Although our starting lineup is heavily left handed, our bench (when everyone is healthy), actually is not.
When Tejada is back (I'm still keeping Bay and Baxter out), the candidates for the bench are: Hairston R Turner R Cedeno R Nickeas R Rottino R Quintaniila L Valdespin L
I would like to keep Q over Cedeno, but if the FO doesn't agree that's a potentially all right handed bench. Even if Q is kept over Cedeno, I'd prefer Q to be used as a defensive replacement and if a lefty pinch hitting situation comes, I would rather use Valdespin than Q. Of course this is all subject to change if Hairston starts consistently over Torres (Torres is a switch hitter) or if Baxter comes back before a decision on Valdespin vs. Rottino needs to be made. Rottino is probably the 3rd righty pinch hitter after Hairston and Turner, while Valdespin is the first lefty pinch hitter.
Valdespin's speed also makes him a pinch running candidate for Ike or Duda at the end of a game.
I don't want this to sound like I'm making a case for Vinny Rottino, because he stinks too, but Rottino would be a better PR candidate considering he's every bit the baserunner Valdy is (probably better) and you wouldn't have to make TWO moves to pinch run for someone like Ike (could just insert Rottino thereafter at 1B) whereas you would if you used Valdy.
Rottino plays the 4 corners and we should really consider the whole catcher thing if he's around here considering the absolute crap job the 2 normal catchers have done, offensively and defensively, this year, whereas Valdespin plays 2B (and other spots you should not ever feel comfortable using him in a game that is still even remotely in doubt).
Rottino has a track record of at least hitting in AAA; Valdy has a track record of ending up in the RH batter's box on a 3-1 swing down multiple runs.
I understand theres a lot of excitement around Valdespin because of the occasional flash he shows, but there's like 95% terribleness surrounding the 5% of the time he shows good stuff. At some point you want to run with him at 2B if he gets hot and Murphy continues to stink? I guess so (I wouldn't - but can see Valdespin: starting 2B more than I can ever see Rottino: starting ANYTHING) - but as a pure bench guy, I have no real spot for Valdespin on my team (nor really do I for Rottino, but its more understandable as a fill-in).
If they cleared a 40-man spot, I'd bring up Wimberly or Lewis for Valdespin to keep a lefty on the bench (Wimberly hits switch). I don't want an all righty bench. Both of those guys probably belong on the Mets over Valdespin and probably over Rottino as well.
If they cleared a 40-man spot, I'd bring up Wimberly or Lewis for Valdespin to keep a lefty on the bench (Wimberly hits switch). I don't want an all righty bench. Both of those guys probably belong on the Mets over Valdespin and probably over Rottino as well.
Yeah agreed. 40man spots are those 2's biggest assets.
I want to believe that Sandy and Co. will do everything in their power to avoid a mess like this next year.
Part of the mess is you have Flores, Puello and Familia with 40-man spots. Going into the season, the Mets knew those were three spots that would not yield any help to the 25 man roster this season. I agree we needed to protect them, but it hampers our flexibility. Combine that with the underwelming play of Lagares and Havens along with the injuries to Mejia and Lutz and of the 15 non-25 man roster spots, 7 do not prvide help to the majors. It leads to Carson and Valdespin being forced to come up before they are ready (whether Carson will ever be ready is another story).
I don't see it being any better next season. Aderlin Rodriguez, Tovar and Puello will probably have spots that will not yield anything to the majors. Flores, Marte, Wheeler probably will not be ready through at least the beginning of the season. Need to hope the guys with the other 9 non-25 man roster spots don't have bad seasons like Lagares and Havens or don't get hurt like Lutz and Mejia.
I forget who the 6 were, but I think it was someone at AA who pointed out we were really working with a 34 man roster this year.
Familia, Puello, Lagares, Wilmer...not sure who the other ones were (maybe this was still in the Arm-Rod days).
But yeah, thats a tough handicap. I look at, say, the Nations' 40 man roster. Here are the healthy (non-60day), non-active members:
John Lannan, Ryan Perry, Yuniesky Maya, Matt Purke, Athy Severino, Sandy Leon, Carlos Maldonado, Mark DeRosa, Anthony Rendon, Chad Tracy, Carlos Rivero, Cory Brown, Eury Perez.
With the exception of Purke and Rendon (and Rendon is mostly healthy-related - who knows where he'd be right now if healthy), almost all of those guys have either already been called upon to help or are able to help if a need arises.
Interestingly, a lot of the non-helpful spots from the 40-man tend to be International Free Agents. I wonder if this is a side effect of finding a lot of your talent outside of the draft. A lot of the guys spend one year in DSL/GCL (when we had one), should spend one in Kingsport/Brooklyn, one in Savannah and one in St. Lucie. After that St. Lucie season, they need to be protected when they are not nearly ready to help in the MLB. If they need to repeat a level like Flores and Puello did this season, it makes it even more drastic.
But yeah, thats a tough handicap. I look at, say, the Nations' 40 man roster. Here are the healthy (non-60day), non-active members:
John Lannan, Ryan Perry, Yuniesky Maya, Matt Purke, Athy Severino, Sandy Leon, Carlos Maldonado, Mark DeRosa, Anthony Rendon, Chad Tracy, Carlos Rivero, Cory Brown, Eury Perez.
With the exception of Purke and Rendon (and Rendon is mostly healthy-related - who knows where he'd be right now if healthy), almost all of those guys have either already been called upon to help or are able to help if a need arises.
I don't think we'd be terribly enthusiastic about that group.
_________________ Sandy and Co.: Hold tight and pretend it's a plan.
But yeah, thats a tough handicap. I look at, say, the Nations' 40 man roster. Here are the healthy (non-60day), non-active members:
John Lannan, Ryan Perry, Yuniesky Maya, Matt Purke, Athy Severino, Sandy Leon, Carlos Maldonado, Mark DeRosa, Anthony Rendon, Chad Tracy, Carlos Rivero, Cory Brown, Eury Perez.
With the exception of Purke and Rendon (and Rendon is mostly healthy-related - who knows where he'd be right now if healthy), almost all of those guys have either already been called upon to help or are able to help if a need arises.
I don't think we'd be terribly enthusiastic about that group.
The point is that the 40 man roster is a terrible place to have your legit lower-level prospects hang out.
It should be a revolving door of AAAA depth or shuttle guys to fill short-term holes, or be able to be DFA'ed at a moment's notice for a prospect should a long-term need arise.
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Depressing.
