The Mets currently project for the 13th overall draft pick next June, same as this year. The latest on the club:
- Mets GM Sandy Alderson talked at length about closers yesterday, as usual leaving the door open for most possibilities. He explained to ESPN's Adam Rubin that the closer position "needs to be a point of concentration for us," and wouldn't rule out signing one of the big-name free agent closers. He added, "There are no concessions from me," implying he's not interested in signing a stopgap closer. On the other hand, a "cheap, proven veteran" is exactly the route Mike Puma of the New York Post expects Alderson to take after listening to the GM make the same comments. No matter what the Mets decide to do, it'll all be covered in detail at our @CloserNews Twitter feed and CloserNews.com.
- Alderson expects to know early on which direction the Jose Reyes situation is headed, he told Rubin. He won't count on an early resolution, but he admitted "everything will be contingent on how that turns out." Ruben Tejada appears to be Plan B for the Mets at shortstop, writes David Lennon of Newsday.
- Third baseman David Wright is showing greatly diminished range, a rival scout tells Andrew Keh of the New York Times.
Third baseman David Wright is showing greatly diminshed range…
Jeez…that’s some unexpected bad news. I guess I got so mesmerized by his air-mail throws that I never noticed!
Maybe in the offseason David will be able to Wright what’s wrong with his back
Now that would be a big [w]relief! 🙂
As for those air-mail throws…well, that’s a whole ‘nother story (as it’s been going on for pretty much his whole career).
Oh well.
A wonky back affects nearly everything defensively, esp. for a 3B. It’s what has shutdown the careers of many quality 3Bs. In recent memory, Scott Rolen is a good example. When he was a Phillie they were saying he’d be another Schmidt. Fielding-wise he was fantastic, but since he hurt his back, Rolen has been just an ok player at best.
The biggest obvious thing about a back is that, it’s probably the single worst injury for a hitter that will sap power. Suddenly these hitters can’t apply the same violent torque they once did.
I think of what it did to Eric Chávez. I used to live to watch him play 3B before his back troubles started (and glad that after all that he was able to salvage something of his career). He really was something to see.
Being a White Sox fan, Joe Crede comes to mind
Those airmail throws are things of beauty. He hasn’t hit the WR down the sideline yet, but he will one day.
Here we go again with Frankie. No one else is going to want him because he is a headache, and the Mets can guarantee him save opportunities. He is going to wind up settling for less. He gets the job done though, at least when compared to Parnell or any other body the Mets have thrown out in the 9th since dealing him.
Zero chance K-Rod comes back.
Trade Wright!!
u sure you are a mets fan?? unless you are getting a couple of BLUE chip prospects back, that is totally foolish.
“unless you are getting a couple of BLUE chip prospects back, that is totally foolish.”
I would imagine that is the general idea, and with the team in the state it’s in, it’s at least worth looking into. Besides, you (and many others) may worship Wright but not every Mets fan does. To each his own.
BLUE chip prospects for D-Wright? Maybe if you pay his salary.
He’s not old, he’s not terribly expensive, and even in this horribly disappointing year, he’s put up a 122 OPS+. Why would they trade him if they’re not getting back blue chippers?
trade him to the tigers. We’ve got some pitching to spare. I truly believe in Wright regaining his form and would love to see it happen in an olde english D.
David Wright is showing greatly diminshed range, a rival scout tells…. BS!
I would like to see numbers and facts before I come to your conclusion.
Look, I am not a big believer in UZR, WAR and all that other statistical crapola.
What I do know because I saw him do it the other week when won player of the week.
The way he dove and caught the ball and then got back up and fired it to first indicated to me he didn’t lose a step. I think they were playing the Braves and Capuano pitched a CG if you need further proof.
It was a big play in order to get the win.
Now if he can do that the entire season without getting hurt, then he is back in business. If he can’t then yes, I guess age caught up to him. While he’s not that old, maybe he’s a sports car with high mileage.
The bottom line is, I like David Wright and in 2012 I think if he stays healthy, he could have a comeback year like JJ Hardy did 2011. The man had a broken bone in his back, let’s see if he can get healthy and start producing again like he did in 2007 at least that’s how I feel about it.
PS I would love to see him do it with the Orioles
Careful Joveoak. This is the same guy that produced the following gem yesterday:
“Even though Cliff Lee was a free agent, I really don’t consider him a free agent signing”
When one likes to create one’s own reality, it’s not that big of a surprise to find another post likening statistical analysis to “crapola”.
I dont want Frankie because the cost of two draft picks is too high. Is Ryan Franklin available ? lol
No way he gets offered arbitration
Assuming he is a Type A FA of course
Alderson knows better than to sign an expensive closer. 90% of established closers are overpaid as free agents, and most relievers are volatile year to year when you include injury risk. So why pay a guy north of $6 million to throw 60 innings for a team that won’t contend next year? The bottom could come out from under any reliever by the time the Mets are ready to contend.
Could the Mets match up with the Cubs on a deal for Marmol? What do the Mets have to offer?
Well…we do have that Shake Shack out by the CF stands.
Other than that, uh…
Unfortunately the Nats have that too now. Sooo what do we have that’s unique?
You just paraphrased my point…which is to say that basically, we got nuthin’! 🙁
*sigh*
I love that you’re both offering ballpark nuances.
*chuckle*
Well hey, Wrigley is famous for its atmosphere and old-world charm, so how better to illustrate how truly pathetic things are in Flushing than by offering the Cubs something ‘unique’ for your ballpark that you guys would hardly need?! >:(
The Mets shouldn’t waste money signing a top flight closer. It’s the most overrated position in the game and it’s necessity is overrated in New York because of Rivera (not criticizing him at all. He’s the exception to my beliefs on closers).
I’d just like to point out that Jose Reyes and Brett Gardner’s numbers and functions on their respective teams are eerily similar, if not identical. Reyes has a history of injuries sidelining him for large chunks of the season and Gardner has proved himself durable. Yet, Reyes is viewed as a potential $20MM a year free agent and Gardner is viewed as…what exactly? Certainly not someone who will ever be worth $20MM a season.
This is why people have to be careful about free agency hype. Two nearly identical players, one with a market, one in relative obscurity- two wildly different prices for the same service and for what reason? There is no logical reason.
The difference in value between a left fielder and a shortstop is incredibly big. Shortstop is more difficult to play and it’s harder to find people who can play shortstop and hit even slightly. Meanwhile, Reyes on average slugs about 50 points higher, despite playing in a much more difficult ballpark (and the difference is 100 points this year).
one HUGE difference between them is reyes plays shortstop. and gardner has yet to show the pop and avg. that jose can bring.
Gardner is nice player not a great player.
disagree. i think people just have a bias toward hitters. gardner is a great fielder and a great baserunner and he’s an above average hitter. guys like ryan braun and prince fielder are considered great players despite being great at only one of those three things and below average at the others (braun’s actually a good baserunner, to be fair)
brett gardner isn’t below average – or even average – at anything, and he’s the best in the game defensively and on the bases. great player imo
You’re right on most counts, but Gardner’s defensive value in a corner position–while it makes him valuable–is still in a corner position, and his ability to hit for power is below average for a regular at any position, let alone left field.
weird eh? granderson does everything like a left fielder, gardner does everything like a centerfielder
Some people think there’s something a little funky with UZR’s measurements of those two Yankees, and I’m inclined to agree. Gardner is obviously a terrific left fielder–someone who could play a solid center–but I think Granderson’s a perfectly fine center fielder himself.
yea, i dunno. gardner’s superman defense didn’t seem to goof up granderson’s rating last year and granderson has had a bad UZR-year in center before brett. UZR wonkiness is always hard to rule out, but DRS and +/- are even harsher on him this year (though they’re not failproof either)
i’m not so sure you should include braun in that argument. he has a stellar arm, and could win a gold glove this year, even after making the transition from third base.
But he’s not a good defender in the outfield.
i can’t believe so many fellow mets’ fans let this comment slide…
brett gardner (age 27) jose reyes (age 28)
2011 2011
Hits 128 Hits 169
Runs 82 Runs 96
Doubles 19 Doubles 29
Triples 8 Triples 16, leads league
Homeruns 7 Homeruns 5
RBI 36 RBI 39
SB 45, leads league SB 36
BA .262 BA .331
OBP .348 OBP .377
SLG .377 SLG .479
OPS .725 OPS .857
OPS+ 92 OPS+ 138
yes, there are some similarities, like the same similarities when comparing an apple to an orange
let’s also keep in mind that he plays on a stacked yankee lineup, and is left-handed in yankee stadium
And again, you left out the first, second, and third most important things, all of which are that one is a shortstop and one is a left fielder.
i didn’t have to include that b/c it had already been said, and most obvious.
first, second, and third reasons? my, don’t we have a rather big…ego. i was referring to the numbers that nobody had commented on.
Ego? You know I’m not Jose Reyes, right?
Absolutely diminishing…Hasn’t been the same since 08…if the walls are moved next year and players stay healthy, then 2012 is the year to see if he really is going down.