The Mets announced that they have signed Dominican outfielder, Ricardo Cespedes, for $725,000.00 at the young age of sixteen. He’s a lefty with good bat mechanics and the speed to at least start in center field. The question for Cespedes, like so many young outfielders, is whether he will fill out and move to a corner or develop into a starting center fielder.
Just like Brandon Nimmo, this kid (and I mean KID) is 100% tools without knowing what he can do on the baseball field. We’ll see him play his 2014 in the DSL and will not know what we actually have here until he hits the GCL in 2015 or 2016.
Cespedes was not the only signee for the Mets. They also signed [Catcher] Aly Sanchez (Ranked 25th International FA), [Short Stop] Luis Carpio (Ranked 30th International FA), [Short Stop] Yeffry de Aza and [RHP] Luis Silva. With $2,190,000.00 spent in the international market I think we can rule out a certain Cuban first baseman… but I think the organization’s clear desire to stick with Ike Davis had already done that.
AAA:
I know we love Juan Lagares, but I think Matt Den Dekker is better – As I dodge the spoiled fruit that people are, no doubt, throwing my way I’d like to point out that Lagares and Den Dekker could be a dynamite platoon for the Mets in center. Den Dekker has been AWFUL vs. lefties but he’s been pretty awesome against righties.
Zach Lutz needs off the Mets – Last year it was Josh Satin. Now it’s Lutz who just can’t get his break to become a starter with the big club.
Rafael Montero finishing strong – He tosses another couple of strong starts and it seems clear that he’s the #1 trade chip for Alderson.
AA:
Dear Darin Gorski, I’m sorry I doubted you – He’s now got a pretty sweet line for a year at AA: 71.2 IP, 44 H, 16 ER, 22 BB, and 62 K.
The Mighty Thor, Noah Syndergaard, preps for 2014 – By this I mean he begins to taper off his innings.
Full Season A:
Brandon Nimmo continues his hot August – Nimmo has regained his lost prospect steam and is currently sitting on a .970 OPS for August.
Steven Matz tells us that you don’t need a 1st pick to get a prospect – Sure you might lose him to a Tommy John surgery that every scout in baseball predicted… but he has star potential.
Don’t look now but Beck Wheeler is pretty slick – 47.1 IP and 72 K’s… those are Leathersich numbers.
Short Season A:
L.J. Mazzilli is bringing some heavy lumber – He now has 12 doubles, 2 triples and 3 homers in 61 games. That isn’t bad for Brooklyn.
Robert Gsellman dazzles – 8.0 IP, 2 Hits, 0 Runs, 1 BB and 13 strikeouts… WOW!
Rookie:
Robert Whalen in the Top 20? – I think he might have to be.
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Dave,
How would you compare Whalen & Chris Flexen? (I do note that Flexen has surrendered 6 HR’s)
Flexen got more in the draft (money) and Whalen has had more success.
http://www.amazinavenue.com/2012/6/12/3081718/2012-mets-draft-scouting-report-rhp-rob-whalen
http://www.amazinavenue.com/2012/6/25/3115794/2012-mets-draft-scouting-report-rhp-chris-flexen
They seem awfully similar.
“With $2,190,000.00 spent in the international market I think we can rule out a certain Cuban first baseman.”
Not to say that I disagree with the likelihood, since the team does seem committed to some combination of Ike/Flores/Duda/Satin, but the contract Abreu will get falls beyond the scope of IFA slot rules, so the two are pretty much unrelated in that sense.
With respect to Juan Lagares and Den Dekker as a platoon, I disagree with you. Lagares hits righties well enough that he should be starting every single day. We could platoon Den Dekker/Andrew Brown (who we did a really bad job at giving playing time) and line them up alongside Lagares and one of Beltrán/Choo/Ellsbury, giving us enough roster flexibility for Puello to join the team at some point in 2014 and a pretty respectable outfield. I wouldn’t be against resigning Marlon Byrd either, depending on length of contract and money involved. A Den Dekker, Ellsbury, Lagares lineup would probably be the best defensive OF alignment in history, though both Choo and Beltrán offer more offense.
I don’t think that Lagares is as good as he’s shown and I think that Den Dekker offers more with his power. I go with a platoon in CF and two FA OFs.
What Im not sure about in your assessment is what part you dont think hes as good as. I presume it is offense, and I get it, but his glove/arm is fully MLB level, and while his BABAIP is high, he suffers no splits, has improved his plate discipline a bit with some walks. I cant envision what den Dekker brings that Lagares doesnt already have. I think Lagares will hit righties nearly as good MdD, so platooning them just seems to be extending TCs approach with pitchers to position players. I dont see the upside other than to carry another outfielder.
Lagares has the same issue that Tejada has. He has only a little power and doesn’t steal bases enough.
Lagares has a .686 OPS in the majors this year. That passes on the Mets right now but not on a winning Mets club.
Matt Den Dekker has an .860 OPS in AAA and .998 OPS vs. righties.
Oh, I get that, but Im not expecting those numbers to translate in the show.
Nor do I but he does not need a .998 OPS versus righties to outhit what Lagares has done this year. Currently, Lagares has a .684 OPS versus RHP and that’s with a .354 BABIP.
From a theoretical POV, MDD could post an OPS .250 points below what he’s doing now and still be comfortably ahead of what Lagares would do with a typical .290-.310 BABIP versus righties.
But as of right now it’s only theoretical because at least Lagares has put up his numbers in the majors. And it’s not like MDD doesn’t have his own BABIP issues.
I’m still a MDD fan and I hope he gets a chance, both in September and in Spring Training.
funny how the MDD fan-boys all place such importance on age, then when doing a comp between a guy at 26 (playing his second season at that level) with a 24 year old, that all goes out the window.
Lagares outhit MDD by a country mile in AAA, two years younger and never having played the position of CF for any realistic time period.
Should MDD get his ABs? Sure. Why not? As it’s been said, Citifield will be a very, very quiet neighborhood for another 500 days.
This post is needlessly argumentative – especially given the comment that it is replying to! – and is a straw man, to boot.
Lagares has 82 PA in Triple-A. For the love of everything that you hold holy – please stop referring to that like it’s a full season. MDD is working on a 164-PA stretch at the same level with a .953 OPS – which I know you know is better than what Lagares did before he was promoted.
My point remains: neither you, nor David, have been shy about talking about the relevance of age when evaluating any other prospect. Neither of you bring it up when talking about MDD.
It’s like you picked out a small piece (out performance) and overlooked the relevant comment.
He hasn’t improved at his core capabilities (I might argue, he’s gotten worse about striking out, given that he’s playing in the PCL and still striking out over 22% of the time) and now he’s 26 in AAA.
In my mind, those ABs go to Andrew Brown, a guy (about the same age as MDD) that has 200+ ML ABs and a proven ability to slug over 440. But we can bang the drum for DD. Why not.
Matt Den Dekker is at the end of the prospect window and would have spent the year in the MLB if not for a poorly timed injury.
I think all of Lagares’ fans will sour on him by the end of April 2014 if he remains a 100% starter.
Lagares has more potential to be a great hitter. Why? He can drive the ball over the right field wall. That means that eventually he will be able to drive it over to all fields. Power should not be a critique of Legares. It will come, and the potential for being a .315 hitter. Then there is the defense which perhaps is a wash with Den Dekker.
Is Gorski a viable rotation replacement this September now that Harvey is done?
MDD should get some time in September but not at the expense of Lagares. Lagares needs his own AB’s. MDD in left, with Brown also getting some time. In EY the Mets know what they have and it is not a starting LF. In ST 2014, if MDD can grab a piece of CF it will only mean he is better …… and what is wrong with competition?
Looks like a trade is pending here … Buck on the way out, perhaps, possibly with Byrd. The Mets have raised the white flag with Harvey’s injury it would seem.
Which would bring into play whether or not TC future has been sealed, one way or the other. Does he take the fall for Harvey? Or is he absolved, and he ends the year right now, in third place?
We are in 4th however. Presently we have a .450 winning %, last year we finished .457. Theres not much solid ground to stand on for calling it quits today as a record of note.
We know Arte Moreno is going to blow up the Angels….Sciocia may be available?
Byrd will be traded shortly. Matt Den Dekker will play in Byrd’s absence.
Gorski IMHO is not ready to jump to the majors. deGrom is more likely.
deGrom is near innings limit. 145 IP which is 25% above 2012 and Alderson stated no recently.
Good move to try and get something for Byrd, Buck, and any of the veteran relievers.
Losing Hefner, Mejia, Harvey, Parnell and Edgin in August has devastated the pitching staff. The Wright injury crippled the little bit of offense we had. It is time to regroup for 2013 and keep pushing forward this winter for 2014.
Byrd and Buck for a 19 yoa Pirate SS prospect I A ball and ranked 12th by Fangraphs in their prospect preseason prospect list. Also a player to be named later. Actually got something back for two monthly rentals.
Has Byrd cleared waivers?
Byrd claimed by NL team.
deal being worked on.
Yeah,just saw it.Thanks.It’s the right thing to do.No reason to resign him for the money it would be,at his age.
David: Do you see this as capitulation? As a general question … do fans take this as a signal regarding Terry Collins?
I mean, if you trade away the guy that is clearly the best hitter on the team, doesn’t that give a pass to the manager on the last 30 odd games?
You know that losing isn’t the worst thing in the world for the Mets.
Capitulation is a silly thing to worry over for a team with no chance of the post season WITH Byrd.
I think that managers are meaningless so I’m the wrong person to ask regarding Terry Collins.
Mets were going to be benching Byrd to play Matt Den Dekker in September anyway.
The Pirates have acquired outfielder Marlon Byrd and catcher John Buck from the Mets, according to Adam Rubin of ESPN New York (on Twitter).
We get Dilson Herrera a 19 yo SS and player to be named later
2B with pop, not a SS, as some report. At 5-10, 150 he was able to pop 11 HR as a 19 year old in A league … give him another 30 pounds and 3 years.
Can’t complain really, plus you never know. Maybe Byrd liked it hear so much, he comes back next year.
So I’ll say it … bye, bye Birdie.
yes, my bad. 2B.