Edgy MD

There's an unfortunate and unintended product of the collective bargaining system. It used to be that multiple classes of free agent signings would lead to multiple levels of compensation awarded from the signing teams to the forsaken teams. By freeing up the lesser classes of free agents from that seemingly onerous drag on their bargaining leverage, the idea was to make them more sign-able. But the problem is that they are more sign-able relative to the top class, the only class that is any longer tied to compensation. Freeing up the secondary classes isn't helping them so much as hurting the top classes. Anyway, that's how I'm seeing the unintended market effect play out.

Dyson? I'm reluctant to buy that line. The guy who has never gotten more than 400 plate appearances isn't a good bet to suddenly improve if given a bigger workload at 33. If anything, he'd just depress opportunities for Nimmo. Matt den Dekker with a big league track record and a big league price tag. That's not nothing, but it's not something I want to bank on.

His interpretation of the character was a real departure from the Peter Sellers version.

Mallex Smith. That's who was first on the Rays depth chart for left field at the time I made the post. That fringy, athletic guy from the Braves who hasn't really been able to establish himself as a big leaguer yet, much less a starting corner outfielder. But that was then. Now Mallex slides over to right, yielding left to whatever's left of Denard Span, as team MVP Steven Souza goes to Arizona in a three way deal. The Rays are being stripped for parts. Florida baseball!

Tyler is on the Matz track, only moreso, having missed two full seasons with the ol' torn UCL, Tommy John surgery, and recovery. But he's brought the stuff since coming back, having thown 50-ish innings out of the pen each of the last two seasons. He strikes 'em out like nobody's business, having whiffed 13 per nine innings over the course of his minor league career, and a gobsmacking 15.2 this past season. A problem, though, is that he has walked 5.1 per nine as well, and while big strikeout numbers tend to get hit by gravity as you approach and reach the majors, that's not as true with walk numbers. All the hope comes down to the 14 2/3 (scoreless) innings he threw for Binghamton, in which he walked only 4. That's still not great, but when you're whiffing 23, it's not the sort of thing folks tend to notice. If he can build on that, he'll see some summer innings for the Mets, including at least one big spot. 4.22 ERA in 10 2/3 innings. One Daily News cover in which they attempt to pun on "bachelor." BASHLOR'S PARTY![/bigpurple] Something like that.

Mallex Smith?

Transactions, 2/18 DirectionCOMINGTransaction=#000000]Re-SignedPosition Group=#008000] Catcher[fimg=90]http://www.milb.com/images/571712/generic/180x270/571712.jpg[/fimg]NameJeff GlennDoB9/22/91B/TR/R Jeff has been with the organization since 2010, and is slated to return this this year for the third straight spring following first going through minor league free agency each of the last three years. So somebody in the organization seems to like him. This impression is underscored by him returning despite having played only 18 games last season, 24 over the last two seasons, and 52 over the last three. I'm not sure if his signing comes with a camp invite. If anybody finds the answer to that, won't you call the Mets Roster Central offices in Stockholm? Your best bet is to call during working hours Central European Time. Don't hang up, someone will pick up. Look for Glennie, if he survives camp, to land in Bingo, a level he's never played in, having jumped from St. Lucie to Vegas back in 2016.

Frayed Knot wrote: The biggest problem with replays is the 'dry-runs' which wind up eating up as much as 30 seconds at a time but aren't actually considered replays if the manager ultimately opts not to challenge. Often eats up more than 30 seconds.

Mound visits ain't the problem. Go after the time un-necessarily wasted on replay reviews, ye Lords of the Game.

If they raise the roster limit, it'll likely be far less likely about concessions to latter-day bullpen usage and far more about concessions to the MLBPA in exchange for some reciprocal offer granted back to management.

Lefty Specialist wrote: Well, coming within a few million dollars of last year's payroll isn't necessarily cause for celebration. I don't think he's quite saying that. And obviously payroll fluctuates during the season, moving up for contending teams muscling up, and falling away for also-rans shedding contracts. Celebrating salary wouldn't be what I'm in it for anyhow. The funny thing is that payrolls have generally fallen across baseball with the free agent restraint the teams have shown, so the Mets may end up moving up in salary ranks just by standing still. But I'm not sure it needed it's own thread. Salary has three or four threads now, with a couple of other threads spilling over into it.

I imagine Wright's salary should be and is counted until the insurance kicks in and negates a portion of it. But when comparing to last year, it would ultimately be counted (and discounted, as applicable) on both sides of the equation.

Either when he signs, which is looking like a slenderer chance every day, he officially retires, or opening day, I guess. Concern as to where free agents are going, especially including minor league ones. But the boys in Stockholm are a bunch of pedantic Swedes. Samis, mostly. You have no idea.

Not if MLB gives in to expanding the roster. It's distressing how teams don't veer away from each other as much anymore. Some teams not wanting to take an alternative approach to counter the cultural norm is boring.

The DFA Season comes to a close. Oh sure, there'll be on or two going forward, but now that the team has the option of stashing wounded soldiers on the 60-Day, there's an option that doesn't cost you an asset. I'm not sure why the Mets didn't make this assignment retroactive to 2/14. At least, the reports don't say that. And I'm pretty sure that's legal. If it is, they will likely be retroactively placing Wright and Conforto there when they need future spots, and so make them eligible as early as April 15. Transactions, 2/18 DirectionGOINGTransaction=#000000]Placed On 60-Day DLPosition Group=#8000FF] Infielder[fimg=90]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/rivera-tj-2017-54.jpg[/fimg]NameT.J. RiveraDoB10/27/88B/TR/R

Selected in the 11th round of the 2013 draft, I've progressed. Oh, how I've progressed. Yeah, cupcakes, you might not have been gobsmacked by my 4.89 ERA in St. Lucie, but then crisis ensued, and some of us (myself, anyhow) rose to the occasion. I'm sorry, there's no other way to describe it. The injuries didn't just hit the Mets last year. There was carnage all through the organization, and that created an updraft of guys promoted perhaps before they merited it outright, or relievers turning into starters. (Sometimes, indeed, catchers and shortstops were turned into relievers.) So I went up to Binghamton and I killed it. Murdered it. Lights out. I threw 14 2/3 innings over 12 games, without a single runner crossing the plate, from AA or anywhere else. I racked up 23 strikeouts against 4 walks, and allowed only seven hits. Saved 13 games across the two levels also. What does it mean? Well, to the Mets, it means "Better protect that guy," and so I'm on the roster and in camp, while Matt Reynolds and Josh Smoker are yesterday's news. To Amazin' Avenue, it means that I'm the #12 prospect in the Mets system. John Sickels has me at #14, as does Prospect 1500, whoever they are. I'm an emerging asset, you might say. LOTS of strikeouts. Like a LOT. How much emergence will there be? Please put your answer in the box below. [fimg=418]https://metsmerizedonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/C_gEn9uXsAAk7-X-e1506100032249.jpg[/fimg] [fimg=282]https://jimmaggiore.files.wordpress.com/2017/11/bashlor-img_1188.jpg[/fimg] [fimg=252]https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/866433721855082501/fOsicBrj_400x400.jpg[/fimg] [fimg=448]http://wbng.images.worldnow.com/images/14497341_G.jpg[/fimg] syqmK2ZmKmg

Yeah, they got six guys primed to grab five spots, but there's only a 26.2144% chance that they all make it to opening day healthy anyhow. Mother Nature is quick to take back what's hers. Maybe it seems to throw a wrench into the expectations of Harvey, Matz, and especially Wheeler, but if they perform, they're fine. There's a job for them. The ones who really take the kick are Gsellman, Lugo, Montero, and Molina. Mickey Jannis is dying on the inside right now. Dying!

Nymr83 wrote: Dickerson had a good first half fueled by an insanely high BABIP and was garbage in the 2nd half. Hey, now, only ceetar can declare a player to be garbage.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I don't know about 2018 ... Pete needs you to know! AA All Star? Forming a devastating heart of the order with Mazeika, Urena, and Tebow? Rushed to AAA and hitting below .200 (but with power)? A horrific injury caused by a flying resin bag? Traded at the deadline in the big Trout deal? Expectations! Get 'em on the table.

The Mets are turning the page on first base. They've moved on from Ike Davis and they've moved on from Lucas Duda, and now they've settled on Dominic Smith. First round pick, hotshot hitter, smoove fielder. Or maybe they haven't. I'm Pete Alonso. I'm a non-roster invitee and seemingly out of the picture. But I'm a Florida Gator, and if Tim Tebow has taught me anything, you're NEVER really out of the picture. The picture is REALLY big. And maybe the Mets grabbing Adrian Gonzalez is, like, really good news for me. Maybe they're going to churn through Obama-era run producers at the cold corner until I come around. Yonder Alonso, Aubrey Huff, Justin Morneau, and ultimately, me, suckers. It could happen! I'm a righthanded power machine, slugging .524 over two levels this last season! And now I'm invited to MLB camp after only a season and a half of pro ball. Yeah, I move like a slug and have a problem wearing underwear, but Florida State League power don't lie. [fimg=338:2dtusqro]http://metsminors.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Pete-Alonso.jpg[/fimg:2dtusqro] [fimg=362:2dtusqro]http://metsmerizedonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/peter-alonso-e1471023442447.png[/fimg:2dtusqro] [fimg=277:2dtusqro]https://coedbc.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/peter-alonso-girlfriend-haley-walsh.jpg?quality=88[/fimg:2dtusqro] [fimg=423:2dtusqro]http://metsminors.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/alonso-in-field-2-e1492114814280.jpg[/fimg:2dtusqro]? Maybe the future is coming pretty damn soon. Waddaya see for me in 2018? [youtube:2dtusqro]RppGswwGVFk[/youtube:2dtusqro]

Let's be fair. It's not that he's the son of a president I don't like. I don't like him either, on his own merits. With good reason. That said, jerks have been stealing credibility by sticking their heads in photos for a long time.

No, acting in concert on the labor side is quite legal.

That's a good Mike Baxter post. I wonder, in addition to Martinez potentially holding the line to potentially boost next year's Trout and Harper deals, how many Colby Rasmi are under pressure to hold the line so as not to undercut J.D. Martinez.

Centerfield wrote: As for Mickey, I can do without the brush off he gave this topic. He should go talk to his first baseman and find see if he thinks this is no big deal. Either of his firstbasemen, really.

Shelley Vargas meets the Cooby standard of what a Metwife should be, having been Jason's sweetheart (and he, hers) since high school. [fimg=282:1tmw6w9e]http://fabwags.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/shelley-vargas-pics.jpg[/fimg:1tmw6w9e] [fimg=234:1tmw6w9e]https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5723ca6bb6aa606f7895622e/t/5750693586db43fc15d2b99e/1464888273211/val-westover-photography-jason-vargas?format=750w[/fimg:1tmw6w9e] [fimg=234:1tmw6w9e]https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5723ca6bb6aa606f7895622e/t/575069c44d088e7a8a890e98/1464887860025/val-westover-photography-jason-shelley-vargas-wedding?format=750w[/fimg:1tmw6w9e] Jay and Shel have three playful kids who will be soon giving up their Kansas City Royals gear for another version of royal blue. Asked what she likes, her loyal dog Jefferson, declared, "She likes, me, Pug!"