It's Time Again for the Hot Stove League!
Bruce isn't a bad right fielder. He never takes risks and plays caroms pretty well. He seldom misses the cutoff man. Basic stuff but gets the job done. The Mets still need a 2B. I know there's talk about getting one more innings-eating starter, but who is out there, really? Anyone worth it? They can't possibly be getting Colon back, right?
ml1 said:
by the defensive metrics, Bruce is actually a pretty good RF. He doesn't look fast out there, but according to defensive runs saved he's OK. Last year for the Mets in only about 90 games he had 15 DRS. Conforto's sample of games in CF is very small, but again with him, the metrics showed him as a slightly below average CF. I'd like to see them keep Lagares, because he'll get a decent number of starts if Bruce is rotating at 1B, and Conforto misses a month recuperating. Lagares could also be a late-inning replacement for defense when the Mets have a lead.
Last year, OF defense was the teams only strength, but not enough to make up for how bad the IF defense was. This season, substituting Conforto/Nimmo/Lagares in CF for Granderson will probably be a wash. And getting Rosario on the field at SS, and finding a professional caliber 2B will mean the IF will be better. It's hard to know how much the pitiful IF defense last year contributed to the Mets awful pitching. With guys like Gsellman and Lugo, it directly hurt because they pitch to contact. But with all the pitchers, how much did it hurt them with walks because they were avoiding pitching to contact? I guess we'll find out this season when the IF is tightened up.
I too want to keep Lagares.
What is the status of Reyes? I'm not a big fan of resigning him, but I haven't heard much.
If the Mets want to make a big splash, they sign Moustakas or Hosmer. Not saying they should or will do this, but that would be a huge splash. No matter what, they need at least one or two more infielders.
I agree that Bruce is worth the dollars in today's market, and that if they can keep Lageres that is smart given how gimpy Cespedes has been and Conforto's uncertain return timeline.
I don't think they need to sign a FA arm for the rotation. They have a decent enough core of starters and middle relievers now, provided they stay healthy.
personally, I'd rather they get a 2B. I think the IF defense will be better with Cabrera at 3B than at 2B. And a Josh Harrison or Neil Walker will bring enough offense that they wouldn't miss Moustakas or Hosmer's bat that much. Now if they could get a 2B and Moustakas or Hosmer, that would be ideal.
mfpark said:
If the Mets want to make a big splash, they sign Moustakas or Hosmer. Not saying they should or will do this, but that would be a huge splash. No matter what, they need at least one or two more infielders.
I agree that Bruce is worth the dollars in today's market, and that if they can keep Lageres that is smart given how gimpy Cespedes has been and Conforto's uncertain return timeline.
I don't think they need to sign a FA arm for the rotation. They have a decent enough core of starters and middle relievers now, provided they stay healthy.
I would rather see a strong second baseman and leave Cabrera at third. But Frazier on a one year deal with an option is not the worst outcome. He is a good fielder, and an average bat.
NotoriousEAM said:
Any Todd Frazier fans out there?
I'm hoping the Mets might bring back John Olerud to increase the team speed.
Train_of_Thought said:
I'm hoping the Mets might bring back John Olerud to increase the team speed.
John Stearns!
Justin Turner and Lucas Duda were the slowest players I've ever seen. I think I could outrun Justin Turner from 2nd to home. I'm almost positive I could beat Duda.
Lucas Duda is FLASH compared to Rusty Staub, the slowest person I've ever seen!
NotoriousEAM said:
Lucas Duda is FLASH compared to Rusty Staub, the slowest person I've ever seen!
Didn’t occur to me that he may have been nicknamed for something other than his hair.
ml1 said:
go figure:
Mets considering signing Lucas Duda
You got to be kidding me. How well did he do after he got traded?
He hit .217/.322/.496 with 30 HR in 126 games last season with the Mets and Rays.
With the Rays, he hit .175 with 13 HR, 27 RBI, .285 OBP in 171 at bats. Pretty damned anemic.
NotoriousEAM said:
ml1 said:
go figure:
Mets considering signing Lucas Duda
You got to be kidding me. How well did he do after he got traded?
Not a celebrity, really, so a life probably more appreciated here than in that other thread:
God Is Dead (link fixed)
No Phillies fan of my vintage will ever forget Harvey’s poise, if also perplexity, during the triple-play-that-wasn’t during Game 4 of the 1980 NLCS.
Some old players signing up for one last hurrah:
Granderson signs for one year with the Blue Jays to be a platoon outfielder and provide some left-handed pop while covering one of the corner outfield positions. While he continues to be a low-contact, low average hitter, when he does hit it often goes a long way with a good percentage of doubles and homers last year.
And the Amazin's go ahead and sign Adrian Gonzalez to push Dominic Smith at First Base. Hmmm, you know you in trouble when one of your top prospects is being pushed by an aging, coming off injury former All Star who hit .240 with 3 homers and 30 RBIs last year. The good news is Gonzalez only costs the Mets $545k with the Braves eating the rest of his contract, and there is always the chance that he rebounds to his prior form a bit. In 2016 he did hit 18 dingers with 90 RBIs, although Citi Field is a place where long balls go to die.
Astros make an immense deal for Gerit Cole. Imagine this rotation this year: Cole, Verlander, Keuchel, Morton, McCullers, and McHugh. Any one of them can be a stopper at any point in the season, and all will eat a lot of innings to save the bullpen. And Cole is controllable for two years through arbitration.
It cost the Astros some good players--two really top-notch relief pitchers (once Musgrove settles into the pen), a decent Triple A third baseman who will likely be traded, and a middle of the road outfield prospect.
A very good team just got a whole lot better, and the Pirates dodged a Boras-bullet when Cole hits FA in a few years while getting three major-league ready prospects/players. A win-win for each team's game plan.
McCutcheon to the Giants has me scratching my head, I must admit. Sure, teaming him up with Evan Longoria gives them a lot of pop in the middle of the line up. But McCutcheon is a terrible center fielder who now is playing in a much larger outfield (with tricky wind conditions to boot). And he carries a huge one year contract before hitting the open market, with the Giants already darned close to the luxury cap.
Meanwhile the Bucs picked up a very good starting pitcher prospect and dumped a ton of salary in McCutcheon's walk year.
All in all a pretty expensive one year rental for the Giants. Hope for their sake he has a monster walk year. Clearly the Giants are going all in to make the playoffs and World Series in 2018--with the future to take care of itself later.
In one of those small news moves that could have a big impact over the season, the Nats signed Howie Kendrick to a two-year deal. This guy is a contact hitter who can play both second base and the outfield. With Murphy coming back from surgery he provides them an excellent backup at second base, and they can rest outfielders during the season and not lose a lot of on base percentage.
Speaking of the Nats...what are the chances that Bryce Harper stays? As a Mets fan, I will be happy to see him leave the NL East. The assumption is he'll sign with the Yanks, but can he, really? He must be a $250m contract waiting to happen. Along with Stanton's contract?? Can they really afford Harper, too?
NotoriousEAM said:
Speaking of the Nats...what are the chances that Bryce Harper stays? As a Mets fan, I will be happy to see him leave the NL East. The assumption is he'll sign with the Yanks, but can he, really? He must be a $250m contract waiting to happen. Along with Stanton's contract?? Can they really afford Harper, too?
If Aaron Judge has another big year in '18, there's no way the Yanks bid on Harper.
Harper's market may be impacted by the huge volume of quality FAs hitting the market next year, as well as perhaps the continuation of this year's reticence for huge FA deals.
Next year there is Machado, Kershaw, Murphy, McCuthcheon, Donaldson, Blackmun, and Price coming out--certainly most older and perhaps less valuable than Harper but still able to soak up a lot of FA dollars. And Andrus, Miller, Dozier, and Kimbrel as well.
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by the defensive metrics, Bruce is actually a pretty good RF. He doesn't look fast out there, but according to defensive runs saved he's OK. Last year for the Mets in only about 90 games he had 15 DRS. Conforto's sample of games in CF is very small, but again with him, the metrics showed him as a slightly below average CF. I'd like to see them keep Lagares, because he'll get a decent number of starts if Bruce is rotating at 1B, and Conforto misses a month recuperating. Lagares could also be a late-inning replacement for defense when the Mets have a lead.
Last year, OF defense was the teams only strength, but not enough to make up for how bad the IF defense was. This season, substituting Conforto/Nimmo/Lagares in CF for Granderson will probably be a wash. And getting Rosario on the field at SS, and finding a professional caliber 2B will mean the IF will be better. It's hard to know how much the pitiful IF defense last year contributed to the Mets awful pitching. With guys like Gsellman and Lugo, it directly hurt because they pitch to contact. But with all the pitchers, how much did it hurt them with walks because they were avoiding pitching to contact? I guess we'll find out this season when the IF is tightened up.