With Noah Syndergaard’s season-ending injury, the best reason to keep Tomas Nido on the roster is gone. Does that change the Mets’ thinking about the backup catcher position? Do they keep Nido because it’s the easiest thing to do? Do they utilize Rene Rivera as the backup? Or do they look to make a trade to bolster the position? Wilson Ramos was remarkably healthy last year. Is it prudent to expect a similar season this time around? Finally, does the answer on what to do with the backup catcher position change with an expanded roster?
Nido changed his swing and as of now is out of options unless they sign Russell Martin I would give Nido another shot
Juan Lagares changed his swing too. How did that work out. Last year, he threw out 8% of his baserunners.
Syndergaard will be out a good chunk of next year, maybe all year for all we know. Nido cant hit and he cant throw out baserunners, so I would much rather have another backup catcher.
If you play Sanchez you dont worry about his bat because hes an elite defense catcher. If he wasn’t they wouldn’t have protected him. If the season is played with a DH Sanchez makes even more sense. A catcher of his defense caliber can be a weapon late in games very much like a closer. if you care enough to use late inning defensive replacements in the outfield and infield why wouldn’t you do it at catcher?
I’m wondering if trades will even be allowed this year and/or if there will be a trading deadline.
I would think the league would want to prevent some teams from tanking even more than they already are and to prevent some of the cheapo teams to use covid as an excuse to sink payroll levels to lows we have yet to see.
It may be that the roster you have right now is going to be it for whatever this season will end up being.
How about the trades that were already made. Mookie Betts may not even see an AB as a Dodger.
Too bad we didnt dump Syndergaard last season at the deadline. The rearview mirror always had 20/20 vision.
Russell Martin was horrible last year too, and approaching 40 would make him less reliable. It is a fair point that Ramos is fragile and his history works against him. However, finding a decent hitting catcher is hard enough and to find a decent hitting backup catcher is something you need to hit a lottery on.
As we turn our attention to what Nido brings to the table, we see nothing special. He hit .125 this spring in 18 plate appearances with one double. While preferring a third catcher, but I’m not so sure he is the one I would like. Definitely Rivera should be the backup, and Nido on the bubble. Isn’t Plawecki available again?
Russell Martin put a wRC+ of 83 and 1.2 war that’s strong for a back up catcher https://www.fangraphs.com/players/russell-martin/4616/stats?position=C
I still Believe in Kevin Plawecki
I dont understand the thought for making roster changes presently. It is staggering to even imagine games being played. Until whenever the new spring training begins, if ever, I wouldnt touch the roster and commit financially to what is every day looking more and more like a summer without baseball. Nido is perfect for watching television from the couch.
If there is a 2020 season then I would choose Tomas Nido over Rene Rivera . Both players are offensively challenged. Nido is 26 years old and Rivera is 37 and you know what he can’t do. With Nido there is a possibility, although I doubt it, that he can improve.
The 2021 season is another matter. The Mets have an option on Ramos’ contract of 10 million dollars. Two free agents that might be an upgrade would be JT Realmuto and James McCann. They would have to do sign one of them before the short window of Ramos’ option expires. It would be disastrous for the Mets would not want to not sign one of these three. This does not solve the backup catcher situation. In 2021 the Mets should also look for a backup catcher if Nido does not improve.For the last two years he has been below replacement level. If the Mets settled on an offensively challenged backup catcher they should then try to get a better defensive backup catcher in 2021.