Infield Options

[Centerfield]

In light of the Wright news.

Assuming Duda will be back at the end of July, that's 6 more weeks of baseball to bridge. Loney started off nice, but has come down to a sub .700 OPS.

My plan would be:

1B: Wilmer (and Loney spell him)
2B: Herrera
3B: Walker
SS: Cabrera
C: TdA and Rivera.

KJ around as super-sub. If Conforto can get healthy and squared away, that should be enough to get it done.

[Fman99]

Wilmer's showing that he needs daily AB's to find a rhythm. Some goober wrote that they'd like to see the Mets acquire another 3B but in order to "push Flores into a super sub role," where he's not shown a real knack for contributing as a part time player.

[smg58]

Centerfield wrote: In light of the Wright news. Assuming Duda will be back at the end of July, that's 6 more weeks of baseball to bridge. Loney started off nice, but has come down to a sub .700 OPS. My plan would be: 1B: Wilmer (and Loney spell him) 2B: Herrera 3B: Walker SS: Cabrera C: TdA and Rivera. KJ around as super-sub. If Conforto can get healthy and squared away, that should be enough to get it done.

I wouldn't be surprised if it came to this. I'd like to see Flores and Herrera get some time to show what they can do before pursuing a trade.

Edited June 16, 2016 by Guest

[Ceetar]

Fman99 wrote: Wilmer's showing that he needs daily AB's to find a rhythm. Some goober wrote that they'd like to see the Mets acquire another 3B but in order to "push Flores into a super sub role," where he's not shown a real knack for contributing as a part time player.

the rhythm is mostly small sample. He showed his best work last year as a super sub post Kelly/Uribe/Wright

Anything that gets less AB for the sub-par guys like Loney and Flores (and Campbell) is best. I don't think we can bank on Duda having no setbacks since it's a back thing, and Kelly's okay but not particularly good and now Walker is achy too. Really could use at least one more option.

[Edgy MD]

His name is Dilson.

Also, T.J. Rivera has already knocked in 52 runs in 60 games, mostly playing third.

[Guest d'Kong76]

I'd be very (well, somewhat) surprised if we see Duda again in 2016.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Doodoo is coming. With Krusty.

[bmfc1]

Oh Valencia! Danny is being eyed by Sandy. We need a Jewish Met.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/06/mets-have-expressed-interest-in-danny-valencia.html

[TransMonk]

The article linked in the link there makes it seem unlikely, though. Or hella expensive.

Ken Davidoff wrote: ...however, the A’s aren’t quite ready to enter sell mode. “The mode we’re in right now is survival mode,” A’s president of baseball operations Billy Beane said Friday in a telephone interview. “Our challenge has come in building a roster of healthy bodies. The idea of moving bodies right now is not very appealing.”

http://nypost.com/2016/06/17/mets-have-asked-as-about-trading-for-danny-valencia/

[Frayed Knot]

Harper in the Post on the Cuban 3B Yunesky Gourriel

I spoke to two scouts who saw him years ago, one in the World Baseball Classic, another in an amateur tournament, and both say he had high-level talent that should translate as a major leaguer, but both also said they would need to see him in workouts now to determine if his skills have faded, especially since they say age is always a question mark with Cuban players.
“It’s more of an issue when a guy is listed at 32,” one scout said. “It’s not like someone who says he’s 22 and turns out to be 24 or 25. At 32 an extra year or two matters a lot more. You have to see if the athleticism is still there.
“Even if he looks good in a workout, I wouldn’t give him more than two years. The cost would depend on how many clubs get involved, but based on what some of the other (Cuban defectors) have gotten, it figures to be $10-$11 million a year, depending on the length.”


http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/ex-met-time-wright-club-sign-cuban-3b-gourriel-article-1.2679027

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

From the same article:

A former Met who roots hard for his old team was on the phone Saturday, practically yelling at me as he made his point, which is that management needs to see the David Wright neck surgery as an unexpected opportunity to improve the ballclub and enhance its chances of winning a championship. I wanted to quote him by name but he has ties to the Mets that he was worried about damaging (it’s not Wally Backman, in case Sandy Alderson asks), and he didn’t want to disrespect Wright publicly. “I hate to say it,” the ex-player said, “because Wright is a total pro and a class act, but they’re better off this way. I feel bad for the guy but because of his (spinal stenosis) condition, he was hurting the ballclub. He couldn’t make the throw from third base and the way he was striking out, he shouldn’t have been hitting at the top of the lineup. “It’s not his fault. But now that he’s gone the Mets need to take advantage of it. It sounds like they’re going to save a good chunk of his salary from insurance so there shouldn’t be any excuse, and they got another break because this Cuban player (Yulieski Gourriel) comes out of nowhere for them just when they need a third baseman. “They won’t have to give up anything to get him, so just go sign him. That way you’ve still got something in the bank if you need to make a trade for more offense."

Arguable points all (not that I'm 100% on board with all of that). I'm thinking... Loduca?

[ashie62]

I would rather have the Cuban or the Rookie Rivera at 3B before moving Walker.

Walker is part of the solution and would leave him alone.

My only other thought is James Loney ain't all that.

Later.

[Frayed Knot]

Mets will give Cuban emigre Yunesky Gourriel a workout

"We're gonna do our due diligence on that player," general manager Sandy Alderson said Tuesday. "We've made arrangements to do that. At the same time, this player hasn't seen live pitching for weeks, if not months. It's not clear how long a player in that situation would take to be ready. Of course there's the investment and all the other issues, and making an evaluation based on workouts primarily … and not game competition. But we're gonna go through that process."

[Edgy MD]

So, you're saying ... he's a player.

[ashie62]

Sometimes you don't have to do anything.

[TransMonk]

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http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/e/escobyu01.shtml

Escobar has been out of the Angel's lineup since Thursday with a bone bruise on his left knee.

[A Boy Named Seo]

Gourriel worked out for the Mets today, pic courtesty of his Insta. I haven't heard any leaks from "in-the-know sources", but I put my own personal Paddy Power odds on the Mets signing him at 15:1. Who wants some of that fake action?

[Edgy MD]

I like that they're luring him in with $50 worth of free Mets swag. Get him a Yoenis Céspedes compression sleeve and he's in the bag.

[Edgy MD]

You hate to make a move from desperation, but absolutely nothing is clicking right now. They ain't hitting in the minors, they ain't hitting in the majors. Reyes has shown nothing to suggest he's ready to help.

Gourriel may not be the dumbest idea, not that there aren't plenty of reasons to be suspicious of him, too.

Sign his baby brother, while you're at it.

Offense.

[Ceetar]

Problem is I believe Sandy said something like Gourriel would easily need a month in the minors before he'd be ready.

[TransMonk]

Sadly, I'm not so sure that the Mets are looking at Gourriel as a solution for this season.

[Centerfield]

Edgy MD wrote: I like that they're luring him in with $50 worth of free Mets swag. Get him a Yoenis Céspedes compression sleeve and he's in the bag.

$50? Obviously Edgy has not visited the Mets Clubhouse Store in some time.

[Frayed Knot]

The above-mentioned Yulieski Gurriel* has signed a five-year / $47.5 million deal with Houston according to sources although not yet confirmed by the team.
The 32 y/o recent Cuban defector had worked out for a number of teams including the Mets.



* Apparently this is the correct spelling even though Gourriel had been widely used.

[Edgy MD]

I hope we get our swag back!

[Centerfield]

I figured we were not interested once we signed Reyes to play third, so can't say I'm surprised here.

I am surprised he got 5 years. That's pretty hefty for a 32(?) year old player who has never played a day here. Annual $ per year though is pretty reasonable.

I would have guessed 3 years, $36 million. So tells you what I know.

[Zvon]

Gourriel worked out for the Mets today, pic courtesty of his Insta. I haven't heard any leaks from "in-the-know sources", but I put my own personal Paddy Power odds on the Mets signing him at 15:1. Who wants some of that fake action?

Wow, I thought that was Wilmer at first glance.

And at second glance.

[Centerfield]

Edgy MD wrote: His name is Dilson. Also, T.J. Rivera has already knocked in 52 runs in 60 games, mostly playing third.

Edgy advocates for TJ Rivera on June 16.

[Centerfield]

Meanwhile, Gurriel has put up an .860 OPS in 20 games for Houston.

[Benjamin Grimm]

The infield is going to be one of the more interesting topics of the Mets offseason.

Which hopefully won't get underway for another seven weeks or so.