Terry Collins Confirms His Lineup (Almost)

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• Jerry M January 16, 2011 at 11:14 pm

  Well Terry was true to his not naming who will be the 2nd baseman, but I think that he has in his mind who he would like. The only thing he needs to know is that person able to play defensivly at 2nd base. He will then name that person in ST. Hey Castillo has to be given a least a chance to play in ST.Emaus and Turner can play 2nd base. Whose left Daniel Murphy………..
  • Bayonne Mets Fan January 16, 2011 at 11:47 pm

    You forgot to mention the name of the other kid that will be competing for the job, you know the one..the one that Daniel Murphy will never be as good as defensively.

    You know who he is, in fact he played last year for the team amid a lot of glowing reviews from broadcasters and post game reporters alike.
    • Chris January 17, 2011 at 1:46 am

      lol.
    • Donal January 17, 2011 at 10:56 am

      You mean Ruben Tejada, who has never seen a breaking ball he couldn’t chase?

      How about we give him some time in the minors, mmmkay?
      • Bayonne Mets Fan January 17, 2011 at 11:05 am

        maybe,

        But we’ll see in spring training first.
        • Donal January 17, 2011 at 11:20 am

          Hey, if he outperforms everyone* and shows vast improvement in plate discipline, why not?

          *assuming that its because he got that much better rather than everyone got that bad. If its the latter, than there is still no point in promoting him.
      • t agee January 17, 2011 at 11:55 am

        Tejada was pretty good about NOT chasing the breaking ball. His difficulty was with the harder stuff especially up and inner half. His OB was .92 better than his BA. Nothing wrong with his eye, just needs to learn to get the higher strike called a ball and lay off it or increase the strength in his hands so they don’t get knocked off the bat when he doesn’t hit it perfect.
        • Donal January 17, 2011 at 1:45 pm

          I knew it was something he couldn’t handle. But ya, let him figure that out first. He’s still young and has time. Let him get that fixed. Maybe have Rickey Henderson teach him how to milk a strike zone.
    • alwaysnextyear January 17, 2011 at 1:19 pm

      could it be……. Satan?
• Hitman January 16, 2011 at 11:53 pm

  From what I see, I’d suggest Terry make a few alterations to that lineup:

  -Switch Reyes and Pagan depending on the pitching matchup. Reyes is a .302 hitter Vs LHP while Pagan is a .289 hitter Vs RHP. Why not just switch it up at the top of the lineup?

  -Switch Bay & Davis. I’d rather see Davis between two boppers like Beltran & Bay.

  1. Pagan
  2. Reyes
  3. Wright
  4. Beltran
  5. Davis
  6. Bay
  7. Emaus (my guess right now to win the 2B spot)
  8. Thole
  • Brandon Butler January 17, 2011 at 9:26 am

    I agree that Josh Thole will be the starting catcher. As far as 2nd base goes, i think the race for 2nd base will go down to Murphy, and Emaus. I just am not sure at this point whom i would choose though.
  • vinnie papandrea January 17, 2011 at 9:33 am

    Everything I read about Emaus and Josh Turner for that matter, sounds like they would be good # 2′s (even Murphy) with Reyes 1 and Pagan 3 and everyone else moving down , it’s not a bad lineup. I hope we could Pitch. Capuano could be the offseason steal
  • METS62FAN January 17, 2011 at 9:50 am

    Hitter, Angel has been that good for how long now? Sorry; but Jose is the quintessential leadoff hitter on this team with Angerl the #2 wingman; however I read the entire Post article & only recall TC’s st\ipulating 1-6 whre Bay’s superior career BA makes hiom a clearcut superir #5 to Ike; howeverr, I’m lostr as to whry anyone would put the Catching options @ 7 with the 2B options #8 when to me clearly the direct opposite is called for considering the personnel involved in the NL 7,8,9 comprise mostly the inconsequential third of the lineup where the most difficult slot is 8 where opposing pitchdemand u hit ONLY their pitch,ONLT where they put it, IMO the successful 8 is patient & not self involved ooy of PAULINO,THOLE,CASTILLO,EMAUS,MURPHY,HU the most likely 8 candidates are the last 4 who ALL seem well suited esp as CASTILLO,MURPHY,EMAUS all have exhibited great zone knowledge compiling good to excellent K::BB rates, HU as a defensive option is a minor consideration offensively in any slot.
    My preferred lineup has always been:
    REYES(SWH)
    PAGAN(SWH)
    WRIGHT(RHH)
    BELTRAN(SWH)
    BAY(RHH)
    DAVIS(LHH)
    PAULINO(RHH)/THOLE(LHH)
    CASTILLO(SWH)/EMAUS(RHH)/MURPHY(LHH)
    PITCHER
    I fully anticipate the frontoffice edge goes to Emaus(obvious Riccardi pick) and should Murphy show as defensivly servicable Emaus would pair-up well for a defensivly adequate, offensively dangerous platoon(HU to the late inning defensive rescue!) BEST CASE scenerio is EMAUS/MURPHY prove out as slightly less powerful UGGLAesque 2B.
• Lifelongmetsfan January 17, 2011 at 2:59 am

  The Mets didn’t sign Jason Bay to a long term Mega Million Dollar contract to have him hit #6 in their lineup.
  • francis January 17, 2011 at 4:00 am

    thay also didn’t sign him to that contract to hit .250 with 8hrs and 45 rbis, but that’s what happened.

    if he puts up .280/35/120, or if batters 1-5 get hurt, he won’t be batting 6th
    • Brandon Butler January 17, 2011 at 9:29 am

      Agreed. They didn’t sign him just so he can struggle throughout the year (up to the point when he got hurt). I agree that if one guy in the lineup gets hurt, and Jason Bay starts being the “Old Jason Bay” we knew he was from Boston, then i think he move from batting 6th in the lineup.
      • Hitman January 17, 2011 at 12:56 pm

        If he plays like the “Old Jason Bay”, more specifically the ’09 Jason Bay, he would be money in the 6th spot.

        2009: .296/.429/.605/1.035

        This was his line in the 6th spot, which he was in the 2nd most times (he batted cleanup the most). 12 of the 36 HRs he hit that year was in the 6th spot (he also has 12 HRs batting cleanup). If Ike Davis manages to show more discipline by cutting down on the strikeouts (which I predict he will) as well as the “Old Jason Bay” showing up in ’11, it won’t make a difference who’s 5th & 6th. Right now though, my choice would be to have Ike 5th & Bay 6th.
        • Bayonne Mets Fan January 17, 2011 at 1:02 pm

          If we get the old Jason Bay back then there’s your team leader. And if Beltran can play like his old self, without the knee brace, I think you’ll see a new Beltran and if things are going good he can be a leader type as well.
          • Mr North Jersey January 17, 2011 at 1:08 pm

            I’ll let the Mets decide who is a team leader I hope they base it more than just cause he hits well but if Bay hits like he did in Boston then we will at least have a solid Left Fielder.

            That would be great for Bay’s sake cause another bad start in 2011 will do little to make himself more liked by fans.
        • alwaysnextyear January 17, 2011 at 1:25 pm

          I think the #s have more to do with the players around him, not the exact spot in the order. I really don’t see much difference between 5 and 6. Even mentally, since it should not change anyones approach (not like say leading off or hitting clean up could).

          Bay hitting 5th should lead to a lot of production from him, especially if Ike has a solid year and flashes some power (meaning they will be more reluctant to pitch around him). reyes, pagan, wright, Beltran in front of him? He could get 100 RBIs by accident, even without cracking 20 HRs.

          and if Bay rebounds to a more normal BA/OBP, meaning he is getting on base a lot, Ike could have even more RBI opportunities. Look at the 3 guys in front of him. Having normal years, they could easily average .380 or so OB with a ton of doubles. Should be lots of ducks on the pond for Ike too.
        • METS62FAN January 20, 2011 at 11:04 am

          Hitter, histiorically #5 is a big RBI production slot where far to0 less pressure packed situations as #6 is best reserved for future impact hitters like Heyward and what should have been Davis. Where Ike will have the “breathing room” to flourish & blossom without undue pressure of instantaneous production in the most pressurized situations. Take those 2009 Bay #s behind Beltran & u can’t minimize the pitching effect of a potent veteran on deck as opposed to a potentially vulnerable sophomore. Playing the percentasges, opposing pitchers are more likely to want less seasoned, more vulnerable Davis behind Beltran than the veteran Bay. Who’ll need to be faced seriously due to Davis’ potential to strike suddenly.
          Hitter, it speaks to lengthening the linup effeciently that we’re able to both judstify our positions on this topic. a feat too many outsiders are choosing to ignore. Any lineup that goes all the way to 5 or 6 before a ‘?’ arises and further to 7 before an obvious potential weakness appears is a potentially dangerous lineup.
• Harry C January 17, 2011 at 8:07 am

  Gee, the great Thole isn’t the catcher. Well, this is Alderson’s team. Having roidal guts on the rosters brings back great memories to him. You go roidal Ronny. Take that job from the kid. Who cares if you are lazy and a crappy ballpalyer and a cheater.
  • Pete January 17, 2011 at 9:24 am

    Wow man, what are you smoking?
  • Donal January 17, 2011 at 9:43 am

    They are platooning. that has been well established. Thole will get the majority of time against right handed pitching but he is awful against lefties. Maybe this year he can work that out and he is the catcher for the forseeable future, but for now, they need to platoon him.

    As someone who thinks the Mets should be all about winning in 2011, you should be embracing this strategy.
  • JerryG15 January 17, 2011 at 12:36 pm

    That’s right because a projected lineup on January 17 is set in stone.
    • Donal January 17, 2011 at 1:47 pm

      Well, there’s that too. Murphy has pretty good control of the strike zone. If he wins out at 2B, it wouldn’t be insane to put him at the #2 spot.
• Gina January 17, 2011 at 11:45 am

  There’s no possible way Nickeas or Paulino beat out Thole for the everyday job. I dont know what Collins is thinking there. And I have a question, dont you think against right handers Thole should bat near the top of the order? He could be a solid number two guy like LoDuca was.
  • t agee January 17, 2011 at 12:02 pm

    Good call Gina. Thole and Paulino could both wind up top as could Emaus if his minor league OB carries over to the Majors.

    I know it won’t fly here but having high OB in front of your power and your stolen bases at the BOTTOM would really stretch this lineup.
    • Donal January 17, 2011 at 1:50 pm

      Meh, it’s January. I doubt this is set in stone. Someone just asked Collins “if you had to make a line up today, what would it be”?