2012 NY Mets Thread - "Hard Times"

[EmpireWF]

No random thoughts, so deal with the gloom of a Mets thread. But since the season has not begun yet, it's a hope filled spring.

A good outing from top pitching prospect Matt Harvey...

[EmpireWF]

Mets lefty reliever Tim Byrdak is having meniscus surgery and is out for at least 6 weeks.

[Mogriffjr]

Mets have brought Josh Edgin to Major League camp as a result of the Byrd going down...he was there but was a NRI I recall...Mets seem to really like him to bring him along despite not pitching above A ball IIRC...

He has to beat out immortal LOOGY's like Danny Ray Herrera, Garrett Olson, Chuck James and......possibly.....CJ MF'ING NITKOWSKI..

[EmpireWF]

Mets re-assigned Matt Harvey, Jeurys Familia, Armando Rodriguez, Robert Carson, Wilmer Flores, Juan Lagares, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Reese Havens, Josh Stinson and Matt Den Dekker to minor league camp.

[IamMedellin]

[Mogriffjr]

So the Mets are limping into the regular season *what else is new*..


the latest is coming from CF Andres Torres, who left yesterday's game with a calf injury. The backup was Scott Hairston, who has been injured with an oblique. It gets better.

The Mets have Mike Baxter and Adam Loewen (yes former pitcher now OF/1B) but both have been said to be butchers in the field.

It gets even better....

Jason Bay is a candidate for CF

Collins has said he would like our top 2B prospect Jordany Valdespin to get some reps in CF because he's the best athlete in camp.

Right now, there's no clue who will man CF when opening day hits. It maybe Torres if he can recover in time. The longshot appears to be Valdespin, but he may have the tools to become a CF but he will be learning on the spot.

[Mogriffjr]

Also Santana is looking GREAT so far this spring.

6IP, 6K's, 0BB's against a Cards lineup that was basically their OD lineup. Good stuff.

Even better is he was sitting around 88-89 MPH and according to Jim Duquette, was throwing 91-92 later in the ballgame

I still can't count on Santana giving a season worth of starts but having him at the top of the rotation with Dickey, Niese, Gee, Pelfrey is a solid rotation.

[EmpireWF]

Jon Heyman tweets the Mets are looking to trade Mike Pelfrey.


*For a bag of M&M's perhaps?

[EmpireWF]

25-Man Opening Day Mets Roster Prediction…..

Rotation

1. Johan Santana
2. R.A. Dicket
3. Jon Niese
4. Mike Pelfrey
5. Dillon Gee

Pretty much all set, thankfully. Only wildcard is the unlikely event they try and cut bait with Pelfrey. Doubt it.

Bullpen

6. Frank Francisco (closer)
7. Jon Rauch (set-up)
8. Ramon Ramirez
9. Manny Acosta
10. Bobby Parnell
11. Miguel Batista or D.J. Carrasco
12. Garrett Olson or Josh Edgin

The back-end of the pen is set with Francisco as closer, Rauch setting up and Ramirez in the 7th. Tim Byrdak's injury opens the door for Olson as the lefty specialist. If D.J. Carrasco isn't healthy, then expect Miguel Batisa to make the team as a long relief pitcher. Wildcard could be young minor league LHP Josh Edgin who's had a good spring since joining big league camp.

Line-Up

13. CF Andres Torres
14. 2B Daniel Murphy
15. 3B David Wright
16. 1B Ike Davis
17. LF Jason Bay
18. RF Lucas Duda
19. C Josh Tole
20. SS Ruben Tejada

Only question will be whether Torres is healthy enough to start the year. If he cannot, sounds like one of the young guys will take that spot.

Bench

21. C Mike Nickeas
22. IF Ronny Cedeno
23. IF Justin Turner
24. OF Scott Hairston
25. OF Mike Baxter or OF Adam Loewen or OF Kirk Nieuwenhaus or Matt den Dekker

The only question appears to be how CF shakes out. As mentioned before, Torres' status is in doubt as he could begin the year on the DL. Then that means Scott Hairston is next in line, but the problem there is he's dealt with his own injuries all spring and may not be ready for opening day either. If he isn't, sounds like the Mets want an experienced fielder in center which would open the door for either Mets prospect Nieuwenhaus or den Dekker (Nieuwenhaus has had his share of injuries over the past year or else he'd probably already be up and den Dekker has only spent some time at Double-A). Otherwise, if Hairston and/or Torres are able to break camp healthy, they would likely keep Baxter or Loewen and send the two prospects back to the minors to start the year.

[Mogriffjr]

It seems to me that Edgin is the leader at this point. He's been lights out this spring and his only hiccups have been due to poor defense behind him...he throws mid 90's with a nice slider...

Now TC says Byrdie is possibly closing to getting back on the mound...the only way Edgin doesn't make the team is if Byrd comes back...then I think they will try Olsen for a bit to see if he can hold fort or be effect, all the while having Edgin as the insurance down in AAA.

CF is very interesting. Torres seems like he maybe close and Hairston just took BP today so he maybe close to coming back. TC has said he wanted a true CF and they brought back den Dekker...they don't want to rush him as he still has a ways to go with his bat...he's hitting way below the Mendoza line right now but his glove is there...he's the best CF by all accounts. Kirk is making his way back from his injury so I don't think he's an option.

It's either Baxter or Loewen. Baxter has been hiting over .300 in spring but he provides no pop, Loewen is a power bat and they seem not worried about him striking out in half of his AB's so far...it's a matter of choice and it has been thought that Loewen would get the nod over Baxter.

[EmpireWF]

1. RHP Zach Wheeler tweeted he's going to AA Binghamton to start 2012. Adam Rubin suggests their rotation will feature Wheeler, Mark Cohoon, Darin Gorski, Collin McHugh and Greg Peavey.

2. CF Andres Torres still may start the season on the DL.

3. RHP Miguel Batista has made the team.

MetsBlog suggest the opening day bullpen will include: Batista, Frank Francisco, Jon Rauch, Manny Acosta, Bobby Parnell, Ramon Ramirez and LHP Danny Hererra. (Byrdak is recovering from the injury and D.J. Carrasco is coming back from an ankle deal)

If Torres is on the DL, Hairson is expected to start at CF with Vinny Rottino then making the 25-man. The bench would also feature C Nickeas, OF Baxter, IF Cedeno and 2B Turner.

[EmpireWF]

Mets are closing in on a long-term deal with Jon Niese which would eat up all his arbitration years and his first year of free agency.

Plus, rumors going around that the team may have a "short" leash on Bay out of the gate if he starts slow. I can't see them cutting him (he has $32 million coming to him) but it made it seem like a platoon could be in order.

He's been terrible in the spring (under 10 hits) and if it carries over, hopefully they are prepared to do whats best.

[Mogriffjr]

Mets are closing in on a long-term deal with Jon Niese which would eat up all his arbitration years and his first year of free agency.

Plus, rumors going around that the team may have a "short" leash on Bay out of the gate if he starts slow. I can't see them cutting him (he has $32 million coming to him) but it made it seem like a platoon could be in order.

He's been terrible in the spring (under 10 hits) and if it carries over, hopefully they are prepared to do whats best.

Bay's going to ruin plenty of rallies...

He's going to split the lefties up...so it's Wright/Davis/Bay/Duda and it fucking sucks, because he's shown NOTHING...seems to be even worse then the start of last year...I'd take Bay from last year for 300 AB's as a platoon...ugh.

[IamMedellin]

We'll be ok :duda:

[EmpireWF]

Torres & Byrdak will make the opening day roster sending Herrera and Rottino to the minors.