Archive for the ‘Jeremy Reed’ Category

Minaya has had an interesting track record. (PHOTO BY ICON SMI)

BY MICHAEL GANCI
EDITOR

With this post and the one that will follow, I decided to take what is, in my opinion, the five best and five worst trades that Omar Minaya has made to gauge my approval rating in that department of the Mets’ general manager. Because I like ending things on a high note, let’s start with the bad deals, and these are listed in no particular order. The good side of things will come in a later post.

12/10/08 Traded Aaron Heilman , Endy Chavez , Jason Vargas, Mike Carp , Ezequiel Carrera and Maikel Cleto to the Mariners for J.J. Putz , Sean Green , and Jeremy Reed.

Thoughts: On paper, this looked like it was going to be a phenomenal deal for the Mets. Putz was one of the AL’s best closers, and he was the guy that they were looking for that could be a perfect bridge to K-Rod in the Mets’ bullpen, but unfortunately, it did not work out that way. Putz’ elbow did not hold up, and he was not re-signed in the off season. Reed was a spare part that has since moved on, and Green’s presence on the DL is preferred by many fans over a spot on the roster.
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Former Pirates' closer Matt Capps was a surprise addition to the free agent pool yesterday. (PHOTO BY ICON SMI)

BY MICHAEL GANCI
EDITOR

Well the non-tender deadline has come and gone, and the Mets made a few interesting decisions regarding the future of some of the players that were on the roster last year. This team is going to have a very different look this year, and that is something that definitely needed to be done.

First of all, there were some expected non-tenders that the Mets announced, which includes guys like Lance Broadway and Jeremy Reed. Broadway was acquired for Ramon Castro early last season, and he only appeared with the big club when the season was lost. We certainly give our regards to Broadway before he leaves.

Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.

Then there was Reed, who was acquired as part of the big JJ Putz deal last off season. That deal obviously didn’t pan out in the Mets’ favor, as they decided to non-tender Reed and let JJ Putz sign with the White Sox. Reed is replaceable, and I am far from heartbroken to see him go.
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Unfortunately, Bobby Parnell doesn't seem like the long-term solution for the Mets. (PHOTO BY ICON SMI)

BY JOSEPH STONE
STACHE WRITER

This article, although written with tongue-in-cheek humor, is exactly the type of thing that ticks me off about this franchise. Granted, you can find something to rank on any team’s stadium, which by the way, Deadspin has done. But the complaints in here just burn me up. The worst part was the Fillie fan talking smack.

Is it just me, or are they an entire fanbase made up of Guido douchebags and people who fell in love with the team somewhere around October of last year? God, I hope Cliff Lee’s apocalyptic numbers from yesterday are what he is going to put up the rest of the year. If that were to happen, and they go in the toilet in the NLDS, I could just write this season off to a statistical anomoly. Please, Dark Lord, don’t let them anywhere near the Series, unless it is to get utterly raped by the other team, to the tune of 60-2 in a four game set. Oh my, would I never let that one go.
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Building a Team after this Moment has been very hard for the Mets (Courtesy of Boston.com)

BY JOSEPH STONE
STACHE WRITER

I have heard it said the the Mets mission statement over the last two years was to win Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS. That they wanted to eradicate the memory of the loss and somehow change the course of history. I don’t think that’s quite true. I think that was something we the interactive fans and the professional writers inferred upon the team, that that particular game was somehow still winnable.

The Mets, in a wise move, just stuck with the core of a team over the next three years that was thisclose to the World Series in 2006, and are just now feeling the fallout from a long barren run at post-season success. After the outcome of the 2006 season, obviously the Mets, as an organization, felt that essentially standing pat with a team that was so close to the promised land was the right choice, hence the Alou signing as a stopgap to shore up RBI production and keep the train rolling.

Management felt that the veteran presence would assist, and not even a beat would be missed on the march back to October. They were absolutely correct. The 2007 season was going along according to script until…no need for specifics in rehashing at this point, we are all well versed. The team that had steamrolled along all year hit the wall and blew up. It happens. Only once in a blue moon, but strange things can happen in baseball. Ask the Cubs, or the Phillies.

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Sean Green has certainly had his ups and downs with the Mets this season (PHOTO BY ICON SMI)

BY MICHAEL GANCI
EDITOR

Back in December, Mets fans had everything to look forward to. We recently found out that Francisco Rodriguez was going to be our new closer, and that seemed to solve some of the problems that prevented the Mets from winning the Division last season. But then, on December 11, a trade happened that nobody saw coming.

The Mets, Mariners and Indians would make a three team trade that lined up like this:

Mets Get: JJ Putz, Jeremy Reed and Sean Green from the Mariners
Mariners Get: Aaron Heilman, Endy Chavez, Mike Carp, Maikel Cleto, Jason Vargas and Ezequiel Carrera from the Mets, and Franklyn Gutierrez from the Indians
Indians Get: Joe Smith from the Mets and Luis Valbuena from the Mariners

It seemed like an awful lot to give up the time, and the two pieces that hurt Mets’ fans the most were Endy Chavez and Joe Smith. The young Smith had established himself as a quality situational reliever, and Chavez had endeared himself to the fan base with some unbelievable defense, which included possibly the best play in Mets’ history.

But as they all say, in order to get talent, you need to give up talent. And the Mets acquired backup outfielder Jeremy Reed, reliever Sean Green and former closer JJ Putz. Putz was obviously the main catch in the deal, as he has proven to be a valuable closer for several years in a small market. This gave the Mets some insurance in case K-Rod got injured or needed a day off.

It seemed like a no brainer, but was it worth it?
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Francisco Rodriguez has probably been the brightest spot for the Mets so far in 2009. (PHOTO BY ICON SMI)

BY MICHAEL GANCI
EDITOR

Through the first half of the season, the Mets currently have a 42-45 record and stand in fourth place in the NL East. Although that sounds terrible at first mention, it really isn’t all that bad. The Mets are just 6.5 games out of first place, and the break couldn’t have come at a better time.

The Mets have been struggling, and obviously injuries have played a large role in the turmoil. With Beltran, Reyes, Delgado, Perez, Maine, Putz and more all out for extended periods of time, the Mets have been lucky to even stay afloat as they have done.

You can thank guys like Gary Sheffield for keeping the Mets in the hunt, and they can use the break to help themselves heal a bit. But in this post, I am going to evaluate players who have been given an extended look thus far this season. Without further adieu, here we go.

Catcher- Brian Schneider
Grade- C+
Explanation: Brian Schneider has been a bit of a surprise with the bat thus far this season, and he has provided some unexpected power. He is really a run-of-the-mill catcher who I have learned not to expect much out of, although he provides solid defensive stability. I can’t expect much more than we have seen so far this season.

Catcher- Omir Santos
Grade- B-
Explanation: Omir Santos burst on to the scene with the Mets after being a career minor leaguer. He started the season by getting big hit after big hit, and he even hit a game-winning homer off of Jonathon Paplebon in Boston. It doesn’t get much better than that. Prior to yesterday’s game, Santos has been fizzling, and he has a rather pedestrian .264 batting average. If he added some patience to his approach, he would be much better off.

First Base- Daniel Murphy
Grade- C+
Explanation: Daniel has been an interesting case thus far this season. Teams have obviously figured out that he is vulnerable inside, and they have started to exploit that. Murphy is now at the stage in which he is trying to figure out how to combat the new attack. He is played better than expected at first base, and he seems to be coming out of his funk.

First Base- Fernando Tatis
Grade- D-
Explanation: Tatis has been downright atrocious this year, and for some reason, he is still in the good graces of manager Jerry Manuel. He grounds into too many double plays and his swing is way longer than it was in his comeback year last season. His defense has been average, and the Mets would be better off just using him primarily as a pinch hitter. It took a lot for me to not give him an F here.

Second Base- Luis Castillo
Grade- B+
Explanation: Whether we like him or not, Luis Castillo has been one of the true constants from this team from the very beginning this season. Going into today’s game, Castillo had a .278 average, and he is really playing well at Citi Field. He has played an above average second base, and he has an excellent on base percentage. Why he isn’t batting lead off every day is beyond me, but he has definitely surpassed expectations.

Shortstop- Alex Cora
Grade- C+
Explanation: I know a lot of people are going to be on me for being rough on Cora, but I feel like he has gotten a bit of a free ride from the critics in Mets’ land. Well, allow me to be the first one to take a stance. Cora may be an excellent leader and he may make one hell of a manager one day, but his .240 average doesn’t exactly have starting shortstop written all over it. I admire the fact that he is playing with a screwed up finger, but he is not helping the team with his 0-for-4 games and his limited range.

Third Base- David Wright
Grade- B+
Explanation: Nobody on the Mets has had a weirder season than David Wright. The homers are just not there, and the RBI numbers are decent, but yet Wright still manages to have a .323 batting average. He is heading to St. Louis to play in the All Star Game, and it would really serve him well to work on his swing. He already has scored 55 runs, and he has proven that he is the most productive Met. If he can add some more consistency in the power department, he will be the real deal. He needs to take that step though.

Left Field- Gary Sheffield
Grade- A-
Explanation: This is a guy who has surpassed all of the expectations. To be honest, I didn’t give him much of a chance to make the team in the Spring. The Mets took a flier on him at $400 K after the Tigers got sick of his attitude and inconsistency, but all he has done since arriving is hit and be a model citizen. One example is after he hit his 500th homer. He had an engraved bat delivered to each of his teammates. He has been nothing short of a class act, and the Mets are lucky to have him right now.

Center Field- Jeremy Reed
Grade- B-
Explanation: Reed has been as good as we could’ve hoped for a replacement player, and due to the injury to Beltran, he and Angel Pagan have been asked to take a bigger role in center field. His bat can be a bit inconsistent, but his glove is stellar. I think Angel Pagan is better for the everyday role, but Reed has proven to be a valuable bench asset.

Starting Pitcher- Johan Santana
Grade- A-
Explanation: Santana has once again been the bearer of bad luck. His record currently stands at 10-7 after yesterday’s seven shutout innings, but the team fails to step it up when he is pitching. Whether it is defense or lack of run support, the troops always seem to be more anxious when he pitches, and that leads to lapses in judgment. I don’t think he has been bad, but he can certainly pitch better. We know he is capable of being the best pitcher in baseball. We just need him to take that step.

Starting Pitcher- Mike Pelfrey
Grade- B-
Explanation: Pelfrey has done well to earn himself a 7-4 record, but his ERA wouldn’t indicate that he has been that good. He is sporting a 4.47 ERA, and he needs to work on the middle innings. Today, it was another fifth inning that did him in. After throwing four scoreless while letting up just two hits, Pelfrey balked (literally) and allowed three runs to score. We need the consistency to carry through an entire start. He seems to hit a wall when we think he is good to go.

Starting Pitcher- Livan Hernandez
Grade- C+
Explanation: It seems like Livan has been held winless since the first Bush was President, and now the Mets might be looking at the real guy they picked up off of the scrap heap in the off season. Livan became the first pitcher in quite some time to allow three runs or more in the first inning for three consecutive starts leading up to the break. That is really not something to be proud of. He is relying on that get-me-over fastball early in the count, and hitters are jumping on it. He has to mix it up more if he wants to be successful.

Starting Pitcher- Fernando Nieve
Grade- C
Explanation: I am kind of indifferent on the Nieve front. We have already gotten more than what was expected out of him. He was the first half’s Cinderella story, but the clock is soon going to strike 12 for him. Jonathon Niese is lighting it up at Triple A, and there is no reason for Niese to sit down there while Nieve is faltering. If Nieve wants to stay, he needs to get his act together…quick.

Bullpen- Other than Closer
Grade- B-
Explanation: There have been some bright spots in the bullpen that were not expected. Bobby Parnell came out of the gate like a bat out of hell and he was pitching lights out before he hit a rough patch. It seems like he is coming back to life, and the Mets can really use his firepower in the second half. Pedro Feliciano continues to be the best lefty specialist in all of baseball, and Sean Green has been very good after a rough start. Pat Misch has even been good in mop up spots, and the Mets need to get Putz back to really get the bullpen at full strength.

Closer- Francisco Rodriguez
Grade- A
Explanation: K-Rod has exceeded expectations, and he is proving that last season was no fluke. He is dominant, although he likes to give fans a heart attack before he eventually completes a save. I love how he is fearless when it comes to certain pitches on certain counts. Sure, he has blown a couple of saves, but overall, Mets’ fans should be ecstatic that this guy will be a Met through 2011.

Santos gets the start behind the plate tomorrow, and this could be his big chance.

BY MICHAEL GANCI
EDITOR

Jerry Manuel has decided that he is going to shuffle the Cards, so to speak. No pun intended. Okay, you got me. All pun intended. Tomorrow, we are going to see three of the regulars take a seat as Luis Castillo, Daniel Murphy and Ramon Castro will all take a seat in favor of Alex Cora, Gary Sheffield and Omir Santos. Another thing of note that Manuel said is that he is considering flip flopping Wright and Beltran because Carlos is hitting the ball well right now. Maybe it’s time for a shake up.

You really have nothing to lose by going with Santos. The guy is capable of hitting, and we have already seen that this season. We also saw him make a picture perfect throw to nab Ryan Braun when the Mets played the Brew Crew. I support this move without question, especially when the Mets are playing a day game after a night game. Ramon, go to the cages and work on your swing.

Sheffield seems like he is waiting to burst out of his bubble. I am a big fan of Daniel Murphy, so I never love the idea of having him sit, but the day off will probably be good for his mind. Maybe the media will get off of his back for a day, and the kid can focus on baseball. On the other hand, if Sheffield has a breakout day, the media will surely approach Murphy to see if he feels threatened by the wily veteran. Welcome to New York kid.

The move I am most skeptical about is Alex Cora, who seems like another addition to the ever so popular “ground ball to second base” squad. Brian Schneider is a member, and Marlon Anderson was as well. Jeremy Reed could be the next after Cora to join the squad, but I have a little more faith in him. Castillo is one of the best bats in the lineup right now. I think a day game after a night game would be a good test for him, but Jerry isn’t taking any chances this early in the season. I guess I can’t get on him for that.

Beltran. Time to seize the opportunity. If you hit in the three hole, show David what it is like to get a clutch hit.

Until tomorrow. Thank god the Rangers won.

The Mets would be smart to stick with Darren O'Day, a rule-five acquistion from the Angels.

BY MICHAEL GANCI
EDITOR

With the addition of Gary Sheffield, the Mets have some new decisions to make. They already made one unplanned decision by sending Nick Evans to Triple A about five days earlier than expected. Originally, the Mets were expected to cut ties with veteran pinch hitter Marlon Anderson, but those plans have been put off for the moment, leaving many to wonder whether or not the Mets will cut Anderson at all.

Let’s first think at some potential alternatives. The two guys who could be next on the pecking order would probably be Darren O’Day and Jeremy Reed. The Mets are high on both guys, and cutting either one would be a major mistake. O’Day would likely be offered back to the Angels, who would stick him in Triple A, unless the Mets can work out a deal to the same themselves. Reed, on the other hand, was acquired as part of the J.J. Putz deal and I am sure the Mets didn’t acquire him just to see him go by the waste side.

I do understand the idea that Anderson may still have something left in the tank, but there just isn’t a proper space for him on this roster any longer. They have plenty of left handed bats off of the bench, and their one need was a power right handed bat who can provide some intimidation. Whether or not you like the move, Gary Sheffield is ideal for the void. He still has a quick bat and can hit the ball well. The only questions that remain are whether or not he can play the outfield and whether or not he can stay healthy.

I would love to see Anderson move on and be successful somewhere else, but he just doesn’t work here. He is getting up there in years, and last season, he showed some signs of his age. The Mets should stick with the younger tandem of Reed and O’Day and focus on what really matters most…the future.

BY MIKE BARRETT
STACHE WRITER

In yesterday’s game against Italy, it was a pair of reserve outfield hopefuls that came through for the Mets. Cory Sullivan came through with a 2-run shot to tie it for the Mets and Jeremy Reed drove in the game-winning run with a double, driving in Daniel Murphy who reached on a pinch hit single.

In a wide-open race for the reserve outfielders spot, both Reed and Sullivan made strides with their play today. Right now it may seem that Angel Pagan is the leader of the pack, seeing as he has played well throughout the spring, much like he did last season. It will be interesting to see who emerges as Opening Day is now just a month away.

My vote goes to Reed. He was once considered one of the Seattle Mariners best prospects and if he ever became what he was supposed to be, he would be a huge asset to the team. He plays outstanding defense, which he also showed off today and has the power to drive in 75 runs and hit about 15-20 home runs. Thought J.J. Putz was the centerpiece for the Mets in their 3-team trade with Seattle and Cleveland, it could be Reed that makes a big impact this year for the Mets.

BY MICHAEL GANCI
EDITOR

When Marlon Anderson came to the Mets in 2005, no one really knew what to expect out of him. Here we had this 31-year old guy that had never hit more than 11 homers in a season. What was intriguing was his 2001 season, in which in addition to the 11 homers, he drove in 61 RBI and batted .293. That was in 522 at bats. There was no way he was going to figure into our plans that much. We needed him to be a solid part time player.

Anderson was solid in 2005, although he wasn’t too good in the clutch. In fact, with runners on, he only batted .241, but if he led off the inning or no one was on base at the time of appearance, he hit a much better .277 clip. The most impressive stat is the one with the bases loaded, in which he hit .286.

In 2006, Anderson landed a spot with the Washington Nationals. A lot of Mets fans were furious that management would not give him a two-year contract, but Washington was willing to make the commitment. Marlon had a nice season for the nationals, batting .274. Once again, his batting average thrived with the bases empty, but he struggled in pressure situations, batting only .243 with runners in scoring position.

In 2007, Marlon ended up with the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was a rough go of it for Marlon in his first 26 at bats, as he hit just .231, and the Dodgers gave up on him. But there loss was the Mets’ gain, and Marlon resurrected his season by hitting .319 after the Mets picked him up for his second tour of duty with the club. His performance in 2007 was amazing. He not only hit .394 with runners in scoring position, but he also hit .438 with runners in scoring position with two outs. That earned him a two year contract from the Mets in the off season, which is something he definitely deserved.

But what happened in 2008? This was by far the worst we have ever seen Marlon look. He hit a rather pedestrian .265 with the bases empty, but his .127 average with runners on base clearly tells the story. In 2008, he was an automatic out, and he was not someone that opposing pitchers were intimidated by.

Now, going into the 2009 season, the following players are a lock for the Mets’ 25-man roster. Wright, Beltran, Reyes, Delgado, Schneider, Castro, Cora, Castillo, Church, Tatis, Murphy, Santana, Maine, Pelfrey, Rodriguez, Putz, Green, Stokes, Feliciano, Sanchez. Now, if you count whoever is going to be the 5th starter, probably Tim Redding, and the one more pitcher the Mets need to add, that leaves three spots. The guys competing for those spots are Marlon Anderson, Rob Mackowiak, Cory Sullivan, Bobby Kielty, Angel Pagan, Nick Evans and Jeremy Reed.

Right now, I would say Anderson, Reed and Evans are likely additions. Do you think Marlon should stay?