Over the remaining few weeks of July leading up to the trade deadline, the Mets have some big questions to answer.
1- What do we do when Lucas Duda comes back? James Loney has been solid and he can platoon with Wilmer Flores who’s really come on strong of late. Do we plug Duda back into first and cut Loney? Do we keep Loney to sit on the bench? Consider trading Duda? Also, does Duda go back to hitting cleanup or do we drop him lower in the batting order?
2 – Who are our five outfielders? Yoenis Cespedes is our only really sure thing. Michael Conforto has been hitting like a beast in AAA since his demotion. Is this just the Las Vegas effect or has he patched the hole in his swing that MLB pitchers seemed to zero in on? How long til we bring him back up? Is he our starting left fielder or a platoon player? Do we send Brandon Nimmo back down or cut bait with Alejandro de Aza? Is it time to start sitting Curtis Granderson against lefties and get more playing time for Juan Lagares?
3 – Who replaces Matt Harvey? It looks like Logan Verrett is going to get the first opportunity to fill the 5th starter role, but how long is the leash? Who’s next in line if he fails? Sean Gilmartin? Seth Lugo? Gabriel Ynoa? Do we try to trade for a starter or just hold on until Zack Wheeler is ready in August?
4 – How do we bridge starters to the back end of the bullpen? While Jeurys Familia, Addison Reed, and Jerry Blevins have been terrific, and Hansel Robles has had his moments, Antonio Bastardo has been awful, Jim Henderson is injured and Erik Goedell has been ineffective. We have Josh Edgin in AAA screaming for a call up and there will certainly be options available at the trade deadline.
5 – What trade can be made to improve this team? Who’d have thought before this season began that we’d be talking about trading for a pitcher. We had a crowded pen and a deep rotation with plans to move Bartolo Colon to a setup role when Zack Wheeler returned. But Matt Harvey’s season-ending shoulder injury, Wheeler’s setback and Bastardo’s ineffectiveness have changed this discussion. The lineup is less than perfect but the additions of Kelly Johnson, Rene Rivera, James Loney, and Jose Reyes have all helped fill the gaps. With Travis d’Arnaud back and Duda coming next, our lineup could be okay with a few tweaks. The rotation is shaky as we rely on Steven Matz and Noah Syndergaard to pitch through bone spurs and fatigue, Colon to keep it up at age 43 and Jacob deGrom to keep doing what he’s doing. Another injury would be devastating. A veteran starter would provide some nice insurance. While talk has centered around a middle reliever, this blogger thinks the better way to go is to get another dominant bullpen arm to take over the 8th inning and drop Reed to the 7th to lengthen the whole pen. The asking price for Andrew Miller will be high, but contrary to popular opinion, the Mets do have some trade chips. No, we don’t want to trade Ahmed Rosario, Dilson Herrera or any of our stud arms, but couldn’t Duda, Plawecki or Flores make for a trade chip?
My takes:
1. No need to worry about this until Duda starts playing some rehab games.
2. Ultimately it’s Yo, Granny, Conforto, Lagares +1, with the last guy being able to do at least one thing well.
3. I’m okay with Verrett but they should be actively monitoring the trade market in case anyone else needs to be shut down.
4. The average NL reliever has a 4.07 ERA and a 1.334 WHIP. Goeddel has a 3.65 ERA and a 1.054 WHIP. I’m not opposed to getting a reliever if one is available for next to nothing. But I wouldn’t support giving up something interesting to get one.
5. Depends on SP health and reports on Conforto. If Noah or Matz go down, then SP is the clear need.
Brian – what’s your take on Conforto? Has he figured it out or is this just another guy putting up inflated numbers in Vegas?
I’d like to see a little more power from him before I call him back.
Why is Cespedes not in the lineup??
He’s hurt.
Quad injuries are tough. I remember tejada had one that kept him out for almost two months. You keep hoping it will get better.
1. They can cross that bridge if they ever come to it. Right now they can’t even see the bridge.
2. Outfielder #5 should be a veteran right handed power bat rental that could pinch hit, mash lefties and occasionally spell Granderson.
3. Verrett should be given a few starts. If he fails, then Gilmartin. A retread veteran is a poor option.
4. A seventh inning man that is better than Blevins or Robles would solidify the pen. I am a Josh Edgin fan but a 4.6 bb/9 doesn’t cut it. Henderson looks cooked but a perfect inning last night is encouraging. Get a reliever.
5.Trade for the veteran right handed rental bat (see #2) and solidify the bullpen to start. Hang tough on the starting pitching. Trade chips could be Duda, Flores or Lagares. It tooks like Lagares thumb is holding him back with a .390 OPS since he has returned. I like all three players but I would not keep any of the three for a shot at the playoffs.
A reliever makes sense especially if the concern is going gentle with Noah, Matz, deGrom. Even if healthy, might be limited to 6 IP starts.
Don’t count out bounce back from Bastardo.
And yes on RH bat on bench and outfield. It’s been a clear need all season long.
Good players are hard to find, therefore hang onto those you have.
1. Duda right now is the only power piece the Mets are guaranteed to have next year. I think a little competition would do him good. If Duda can get going, why not market Loney as a rediscovered bat and get a prospect?
2. Send Nimmo down to play everyday. During the winter, trade Granny. Our young players need to play against same handed pitching, not be labeled platoon players before they come up. Brandon Belt was branded a possible platoon guy, but Bochy batted him 7th against lefties and kept him in there and he learned to hit them. Players need to see pitching to learn. De Aza is a perfect sacrifice to lose at bats.
3. If a #5 starter, who is shaky on almost all teams is expected to save your season, you don’t belong in the playoffs. However, if Wheeler is coming back in late August, you only need about 8 starts until then.
4. Blevins is good enough to be the seventh inning guy and deserves a chance. As far as LOOGYs are concerned, I would use Edgin or even Gorski. Gorski is a tall lefty that can be what Ollie Perez became if we give him a chance.
5. TJ Rivera needs to be on this team. His offensively minded righty bat is what is needed.
As y’all may have realized, I don’t think this team needs to trade but rather use their assets better.
Gus, I am with you on no big trades, but largely because the system is so strained they have little to offer in a competitive trade market.
I’ve never seen Josh Edgin be good for any stretch of time. It’s never happened, he always gets hurt or derailed. He’s the Grand Mirage of the Metsblogosphere. Now he’s walking everybody. The guy is a flyer, not a plan, with a diminished fastball. I think club could use help in the pen, but not sure they have the chips to spare.
Nimmo has one XBH in 51 PAs. Small sample size, but consistent with his past performance. Might have value one day as a #2 hitter, I guess, but corner outfielders need some pop. I hate singles hitters in general, and really don’t like them batting in the 7-spot. Also, glove has been surprisingly suspect. Not ready to hand this guy anything, though I think he’s a major leaguer. It could take him years to put it all together. Age 26, 27. Meanwhile, the Mets window with pitching is the next few seasons. I’m not sure the timetables are compatible.
I wonder what his trade value is today. No idea.
James, I agree that the cupboard is pretty bare.
You wouldn’t even try Edgin as a LOOGY?
Don’t give up on Nimmo. I really did not have much confidence in him after following him for a few years, but he showed us a few things. Don’t forget, it’s a huge jump from AAA to MLB. Players need multiple chances and power is always the last ability to develop. That bomb he hit wasn’t an accident or a wall scraper. He may not be a 30 homer guy, but I fully expect 20 with 40 doubles, and I like the speed even if he isn’t as fast as he used to be. I really liked what I saw!
1 – Put Loney on the bench.
2 – Cut bait with de Aza.
3 – Try to hold on until Wheeler is ready.
4 – Having 3-4 effective relievers is more than most teams have.
5 – Not sure there is anything on the trade market that can help. Certainly not anyone we would get for Duda, Plawecki or Flores.