With a few weeks of spring training to go, the Mets have slowly whittled down the roster in preparation for opening day. Injury questions will play a part, but who do you think will be the most surprising member of the opening day roster? My pick is Hector Santiago. The lefty has looked really sharp and I think he’s earned his place in the Mets bullpen.
Last night’s podcast with Matt Netter is now available.
[audio src="http://cast.rocks/hosting/13288/Matt-Netter-31319.mp3" /]
Matt claimed that my crazy prediction was, indeed, crazy!
Great job on the Pod last night Brian (and Matt). If you all are not listening in, you should! I recommend!
If the Marlins finish 4th….who finishes 5th? Inquiring minds want to know.
Matt, Dom in the OF? A guy with less gifts than Flores and no obvious arm. He could maybe be the 4th outfielder…the rover guy in softball that play just past the cut out and catches balls hit right at him. Putting him in LF just drives his value down.
Brian, I hear ya on the reps for McNeil in the OF, but let me tell ya, he a butcher out there with no instincts, no grace, no chance IMO.
Disagree on McNeil he looks fine coming in on balls in the OF just looks bad moving back of balls, he’s nowhere near Duda or Murphy in the OF bad.
Dallas Keuchel
Dallas Keuchel
and not to be redundant, but
Dallas Keuchel!
What the heck are the Metsies waiting for?
[a]rgh! (in line with Mets360 posting policy)
If the Mets get Dallas Keuchel, he’ll be the best beard on the team!
Also, I’m waiting to see everyone’s predictions for the 2019 season. I remind you how just about everyone predicted 90+ victories in 2018, with one notable exception.
My mama told me that it’s better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt… or something like that
If you set the over under at 89.5 Wins, Im taking the under.
Sounds like the team is high on Tim Peterson for the last spot in the pen, carrying Avilan and Wilson as the 2 lefties. More interesting will be the bench decision assuming Frazier and Lowrie start the season on the DL, and Alonso is the opening day 1B. May be looking at a bench of D. Smith, D’arnaud, Mesoraco, Broxton, and JD Davis with the lineup like this:
Nimmo
Rosario
Cano
Ramos
Conforto
Alonso
McNeil
Lagares
DeGrom
(Mickey would probably swap McNeil and Rosario, but I like this R/L balance better)
It’s one thing to carry Tim Peterson because you need a 7th reliever and your other options are hurt. But if they go to an 8-man pen to carry Peterson, well that would be a poor use of resources.
from everything I’ve read so far, they are planning on a 7 man pen to start
Diaz
Familia
Wilson
Lugo
Gsellman
Avilan
Peterson
Probably between Peterson and Santiago for last spot right now, or they may want Santiago starting in Syracuse to keep him stretched out. Or even more likely – one of the above may get hurt prior to opening day. Wilson has not looked particularly strong so far – maybe there’s an arm issue.
Yesterday I put this in Brendan’s piece, but it belongs here.
An absolutely incredible article in Fangraphs where Daniel Murphy talks hitting. The guy is in the ionosphere when compared to most guys, like he has a PhD in hitting.
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/daniel-murphy-talks-hitting/
Chris F – thanks for listening. There’s a lot of uncertainty in the NL East with four potentially good teams that each have a flaw – Phillies (rotation), Braves (bullpen), Mets (defense), Nats (depth) but the one sure thing is that the Marlins will stink. They’re very short on talent and will be playing 68 games in a tough division. I have always felt that basebal is a bad sport to bet on as anything can happen over a long season. Teams could surprise (career years, rookie breakouts). Maybe the next WS winner is not one of the division favorites and a different team steps up. But I would bet my house and car that it won’t be the Marlins, Orioles or Tigers. Those teams have 100+ losses written all over them. Those three teams collectively lack the talent to fight for a wild card.
Nats bullpen is an issue too never should have traded Treinen and Vasquez.