(Honor system, of course. Go!)

[Westheim]

I want to say David Wright, but his body started to betray right around that time, didn't it? And Murph missed a season before I started watching (which was 2012) but I don't remember which one. But Jason Bay should be in there, shouldn't he?

[Amazin69]

Bay was on the roster, but not in the lineup. (Nor in Game 2.) Must have been hurt coming out of Spring Training.

(Edit: Checking BB reference, I see Bay played 123 games that year, his most as a Met. But none before April 21 [Game 19].)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

NOT: Jason Bay.

[Westheim]

Ruben Tejada at short then.

I think I remember the Mets starting at the Marlins in 2011 from MLB 2K11? Back when I had an Xbox? I sucked hard at the game. Who was the Fish starter in the opener? Josh Johnson?

Watch me having the Florida starter correct, and be 0-for-2 on Metsies!

[Amazin69]

No, not Ruben. (Can't blame it on Utley, this was Terry's decision. Ruben starts the season at Buffalo, not making his Mets season debut until May 18.)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

NOT: Jason Bay, Ruben Tejada.

[Westheim]

Okay, Angel Pagan in center, for sure!