TOMMY, PLATE DISCIPLINE? USUALLY BEST INDICATED IN OBP. NO?

REYES’ CARRER OBP .337 Vs PAGAN @ .325. REYES BEST .358 IN ’08 WORST WAS MISERABLE .271 IN ’04

PAGAN’S CAREER OBP .325 WITH A BEST OF .346 ALSO IN ’08 WORST OF .306 FROM BOTH ’06 & ’07.
REYES HAS AVG’D 37 BB PER YR Vs PAGAN @ 13.25 PER WHILE ANGEL CERTAINLY Ks FEWER TIMES @ 28 PER AVG Vs REYES’ 45 PER.

I DON’T SEE PAGAN AS AN ACTUAL “GAME CHANGER” ala REYES. THIS YR IS HIS FIRST WITH MORE THAN 200 AB IN HIS 4 YR MAJOR LEAGUE CAREER. REYES CONTINUES TO BE THE MOST UNDER APPRECIATED PLAYER ON THIS TEAM. HIS VALUE HAS BEEN MASKED BY ALL OF THE MISSING INGREDIANTS THIS YR, UNFORTUNATLY HIS ABILITY TO IMPROVE THE STATS OF WHOMEVER IS BATTING #2 ISN’T BEING ULTIMIZED BY A LIGHT HITTING SLAP HITTER CASTILLO, RATHER PAGAN BEHIND REYES WOULD LIKELY ADD 30 PTS TO PAGAN’S NUMBERS DUE TO STEADY FASTBALL DIET. PLEASE DON’T TRY TO CRITICIZE JOSE FOR BASERUNNING BLUNDERS IN THE SAME POST U R RALLYING BEHIND ANGEL WHO’S BASERUNNING FOPARS ARE ONLY EXCEEDED BY MARVIN THRONEBERRY.

I WISH THE ECCONOMICS OF THE NYM REALITY SUPPORTED THE CHANGES YOU PROPOSE; BUT OTHER THAN YOUR POINT ON PAGAN & REYES, I’M IN FAVOR OF IT THOUGH I DOUBT CASTILLO IS MOVABLE, MAINE WOULD HAVE TO PITCH THIS SEASON TO HAVE ANY VALUE. PERSONALLY, I BELIEVE A PAYROLL BUFGET TO 120-130M IS IN THE OFFING & DOUBT THAT COULD ACCOMODATE ALL OF YOUR WISHES, NO MATTER HOW PROMISING OR PRODUCTIVE.

I disagree wholeheartedly that Reyes is not “smart enough” to be a no. 2 hitter. That’s quite demeaning language. The fact that he’s impulsive and electric doesn’t necessarily diminish his cognitive capacity. Indeed, he may not adapt to a no. 2 role…so feel free to invert nos. 1 and 2, and have Pagan bat second if that works better. Rather, I believe Reyes’ “recklessness” works against him, and that the no. 2 slot would impose some discipline on his ABs.

Further, you sell Daniel Murphy quite short. He’s an excellent contact hitter who could thrive in the right situation. Bear in mind, that if we’re developing from within, Ike Davis should be ready to assume 1st base duties, and Murphy could morph (sorry) into a supersub of sorts (sorry, again).

Aaaannnd, if the Wilpons really want to invest their money wisely, in 2011 they will snap-up Carl Crawford, and make Pagan the supersub in the outfield, at the ready anytime Beltran’s knees get achy.

Omir Santos is a gamer, I’ll just leave it at that. Piazza has retired.

Be patient, Mets Fan. How’s this line-up for 2011?

Crawford
Reyes
Wright
Beltran
Phillips
Ike Davis
Francouer
Santos/Thole.

Bench: Thole, Pagan, Murphy, Merton, AHern.

I kinda like it.

Reyes is not smart enough to be a 2 hitter.
His recklessness better suits him for the leadoff spot, hitting number 2 you have sometimes have to take pitches to allow the leadoff guy to steal..he won’t do that. Hitting 2nd also sometimes takes situational hitting and that’s not Reyes. Hitting second will also take away from Reyes’ running game. Late in a game if he’s hitting second, gets a hit and steals 2B you increase the chances of the 3rd or 4th hitter being intentionally walked. Leave Reyes in the leadoff spot so he can do his thing.

- I’m not convinced yet of Pagan as a starter and he’s not too bright upstairs as well. Pagan & Reyes are not a championship 1 & 2 duo.
- Murphy is not a starter, he’s a backup/platoon player.
- I would prefer Francoeur up in the lineup more to get more ABs. I don’t subscribe to someone anchoring the bottom of the order because the lower you are in the order, the less ABs you get. You want your good hitters up in the lineup as much as possible. Francoeur should hit no lower than 6. Of course if we get 2 sluggers or a slugger and a number 2 hitter than Francoeur would hit lower by default and that’s a good problem. If I remember correctly, Hojo used to hit 7th sometimes and hit 30+ Hrs.
- Don’t be so sure Thole is ready to be on the roster in 2010, geez, we haven’t even seen him yet.
- Santos is another backup

1. We sign Matt Murton, who can platoon either with Cory Sullivan or Chris Carter;

2. We invest the money we would have spent for a FA import, such as Matt Holliday or Jason Bay, in a top-tier starter, such as Roy Halladay.

3. We trade for Brandon Phillips, who would offset the loss in power we might otherwise expect from a corner outfield position.

4. Pagan bats leadoff and Reyes bats second. Pagan has better plate discipline, and Reyes would be required to have better plate discipline as the No. 2 hitter. He would also be protected in the lineup, presuming Wright is hitting behind him.

5. The lineup looks something like this:

LF – Pagan
ss – Reyes
3b – Wright
CF – Beltran
2b – Phillips*
1b – Murphy
RF – Francouer
C – Santos/Thole
P – Santana, Halladay, Pelfrey, Ollie/Niese, Maine/Nieve

Comments:

*Kiss F-Mart & Maine good-bye and trade Castillo while he has credible value.

I really want Brandon Phillips on our team. He has an effervescence remiscient of Mookie. He loves the game and would be a great teammate to guys like Francouer and Wright.

Francouer bats 7th to anchor the lower 3rd of the line-up with some power production.

1) His base-running – He needs plenty of work here. I’ve also seen him blatantly ignore 3B coach Razor Shines as well.
2) His fielding – a CFer needs to take charge and as recently as the other day vs. Cubs he backed off to let a back-peddling Castillo try and catch a ball that was his.

His over-all baseball smarts need a good tune-up to take him to the next level. If he can do that then he may be able to become a starter, if not, he’s a good career 4th outfielder. He has talent but he plays the game like a backup.

If Mets get an outfielder Pagan is bench, Murphy starter @ first and batting second.