Photo via Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic

Major League Baseball has several new rules going into effect for the 2023 season. The new rules have been tested in spring training (except for the shortened time to decide on replay reviews), discussed, debated, and in the case of when the clock starts between batters, slightly tweaked. There may be another new twist during the upcoming season, as teams try to find a way to shift within the rules.

The rule on infielder positioning states that there must be two infielders on each side of second base, with their feet touching the infield dirt when the pitch is thrown. Fair enough. The rule does not mandate where outfielders must be stationed, and for some teams, that has already created an opportunity for innovation.

During spring training, several teams brought an outfielder to play a deep second base position against left-handed pull hitters, leaving two outfielders and left field wide open. A case in point, as documented by Jayson Stark in The Athletic, was March 3 when the Red Sox were playing the Twins. It’s no surprise that the Red Sox would be one of the teams experimenting, after all, they’re guided by the hand of Chaim Bloom, the general manger who found creative ways to keep the under-funded Rays in contention for years. The hitter against whom the experiment took place was none other than Joey Gallo, the quintessential pull hitter (when he makes contact). Other teams tried the two-man outfield during spring training, Will we see it during the regular season?

Here’s Bloom from the article:

“I don’t think we’ve seen everything we’re going to see,” he said. “But I also think you have to give MLB credit. The rules have been written and clarified in such a way as to take away a lot of the obvious loopholes that aren’t in the spirit of the rules. And that’s important, because this wasn’t done to bring more innovation or trick plays. It was done to get to a version of our game that feels better.”

It sounds like Bloom, and likely other general managers, are concocting ways to position fielders in compliance with the rules, but in a way that creates a statistical advantage given hitters’ tendencies. In order for creative shifts, or any shifts, to be effective, they have to be employed in the right situations. If the two-outfielder shift leaves left field open, which hitters are least likely to beat the shift by hitting a ball to left field?

Stark provides some context in his article. These hitters are least likely to hit fly balls to left field:

Teams that go with a two-outfielder shift will be taking a gamble, because the stakes will be higher than in the past. If hitters beat the traditional shift, the result was most often a single through a vacated hole. With left field wide open, the result of beating the shift can be a double, triple, or even an inside-the-park home run.

Given the increased risk, managers will likely use the two-outfielder shift sparingly. In a sense, it’s like defensive strategy in football. Sure, a team can blitz the linebackers, but if the play backfires, the offense can achieve a significant gain with so much open ground in the defensive backfield. Contrast that to a safety blitz, where only one defender leaves his position. A backfire there likely results in a smaller gain for the offense. The moral of the story is that shifting can still occur, but will be a bigger gamble and most likely used far less often that we have become used to seeing.

Just how often might we see an outfield where, as Keith Hernandez would say, “you could drive a tank division through there.” Stark documents a conversation he had with two unnamed baseball executives on expected frequency of creative shifting, such as a two-man outfield.

“Under a dozen, comfortably,” an exec said, then waved over another member of his front office to pose the same question.

“If you’re asking what’s the over/under line, I’d say a dozen,” that exec said.

“I thought it would probably be closer to a half-dozen,” the first exec replied.

It may be fun to see a two-man outfield. Perhaps we will when Daniel Vogelbach strides to the plate. The situation will have to be right. It’s doubtful teams will use the shift when there are runners on base, the risk would be too high. However, imagine seeing Vogelbach run around the bases, with fans (if at Citi Field) standing and yelling “stop!” while others yell “go!”. All the while, Vogelbach is chugging, seemingly in slow motion.

Baseball is supposed to be fun. Now that would be fun.

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Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

When you go to watch the Mets play in Port St. Lucie during the month of March you could see a very different infield than the one that will start on Opening Day. First baseman Pete Alonso (USA), second baseman Jeff McNeil (USA), shortstop Francisco Lindor (Puerto Rico), and third baseman Eduardo Escobar (Venezuela) are all expected to play in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

The WBC will return for the first time since 2017 because the pandemic wiped out the scheduled 2021 iteration. The US beat Puerto Rico at Dodgers Stadium in 2017 to take first place in the last WBC with Japan finishing third and the Netherlands fourth. Former Met Marcus Stroman won the MVP as he helped Team USA win the 2017 WBC.

In addition to the infielders listed above, outfielder Starling Marte (Dominican Republic), infielder Mark Vientos (Nicaragua), and Edwin Díaz (Puerto Rico) round out the list of Mets players that have committed to playing in the WBC. Mets pitcher Yoan López has also indicated he might pitch for Team Cuba. Outfielder Brandon Nimmo played for Italy in 2017, veteran reliever David Robertson played for Team USA, and recently signed starter Kodai Senga played for Japan that year as well.

Former Mets legend Mike Piazza will manage Team Italy this time. Former Mets manager Jerry Manuel will be the bench coach for a USA team that has Mark DeRosa as manager, Ken Griffey Jr.as the hitting coach, and Andy Pettitte as the pitching coach.

The Mets will host Team Nicaragua on March 8 and Team Venezuela on March 9 at Clover Field in Port St. Lucie for exhibition games.

The WBC gets underway on March 8 with Pool A games taking place in Taiwan. Pool B then starts on March 9 in Japan, Pool C. The last two Pools, Pool C in Phoenix, Arizona, and Pool D in Miami, Florida will both start on March 11.

Here are the teams in each Pool:

Pool A

• Taiwan
• Cuba
• Netherlands
• Italy
• Panama

Pool B

• Japan
• Korea
• China
• Australia
• Czech Republic

Pool C

• USA
• Mexico
• Colombia
• Canada
• Great Britain

Pool D

• Dominican Republic
• Puerto Rico
• Venezuela
• Nicaragua
• Israel

The quarterfinals will take place in Japan and Miami with the rest of the tournament finishing in Miami including the championship on March 21. Fox Sports has the exclusive TV coverage of the tournament.

We will keep you updated on Mets players that will be participating in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

The post World Baseball Classic: Ready Or Not, Here It Comes appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

In a shocking overnight move, Carlos Correa will reportedly be joining the Mets on a 12-year, $315 million deal after his agreement with the Giants fell through at the last minute.

With Correa, the Mets now have the best infield in baseball. Correa is a two-time All-Star, former Rookie of the Year, and Gold Glove winner who will slide over to third base in Queens. Correa hit .291 last season with the Twins and launched 22 home runs.  The left side of the infield will also feature Francisco Lindor, who finished ninth in the NL MVP voting last season after slashing .270/.339./.449 and is an elite defensive player.

On the right side, the Mets will start Pete Alonso at first, who finished eighth in MVP voting in 2022 and hit 40 homers while knocking in a league-leading 131 RBIs. At second base, the Mets have the reigning NL batting champion in Jeff McNeil, who hit .326/.382/.454 and is a more than capable defender in his own right.

Combined, the four Mets who will start on the infield in 2023 were worth a whopping 21.1 wins above replacement last season.

Even the Mets backups are above-average now. Eduardo Escobar will likely shift to a DH split with Daniel Vogelbach, but can spot start at third base, second base, or first base. Luis Guillorme, one of the best infield defenders in baseball, will likely have a less of a role after the Correa deal, but could see time at second with McNeil shifting to the outfield on certain nights. Both Escobar and Guillorme are also fully capable of filling in as starters should any infielder go down with an injury.

Brett Baty will likely spend the year in Syracuse and could transition to a full-time outfield role now that his natural position is blocked for the next dozen years. He could also be a trade option should the Mets be looking to deal at the deadline.

Simply put, the Mets are loaded on the infield both offensively and defensively. The 2023 season is going to be a fun one.

The post Mets Infield Is Loaded After Signing Carlos Correa appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Last night, the New York Mets earned their first victory of the season behind a great pitching performance by Marcus Stroman and the eight runs they scored behind him. The Mets offense piled on all those runs, despite recording only five hits, as they relied on their plate discipline to draw walks and took advantage with some situational hitting.

There’s no question this team has even better days ahead of them, especially since they feature one of the top offenses in the majors. Along with the acquisition of shortstop Francisco Lindor, this explosive lineup also includes an extremely reliable contact hitter in Jeff McNeil, who’s looking to rebound following his rollercoaster 2020 season.

After enjoying a breakout performance in 2019, resulting in career-highs in home runs (23), RBIs (75), wRC+ (143) and fWAR (4.5), McNeil hit a major roadblock in his development last season as he was sidelined with several different injuries over the 60-game schedule.

In particular, the 28-year-old battled through a knee contusion, an intercostal strain, a gastrointestinal issue and some minor back stiffness, making his third season in the majors extremely frustrating.

Thanks to these injuries, the Mets’ versatile infielder fell flat out of the gate and failed to perform effectively through the first half of the summer. As a result, the left-hander produced just seven doubles, nine RBIs, a .075 ISO, a .309 BABIP, a .302 wOBA, an 8.4% walk rate, a 14.0% strikeout rate, a 25.9% LD rate, a 46.9% GB rate, a 27.2% FB rate, a 92 wRC+ score and a slashing line of .269/.336/.344/.681 through the first 28 games of the season.

Digging deeper into McNeil’s first-half struggles, the 2019 NL All-Star witnessed a major decline in his launch angle during that span, particularly against fastballs and breaking balls. After generating a 13.8-degree average launch angle in 2019, he saw that number drop down to just 7.4 degrees through the first half of last season, causing him to hit an increased amount of ground balls.

As for his performance against heaters, the former 12th-round selection didn’t create a launch angle higher than 10 degrees in July or August, resulting in a 40.5% GB rate against them. Enduring similar woes against curveballs and sliders, the 6′ 1″ second baseman recorded a zero-degree average launch angle in July and increased it up to 12 degrees in August, generating a 54.0% GB rate against those pitches in the first half.

But as the calendar changed to September, McNeil avoided any major injuries and stayed on the field through the final month of the shortened season, allowing him to dramatically improve his swing. Making some much-needed changes at the plate, the promising lefty increased his overall launch angle to 15.6 degrees through the final 24 games of the campaign – an adjustment that proved to be very rewarding.

Source: BaseballSavant.com

Over the final month of the regular season, McNeil earned 102 plate appearances and experienced a significant power surge, producing seven doubles, four home runs, 14 RBIs, a .211 ISO, a .364 BABIP, a .421 wOBA, a 10.8% walk rate, an 8.8% strikeout rate, a 22.2% LD rate, a 40.7% GB rate, 37.0% FB rate, a 171 wRC+ score and a scorching-hot slash line of .356/.431/.567/.998.

Taking this even further, the former top prospect performed much more effectively against fastballs in September, as he increased his average launch angle up to 19 degrees and raked against them all month long. Thanks to this adjustment, the veteran infielder created season-highs in AVG (.423), xAVG (.307), SLG (.673), xSLG (.486) and wOBA (.477).

While McNeil didn’t fare nearly as well against breaking balls in September, he made a similar adjustment by improving his launch angle up to 16 degrees, helping him salvage his season against curveballs and sliders. In turn, the California State product recorded season-highs in AVG (.174), xAVG (.230), SLG (.348), xSLG (.421) and wOBA (.289).

Based on McNeil’s strong finish from last season, there’s a good chance he’ll be able to carry his impressive results over into this season, especially since he’s fully healthy and wasn’t forced to experience two different versions of spring training.

Adding to this, the left-handed slugger is now aware, or at least he should be, of what it takes for him to perform up to his full potential at the plate, meaning it’ll be vital for him to keep his launch angle around 13-15 degrees.

If the former Roadrunner can achieve this goal, which he’s certainly capable of doing, his chances of replicating his stellar 2019 showing will likely increase dramatically. Even though he’s been positioned in the bottom half of the Mets’ lineup so far, the man who’s referred to as “Squirrel” should still receive plenty of run-scoring opportunities in the No. 6 spot, with multiple superstars batting in front of him.

With McNeil expected to spend the majority of his time at second base this season, where he generated a 1 OAA, -2 DRS, -0.5 RngR, -0.1 UZR and a 1.1 UZR/150 over 68 2/3 innings last season, there are plenty of question marks about whether he’ll remain at that position long-term. Despite the uncertainty regarding his defense, a bounce-back performance in the batter’s box could outweigh his production, or lack of it, in the infield.

Considering the California native, who’s earning $642,251 in 2021, will become eligible for arbitration for the first time in his career next winter, returning to his previous form might earn him a considerable raise in 2022. In addition, a strong performance could also potentially entice the front office to begin preliminary contract negotiations in the near future as he’s slated to hit free agency following the 2024 campaign.

With the Mets hoping to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2016, an offensive resurgence from McNeil could undoubtedly help this lineup become one of the most potent offenses throughout the majors, which could go a long way in ending their current postseason drought.

The post Jeff McNeil Poised for Bounce Back Season appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

One of the season’s biggest surprises for the Mets, particularly in the last few days, has been none other than swift-footed infielder Luis Guillorme.

Always known for his crisp fielding but a high-contact, low-power bat, Guillorme has succeeded since he started receiving regular playing time on Tuesday.

With his performance on Friday, in which he recorded three hits including a double and drew a walk, he extended his hitting streak to five games and his slash line on the season to .474/.522/.579, good for a 1.101 OPS.

Of course, this is all in addition to his typically outstanding defense, as he has formed a beautiful up-the-middle duo along with rookie Andres Gimenez.

Guillorme has already been worth 0.2 fWAR in just 19 plate appearances across seven games, the same amount he was worth last year.

He was serviceable in 2019, providing an 87 wRC+ and two DRS at second base in 45 games.

He’s also generally graded out as an above-average baserunner; his speed isn’t going to blow anyone away, but he’s still swift and quick enough that he’s far from a liability on the base paths.

Of course, Guillorme is likely never going to be a superstar hitter, but if his recent patterns are any indication of his future, then he has the chance to be a very valuable player.

With a low strikeout rate and a high walk rate, along with stellar defense at multiple infield spots in the infield, he’s at the very least a solid backup going forward.

While the metrics support Guillorme’s early success to some degree, it is clear that he’s not a guaranteed above-average hitter just yet.

His BABIP is .462, which will obviously regress.

His exit velocity and hard hit percentage are both up significantly on fastballs and off-speed stuff, but down on breaking stuff, according to Baseball Savant.

It’s worth noting that it’s still a really small sample size and to take these stats with a grain of salt, but it’s something to keep an eye on going forward nevertheless.

It’s going to be interesting to see how the Mets infield ends up shaping out in the coming years, with Gimenez challenging Amed Rosario at shortstop and Guillorme coming into his own as a solid utility player.

You also have a guy like J.D. Davis, who is quite possibly the polar opposite of Guillorme in that all of his potential value comes from his bat and not his glove.

The main area Guillorme lacks in is power, and even this brief hot stretch has been no exception, but the potential is clearly there to succeed in a lot of other facets of the game.

He even pitched a scoreless inning on Wednesday.

The kid is still 25 years old, and despite many people’s doubts about him, appears to be quietly carving out a solid future for himself if he can even remotely keep this up.

The post Luis Guillorme Is Showing Off With The Bat and Glove appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Per his Twitter account, Jose Reyes has announced his retirement from the game of baseball. Over the last couple of years, Reyes has moved away from the diamond and turned his focus towards his musical interests. He last appeared in the majors with the Mets in 2018.

The 37-year-old hoped to play in 2019, but he didn’t find any prospect worth his taking.

Reyes will go down in franchise history as a controversial figure, one whose talent on the field was never in question. However, his off-the-field behavior changed the minds of many of his former fans.

When he debuted in 2003, Reyes immediately formed a formidable infield tandem with David Wright. The pair led the Mets to a postseason berth in 2006, the first playoff appearance for the duo and the first appearance for the club in six years. Reyes later appeared alongside Wright during his final game in 2018.

After Reyes memorably removed himself from the final game of the 2011 season to preserve his .337 batting average, the shortstop headed south. He signed a six-year, $106 million dollar pact with the Miami Marlins as part of their offseason spending spree. His 2011 batting title stands as the only batting title in club history.

Unfortunately for both the club and Jose, the deal fared poorly. Reyes was beset by injuries, leading to trades to Toronto and Colorado.

While with the Rockies, Reyes was charged with domestic violence against his wife, a charge that suspended him for 51 games and prompting his release from Colorado.

The Mets, needing infield help midway through the 2016 campaign, picked up their former star. This move was met with a ton of controversy; many fans asserted a domestic abuser had no place on the Mets.

In terms of on-the-field production, Reyes was adequate in 2016, posting a 107 OPS+ over 255 at-bats and participating in one of the more dramatic comebacks in the last decade.

New York brought him back for the 2017 and 2018 seasons, but with his production tanking and top prospect Amed Rosario waiting in the wings, the Mets opted not to resign him.

The four-time All-Star quickly solidified himself as one of the top middle infielders of his era, accumulating a .282/.334/.433 stat-line over his twelve seasons with New York and finishing top-10 in club history in WAR, hits, runs, plate appearances, and total bases.

On the basepaths, Reyes was a machine, routinely stealing off pitchers with aplomb and providing an unprecedented spark to the Mets’ offense. His 78 stolen bases in 2007 set a club record, easily surpassing Roger Cedeno‘s previous mark of 66 back in 1999.

His production, combined with his likable persona on the field, quickly made him a fan favorite during his first go-around with the team. But his legacy with the Mets will always be complicated by his horrific actions against his wife.

The post Jose Reyes Announces Retirement appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets bullpen. That phrase alone can be triggering. But hear me out — what if you can create your dream bullpen from Mets past and present? That changes the story, now doesn’t it?

We already shared our dream Mets infield, outfield, and rotation with you. Now, it’s time to talk bullpens that would get the job done.

Jack

Seth Lugo, Addison Reed, Tug McGraw, John Franco, Jeurys Familia, Joe Smith, Pedro Feliciano

Closer would probably be Seth Lugo. He’s not as accomplished in Met history as the Franco’s and Familia’s, but he doesn’t give me headaches yet, so I’ll give him the ninth for the foreseeable future. Setup man would probably have to be Addison Reed, given what he provided for us during our last two postseason runs.

The other five spots are sort of anyone’s guess, but I’ll give the first mid-relief option to Tug McGraw. Never mind how effective he was between 1969 and 1974 – he could eat innings for good measure. John Franco probably gets a spot too on the same merits. I’m gonna add Jeurys Familia to the mix, however controversial that may be. At his peak, he was easily the best Met closer I’ve ever been able to watch, and I still think he has another 2016 streak deep down there, even if that dominance gets channeled through a setup role.

The last two spots are gonna be weird, but they’re an important kind of weird. I’m ripping a page out of Willie Randolph’s book and taking on both a submarine righty and submarine lefty in Joe Smith and Pedro Feliciano, the former of whom never got enough reps in Queens, and the latter of whom seemed to absorb all of them.

Tatiana

Seth Lugo, Tug McGraw, John Franco, Billy Wagner, Jeurys Familia, Randy Myers, Jesse Orosco

In a perfect world, I’d have a bullpen that was able to feature pitchers that can work as middle relievers as well as a closer when needed. I’m not a fan of closers that are only put in for three-out saves even if the setup man is struggling before the end of the 8th. I think a good bullpen is one that carries the weight of those who are struggling when needed.

That being said I’d have Seth Lugo for my first mid-reliever because I don’t worry when he’s being put in the game after the starter leaves, but I also don’t think he’s proven himself to be a closer yet. Then comes in John Franco and Tug McGraw, despite some of their more underperforming outings, at their best, they were pretty elite. I’d probably put in either a 2016 Jeurys Familia or a 1988 Randy Myers as a setup man. While it’s hard to forgive Familia for 2019, I also can’t deny how he at one point only blew one save in 53 opportunities. Lastly, I’d have Jesse Orosco because of how many happy memories he produced in the 80s being the last on the mound for the ‘86 NLCS and World Series. I’d love to experience some that energy myself.

Sal 

Billy Wagner, Tug McGraw, Pedro Feliciano, Jesse Orosco, Seth Lugo, Heath Bell, Joe Smith, Chad Bradford

It’s a little bit ironic talking about my “dream” Mets bullpen when my dream is usually just for no one to let up a late-inning lead. But even despite that, there have still been some great relievers who have donned the orange and blue over the years. For me, a group consisting of Billy Wagner, Tug McGraw, Pedro Feliciano, Jesse Orosco, Seth Lugo, Heath Bell, Joe Smith, and Chad Bradford would make any Mets fan swoon with excitement. Here’s hoping the 2020 Mets pen gives us more dreams than nightmares.

Michelle

Seth Lugo, Jesse Orosco, Tug McGraw, John Franco, Billy Wagner, Turk Wendell, Pedro Feliciano

I feel like I have lived through more bad bullpens during my lifetime than good ones and I am scarred by the word bullpen. But, if I was able to choose my dream one, I would go with the above seven. They were all solid arms and together, likely could have changed the outcome to many Mets loses.

I have argued many times about how Lugo should be in the rotation, and I do think he could be a great addition there. But in reality, the Mets need him in the bullpen. He is one of the few who comes out and you just don’t need to worry. Also, you bet I debated putting Bartolo Colon in as one of my dream bullpen guys — he can easily eat up innings as we have seen in the past, but, I refrained, as he is technically a starter.

Marshall

Tug McGraw, Jesse Orosco, John Franco, Billy Wagner, Jeurys Familia, Addison Reed, Seth Lugo

To bring together a dream bullpen I cheated and reread my own article on the five best seasons a reliever has had for the Mets. Let’s start with the 1972 version of Tug McGraw, as he would be hard to leave off any Mets’ list dealing with relievers. In 1972, he pitched to a 1.70 ERA and 4.5 WAR.

Then, I turn to Jesse Orosco from 1983, the only year he made the All-Star game as a Met. He had a terrific season with a 1.47 ERA and career high 3.8 WAR. Next, is John Franco. We’ll go with the 1997 season when he had 38 saves, his Mets’ best. Billy Wagner in 2006 went 3-2 with a 2.24 ERA and 40 saves.

We’ll add the 2015, ’16 version of Jeurys Familia. Between the two years he converted 32 straight save opportunites. Finally I will take Addison Reed and Seth Lugo both of whom have been near automatic for New York . The Mets have had some nice relievers throughout their existence, these 7 selected are just some of many we’ve been lucky to see over the years.

Emmanuel 

John Franco, Tug McGraw, Jesse Orosco, Billy Wagner, Roger McDowell, Randy Myers, Seth Lugo

Any list has to start with Franco. He was consistent and effective over a large portion of his 14-year stint with the Mets. He also stranded seven of eight inherited runners in his postseason appearances between 1999 and 2000. McGraw was from a different era where relievers were asked to do a lot more. He threw over 100 innings in four different seasons with the Mets including three consecutive years (1971-73). McGraw was also top 15 in MVP voting in ’73.

Orosco pitched in four different decades which is incredible to think about. He originally came up with the Mets in 1979 and was a key part of the run in 1986. In the World Series against Boston, Orosco allowed just two hits, no walks, and stranded all nine runners inherited. Wagner is a guy who should get more Hall of Fame consideration. He was overshadowed for much of his career and though he only spent three seasons with the Mets, he did rack up just over 100 saves. What’s more: Wagner was a Met toward the end of his career and was an All-Star twice.

When I constructed this, I wanted to have some longevity and McDowell provides that. Again, relievers were asked to do more at that time. In five seasons as a Met, McDowell threw 468.1 innings and amassed a 3.13 ERA in a Mets uniform. He also came up big in Game 6 of the ’86 NLCS against Houston.

Randy Myers didn’t spend a long time in a Mets uniform, but did have 50 saves in his final two seasons in New York. He’s remembered more nowadays for the guy who was traded for John Franco, but Myers had a 2.8 WAR in 1988. He earned wins in Game 1 & 3 of the ’88 NLCS against the Dodgers. I think Lugo has done enough to warrant a spot on this list as well. Lugo has stranded 24 of 29 runners in his last two seasons. His ERA+ jumped from 140 in ’18 to 150 in ’19. And he provides the versatility to be able to pitch in different situations as needed.

The post MMO Roundtable: Who Would Make Up Your Dream Mets Bullpen? appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

If you could pick between Mets players of past and present to make up your infield, who would you choose?

There are some positions that are pretty given, but others, not so much. Is the variations because of our ages and watching different teams play? Yes, that’s a factor. Or is it because the Mets have had so many solid players in the infield and it’s hard to choose?

After much deliberating, here are some of our dream Mets infields.

Sam

1B – Keith Hernandez
2B – Edgardo Alfonzo
SS – Rey Ordonez or Jose Reyes
3B – David Wright

First base is obviously going to be Keith Hernandez. Hernandez is one of the best first basemen ever, I mean, 11 Gold Gloves? How could you beat that? Not to mention his hitting was impeccable; his eye at the plate was something be developed at a very young age and that definitely helped him move up the minor league ranks quickly. At second base, I’m going to put Edgardo Alfonzo. Alfonzo basically batted .300 every other year and was a great second baseman.

Rey Ordonez was a great shortstop for the team, with three gold gloves in his time with the Mets. Jose Reyes was an incredible fielder and he was practically a .300 hitter and if he wasn’t on second he would steal the base with ease. Either of them would play shortstop. Third base would be our captain David Wright for obvious reasons. Wright was an A+ fielder with his signature running throw to first and he was an unbelievable hitter. In his injury-shortened 12-year career, he batted .300, or extremely close to it (.293 his rookie season), eight times! He is only answer for this position.

Violeta

1B – Keith Hernandez
2B – Daniel Murphy
SS – Jose Reyes
3B – David Wright

I’ll start with first and third, since those are locks: Keith Hernandez and David Wright. I was going to justify these picks – but then realized I didn’t have to. At second, I’m going with Daniel Murphy; for me, the bat makes up for the glove (but know that I still dream about the ball scooting under that glove in the World Series). Jose Reyes circa 2006-2007 would be my shortstop to sure up the middle and cover the ground Murphy wouldn’t.

Marshall

1B – John Olerud
2B – Edgardo Alfonzo
SS – Rey Ordonez
3B – Robin Ventura

An effective infield is not the sum of its parts, but a well-oiled machine that works together as a whole. So rather than pick players from different eras, I’m going with a foursome we know played well together. The 1999 infield of John Olerud, Edgardo Alfonzo, Rey Ordonez and Robin Ventura to me is an easy choice for the dream infield. Called out by Sports Illustrated as perhaps the best defensive infield ever, the foursome was largely responsible for the Mets only yielding 20 unearned runs in 1999. That was by far the best in the majors. Also, two of the four (Ventura and Ordonez) won Gold Gloves (and I’m not so sure JT Snow was much better at first than Olerud was in ’99). Be that is it may, give me the 1999 infield for my dream infield any day.

Jack 

1B –  Keith Hernandez
2B – Edgardo Alfonzo
SS – Rey Ordonez
3B – David Wright

Marshall took the words out of my mouth so I’ll probably need to get more creative. Ultimately I feel having a lockdown defense along the infield is more important than plugging in four good hitters, so I’ll make a few compromises. Keith Hernandez is still the first baseman and David Wright is still the third baseman, given they manned their positions pretty well and are two of the best offensive players in franchise history. I’d still have to tab Edgardo Alfonzo to second base – the next best options are either Wally Backman or Daniel Murphy (yikes and yikes). I’d honestly sacrifice a bat at shortstop and keep Rey Ordonez there to preserve an all-time double-play combo. You can certainly have one subpar hitter in there if his defense is a cut above everyone else.

Ryan 

1B – Keith Hernandez
2B – Jeff McNeil
SS – Jose Reyes
3B – David Wright

My dream Mets infield would probably be a combination of Pete Alonso‘s bat and Keith Hernandez’s glove at first base. If forced to chose one, I’d go with the complete player in Hernandez. David Wright is the obvious choice at the other corner infield spot and I’d put Jose Reyes next to him at short because he was so electric in his prime. To round out the group, I think I’d go with Jeff McNeil at second. If given the opportunity to play there everyday, I believe McNeil would be an excellent defensive second baseman. Also his bat rivals anyone else who has played the position.

Matt 

1B – Pete Alonso
2B – Jeff McNeil
SS – Amed Rosario
3B – David Wright

Call me basic. Call me young. I’ll accept them all. But Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil would be the type of dudes I could play a game of MLB The Show with, then enjoy a beer with. Meanwhile, Amed Rosario would be regaling me on how people shouldn’t be surprised, they should be ready. Certainly much-needed motivation during quarantine. For third base, David Wright. There’s almost no one else on the Earth I’d love to chat with. A talk about leadership, production, and how to make your mark on the Earth. I’m sure David can teach me all the life lessons I would want to know.

Mojo

1B – Keith Hernandez
2B – Jeff McNeil
SS – Jose Reyes
3B – David Wright

I’m going to have to agree with what others have said in that I would love to see Keith Hernandez on this fictional infield. While Alonso likely has the more explosive bat, Keith was the more complete player, at least for now. Then of course David Wright is an obvious pick, and I’ll go with Jeff McNeil and his Ichiro-like bat at second. For shortstop, while his reputation may be rightfully tarnished due to off-field issues, there’s no denying how electric Jose Reyes was in his prime. And with that, I realize that I just gave the exact same infield as Ryan, so I guess that just means great minds think alike!

Sal 

1B – Keith Hernandez
2B – Edgardo Alfonzo
SS – Jose Reyes
3B – David Wright

An all-time Mets infield starts at the corners for me, which is why David Wright and Keith Hernandez are my third and first baseman (Could easily be Alonso but as others have stated Keith has a full body of work and a championship which puts him over Pete for now). Up the middle — it would be hard for me to choose anyone other than Jose Reyes to play short. His prime was electric, he played tremendous defense, and his speed made him the ultimate catalyst in the lead-off spot. I’ve seen some interesting cases for Jeff McNeil as the second baseman for this infield, but like first base I’m going with a player who has already had a full career, which is the underrated Edgardo Alfonzo.

Michelle 

1B – Keith Hernandez
2B – Edgardo Alfonzo
SS – Jose Reyes
3B – David Wright

David Wright is a lock at third base, that is for sure. Do we even have to make the case for the Captain? I think not. For first and second, I went with Keith Hernandez and Fonzie for the same reason many above did — because they had full careers where they showed they can flourish there. Maybe years from now those names will be swapped with Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil, that wouldn’t surprise me, but for now, it’s a bit too early for me to go with them. And finally, at short, I need to go with Jose Reyes. No one can deny that in his prime, he delivered, both offensively as lead-off and defensively. Plus him and Wright just have that chemistry together making them the perfect duo to handle short and third.

What would your dream Mets infield be? Tweet yours at us @MetsMerized. 

The post MMO Roundtable: Who Would Your Dream Mets Infield Be? appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets sent RHP Tyler Bashlor, infielder Andres Gimenez and catcher Ali Sanchez down to Triple-A Syracuse on Friday.

Bashlor, 26, ended his short spring with an 11.57 ERA and a WHIP of 2.571. Last season Bashlor put up a 6.96 ERA in the majors.

Gimenez, 21, finished the spring with a slash line of .214/.290/.393. With the depth that the Mets have in their infield, Gimenez’s role with the Mets in the future is a bit unclear.

Sanchez, 23, had a slow spring where he batted only.125 in eight at-bats. The Met’s active roster now sits at 32.

The post Andres Gimenez Among Three Players Optioned appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Shortstop is one of the more specialized positions in all of baseball, though there’s no shortage of clean hands, quick footwork, and moderate hitting ability in the NL East. Even at the bottom of the bin, there’s still potential to be realized, though there’s far more talent towards the top – in some cases, more than a general manager could ask for.

The Mets are spoiled for developing talent up the middle, though the benefits smooth out at the more advanced levels. It may be another year or two before the organization can more wholly enjoy the prospects making their way up. Though at a position that  has never gotten a legitimate dose of both offensive and defensive prowess (save for Jose Reyes), the future is a lot brighter. Here are the divisional rankings at the shortstop position, starting with number five:

5. Atlanta Braves

Chances are the Atlanta Braves run away with this division in 2020 thanks in large part to an offensive core spearheaded by Freddie Freeman, Ozzie Albies, and Ronald Acuna Jr.. The addition of Marcell Ozuna and imminent arrivals of prospects Austin Riley and Cristian Pache add to the excitement, but at the shortstop position, the value is almost exclusively defensive.

Former first-overall pick Dansby Swanson has compiled a 2.4 dWAR and 12 DRS across his last two seasons, and he’s slowly managed to sneak his OPS above .700, but he’s had trouble balancing productivity and health, and his struggles upon returning from a foot injury (.194/.307/.245 in 114 PA) don’t match a potential that is slowly withering.

In the event Swanson still can’t crack it in his age-26 season, the Braves have defensive wiz Adeiny Hechavarria and pinch-hit king Charlie Culberson on reserve. Neither player has really fared any better in an everyday role, though, and their best middle infield prospect, Braden Shewmake (ranked ninth in the organization by MLB Pipeline), has only 14 games in Double-A to his name. Until Swanson can make it to 140 games and/or bring his OPS+ above average (88 since 2018), the Braves are relying on a year of solid defense at shortstop, and not much else.

4. Philadelphia Phillies

Philadelphia probably got more credit than it deserved after signing Didi Gregorius, who has had trouble maintaining production at the plate while staying on the field since the second half of 2018. His -10 DRS in just 80 games at short with the Yankees last year is also troubling. Luckily, they do have two experienced options at their disposal.

Jean Segura, currently stationed at third base to accommodate the acquisition, could certainly see more action up the middle if times get desperate. There’s also 26-year old Scott Kingery, who, despite balancing his time between center and three infield positions last year, can still pick it with relative ease. Like Swanson, Kingery has yet to put together a consistent season with the bat (.689 OPS from July on after starting the year at .948), but there’s also more room to experiment.

It’s difficult to track how the Phillies would effectively fill the holes left behind by either player leaving his post, with infield prospects Alec Bohm and Bryson Stott both so far away. At least in the short term, however, shortstop is a position that Philadelphia can expect reasonable offensive production out of, perhaps with a side of passable defense.

3. Miami Marlins

Miguel Rojas may be one of the more underrated players in the division, though the 31-year old, like many second-tier shortstops, gets by primarily on his merits with the glove. Making the 90th percentile for his position in outs above average and the 31st percentile in exit velocity, Rojas fits snugly in the eighth spot of that Marlins’ lineup.

Speedster Jonathan Villar could also be moved from his current spot in center field to absorb innings along the middle infield, though he’s much better suited for second base if Isan Diaz turns out to need more seasoning in the minors. The Marlins also have utilityman Jon Berti, though we have yet to see how his tools translate in a full big-league season.

In all likelihood, Rojas probably holds down the fort at a replacement-level quality beneath that of Dansby Swanson for Atlanta. What keeps Miami a step ahead is the fact that Rojas’ spot will go to a top-flight prospect, and shortly, in Jazz Chisholm. Currently ranked at 33rd overall by FanGraphs – sixth among shortstops – Chisholm is expected to arrive either late this year or early next year. He had reached base nine times with two extra-base hits in his first 18 plate appearances this spring.

2. New York Mets

There’s more information on the table for me, since I write more about the Mets than any other team in the sport, so I will try my best to keep things in perspective. Amed Rosario has a cleaner bill of health (knock on wood) than any of the aforementioned regulars in the division, and he’s steadily grown as a hitter in the last two seasons. Just one of two shortstops in the NL East to post a wRC+ of at least 100, Rosario has a bright future, and his month-by-month growth as a defender is something to keep an eye out for heading into 2020.

With that in mind, I’d argue that it’s not so much Rosario’s strides as a player that give the Mets a competitive advantage at shortstop as it is the options waiting in the wings. While Amed has evolved under the tutelage of Robinson Cano and longtime coach and current skipper Luis Rojas, he’s still a work in progress in the on-base percentage department, and his speed remains grossly underutilized. As promising as he is, he remains a distant second among shortstops in the division. Luis Guillorme makes for a passable, glove-first backup, but not as a backup plan altogether.

Andres Gimenez and Ronny Mauricio may make matters more interesting in the coming years. Gimenez ranks 84th among MLB Pipeline’s top 100 prospects, and could see action towards the end of the season if he can turn the offense up a notch in Triple-A Syracuse. Mauricio profiles more similarly to Jazz Chisholm as a dynamic athlete trying to make more contact, but already ranks confidently on prospect lists for Baseball America (66th), MLB Pipeline (62nd), and Baseball Prospectus (48th). He turns 19 the first week of April.

1. Washington Nationals

It may come as a surprise to (very) few that Trea Turner is a (very) good shortstop. Per Statcast, he’s in the 84th percentile in outs above average, 66th in hard-hit rate, 72nd in exit velocity, and 100th in sprint speed. Though he only played 122 games last year, he still managed an .850 OPS with 35 steals (only caught stealing five times). Turner also tied a career-high from 2018 with 19 homers in nearly 200 fewer plate appearances. He’s easily the best shortstop in the division, and arguably one of the most formidable runners in the majors.

Washington’s contingency plan behind Turner is pretty solid in its own right. Neither Starlin Castro nor Asdrubal Cabrera profiles well on the defensive side of the ball, but as depth options, they’re the safest bets among any bench player anywhere to recover whatever offensive production is lost to a Turner injury.

In the event that either veteran struggles at short, the Nationals still have the luxury of switching young talent Carter Kieboom off of third base and giving him reps at his natural position. The 22-year old hit just .128 in his first 43 plate appearances at the big-league level last year, but he remains one of the best shortstop prospects in all of baseball, as Baseball Prospectus ranks him as high as 11th on their list of the top 101 prospects. His .902 OPS in Triple-A Fresno last year suggests he’s close to finding his niche, and getting a stab at his regular spot on the infield could go a long way.

Even with Trea Turner in the mix, there’s a real chance, if things go right, that the Nationals emerge with more value at the shortstop position than most teams in baseball.

NL East First Base Rankings

NL East Bullpen Rankings

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