Is The 11th Pick In The MLB Entry Draft That Valuable ?

Ok nervous Nelly’s the Mets have signed a major league free agent. Word broke just a little while ago that the Mets have signed RHP Shaun Marcum to a one year deal pending a physical, of course (or unless you’re Omar Minaya and look to save the co-pay. See Putz J.J.)

Marcum isn’t much of a risk as his deal is for just a season and he’ll be relegated to the back of the rotation  (Santana, Niese, Harvey, Gee, Marcum or Marcum then Gee if all breaks right) keeping a spot warm for the arrival of Zack Wheeler something after the All Star break.

Marcum has some injury history with Tommy John surgery (I’m guessing that pitchers a year or two removed from TJ surgery is the new undervalued commodity in baseball at least as far as the Mets front office is concerned) and last year he had some nagging elbow problems but if he can stay relatively healthy Marcum should be a nice addition to the Mets rotation.

Marcum is a real finesse pitcher who relies on his changeup and cut fastball more than more than your standard fastball which coming out of the hand of Shaun Marcum isn’t very fast. He can be prone to the HR and does get a lot of balls in the air which means the Mets outfielders……………Oh Snap……………The Mets are going to need some outfielders………………….Damn!!!!

One guy who is a looooooooooooooooooongshot to be in the Mets outfield in 2013 is Michael Bourn. The only reason Bourn is a longshot is the cost of signing him. Not monetarily but the high cost of the draft pick the Mets would surrender in his joining the Metropolitans.  When looking at the 11th pick in the MLB draft over the last 10 years, the lone stand out is Andrew McCutchen (Pirates 2005), other formable names taken with the 11th pick are Neil Walker, Jeremy Hermida, Max Scherzer and Justin Smoak. Save for McCutchen it’s mostly solid to serviceable big leaguers who’ve blossom from that slot. So should Sandy Alderson hold on to that draft pick as tightly as he has or should he use it as a chip to sign Boune ? Tough choice as we don’t know what the Bourn/Boras contract demands are. Safe to say Bourn/Boras is not really in the driver’s seat since they are at least taking the Mets phone calls. I guess Boras decided to go shopping in the frozen food aisle after finding the shelves bare in the meat department.

Its real tough choice when you add in that Bourn is just 29 years old (he turns 30 in December) he gets on base at a decent rate (lifetime .339 OBP not great not awful) can steal a base and plays a fine centerfield.

When word of the Mets being interested in signing Bourn I thought they  should pass but after looking at the history of that 11th spot in the draft the last 10 years and the Mets desperate need for a bona fided Major League outfielder, I have to say if I’m Sandy Alderson I have to open up a dialog with Scott Boras to see if there is a way to make this a match both money wise and years wise.

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I Have No Fear Of The Beard

 

So we get word that Sandy Alderson headed to the West Coast to watch former Giants closer, Brian Wilson show that his right elbow is sound after his second Tommy John surgery. So what’s the first thing Mets fans say? Oh his shtick won’t go over well in NY. Are you kidding me? If Wilson can bounce back to his pre-TJ ways he can wear a tutu and Jimmy Choo’s what difference would it make?

To say the Mets bullpen sucked last year would be a compliment. The pen was beyond suck, more like the Mets relief core sucked the life out of the team and the season with late inning collapses and blown saves.  While many wring their hands over the outfield and debate whether the players slated to man the lush lawn of the Citi Field outfield could possibly be the least talented trio in Mets history, there has been a memory lapse that the Mets relief pitchers were a disgrace to pinstriped, snow white, road gray or hideous black uniform.  

Wilson has all the attributes Sandy Alderson likes  in a player, shunned from his former team, coming off injury, and will work for a pay for performance contract. The last one is what Alderson is banking on. Alderson would love to sign Wilson to a minor league deal with a make good bump in pay if he makes the club out of spring training. I doubt Wilson and his agent will accept that.  If Alderson feels that Wilson is close to being ready for opening day and if his velocity has returned to somewhere near the mid-90 mph he was at in 2010, why not make an offer of 1 year +an option for 2014 with a base salary of say, $2.5 mil with incentives to go up to about $4mil (if he makes those incentives it means he’s not only pitched great but the Mets are winning games as well) which would tie into health and performance.  Oh and let’s not worry about Frankie Frisco’s fragile ego because if Wilson is signed he will be the closer and FF goes to set up with Bobby Parnell and Josh Edgin working the lefty/right 7th inning tandem, you’ve jump up your bullpen status from blood suckers to much improved with this move.

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Matt Harvey Pitched Like A Man Last Night

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Sing it Godfather, Sing It!!!!!!!!

 

Are we seeing the last of the Dan Warthen influence on Mets pitchers? Matt Harvey pitched last night like the power pitcher he’s been advertised as. Harvey went almost exclusively with his fastball and slider and more importantly he threw inside and challenged hitters. Harvey went away from the Warthen School of Pitching which is nibble, nibble and nibble some more. Harvey pitched a man’s game last night even plunking Ryan Ludwick in the shoulder and of course Ludwick gave the phony tough guy stare down as he went to first base, because he’s a rook, Harvey just let Ludwick have his fake tough guy moment but I’d bet if Harvey had a couple of season under his belt, he’s have told Ludwick to take his ass down to first base.

Justin Turner in the outfield in 2013? You cannot be serious Terry, you just can’t.  I have to think Collins was talking out his ass on this one, as it make absolutely no sense ,hell, Turner back for 2013 doesn’t make much sense.  Don’t the Mets have an overabundance of outfielders without any power?

Heard a rumor that Sandy Alderson sent a link to the video of Jason Bay’s home run last night to Brian Sabean with the message “Com’on Brian you know you want him”

I can get the Mets going to a 6 man pitching rotation being that Johan and Young could benefit from the extra days rest as could Jon Niese, who at some point has to show he strong enough to pitch effectively  in second half of the season and as long as Dickey and Harvey stay on schedule, it’s all good but why does the spot guy have to be Jeremy Hefner? I hope come September 1st the club calls up Collin McHugh and let him take that spot or Jenry Mejia. Seriously, enough of Jeremy Hefner.

Mike Pelfrey is ready to start throwing as his rehab from Tommy John surgery is progressing well. As an arbitration eligible player much speculation is that the Mets will non-tender him come December. That much I agree with but I’d bet the Mets try to work a deal with Big Pelf for the 2013 season. I’m not ready to call Pelfrey an ex-Met yet.

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Time Now For Double Standard Baseball Coverage, Brought To You By The Pro-Yankee NY Media

A few quick hits on a busy Friday:

I see where Joba Chamberlain had an awful dislocation of his ankle while jumping on a trampoline with his son. This was one of those gruesome injuries where the bone comes through the skin and with Chamberlain rehabbing from Tommy John surgery not only is this a season ending injury but his baseball career is in doubt now as well.

Since I was away from any social media all day I wondered how this news went over on Twitter and it seems it didn’t cause too much of a stir, in fact it seems Ruben Tejada’s tight groin was bigger news as was Scott Hairston’s oblique strain. See when a Highlander gets hurt the biased Pro-Bronx Bastard sports writers in this town go underground.

I want to hear and read Michael Kay, Filip Bondy, Mike Francessa, Ian O’Connor, Joel Sherman, John Sterling, Suzyn Waldman and Bill Madden call Chamberlain out for be a selfish and stupid asshole for sustaining this injury.  I’m sure you won’t hear one negative word about Joba being a dumb ass for getting hurt in this manner.

I bring this up because, the hacks I mentioned would have had a field day with this is it were a Met.  They all would be good for 1,000 words of ridicule and stupidity if this were a Mets player. Instead they will all find a way to blame the trampoline. Get well soon Joba.

The Bitter Bill had an interesting post today about maybe the tide is turning for the Mets. The Jets seem to be ready to take claim to the most dysfunctional pro sports team in town. The terminally injured on the Mets are coming back day by day and the Ace of the Mets pitching staff looks to be ready, willing and quite able to regain his post shoulder surgery pitching prowess.  Yeah, Ya Gotta Believe!!!

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IN ALDERSON WE TRUST I THINK?

I know we of the Blue and Orange persuasion are not patience but to get bent out of shape over the lack of moves made by Sandy Alderson so far this off season is really off base and this is coming from a guy who is not known as patient. To fillip your Mets cap over Jonathan Broxton signing with the KC Royals is very shortsighted and again this coming from a guy who wanted to see a back end of a bullpen of Broxton and Joe Nathan.  The Texas Rangers really over paid for Nathan and his Tommy John repaired elbow and his diminishing WAR at 2yr/$14 mil as did the Royals taking on Frenchy’s new BFF at a $4mil tab for the sore armed Broxton.   As much as I would have like to take a flyer on both Nathan and Broxton it wouldn’t be worth it at the price. Sandy Alderson felt the same way.

We all know that relievers are as unpredictable as a house full of Kardashians, that’s why instead of being so damn jumpy, Mets fans need to sit back a bit and let this off season play out. If I could give Alderson some advice I’d feel out the Royals about a deal for Greg Holland and talk to Texas about a deal for arbitration eligible reliever Mike Adams.  I’m sure Alderson will speak with Chisox about a deal for Matt Thornton who would fit nicely as well in Flushing pen. There are options out there for the Mets fans and Alderson and his staff know it and have a plan of attack.

Let’s just stay calm and let the man do his due diligence and if on reporting day at St. Lonesome this team is not improved on the overrated “paper”, then we can have a mass melt down, this is not pie in sky horseshit and I understand that the fan base is not in a positive frame of mind, and believe me I don’t fault you for that, but let’s just see what this front office has up its sleeve before we light the torches and converge on 126th St and Roosevelt Ave.

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NY METS AT THE CROSSROADS

Last couple of days I’ve been  busy as all hell with real work, setting up podcasts and coaching so I’m a bit behind with my Mets rants so let me get right to ‘em:

Really were you shocked to hear that Jenry Meija blew out his elbow and is headed for Tommy John surgery? Last night on the BBA Baseball Talk Podcast, D.J. Short of Hard Ball Talk and Rotoworld was a guest and we both felt the same way, we weren’t surprised. Of course the first reaction is to curse Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel for their misuse of Mejia last season and to say that the organization didn’t do it’s best to work with Mejia to get him to use the proper pitching mechanics to try to help avoid this type of injury but as a baseball layman I really don’t know how much any of this played in Mejia blowing out his elbow.

After speaking to Rick Peterson for a bit during the winter he spoke about working on pitchers mechanics as the easy part of coaching it’s getting that pitcher to repeat the proper mechanic, that’s the hard part.

The one bright spot, I guess is most pitchers who endure TJ surgery comeback as good as ever with proper rehab and instruction. Let’s hope that’s the case with Jenry Mejia.

Jose Reyes is on fire and it has not gone unnoticed around baseball. Some reports have the Giants looking real hard at making a play for Reyes and to tell you the truth I don’t envy Sandy Alderson with having to make the decision on what to do with Reyes. Part of me wants Reyes to stay and sign a new deal and live happily ever after in Flushing. Then I think well if the Giants are as desperate as the should be (Mike Fontenot batting 3rd?) and you can pry away RHP Zach Wheeler and LHP Eric Surkamp in a Reyes deal that would be hard to turn down. The outcry from a large portion of this fan base will be ear splitting but then again this Mets fan base is the most Bi-polar any fan base in sports. They want to win but they don’t want to deal anyone they have affection for. The Reyes fans want him here forever as does the David Wright fans but as soon as both these Faces of the Franchise slump, they blame them for everything but the Skill Sets shity investments. You can’t have it your way all the time. Sometimes the adults have to make the big decisions and even the most casual baseball fan knows you’re nothing without pitching.  So the question you ask yourself is do I want to build a winning team or do I want to keep players I like around and finish in the second division again and again  or do I think it’s time to revamp my team and go with a new game plan? After all that I still don’t know what the Mets should with Reyes and I wonder if Sandy Alderson feels the same way?

I do know this, The Skill Sets need to sell the team, if not all of it a majority of it as it would break my heart to see the Mets end up like the Dodgers and not be able to meet payroll. Either Fred gets some new cash flowing into this organization or the Skill Sets need to get the fuck out. I’m tired of all this sentimentality bullshit from him, his incompetent brother in law and his dopey kid, about wanting to keep the team in the family for years and years. You should have though about that when your pal Bernie was fucking you over but you didn’t see it because the money was flowing like a Niagara Falls. Now you want sympathy. You won’t get it here, my sympathy is with the team and with Mets fan, Fred you love the Mets so much then do the right thing, sell the whole fucking kit and caboodle and keep a little piece for you along with a suite and go off into the sunset.

Those caps the Mets wore last night were horrendous, I thought I was watching an episode of 30 Rock.

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D.C. FOLLIES

Ollie Perez has signed a MINOR yes MINOR league deal with the Washington Nationals. So when the Mets asked OP to go to the bushes he and Scott Boras said “nada” but when the best deal you can find is a bush league contract with a bottom feeder team it’s a deal.

The Nats better hope Ollie-ittes isn’t contagious or they will have more to worry about than Stephen Strasburg’s Tommy John-ed elbow .

Enjoy the bus rides, Ollie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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HOW ABOUT OLLIE PEREZ TO THE CARDINALS?

Adam Wainwright looks to be headed for Tommy John surgery so now would be the time for Sandy Alderson to put the hard sell on Cardinals GM John Mozeliak taking Oliver Perez off the Mets hands. Think about it, Alderson just has gush about having the Genius and the greatest pitching coach in the history of baseball take on the biggest bust in baseball. Who but the great Dave Duncan could rehabilitate the wayward Ollie and turn him in a serviceable ML arm.

Say the Mets eat half of Perez’ $12 million ransom you would think with Wainwright (before you folks kill me more in no way am I saying Perez is a replacement of Wainwright as the only thing they have in common is they are both dues paying members of the MLBPA) out and Alderson having a past relationship with The Genius and the world’s greatest pitching coach, he could pursued  them to talk Mozeliak into taking OP on as a their greatest reclamation project ever, their very own Billy Ray Valentine.

If Alderson pulls this off I will forever refer to him as Jesus Alderson

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THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO FREDDY SKILL SETS

Seems I have two allies in the Skill Sets Stay Home camp in Bob Klapish and Harvey Aarton. After that stellar performance by Jeffy Skill Sets yesterday, Freddy Skill Sets will address the media this morning at St. Lonesome.

Freddy will say that he was duped by Madoff and he is hurt by the betrayal and he never saw it coming and he will not sell the team and the team will be in the Skill Set family for generations (just like this blog, I want my grandchildren and great grandchildren to carry on my tradition of poor taste and over use of profanity) and this will not affect the team and by the way, did I tell you we have one of the highest payrolls in baseball? In other words there will be nothing of substance said at the sunrise sermon. Even more reason for Freddy and Jeffy to keep their ass’ home.

Ed Marcus/Rusty Jr comes out with a stunner at #20 in top 50 Mets of all time countdown.

With all my ranting on the Skill Sets setting up their circus tent in St Lonesome, I forgot to comment on the return of Izzy. Izzy flashed some talent when he was a Mets as part of the Generation K trio of Bill Pulsipher, Paul Wilson and Izzy but he was really immature. Now at 38 years old and success as a closer and a rebuilt Tommy John-ed elbow, who knows, maybe he finds what he left in St. Louis. Year after TJ surgery/past success/works  cheap this is the new undervalued commodity in this  Sandy Alderson Production.

By the way, Izzy was given #45. OUCH!!! Sorry Johnny.

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METS PITCHING STAFF, ADD 2 SUBTRACT 1

The Mets announced this evening that they have signed LHP Chris Capuano and RHP Taylor Buchholz to 1 year contracts, and to make room on the 40 man roster they have released P Ryota Igarashi.

Cutting Igarashi is a surprised but adding Capuano and Buchholz, who both battle arm problems (Capuano is a two-time Tommy John surgery patient)  both fall under the low risk/high reward mantle.

Capuano will most likely compete for the 4/5 spot in the rotation. If (and it’s a big if) Capuano is of sound shoulder and body, he could be this years version of R.A. Dickey. Capuano did show some increase in velocity last season when he joined the Brewers after rehab assignment but he is not a power pitcher. His best pitch is his change and he incorporates a cutter as well.  When he’s on his game, Capuano will induce more ground balls than fly balls.

Buchholz is also a Tommy John-er with his surgery coming in 2009. Buchholz is a fly ball pitcher which fits very nicely in Citi Field.

So with the new year under way two low cost gambles by Sandy Alderson have arrived. I like the Capuano signing alot. Of course everything with Cap hinges on his arm being sound and if it is ,this move could pay off handsomely for Alderson. As for Buchholz, I’ll wait and see .

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Tickets

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