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(Still) Calling all Colliers

Johnny Dickshot Feb 21 2006 10:36 AM

Looks like the original thread, which included an amazin' prediction from OlerudOwned and other stuff got mothballed before its due date, but the origianl is worth a look here: [url]http://www.getalifealready.com/cpf/archives/f1_t1791.shtml[/url] Meantime, seeing as there's disagreement as to how many RFielders we may carry, etc., let's continue to examine the Met bench. As of Feb. 21, looks like the candidates are (including 1 starting RF and 1 starter at 2B from this group): Infielders: Valentin B/R (Mets.com lists Valentin as a LH batter only) Franco R/R Woodward R/R Hernandez B/R Keppinger R/R Boone R/R Tejeda R/R Matsui B/R Outfielders: Nady R/R Diaz R/R Chavez L/L Redman L/L Self L/R Catchers: Castro R/R Estalella R/R JD's *predicted* bench (preferred is another matter) 1. Franco -- #1 RHPH, backup to Delgado 2. Woodward -- #2 RH PH, backup to 2B, SS, 3B? 3. Valentin -- #1 LH PH, backup to 2B, OF, 3B? 4. Redman -- #2 LH PH, #1 pinch-runner, #1 backup to Beltran, defensive replacement for corners 5. Castro -- RH PH Power, #1 LoDuca backup Matsui and Nady get starting jobs; Diaz only survives if we go with 11 pitchers, which with this group looks likje a good idea. Hernandez cools in Norfolk awaiting failure or injury.

Edgy DC Feb 21 2006 10:45 AM

Good find. Funny how Redman has come and almost gone since that prediction.

abogdan Feb 21 2006 12:30 PM

Here's my 6-man bench: 1) Nady: can backup all 3 OF positions, 1B and 3B in a pinch. Solid bat, #2 RH PH. 2) Matsui/Hernandez loser: backup at 2B/SS, #2 LH PH. Keep Keppinger in AAA getting regular ABs. Hernandez will get plenty of playing time as defensive replacement at 2B, double switches, etc. that he'll get his share of ABs if he's on the bench. If Matsui wins, Hernandez is a useful late innings defensive replacement/pinch runner. If Hernandez wins, the team won't pay Matsui $8 million to sit in Norfolk. 3) Franco: backup 1B, #1 RH PH. 4) Castro: backup C, #3 RH PH. 5) Self: #1 LH PH, backup corner OF/1B. Put up consistently great OBP in the minors. More valuable as bat off the bench than Redman/Chavez. 6) Woodward: Joe McEwing memorial 25th man. Can play anywhere on the field, not completely awful at the plate.

KC Feb 21 2006 01:25 PM

I'm still in awe of the stream-lined archiving process that Yance invented. Forum adminin' genius, I tell ya.

Rotblatt Feb 21 2006 01:26 PM

There's no question, IMO, that both Diaz & Nady should make the team. That being said, I suspect that JD's projected bench is about right. In my ideal world, however, we'd go with an 11-man pen, and here's how our bench'd shake out: #1 Franco, 1B. Solid lefty off the bench. #2 Nady, OF/1B. Decent #4 outfielder. Solid righty off the bench. #3 Castro, C. I think he should play about 40%--more if he performs as well as he did last year. Another righty who crushes lefties. #4 Lambin, 2B/3B. Lambin, a switch hitter, had a better 2005 than Hernandez (higher OBP, higher SLG, better BB/PA & better K/PA), even though no one noticed. He's like Keppinger but with some pop. He'd be my first choice to replace Matsui when/if Matsui struggles. #5 Valentin, SS/3B. Another good, poppin' lefty off the bench. He's never actually played 2B at the MLB level, so I'd see him primarily as Reyes & Wright's backups. #6 Chavez. Pinch runner, defensive OF replacement. Unlike Redman, he's polished defensively and is just as fast. I like Woody, but there's no place for him on this team, IMO. We've got all our positions covered by guys who are better offensively & defensively.

Edgy DC Feb 21 2006 01:31 PM

I noticed Lambin, but I don't think he's breaking camp with this team. If he can climb over the guys in front of him, though, best wishes. He certainly got his momentum going last season. He showed more power than any other middle infielder in the system. Didn't even get 400 at-bats.

Rotblatt Feb 21 2006 02:52 PM

Edgy DC wrote: I noticed Lambin, but I don't think he's breaking camp with this team. Well, sure, WE all noticed him--I meant that none of the beat writers or Mets bigwigs mentioned him at all. Which is kind of weird if you ask me, since he DID have a much better season than Hernandez. I guess that's what happens to prospects who turn in their best seasons at 26 years old . . . Oh, and I agree--I don't think he's breaking camp with the team. I'd really like him to, though. Especially since he probably won't see much playing time at Norfolk. Boone, Keppinger & Hernandez will probably all be down there, along with Basak & maybe Benji Gil too. It hardly seems fair how many mediocre middle infielders we have . . .

seawolf17 Feb 21 2006 02:56 PM

Rotblatt wrote: It hardly seems fair how many mediocre middle infielders we have . . . That's so true. Someone get Joe McEwing on the phone!

Edgy DC Feb 21 2006 03:10 PM

So let's handicap this: Outlook for Matsui: 50% For Boone: 20% For Keppinger: 14% For Anderson: 8% For Lambin: 5% Rest of Field: 3%

metirish Feb 21 2006 03:14 PM

Has Keppinger fallen that far down the chart with the Mets, I know he had terrible injury that ruined last season for him but he's youngish,did he play winter ball this year?

Yancy Street Gang Feb 21 2006 03:18 PM

I think that Boone will end up in the same category as Andres Gallaraga, Charlie Hayes, Glenn Davis, and Terry Puhl: veteran players who retire as Mets spring training invitees. My second-base wish for the 2006 Mets would be for Matsui to play well enough for the Mets to win the division, and for Keppinger to play well enough (and often enough) as a backup for him to go into the offseason as the leading contender for the 2007 starting job.

Rotblatt Feb 21 2006 04:04 PM

I kind of agree with Yancy--I think Boone is probably done. I'd give him about the same odds as Keppinger or Hernandez. Hernandez seems to be an exciting player--he's got some real buzz around him, at least--and I don't think Willie & Co. are immune to that, so I'm thinking he & Keppinger have similar shots right now. Lambin, by contrast, has pretty much no buzz. So maybe: Matsui 50% Boone 15% Keppinger 15% Hernandez 15% Lambin 3% Rest of Field 2%

Edgy DC Feb 21 2006 04:10 PM

I think Boone is done also. I just give him an edge over the others because a good spring (a) can't be reasoned away by Randolph with a "well he hasn't done it when it counts" and (b) will force Randolph to fish or cut bait in a way that he won't have to do for the juniors. (E.g.: Anderson or Keppinger can have a good spring and still get parked at Norfolk, not Booney.) I give Keppinger a modest edge over Anderson because he's older, closer to the end of of his options, and has hit in the bigs.

Johnny Dickshot Feb 21 2006 04:19 PM

The question with Hernandez is whether he's really ever going to be player, or whether he's destined to be a reserve. If the latter is the case he might be a good one in that he can pick it well at SS and 2B, switch-hit and run: He could be candidate for Woody's job, though I doubt he'd get it. Keppinger just seems less useful as a bench player (too limited defensively and in the secondary skillz)

TheOldMole Feb 21 2006 04:44 PM

Abogdan -- you're putting yourself on the roster?

Rotblatt Feb 21 2006 05:05 PM

TheOldMole wrote: Abogdan -- you're putting yourself on the roster? Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention that my ideal bench would include me as well. #6: Rotblatt. Useless at plate, in field & on base paths, but REALLY excited to be there.

Edgy DC Feb 21 2006 05:12 PM

If Self doesn't log some serious time as a Met, we'll never be able to do such competitive song parodies as "Dancing with Todd Self," "Sick of Todd Self," and "Thank You for Lettin' Me Be Todd Self Again."

MFS62 Feb 21 2006 05:48 PM

For me , it boils down to a fight between Self and Valentin for the end of the bench as the lefty "power" bat. And the team will already have a backup first baseman, Self's best position, in Julio Franco. IIRC, Self is a big guy, and I would question his defensive speed in the outfield. So Chavez stays and Self goes. And, yes, I'm rooting for Lambin, too. But I don't have much hope for him staying with the team out of ST. So: (with Matsui starting and keeping six on the bench) Woodward Ju Franco Valentin Castro Nady Chavez Later

Vic Sage Feb 24 2006 11:14 AM

The problem with a 6-man bench on this particular team is that it means the Mets have no LHP in the bullpen (other than Wagner). BP Wagner Sanchez Julio Bradford Ikiri Padilla But, assuming the Mets are either willing to start the season without a LOOGY or other LH-ed type reliever, or one of the LHers in ST beats out one of these guys for a slot (all of whom have guaranteed ML contracts this season), then the 6-man bench is likely to be: Castro - obviously Woodward - good RH UT guy (IF/OF), primary backup at 2b/ss Franco - he's a RHed (not LHed) PHer /backup 1B Valentin - the only LHed power on the bench (backup at ss/3b/LF) Redman or Chavez - only available backup CFer (PRer/LHed PHer) Nady/Diaz - 1 will start, 1 will be a backup corner OFer/1b (RHed PHer) If Nady wins RF job, Diaz could go back down (he has options), and they have a slot for either: -LHed RPer (Ring, Feliciano, Perisho, Oliver), or -another UT IFer (loser of 2b competition) frankly, i think we'll need at least 1 lefty in the pen more than another guy who can backup at 2b, behind Woodward, or 2 RHed RFers (especially since both Woodward and Valentin have experience in the OF, and are at least as good defensively as either Nady or Diaz) i just think Nady and Diaz are redundant and another reason why the Cameron traded was stupid.

Giant Squidlike Creature Mar 30 2006 04:09 PM

Bump.

Vic Sage Mar 31 2006 10:39 AM

Ken Rosenthal in Sporting News just rated the Mets bench as 4th best overall. castro Woodward Valentin Franco Chavez V.Diaz (or a 7th RPer)