projecting the opening day roster

[Vic Sage]

April 3 is only a week away. So what team will show up in KC?

[u:3vll5g0k]lineup:[/u:3vll5g0k]
Granderson (L) - RF
Wright - 3B
Cespedes - CF
Duda (L) - 1B
Walker (S) - 2B
Conforto (L) - LF
D'arnaud - C
Flores - SS

[u:3vll5g0k]Bench:[/u:3vll5g0k]
Lagares - OF
deAza (L) - OF
Plawecki - C
Reynolds - IF
Campbell - UT
_____?

[u:3vll5g0k]Starters:[/u:3vll5g0k]
Harvey
DeGrom
Syndegaard
Matz (L)
Colon

[u:3vll5g0k]Bullpen:[/u:3vll5g0k]
Familia
Reed
Bastardo (L)
Blevins (L)
Robles [suspended 2 games]
Verrett
_____?

[Cabrera (s) / DL]
[Edgin (L) / DL]
[Wheeler /60-day DL]

They just sent down infielders Kelly, Muno and Rivera, OF Bernadina and RP Carlysle. So, assuming Cabrera starts on the bench or DL and Flores starts at SS, they'll need to keep an extra IF, and Reynolds and Campbell are the last men standing. They'll need to keep both, at least until Cabrera is ready. If Cabrera starts on the DL, they'll also have room for somebody else. Do they keep another bat over a 12th pitcher? Who?

If they go with 6 in the pen rather than 7, 4 are locks (familia, Reed, Bastardo, Blevins). Robles will start on 2-game suspension, but is likely to be in the pen, too. so that leaves, Goeddel, Verrett, and Gilmartin, and whatever other ST invitees are still left (Henderson? Smoker?) competing for the last slot. who gets it? And if they go with 7, then who else?

And do they send Plawecki down to start the season and add Monell to the roster? Johnny has hit well this spring, and they may want to give Plawecki more ABs to continue his development.

questions, questions, questions.

[Ceetar]

so many off days they could leave Matz down for another bench guy to start.

Or they could do the same with deGrom when he goes on paternity leave.

I'd be surprised if Wright doesn't talk his way into the 3B position for the opening two games and in that case you could keep Monell and Plawecki and DH Kevin.

You could read into Tejada's release as being partly motivated by the desire to keep Plawecki down and add Monell to the 40 man.

[Vic Sage]

yes, i forgot about the DH. I always try to forget it, but there it is.
Why would they DH Plawecki over Monell? Isn't Plawecki the superior receiver? Wouldn't they want to develop him rather than give defensive innings to Monell? In any event, i don't think they'd DH a catcher, since they'd lose the DH slot if the catcher was forced into the game. I think it might either be Campbell or deAza, depending on whether there's a LHP or a RHP starting for KC. although with deAza as the only LH bat on the bench, they might want to keep him there for a late-inning pinch-hit opportunity. Which argues for keeping another LH bat on the bench and leaving Matz home for week 1.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

This is just the team I'd like to see, absent of the weird first-week manueverings. What I predict isn't so meaningful, since I have no insight beyond what we all see out there in the papers and whether the guys will be heathy. I think 6 bullpenners is the way to go, at least until they realize they could really use a veteran power threat on the bench. Marlon Byrd is on the cusp as a late-invited NRI in Cleveland. Boy would he have been a good idea for us.

I like Verrett as a long-relief man given how shitty the starters have looked so far. Campbell is my odd man out; if he makes it, I'm going to take it as a signal in the brass' doubt in Wright's health.

Harvey
deGrom
Syndergaard
Matz
Colon

Familia
Bastardo
Reed
Robles
Blevins
Henderson
Verrett

dArnaud
Duda
Walker
Cabrera
Wright
Conforto
Cespedes
Granderson

Flores
Lagares
DeAza
Plawecki
Reynolds

[Ceetar]

Monell will be on the bench as the backup catcher, d'Arnaud will receive.

Plawecki would be on the roster as a DH, not a catcher, for a few days.

[Vic Sage]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: This is just the team I'd like to see, absent of the weird first-week manueverings. What I predict isn't so meaningful, since I have no insight beyond what we all see out there in the papers and whether the guys will be heathy. I think 6 bullpenners is the way to go, at least until they realize they could really use a veteran power threat on the bench. Marlon Byrd is on the cusp as a late-invited NRI in Cleveland. Boy would he have been a good idea for us. I like Verrett as a long-relief man given how shitty the starters have looked so far. Campbell is my odd man out; if he makes it, I'm going to take it as a signal in the brass' doubt in Wright's health. Harvey deGrom Syndergaard Matz Colon Familia Bastardo Reed Robles Blevins Henderson Verrett dArnaud Duda Walker Cabrera Wright Conforto Cespedes Granderson Flores Lagares DeAza Plawecki Reynolds

So you're choosing a 12th pitcher (non-roster invitee Henderson) over the extra UT bat in Campbell or Monell. While i have no great confidence in Campbell, i just don't think a 7-man pen is ever necessary. I'd prefer they kept the bat, particularly with Cabrera's knee and the back issues of Wright and now Conforto.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

It's not really Henderson but Verrett who's joining my team. I would like an extra bat but have no CAHNfidence Campbell or Monell can be that guy, so perhaps as other clubs make late cuts some hitter shakes out, like Byrd. If we had Byrd in camp, I go with 1 less bullpenner.

Henderson has pitched very well this spring, I gather.

[Vic Sage]

they'd have to create a roster spot for Henderson, no? So they'd have to love him because sometimes those roster spots can be costly.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I think they have to consider it. Adding to that, Bastardo has been terrible this spring and despite his good numbers last season I'm highly suspicious of Reed.

Gosh I'm really down on the 2016 Mets!

[Frayed Knot]

From the Puma: Asdrubal Cabrera went 3-for-4 in a minor league exhibition game and played four innings at shortstop. Collins indicated Cabrera, who is recovering from a strained tendon in his left knee, will return to Grapefruit League action on Monday against the Cardinals.

So, barring a re-injury, this pretty much assures him being on the OD roster.

[Vic Sage]

update:

[u:2c3xokm4]lineup:[/u:2c3xokm4]
Granderson
Wright
Cespedes
Duda
Walker
Conforto
dArnaud
Cabrera

[u:2c3xokm4]bench:[/u:2c3xokm4]
Flores
Lagares
DeAza
Plawecki
Reynolds
[Campbell]

Harvey
deGrom
Syndergaard
Matz
Colon

Familia
Bastardo
Reed
Robles
Blevins
Gilmartin
[Henderson]?

So do they keep a bat or an arm as the 25th man? Campbell/Reynolds or Gilmartin/Henderson? And do they keep Monell over Plawecki?

[ashie62]

Keep Reynolds and Plawecki.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I think Gilmartin and Henderson are the last two on the plane.

[Vic Sage]

i read where they plan to keep Reynolds on board in KC and then, when they return home, they'll send him down and bring Henderson in, carrying a 7 man pen.

[Benjamin Grimm]

So Matt Reynolds is the designated guy-who-observes-Mets-Royals games.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Henderson & Verrett made the Mets!

Reynolds & Gilmartin did not.

Campbell did. Plawecki did.

oe -- My opening day setup, only with Campbell instead of Reynolds.

[Edgy MD]

Man, peoples are gonna be furious about Campbell. Here's hoping he does something awesome in KC.

[Vic Sage]

Announced -

[u:1735szzj]lineup:[/u:1735szzj]
RF- Granderson (L)
3b- Wright
DH- Cespedes
1B- Duda (L)
2b- Walker (S)
LF- Conforto (L)
SS- Cabrera(S)
C- dArnaud
CF - Lagares?

[u:1735szzj]bench:[/u:1735szzj]
Flores
Lagares
DeAza (L)
Plawecki
Campbell
[crossout:1735szzj]Reynolds[/crossout:1735szzj]

[u:1735szzj]Rotation:[/u:1735szzj]
Harvey
deGrom
Syndergaard
Matz (L)
Colon
[u:1735szzj]
Bullpen:[/u:1735szzj]
Familia
Bastardo (L)
Reed
Robles [suspended 2 games]
Blevins (L)
Henderson
[crossout:1735szzj]Gilmartin[/crossout:1735szzj] Verrett

Who will be the DH on Sunday? I think it'll be Cespedes, so Lagares can play CF. Volquez, a RHP is starting for KC, so do we use deAza instead? Then there is no LH bat available off the bench late in the game.

[Vic Sage]

yup