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
10-26-11: - http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/10/26/colemans-corner-mets-position-players-shining-in-arizona-sun - Then there’s left-hander Robert Carson. Or as he refers to himself on his Facebook page – Robert “I’mdestinedforgreatness” Carson. Whoa, big fella, dial that one back just a little bit. At Double AA Binghamton this season, Carson went 4-11 with a 5.05 ERA in 24 starts and one relief appearance. He gave up a whopping 154 hits in 128 innings, striking out 91 but walking 55. Not pretty. In Arizona, he’s still giving up too many hits – 10 in 9 1/3 innings – but the numbers are better – a 2.89 ERA in 5 relief appearances. 10-25-11: - http://www.newyorkmetsreport.com/2011/10/25/mets-have-precious-few-pieces-to-trade - Fernando Martinez: Had been sought after in previous years, but is a fragile, injury risk whose value has declined. Too bad they can’t turn back the clock two years. If the Mets can swing something with him, they should do it, but his real value to them would be to stay healthy and reach his potential, which is becoming less and less likely. 10-26-11: - http://www.metstoday.com/7132/mets-minors/a-look-into-the-future-top-shortstop-prospects - Phillip Evans DOB: 9/10/1992 Birthplace: Carlsbad, CA Height: 5’10” Weight: 185 R/R - I’m not going to even talk about his stats because they are irrelevant since he only played 9 games. However, he did reach Brooklyn, something Brandon Nimmo did not do. When the Mets snagged him on the signing deadline day, I remember rejoicing that we did not let him go. He’s practically my age and I’m praising him. His frame is pretty much maxed out at this point. It’s impossible to predict growth spurts, but you never know. Evans reminds me of your classic shortstop, who has potential to hit a few homeruns while being a solid gap hitter. He represented the west coast in the 2010 AFLAC All-American game, where he snagged the MVP honors in front of his hometown fans. According to Replacement Level Baseball, they clocked Evans in high school at 4.1 from home to first, predicting that he can be an “admirable base stealer at the next level”. RLP also said that Evans’ arm could be projected at a 65, well above average on the scouting scale. He’s what you want a high school prospect to look like. It’s not going to take him much time to fit into the system because he has the tools to succeed. 10-26-11: - http://www.metsminorleagueblog.com/what-do-the-mets-have-in-reese-havens - Reese Havens’ health has been his biggest flaw as a player since being drafted by the Mets in the 1st round of the 2008 Draft (22nd overall) out of the University of South Carolina. Skeptics might be concerned he will never stay healthy. While he does strikeout at a high rate, I will give Havens the benefit of the doubt due to the lack of consistent at-bats. Overall, I like what I saw from Havens when he was on the field. That potential is what draws the attention of scouts and the Mets front office staff. Havens just turned 25, and the clock is ticking very quickly for him. Should Havens stay healthy, the Mets look like they have their future everyday second-baseman. The bullpen, which lacked the hard middle-inning throwers that other teams employed, desperately can use reinforcements. Mets relievers combined for a 4.33 ERA and .267 opponent batting average this past season, both ranked 15th in the National League. The Houston Astros were the only team to finish worse, with a 4.49 reliever ERA and .269 opponent batting average. "Of course the bullpen was a big disappointment -- overall and certainly the last two months of the season," Alderson said in the Mets' clubhouse at Citi Field the day after the regular-season finale. "So I think a lot of our success or failure next year is going to be a function of pitching, regardless of who's playing for us. Now that doesn't mean we're going to go spending all of our money on pitching and not try to sign Jose. But I think our fate lies more on the pitching side than anything else http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/7148914/new-york-mets-finding-capable-arms-bullpen-key-amazins
A brutal offensive player, but his defensive reputation is almost otherworldly. Every scout, manager, or GM who's ever seen him play swears he's the second coming of Ozzie Smith, and some have even been foolhardy enough to claim he's better than the Wizard was. He better be, if he wants to be a major league regular. Twenty years from now they might be calling a .200 average the "Ordonez Line". But if the Mets are willing to use pinch-hitters for him anytime he bats after the sixth inning, he could be a genuinely useful player. The Mets are generally considered to be the worst defensive team of the '90s, but for 1996 they could start an outfield of Everett, Johnson, and Ochoa; an infield of Alfonzo, Ordonez, Kent, and Brogna; and Hundley behind the plate. It wouldn't score many runs, but that defense and Shea Stadium could keep Mets pitchers very happy all season. - http://www.baseballprospectus.com/other/bp1996/mets.html  |
| photo by Mack |
How do you negotiate with a dream? Shawn Bowman is navigating that. The 26-year-old third baseman from Port Moody, B.C., has been close enough to the major leagues that you couldn’t help but wonder if he keeps a travel agent on retainer to get his family and friends to a big-league city at a moment’s notice. For instance, he was slotted to be the Atlanta Braves’ triple A third sacker this season. That makes you an understudy to Chipper Jones, and that generally puts you in line for big league at-bats, since it can feel like duct tape is keeping aging Jones together. Read more: link  |
| photo by Mack |
The New York Mets’ 2011 season has been one of pleasant surprises, an unfamiliar feeling for this generation’s fanbase, thanks mostly to a rebuilding state and expectations lower than the Phillies’ team ERA. Daniel Murphy, the lefty hitter from Jacksonville, Florida, stroked his way to a .320 batting average through 109 games before suffering his second MCL injury in two years. At the time, he was fifth in the league in hitting. As the rebuilding movement in New York evolves completely into Sandy Alderson’s brainchild, the GM has a lot of options and freedom over what to do with Murphy, as he does with the rest of the team. Here are four of those options, ranging anywhere from realistic to bold. - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/855948-new-york-mets-offseason-what-does-gm-sandy-alderson-do-with-daniel-murphy 
9-20-11: - http://www.nctimes.com/sports/article_8da63360-2b6a-58f5-8774-c126796b81d8.html#ixzz1YVtT8erv - Some people join the Navy to see the world. Phillip Evans signed a professional baseball contract with the New York Mets. A 15th-round draft pick by the Mets in June out of La Costa Canyon High, Evans signed hours before the Aug. 15 deadline for what amounted to a bonus typically given to players taken at the bottom of the first round. Evans, a shortstop, started his pro career in the Rookie Gulf Coast League with Port St. Lucie, Fla., played four games and was promoted to Kingsport, Tenn., of the low Rookie Appalachian League and finally to Brooklyn of the New York-Penn League 
That the Mets are playing out the string at this point, rather than competing for a playoff spot, is not all that unusual based on recent history. What is out of the ordinary is the fact that they are in the position to play spoiler to other more fortunate teams. The last two seasons, as the Mets came to the end of September, they encountered virtually no opponents whose playoff chances they could damage in any appreciable way. The only exception was when they hosted the wild card-hopeful Braves for three games on September 17-19 last season, and made the least of the opportunity by allowing Atlanta to sweep. - http://www.amazinavenue.com/2011/9/20/2436699/remembrances-of-spoils-past-part-one
