Comments on: Baseball America’s Mets Top 10 List Prior To 2011, Where Are They Now?

By: Dan Valis

Dan Valis — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 21:03:55 +0000

exactly Donal, they messed with him in that regard. He was groomed to be a starter, and then because of the extreme lack of bullpen help they made him a reliever.

Like you said Manuel barely used him, and when he did he mis-used him. He wouldn’t pitch him for 5 day, and then he wanted to throw him out there in the 8th inning a close game. I’m glad they are gone! lol

By: Derek C.

Derek C. — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 20:56:30 +0000

Great piece!

By: Donal

Donal — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 20:15:03 +0000

I agree that Mejia has the stuff to be a good reliever, but Minaya didn’t develop him for it. He rushed him through the minors, he was a starter almost that entire time except for a few games in the DSL and then stuck him as a reliever last year in Spring Training without letting him get accustomed to it and then Manuel had him throwing one pitch when he did get into a game.

When he was sent back down, he was starting games again. Does that sound like he was being groomed to be a reliever?

By: t agee

t agee — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 19:52:10 +0000

The Farm really isn’t in as bad shape as it sounds. Flores (just turned 20) and Puello (20) are following a decent trajectory in a tough pitchers league in A+. Sure injuries have set back Mejia and Kirk but they should have the 2nd half of 2012 in AAA to come back strong. Familia and Valdespin have broke out in AA. Den Dekker and Satin despite being old for AA have too. Havens at least still shows results when he’s on the field. Gorski’s had a major break out, Edgan looks like he could be a light out reliever, Cordero has rebounded from a horrendous first half in Savannah and Lagares looks like a real candidate to take over in LF in 2013.

Add to that Nimmo, Fulmer, Mazzoni, Wheeler, Leathersuch and some others and it looks like we’re going to have a real roster crunch come 2013-2015. Too many guys we like, to protect them all so maybe a front line ace could be on the horizon.

In addition Fern (22), Tejada (21), Duda (25), Murphy (26) and Thole (24) all have their primes in front of them something we haven’t really had around here before and they are bound to improve during the next 2-7 years.

I’d say that as long as we don’t short circuit the progress we’ve made so far and continue to put the future ahead of the present for another three years we’re on track to have a great ten year run complete with multiple Division Titles, multiple World Series appearances and multiple World Series championships…….without crashing.

By: Satish Ram

Satish Ram — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 18:25:08 +0000

I forgot Valdespin, you’re right. Gorski has come out of nowhere and I’m really happy to see a variety of young arms altogether coming through the system.

By: OmarFan

OmarFan — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 15:38:14 +0000

Ridiculous premise in regard to Jenrry Mejia. Truth be told (something always amiss regarding Omar) it was OMAR who suggested Mejia be used as a relief pitcher. It eventually is where he’s best suited as was Omar’s words last Spring. The Mets needed help in the pen and decided to use Mejia in that role. The decision to make him a starter in the minors led to his eventual arm problem that struck Jenrry when he returned to the bigs. Blaming Omar and Manuel is silly. What they should have done with Mejia is groom him to be the eventual closer like Darryl Strawberry suggested. Funny how ex-athletes were the ones telling the Mets to put Mejia in the pen. Now in 2011, we’re all to blame Omar and Jerry for a poor decision to keep Mejia as a starter?

By: Dan Valis

Dan Valis — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 15:30:17 +0000

I know I am very excited about havens potential, I just wish we could have seen him with the Mets this season. If he had been playing all year, he probably would have been at Triple-A by now and with the injuries to Murphy and Reyes he probably would have got the call over Baxter.

By: Dan Valis

Dan Valis — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 15:28:45 +0000

I know I totally agree. The pre-season top 10 list will definitely have all of the those guys in for sure! Harvey and Wheeler 1-2 and then it’s a mix of Valdespin, Familiga, Vaughn and Den Dekker with whom to pick from to round out the top 5. Gorski has been very nice surprise this season, and Cohoon has been ok as well

By: Dan Valis

Dan Valis — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 15:26:13 +0000

thanks Mack

By: Des

Des — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 14:22:58 +0000

“2B – Reese Havens: Another injury riddled season by the second baseman. He has a world of potential. He is heating up lately, and could prompt a promotion to Triple-A before the year is out.”

Havens is playing great ball in the past few weeks. Perhaps more importantly is that after last year’s lost season and a slow start this year, he is now playing in every game.

In his last ten games, he is batting .351, with a .429 OBP and a .541 SLG.

By: Satish Ram

Satish Ram — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 14:16:15 +0000

This surely was depressing. Although it was well researched and straightforward, so thank you. It’s a good thing we have Vaughn, Den Dekker, Familia, Gorski and maybe even Cahoon to keep an eye on in the meantime. I think Vaughn and Familia might break next year’s Mets top 10 (along with Wheeler) and Harvey should be at the top.

By: Mack Ade

Mack Ade — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 14:16:12 +0000

excellent piece

By: Metsr1

Metsr1 — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 13:37:05 +0000

Mets have signed 3 from the Domincan leagues. Check it out.

http://www.dplbaseball.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=244:3-dpl-players-agree-to-terms-with-the-ny-mets&catid=1:latest-news

By: martin

martin — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 13:28:08 +0000

well done, good info, thanks.