Feb 22
Video: Highlights From Today’s Mets Intrasquad Game
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56 comments
Stick
2/22/2013-4:44pm at 4:44 pm (UTC -4)
Will Daniel Murphy be the Wally Pipp of his generation?
go Wilmer!
kingman 26
2/23/2013-1:20pm at 1:20 pm (UTC -4)
No–Wally Pipp was a very good player.
Stick
2/22/2013-4:49pm at 4:49 pm (UTC -4)
Flores has a real nice swing. He does remind me a bit of Alfonso after all. Edgardo IMO was the best pure hitter the system has produced, and it was such a shame that his back derailed his career at such a young age.
Spin cruched that ball. I still think he should be getting a crash course in CF all spring, just in case!
And Tovar is really, really short. But seems very solid. more like one of those 5’9″, 215# RBs in football.
gategem
2/23/2013-12:50am at 12:50 am (UTC -4)
It’s a shame Tovar doesn’t have a large offensive line blocking for him.
Stick
2/23/2013-2:37pm at 2:37 pm (UTC -4)
just have him run behind Duda. He should be able to clear a big hole.
Bryan
2/22/2013-5:02pm at 5:02 pm (UTC -4)
Typical Metsblog error, according to Adam Rubin’s box score, it was Andrew Brown in left field who would have made that catch, Cesar Puello was in RF.
srt
2/22/2013-5:19pm at 5:19 pm (UTC -4)
And they’re down there watching it first hand, no less.
I guess all prospects look alike? lol.
kingman 26
2/23/2013-1:22pm at 1:22 pm (UTC -4)
The guys who run Metsblog are simply pathetic in every way they possibly can be.
I have stopped even visiting that site, as it is a total abomination of errors, terrible writing, zero accountability, and just generally 10th grade level stuff.
They SUCK.
Stick
2/23/2013-2:37pm at 2:37 pm (UTC -4)
I just go to look at the pretty pictures.
kingman 26
2/23/2013-3:26pm at 3:26 pm (UTC -4)
Yes, when Baron posts drooling worshipful shots of the inside of Wright’s hat from multiple angles, Ansel Adams gets VERY jealous.
HobokenMetsFan
2/22/2013-5:24pm at 5:24 pm (UTC -4)
Just nice to see professional baseball even if its still Feb. Warm weather is not too far away.
Stick
2/22/2013-6:18pm at 6:18 pm (UTC -4)
OT, but watching the local (Philly) news, and the big sports lead is the “controversy” with papalban. Seems he recently called out the team for having no leadership last year, and panicking (top to bottom, including the FO).
Nice to see other teams having some drama too!
Mr North Jersey
2/22/2013-6:30pm at 6:30 pm (UTC -4)
Off Topic: I wanted to share this video of the Blue Jays President Paul Beeston because what he says is what I think the Mets are in a similar fashion attempting to do.
I would be interesting in hearing everyone’s thoughts.
http://youtu.be/wMr02fVJvVk?t=43s
greggofboken
2/22/2013-10:48pm at 10:48 pm (UTC -4)
I imagine that session was very much the dream of what the Mets front office hopes they’ll be able to say…..and, yes, the model seems the same.
There’s one substantial difference in the way the Jays have gone about their business and what we’re seeing in Queens. Anthopolous seems to be a much bolder mover than what I’m seeing out of Sandy & Co. Anthopoulos’s trade of Halladay in a big, bold splashy move as soon as he stepped into the GM role (after Ricciardi elected to stand pat at the deadline rather than deal him that same year) is a different animal than the Mets’ trading of either Beltran or Dickey. Similarly, contrast the trade of Vernon Wells with the Mets’ eating of Bay’s contract. Anthopoulos is a higher risk guy it seems (witness also his trade of Napoli from the Wells deal for our own Frank Francisco). He’s not afraid to go big, even if it could blow up in his face.
By comparison, Alderson & Company are far more circumspect. How much of this is his personal M.O., how much is the franchise’s aversion to risk given the state they were in when Minaya left and the financial constrictions of the Madoff mess, and how much is it the function of what seems to be a more collective decision-making process with lots of people deliberating and having voices? My guess is all three. They’re a conservative group.
This could put the Mets on a safer, but more slowly evolving track — AA got his Jays to the point where they now find themselves in 3 years. Will Sandy’s results pay off that quickly? (And yes…..the Jays’ situation and the Mets’ were quite different….so it’s not an apples-to-apples comparison.)
Stick
2/22/2013-11:06pm at 11:06 pm (UTC -4)
^^thus.
Hazmet
2/23/2013-10:47am at 10:47 am (UTC -4)
Toronto also doesn’t need to operate in the NY Media market and we’re still yet to see if anything they’ve done equates to a successful 2013. Based on last year all the daring by their GM equated to a season with one more loss than the Mets last year. So it will be intersting to see if the chemistry works for them and 2013 is a pivot point for Toronto, or, if they traded 2 of their best prospects to Sandy for the services of an old pitcher on a team where all the pickups dont’t translate chemistry wise. Should be some fun viewing in 2013.
Stick
2/23/2013-2:40pm at 2:40 pm (UTC -4)
as long as they beat the yankees, I could care less what happens to Toronto!
gategem
2/23/2013-8:49pm at 8:49 pm (UTC -4)
“Chemistry” in baseball is vastly overrated. There have been teams in baseball history where the venom among the players flowed freely toward each other yet the team won.
greggofboken
2/23/2013-9:39pm at 9:39 pm (UTC -4)
By chemistry, i took the meaning to be the right mixture of talent rather than a harmonious clubhouse. Until the Jays actually prove otherwise, it’s an open question. I suspect it’ll work — at least well enough to take them into postseason play.
Hazmet
2/23/2013-9:59pm at 9:59 pm (UTC -4)
Yes, I’m a firm believer in talent trumps all but one of the first things to rise up when a club is going bad is chemistry and then teams get pounded on by the media daily about chemistry until it can grind a team into dust. ie – Remember forever reading about the Delgado, Beltran Block vs. the Wagner and maybe, maybe not Wright block and where does Reyes fall in this and blah blah blah and the discussion of chemistry wore on the team as a non-existent factor became a detrimental reality. Ask Terry Francona how he feels about chemistry or last years Marlins as they imploded. I think long ago teams that had rosters that hated each other but were successful were more prevalent because players weren’t paid what they are today and they had to put up with each other in order to get a bigger yearly paycheck by way of a postseason winners check. No team in my recent memory comes to mind as being successful yet hating each other in the locker room. As today’s atheletes have a greater ability to call the shots based on their paychecks and guaranteed contracts chemistry, or good/bad attitudes, may actually play more of a role in success than in years past.
gategem
2/23/2013-10:30pm at 10:30 pm (UTC -4)
It wasn’t chemistry that doomed the 2011 RedSox or last year’s Marlins. The players could have gone camping and sung Kumbaya and they still would have failed. The RedSox were an aging team with injuries coupled with players that could care less about the game results. Certainly the ones that ordered pizza and played cards during the games were great buddies. With the Marlins you had new players pressing to live up to their salaries and hype coupled with injuries but mostly that team was dismantled before giving it a chance to improve. And most players are extremely vain and even with large salaries find it important to outperform other players. As I said chemistry in baseball is vastly overrated. But let’s say we agree to disagree.
Stick
2/23/2013-10:52pm at 10:52 pm (UTC -4)
put me on the chemistry follows the losing, not the other way around, side of the fence.
3doza33
2/22/2013-8:22pm at 8:22 pm (UTC -4)
Flores is gonna make everyone that underestimated him look silly this year! A 21 year old that can hit like he does should never be left off the top 100 prospects list! He is clearly our best position prospect and anyone that doesn’t see his potential should re think the way they evaluate talent! He always makes contact and is very hard to strike out. The kids power finally showed up last year and is only gonna get better! There’s no way cechinni and nimo should be ranked higher than him either.. They have a long way to go and Flores is just about ready for the show. Don’t tell me he doesn’t have a position. He’s a fine third baseman. Soft hands and a good arm. Just because they are trying to force 2nd base on him everyone thinks he’s a bad fielder. He’s a hell of an insurance plan if DW gets hurt. Injuries do happen! At worst he will jump up the scouting rankings this year and we can trade him next year when he’s a top ranked still young super prospect! Flores is a beast! Pumped the season is here and we can watch our prospects climb the rankings!
Stick
2/22/2013-8:37pm at 8:37 pm (UTC -4)
I think lack of defensive position had a lot to do with the rankings. And probably he gets downgraded as a 3B because he is blocked (though in theory that should not make any difference).
I agree though that this is the year he breaks out. Just really curious to know where it is going to be.
TX
2/22/2013-10:57pm at 10:57 pm (UTC -4)
Agreed. Unless he has a position, he’s basically a DH. Really hope he switches to 2B and grabs it by the proverbial horns.
Stick
2/22/2013-11:08pm at 11:08 pm (UTC -4)
Flores moving into 2B and running with it is my big hope right now (fixation? Obsession? one of those!)
if he can do that, huge boost to the team to get a potential high-end RH bat in the lineup for years to come.
darknova306
2/23/2013-1:18am at 1:18 am (UTC -4)
I’m so incredibly hopeful that Flores can supplant the Irish Butcher at 2B for years to come. Murphy is expensive mediocrity, and Flores can HIT. Let’s do this!
gategem
2/23/2013-1:33am at 1:33 am (UTC -4)
Provided he can hit a major league breaking ball. That pitch has been the bane of many a prospect.
darknova306
2/23/2013-1:35am at 1:35 am (UTC -4)
True. Still, we can hope. Murphy is mediocre trash. We want someone at 2B that isn’t garbage. I’m willing to put my eggs in Flores’ basket (that’s what she said?).
Stick
2/23/2013-2:42pm at 2:42 pm (UTC -4)
true Gate. But, as far as I can tell, it has not been a problem in the minors, so that is a good sign. As is the fact that he did not K much. I worry a lot more about guys that are strikeout machines in the minors. That rarely translates well.
Hazmet
2/23/2013-10:39am at 10:39 am (UTC -4)
Flores suffers from a high exclamation point to period ratio other than that I’m all in. j/k – I’m on board with your enthusiasm. I’ve been waiting for the day Wilmer is on the verge. When he was in Savannah I tried to line up business trips to see him there but couldn’t make it happen. He’ll be more than serviceable at 2B and I feel he’ll only get better over time. Most scouts a few years ago projected him to corner OF but let him loose at 2B and see what he’s got. He’s done OK in milb at 2B. Like GG states he’ll need to adjust to breaking stuff but I’m still waiting for Ike to prove he can handle breaking stuff from lefties and he’s been in the bigs part of 3 years now. Give Wilmer some time to start the season in Vegas and hopefully we’ll see him up in Flushing later this year. Different type players but the thought of Wally prepping Wilmer for a major league career at 2B could work very nicely before his unveiling.
Stick
2/23/2013-2:44pm at 2:44 pm (UTC -4)
good point about Ike. And IMO it is usually a much bigger issue for LH batters (that is, LHP tend to eat up LHB more so than right vs. right.)
gategem
2/23/2013-9:01pm at 9:01 pm (UTC -4)
There are many more right handed people in this world than left handed people. Right handed hitters have much more experience facing right handed pitchers as they develop than left handed hitters facing left handed pitchers. Also there are not many great curveball pitchers in AA.
kingman 26
2/23/2013-1:28pm at 1:28 pm (UTC -4)
One thing you forget is that defense is indeed a large component of the game of baseball.
I agree his offense has great potential, but pitching-based teams–which this clearly will be for the foreseeable future–need a lot of really good defense.
We already have defensive issues at 2B and in at least LF…we do not need more of them.
I agree that he should be tried at 2B seriously, as we could then have improved offense at the position while not adding another position to the defensively challenged ranks.
Stick
2/23/2013-3:00pm at 3:00 pm (UTC -4)
It will be interesting to see him in person this spring. Hopefully one of the TV games coincides with him playing 2B.
In terms of defense, my understanding is that he was a good SS, just with limited range. Instincts, glove, arm were all fine. it was just a worry about lack of range that got him moved.
so at 2B, should be less of an issue. Basically, best case is a smooth 2B that makes all the plays he can get to, but he won’t be making the spectacular plays and flashing great range. But, IMO that is fine at 2B if you have a good SS and 1B flanking him, and he is putting up big offensive #s.
I guess I just don’t worry about him being a butcher, but range will be the issue.
kingman 26
2/23/2013-3:24pm at 3:24 pm (UTC -4)
How much worse than Murph can he be?
And if he can continue to improve offensively?
Dream scenario for 2B.
Hazmet
2/23/2013-3:46pm at 3:46 pm (UTC -4)
Exactly, and in the minors his fielding percentage was .990 ish at 2B in around 100+ games. Give him time at the position and boost that a little and for me that’s serviceable.
Hope it’s not to snowy up North today.
gategem
2/23/2013-9:52pm at 9:52 pm (UTC -4)
Turning the doubleplay will be essential in Flores development as a 2nd baseman. I’m hoping the kids development continues but even though I’m not a major Murphy supporter he’s not a major problem on this ballclub. He’s more than tolerable at 2nd base.
srt
2/23/2013-9:48am at 9:48 am (UTC -4)
Regarding the first ST game today:
For those out of the SNY area it’s also on MLB network so if you get that station, you’re in luck.
Hey batter
2/23/2013-10:36am at 10:36 am (UTC -4)
Or if you have directv you can get SNY wherever you live. Watch every Mets game from the comfy of my recliner and go to the games in SF when they are in town.
kingman 26
2/23/2013-1:29pm at 1:29 pm (UTC -4)
Microscopic sample, but one has to like what Wheeler showed today, especially after starting a bit shakily.
srt
2/23/2013-7:24pm at 7:24 pm (UTC -4)
First couple of batters looked like ovethrowing – probably due to nerves.
Nice pitching overall, except for Marcum.
gategem
2/23/2013-10:02pm at 10:02 pm (UTC -4)
Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule at MMO to post at this blog. You might want to bring over some of your compatriots. While I don’t post over there I will skim through some of their writings and you might want to inform Matt Balasis that people that write articles concerning other peoples wining are themselves guilty of wining.
srt
2/24/2013-9:20am at 9:20 am (UTC -4)
Oh, that is just cruel. lol.
I’ve posted here daily since the beginning and it’s my first read of the day. I’m also a regular on AA and yes…MMO.
srt
2/24/2013-9:21am at 9:21 am (UTC -4)
But have to agree with you. MMO attracts some of the biggest whiners I’ve ever read. I usually don’t bother with those comments.
kingman 26
2/24/2013-9:36am at 9:36 am (UTC -4)
MMO attracts some of the most vile, ignorant, outcast losers in creation.
How you and TRS spend time there getting pummeled by people who are losers of the highest magnitude will always rank right up there with the beginning of time and the extent of the universe as the biggest mysteries which my mind simply cannot comprehend.
srt
2/24/2013-10:00am at 10:00 am (UTC -4)
Can’t speak for TRS but for me…there’s only a very small handful over there who should have been banned long ago. I ignore those posters. The rest bring some very interesting conversation and debates to the table.
kingman 26
2/24/2013-10:18am at 10:18 am (UTC -4)
Well, to each his/her own, and you know how highly I think of you.
For me, just being in the presence of some of those people clearly would ruin the entire experience.
I have even quit Metsblog, and now only come here (and ESPN, Star Ledger, NY Times, MLBTR) and never comment anywhere else anymore.
I just cannot take being in the presence of what I call the aggressively ignorant.
And no one is more aggressively ignorant that those folks over there.
srt
2/24/2013-10:31am at 10:31 am (UTC -4)
I understand where you’re coming from.
That’s the same reason I haven’t been over to metsblog since sometime early last year.
stiner21
4/14/2013-12:00am at 12:00 am (UTC -4)
well, you may want to take that extra step and use a spell-checker before you go ahead and post an ignorant statement. I don’t know what a “winer” is…??? And Matt Balasis has more talent than you’ll ever stand next to. I’d love to see you get an exclusive interview from Sandy.
Darknova
2/23/2013-9:07pm at 9:07 pm (UTC -4)
It’s not just a small sample, it’s also a Spring Training sample, making it even less relevant. Still, it’s fun to see baseball being played again.
gategem
2/23/2013-10:12pm at 10:12 pm (UTC -4)
I don’t know if the stats back me up but I’ve always thought that teams comprised of young, talented people that have yet to establish themselves play harder and perform at a higher level in ST than veteran teams where the players are just prepping themselves for the upcoming season. If you’re a poor ballclub with attendance problems then winning in ST is essential to fool the fans into purchasing tickets. But it’s nice to see baseball again.
Stick
2/23/2013-10:56pm at 10:56 pm (UTC -4)
there are fans that wait until they see the team win a few games in ST before deciding to get tickets?
Certainly true though that you can get “scammed” looking at ST stats. Young guys tend to go all out trying to win a job, while established vets just take it easy and get into shape, and work on “stuff”.
all of which changes opening day, where often your rookie ST star comes crashing back to earth.
darknova306
2/24/2013-1:31am at 1:31 am (UTC -4)
Winning in Spring Training isn’t going to get you many more tickets than you were already going to get. And you can’t just ‘will yourself’ into a bunch of ST wins because you think it’ll sell tickets. If a team could do that, then they’d do it in the regular season to sell even more tickets.
As we say every year, ST results mean nothing outside of the health of the players. My comment earlier was just focused on pointing out how ST results shouldn’t be looked at as a boost to a high level prospect’s future just because you want it to be. ST is still meaningless. Baseball is back, that’s all that should matter.
gategem
2/24/2013-5:42am at 5:42 am (UTC -4)
You can’t will yourself to play better in ST but managers can control the playing time of given players and prospects with the manager approaching the game from a different viewpoint than if he is ambivalent. Again, prospects trying to impress and marginal players trying to make a team will play harder than veterans just preparing for the season. BTW me and the gf just got home from a night out. Not bad for a 70 year old geezer?
srt
2/24/2013-9:25am at 9:25 am (UTC -4)
For me, Wins and Losses in ST are meaningless.
ST is for individual evaluation. Who is healthy, who might not be, competition for some positions, pitchers making sure all their pitchers are working before opening day, new pitchers getting used to new catchers……things of that nature.
Sure is fun though to watch Met baseball again and just like regular games, I find myself rooting for them to win in ST games as well.