Wilmer Flores was promoted Thursday and will start at shortstop today against Philadelphia. That is a necessary move by the Mets as the Ruben Tejada, Omar Quintanilla combination was performing at sub Rey Ordonez levels (take a look at the numbers). Will Flores save the season? No, but the Mets are a team in transition and they need to figure out what they have and don’t have. They clearly don’t have a starting shortstop in Tejada and a long term bench player in Quintanilla (in spite of Terry Collins affection), so they need to figure out whether Flores can be the starting shortstop, Tejada can play on the bench or they need to look outside of the organization for the long term answer. Hopefully they give Flores consistent time and at bat’s to prove himself. We’ll see.
However, the Mets need to make other moves with not only the roster, but the minor league system and in verbal commitments to players in the big leagues. This team got off to a good start. Yes, they are a game under .500, but they are in the race for the NL east after about one-fifth of the season and that’s more than what many Mets fans hoped for.
So what do they need to do? For one, Vic Black needs to be promoted. The bullpen is terrible and Black has been throwing to a 0.68 ERA in the minor leagues, with four saves. He throws hard, strikes people out and has just enough wildness to be intimidating. Kyle Farnsworth has always been more successful when the closer role wasn’t thrust upon him, as it has been with the Mets, so giving the confident, cocky Black the end of game role might just put this bullpen back in an order that works for everyone. That would allow Carlos Torres to figure into the seventh or eighth innings, leave Scott Rice as the token lefty, put Farnsworth back into a role that he is historically more comfortable with and take the pressure off of Jeurys Familia and Gonzalez Germen. Who should be sent down? Daisuke Matsuzaka. Matsuzaka doesn’t have a role on this team and if he’d be willing to accept it, he should return to Las Vegas. If not, let him walk as a free agent. This team has plenty of starting pitching to dig into. Bullpen pitchers need roles, so that they know, depending on the situation, whether they will be the guy called into the game or not. The Mets bullpen has no structure right now, so putting Black into a position he’s lobbied for since being brought here last year might just set that to rights.
In addition to Black, the talk about Jenrry Mejia to the bullpen needs to be strongly considered. It’s hard to argue with the start by start evaluation process the Mets are utilizing with Mejia. He’s historically injury prone and has shown no ability to consistently pitch late into games. Recently, Mejia has been getting hit hard as he gets into the third track around the order, which is never a good sign for a starter. Dillon Gee has shown the ability to work through that particular issue, so hopefully Mejia will too, but it’s not like the Mets don’t have starters ready to be promoted. If Mejia continues to fall apart in the middle innings, it will be time to move his filthy stuff into the back end of the bullpen and officially convert him to an elite late inning reliever or closer. If Black and Familia solidify into what their stuff dictates they can be, then adding Mejia to that mix could make that reliever group a shutdown, end of game force.
The Mets also need to consider what to do with Josh Satin. Lucas Duda is currently holding his own as the left handed side of the first base platoon, but Satin isn’t. Satin is currently hitting .130 and has only been remotely productive because he continues to have a high walk rate (17% in the short season), but there are concerns. One is the information that came out about how Satin is more productive the second and third times through the order. That’s fine for an everyday player, but for a bench guy like Satin, that can’t be the case. It’s also strange for someone with such patience to struggle so much when meeting a pitcher for the first time. Most players who have Satin’s patience do pretty well in pinch hitting scenarios and sporadic playing time because their whole objective is to see pitches and work counts. The fact that Satin struggles when he doesn’t see a pitcher multiple times per game is a major issue for a bench player. Satin isn’t good enough to supplant Duda at first base, so the Mets need to consider promoting a player that could fit his role (platoon and bench player) better. Eric Campbell comes to mind as he’s logged at least 150 games at three different positions (left field, first base and third base), has hit lefties well in the minors (.339 AVG, 1.004 OPS against lefties in 2013, .440 AVG, 1.293 OPS so far this year), shows patience at the plate and doesn’t strike out all that much (last two years at Triple-A, has struck out 80 times and walked 85 times). Campbell is 27 and is not a prospect, but these are the type of players that sometimes turn into excellent bench players. The team has options on Satin, so why not give Campbell a chance, especially now that they have an open 40 man roster spot with Quintanilla being designated.
In a minor league move, Wilfredo Tovar needs to be promoted to Triple-A. This year, Tovar is hitting .350 with a .821 OPS in Double-A. Tovar has logged over 700 at bat’s at Double-A and the Mets need to see if the slick fielding shortstop can continue his success one step away from the majors. The team obviously likes Tovar as they made him a September call up in 2013, but right now he’s just lingering. The Mets smartly promoted Matt Reynolds to Double-A and he’s been successful so far, but he’s also taken away Tovar’s time at shortstop, so why make Tovar linger at second base, when he can play short at Triple-A. It also could give the Mets an option in case Flores flounders, especially if Tovar handles his transition to Las Vegas with aplomb.
Finally, the Mets just need to officially commit to Juan Lagares. Yeah Collins has publically said Lagares needs to be out there every day, but it needs to be more than that. Lagares is an elite defender in centerfield and can hit. All of this nonsense that he can’t hit at the major league level needs to be disregarded. Lagares will never be a superstar, but he doesn’t need to be. He works hard and is constantly trying to make himself better. This isn’t just a recent thing with Lagares either. Not only did he hit at every level of the minor leagues, but he was signed as a shortstop and was converted into a centerfielder. That is not an easy transition, especially for a young player continuing to grow as a hitter, yet Lagares not only made it, while continuing to show improvement with the bat, but is now arguably one of the top five defensive centerfielders in all of baseball. To get to that level, a player doesn’t just rely on athleticism, which Lagares has in spades, but also needs to work on how to read balls and learn to position himself appropriately prior to pitches and when making plays so that he can make throws. To do all of that right (learn centerfield, excel at it and improve with the bat) Lagares had to put the work in. With all of that in mind, Collins and Sandy Alderson should just come out and say, “Lagares is our centerfielder this year, no matter what”. Lagares has earned it and that will help stabilize the team. It will allow Eric Young Jr. to settle into a bench role and Chris Young into leftfield. Just like bullpens, position players always function better when they know, 100%, what their roles will be. That would go a long way towards making sure that happens.
All of these are just suggestions, but before this season gets out of control, the Mets should shake things up a little. They’ve gotten off to a good start by promoting Flores, letting him play shortstop and designating Quintanilla for assignment. Some more work needs to be done.
Fantastic article Scott! All of your suggestions are valid and probably should be done. As you mentioned Dice K doesn’t have much of a role on this team, and perhaps Flores might not either if the front office doesn’t see him as a long-term SS. What do you think of a trade involving Flores, Matsuzaka, and Mejia to Arizona for Chris Owings and Addison Reed? They get two pitchers which they need and a young bat, and we get the SS and RP help we need. Then we get to bring up Montero for the rotation.
This is excellent, Scott. It’s interesting to see how the fan base is often a step or two ahead of Mets management in making moves. I hope that your analysis proves to be true.
I’ve been watching the numbers- and versatility- of Eric Campbell and the struggles of Josh Satin and saying why don’t we make an obvious move here? It’s not like Satin can’t make his way back to the majors at some point.
I’m surprised you didn’t mention Jose Valverde. He’s hurting the team by being on the bench but not being reliable enough to put in most games. Replace Jose with either Vic Black or Jacob de Grom.
I would hold off DFA’ing Dice-K. I’d give him a couple of starts and see if we can increase his value in a trade. He was good at the end of last year and in Spring Training.
There you have it. Again, excellent insights, Scott.
Nice article Scott. It highlights one word for me: “Change”. We all can see change is needed. Alderson sort of changed things this offseason, but really, how much? I dont think that much.
Ok, Ike “the terrible” is now a Pirate. But Duda, who had legit cred for 1B and already here just swooped in. Overall, more an Alderson two-step than change. Net result? Not much than minimal expectations. Murph = no change. SS = the much pilloried Tejada/Q platoon will now be supplanted by a non MLB level defender that may or may not hit in the show. Balance any offense with the downgrade in defense and it’s a wash. 3B = NC. Catcher sees really a newish face, but no change as C has been a black hole since, yikes, lets not go there. THe OF is a makeover, but Lagares in CF, as you rightly note should be the starting CF. Period. We exchanged Granny for Byrd. And LF has been a gaping wound for some time. The new look Mets, Im afraid to say arent much different looking than the old look Mets.
We could turn our attention to the Marlins, if everyone’s ulcers permit it. They blew up the place and made real turn over. Im not convinced they are the real deal, just yet, but that wasnt tinkering. And I dont think tinkering changes are going to move the Mets. We need change.
In my eyes, to be any sort of competititve, we need:
1. A power 1B guy.
2. A genuine SS.
3. A real bull pen.
1 and 2 can be solved by calling Kevin Towers. I want Trumbo and Owings. In return Im ready to talk Wheeler, Gee, Flores, or just about anyone other than those named Harvey, Syndergaard, Niese, Wright, and Lagares (look, I cant give up on my bromance). Duda becomes a back up bat or heads to DH somewhere.
I think Mejia needs to be closely looked at as a closer. Parnell is done. I like Torres. Black has the fearless aspect I like, but we need a strike thrower. Can he do that? Im tired of all the walks from the pen.
I’m glad to see the Flores move. The Mets certainly have nothing to lose by trying this and a whole lot to gain.
There’s too many moves. I like Flores, I’m glad. As far as the rest of it,
there’s too much platooning. Everyone likes who they like, so I’m not criticizing
the article. I like Young Jr., he should own left. I like Lagares, and Granderson
is fine. Obviously second and third aren’t an issue. Lucas is okay, he’s a lefty,
he can play first, it isn’t too demanding, and if he starts smacking them over
the fence he’ll earn his money for the year. As far as the rest of them go, I don’t
want to see them very much except for someone’s day off or injury. That’s my team.
I know most people don’t agree, obviously the owner and manager don’t. I don’t care
for Chris Young. Young Jr. is total attitude, and that’s worth a lot, and stealing bases
turns into runs. I want to see a consistent team gel. Everyone talks about the young NY Mets and how starting next year it’s going to be big. Half of them will be gone next year if no one
let’s them play. And Recker, everyone needs a good back up catcher and he is all that. You don’t go to war with the lineup you want, you go to war with the lineup you have.
Last night, Montero throws a 5 1/3 inning no hitter on 98 pitches when Mejia gives up only two runs to major league batters in 4 2/3 innings on 101 pitches. 4 2/3 innings is unacceptable but so is 5 1/3 innings.
Campbell gets called up and deservedly so but you have to put him on the 40 man roster. Last night Andrew Brown homered for the 6th time in 15 games at AAA. He also can play first base and still leave that roster spot open.
Surprisingly to me the Mets got off to a good start against a tough schedule. It is a positive that Sandy is making moves and holding people accountable. The two above examples just show that the Mets may be only shuffling deck chairs as Chris F so aptly puts it, but at least there are deck chairs to shuffle.
But who is holding Sandy accountable for lack of major league depth at shortstop and proven back end relief pitchers – two needs that every Met fan identified last winter ?
This division is still wide open and Sandy’s procrastinating should no longer be tolerated.
Good article Scott and I can’t wait to see Montero, deGrom, Syndergaard and Black up this summer but there is no bat savior in AAA and that is the Mets greatest need.
What shocks me is that 3 teams this spring were desperate to trade position depth for pitching: Angels, DBax, Marlins. Looking at what happened makes me think Alderson is simply not savvy or confident with trading for real time talent, which is way different than unloading rentals for prospects, which he seems ok at (yes, ok. I’m not convinced Wheeler or TdA will make any impact on the big club, and if Syndergaard isn’t a solid 2 or 1 rotation guy, it’s hard to say he won those trades).
As you quite rightly point out Metsense, there is not proven mlb bat savior on the way up. We needed desperately to acquire Abreu or Trumbo in the off season. Either could have been had and made a big impact on this season and the future. But no, Alderson created an unnecessary log jam in the OF while leaving gaps in the line up and at key positions unresolved.
I like that he’s worked on getting the financial mess in order, however he keeps claiming regularly that money exists which is either true and he’s abdicating duties or he’s lying to save face for the Ponzies. Either way, this team and it’s fan base are in real trouble.
No love for Duda? If you say Alderson made a logjam in the OF, wouldn’t have acquiring Trumbo/Abreu made a Los Angeles traffic jam at 1st base?
Marlins = Mariners
There’s one thing I violently disagree with. By far the best year Farnsworth had was as a closer, as the numbers clearly show. But, he’s never been a good pitcher.
When he threw 98 teams would pick him up b/c of the ever present faith in heat, but he’s just bad.
He needs to be DFA’d along with Valverde ASAP.
I also disagree about Satin. Frankly, I’d rather have him starting then Duda, but that won’t happen. His success rate goes up b/c of the hitch in his swing which he uses as a timing device. He needs time to adjust that timing.
Since they clearly have no plans for him, I might look to move him now, and consider also bringing up Dykstra.
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