who goes down? NTTAWWT!

[Vic Sage]

With Wright coming back next week, the Mets will have to make a move. So do we actually cut a guy or do we just send somebody down for a week, then bring them back up after 9/1?

If we cut Kelly Johnson, whose skills are redundant with Murphy, we lose a potentially useful asset for nothing.
Ditto Uribe, as well as losing his great clubhouse presence (from what i read).

So who goes down?
Flores?
Conforto?
Lagares?
Other?

If its flores, we don't have a backup SS.
If its Conforto, our offense takes a hit.
If its Lagares... well, Cespedes has been fine in CF, and Grandy can play there in an emergency. With Cuddyer as the RHed OF bat on the bench (and Johnson available as a backup LHed OFer), it seems to me that Lagares is the only one we could miss for a week without really skipping a beat.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I was thinking Conforto, but maybe Lagares does make more sense.

Or they could try to get by with one less pitcher for a week and a half, but I doubt that they'd do that.

[Fman99]

This was brought up during last night's broadcast. They theorized also that Lagares may be the one who goes, for the same reasons.

[TransMonk]

I'd rather go with one less pitcher, but I'm guessing it will be Conforto until 9/1.

[Ceetar]

It's gotta be Conforto for the week I think. Lagares has options too but better defense/CF.

Flores doesn't have options.

Surprised how much Conforto has picked it up in the last week or so. his numbers are now decent. But it's not like he's carrying anyone, and we've got plenty of outfielders.

[TransMonk]

I like keeping Laggy up for the late inning pinch-running and defense he provides (just like last night in Baltimore).

[Edgy MD]

Johnson hasn't done a lot, but, well, you sure don't want to throw him overboard if you don't hafta. Could be a useful part yet going forward.

So it looks like it's Lagares vs. Conforto vs. whoever is hurt at the time (Duda?). If nobody is hurting, then it's Lagares (and any concerns that a demotion could undermine his career and confidence) vs. Conforto (and any concerns that a demotion could undermine the Mets' offense for a week.

I'm also curious what happens to Uribe's role when Wright returns. Maybe he helps Duda out at first against lefties a little, pinch-hits, and dreams about the second games of double-headers. Even if Wright doesn't play every day, he's certainly not going to sit against any lefties.

[Vic Sage]

would it be impossible for Uribe to back up at SS? He hasn't played more than a handful of games there over the last 4+ years, but is it just out of the question? Is his range that much less at this point than that of FLores?
Not necessarily to get a start at SS, but come in for a double switch, or to keep his bat in after PHing, or XtraInning games, or injury. No? Maybe not, but i'd consider it.

If Terry platoons, we could see something like the following alignments in Sept/Oct:

[u:1sa2a6ys]vs LHP[/u:1sa2a6ys]
Lagares CF
Murphy 1b
Wright 3b
Cespedes LF
Cuddyer RF
d'Arnaud C
Flores 2b
Tejada SS

[u:1sa2a6ys]vs RHP[/u:1sa2a6ys]
Grandy RF
Murphy 3b
Cespedes CF
Duda 1b
Conforto LF
d'Arnaud C
K.Johnson 2b
Tejada SS

...at least until Wright shows he can play every day, at which point Murphy goes to 2b and Johnson to the bench. In any event, no real role for Uribe, except as a PHer.

Edited August 19, 2015 by Guest

[batmagadanleadoff]

Looking at this cold, with ice for blood and objectively, I think that Lagares should go down. But the Mets might consider the human or emotional factor, and if so, might send down Conforto instead, to protect Lagares's ego a little bit and because Conforto's a rookie with a lesser expectation of remaining with the big team on a sort or permanent and uninterrupted basis.

[Edgy MD]

Looking at the lumpiness factor, I'd be surprised if the Mets tried Uribe at short in any but the most desperate of circumstances.

[Edgy MD]

Vegas is guarding a 1.5-game lead. Whoever goes down, it might be a beneficial thing to play every day and help his team across the finish line, before coming back in September to pennant drive of the major league variety.

Vegas went to the bottom of the ninth last night and filled the bases with 2015 Mets � Darrell Ceciliani on first, Kirk Nieuwenhuis on second. and Eric Campbell a-hugging third. Dan Rohlfing came to bat and won it for Las Vegas (and for YOU, you ungrateful wretches) Homer Simpson-style, taking a pitch to the body and sending Campbell home.

Dilson Herrera collected another three hits and is up to .349, which would be a league-leading number if he had enough at-bats to qualify. He would also then displace teammate Travis Tajeiron for fifth place in the league in OPS. Travis is looking for love.

[Zvon]

If it's really crunch time like TC says, Lagares goes down, regardless of who's feelings get hurt. This years model is sorely lacking and expendable until Sept call-ups.

[RealityChuck]

Not that it has any effect this year, but Cesar Puello has been released.

http://metsblog.com/metsblog/mets-release-cesar-puello/

[duan]

Lagares has had a 1.060 ops in August, so if Terry's serious about the "you hit you play" his game time should be going up not down.
I'd be tempted to dump Uribe tbh, much as I've liked his nature.

[Zvon]

The catch tonight gets Lags outta my doghouse. That infield single don't hurt either.

Duan, I love ya, but that's crazy talk. Johnson before Uribe. Cuddy be4 Uribe even (I know,$$$). IMO Uribe has more to do with our met-amorphosis than Cespedes. But there is the point of where does he play besides 3rd.

I'd throw Kelly under the bus. Tomorrow it might be someone different. ha.
This is going to be a tough call.

[TransMonk]

Since Conforto was called up:

Conforto: 54 AB, 12 H, 2 HR, 10 RBI, .222/.328/.407/.736

Lagares: 42 AB, 13 H, 1 HR, 8 RBI, .310/.348/.524/.872

Plus Lagares has more speed and plays better defense. If it comes down to these two, I'd rather have Lagares for the week.

I agree that Uribe (and Johnson) needs to step it up, but it seems unlikely that a veteran will be removed.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Yeah, I'm settling in on Conforto as the choice. Going to Las Vegas for seven or eight days won't be the end of the world for him. Or for the Mets.

[duan]

out of interest, can he come back within 10 days of being sent down if the rosters expand?

[Ceetar]

duan wrote: out of interest, can he come back within 10 days of being sent down if the rosters expand?

I don't think so, barring injury.

But it's not like it's a big deal if he's on the roster 9/1 or 9/4. it's two games and we have plenty of other bats.

[MFS62]

Ceetar wrote: But it's not like it's a big deal if he's on the roster 9/1 or 9/4. it's two games and we have plenty of other bats.

After watching the sporadic offense this year, I think you can never have enough bats.

Later

[Edgy MD]

Edgy MD wrote: So it looks like it's Lagares vs. Conforto vs. whoever is hurt at the time (Duda?).

Duda?