Few people batted an eye when the Mets sent Dilson Herrera to the minors. After all, he was riding a 3-31 streak. As we all know, that’s the worse hitting streak in the history of the world and no MLB-caliber player ever experiences anything like that or they would volunteer to go to the minors to avoid the shame and indignity of it all. For proof of that, let’s check in on some other Mets hitters.
Eric Campbell: 2-29
Michael Cuddyer: 2-28
Lucas Duda: 7-49
Wilmer Flores: 3-27
Juan Lagares: 3-34
Ruben Tejada: 2-31
The Mets sent Herrera down because he had the least amount of MLB experience. It was a decision they wouldn’t have to justify; the one that would expose them to the least criticism. We’re all used to managers making moves not that put them in the best position to win but rather the one that puts them in the best position not to be second-guessed. Sending Herrera down was the GM version of this CYA strategy.
Would Herrera have gotten any hits in the last three games when second baseman Flores has gone 0-for-11? No one has any idea. But most of us expect he would have completed that double play that Flores failed to turn when, under no pressure from the baserunner, he threw a ball so far short of the bag that a 6’4 Duda doing a virtual split was unable to make the play.
If the Mets turn that double play, the 11th inning turns out completely different. The inability of Flores to turn a standard defensive play – in a game where he took the collar offensively – contributed mightily to a loss. Defense matters and while you can make the case for punting defense for above-average offense, the Mets are punting defense to play a guy who in 655 PA in the majors has a .639 OPS.
Flores is only 23 so maybe he needs more seasoning. While that’s a joke, the next statement isn’t. Flores is a better second baseman than he is a hitter.
Regardless, Flores is what he is. It should be stated for the record that Flores has participated in Mike Barwis’ offseason conditioning camps the past two seasons. Overwhelmingly in the past two years, Flores has given the impression that he’s putting forth his best effort. The issue isn’t with Flores, it’s with the management team that continues to view him as a cornerstone of the future.
Since he arrived, Sandy Alderson has had my support. And he’s done a good job of building the farm system. But it’s past time for him to address the major league roster and in a way beyond CYA moves. This year he’s only been sufficiently motivated to act to overpay for an old left fielder and trade for the 23rd and 24th men on the roster.
The Mets had two obvious areas to upgrade coming into the season – SS and LF. Alderson’s solution was to keep Flores for the former and import Cuddyer for the latter. After three months of action, the report card should show both of those moves receiving ugly, if not failing, grades.
Everyone understands that Alderson is hamstrung with the payroll available to him. So he’s got to do a better job of deploying what money he does have and he has to do a better job of utilizing the players on hand.
There’s nothing wrong with the theory of playing an offensive bat at a defensive position. But when your offensive bat turns out to be made of balsa wood, you’ve got to have the ability to adjust on the fly. Many of us want to see Troy Tulowitzki come to Queens. But all of us would be happy if the team made the decision to prioritize defense among their rotten offensive choices.
Instead we get decisions made based on nothing more than seniority and hope. And we should be more upset with that than with not pulling the trigger on a deal to send a stud pitcher out of town to acquire a big bat. The bottom line is not to accept CYA decisions, regardless of if they come from the dugout or the office suites.
You think the decision was based on seniority? Then who plays SS if Tejada gets hurt?
Herrera can only play second due to arm strength. Maybe you could get by sending Campbell down, but not Flores.
Plus, Flores crushed PCL piching for more than a year. Herrera could still use some seasoning.
No, Flores didn’t crush PCL pitching. Once you take the air out of them, you see how completely pedestrian his numbers in LVG are.
2013 – .887 OPS in LVG, .639 OPS translation, .542 actual OPS in majors
2014 – .935 OPS in LVG, .672 OPS translation, .664 actual OPS in majors
When Murphy came back, the move should have been Campbell to the minors and Flores to the bench.
Yes, Flores did crush PCL pitching. In 2013 he was 6th in the league in OPS.
If you thought the right move was to send down Campbell, why did you focus most of the article on Flores?
Because Flores is starting everyday. If Campbell was starting then he would have been the focus.
Flores wasn’t 6th, he was 10th. But Eric Campbell was first so what does that prove? That says more about the park than it does about either hitter. That’s why you can’t take the numbers at face value and have to apply a translation to the raw stats.
It does prove that Flores and Campbell need no further seasoning in AAA, where Herrera, who spent little time in AAA, may. It also makes a fairly strong argument that this move was logical and not CYA.
Herrera’s OPS at Triple-A was better than Flores’.
I don’t believe in your take on this, that it was a “cya” move. I think they looked at the inferior way Herrera was playing and thought, “He’s not ready yet.”
I think they were hoping for more from him.
In terms of putting more of an emphasis on defense, they did that by (finally) moving Tejada (who sucks, sucks, sucks) at SS. Even today, for all his flaws, Flores still leads the team in RBI.
They wanted Herrera to play everyday, which is why he was sent down instead of that disaster known as Eric Campbell. It’s a decision we see many teams make, and have for many years. Prospects are sent down to play more, instead of sitting on the bench in a part-time role. I just wish that Herrera played better. I think management does too. It was his job to take if he only played adequately. Instead he hit .195. It’s like Montero all over again. You get a shot in the majors, you have to play well. You can’t go out there and look like you aren’t ready for the big moment. Unless you are a scrub. Then the Mets will keep you around forever. Because: lazy.
Herrera will be back. Or “Little Joe,” if you prefer. Flores days are numbered. And the Mets still need a SS, years after Sandy watched Jose Reyes walk away.
I think Herrera can play and has a promising future. Hopefully he comes to play next time he gets a shot at 25 straight games in the major leagues.
But he didn’t get 25 straight games. He got 25 games around a DL stint.
And it comes down to that you and the team are willing to give much, much longer chances to guys who haven’t displayed any ability. Flores has gotten three consecutive months (and counting) of playing time and he has little chance to help outside of the batter’s box. And he’s not helping there.
Brian, I feel your pain with how this FO makes personnel decisions. The long and short is that they are “all in” on Flores. He is gonna get time he needs. SA does not seem him as the issue we do. Herrera is very young. Its an easy conclusion that he sent the youngest guy down so that the main investment can get time to show. Furthermore, we know 2015 is really only prep for 2016, when Wheeler returns and Conforto is promoted.
Flores/Herrera/ Tejada/Campbell -what is the difference? None of the four are producing at the major league level and none are the answer for 2015.
If the Mets want to compete for a playoff spot then they they need to upgrade at an infield position. In fact, it really has to be Tulo because if Wright comes back then Murphy goes to 2B. If Wright doesn’t come back then Murphy stays at 3B, and then the disscussion can be who plays 2B. Tulo is still the answer.
What does a line up look like with Tulo (and his 5 year 100M$ contract) playing SS?
The situation with offense is not 1-problem deep in my eyes. If Im gonna spend that kind of cash and trade bodies, Im getting more back than 1 player. Tulo’s bloated contract makes him completely untenable for the Mets.
It would look like the Mets had obtained the best offensive and defensive option available at shortstop. Tulo could bat third effectively. Tejada can’t. I don’t consider Tulo the same risk as you do. I understand your concern but right now the Mets in the next 2-3 years don’t have any immediate shortstop prospects that are difference makers. I want to compete in 2015.
It’s not just Tulo and the money, I can’t envision offering a guy like Syndergaard too on top of it.
That said, he’s one guy. The offensive and defensive issue on this team is fat more than one player. There simply is not enough offense to put around Tulo that he would even be needed to be pitched to. Sure, walk Tulo to get to Duda…no biggie. He’s on base? No one can drive him home. Without more mlb quality position players around him, I think the benefit will be mostly on defense.
It all adds up to squandering a Year of Dominant Pitching—the kind of Pitching that can make a very long run.
Arms don’t last…this season is wasting away…and the oppotunity is truly short lived. Champions take risks to meet opprtunity— no such thing happening here.
I liked nearly every comment on this thread. It was a very intelligent conversation. I personally believe that the Flores Experiment is continuing out of ego, and financial necessity. He hasn’t done much to keep his job, and Herrera did not get a fraction of that time. Herrera is the second-baseman of the future, so leave him in to learn. Either let Flores learn at short, or get him off the dirt. The Cuddyer signing has just been a huge bust. I hope that doesn’t continue, but I fear it might. I haven’t heard the latest on Tulo’s asking price, but I agree we’d need to get more than just him if it’s going to cost Syndergaard, other talent and a huge price tag.
Lack of money to help Alderson field a better team is just an unfair observation. If that’s the case how is it that the Ray’s with their 75 million dollar payroll were just in first place (and consistently out perform the Met’s)? The Cuddyer signing is this years version of the Colon signing. An absolute knee jerk reaction and a dead contract no team fighting for a wildcard berth is going to take on. I thought Alderson was a shrewd evaluator for signing aging over the hill FA’s? I guess not. Other than Byrd? It’s at most .200 in par with the BA for the team. Gentleman. We are the gerbils on the Met’s wheel. We peddle for a few days stop and try again. The result is we’re still standing where we left off (Just like the Met’s in 2014 and 2015). We are looking for answers. But in truth there are no answers. The front office isn’t seeking any solutions because in their estimation there are no problems. We are the problem. Not the payroll.
The moves you mention makes sense only in the sense that it was the expected outcome based on history, as James pointed out. But man, with all the ugliness you pointed out who gets the blame/axe? So much futility in one lineup is quite a sight to behold. And sad.
The strategy of this team has seemed to be a hope and a prayer the last few years. Well, this year it’s *all* crashing an burning minus the pitching, and even the media is just about fed up with the inaction and snark. Yikes.
I like your “inaction and snark” line.
I’m wondering if there’s a word that means infrequent and poor, which I think would be an apt description. Maybe the Germans have something…
The word i think you’re trying to think of is Wilponed