Edgy MD

I had no idea. How lousy. Back in the early nineties when she was coming out of school, it must've still been awesome to get a beat job. You're part of a priesthood, holding coveted spots, with half the city relying on you. File your stories, eat and drink for free, and live on the road like a prince ... or princess in her case. But then the internet came along and created all sorts of competition for information. Your dinosaur colleagues — Maddens and Pepes and Lupicas — could live on, because they've become brand names as identifiable with the game as the players and logos. But you suddenly have to hustle three times as hard while becoming three times as disposable, trying to stay one step ahead of the digital onslaught. There's an Adam Rubin or two that prospered, clearly by working unthinkably hard, and there were the Pearlmans who made their name on one big story. But I imagine no shortage of Jennifer Freys got lost in the flood. Not for nothing, but having grown up dreaming about getting one of those slots, it's still a punch in the gut to think of one of the Mets beat writers giving that seat up for the relative job security of doing social media for Pathmark.

Jennifer Frey, outstanding beat writer for the Mets in the early nineties, passes away at 47. She would follow me to Washington and I felt privileged. Dave McKenna, who can write about sports like ... Jennifer Frey ...remembers her at Deadspin. Here's an old story of hers covering the Spring of Scabs.

A deal like that would be pretty beneficial for the Mets. I think he's looking for a higher salary rate and/or more guaranteed years. And if the Mets hope to get him to agree to that package, it'd likely be another waiting game before he does.

Smyly probably has value. And certainly does at the major league minimum.

The 'Bow went 1-4 with a double (!!) today, getting back on the interstate with a .107 average. Scorps lose 6-1. Scottsdale taking it from every angle so far, their record holding at 3-11, easily the worst in the AFL. Their losing streak sits at 5.

I didn't spot Nido and Becerra. Yeah, they're likely getting 40'd. Strange year for Wuilmer, though. He spent half of it hurt, and the other half, all his homers turned to doubles. His contact skills were there, though. He might get dangled.

I don't tend to think the Mets have a lot of obvious guys they desperately need to protect from the Rule 5 draft. Amed Rosario is certainly an obvious one. Marcos Molina is coming off a lost year, but he's exactly the sort of guy a bad team would want to grab, hide in the back of their bullpen, pitch once a week, and farm him out the following season. Sewald, maybe Taijeron, but if the Mets were concerned about losing him they might have called him up in September to get a look at him. Maybe Kevin McGowan. Hmmm... maybe their are a few guys worth shedding an Edgin to protect. AAA --- Las Vegas 51s Chasen Bradford Kyle Johnson L.J. Mazzilli Tyler Pill Paul Sewald Travis Taijeron Beck Wheeler AA --- Binghamton Mets Jayce Boyd Xorge Carrillo Phillip Evans Ricky Knapp Luis Mateo Kevin McGowan Jeff McNeil Matt Oberste Paul Paez Tim Peterson Colton Plaia Amed Rosario Champ Stuart Logan Taylor A+ --- St. Lucie Mets Wuilmer Becerra Patrick Biondi Chris Flexen Marcos Molina John Mora Tomas Nido Corey Oswalt Scarlyn Reyes Jhoan Urena A --- Columbia Fireflies Tyler Bashlor Kevin Canelon Nabil Crismatt Jeff Diehl Jose Garcia Cameron Griffin Johnny Magliozzi Craig Missigman Christian Montgomery Natanael Ramos Joe Tuschak A- --- Brooklyn Cyclones Gabriel Feliz Ty Williams R --- Kingsport Mets Adrian Almeida Franklin Correa Ronald Guedez Jose Maria Jose Carlos Medina Dionis Rodriguez R --- GCL Mets Nicolas Debora Jose Geraldo Luis Montero Aneury Olivo Miguel Patino Pedro Perez Richard Reina Carlos Sanchez Extended Spring Training / Other Audry German

Frayed Knot wrote: Watching Javier Baez play 2B the last couple of weeks, for example, and you see stuff that a Murphy or say Flores just couldn't do because they'll probably have the correct first instinct on a non-routine play 60% of the time instead of 90% which in turn makes them less likely to get an out on the play both because the choice they made in that first half-second put them in a position where they got to the ball a shade later, or on an awkward bounce, or in a position where they have to make the tougher throw, and then because they also lack the raw athleticism to pull it off. It's that kind of tiny stuff that matters less in A-Ball than at the majors and also less just about anywhere other than at SS. It's what separates the almost good from the really good in the same way that most can't play CF the way Lagares does even though he's neither the fastest CF in the league nor has the strongest arm. I don't think there's anything particular wanting about Wilmer Flores' instincts. I just think his feet aren't anywhere as nimble as his hands.

Corey Taylor (the cuter Corey) came in the ninth today for the Scorps with a three-run lead. [list:1qljqria][*:1qljqria]Strikeout[/*:m:1qljqria] [*:1qljqria]Flyout to right[/*:m:1qljqria] [*:1qljqria]Double to center (where fellow Mets prospect Champ Stuart plays)[/*:m:1qljqria] [*:1qljqria]Another double to center, one run home[/*:m:1qljqria] [*:1qljqria]Walks[/*:m:1qljqria] [*:1qljqria]Error by second baseman (and Yankee prospect) Gleyber Torres, bases loaded[/*:m:1qljqria] [*:1qljqria]Walk-off grand slam, 5-3 victory for Peoria[/*:m:1qljqria][/list:u:1qljqria]

Yeah, there's something to be said for the fact that they carried him through his hurting year, so they might as well carry him through a more healthy one. But it's a roster spot, and he's out of options. So I'm of two minds.

Yeah, you don't have to look far for outfielders who were signed as shortstops. Add Willie Mays and Hank Aaron to the list. Willie was permanently installed in center after leaving the Negro Leagues, with the exception of a few emergency appearances, including on in a 23-inning 1964 game against the Mets. He got no chances, but evidence suggests he looked good out there. Cecchini playing shortstop NOW!!!, by the way, as the Scorps are getting crushed 8-1 by Glendale. Tim Tebow is also seeing his first action since Wednesday.

No, he's been removed from the roster.

Man, that's a lot of Yankee reference points.

I'm not really making that argument.

Centerfield wrote: Do you not see that the depth argument doesn't apply? Having lots of crappy options doesn't give you depth. Especially when you are talking about three positions. Thanks to the emergence of Lugo and Gsellman, the Mets have depth in the rotation. They have depth at closer. They have depth at shortstop. They do not have depth in the outfield. I don't think they have lots of crappy options. I think they have good options, some of whom have their best years ahead of them, last year's numbers notwithstanding. I don't believe bringing up Conforto is a straw man argument at all. He has no position right now, and he may be a better bet over the next five years than Conforto.

I'm not sure I'd say they have lots of outfielders who are not nearly as good as Yoenis Céspedes. At least, it's not as clear as all that. Right now, there is no room for Michael Conforto to start regularly. Conforto may ultimately be a washout, but there's certainly an argument that he has more to give a team over the next five years than Céspedes. I don't feel the same gun-to-my head urgency. Céspedes produced a 133 OPS over 132 games at age 30, while being an enigmatic presence on the base paths and on defense, mixing occasional excellence alternatively with maddening aloofness.* That's certainly a guy I want back, but not at all costs. They did well to play it out last year. I root for them to do it again this year, and hopefully get him back on terms that are desirable, or alternatively, use the money toward a wiser alternative. * Virtually the same profile turned Bobby Bonilla into a pariah.

That was Wednesday. He's been out of the lineup the last two days, which is somewhat curious since he don't play on Saturdays and the league don't play on Sundays.

Gwreck wrote: Like super quiet here. I think it's clear this won't get done by the end of the World Series. I fear he's gone. Think about it the other way: if you were Cespedes, why would you sign now? Even if you wanted to come back to the Mets, you'd still leverage your position to get the best possible deal, which means have 30 teams bidding for your services, right? I think you'd sign because your team, knowing that their period of exclusivity is expiring, makes you the deal you are looking for based on an honest understanding of what you might get on the open market, and you, appreciating their good faith, and fearing they might withdraw that offer and move on if you don't share in that good faith and insist on shopping around, thus dampening the competition, happily sign. I mean, plenty of folks sign extensions rather than hit the market.

Marcos Molina, three innings on only 35 pitches, giving up a single hit, a walk, and striking out one. Not bad for a hittin'-happy league.

I figured there would be a modestly respectful bump in the Mets' outlay to Reyes for 2017. I'd bet that Heyman is wrong about that. I think you do need sources.

Ceetar wrote: We've been over the Turner thing before. My take is that he got fat, then got hurt because got fat, and he wrote his ticket out because he was unavailable when they needed him. The other thing about Turner: He gives Marlon Byrd a lot of credit for helping his swing and approach at the plate but given Byrd's shape and being twice whistled for PEDs, I'd be surprised if some of that help he shared with Turner wasn't chemical. I suspect the 5.1% BB rate had a lot to do with it. Someone got him to be more patient and wait for his pitch and drive it, because his BB% go up slightly but his ISO is what really drove the increase. 2014 had a lot of luck too, .400 BABIP, but significant power bump was the big thing. The Mets weren't getting through to him, but someone with the Dodgers did. happens. Ultimately maybe they should've fired Hudgens in the offseason and not May, and kept Turner, but hey. Following Twitter feeds, I got the idea that Turner and Hudgey were BFFs, and that Leprechaun Boy swears by Uncle Dave's methods.

"Lenny Dykstra was the gambler." Not a very abstract moniker for a guy who came within a hair of taking a full-season rip for illegal gambling.

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: That list is pretty distressing on the one hand but good to see there's plenty of guys to invite to Spring Training. It might be fun to reunite with original Met draftee Drew Butera who went in the Santana trade iirc. Butera is puzzler. He's failed to live up to any lofty hopes prospect watchers once had for him, spending his sporadic career consistently below the Mendoza Line, but getting frequently recalled (and into over 300 MLB games) for love of his glove. Then came this season, when he hit the ball all over the place for the Royals. At 32, he finally found his stroke, going .285 / .328 / .480 // .808 in 56 games. It really tells you how much of a departure that was, when you see his career line is still only .198 / .253 / .295 // .548 with his breakthrough year factored in. So yeah, make him a minor league offer and see what comes of it? Why not?

That's what they call an oversight.

Catcher fever ... Catch It! In-House Options PlayerAgeLevelG (G@C)PABAOBPSLGOPSHRRBISB2017 SalaryTravis d'Arnaud27MLB75 (73)276.247.307.323.6294150$542,604AAA8 (3)38.333.429.500.929020A+3 (2)14.310.474.379.853051René Rivera32MLB65 (59)207.222.291.341.6326260$1,700,000AAA8 (8)29.280.357.320.677050Kevin Plawecki25MLB48 (45)151.197.298.265.5631110$511,360AAA55 (41)207.300.348.484.8328400 In-House Minor Leaguers PlayerAgeStatsG (G@C)PABAOBPSLGOPSHRRBISBXorge Carillo27AAA5 (4)16.333.333.333.667010AA80 (79)311.269.347.364.7114240 In-House Minor League Free Agents PlayerAgeLevelG (G@C)PABAOBPSLGOPSHRRBISBJeff Glenn24AAA6 (1)5.400.4001.0001.400130Raywilly Gomez26AA13 (7)37.182.250.242.492040Johnny Monell30AAA113 (62)461.276.336.470.80619752 MLB Free Agents PlayerAgeLevelG (G@C)PABAOBPSLGOPSHRRBISB2017 SalaryMatt Wieters30MLB (BAL)124 (117)464.243.302.409.71117661$15,800,000Wilson Ramos*28MLB (WSH)131 (128)523.307.354.496.85022800$5,350,000Jason Castro29MLB (HOU)113 (111)376.210.307.377.68411322$5,000,000Chris Iannetta33MLB (SEA)94 (93)338.210.303.329.6317240$4,550,000A.J. Ellis35MLB (PHI)64 (57)196.216.301.298.5992222$4,500,000Jonathan Lucroy30MLB (TEX)142 (126)544.292.355.500.85524815$4,375,000Dioner Navarro32MLB (TOR)101 (90)334.207.265.322.5876351$4,000,000Nick Hundley33MLB (COL)83 (79)317.260.320.439.75910480$3,150,0004 (3)13.182.308.273.580030A.J. Pierzynski39MLB (ATL)81 (64)259.219.243.304.5472231$3,050,000Rook3 (1)11.444.545.5561.101010Geovany Soto33MLB (LAA)26 (23)86.269.321.487.809490$2,800,000AAA10 (7)38.194.216.389.605180Alex Avila29MLB (CHW)57 (54)209.213.359.373.7327110$2,500,000AAA9 (5)30.333.467.500.967130David Ross39MLB (CHC)67 (58)182.229.338.446.78410320$2,500,000Jeff Mathis33MLB (MIA)41 (38)132.238.267.333.6012150$1,500,000Drew Butera33MLB (KC)56 (51)133.285.328.480.8084160$1,175,000Josh Thole29MLB (TOR)50 (50)136.169.254.220.474170$507,500Jarrod Saltalamacchia31MLB (DET)92 (68)292.171.284.346.63012380$507,500Miguel Olivo38AAA81 (65)313.246.289.419.70810341