faba Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Mets SS prospect Amed Rosario is the third-best prospect in baseball, according to a list released by Keith Law of ESPN. "He has MVP potential as a true shortstop who will be above average defensively and projects to hit .300 with some walks and power," says Law. "He'll become a cornerstone at short for the Mets, who have lacked one since Jose Reyes first left in free agency." Rosario, 21, spent 2016 between High-A St. Lucie and Double-A Binghamton, during which he hit a combined .324 with 42 extra base hits in 120 games. A midseason All-Star with St. Lucie, he was named Defensive Player of the Year in the Florida State League and Eastern League and named the organization's top prospect by MLB.com in July. Law notes that "Rosario is still just scratching the surface of his offensive potential; there's so much bat speed and strength here that he should eventually hit 15-20 homers, but right now, it's translating into hard contact to all fields." Rosario is the fifth Met on Law's Top 100 list, joining 1B Dominic Smith (No. 29), LHP Thomas Szapucki (No. 60), RHP Robert Gsellman (No. 76), and RHP Justin Dunn (No. 84). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SenorGato Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 So it just occurred to me that Amed Rosario is my favorite prospect in baseball right now. Good on the Mets. That they have two shots at a long term first division starting catcher in d'Arnaud and Pawlecki isn't bad either. Beats betting on a ton of young pitchers to not just stay healthy but get better. Plus the hard part is over on the pitching front - they already found an ultra rare rotation stud in Syndergaard. Score runs and prevent runs with position players and the whole pitching thing kinda works itself out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunnie Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Since football is basically only eleven minutes of action surrounded by commercials and is starting to resemble basketball in the sense that it's a race to score more points ... i have decided to try and follow baseball and the mets more seriously this year. Can someone bullet point the various stories surrounding the team heading into the spring? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 2 hours ago, Dunnie said: Since football is basically only eleven minutes of action surrounded by commercials and is starting to resemble basketball in the sense that it's a race to score more points ... i have decided to try and follow baseball and the mets more seriously this year. Can someone bullet point the various stories surrounding the team heading into the spring? The stable of arms is prolly the main thing to look at this spring and what the health of Harvey and Matz are, and Wheeler too, after surgery. There's several young arms to see also, namely Lupo, Gsellman, Dunn, and a couple of other prospects. Sandy really went after arms early on, but now some position players that may be emerging are Amed Rosario, and Justin Smith, and we wanna see how Conforto, Nimmo, and d'Arnaud look too. Rosario and Smith won't be with the team but we'll get a look. Rosario has become a big time prospect. By the end of last season he matured rapidly into a man and he is the SS of the future. Smith is a solid prospect too and the roster is starting to get deeper. If d'Arnaud can get back to some of the flashes he showed in '15 and be consistent and healthy it would be yuuuuge. By the end of last year he had lost all confidence and was terrible. They wanna try and make it work with him and give him every opportunity, maybe for the last time. It's gonna be a good season, and we'll be in the hunt for sure. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faba Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 MLB Rumor Central: Will Jerry Blevins Jan 27, 2017 ESPN.com Facebook Twitter Facebook Messenger Pinterest Email print comment Jerry Blevins has made it through 10 major league seasons by agreeing to a series of one-year contracts. Given the number of lucrative contracts handed out to free-agent relievers, is it finally time that the 33-year-old left-hander lands a multi-year deal? The agent for Blevins tells Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports that he expects his client to secure a deal of at least two years and $12 million. Top-tier closers such as Aroldis Chapman ($86 million), Kenley Jansen ($80 million) and Mark Melancon ($62 million) have landed mega long-term deals this winter, while top set-up relievers such as Brett Cecil (four years, $30.5 million) and Mike Dunn (three years, $19 million) also have done quite well. Blevins, a valuable situational reliever who appeared in 73 games with a .229 OBA for the New York Mets last season, made $4 million in 2016. The Mets are still shopping for a reliever this winter, and Kevin Kernan of the New York Post says a return to Queens “would be the best fit” if New York is willing to give out an extra year. Kernan adds the Blue Jays and Dodgers also have expressed interest in Blevins. Rosenthal says the Jays are looking for a left-hander to replace Cecil, who signed with the Cardinals, but might balk at a two-year pact since it “could limit the team’s options.” -- Doug Mittler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RutgersJetFan Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 $6 million a year for Jerry Blevins. Right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faba Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 However, because the Mets are pinching pennies, my hunch is Alderson will first want to sign the free-agent for as little 2017 money as possible, because how much he has to pay that person will dictate what he can take on in trade. I also assume they want to wait on trading for a right-handed reliever because -- if Blevins and Logan blow them off and sign elsewhere -- it might make more sense to sign a free-agent right-handed reliever, like Sergio Romo or Joe Smith, and trade for the lefty. If this is accurate, time is of the essence, especially since pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training in less than two weeks. In other words, I'm certain Alderson would like to have a new free-agent reliever on the books before the end of this week, so there's time to pursue a follow-up trade. The thing is, because there are so many pitchers still available, including some on the trade market and dozens willing to take minor-league deals, it's going to be difficult to rush anyone's answer. The point is, the Mets have a few balls in the air, the bullpen will be improved (if not a lot, then a little), and things should start coming together sooner than later... because, at this late date in the offseason, they have no choice... Matthew Cerrone (Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Contact) has been the lead writer of MetsBlog.com since 2003, as well as Executive Editor and Director of Digital Content for SNY.TV and host of the MetsBlog Q&ACast, pres. by Citi. Tags: Jerry Blevins, Matthew Cerrone 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted February 3, 2017 Share Posted February 3, 2017 Mets agree to one-year deal with RH reliever Fernando Salas I like this kid so I'm pulling for him. He's matured some too since he first arrived: Zack Wheeler is 100 percent, knows Mets are doing what is best for him 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faba Posted February 3, 2017 Share Posted February 3, 2017 The Mets have agreed to a one-year deal with free agent RH reliever Fernando Salas, reports Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports. The deal is worth $3 million, according to Chris Cotillo of SB Nation, and is pending a physical. Salas, 31, was acquired by the Mets from the Angels last season and had a 2.08 ERA (3.20 FIP) and 0.63 WHIP in 17 1/3 innings (17 appearances) while striking out 19. He has a 3.64 ERA (3.53 FIP) and 1.15 WHIP in seven major league seasons with the Cardinals, Angels, and Mets. The Mets had recently been linked to free agent RH reliever Sergio Romo. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RutgersJetFan Posted February 3, 2017 Share Posted February 3, 2017 Salas was great last year down the stretch. Nicely done. We really need some lefties. I hope we don't cave and give Blevins that deal. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 5 hours ago, RutgersJetFan said: Salas was great last year down the stretch. Nicely done. We really need some lefties. I hope we don't cave and give Blevins that deal. Looks like Blevins is back. Hopefully for two years and less per than he was asking. Not that I care about the money, but you hate to say them over pay even with the expanded payroll. But it's good news. The relievers were coming off the board and Sandy nabbed him, along with Salas and Gorzelanny Duquette did say they were gonna spend on the BP whether they traded somebody or not, and he turned out to be correct. By Matt Kelly / MLB.com Left-hander Jerry Blevins will return to Queens for the 2017 season, as the free-agent reliever has signed a new deal with the Mets, according to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman. Terms of the agreement are unknown, and the club has not confirmed. Blevins proved valuable for Mets last season and has been a top target of the team in recent weeks in an effort to solidify its bullpen. The 33-year-old posted a 2.79 ERA and 1.21 WHIP over 73 appearances for New York in 2016, striking out 52 and walking only 15 batters over 42 innings. The lefty was the Mets' third free-agent reliever signed on Friday, joining Tom Gorzelanny and Fernando Salas. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RutgersJetFan Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 6 minutes ago, JohnJ said: Looks like Blevins is back. Hopefully for two years and less per than he was asking. Not that I care about the money, but you hate to say them over pay even with the expanded payroll. But it's good news. The relievers were coming off the board and Sandy nabbed him, along with Salas and Gorzelanny Duquette did say they were gonna spend on the BP whether they traded somebody or not, and he turned out to be correct. By Matt Kelly / MLB.com Left-hander Jerry Blevins will return to Queens for the 2017 season, as the free-agent reliever has signed a new deal with the Mets, according to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman. Terms of the agreement are unknown, and the club has not confirmed. Blevins proved valuable for Mets last season and has been a top target of the team in recent weeks in an effort to solidify its bullpen. The 33-year-old posted a 2.79 ERA and 1.21 WHIP over 73 appearances for New York in 2016, striking out 52 and walking only 15 batters over 42 innings. The lefty was the Mets' third free-agent reliever signed on Friday, joining Tom Gorzelanny and Fernando Salas. One year with a 2nd year option. I can live with that. Another $9 million added to the payroll today. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 42 minutes ago, RutgersJetFan said: One year with a 2nd year option. I can live with that. Another $9 million added to the payroll today. Oh, good move. After seeing Sandy talk recently about the ups and downs of hitting consistently on BP signings I'm not surprised he didn't bite on what they were asking for initially. He would've let him walk for anything more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RutgersJetFan Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 29 minutes ago, JohnJ said: Oh, good move. After seeing Sandy talk recently about the ups and downs of hitting consistently on BP signings I'm not surprised he didn't bite on what they were asking for initially. He would've let him walk for anything more. Robles/Salas/Smoker/Blevins. That's a solid middle relief group. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faba Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 Well as expected Sandy waited it out and signed guys we had last year Blevins really has pitched great for us so happy with that. Robles if he ever gets consistent has great stuff. Edgin and Smoker probably for last spot battle in bullpen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 3 hours ago, faba said: Well as expected Sandy waited it out and signed guys we had last year Blevins really has pitched great for us so happy with that. Robles if he ever gets consistent has great stuff. Edgin and Smoker probably for last spot battle in bullpen Possibly Lugo/Gsellman/Wheeler also. With any kind of luck regarding the overall health of the team this is the first time since Sandy took over that the whole roster is filled with legit guys that are ready to go throughout the roster, where a guy like Conforto or a pitcher may have to wait for an opportunity down in the minors. That's a good problem. Overall depth is better, with Rosario and Smith looming to boot. Competition is a good thing and it's gonna happen... . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RutgersJetFan Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 25 minutes ago, JohnJ said: Possibly Lugo/Gsellman/Wheeler also. With any kind of luck regarding the overall health of the team this is the first time since Sandy took over that the whole roster is filled with legit guys that are ready to go throughout the roster, where a guy like Conforto or a pitcher may have to wait for an opportunity down in the minors. That's a good problem. Overall depth is better, with Rosario and Smith looming to boot. Competition is a good thing and it's gonna happen... . Look, I really don't want to jinx anything, but the Mets have been quite possibly the most cursed team in the majors when it comes to injuries for the past 2 years. 2015 was bad, but 2016 was preposterous. They have to luck into a healthy year eventually. I just refuse to believe that it can be as bad as the last two years, averages have to kick in eventually. And that definitely has me feeling optimistic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 Gabriel Ynoa sent to Baltimore for cash and Ty Kelly DFA after the Blevins signing. One spot open on the 40 man roster. Lotta guys playing in the WBC in March.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faba Posted February 11, 2017 Share Posted February 11, 2017 WBC classic - please no injuries for any of the players Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RutgersJetFan Posted February 11, 2017 Share Posted February 11, 2017 19 hours ago, JohnJ said: Gabriel Ynoa sent to Baltimore for cash and Ty Kelly DFA after the Blevins signing. One spot open on the 40 man roster. Lotta guys playing in the WBC in March.... A bit of a fall from grace for Ynoa. He was once very highly thought of in the organization. Have to say it's very encouraging that the pitching is so strong down on the farm that they felt they didn't need to hold on to him anymore. Think it was clear after his call-up last year that he was limited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted February 11, 2017 Share Posted February 11, 2017 21 minutes ago, RutgersJetFan said: A bit of a fall from grace for Ynoa. He was once very highly thought of in the organization. Have to say it's very encouraging that the pitching is so strong down on the farm that they felt they didn't need to hold on to him anymore. Think it was clear after his call-up last year that he was limited. Yep. We may be holding a couple wild cards with Gsellman and Lugo too. I have high hopes for Lugo. Gsellman seems to get more attention by the media, but I'm excited about Lugo. Lugo's pitchingin the WBC. Several guys are playing in it and I just hope everybody comes out clean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 Sandy said Conforto will not be a "piecemeal" guy. That he won't be on the bench getting odd at bats at different positions. Translation: he's playing full time in the minors if everybody stays healthy and no moves are made. Here's Conforto talking about the lows last year. He's another wild card we're holding and he'll get his chance down the road. I like the way he sounds and bet he'll be spraying bullets from here on out. https://www.sny.tv/video/topic/151007698/1223264683/geico-sportsnite-conforto . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adb280z Posted February 12, 2017 Author Share Posted February 12, 2017 2 hours ago, JohnJ said: Sandy said Conforto will not be a "piecemeal" guy. That he won't be on the bench getting odd at bats at different positions. Translation: he's playing full time in the minors if everybody stays healthy and no moves are made. Here's Conforto talking about the lows last year. He's another wild card we're holding and he'll get his chance down the road. I like the way he sounds and bet he'll be spraying bullets from here on out. https://www.sny.tv/video/topic/151007698/1223264683/geico-sportsnite-conforto . I wish they had never traded for/picked up the option on Jay Bruce. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RutgersJetFan Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 3 hours ago, adb280z said: I wish they had never traded for/picked up the option on Jay Bruce. It's going to really suck if Dilson turns out to be legit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Dierking Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 13 hours ago, adb280z said: I wish they had never traded for/picked up the option on Jay Bruce. Mets decided to try and go fr it last year. I can't fault them for that. I once thought that Herrera was going to be a big deal, not sure any more. He does not seem to break through when given a chance. We should find out about him soon, with the Phillips trade. Mets feel they have candidates to take over second. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 3 hours ago, Scott Dierking said: Mets decided to try and go fr it last year. I can't fault them for that. I once thought that Herrera was going to be a big deal, not sure any more. He does not seem to break through when given a chance. We should find out about him soon, with the Phillips trade. Mets feel they have candidates to take over second. If Bruce plays to his numbers batting behind Cespedes nobody's gonna complain anymore. He is without question the best option in the organisation at this time to provide protection for Ces behind him. The only person approaching his production is Duda. But good luck counting on him throughout the season even if he stays healthy. If he can get back on track it's just that much better. Good luck counting on d'Arnaud too. Another guy that could really help if he put it together. Gotta have Jose in front of them. He's gotta stay healthy. You know what Walker and Carbrera are, now let's see one of the younger guys assert themselves and make a difference. This is as deep as our roster's been since Sandy took over and it adds some keen competition which can only help everybody. There's a bunch of younger position players on the verge, several of whom could get themselves the starting job at 2nd after Walker moves on. Rosario may make a push to get a look see too later in the season. He's ready now to play D. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JiF Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 How horny does this article make you for Thor? With pitchers and catchers starting to report for teams around the country, spring training is just about here. Everyone’s worried about getting back into form and getting ready for the long, amazing season to come. [Sign up for Yahoo Fantasy Baseball | 2017 Player Rankings] Well, everyone but one guy. Noah Syndergaard, AKA Thor. The New York Mets’ long-haired ace pitcher isn’t worried about getting back into form at all. He just cares about being better than he was last year. Follow Anthony DiComo ✔@AnthonyDiComo Noah Syndergaard reported to camp Sunday and told reporters he -- seriously -- gained 15-17 pounds of muscle, wants to throw HARDER in 2017. 11:33 AM - 12 Feb 2017 537537 Retweets 1,0651,065 likes So that’s insane, right? Not just that Syndergaard is becoming just as muscular as Thor, god of thunder, but that he wants to throw harder than he did in 2016. Now keep in mind that Syndergaard is already an absolute beast on the mound. He throws the highest fastball in the majors (98.2 mph), and threw over 1,000 pitches of 98 mph or more in 2016. He finished the season with a 2.60 ERA and 218 strikeouts in 183.2 innings. But that’s not enough for him. Syndergaard craves more speed, more power, and apparently, he also craves deer meat. Follow David Lennon ✔@DPLennon Noah Syndergaard spent the winter eating bowls of venison and wants to throw harder this season. I have nothing to add to that.#mets 11:36 AM - 12 Feb 2017 601601 Retweets 1,0591,059 likes This actually makes sense. Since Syndergaard put on 15-17 pounds of solid muscle this offseason (!!!!), he needed a diet that was full of lean, healthy proteins. Venison fits the bill exactly. Per serving, it has less fat, less saturated fat, and fewer calories than beef, but with the same amount of protein. He didn’t just eat a giant bowl of meat, though I don’t think it’s hard for anyone to imagine him doing that. He told the New York Post about one of his favorite offseason dishes. “My go-to is the Bowl of Doom,” Syndergaard said. “It’s sweet potato and hash with bacon, and you have buffalo in it and venison sausage, avocado and scrambled eggs, and that is plenty. That’s primarily what my diet consisted of this offseason.” The image of Syndergaard eating something called the “Bowl of Doom” fits in so well with the Thor image many people have of him. Eating a bowl of wild game meat with his long hair, giant arms, and his hammer, Mjölnir, hanging on his wall. That last part is true: Syndergaard actually has the hammer of Thor hanging on his wall, right over his bed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RutgersJetFan Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 Thor looks like a monster. Holy sh*t. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rangers9 Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 I think one key is Luca Duda. If healthy it's time he proved he can be a consistent hitter. Not saying no Ks he's a power hitter and they all strike out a lot. But long slumps really hurt this team. And if you have guys like Duda and Bruce in the lineup you get inconsistent performances and if at the same time together and this leads to slumps. If Duda does not stop lunging for balls way out of the strike zone I would get rid of him. We could use guys with less power and a better on base percentage. btw James Loney is no longer on the Mets. He signed a minor league deal with Texas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faba Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 Wheeler tenderness in elbow going to take it easy with him- not a good start Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JiF Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 48 minutes ago, faba said: Wheeler tenderness in elbow going to take it easy with him- not a good start Weeks after stating he was 100%. Poor kid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faba Posted February 19, 2017 Share Posted February 19, 2017 Dom Smith reported to camp 25 pounds lighter in better shape- hopefully our starter next year at first Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JiF Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 I mean, thanks for everything Cap...but we cant be betting on this man to ever be the same. When is it time to just say, we need to move on? Mets optimistic better days are ahead for David Wright Tim Brown,Yahoo Sports 16 hours ago Comments Sign in to like Reblog on Tumblr Share Tweet Email The Mets hope David Wright will be in the starting lineup on opening day. (AP Images) PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – Terry Collins stood Sunday morning with his arms crossed watching David Wright. They were on a half-field out back. Wright was fielding grounders shot from a fungo bat. He’d gather a two- or three-hopper, underhand it 10 feet to a guy squatting beside a bucket and return to his place a few strides from third base. With every rep, Collins would take a step or two closer to Wright. After a time that brought Collins to Wright’s side. They spoke for a while. Wright nodded and Collins laid his hand on Wright’s shoulder and together they walked from the field, Wright carrying his glove by its thumb, his cap pushed back on his forehead, Collins talking out of the side of his mouth like managers sometimes do. On the day the player, his manager and the general manager affirmed Wright and his back and his shoulder could be – and maybe even should be – together enough to be in the lineup by opening day, it was the short, thick and tan Collins in the thick of the process. The process of Wright, at 34 years old, squeezing a few more innings, a few more at-bats out of a body that at times seems to have had it. The process of pushing a roster of veterans – among them a half-dozen or more outfielders, clumsily enough – toward a sensible resolution. The process of laying one starting pitcher after another, five or six or seven of them in a row, maybe, in the best of New York Mets worlds, Zack Wheeler after Steven Matz after Matt Harvey after Jacob deGrom after Noah Syndergaard, 25 or 30 times each. On the day of their first full-squad practice, Collins, 67 years old and having overstayed the early estimates by at least three or four seasons, grew frustrated by a couple long lulls, men going this way and that but not fully engaged due to scheduling lags, but was otherwise thrilled at what played out before him. He put that hand on Wright’s shoulder, a tender gesture meant perhaps to reassure his captain that some days would be better than others, that this was a good one and more good ones were coming, that patience would serve them all. “A great day,” he said about Wright, “all the way around.” David Wright has only played in 75 games the past two seasons. (AP Images) Collins has managed many teams, the majority of those in this same uniform. The Mets have grown up with him in his office chair, with him on the top step. The man tasked to get them through a clunky rebuild – a remodel at the very least – only while the stakes were low is now coming up on 1,000 games in the job, from a place where no one expected anything but calamity to this – a payroll in the $150 million range (nearly double what it was a few years ago), a roster stuffed with high-end veterans, a pitching staff laden with young and powerful and fragile arms, and the expectation to win and win again. You perhaps got to know him better during the World Series run in 2015, and came to understand that even middle-aged men can grow up, can reinvent themselves, can discover the best in themselves. Late last August, on an ordinary day at Citi Field, the Philadelphia Phillies were in town. A couple days before the Phillies had traded their catcher, Carlos Ruiz, to the Los Angeles Dodgers. In return they’d received a one-month rental, that being catcher A.J. Ellis. Collins was in the outfield during early batting practice early that afternoon. He spotted Ellis, in his Phillies uniform for the first time, lugging his gear toward the bullpen, where he’d catch a couple new teammates between starts. Collins and Ellis knew each other from years before, when Ellis was passing through the Dodgers’ system and Collins was its farm director. The trade had wounded Ellis. He was a Dodger lifer who’d risen to become a clubhouse leader, much more than simply Clayton Kershaw’s preferred catcher, and in a single phone call had lost the identity of being a Dodger, the promise of the postseason, and the notion that loyalty would always be repaid with loyalty. Collins waved. Ellis waved back. And soon Collins was trotting toward Ellis. The conversation was brief. “Do you know why you were traded?” Collins asked. “Well, um, I guess …,” Ellis began. “Let me tell you,” Collins answered. “You were traded because one day when you are sitting where I sit, managing your own team, and you have to give a kid the worst news of his career, what he thinks will be the worst news of his life, you’ll know what it feels like. You’ll know what it’s like to get that news.” Life, man. Empathy. In a moment when a wobbled soul needed something to make it right, to give it value, Collins went out of his way to deliver context. Perspective. Ellis nodded. Maybe, he thought. So six months later it was impossible to watch Collins satisfy his own restless spirit by pacing and chatting and peeling away from the batting cage to watch this drill or take part in that conversation without also thinking about this team and his place in it. It’s New York, man. It’s the Mets. There will be moments that will feel calamitous, but won’t be, and there will be others that look insignificant … and won’t be. And that’s when you’ll remember why he makes sense at this time for this team in this city, and that time he put his hand on David Wright’s shoulder to say, perhaps, we’ll get there. Trust it. We’ll get there. And it’ll have been worth it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JiF Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 Fun read about the future, though a bit ironic he's taking off field advice from his favorite player. MORE ON: NEW YORK METS Former Mets fan favorite says his tumor has shrunk Mets see $3M bargain as immediate eighth-inning 'answer' Gleyber Torres or Amed Rosario? Scouts debate Yankees and Mets gems Mets' deal with Neil Walker goes bust PORT ST. LUCIE — Amed Rosario is the lucky kid who gets to hang out with his favorite baseball player. In this case, Rosario only has to walk across the home clubhouse at Tradition Field to the corner locker occupied by Jose Reyes. “Jose just doesn’t give me advice on the field,” Rosario said Monday. “He really tells me how to carry myself as a person off the field, to always make the right choices and do the right thing. That’s a really great thing to have.” The 21-year-old shortstop remains the organization’s top prospect, set to begin the season at either Double-A Binghamton or Triple-A Las Vegas. Before this season concludes, he could be in position to make his major league debut. It’s because the Mets see Rosario, a lanky, 6-foot-2, 190-pound specimen, as such a jewel they have made him off-limits in trade talks over the past year. Now, other teams don’t even bother to inquire about Rosario. “He has it all,” said a talent evaluator who has seen plenty of Rosario. SEE ALSO Gleyber Torres or Amed Rosario? Scouts debate Yankees and Mets gems A second talent evaluator agreed that Rosario is the total package. “He is just so athletic,” the evaluator said. “He’s an outstanding shortstop, and you know it when you see it. He’s got a little bit of [Carlos] Correa in him, a little bit of [Francisco] Lindor, a little bit of [Addison] Russell.” The first evaluator said the Mets haven’t had a prospect with as many tools as Rosario since outfielder Carlos Gomez a decade ago. And the last infielder with as much talent to be developed by the Mets was either Reyes or David Wright, depending on your preference, according to the evaluator. Rosario received immediate notice from manager Terry Collins during Sunday’s initial full-squad workout by hitting a ball over the center-field fence. Though Rosario hit only five homers in 479 at-bats last season in Single-A and Double-A, his power could be just emerging. “Unbelievable talent,” said Reyes, who spent a week with Binghamton last summer after the Mets signed him to a minor league deal. “Basically he can do whatever he wants on the field. How relaxed that he plays, that got my attention. I said, ‘Man, this guy looks like he played in the big leagues already.’ He is a very confident guy — you want to see that for a young player. You need to have that comfort level.” Rosario (middle) talking with Jose ReyesAnthony J. Causi Rosario added about 10 pounds of muscle after participating in Mike Barwis’ physical conditioning program this offseason and says it is boosting his power. At Binghamton, Rosario had a .341/.392/.481 slash line in 54 games, only whetting the Mets’ appetite for his arrival. Until Rosario emerges from the minors, the Mets have Asdrubal Cabrera set to play a second season at shortstop. The Mets hold an option on Cabrera for 2018 and conceivably could turn him into a utility player who helps mentor Rosario. RosarioAnthony J. Causi Both Reyes and Rosario hail from the Dominican Republic and have a facial resemblance, but there is a difference in their styles. “I think he is going to have a little bit more power than me,” Reyes said. “Last year when I played third base in Binghamton, I saw him make all these plays like everything is made too easy for him. I said, ‘Man, this guy is going to be something else in the big leagues.’ ” Not long ago the 33-year-old Reyes was the kid in awe of meeting an idol. Now Reyes is amused by the fact he’s in the same clubhouse as a kid who always wanted to be him. “That made me feel old, but at the same time that means I was doing my job right,” Reyes said. “I was once that guy saying that to [Derek] Jeter. Now I’m in the same place.” 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetsfan80 Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 Reyes was labeled a phenom by veteran Mets players almost as soon as he threw on a big league uniform. Rosario's kind of following in his footsteps in that regard. Hope he doesn't beat women, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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