Let me ask for your opinion of Brett Lawrie

[A Boy Named Seo]

My phone, via Jim Bowden, has just informed me that the Mets are one of 4 teams interested in recently released 3B/2B-man Brett Lawrie, late of the Chisox.

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Once a pretty heralded prospect and still just 27, he would seemingly fill a pretty obvious void w/ David Wright not even throwing baseballs.

But we got depth. And is he all that good anyway?

Count myself amongst the "I'm interested crowd". Are you?

[Edgy MD]

He's, like, eight years younger than Kelly Johnson. Johnson gives you what Lawrie does, but from the left side. Plus he plays outfield as well as first, second, and third.

But eight years younger means eight years younger. Room to improve and all. I'd question why he was released so early in camp, when his track record suggests he's a big league asset. Is he playing in the WBC for Team Canada? That would give interested teams some extra time to assess.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

He always struck me as a douchebag but I also gave it some thought

[Edgy MD]

I Googled "Is Brett Lawrie a doucebag?" because I like to be up on the issues.

Not a pleasant diversion.

[fimg=400:2v1npltf]http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc142/GoonRamerez/Brett-Lawrie-1.jpg[/fimg:2v1npltf] [fimg=400:2v1npltf]https://assets.vice.com/content-images/contentimage/no-slug/585410266703df6c852142f79a174826.jpg[/fimg:2v1npltf]
[fimg=350:2v1npltf]https://nbchardballtalk.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/brett-lawrie1.jpg[/fimg:2v1npltf] [fimg=450:2v1npltf]http://cache2.asset-cache.net/gc/537910204-second-baseman-brett-lawrie-of-the-chicago-gettyimages.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=X7WJLa88Cweo9HktRLaNXnfpqYbjMsKvUoHTMCE4RGC9UFQxCMIz0UF%2B2eYDyD3Gm7SGlZdwmQKu5ZaXgoDHeg%3D%3D[/fimg:2v1npltf]
[fimg=400:2v1npltf]http://blogimages.thescore.com/mlb/files/2012/02/jerkball.jpg[/fimg:2v1npltf] [video:2v1npltf]http://mediadownloads.mlb.com/mlbam/2012/05/15/mlbtv_tbator_21468797_600K.mp4[/video:2v1npltf]

[TransMonk]

Ugh.

[seawolf17]

All professional athletes are douchebags.

[TransMonk]

I would counter that all professional athletes are not duct-tape-40-ounce-bottles-to-your-hand, fang-mouthpiece-wearing, butt-crack-thumbs-up-giving douchebags.

[Frayed Knot]

Hard to see what kind of role he'd fill, especially considering that the Mets has to figure out pretty soon what they've got in players such as Cecchini, Nimmo, Plawecki, Reynolds, Flores, etc.

A story that's kind of getting pushed to the side right now but is creeping up on us quickly is that, because we hear so much talk about how the youthful pitching staff is set for the next few years, it's easy to forget that this team is going to have to do some wholesale changes on the field on account of how most of the position players can be FAs following this season: Cabrera (tho they have a 2018 option), Walker, Duda, Granderson, Bruce.

That leaves Cespedes under team control for 2018 and beyond along with Wright who they can't count on plus the catcher's slot which they're still unsure about. Rosario is the one obvious replacement they assume they can slot in but beyond that though and it's a bunch of ????s meaning that at some point you'd prefer to see some of these youngsters thrown into the fire to see what they got rather than give those ABs to a Lowrie/Johnson type of vet.

[Edgy MD]

TransMonk wrote: I would counter that all professional athletes are not duct-tape-40-ounce-bottles-to-your-hand, fang-mouthpiece-wearing, butt-crack-thumbs-up-giving douchebags.

I'd understand where his Nathan-and-Koehler experience might leave him with that impression, though.

[seawolf17]

TransMonk wrote: I would counter that all professional athletes are not duct-tape-40-ounce-bottles-to-your-hand, fang-mouthpiece-wearing, butt-crack-thumbs-up-giving douchebags.

Fair point.

Edgy MD wrote: I'd understand where his Nathan-and-Koehler experience might leave him with that impression, though.

Not a fair point. Joe is a super nice dude. (Never met TK.)

[Lefty Specialist]

Well, he was right about those two balls being called strikes.

But, yeah he has a bad rep and the Alderson Mets tend to go for character guys. As others have said, we need to figure out what we have with our own up-and-coming infielders first.

[Edgy MD]

Lefty Specialist wrote: Well, he was right about those two balls being called strikes.

Yeah, that was goofy, wasn't it?

I think when you've made a few All Star teams, being petulant and bitchy helps you get your calls. I think when you haven't, it helps you lose your calls. Umps aren't ashamed about being intimidated by Roger Clemens, but they want to show the Lowries of the world who is boss.

[smg58]

I don't think I'd offer him more than a no-promises minor league deal. If he takes it, fine. If he doesn't, fine.

[A Boy Named Seo]

Oh, man, those pictures. I imagine that Lawrie is like the shitty, little cousin to AJ Burnett.

[ashie62]

Lawrie is a total punk without the game.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Walk rates and K-rates and OBP and power numbers dipping steadily, to the point where they're below MLB average for all hitters, defense already on the wane... AND he's a red-ass frat boy without the worthless degree? Sign me up!

[Guest 41Forever]

Don't we have infield depth? I don't understand why we need him.

[Guest d'Kong76]

John Rocker's illegitimate son?

[Frayed Knot]

I find I'm sometimes conflating Brett Lawrie with Brett Wallace.
Both were former 1st round draft pick in 2008 (Wallace by Milwaukee 13th overall out of Ariz State, Lawrie by Toronto 16th overall out of HS) as infielders with good bats but not much defensive value - and then neither really lived up to the bat rep.
I even had to look up that it was Wallace who was the one mocked at the time of his drafting for having, as publications often delicately put it, a 'big lower half' (aka: huge butt, listed at 6' 2" - 250) while Lawrie clocks in at a still husky though relatively svelte 6' 0" - 210

[MFS62]

The only thing that may be more repulsive than a flat-cap-wearing MFY fan-type punk is the cap-to-the-side-with-upturned-brim face-making type punk.
He has no place on my team (or my planet, for that matter).

Later

[A Boy Named Seo]

The clubhouse Brett Lawrie will annoy this year doesn't look to be within Citi Field.

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[Lefty Specialist]

Just for fun I want to duct tape a 40 of Colt .45 to my hand this weekend just to see how it feels.

[Edgy MD]

41Forever wrote: Don't we have infield depth? I don't understand why we need him.

We don't have douchebag depth.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Edgy MD wrote: 41Forever wrote: Don't we have infield depth? I don't understand why we need him. We don't have douchebag depth.

I cover the whole infield myself!
[fimg=700]https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/e3/b4/21/e3b42131c1aa9730d6f35655b6d013c0.jpg[/fimg]

[Benjamin Grimm]

Does anyone know what the tattoo on Harvey's left breast says? Is it something about Qualcomm?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Does anyone know what the tattoo on Harvey's left breast says? Is it something about Qualcomm?

SHAVE HERE
BUT NOT NIPPLES

According to Harv it actually says:

What about your body would surprise us? MH: Probably my tattoos. I have one on my chest of a handwritten note from my aunt. It says, "Ain't it a shame that a body can't be where the heart is." She passed away from a brain tumor, so my two cousins, my uncle and I all have the tattoo in the same place. It's meaningful to me, and I'll never regret having it on my body forever.