2012 ZIPS Projections - New York Mets - Obviously not a great year for the Mets at 77-85, but if you just went by the tenor of the media reports, thanks to the Wilpon/Madoff turmoil, you'd think the Mets played like the 1993 edition that went 59-103. The team spent most of the year, playing "sort of OK-ish" and while never really in any kind of risk of being relevant, weren't Astrotastic horrible. The pitching staff is interesting in that while it was one of the worst in the league (the 89 ERA+ was 15th of 16 teams in the National League), it was not because of some notably terrible pitching, but almost an entire staff of guys that had recognizable names, were consistently below-average, but also consistently above replacement level. Perhaps best described as the Sterling Hitchcock Rock 'n' Fun Zone. Beltran is gone from the offense, Reyes is likely to be, and Wright isn't the player he was at his best, so the team's pitching has to get a good bit better as there's less room to count on the front-line talent to score runs. http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/files/oracle/discussion/2012_zips_projections_-_new_york_mets
It’s a clumsy headline, but “Does Jeff Wilpon Come To Your Job & Knock The Dick Out Of Your Mouth?” didn’t scan nearly as well. I don’t think it would be the most unfair statement of all time to say there’s a slight credibility gap between Mets ownership’s initial assurances L’affair Madoff would have no substantial impact on the ballclub’s day to day operations and the resulting 2011 econo-Amazin’s ; the big name acquisitions were limited to a succession of former GM’s and it wasn’t long before we heard of Fred and Jeff Wilpon going cap in hand to Major League Baseball. Jeff (above) was reluctant to identify the club’s new minority investors earlier this week, not surprising given the way David Einhorn’s attempts to buy into the Mets ended in yet another P.R. disaster. In the considered view of Metsmerized’s Greg Pomes — either the most trusting person in on Planet Earth or a satirist of the highest order — “I know in today’s information age we want to know everything, but this is a non-issue.” http://www.cantstopthebleeding.com/in-jeff-wilpon-we-trust-is-the-mets-coo-answerable-to-anyone
11-3-11: - http://baseballinstinct.com/2011/11/03/2011-mlb-draft-shortstops-review-part-1 - Phillip Evans, SS New York Mets – (18) – Round: 15 Pick: 462 - Here’s a kid who has good make-up and skill set to be an above average major leaguer. There was a buzz last year that he could be a 1st round draft pick, but after an up and down spring and a firm commitment to play for Tony Gwynn at San Diego State (not far from home in Carlsbad, CA) his stock dropped like a ton of bricks. I’m not sure he has the range to stick at SS, but after the Mets moved 8th round pick Daniel Muno from SS to 2B, perhaps the Mets feel differently than I do. Evans was an August 15th deadline signing and kudos to the Mets for getting this done. Evans hit .294/.351/.412, which included 2B-4/RBI-4/R-7, and a 5/3 K/BB ratio in 34 at bats spread over quick stops at 3 levels, ending up with Muno with the Low-A Brooklyn Cyclones of the New York Penn League and that’s likely where he will start the 2012 season as well. I think he’s a player to watch. http://baseballinstinct.com/2011/11/03/2011-mlb-draft-shortstops-review-part-1
11-3-11: - http://metsmerizedonline.com/2011/11/mmo-top-20-mets-prospects-15-jefry-marte-3b.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MetsMerizedOnline-GetMetsmerized-NewYorkMets+%28Mets+Merized+Online%29 - As a fielder, he’ll never make you think of Brooks Robinson, but there is no reason as of yet to move him off 3B. He charges the ball well, has decent hands and a strong throwing arm. He has problems with his feet going laterally however, and therefore has limited range right now. This can be helped through conditioning and agility work, but as he matures physically and gets thicker, he will have to continue to work hard on this, to remain at the position. The last year he has improved quite a bit in fielding technique, and is not afraid to dive and throw his body around, but where he makes his errors is usually when rushing his throws. Sound familiar? With a continued strong showing in the Arizona Fall League, Jefry Marte could very well force the Mets to promote him to Binghamton for the start of 2012. That would be an incredible accomplishment for a 21-year-old. Again he would be playing against players three years older than himself, but with more and more tools in his tool bag, this hard working ball-player is now better equipped to take on the challenge.
B.J. Upton is younger, generally healthier, and better than Pagan — though not by as much as you’d think. Upton retains some cachet from his days as an uber-prospect, but by WAR he has never had a season as good as Pagan’s 2010. At 27, he’s younger than Pagan and a better bet to play well over the next several years. But Upton is in his last arbitration year with the Rays, meaning he’d have to be non-tendered to become a free-agent (which seems unlikely given his obvious trade value) or the Mets would have to trade something to acquire him. Since Upton is set for free agency next offseason — any team that trades for him would either get only one year of his services or have to broker a negotiating window in which to sign Upton for what will likely be a market-rate extension. http://www.tedquarters.net/2011/11/03/compelling-arguments-for-non-tendering-angel-pagan
