Feb 13
It’s really good to see that most of the position players have reported to Port St. Lucie. I know that it’s only Spring Training and most of the players are just trying to get in shape, however, some players need to play or practice harder than others.
Who, in your opinion, needs to have a big Spring Training and why?
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12 comments
Ceetar
2/13/2011-9:22am at 9:22 am (UTC -4)
Perez obviously.
Murphy, because I like him to have the best year of the options for second, so would like him to get the job.
That’s really it. There are some minor ones, but they’re not that important.
From a “quelling stupid story lines” stance, Beltran could use a hot Spring (blast a couple of home runs basically) and so could Reyes and K-Rod. Thole isn’t settled into anything, despite likely getting the starting gig, but it might help convince people not to platoon him. But all these things will be erased if the player has a good or sloppy first week or so. Thole will be the starter regardless because of the Paulino suspension, so if he hits .111 in Spring but hits .320 the first week, it won’t matter.
Spring doesn’t matter. It just doesn’t. It’s about form and reps and arm strength and exercise. batting eye. You take gambles that you wouldn’t. A pitcher may throw a slider he normally wouldn’t, just to see how the hitter responds. it may be bad, and he may learn that it’s a bad count to throw a slider and never do it in a game with consequences.
oleosmirf
2/13/2011-10:13am at 10:13 am (UTC -4)
the problem is a good spring for Perez might keep him on the roster but when it comes to the regular season he is back to his terrible ways.
Obviously Perez returning to his 07-08 form would be fantastic but I don’t think that’s realistic anymore.
stickguy
2/13/2011-10:18am at 10:18 am (UTC -4)
ollie would have to have one hell of a good spring, combined with the other options either getting hurt or being totlaly putrid, to win a rotation spot. ANd I don’t think they are seriously considering him for a pen spot, but agian, he would have to be lights out while the other 10 options flopped.
but if he does earn the #5 rotation spot, maybe he gives something. If not, expect him to be on a truly short leash.
I don’t think it is happening. He was lousy in the Mexican winter league, why think he is going to suddenly find “it” against major leaguers (even ones getting back into form in ST)?
saltygary
2/13/2011-9:33am at 9:33 am (UTC -4)
Emaus and Hu so Castillo can be let go…
rustyjr
2/13/2011-9:42am at 9:42 am (UTC -4)
I would say both Perez and Castillo. They have to prove they can revert back to the form that warrented the Mets to tender them these inflated contracts. I think they know if they don’t make the best of this spring training they will be cut and their asking prices on the open market with be extremely low.
metsfan4decades
2/13/2011-9:49am at 9:49 am (UTC -4)
Well, define ‘big’.
For returning veterans, such as Bay, Beltran, Reyes – to me big would be showing up in great shape and no injury/setback throughout ST. If they do that, I think it translates to putting up a typical type year for each.
With Beltran though, I’ll be curious as to how much range he’s got with that knee brace, if it hampers him covering CF and if that knee remains healthy long enough to put up a good first half.
I’m hoping Cap, Young and Gee all look good thereby making it difficult to decide who makes the starting 5. Don’t want it to turn into ‘these are the starting 5 due to default b/c so and so didn’t look good at all’ type scenario.
I’m hoping Murph looks better at defense than most expect in ST. I really believes it’s going to come down to Murphy and Emaus for 2nd – whether or not it’s a straight platoon or one wins the job straight out of ST.
Tejada already slated for triple A, Turner would have to put up a monster spring to make the team and I don’t believe Havens health issues remotely give him a shot for April (if Havens will even be there for ST).
And just how many BP arms are they going to carry anyway? This will determine how many utility guys for the bench and if Duda or Evans have a shot at getting one.
stickguy
2/13/2011-10:07am at 10:07 am (UTC -4)
Can’t see why havens won’t be in ST. No reports over the winter that he was still hurt and not expected to be able to play. UNless you mean ML camp, which seems to be more of an honor since they are all at the same complex, and guys in MiL camp get used in the ST games too when they need bodies.
I would also love to see them carry 6 pen arms, to keep that extra bench bat, but I am guessing they go with the stanard 7. Seems like to omany, especially if you aren’t carrying 2 1-out specialists, and of course hiding a dead roster spot out there!
even Jerry, master of the 3 men for the 7th inning trick, didn’t seem to be able to get 7 guys enough work.
They will have to make a roster move in the 2nd week though when Paulino comes back. So maybe they go heavy on bench until that happens? Or start with 7 pen guys, and drop to 6 later (though that I guess would leave them with 3 catchers.)
Heck, I’m just hoping they can come up with at least 6 that are pitching well. 7 would just be gravy!
metsfan4decades
2/13/2011-10:23am at 10:23 am (UTC -4)
Yes, I meant Havens at the ML ST field. I’ll bet he’s invited to a game or two but I’m not reading anywhere where he’s auditioning this spring for the 2nd base position.
‘They will have to make a roster move in the 2nd week though when Paulino comes back’
Wouldn’t that just be Nickeas(?) goes down and Paulino takes his spot? Or do you mean on the 40 man roster?
I’m guessing they’ll go with a 7 man BP too – at least to start. Maybe the only way they don’t is whoever is the established long man really looks good and they feel it’s not necessary to keep that extra arm?
stickguy
2/13/2011-10:36am at 10:36 am (UTC -4)
I think havens is one of the guys that is not considered in the pre-ST mix but has a chance to force his way into a spot.
2B is wide, wide open. There really is no incumbent (I don’t count Castillo even at this point) so it is truly a free for all, so if Havens comes in and flat out dominates the other guys (on both sides of the ball) he could force their hand. Long shot sure, but could happen.
my guess (hope?) is he goes on the ike plan. Big spring, but they go conservative and try someone more experienced at the beginning, but if he has a huge month or so in the minors, and 2B is not working out on the big club, a quick more cold be made.
stickguy
2/13/2011-10:01am at 10:01 am (UTC -4)
Well, OLlie and Castillo are the 2 that (for their sake) need to have huge springs to not get cut (although I believe that right now neither one will try that hard to win a job with the Mets, since both want to be released so they can go elsewhere).
The vets that are concerns just need to have healthy springs, regardless of the numbers (reyes, bay, beltran, K Rod).
THe other guys that need to have big #s are the ones fighting for the 2B and pen jobs, since those are win it or get sent down (or released). And put Young in that catagory too I guess.
I would guess there are maybe 5 spots actually open to take? possilbly a guy like capuano cold be on the bubble of pen vs. SP, but on the team and IMO he has to be in the rotation. Will not work well in the pen, and regardless of what Baron says, he is not a loogy!
metsfan4decades
2/13/2011-10:26am at 10:26 am (UTC -4)
Does it really matter what kind of ST Ollie has? The only way I think he’s got any kind of legitimate shot at making the starting 5 is if that FB is consistently in the low 90s AND he’s effective out there for just about every start. From what I read during his winter ball stint though that didn’t seem to be the case.
stickguy
2/13/2011-10:38am at 10:38 am (UTC -4)
all reason and logic says no, but this is baseball (and the mets!) and we all know that sometimes strange things happen.
not trying to compare them, but do you remember a few years back in Cleveland, when Lee was coming off of a terrible year, spent time in the minors, and there was talk that he might just be DFA’d in the spring?
well, that was they year he won the Cy Young. So yeah, strange things can happen (like Bautista joinging the 50 HR club after never hitting more than 15 before that)