Mets Chat
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- February
- 27
It’s good to see the games finally start. The first two weeks have dragged.
Mike Pelfrey looked sharp today and I think he’ll have an impact eventually this season. I just don’t see Orlando Hernandez holding up over a full season. I also wouldn’t be shocked if Pedro Martinez missed a few starts, either.
If anything else is on your mind, let’s hear it.
This entry was posted
on Wednesday, February 27th, 2008 at 6:34 pm by John Delcos.
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Pedro may not make every start but I have a feeling he’ll make most of them, and that he’s going to have a pretty good year. That’s because he’s not only healthy, maybe healthier than he’s been in many many years, but he’ll also be pitching for a new contract.
I’m crossing my fingers that Pelfrey has really turned a corner and can make a significant contribution this year. No doubt they’ll need him.
Hey John how’s it going, this is “The Man” from http://www.metsprospectus.blogspot.com
I know you have been given the privledge of beeing able to see the Mets spring training games live, and I wanted to know what you think of Michel Abreu.
Obviously there aren’t many competitions going on with this Mets team, but one spot that is up for grabs is the final spot on the bench. Honestly I don’t believe in Ruben Gotay, nor do I believe in making a young guy a bench player.
I also believe that this team needs another power righty bat off the bench.. We all know that Ramon Castro won’t get many opertunities to pinch hit, because Willie doesn’t like taking the risk of not having a catcher on the bench incase of injury. So that leaves Damion Easley as the only righty bat.
Then if Delgado were to get hurt; which is very possible, the Mets would have to use Easley at 1B meaning they would be lacking a right handed hitter from the bench.
My thing with Michel Abreu is that it’s now or never. If they were able to find a spot for Julio Franco on the roster last year, why can’t they find one for Abreu? I know he’s 32-34 years old, but that doesn’t mean that the guy doesn’t have power. In 2006 he hit .330 with 17 homeruns 26 doubles and 71 RBI in 396 AB in AA. Now tell me.. Do you think Julio Franco could come near those numbers?
So sorry for this long post, but my point is that Abreu gives the Mets another right handed bat with power off the bench, and a true 1B on the roster. I think it would be a perfect move.. I just wanted to know your thoughts.
RE: Willie Randolph on Roger Clemens being investigated by Congress for possible perjury charges:
“I haven’t thought about it. It’s no concern of mine.’’
Willie had better re-think that thought. Haven’t we always been told that MLB was something of a ‘brotherhood’? Sanctity of the Clubhouse and all that.
Willie was there during the Roger Clemens, Yankee time and he should be concerned. The Department of Justice has long arms. They might even reach all the way to Joe Torre.
I dont know why Pelfrey isnt moved to the bullpen. If hitters only see him once per game, he doesnt need secondary pitches.
“I dont know why Pelfrey isnt moved to the bullpen. If hitters only see him once per game, he doesnt need secondary pitches.”
Because he can be more then just a relief pitcher, he has the ability to be a dominate starter in this league. Like you said, if you put him in the bullpen he doesn’t throw his secondary pitches, and they don’t get any better.
John, when you say Pedro might miss a few starts, I think thats kind of obvious though. If you’ve followed Pedro throughout his career, he’s missed starts here and there, taken breaks during the middle of the year. He’s got such a small frame that the wear and tear of throwing 90+ mph gets to him much more then your normal pitcher, it’s always been that way. It was like his comment this spring about how because he didn’t take HGH or steroids, he was a “prima dona” as they called him in Boston. The writers in boston were obviously naive to the fact, as we all were, that so many players were avoiding this “prima dona” status, or time off, by taking illegal performance enhancing substances. So it’s to be expected that Pedro will miss time, but we shouldn’t automatically equate that to trouble with his shoulder. His surgery was a huge success, I see no reason to fear that too much at this point. WE shall see obviously, but by any stretch right now, i’d say its easy to say Pedro will make around 28 starts.
Metsfan: Yes, Pedro will miss a few starts, which opens the door for Pelfrey. If you were to guarantee the Mets that Pedro were to make 28 starts, I think they would take it.-JD
yeah, of course the Mets will take that, 28 starts is a perfect number actually. As for Pelfrey, I think we all know that El Duque opens up the door for him more then anyone…
Double-A numbers kind of mean… nothing if you’re in your early thirties, playing against a bunch of kids in their second or third year of professional ball.
You’re hitting against a bunch of kids who basically only have a fast ball and… a fast ball… if you’re a grown man playing again Double-A kids.
Congratulations, he can hit the fastball, you know? He has the plate discipline and timing to get green kids to throw it down the middle of the plate and knows how to swing at it.
He oughta have that kind of plate discipline at that age, that doesn’t mean that he has the actual skills to hit against actual major leaguers.
Not believing in Gotay… who has hit decently every time he has been given continuing playing time and still is young enough to grow as a player… but wanting to give Abreu a chance because he could hit the straight ball in Bingy at the age of thirty-whatever…
No no no. I don’t see it at all.
As for Pedro, I could see him not taking on any extended injuries this season, just missing a start here or there… and I could see El Duque being so beat up that he doesn’t get 15 starts in.
There’ll be room for Pelfrey to shine… dude’s a bit of a late bloomer but there’s still a good chance he’ll turn into a solid middle-of-the-rotation dude.
Man do we have an impatient fan base. Late bloomer at 24 years old? Tough crowd.
I agree with Mike C. on Gotay though. We should have let Castillo walk (unless he was a big part of Johan coming here, obviously) and platooned Gotay and Easley. Gotay has great hands at the plate and a nice stroke from the left side. Defense is a skill that one can improve with practice, look at DWright. Gotay is athletic enough to improve on D. And if he can’t hit from the right side? So what? RH 2B are a dime a dozen, you could get anyone to be the RH platoon 2B.
However, that said, I would rather them take Abreu as the last bench player over Gotay, because I think Gotay should be playing 2B every day in NOLA to improve his defense. Abreu was once a highly sought after Cuban defector, and while he might be a bit old to be making his MLB debut, he could make for a quality bench player. AA is not an easy level. There is a lot of talent there. I would also add that OBP is a skill that generally translates well from the minors to the bigs. It’s definitely more encouraging to see him sporting a high OBP, even in AA, than not. What hurts him is he can only play 1B. If he could learn to play a corner OF spot, I wouldn’t mind seeing him get the last spot on the roster.
Then again, I wouldn’t call him the perfect man for the job either.
Will there be room forPelfrey to s hie, or will Pelfrey become the Butch Huskey of Met pitchers? For you youg oes, Huskey was a great sprig training hitter, and then the season would start….
Keith, Gotay is out of options. As you say correctly, he has a nice swing especially lefty. When you send him down he will have to be designated and a kid like gotay ain’t clearing waivers. I saw Abreu in AA ball. (I thought it was 2 years ago, but maybe not) Slow afoot, slow bat, I’m not sure he’s even better than Carp. We had a first baseman who could actually hit, Brett Harper?, but like Flores, Omar didn’t keep him and he was signed elsewhwere.
Again, Pelfrey is only 24. He should never have been in the bigs in ‘06, and probably should have spent most of last year in the minors. The Mets rushed this kid, and then changed his breaking pitch. I still believe he’ll turn out to be a very solid pitcher.
The Harper situation was different than Flores. Harper chose to sign elsewhere, as he wouldn’t be blocked in San Fran by Delgado or even Carp. I’ve never seen Abreu, so if you have I’ll defer to you. Hit stat line in AA wasn’t bad though.
Harper was a 6 year minor leaguer who could have been kept if the Mets put him on 40 man roster, but then would have been designated when he didn’t make the team. Flores could have been kept if he was put on 40 man wihtout making the team. If one is talking about Abreu making the team then the team should have put Harper on the 40 man and given him a shot as a major league backup, because he can hit with power and is much younger than Abreu. If Abreu is there to get ABs and maybe be a Sept call up then its a different thing and not keeping Harper was fine.
I think there is no room for Abreu. He serves no purpose. Easley can field better, at more positions and provide pop off the bench. Gotay is the only roster candidate who can play middle infield for more than a few innings and can be a pinch runner when Endy is in the game. Anderson is the number 1 lefty, Endy the OF sub and Castro the 2nd catcher. Abreu has no place on the team, and neither would Harper which is why Harper was not put on the roster.
IMO making Pelfrey the insurance policy does nothing to help him become a better pitcher in the long run. Either start him full time or keep him in Norfolk until September. But do not make him a yo-yo.
Signing Castillo may have had an impact on getting Santana.
Gotay can’t field. And his base running is poor.
He will not be more than a platoon guy.
The Man (RE: Abreu): Right now I see Gotay sticking over Abreu because Gotay is out of options. Marlon Anderson would be the choice as the back-up first baseman. That said, you are right that there is no RH power bat off the bench.-JD
Guys: Way too early to give up on Pelfrey or to consider moving him to the pen. I wouldn’t have wanted to make Santana deal if it involved Pelfrey. There is a lot of upside with him. Give him a chance.-JD