The Edge of Seventeen: Jay Bruce

[Edgy MD]

Who the hell am I? Am I the guy leading the league in RBI when I came over from Cincinnati? Or am I the guy who limped home after the trade? And why did the Mets pay over $13 million to find out? Wouldn't it be great if my name was Woythaler or something and so you had a couple of weeks of hot spring training action to assess before being asked to predict my 2017?

Well, you don't. It's February 16, and some guy on the internet wants to know what you think I'm going to do. And you, I can tell, feel compelled to answer. So what am I going to do?

[fimg=323:uczqp43v]http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.2739184.1470362567!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/article_750/subway.jpg[/fimg:uczqp43v] [fimg=377:uczqp43v]https://thenypost.files.wordpress.com/2016/08/jay_bruce.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=1200g[/fimg:uczqp43v]
[fimg=441:uczqp43v]https://usatftw.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/usp_mlb__washington_nationals_at_new_york_mets_84939924.jpg?w=1000&h=666[/fimg:uczqp43v] [fimg=259:uczqp43v]http://mets360.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/J-Bruce.jpg[/fimg:uczqp43v]

[Lefty Specialist]

Not that this is my preferred result, but I have a funny feeling that he'll be here all year. If so, he'll be 30/90/.250.

[Ceetar]

Doesn't make it to the second Mets homestand. Plays in 10 of the 13 games and hits two homers. .300/.330/.400

[Guest 41Forever]

Lefty Specialist wrote: Not that this is my preferred result, but I have a funny feeling that he'll be here all year. If so, he'll be 30/90/.250.

If we could guarantee 30, 90, and .250, that's a decent enough power lineup, especially with Cespedes, Walker and Duda in there. But would he get the playing time to get that line if Granderson and Conforto are still around?

I predict he's traded in spring training and we don't get the value we should be getting for him.

[Benjamin Grimm]

41Forever wrote: I predict he's traded in spring training and we don't get the value we should be getting for him.

That sounds right to me. But instead of "in spring training" I'll say "before May 15."

[Centerfield]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: 41Forever wrote: I predict he's traded in spring training and we don't get the value we should be getting for him. That sounds right to me. But instead of "in spring training" I'll say "before May 15."

Yup. It all depends on the timing of the first power hitting outfielder to go down for the season. Hopefully it's on a team other than the Mets.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Yeah, and hopefully the Mets won't be the second team that happens to, a week after they trade Jay Bruce!

[Guest 41Forever]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Yeah, and hopefully the Mets won't be the second team that happens to, a week after they trade Jay Bruce!

If he was about 5 years older and got paid $10 million more, the LOLYankees would take him.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Hits three HRs and drives in 9 in a single game at Citi Field.

As a member of the Phillies.

[seawolf17]

Starts off okay -- .270/.310/.400 with six homers in April -- but breaks his ankle dancing at his cousin's wedding in May, misses the rest of the season and his loathed by Mets fans in perpetuity.

[Edgy MD]

I totally forgot about Monica's wedding. That guy Burke she's marrying is a real tool, isn't he?

[Benjamin Grimm]

I thought Monica married Chandler?

[MFS62]

He'll be here all season, but will not shake the post-coming-to-the-Mets Syndrome that has afflicted others. He will be mired in a season that is so awful that it will be impossible to trade him. Say .239/.300/.418, and he'll look bad doing it.
Later

[Guest 41Forever]

I heard his press conference. He says all the right things. He's an easy guy to pull for.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

It's hard to predict what will happen wrt the roster (my Phillies trade above I think is a decent guess) but if he plays all year he'll be fine. 25 homers, 85 RBI -- could drive in 125 if Cabrera and Walker have good years. Hell bat about .252 and OBP at .319.

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: It's hard to predict what will happen wrt the roster (my Phillies trade above I think is a decent guess) but if he plays all year he'll be fine. 25 homers, 85 RBI -- could drive in 125 if Cabrera and Walker have good years. Hell bat about .252 and OBP at .319.

leaguewide OBP is .322 last year, so that's basically average. coupled with his poor defense. which is why so many people don't want to see him.

[Vic Sage]

He'll play himself to the bench by June, when Conforto takes over full-time. He'll get traded in a salary dump by the July deadline.
.220 / 20 hr / 70 rbi

[MFS62]

41Forever wrote: I heard his press conference. He says all the right things. He's an easy guy to pull for.

As Leo Durocher (I think it was Leo) said, "Nice guys finish last".

OE: Or something like that:

http://www.thisdayinquotes.com/2010/07/leo-durocher-nice-guys-finish-last.html

Later

[Edgy MD]

I predict Jay Bruce won't cause the Mets to come in last.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

430 PA, .254/.310/.451, 20 HR, 65 RBI, 48 R

[Zvon]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Hits three HRs and drives in 9 in a single game at Citi Field. As a member of the Phillies.

Ha! This is especially cruel.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Full year as a Met with all-staresque numbers and performance. Beloved
by all and leaves everyone forgetting about his Mets2016.

[Ceetar]

Zvon wrote: John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Hits three HRs and drives in 9 in a single game at Citi Field. As a member of the Phillies. Ha! This is especially cruel.

nah, the Mets still win that game.

[Guest 41Forever]

Zvon wrote: John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Hits three HRs and drives in 9 in a single game at Citi Field. As a member of the Phillies. Ha! This is especially cruel.

Yeah, but it's the Phillies and their backdraft bullpen. Bruce has 9 RsBI, but the Mets win 12-10.

[Guest 41Forever]

LOL, we both had the same idea at the same time!

[Ceetar]

It's funny because the Phillies are a dumpster fire.

[Edgy MD]

Boscan pitches impressively well in that game. Takes the win with an inning and 2/3 scoreless after coming on to strike out Ruf or Rupp or one of those guys with men on base.

[Edgy MD]

Lefty Specialist came the closest on 2017 Bruce predicting, but incorrectly suggested that he'd remain a Met all season.

[nymr83]

Ceetar wrote: It's funny because the Phillies are a dumpster fire.

Are they, though?

Hoskins (LF), Crawford (SS), Alfaro ©, Kingery (2B), Herrera (CF), Nola, Velazquez seems like a fairly good young core. you can always buy relievers and the positions they need long term (RF, 3B if Franco sucks, 1B if Santana doesnt pan out - or LF if you move Hoskins back) aren't the hardest to fill in free agency either. Everyone expects they'll start spending soon as well as they recently hit a huge windfall TV deal (and arent using it to pay off Picard)

[Edgy MD]

Well, that post was over a year old.