Nick Evans Called Up?

A source of Adam Rubin's says yes. Evans has been hitting well in Double-A of late, recording exactly two hits in each of his last four games, including at least one XBH per game, good for a 8 for 18 stretch that included four doubles and a homer.

Rubin speculates that Fernando Martinez will receive the demotion, as many expected he would when the Mets returned home.

4 months ago Meddler 30 comments 0 recs |

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This makes sense

Now that Sheffield will be starting every day, Martinez would be left to share time with Church. Getting another right-handed outfield bat on the roster is logical.

by Eric Simon on Jun 19, 2009 3:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah it sounds okay

A bit risky, considering Evans seemed to be just getting his sea legs, but probably the move that has the most payoff. Evans had been playing some RF in Bingo as well, so I wonder if Jerry would feel comfortable putting him there. Plus, maybe he’ll make Tatis work for those platoon starts.

"All energy flows according to the whims of the great magnet

What a fool I was to defy him"

-HST

by Meddler on Jun 19, 2009 3:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Evans > Tatis (from a player-development standpoint)

The way this season looks to be going, I think I’d honestly rather see a lot more of Evans (and Murphy) this season and less of Tatis (or even Sheffield, who could probably use a day off here and there anyhow). If the Mets are going to be mired in mediocrity, why not get the younger players some more at-bats and have a better idea of what we’ve got before the trading deadline?

by anonymous on Jun 19, 2009 3:31 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

I'm all for getting the youngsters more at bats. Murphy should be playing first nearly every game instead of Tatis.

God knows he needs the experience and confidence. Besides when Delgado comes back I don’t even know whats going to become of him.

by dulciusEXasperis on Jun 19, 2009 4:01 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Omar and Jerry are not wired to concede the possibility that the Mets might be mired in mediocrity

by JoshNY on Jun 19, 2009 5:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

"why not get the younger players some more at-bats and have a better idea of what we’ve got before the trading deadline?"

because the tabloids, WFAN and MetsBlog will explode with cries of “THEY’RE GIVING UP ALREADY! WHO DO THESE BUMS THINK THEY ARE? WHOOOOO’S KIDDING WHOOOOOOO?!” This seems to be something that our front office is actually concerned about.

"He's definitely mixing it into his repertoire. That's French for 'repertoire' " - Keith Hernandez

by Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright on Jun 19, 2009 5:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

This is fucking awesome

Alright, I’m a bit biased . I really like Nick and his BABIP was ridiclously low to start the year. But his luck has regressed a bit and a bad one and a months should not have outweighed his steller past two seasons, his AFL stints and impressive spring training play. Since it’s the Mets FO I figured he was going to be buried for the year at AA to prove himself again with maybe a call back to AAA but given our “depth,” this is the right move for all players involved.

by Sokojoe on Jun 19, 2009 3:36 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

PS

Dear Nick Evans,
Please bring Th<3le with you.

by Sokojoe on Jun 19, 2009 3:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I remember that article!

I never put it together that it was you though, lol. Nice job. I agreed with your conclusion then and still do.

"All energy flows according to the whims of the great magnet

What a fool I was to defy him"

-HST

by Meddler on Jun 19, 2009 4:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I hope this was a learning experience for Martinez

He seemed to be in the process of changing his approach, which will be necessary for him to really shine in the bigs. When you are trying to develop new habits, it’s logical that you will struggle at first, because you can’t lean on you reflexes as much and you have to think too much.

Maybe he could shorten his stance a bit too, because that guy has a fast bat and a beautiful swing. With an adjustment here or there, I don’t think there’s a ball he won’t be able to reach.

Nothing can get by him; especially in a small room: Mike Francessa

by GenJackRipper on Jun 19, 2009 3:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

For all the criticism I threw at he and Jerry for trying to adapt his approach to patience, now that its clear that he’s going back to the minors, its certainly something to be praised. In the long term, this is how he’s going to develop better pitch recognition, and the fact that this was the direction he took when he was given a chance in the big leagues shows maturity beyond his years. And most importantly, what it made clear is that despite his relatively low walk rates in the minors, he’s not a hacker. And his ability to, at the very least, put the bat on the ball with frequency was impressive as well.

"All energy flows according to the whims of the great magnet

What a fool I was to defy him"

-HST

by Meddler on Jun 19, 2009 3:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Show 'em what you got Nick

by James Kannengieser on Jun 19, 2009 3:55 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Rubin

Confirms. F! sent down, no Evans in the lineup though against Sonnanstine.

"All energy flows according to the whims of the great magnet

What a fool I was to defy him"

-HST

by Meddler on Jun 19, 2009 3:57 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

This makes sense

Good luck to both Evans and Fartinez. Finally Fernando can go back to a place where he can play every day and not get pulled for L/R split situations.

"He's definitely mixing it into his repertoire. That's French for 'repertoire' " - Keith Hernandez

by Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright on Jun 19, 2009 4:32 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I like this move

and nothing I saw the past few weeks has dampened my enthusiasm for Fernando. I’m still convinced he’s going to be our next superstar. Just for a comparison, after his first 18 games (16 starts, same as F!), here was Darryl Strawberry’s line, and below it F!’s line:

.167/.214/.333/.548, 3 HR, 2 Doubles (5 XBH)
.194/.286/.274/.560, 5 Doubles (5 XBH)

by cjmulrain on Jun 19, 2009 4:54 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Look a little closer.

Strawberry started out 0 for 15 or more, then started to hammer the ball. I saw no signs of anything like that from Martinez. Mostly, he looked lost at the plate and not ready for prime time. He’s just not ready, and belongs in AAA for now. But he does have a nice swing, when he’s not flailing at breaking balls in the dirt or fastballs in on his hands.

by madisonmetsfan on Jun 19, 2009 11:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

actually

he started 2-16, and 3-24, then went on a 4 game explosion where he was 6-18 with 3 HR, then was 16 for his next 97 with 1 more homer over a 29 game period. I wouldn’t exactly call that hammering the ball. In fact, in the 52 games after his 6-18/3 HR stretch he hit .215/.309/.405 with 9 HR and only 4 doubles. He hit another 9 HR in August, and then 5 more in September to go along with a .376/.454/.659 line for the month. I’ll admit I wasn’t alive then, but his stats up until the trade deadline pretty much scream “overmatched rookie,” but he had a Ryan Braun-esque final two months of the season.

by cjmulrain on Jun 20, 2009 12:34 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Like a certain Golden Boy we all know and love

Nothing can get by him; especially in a small room: Mike Francessa

by GenJackRipper on Jun 20, 2009 1:49 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Eh. Not exactly.

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf"
-Tug McGraw

by squid92 on Jun 20, 2009 11:52 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Just revisited the community projection

Here. Let’s just say our expectations were a bit high.

by Zwill on Jun 19, 2009 5:35 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

not necessarily

season’s not over yet. Since I compared him to Strawberry above, I did an extremely rudimentary process of averaging what F! has done so far with what Strawberry put up in September of his rookie year (when he was absolutely on fire, to the tune of .376/.454/.659) to come up with a line of .297/.383/.493. If F! can continue to hit well in Buffalo and get a callback in September and put up those numbers over ~75 ABs in September this year, he would finish with a line of .250/.338/.404 which seems pretty much right in line with the community projections. I’m not predicting that’s what will happen, but I wouldn’t really be surprised by something similar.

by cjmulrain on Jun 19, 2009 6:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well that's fine

but I think our projections when he was initially called up were for the immediate future, not the rest of the season. It’s a minor distinction I suppose but I think that we all expected a bit more out of him immediately, especially in terms of power.

by Zwill on Jun 19, 2009 7:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

fair enough

though my projection was for what I believed his end of season numbers would be. I assumed he’d struggle for a few weeks before starting to hit. I don’t think he’s gonna get enough PA’s or hit quite well enough to get to where I thought he’d be but I still think he can have a good September if when he gets called back up

by cjmulrain on Jun 19, 2009 7:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I just want to know where my autographed picture of Eric Simon is?

Everyone is entitled to be stupid, but Jerry abuses the privilege.

by AnthonyR on Jun 20, 2009 8:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good.

Evans deserves to be in the bigs. Let ’em rip, Evans.

by BlackOps on Jun 19, 2009 5:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Temper your enthusiasm

Because this organization thinks Angel Pagan is something.

by All Shook Down on Jun 19, 2009 5:52 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

What's wrong with Pagan?

He’s not very much more than a defensive replacement, but if we’ve got Sheff out there late in games, it might not be a bad idea to put in someone else. Now, if it’s gonna be for Evans (the article says it is) then I’m against it. But, I think Pagan’s a better player than Jeremy Reed, who really has no value at all.

by BlackOps on Jun 19, 2009 7:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I like Reed's range better, but if you want to take Pagan over Reed -- fine.

But Reed and Pagan on the same roster is redundant.

Evans is an outstanding defensive player at 1B and held his own in the outfield last season. And hopefully he can provide some thunder, because we really need it.

by All Shook Down on Jun 19, 2009 11:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Alright, I like this.

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf"
-Tug McGraw

by squid92 on Jun 20, 2009 12:36 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The only downside?

Jeremy Reed and Murphy will get all of Evans’ potential starts. And honestly, Evans has the highest ceiling among those guys in my personal, unprofessional opinion.

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf"
-Tug McGraw

by squid92 on Jun 20, 2009 11:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs