A MMO Fan Shot by Larry Smith

I’ll give Brodie Van Wagenen this – he’s proactive.  I don’t think that Sandy Alderson would have jumped on Joe Panik or Brad Brach in recent years.

Personally I don’t expect the Panik move will work out but I’m quite confident that Brach might just pan out.

Here’s my thinking.

Panik has been a major leaguer for six years and has been pretty good, and actually quite good in two of those six seasons.  But he was last good in 2017.

Unless hitting coach Chili Davis looked at some video and concluded that he knows how to fix whatever’s ailing Joe’s bat — and that’s not bloody likely — I can’t see how Panik can give the club anything they could not already get from Luis Guillorme or Ruben Tejada or Dilson Herrera.

Yes, Joe is a local product and thrilled to be on the team he rooted for as a kid.  And yes he has playoff experience, meaning he could be a good clubhouse guy.  And yes he’s been an above average fielder, so there’s that although I’m not sure his glove at this time is any better than Guillorme’s.

But it comes down to hitting and there’s no reason to expect that Panik is ready to deliver an OPS above the .627 he gave the Giants this year and the .639 OPS he gave them last year.  I’m hoping for the best but I just don’t see where there’s cause for optimism.

Brach, like Panik, is a veteran who has had a down year in 2019.  The 6.13 ERA and 1.76 WHIP that he had as a Cub this season is downright ugly and ordinarily there would be no reason for hope.

But two things are in his favor.  One is that in 39.2 innings he struck out 45 batters.  This has to mean that his stuff is still intact and maybe Phil Regan can do something with him.

With Brach — who was an excellent setup reliever from 2012 to 2017 — there’s also the recent history from last year. He started the season in Baltimore and posted a 4.85 ERA while allowing 50 hits in 39 innings – not good.   But he was still striking out people with 38 Ks in the AL.

He got traded to Atlanta and turned things around in just under 24 innings.  He only allowed 22 hits, fanned 22, and had a 1.52 ERA.   So at this stage of his career he might just be one of those change-of-scenery guys.

The Mets only need him to be better than one of their bottom rung relievers who have been dreadful all season.  So the bar is not set high.

Anything can happen but my bets are on Panik not being an asset and Brach probably becoming one.

* * * * * * *

This Fan Shot was contributed by MMO contributor Larry Smith. Have something you want to say about the Mets? Share your opinions with over 20,000 Met fans who read this site daily.

Send your Fan Shot to [email protected] or ask us about becoming a regular contributor.