Answers and Questions at First (Split from B-Mets)

[Frayed Knot]

BA:
Mets 1B Mike Carp (.556/.586/.889) is doing his best to resuscitate his prospect status and had as good a week as any minor leaguer, with a 15-for-27 week that included two homers at Double-A Binghamton. Most encouraging, he's off to an 8-for-23 start against lefthanded pitchers with three homers after posting a .418 OPS against LHPs last year. He's going to have to keep that up (or a reasonable facsimile) to avoid being a platoon player in the future, however.

[Benjamin Grimm]

First base is one of the most intriguing positions for the Mets right now.

They have a few guys who might be able to ascend to the big leagues, but I think the odds are that the Mets will end up importing somebody to replace Delgado, either for 2009 (most likely) or 2010 (less likely, but still possible).

I'd love to see one of the homegrown kids make it, but first base is considered a position that you want big offense from, and will a contending team hand that job to a rookie? I think that rookie would have to make a very strong case for himself.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I think the odds are that the Mets will end up importing somebody to replace Delgado, either for 2009 (most likely) or 2010 (less likely, but still possible)

Would you like to officially declare that we are now into that part of the Delgado trade where we wished we had Mike Jacobs? You may have the honors.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Delgado's 2006, which helped the Mets to a division title, prevents me from regretting the trade.

[Gwreck]

Jacobs 2007: 17-54-.265, .775 OPS
Delgado 2007: 24-87-.258, .781 OPS

We can hold off on the "we'd rather have Jacobs" for right now.

[Guest AG/DC]

Salary taken into account, I'd rather have had Jacobs.

I'm not up for whining. The ship has sailed, but I"d have held my cards. The good news is that Petit and Psomas haven't yielded much fruit at all.

[Guest Triple Dee]

Joel Sherman's blog in the NYP suggests the Mets consider eating the rest of Delgado's contract and cutting him � la Frank Thomas . That's good, except when the back-up is hitting .067, it's generally not a recommended policy.

Mike Carp has a legitimate shot at the 1b job next season; he's currently hitting .487/.754 at AA, with 5 HRs (with apologies to MFS62).

They also have;
Luca Duda (22) who is currently playing RF at St.Lucie, but is a 1B by trade, doing well ; .425/.500 with 2 HRs in 92ABs

Nick Evans at the B-Mets who is a 1B playing in Left, hitting .377/.614 with 3HRs , 2T (apologies to *62)

[Guest AG/DC]

That blog has Sherman also trying to make speculative leaps to round up some torches and pitchforks to go after Joe Girardi and hold him reponsible for all injured Yankees.

A good way to keep a sports column is to always be calling for blood --- Delgado's, Girardi's --- there's always somebody available.

[Guest Triple Dee]

Sherman's a putz (n. JJ).

[Guest themetfairy]

Triple Dee wrote: Sherman's a putz (n. JJ).

Yiddish with an Aussie accent

[Benjamin Grimm]

They're going to have to ride it out with Delgado for this year. Who would replace him at first? They could sign Frank Thomas, but that sounds like an awful idea. They're not going to promote a guy from Single A, or from Binghamton on the basis of two good weeks.

Otherwise, who do you have? Tatis?

[Guest Triple Dee]

themetfairy wrote: Yiddish with an Aussie accent

It's not as uncommon, as you may think.

[Guest themetfairy]

Triple Dee wrote: ="themetfairy"]Yiddish with an Aussie accent It's not as uncommon, as you may think.

Cool - that's good to know.

[Guest Triple Dee]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Otherwise, who do you have? Tatis?

Michel Abreu.

Sherman's suggestion is crazy talk, because Wilpon has said he won't eat anymore contracts. (And he'll have the "installments" of Bonilla's contract which begin soon, as a timely reminder).

[Benjamin Grimm]

I wouldn't take Wilpon's statement as the absolute truth.

Interpret that as, "I don't want to eat any more contracts."

The time will come when he'll do it. (Some possibilities: Luis Castillo in July of 2011, Orlando Hernandez in August of next year.)

But I don't see it happening with Delgado.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Triple Dee wrote: ="Benjamin Grimm"]Orlando Hernandez in August of next year. But I don't see it happening with Delgado. You mean August of this year, right? If Delgado hasn't started hitting by July, do they trade for somebody and start Delgado occasionally against righties, or as a PH, and then keep him off the post-season roster?

I meant next year. (He's signed through 2009, isn't he? Maybe I'm wrong.)

Keep Delgado off the post-season roster? A lot has to happen (meaning a lot of bad play by Delgado and a lot of good play by the team as a whole) before that even becomes a possibility.

I think if Delgado plays so poorly that he loses his job, it's not too likely that there's going to be a post-season roster.

[Guest Triple Dee]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: [El Duque's] signed through 2009, isn't he?

Thankfully, not.

[Guest AG/DC]

Abreu certainly hasn't made a case for himself yet.

Damn, the year that guy lost last season may have consumed any margin for error he had left.

[Guest Mendoza Line]

When (if) Alou is healthy again, can one of Church or Alou be moved to 1B, with Delgado playing the role of backup 1B/lefty bat off the bench and Pagan as a full time corner OF?

It's not a great option because Pagan probably isn't ready to be an everyday player (and at 26, he may never be ready) and because Delgado would be a really expensive backup. But right now I'd rather see Pagan than Delgado in the lineup every day.

[HahnSolo]

="Triple Dee"] They also have; Luca Duda (22) who is currently playing RF at St.Lucie, but is a 1B by trade, doing well ; .425/.500 with 2 HRs in 92ABs

I can hear Chris Berman now:

Luca "Zippity" Duda.

[smg58]

The Mets don't have a viable second option at first base in house, so barring a trade, Delgado's going nowhere. And it will take more than three weeks for me to think a deal is necessary. There are enough guys in the league hitting worse than Delgado.

Delgado was better than Jacobs even last year. With the glove as well as the bat. Stop being silly. I don't regret the deal at all; what I do regret is that we could have had Delgado a year earlier and traded nobody for him had certain people in the front office been a bit more competent. But one good week doesn't make Jacobs better, and certainly doesn't make dealing him in that spot regrettable.

If the Mets still consider themselves contenders after this year, they're not going to hand first base to somebody who hasn't played in AAA yet. Now it's possible that Carp could make up for lost time, but I see that as really unlikely to be enough.

[Guest AG/DC]

While I think anybody who plays baseball should be prepared to play first at any given moment, neither Alou nor Church has ever logged a game as a firstbaseman.

[Benjamin Grimm]

What smg58 said.

But the lack of depth behind Delgado is a bit alarming. What if he breaks his leg tomorrow? I guess they'd go out and get somebody, but it would probably be somebody of Brady Clark caliber. (Brady's another guy who's never played a single game at first base.)

It's nice that they have some quality prospects like Carp and others, but none of them appear ready for 2008, and probably not for 2009 either.

[Guest AG/DC]

Nick Evans and his .991 OPS will be at New Orleans soon enough. Batters typically take some time getting untracked in the cold springs of the Eastern League, so his start and Carp's are certainly encouraging.

Edited April 22, 2008 by Guest

[Guest AG/DC]

While he and Carp may or may not be that far away, it's worth noting that Carp looks kinda goofy:

[Guest Triple Dee]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: What if he breaks his leg tomorrow? I guess they'd go out and get somebody, but it would probably be somebody of Brady Clark caliber.

Mikey P?

I have faith Delgado will turn it around, and at least, be an above- "replacement level" 1B for the remainder of the season.

Not that I am advocating this, but I can think of at least one team that might be prepared to take on Delgado's contract in a trade.

[Guest Triple Dee]

Fernando Tatis is leading the Pacific Coast League in home runs with 8 in 63 ABs.

Discuss.