Kevin Plawecki

[Centerfield]

After crushing it in AAA, has hit .314-.385-.486 since his callup.

Small sample size, but maybe he's figured it out?

[Edgy MD]

I figured an Ike-vs.-Lucas-type poll was due to pop up any day now, suggesting the pressure is rising for the Mets to choose between one of their two catchers, either as starter or backup to an incoming alternative.

I don't know that such a decision needs to be made, but I do expect the two to split time for the rest of the season, and I wouldn't object if it was suddenly 60% toward Plawecki.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Effing d'Arnaud changed his batting stance again, have you noticed? Now he stands with the front foot all the way open. I'm up for trading him to the Twins, or maybe the Padres. I could also see him in Oakland.

I was praising dArnaud for getting his play-at-the-plate game together like never before, and I think he has, but if he's not going to hit then you have to go to Plawecki.

One difference for Plawecki was he wasn't forced to come up and be the No. 1 guy due to injury for once.

[Edgy MD]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Effing d'Arnaud changed his batting stance again, have you noticed?

He's a tough egg to coach. Not that I reject open batting stancing (it's working for Plawecki), but d'Arny keeps lengthening his swing.

He's pretty small for a full-time catcher, and he may not be up to the daily grind, but for a guy getting 80% of the starts, a long swing is even more of a handicap.

I think he's got good hand-eye coordination and he will be a good hitter someday, possibly as a Twin, but some coachy coach has to check his reversions to bad habits early. Watch Wright films. Watch old Carter films. Keep your hands closer to your body and the bat behind your ear.

[Frayed Knot]

The thing about catchers is that they have a high risk of injury and you always need two anyway, which is kind of my way of saying that, unlike 1B with Ike/Lucas, there's not the same pressure to
make an either/or decision on these guys, at least not yet. Each getting 350 or so ABs next year might prove a better solution than saying to either of them that the job's all theirs while bringing
in some career back-up as the clear #2

That doesn't mean you give an automatic 'NO' to any trade requests but we could do a lot worse than those two fighting it out for 2018 or future supremacy. I don't know of any in-house solutions
knocking on the door aside from Nido who is still just 23 y/o and saw his OPS drop significantly this year (816 to 641) with the move to AA Bingo.

[Centerfield]

OPS of .862 since his callup.

He looks like a different hitter.

[seawolf17]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I'm up for trading him to the Twins, or maybe the Padres.

Yes! The Padres! They have a highly intelligent young outfielder back from injury who would make a nice throw-in to any deal...

[RealityChuck]

They're going to need two catchers. Why trade either of them away? If they both have figured it out, it fills a hole.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Yeah, I think I'd keep both d'Arnaud and Plawecki for 2018. Not that I wouldn't trade one of them if the right opportunity arose, but I wouldn't go out seeking a deal.

[Lefty Specialist]

I'm OK with keeping them both. There are bigger problems on this team.

[ashie62]

Keep them both. You can always do something during the season.

[Edgy MD]

So, everymuhbody's off the Jonathan Lucroy bandwagon then?