Here are players from the 2023 squad with a triple-digit number of PA who won’t be on the Mets this season:
319 – Daniel Vogelbach
303 – Mark Canha
264 – Tommy Pham
136 – Rafael Ortega
120 – Luis Guillorme
120 – Eduardo Escobar
108 – Ronny Mauricio
That’s 1,370 PA that are up for grabs. The most likely beneficiaries of this playing time will be: Harrison Bader, Brett Baty, Starling Marte, Tyrone Taylor and Mark Vientos. Baty (389), Marte (341) and Vientos (233) all saw significant playing time a season ago. That trio, even if healthy, will likely add only around 500 PA, still leaving a significant amount of PA left to fill. Bader and Taylor will likely combine for a full season’s worth of playing time, still leaving around 175-200 PA to fill.
And while we’re not considering those PA from players who failed to reach 100, that’s another 300 or so available. But those are likely to be filled by stop gaps, rather than all being given to guys on the Opening Day roster. Which leaves just one other thing to consider.
Is DJ Stewart likely to amass 185 PA in 2024? My guess is that he’s more likely not to be on the Opening Day roster than to get that much playing time this year in the majors.
I think the Mets will initially start with Baty as the third baseman, Vientos as the primary DH and Stewart as their 5th outfielder and PH. Stewart is a power bat for the bench. I can’t see Gamel, Thompson or
Kohlwey beat him out for the roster spot.
But can you see Zack Short beating him out? Short’s out of options, can play infield or outfield and has pitched in the majors, too. He’s not a good hitter but he bats righty. On a bench that has lefty swingers in Omar Narvaez and Joey Wendle, do you want another lefty with Stewart? Maybe his power potential swings it in Stewart’s favor. I’m just suggesting it’s not a slam dunk.
Very interesting question. I’ve been wondering what the Mets are going to do with Short. It seemed like he is limited to being an insurance policy in case an IF gets hurt in spring training. But this opens up another possibility. The problem is that optioning Stewart leaves Tyrone Taylor as the only HR threat on an otherwise completely anemic bench.
Wendle being left-handed is muted by the fact that he’s had reverse splits for two years now. The bigger concern is that he doesn’t hit anybody much any more. And Short did hit better than Wendle against both RH and LH pitchers last year
I guess questions like these is what spring training is for.
In this world of the DH and an 8-man bullpen, power off the bench appears to be a devalued luxury. Almost better to have that speedster who can pinch run in extra innings and score that vital first run. Almost!
Narvaez doesn’t count because he’s the back up catcher, and he won’t play unless it’s an emergency and at that point it doesn’t matter if he is facing righties or lefties.
Follow-up thought: Short did outhit Wendle last year, and I could see him beating out Wendle. Short s 28 and might possibly have not quite peaked just yet, while Wendle is 33 and in a steep decline for at least two years now. And Short’s 7 HRs in 253 PAs is not exactly anemic.
Ji-Man Choi is the recent signing that will be the competition for Stewart’s roster spot.
I saw that Volgelbach is still (along with a lot of other FAs) not attached to any team, despite what would have to be a bargain basement contract he would have accept. They could replace his PAs with any combination of players and almost certainly do better.
Vogelbach had a .742 OPS last year in 319 PA. I’m quite willing to wager that I can come up with a combination of 2-4 players on the 2024 Mets who reach that level of playing time without matching the OPS. And it’s quite possible that I could come up with a second pairing of unique players, too.
I thought his arb estimate of $2.6 million was too much and said so immediately when those projections came out. But I would absolutely sign him for $1 million. I think he’s a much better bet to match or better his 2023 production than Stewart is.
But I would be shocked if that happened. Not anywhere to the same degree, but I’m surprised he hasn’t latched on with some team. With his combined inability to play the field, and inability to hit LHP – he has a limited market. But the guy has a 110 OPS+ over his last 1,732 PA. There will be worse players on Opening Day rosters throughout the league, even with Vogelbach’s shortcomings.
With his combined inability to play the field, and inability to hit LHP – he has a limited market.
Exactly the reason he has the numbers he has and no job even at 1M. He’s propped up by being about 25% of a full player!
You’ve talked about Vogelbach’s limitations. But let’s not overlook his deficiency: baserunning. Its not just inadequate. Its an absolute liability. His inability to take the extra base not only limits him from scoring when other players would, it also limits the runner behind him from advancing, and provides opponents with more and easier double-play opportunities.
His roughly league-average OPS last year is virtually meaningless in light of all of the many ways in which he is limited. OPS or not, he is a minor league contract candidate, IMO.
I don’t believe Stewart repeats what he did last year. But the Mets owe it to themselves to let it play out one way or the other, if only because of their severe lack of OF depth in ’25 and beyond, an the fact that Stewart is controllable for two more years. Yes, he’s a bad OF. But he can play a little in a pinch.
the bottom 500 PAs also a total wash. No matter who gets them it wont be any worse than the player from last year.
What we do know is this: they will be filled somehow.
Things can always get worse.
The consummate Mets fan!!!!!!!
Mayor! Mayor!!
I think people discriminate against Vogie because he’s merely large and lovely
And not Big Sexy!
I am embarrassed to say that I am a New York Jets fan and have been for over 50 years. 50 years of turmoil and losing. Arrggh
But, when he comes up and turns into a great player, I will be proud to say that I am a New York Jetts fan.