Mets first half report card

If the Mets were graded for their effort, they would get A’s across the board. Terry Collins has maximized the most out of this injury-depleted team and has done a great job of instilling confidence in this scrappy Mets bunch. For a team that started off 5-13, it’s quite the accomplishment to be over.500 going into the All-Star game.

So, without further ado let’s grade our New York Mets for the first half of the year.

(Note: The following players hardly had enough of a sample size to get a grade, or were simply terrible to begin with: Chris Young, Mike Nickeas, Fernando Martinez, Brad Emaus, Nick Evans, Chin-lung Hu, Blaine Boyer, Ryota Igarashi, Pat Misch, Mike O’Connor, and Dale Thayer.)

Catchers:

Josh Thole: C-
Going into the season, Thole was supposed to be the primary catcher. However, with Thole failing to hit with any consistency coupled with the emergence of Ronny Paulino, Thole’s season has to be considered a disappointment.

Ronny Paulino: B+
Signed to be a backup catcher, Paulino has exceeded expectations. Paulino is solid behind the plate and is a terror with his bat when facing lefties. An overall .320 batting average is well above anyone’s expectations.

First Base:

Ike Davis: Inc.
In what was turning out to be a tremendous sophomore season for Davis (.302 average, seven home runs and 25 RBI ins 129 at bats), quickly turned sour when he sprained his ankle on May 10 in Colorado and has been MIA ever since. Davis has begun his rehab process by running on a treadmill. So, hopefully we can see a return to action in the summer from Davis

Daniel Murphy: B
Always considered a good hitter, Murphy has kept up that end of the bargain by hitting .305 on the year thus far. Plus, his defense hasn’t been as bad as some people portray.

Lucas Duda: C-
Duda has shown flashes of brilliance, but for the most part he has not delivered on his potential. Known as power hitter, Duda has yet to go yard. Once Wright and Davis return, Duda will likely have to develop his game in Buffalo.

Second Base:

Justin Turner: B
After Brad Emaus failed out of the gate, and once Davis got hurt (which prompted Murphy, who was playing second, to switch to first base) that left the Mets with Justin Turner as their next best second baseman. Turner has delivered upon his promotion and has been one of the Mets prominent clutch hitters and RBI producers.

Ruben Tejada: C+
We all know Tejada is great with his glove, however, his offense is coming along to the point it’s not a liability. Much like Duda, once Reyes and Wright return, Tejada will likely be demoted so his game could be refined in the minors.

Shortstop:

Jose Reyes: A+
Duh! Winning! Sorry for the Charlie Sheen reference, but what more can be said about Reyes’ scintillating season? Aside from his current hamstring injury, Reyes has been a godsend to the Mets squad that needed every ounce of his energy. His numbers say it all: .354 batting average (tops in the majors), 65 runs (still tied for best in the NL), 124 hits, 15 triples (tops in the majors) and 30 stolen bases.

Third Base:

David Wright: Inc.
A back injury has sidelined Wright for most of the season, hence his grade is incomplete. The Mets miss Wright’s presence in the middle of the lineup, but his batting average (.226) and propensity for strikeouts ( 43 in 146 at-bats) is cause for concern. Hopefully his back injury was a major reason for his slump prior to his stint on the DL. The good news, though, is that Wright is set to begin his rehab assignment on Wednesday.

Outfield:

Jason Bay: C
Bay’s struggles have been well documented here and just about all of the Mets’ blogosphere. If it weren’t for his recent surge, Bay’s mark would have been worse. But Bay should be commended for his heart, defense and determination.

Angel Pagan: B-
Pagan has been a forgotten man amongst all of the Mets’ storylines this year, but if it wasn’t for his steady play, perhaps the Mets would be in an even bigger hole. While Pagan isn’t without his flaws, as a .249 batting average would indicate, his hustle, speed and defense have gone unmatched.

Carlos Beltran: A
Ok, who had Beltran leading the Mets in games played and being a representative in the All-Star game? Beltran has obliterated expectations and has been the Mets rock from day one. Beltran has proven to be the consummate professional while producing big time results (leading the Mets in home runs, RBI’s and doubles).

Willie Harris: C
While he struggled early, Harris has been playing much better of late. Harris is valuable to the team because of his versatility and experience.

Scott Hairston: C
Much like Harris, Hairston was struggling mightily early in the season, but has upped his game of late. Hairston has delivered some clutch hits, with none being bigger than Friday’s game winning home run off the Giant’s stellar closer Brian Wilson. Hairston has been up and down for majority of the 2011 season.

Jason Pridie: C
Pridie filled in admirably when Pagan was hurt. Pridie’s defense is top notch, but his offense still leaves a lot to be desired.

Starting Pitchers:

Chris Capuano: B
Considering his injury-riddled past, an 8-8 record with a 4.12 ERA (while missing no starts) is more than anyone could have asked for. After seeing another reclamation project in Chris Young go by the wayside, Capuano’s first half has been a blessing for a team in need of solid pitching.

R.A. Dickey: B
Dickey is another Met who got off to a rough start, but he has turned it around in the last several weeks. Dickey has battled injuries and some early season wildness to get back to being a reliable starting pitcher, as he leads the starters in ERA (3.61).

Dillon Gee: B+
Gee has been the Mets biggest surprise in the rotation despite showing some kinks in the armor in his last couple of starts. The bottom line, though, is Gee is 8-3 with a 3.76 ERA and 1.20 WHIP. As a fill-in when Young went down, Gee has given the Mets way more than they could have imagined.

Jonathon Niese: B
When it comes to starting pitching, what you see from the Mets is solid but not outstanding results. Niese is no exception. Niese has been as good as one could have expected going into the season. Niese is tied for the club lead with eight victories, while leading the team in strikeouts with 92.

Mike Pelfrey: D+
Let’s face it, Pelfrey has been a disappointment from the get go and has never really got on track after being tabbed as the Mets number one pitcher prior to the start of the season. Pelfrey’s inconsistencies continue as he spots a 5-7 record to go with an unspectacular 4.55 ERA and 1.38 WHIP.

Relief Pitchers:

Francisco Rodriguez: B+
For the most part, K-Rod has done his job and done it effectively. Putting aside his possible vesting option fiasco (and the trade rumors that come with it), K-Rod has been his reliable self to the tune of 23 saves in 26 tries.

Bobby Parnell: B
Continuing with the theme of getting better as the season progresses, Parnell, after a stint on the DL and some time in the minors, has regained command of his impressive fastball and has become a very valuable member to the bullpen in recent weeks.

Jason Isringhausen: B
Once a longshot to make the Mets squad, Isringhausen has gone above and beyond the call of duty. As the Mets primary set-up man, Isringhausen has done a good job as a 3.14 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 15 holds would indicate.

Tim Byrdak: C
As the Mets only situational lefty, Byrdak has for the most part been uninspiring. He could be worse, but he could also be a lot better.

D.J. Carrasco: D-
A disaster from the start, Carrasco is a hard pitcher to trust in the bullpen as a 5.18 ERA and 1.52 WHIP would suggest.

Manny Acosta: D-
Acosta, who proved to be serviceable in 2010, has been anything but in 2011. A terrible 6.75 ERA and 1.67 WHIP has demotion written all over it.

Pedro Beato: B
After shaking some mid-season struggles, which was probably attributable to a stint on the DL, Beato is back to being a major horse in the Mets bullpen.

Taylor Buchholz: C+
Buchholz got off to a great start but struggled just prior to being placed on the DL (he is also now battling clinical depression). Buchholz can be a major wild card in the bullpen if he reverts back to his April form and ever rejoins the team.

Coach:

Terry Collins: A
Collins just happened to be the right man for the job after all. His intensity, authority and love for the team are apparent with each game he coaches. He has done wonders despite all the injuries and general distractions this team has faced

Management:

Sandy Alderson: B+
While he hasn’t pulled off any major trades, he has cracked the whip when it comes to underachievement and won’t stand idle if a player is underperforming. Players like Brad Emaus and Blaine Boyer couldn’t have left town any faster. Alderson has made the right calls in promoting the likes of Gee, Turner, Isringhausen and Tejada.