Comments on: Why Aren’t The Mets Looking At Willingham And Balfour?

By: SaneMetsFan

SaneMetsFan — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 20:34:41 +0000

Ichiro was also traded to a contender for two non impact prospects while the Mariners paid some $ to make the deal work. The Mariners had younger guys they wanted to play and Ichiro requested a deal. The team made sure to send him to a winning club and not hold him hostage out of respect for his service. Find a reliever in that same situation and maybe the Mets make a deal.

By: Mr North Jersey

Mr North Jersey — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 00:31:31 +0000

I don’t necessarily agree with the defense being average. I won’t say Gold Glove but I would say above average. His hitting though as I pointed out has left the Mets in a position where he probably will be the one sent down when that time comes to activate Baxter. Kirk was hitting OK up to the series vs the Rays but since then he has just lost it.

By: oleosmirf

oleosmirf — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 00:19:37 +0000

Kirk should be on the next flight to Buffalo when Baxter is activated (sooner than later I hope). He has been a complete liability at the plate and his defense is just average.

I too would love to see Justin Upton brought in (especially since his brother would likely jump at the chance to join him and that would give us a seriously talented OF with Duda in LF. Have Hairston and Baxter on the bench and you have a potentially dangerous OF

Obviously not going to happen, but nice to dream…

By: trs86

trs86 — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 23:02:05 +0000

As would I. Honestly I have dreams of BJ (FA), Justin (trade) and Duda/Kirk in LF. Allowing Murphy or V-Spin to either be LH bench utility or traded.

By: XtreemIcon

XtreemIcon — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 21:44:53 +0000

Right. I think if Murphy is traded, Valdy takes the 2B job and then what have you accomplished, balance-wise? I’d love to see Upton traded here in the off season.

By: trs86

trs86 — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 21:38:29 +0000

Me too you goon. LOL.

I guess I just see it another way. I don’t think Torres should be on the team now anyway and Kirk may need some AAA time or go down for Baxter anyway. I understand Gomez isn’t an offensive juggernaut, I just think it provides us with a league average CF who is cheap, RH and provides speed and great defense.

Otherwise, I have no idea how we will address the LHness of the team. Even if they get rid of Murphy then you are most likely still replacing him with a LH. Also, I don’t think the team is going to give up on Thole. So either LF, CF or RF has to be a RH. And no Bay doesn’t count, LOL.

By: XtreemIcon

XtreemIcon — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 21:34:17 +0000

“…are you confident in Kirk and V-Spin for 2013?”

No, but now’s the time to find out. I don’t want to see Kirk ride out the string in Buffalo so Gomez can be Andres Torres Part Deux, then experiment with Kirk next April.

And age has very little to do with it once you hit the mid-20′s…..it’s all about experience. A 20-22 year old, sure, age is a factor, but not when you’re 26. Gomez lost his rookie eligibility in 2007 and played a full season in 2008. Kirk and Spin took their first major league cuts three months ago. Duda had 129 total games logged coming into this season, which is 29 fewer than Gomez had in 2008.

So yes, I’m saying Carlos Gomez is what he is and we know what he is, and it’s not good. Enjoying the debate, by the way.

By: trs86

trs86 — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 21:20:07 +0000

Well technically Gomez was developed by the Mets. Now back to your point, are you confident in Kirk and V-Spin for 2013? Also you are acting like Gomez “is what he is” but our guys have potential to improve. Gomez is 2 months older than Duda.

Again, what are you going to do about the 6 LH in the lineup?

By: XtreemIcon

XtreemIcon — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 21:16:38 +0000

I’m not arguing that right now, on July 26, he’s better, but Gomez is what he is, and it’s not very good. Meanwhile, we’ve seen enough of both Kirk and Valdespin (and Duda, too) to know that they can be much better than Gomez was at his best, and the FO owes it to the Mets fans to see it through. The organization went so long without anything from the farm, and now there’s finally some meat on the bones and bringing in Carlos Gomez sets them back every single game he plays that Kirk or Valdespin doesn’t.

You want Gomez to replace Torres as the 4th OF, that’s a different story.

By: trs86

trs86 — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 21:08:30 +0000

To each his own. To me he would be an upgrade over every OF we have.

By: XtreemIcon

XtreemIcon — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 21:04:07 +0000

I think that’s an indictment on the NL CFs more than a boon for Gomez. And if you’re going by his OPS, you’re barking up the wrong tree with me. The team is LH heavy, sure, but Carlos Gomez isn’t the answer just because he happens to be better than Andres Torres or a rookie that needs the PT to make adjustments.

By: Mr North Jersey

Mr North Jersey — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 20:55:34 +0000

Understood and for the record I never thought or suggested you said he was garbage.

By: trs86

trs86 — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 20:54:19 +0000

I like Kirk, I am not saying he is garbage. I am saying the team is way off balance with LH and doesn’t have enough true speed. Gomez is #1 in the Spd category. Whatever the hell that means.

By: Mr North Jersey

Mr North Jersey — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 20:50:02 +0000

Agreed, there is no doubt that he has struggled but despite his high strikeout rate he has shown enough to believe he can be a part of this team in the future. Right now with Baxter on the horizon he may be the odd man out. His splits over his last 33 & 72 at bats compared for example to Torres doesn’t make it hard for him to be the odd man out next week.

Last 33 at bats.

Nieuwenhuis
.121/BA, .194/OBP, .152/SLG, 2/BB, 14/SO, 3/RBI, 1/R
Torres
.273/BA, .385/OBP, .333/SLG, 6/BB, 6/SO, 3/RBI, 6/R

Last 72 at bats.

Nieuwenhuis
.139/BA, .195/OBP, .250/SLG, 4/BB, 32/SO, 5/RBI, 3/R
Torres
.222/BA, .349/OBP, .264/SLG, 12/BB, 18/SO, 7/RBI, 12/R

Nieuwenhuis if indeed is sent down I expect will be back up as soon as they expand the rosters and hopefully he’ll make the adjustments to be a good Mets starting outfielder for years to come.

By: trs86

trs86 — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 20:49:47 +0000

Again, his offensive numbers are better than all but 7 CF in the league, also as I said you can’t go with LH, LH, LH, with LH and LH in the IF and most likely LH at catcher.

By: XtreemIcon

XtreemIcon — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 20:44:01 +0000

Sorry, I just can’t buy bringing in Gomez to play every day and making Kirk the 4th OF. Kirk needs to play every day in RF and Valdy every day in CF. Torres can be the 4th OF and Hairston can spell Kirk every now and again against a tough lefty. If they can find a way to get rid of Bay, then recall Duda and put him in LF every day. Go with the young OF and see what you have.

Carlos Gomez is redundant on this team with Torres and neither of them deserve a starting job over Kirk.

By: trs86

trs86 — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 20:39:23 +0000

We have no idea if V-Spin is an actual major leaguer or if he can play CF. His arm has shown to be really weak. He’s also another LH. This roster is so off balance. Adding a RH to the mix who even if he is only slightly better is still an improvement. Also, why are we acting like that we have to throw those guys away. Adding Gomez allows us to protect against Kirk failing, allows us to pursue trading Murphy and playing V-Spin at 2B, and yes adds a stolen base threat which to me is something we are desperately missing. I know saber doesn’t respect SB but to me in the NL it is still important as is defense.

By: trs86

trs86 — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 20:36:30 +0000

It’s LH strikes out a lot, LH , LH strikes out a lot .

I am not saying dump Kirk. Bringing in Gomez, a RH, actually allows Kirk some protection as well. You could play Kirk as the 4th OF.

By: trs86

trs86 — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 20:33:12 +0000

His OPS is higher than:
DeJesus,
Pagan,
Kirk,
Vicky,
Bonafacio,
Stubbs,
Maybin

In fact it puts him 8th in the league. Certainly to me factoring in the defense and SB he would certainly be an upgrade.

By: jessep

jessep — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 20:31:35 +0000

I think you have to explore Valdespin in CF before you go get a CF who is barely an upgrade. Gomez is who he is. We don’t know for certain that Kirk cannot get better. If the choice is between Kirk and Gomez – sorry I’ll take Kirk.

I get what your point is. Two years ago I wanted a guy to play CF mostly for defensive purposes and got killed for it. He just won the AS MVP. I like defensive minded CF *IF* your corners can produce offensively.

But Gomez to me, is nothing they can’t find in Spin, or Kirk unless you’re just desperate for the occasional SB.

To me, if they make a deal it needs to be an actual improvement toward this year and the future. It has to be almost obvious in a way… not “well if this happens and then this happens then this will work out.”

I just don’t see it, that’s all. I don’t think it’s a bad idea, I just don’t think its a good one.