What a week we just wrapped up and as is usually the case, there’s plenty of storylines and news we can talk about before the Mets take the field at 10:10 PM against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Who’s At Short?
For the time being Terry Collins is fully intent on going with Omar Quintanilla as his everyday shortstop.
“I’ve yet to see why Omar Quintanilla should lose his job. All he does is make plays like that night after night. You look at his batting average and it’s not what he’d like it to be. But, he’s on base 33 percent of the time and he’s done a really good job. We wouldn’t be playing like we’re playing without him.”
Actually Terry, it’s less than 30%, but fine… go ahead and play him if you like. Just please make sure we address the shortstop position in the offseason because I don’t want to see Q there on Opening Day.
As for Ruben Tejada, he can blame himself for not being here with the team right now. Collins says that Backman told him that Tejada is bent on hitting flyballs. Additionally, Tejada is 4-for-his-last-52, dropping his Pacific Coast League average to .257 since his demotion.
Collins also said that if Tejada was hitting better, he’d be back by now. I have no doubt about that, but would he also continue to reside in Collins’ exclusive dog house?
It appears to me that Tejada has been in Collins’ doghouse from day one when we wondered why Tejada didn’t report to Spring Training 26 days early back in 2012 and read him the riot act when he did show up three days early.
Forever Young?
I’m digging what Eric Young Jr. is doing since being acquired in a waiver trade for Collin McHugh. But can we please stop the “we’re set at left field” narrative now?
Young has exceeded expectations, but to think he’s anything, but a utility outfielder going forward is a bit too much for me to handle. He’s had a solid week defensively, but that doesn’t mean he’s a solid defender, he isn’t. There not one metric that would dispute that. And his arm… What arm?
At the plate, Young has already lost 100 points in batting average which some are calling a slump. It’s not a slump… Just ask any Colorado Rockies fan you know. Eric young is batting .152 in his last 12 games with just nine hits in his last 54 at-bats. He has a career .660 OPS. Anyone up for a Jeff Francoeur revival?
We need to get a left fielder with power this offseason. Young is under team control and will be fine as a 4th outfielder, but please…. nothing more than that… Forever Young? God, I hope not…
Lets Pile On Flores
Matt Cerrone has been talking to his baseball people again. This time they tell him that they all said they project him to hit around .260 in the big leagues — with around 15-20 home run potential — with no real position.
It’s amazing how everyone has already defined Flores’ career after six games and after just turning 22 years old… Wow…
Are these the same people who predicted Harvey would be a lesser version of Mike Pelfrey? Or were those different baseball people? Are these the same people that led him to conclude that Harvey was good, but not Cy Young good? Are these the same people that said Juan Lagares was a lesser version of Kirk Nieuwenhuis?
Why can’t we just enjoy these players who come up and hit the ground running?
Why must they be criticized and defined after such a small sample size?
Poor Wilmer Flores… Might as well hang them up, kid… You’re nothing but a .250 hitting first baseman with 15 home run power. We can get that from anybody. Your trade value sucks too, because every team has five players just like you. Sorry Wilmer, it’s not me, it’s all the experts and the baseball people who talk to MetsBlog…
Can’t we all just sit back and enjoy the game they way it used to be?
Maybe I’m getting old and the game has passed me by. Maybe this is how it is now. Maybe this is the norm.
Too bad… As for me I’ll keep doing what Tug McGraw implored us to do, believe and hope for the best…
