At what point does T.J. Rivera finally get his shot?
In his minor league career, Rivera has hit everywhere he’s gone. In his minor league career, he’s hit .320/.367/.423. For the past three years, he’s played Winter Ball hitting .307/.361/.445. Bottom line is Rivera has hit everywhere he has played in his entire minor league career. He had gotten better each and every year. For example, he’s hitting .330/.360/.524 in Triple-A right now.
Even with Rivera hitting so well and improving, it seems like the undrafted 27 year old may never get his shot.
He didn’t last year. The Mets were more comfortable with a struggling Dilson Herrera. They were more comfortable with Danny Muno. They didn’t protect him in the Rule 5 draft despite his offensive production. The Mets were able to keep him because no one thought he was worthy of a Rule 5 pick. Seeing what the Braves put on the field, it makes you question what are we missing with Rivera?
There is a tendency to scout a player’s minor league statistics. The belief is that if a player can hit in the minors, they can hit in the majors. The inverse of that is deemed to be true as well. However, there are many more factors at play like level of competition, approach at the plate, level of experience and age compared to the competition, etc. When taking a totality of the circumstances, a player who hits well in the minors but isn’t deemed good enough to hit in the majors is tagged as a AAAA player.
Is that the case with Rivera? Is he really just a AAAA player? That would be the most logical explanation as to why he still hasn’t gotten his shot.
To answer that, we need to look at what he is. Rivera is a utility player that can play second, third and short. In reality, given his range and arm strength, he’s best suited to second base. Overall, no matter where you play him, he’s not that great defensively. Despite his relative versatility, it’s Rivera’s bat that would carry him to the majors.
As discussed above, Rivera has hit everywhere. There’s good reason for that. He’s a disciplined hitter. He has a good compact swing, and he’s a gap to gap line drive hitter. He doesn’t generate much power, but he’s capable of the occasional double. In short, Rivera shows the skills to be able to get on base no matter what the level.
What we don’t know if that ability will ever translate. At the major league level, the Mets have Wilmer Flores and Eric Campbell. Campbell, in particular, is what Rivera aspires to be. Campbell can play a multitude of positions. He doesn’t generate much power, but he has shown the ability to get on base. So long as Campbell gets on base, the Mets aren’t sending him down.
In the event Campbell ever gets sent down, it’s highly unlikely Rivera ever gets the call. He’s buried at the upper levels of the Mets minor league system behind guys like Herrera, Matt Reynolds, and Gavin Cecchini. Worse yet, Rivera isn’t on the 40 man roster thereby further decreasing his chances of ever getting a shot.
Unfortunately, it appears Rivera may never get his shot with the Mets. He may never get an opportunity to show he has the tools to hit and get on base in the major leagues. It’s a testament to a deep Mets farm system. It’s an indictment of the rest of baseball, who apply AAAA tags to players without ever giving them a chance that they’ve earned.
T.J. Rivera has earned a shot to play in the major leagues. Hopefully, he will get that shot someday.
Editor’s Note: this was first published on metsminors.net
After a stretch where Kevin Plawecki hit .167/.348/.167, Terry Collins couldn’t bite his tongue anymore. Collins took the rare step of calling out one of his players publicly when he said, “I don’t mean to put a lot of pressure on him, but he’s got to start getting some hits. We all thought he was going to be a good offensive player. We need [him] to start getting hits.” (NY Post).
It was a bold move from Collins. He was challenging a player who had yet to rise to the challenges given to him.
Plawecki has risen to the challenge. In the first five games since Collins’ statement, Plawecki is hitting .333/.368/.667 with three doubles and a homer. He’s not just making contact. He’s hitting the ball with more authority. He’s finally showing why the Mets drafted him in the first round in 2012. He’s finally showing glimpses of the .290/.364/.432 hitter he was in the minor leagues.
Now, to say it’s Collins’ words is a bit cliched. Plawecki has been working with Kevin Long, who is a terrific hitting coach. He’s been in the majors for nearly a year now. He’s had the sinus surgery. He’s in a much better lineup than he was last year. He’s getting regular playing time. Ultimately, it’s probably not just one thing, but a multitude of things. In any event, something seems to have clicked with Plawecki once Collins made his statement.
It’s important because the Mets don’t know when Travis d’Arnaud will come back, or how he will play upon his return. The Mets need Plawecki to step up in d’Arnaud’s absence. It looks like Plawecki is finally doing it.
Editor’s Note: this was first published on metsmerizedonline.com
It was over before it began. The Dodgers sent Clayton Kershaw to the mound, and he brought his A game. Bartolo Colon took the mound for the Mets, and he allowed for runs in the first. When that happens:
Via @ESPNStatsInfo: Clayton Kershaw is 80-0 in his career when getting 4+ runs of support
— Adam Rubin (@AdamRubinMedia) May 13, 2016
The game was as awful and dissatisfying as a regular season game in May can be.
Not only did the Dodgers jump all over Colon, but Chase Utley had a great game. He jumped right on Colon with a single getting the first inning rally started. He then hit a homer in the second to make it a 5-0 game. He went 3-4 with two runs, an RBI, and the aforementioned homer. What made it all the more frustrating was no one plunked Utley let alone threw one into his kitchen.
There were not many pluses for the Mets. David Wright walked in the first meaning there wouldn’t be a perfect game. Asdrubal Cabrera did get a hit in the fourth meaning there would be no no-hitter. It was important because Kershaw had no-hit stuff going:
Kershaw threw a three hit shutout with one walk and 13 strikeouts. It was the second straight year he threw a shut out against the Mets.
Cabrera also had a nice night in the field with a couple of good defensive plays. Colon did make it through five innings despite getting tattooed most of the night. In the five innings he pitched, he allowed seven hits and five earned.
Colon gave way to Sean Gilmartin, who pitched well in his return to the Mets bullpen. He actually struck out Utley. Overall, Gilmartin, who had been starting in AAA, went three innings allowing one hit, no runs, and no walks with three strikeouts.
Overall, it was a lost game. Many teams have that against Kershaw. No shame in that. The only real problem tonight was watching Utley have a good night (and a good series) while looking comfortable at the plate.
The Mets move on to Colorado where the Mets hitters promise to be a lot more comfortable.
Game Notes: Lucas Duda and Michael Conforto sat against Kershaw.
As we’ve seen this past week, Mets pitchers have joined the fun in hitting the longball. Do you know all the Mets pitchers who have hit a homerun? Good luck!
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In 1950, Vin Scully joined the Brooklyn Dodgers broadcast booth. As a child, my father was blessed to have heard a booth with both Scully and Red Barber call Dodger games. It was the broadcast he was listening to when his beloved Dodgers won the 1955 World Series. Then the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles in 1958, and Scully went with them.
It would be another 30 years until my father heard Scully call a game in which his favorite team won the World Series. What Mets fan doesn’t remember this call:
The answer is several. Amazingly, this call was 30 years ago. Chances are if you were born after 1976, you don’t have a vivid memory of this call.
I know I don’t, but that’s not because of my memory. I remember that moment like it was yesterday. The reason why I don’t remember the call was I never heard it. My parents had thrown an engagement party for my aunt, which was really an excuse to get a ton of Mets fans together to watch Game 6. When that ball went through Buckner’s legs, everyone erupted and drowned out the call. So like many Mets fans today, I have no specific recollection of hearing Vin Scully calling a Mets game.
That’s a shame. He’s retiring this year, and tonight may be the last time he will ever call a Mets game as he doesn’t make road trips anymore. We’ve seen the tributes from Gary Cohen and Howie Rose. They were well done, but there’s a much more fitting tribute. The Mets should air an inning (or half inning) of Vin Scully calling the game. Let Mets fans, young and old, get the opportunity to marvel at what makes Scully among the greatest, if not the greatest, broadcaster that ever lived.
Mets fans should once again hear Scully calling a Mets game. As we saw in 1986, it is pure magic.
If you were up late last night, you discovered Noah Syndergaard had his elbow examined two weeks ago. Earlier in the day, it was discovered Steven Matz is going to miss his next start with his own elbow problems.
There’s only one way to react to this news:
Thor had his elbow examined?!?!?!?https://t.co/i7LkLBHiWO via @giphy
— Mets Daddy (@MetsDaddy2013) May 12, 2016
For the third time in my son’s life, I woke him up to watch a baseball game.
The first time was September 25, 2014 when Derek Jeter had his last at bat at Yankee Stadium. I sat there with an almost nine month old, and we watched this:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AejNA_42RRA
It was an amazing baseball moment. I will always remember where I was when that happened.
The next time I woke my son up for a game was October 21, 2015, when the Mets did this:
The Mets were winning their third pennant in my lifetime. It was the second one I remember. I wasn’t going to let him miss that moment. I still remember talking to my Dad and brother that night with a cranky one year.
Last night was the third time when Max Scherzer was on the cusp of history:
No. 20. https://t.co/58PlOf0wKu #ThrillOfTheGamehttps://t.co/MRkLHbjZxc
— MLB (@MLB) May 12, 2016
We watched him strike out Justin Upton to tie the all-time record with 20 strikeouts in a game. I was disappointed when James McCann grounded out to end the game. I got to watch baseball history with my son, but I didn’t get to see a new record. Side note: yes, I was rooting for Scherzer to do it. It’s history, and I’m a baseball fan.
I wake my son up so he can experience these incredible moments. Will my son remember these moments? Of course not. With that said, I do it for him as much as I do it for myself. I want to share these moments with my son as my Dad shared these moments with my brother and I.
I remember my Dad forcing my brother and I watch Nolan Ryan try to win his 300th game (twice). I remember those countless times when he let us stay up past our bedtime in case this was the time the Mets finally got that elusive no-hitter. One of my fondest memories growing up was the Dad implemented rule that it’s not bedtime unless the Mets give up a hit.
These are the moments I look forward to sharing with my son. These are the types of fond memories I want him to have. It’s why I’m starting him off early.
Move over Walt Terrell. Noah Syndergaard “hammered” two homeruns:
#HRDerby with @Mets pitchers … who you got?https://t.co/Kmv2E5YmvR #PitchersWhoRakehttps://t.co/WKEQErjbOu
— MLB (@MLB) May 12, 2016
The two homers were more impressive than originally thought:
Noah Syndergaard's homers registered 407 & 400 feet. He's the only pitcher in the majors with three 400+ homers since his debut 365 days ago
— Adam Rubin (@AdamRubinMedia) May 12, 2016
https://twitter.com/bbtn/status/730608220738322432
The second homerun was after Syndergaard failed to bunt the runners over. With two strikes, he then swung away hitting his second homerun of the game. At the plate, Syndergaard went 2-3 with the aforementioned two homers and four RBI (which also tied a Mets record for most RBI in a game by a Mets pitcher). Syndergaard might’ve struck out in the sixth with the bases loaded, but he certainly got his hacks in. He was trying to hit that’s third homer, but it was for naught. He also struck out on the eighth while swinging for the fences.
Interstingly enough, Syndergaard was responsible for four homeruns. While he hit two, he also allowed two. The first was hit by Corey Seager in the third and Yasmani Grandal in the fourth. Other than those two homers, Syndergaard shut down the Dodgers. He pitched eight innings allowing six hits, two earned, and one walk with six strikeouts. Jeurys Familia pitched the ninth to preserve the 4-3 win he’s now a perfect 12/12 in save chances.
Overall, you know it’s a good game when your dominance on the mound is little more than a footnote. For Syndergaard’s next game, he had some big shoes to fill. Tom Seaver and Ron Darling are the only two Mets’ pitchers to homer in consecutive starts. Interestingly enough, the Mets received Terrell and Darling in exchange for Lee Mazzilli. As we know, Syndergaard was involved in a pretty big trade himself.
Game Notes: It appears Rene Rivera is becoming Syndergaard’s personal catcher. It’s a good solution to Syndergaard’s problem with base stealers. David Wright sat with what was either normal rest or a sore shoulder. Eric Campbell got the start over a slumping Wilmer Flores. Both Campbell and Yoenis Cespedes would steal a base. Coming into the game, the Mets had only stolen eight stolen bases. Neil Walker returned to the lineup for the first time since bruising his shin.
As reported in several media outlets yesterday, Stephen Strasburg received a seven year $175 million contract extension. The deal has an average annual value of $25 million. The contract features rolling opt out clauses after the third or fourth year. Additionally, Strasburg will receive a million dollar bonus each year he pitches over 180 innings.
Strasburg is a former number one overall pick. He’s 27 years old. He has had Tommy John surgery. He is in his fifth full big league season. He throws hard with a 96 MPH fastball, 89 MPH change and slider, and an 81 MPH curve. In his career, he is 59-37 with a 3.07 ERA, 127 ERA+, 2.80 FIP, 1.089 WHIP, and a 10.5 K/9. He’s struck out 200 batters in a season once, made one All Star team, and finished in the Top 10 in Cy Young voting once.
Before the contact extension, he was slated to be the top free agent on the market. Also, his agent is Scott Boras.
This contract confirms what all Mets fans know. Keeping the current starting staff together when they start becoming free agents is next to impossible. Not even the late George Steinbrenner would be willing to spend the money necessary to keep this staff together.
Back in 2013 when Matt Harvey was becoming one of the best pitchers in baseball, Mets fans would cheer “Harvey’s Better!” when Harvey faced Strasburg. They were right, and despite Harvey’s early season struggles, they are still right. Harvey has a better career ERA+ and FIP than Strasburg. Accordingly, when’s he’s approaching free agency in 2019, wouldn’t he be worth more money than Strasburg? Boras, who is also Harvey’s agent, will certainly make that case.
If Harvey gets that money, what does that mean for the other Mets starters? Right now, Noah Syndergaard is amongst the best pitchers in baseball at 23 years of age, and he’s only getting better. Steven Matz is a 24 year old lefty, who is 9-1 with a 2.56 ERA in his career. Also, don’t forget Jacob deGrom, who many consider to be the staff’s ace.
If all four of these players get a Strasburg deal, that’s $100 million just to the starting pitching. Keep in mind that doesn’t take into consideration the fact that each one of these pitchers could reasonably seek more when they come up to free agency.
As per Spotrac, the Mets payroll is at $131 million. That would mean the Mets would have $31 million to spend on the other 21 players. With that $31 million, the Mets will also have to find money to sign Jeurys Familia and Michael Conforto to their own lucrative contract extensions. By the way, Conforto is also represented by Boras.
Unfortunately, re-signing all of these players simply isn’t feasible. Deep down, we all knew it. The Stephen Strasburg signing only confirmed it.