Shoe Shining Applesauce - Mejia's path to the bigs inspired by Pedro's contract, F! making a case, Howard for Pujols?

by Joe Budd on Mar 15, 2010 9:35 AM EDT in Applesauce

Meet the Mets

Fernando Martinez has done enough to convince John Harper that he's ready for the starting center field job at Citi. Or maybe it's that Angel Pagan doesn't impress Harper with his baseball instincts. Brian Mangan at Fonzie Forever thinks the Mets need to slow it down and make Martinez's progression priority #1.

Speaking of baseball instincts, there's Alex Cora. Apparently he makes a lot of productive and non-productive outs. But, it's certainly going to be an interesting competition between Cora and Tejada this spring. Toby Hyde puts in his two cents. Mike Puma profiles Tejada.

Brian Costa presents a great look at Jenrry Mejia's path to Port St. Lucie. Some indirect benefits from the Pedro signing. Jon Heyman says that Mejia has the best shot of all the Met prospects of breaking in with the big leagues this year.

Marty Noble is a good beat reporter, if only for posts like this.

Ollie takes a positive step.

On the Black presents the 2010 Met season in 7 sections.

Around MLB

OK, so this one came out of nowhere. The Phillies discussed moving Ryan Howard to the Cardinals for Albert Pujols. No word on whether the Cardinals would bite, but why would they, really?

Brent Mayne tells us why catchers actually spend effort in flattening the batters' box.

The Blue Jays have signed Cuban shortstop Adeiny Hechevarria. 4 years, $10 million.

Minnesota has re-signed Denard Span for five years, $16.5 million.

And, before you're done with your baseball links for the day, be sure to check out the Amazin' Avenue Annual.

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If the cardinals even considered that

their entire front office deserves to be fired.

President of the Ramses Barden Fan Club

Fact on Villanova Sports

by Hoyadestroya85 on Mar 15, 2010 9:51 AM EDT reply actions

Not sure which Noble post you're trying to link

but the man is great at gathering quotes and telling stories. Like this gem,

He looked at the lineup for the home game and said “You think if I go down there and walk three times, I can bat leadoff tomorrow? . . .I’m calling it, I’m gonna walk three times and. . .” And then he thought better of the challenge. “All right. One walk. I guarantee I walk once,” he said.

He grounded out, driving in a run, in the first inning, then flied out and grounded out in his other AB’s.

by Sokojoe on Mar 15, 2010 9:52 AM EDT reply actions

dangerous

if francoeur walked three times in a game, hell might freeze over. also, our beloved manager would probably take notice and start telling the media that francoeur has shown that he can bat lead off for the mets.

by englishgrey on Mar 15, 2010 10:01 AM EDT up reply actions

That'd be a good chance for him to lay down some bunts.

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Mar 15, 2010 10:57 AM EDT up reply actions

Applesauce

Imagining the Cardinals trading Pujols for Howard made me chuckle more than the that Marty Noble blurb. At times, I want to yell at Noble, but at other times, he writes good stuff that I like.

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Mar 15, 2010 9:57 AM EDT reply actions

I was just about to post the Howard-Pujols thing as a fanshot

if the Cardinals make that trade, I give up. Not just on baseball, but on life in general.

2009 Did Not Happen

by cjmulrain on Mar 15, 2010 9:58 AM EDT reply actions

this

"We have a plan, and our plan, I like our plan'

it's Omar's world, we're just livin in it.

by Gina on Mar 15, 2010 10:32 AM EDT up reply actions

after hearing

that halladay took a FAR below average contract to pitch for the phillies due to the close proximity of their ST complex to his home in florida, i just assumed that god has in the last couple years become a phillies fan so if they acquired pujols i wouldn’t be that surprised

by Rob Castellano on Mar 15, 2010 10:39 AM EDT up reply actions

It wasn't that far below average was it?

He’s getting 20 million per, and I’ve heard it was also because he wants to win and thinks they have the best shot of winning in the NL.

"We have a plan, and our plan, I like our plan'

it's Omar's world, we're just livin in it.

by Gina on Mar 15, 2010 10:42 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, I thought that was the real reason too.

He’s getting paid market in a down year, more or less. I’m curious if he knew they were trading Cliff Lee in a salary dump before signing. With both of them, they definitely had the best chance to win it.

by djg2111 on Mar 15, 2010 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions

trading cliff lee was a little baffling

i understand the phillies wanted to restock their farm system after trading for lee and halladay, but a rotation featuring halladay, lee, and hamels would have been pretty darn unstoppable in the NL. and lee was quite affordable this year.

if they really want another title before utley and howard leave or decline due to age, keeping lee would have been their best bet. especially with the yankees poised to be dominant for the next couple of years.

by englishgrey on Mar 15, 2010 12:34 PM EDT up reply actions

I would understand restocking their farm system

except the prospects they got for him were pretty middling and absolutely no where near what they gave up for him. I would think it would have made more sense to wait for the deadline.

"We have a plan, and our plan, I like our plan'

it's Omar's world, we're just livin in it.

by Gina on Mar 15, 2010 1:58 PM EDT up reply actions

Maybe not even to wait for the deadline, but at least shop him around a little.

If they couldn’t get what they wanted for him, I’m sure they could have gotten something for Blanton, freeing them up to keep Lee.

Pinella: Where th f*ck was that pitch at?
Ump: Lou, don't you know that you're not supposed to end a sentence with a preposition?
Pinella: Where the f*ck was that pitch at, a$$h*le?

by Stephen Schmidt on Mar 15, 2010 4:48 PM EDT up reply actions

I honestly assumed there was additional parts of the deal we weren't hearing

Pujols for Howard AND a treasure map leading to a buried Galleon full of gold doubloons and pieces-of-eight

or something along those lines. A straight-up deal is just silly.

by hotspur on Mar 15, 2010 12:57 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

that story was so ridiculous

I bet those “discussions” go on in every front office every day, kicking around outlandish proposals that have no chance of happening.

Silly things like:
What could we get if we put David Wright on the market?
Would we trade Lincecum for King Felix?
What would happen if we paid a garbage backup MIF $2 million with a vesting option, even though we don’t trust him to play if our starting SS goes down?

You know, purely hypothetical nonsense like that.

by Bieser's Balk on Mar 15, 2010 1:17 PM EDT up reply actions

It's the middle of Spring Training with no real, meaningful stuff going on right now, outside of games and their results.

And the occasional front office bumbling of teams like ours.

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Mar 15, 2010 6:53 PM EDT up reply actions

Harper

Is he really suggesting carrying Martinez, Pagan and Matthews on the roster? So the bench would be Pagan, Matthews, Cora, Tatis and Blanco?

by Bieser's Balk on Mar 15, 2010 10:58 AM EDT reply actions

met's future

you gotta believe that cora was given that ridiculous salary for some reason other than a back up for reyes. Maybe omar is grooming him to be bernazards replacement or their future manager.

by bob c on Mar 15, 2010 11:44 AM EDT reply actions

You give him a front office job, then, you know?

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Mar 15, 2010 12:44 PM EDT up reply actions

he say he can figure out platoon splits

so y’know, im kind of sort of like, i gotta look into this.

"We have a plan, and our plan, I like our plan'

it's Omar's world, we're just livin in it.

by Gina on Mar 15, 2010 2:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Why is Russ Adams never mentioned as a SS candidate?

His range can’t be much worse than Cora’s, he’s five years younger, and he’s got a little more power than Cora. If they are worried about starting the clock on Tejada, Adams seems like he could fill in for a few weeks.

by Mackey Sasser on Mar 15, 2010 5:21 PM EDT reply actions

He's actually a much worse defensive SS than Cora.

He’s a career -13.5 UZR/150, while Cora was a -7.8 last year (a career low with no thumbs). While totalzone minor league numbers arent the greatest, they would lead me to believe that his UZR is no fluke (he’s been worth -38 runs on the infield since 2006, and virtually all of it was at 2nd and 3rd).

Pinella: Where th f*ck was that pitch at?
Ump: Lou, don't you know that you're not supposed to end a sentence with a preposition?
Pinella: Where the f*ck was that pitch at, a$$h*le?

by Stephen Schmidt on Mar 15, 2010 5:34 PM EDT up reply actions

Doesn't seem much worse

If Cora was -7.8 last season, at that pace he’d be about -32 over a 4 year span, compared with -38? That difference seems negligible. Plus he’s now a year older. I think Cora’s thumbs effected his swing (although he pretty much hit the way he always has), but I don’t think his thumbs effected his lateral movement, or lack there of.

by Mackey Sasser on Mar 15, 2010 6:02 PM EDT reply actions

But

Adams’s -38 over that span was mainly playing at 2B and 3B, easier positions than SS. In other words, you would expect Adams to be worse than -38 at SS over the same span.

by JoshNY on Mar 15, 2010 6:24 PM EDT up reply actions

It's also worth noting that Adams is likely regressing at this point

I can only imagine how terrible he’d be in the field. It takes alot to make Castillo look good, but he may be able to do it.

Pinella: Where th f*ck was that pitch at?
Ump: Lou, don't you know that you're not supposed to end a sentence with a preposition?
Pinella: Where the f*ck was that pitch at, a$$h*le?

by Stephen Schmidt on Mar 15, 2010 6:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Cora lacks value due to his lack of range, but he at least can make a play when he can get to the ball.

Adams appears to lack both the range and the ability to convert when he’s able to reach it.

Pinella: Where th f*ck was that pitch at?
Ump: Lou, don't you know that you're not supposed to end a sentence with a preposition?
Pinella: Where the f*ck was that pitch at, a$$h*le?

by Stephen Schmidt on Mar 15, 2010 6:42 PM EDT up reply actions

You guys might be slightly overstating

Adams’ ineptitude, and are putting tons of faith in minor league zone ratings, which are at times pretty questionable. He played short a full year in ‘05. Why would he regress that much 5 years later at age 29-30, as opposed to Cora and Castillo at their positions at ages 34 and 35? You are making it sound like he’s a paraplegic. He won’t be getting that chance, so it’s a moot point.
All I’m saying is, if you put him in the lineup for a couple weeks, he wouldn’t hurt them anymore than Cora is probably going to. Over a short period of time, you can sometimes get away with playing a poor defender, and hope his bat pays off.

by Mackey Sasser on Mar 15, 2010 7:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Well a full year of data isn't enough for fieling stats

you need 2 years I think, possibly more. Plus if he hasn’t played the position in 5 years I’d imagine he’d be worse.

"We have a plan, and our plan, I like our plan'

it's Omar's world, we're just livin in it.

by Gina on Mar 15, 2010 7:14 PM EDT up reply actions

It's not putting much faith in his minor league numbers at all.

His major league numbers suggest that in an average year at SS, he’d be 6 runs worse than Cora in his career worst season (and I used minor league numbers to further reinforce that). This study also indicates that Adams is just reaching the point of his career where his defense should fall off of a cliff (and it would indicate that Cora is about as shitty as he’s going to get). His entire career has proven he’s at best a worse defensive option than Cora is likely to be, and his career .302 wOBA is not much of an upgrade. The only reason I could see playing him over Cora would be to keep his vest from vesting, but that’s an entirely different issue.

Pinella: Where th f*ck was that pitch at?
Ump: Lou, don't you know that you're not supposed to end a sentence with a preposition?
Pinella: Where the f*ck was that pitch at, a$$h*le?

by Stephen Schmidt on Mar 15, 2010 7:14 PM EDT up reply actions

He played short a full year in '05

and was way worse than Cora, somehow. Is there any reason to believe he’d be better now than he was then? And his bat isn’t any good either, and if you put the two together, you have the reason why he’s spent most of the last two years in the minors.

by JoshNY on Mar 15, 2010 7:52 PM EDT up reply actions