Talkin' Baseball (MLB Podcast) - 99 | New York Mets | Profile & Projection

Episode Date: March 1, 2020

The New York Mets are up next. They've made some moves to sure up this already talented roster. Yoenis Cespedes returns. Dellin Betances comes over. Are these new Mets going to be the same old Mets? Let's talk about em. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Oh, we are back with another team profile and projection. And this episode's a special episode because this is the first episode we've ever done from a moving vehicle. Yeah, man. We are on the RV. This feels like a memory. This is, if you hear the road underneath our voices, that's because that's what's happening. It's underneath our bodies. If you're watching the YouTube video and it's a bit shaky, that's because we're,

is we're moving. It's live. It's live podcast and while driving. Trevor Plufe is the driver. He's not on the mic. What input could he possibly have about MLBT's? Hopefully we get, yeah. Yeah, why would you want to hear from him?

What does he know about baseball? But this is fun and I, you saw I got a shit eating grin on my face a second ago and I told you this was going to be fun. Obviously for a lot of... pretty bridge right now. Like it's almost scary.

We're going over a giant bridge. We just came back from Sanibel Island. Our big baby David is sitting on the floor, holding the camera in the RV as we go. And what a better team to be doing than the New York metropolitan. It's a circus doing a circus. Right now we are the New York Mets. If everything goes perfectly, this is great.

No, if we crash and then they find us with like our head, phones and our mics on. We're still recording. And they're like, what the hell were these guys doing? Then we're the Mets. Yeah. Here's what I have to say for Mets fans listening. You've got a squad.

Yeah. Like I'm just going through everything. There's a lot of good. And unfortunately, even like, you know, we're not insulting Mets fans when we say this. The lingering question is, how is this going to get Mets up? Yeah. I mean, it's the moving RV podcast. YouTube while you're recording.

You've got a lineup. You've got some pitching. Hell, you even have a bullpen. I know. It's all good right now. Like, I'm looking at it. And you even have depth. I mean, guys like, right now I'm on fan graphs,

and they have Jed Lowry and Dom Smith on the bench. Yeah. And those guys are MLB players when healthy. And obviously, that's one of the bigger questions around this team. And the current lineup I have doesn't even have cesspit. in it. So the Mets, there's a lot to like. And I mean, let's be honest. We can go through this, the numbers, the names, and the information all day. I think the four teams in the NLEs are tight and it's going to be who gets a couple breaks. It's going to be who's healthy. But I mean,

there's no reason to dislike these Mets. Is there? Besides the ownership and the constant failure. Yeah, but that's not reason to dislike the guys in the squad. Right. Last year, the Mets had seven guys with OPS Plus over 100. Nice. And they all play at least 130 games or more. Pete Alonzo, Jeff McNeil, J.D. Davis, Michael Conforto, Wilson Ramos, Todd Frazier, and Ahmed Rosario. All had an OPS Plus above 100, and Robinson Canoe came in.

at 96. Todd's gone. Yeah, Todd's gone. But you know who else is gone? Donaldson from the Braves. Yeah. Rendon from the Nationals. All the third baseman left the NL East, basically.

A little bit. And yeah, it'll be interesting. Right now they have McNeil pencilled in there. I guess that's the one thing. When you go through the teams, I mean, the Braves, the Nats, the Phillies, the Mets, I think your biggest question, mark is defense and a, that's kind of a good thing because that means you can get offense and you

have pitching. But it also feels like that's how this team can run into trouble. I mean, I'm looking around this field and how many ball players, I mean, who can pick it on the Mets? I guess Rosario's a solid shortstop. Otherwise, around the horn. I mean, McNeil's whole thing is he's looking for a position. Alonzo's clearly not a defense guy. Cano, I mean, he's old, he's 37. J.D. Davis, his career, has been looking for a position up until this point. So I like the bats. It's pretty easy to like the pitching.

It's just going to be what does this look like on a day-to-day basis. Are we going to have the blow-up bullpen from last year in bad defense? Or is it going to be this team can hit and pitch enough where the defense doesn't really become a fact? They have a prospect that's maybe coming up this year. Andres Jimenez. Menez. Who can pick it. So maybe if they really need it, shortstop,

flash some leather in spring already. You know, we talked about, you know, Mets, Metsing and, you know, metzing things up and that and the circus of the front office. Mets get down to business. And we kind of, you know, the off-season update. They hired a manager. They had two press conferences this offseason. They hired Beltron.

He gets linked to all the cheating stuff. They go hard at him with all the cheating stuff. They get rid of Beltron. And they bring in Luis Rojas. So Luis Rojas, right? I feel like I looked it up. Yeah. Think you got it.

Yeah. And then everyone in the headlines were like, they just backed their way into a really good manager. We'll see what that looks like. Yeah. They do bring in Batanzas because they needed bullpen help. And Batances, when healthy, is nasty. Awesome.

And he can be a closer if, you know, that they need that. Yeah, and I, Edwin Diaz can't do what he did last year. No, impossible. I mean, he can. It's just not how baseball works when you're that talented and you're going to be 26 years old this year. So it'll be just interesting. Is he the Seattle guy?

Is he the Mets guy from last year? Odds are it's somewhere in between. What does that look like? Batanzas. If he's healthy and comfortable, he's awesome. If he's not healthy and uncomfortable, he's bad. And we've seen that as Yankee fans. Seth Lugo kind of broke out last year.

But they've got guys, like Familia had a terrible last year. But if he's right, that can be a good dude for you. So they've got bodies in the pen that it's like, even if half these dudes have good years, they can have a bullpen, which they didn't have it all last year. And they're starting pitching. I mean, it's got the top end stuff. It's got depth.

This is scary. This is scary. The starting pitching is good. They bring in a pretty Ricky Porcelo, and they even brought in Michael Waka on like a weird contract. And him and Mats are supposedly competing for the fifth starter spot. And now they're considering, the latest news that they're considering like having a rotating fifth spot,

depending on the matchup, and then having like Seth Lugo be the opener, and then Waka or. or mats be the middle guy or who knows how they're going to run it, but they got options there if everyone stays healthy. So they also brought in Jason Shreve on a minor league contract. And it feels like Tim Tebow might figure it out this year. Yeah, he had a home run in camp already.

You know, yeah, did he have a down year last year where he was the worst player in AAA and he's not a baseball player? Sure. Oh, yeah. But that's how you bounce back. here's here's something that i can say confidently say confidently if i were to do a full season right of triple a baseball yep i could also be the worst be the worst yeah and not be a baseball i won't fight you on it so that's something i can lay out there with a bunch of confidence confidently yeah and you know what tbo's a confident guy too so maybe he's just achieving his goal did you see uh he said a reporter asked him if

he's ever like questioned it or if his confidence is wavered and he's like yeah yeah been bad it's like well that's good i don't know why i'm doing this i thought i had a shot to be good turns out i'm bad and if i just quit now that goes against kind of everything i do even though i quit football because they didn't want me to play the position that i wasn't good at and i could have just played a different position i've been an NFL football player right dude or if football was just 10 years later. I think he'd have a job right now, but it's annoying. I mean, RG3. Anyways, anyways.

This is a baseball podcast. What, um, if this team wasn't named the New York Mets, what would we be saying? That they're dynomite. They're a good team. Oh, dude, they are a good team. Like, that's, I don't think you can doubt that. It's just what's going to happen. Is the bullpen going to be an utter disaster?

Right. Is Luis Rojas going to not be able to, able to galvanize the troops. Is Cestpidus going to bring bad vibes into the clubhouse? And, you know, are reporters going to be getting in fights with the manager again? Right. Are they going to have to retire a guy's number just to change the headline when they could have retired him in the last 30 years and they didn't? Was the time traveler reporter last year, the Mets?

Yes, because he was interviewing Barr. He was interviewing Barges. He looked like he was from the 1400. Can you give me, I know the old pitching coach isn't with the Mets anymore, but can you give me one more last Vargas from the old Pagish? Vargish! Is he talking to me? Shakurba! God, man, these Mets are going to try to win over my heart this year. And it's cool, and it's good.

But it's the Mets, and that's, like, that's my biggest concern right now. Well, all right. But, no, it's, I guess, I guess what's. getting me right now is their question marks? Like Jed Lowry. They signed him two for 24. The same deal as DJ LaMayhew looks terrible. He was basically out all of last year. I, easy driver. Sorry, our driver spoke up and we'll make sure that happens again. What I was going to say about Jed is that the Mets have made plans where they don't necessarily need Jed Lowry, but if Jed Lowry's good, he could become a big part of this team very easily. Same with Cespitus.

Um, these, Jed Lowry is a two ear flap guy. He is. But, um, I just, I just think those normal question marks, I feel were in the Mets lineup. And now they're almost not in the Mets lineup. It's almost house money a little bit. Like, Jed Lowry, if he's a dud at this point, the Mets are prepared for that. Yeah, I think, I think he take him out of the equation completely. Who cares? Right. But he could, there's also a chance. He could be a.

solid contributor. Sure. I think you could say the same thing with Cespitis. I mean, there's bigger question marks there, I think. Yeah. But with an outfield of Nimmo, Comforto, and right now they have J.D. Davis out there. Again, they have a little house money and bonus points that if Yonis Cespitus is healthy and he looks like Yo-Yo Cespitis, like that's a dude. Rippin Sigs in the dugout again before games? Hell yeah. That's cool. I'm a non-sports. I'm a non-sports. smoker. Well, except the one you smoke. They got Jake Mariznick. He can go run around in center field and play really good. Yeah, I mean, there's some Astros stats there that I don't need to dive into, but he's only hit good one time and it was 2017 at home. I can confidently say, even if I had the banging,

I wouldn't have hit good as good as Jake Mariznick. No, no, I agree with that. Okay, great. Can we go through their rotation? Yeah. And that's what's, that's also. What's crazy. I mean, this is the strength of the team, and we haven't talked about it yet. DeGrom, one of the top three best pitchers in baseball. Yeah. Back-to-back side youngs, right? Yeah.

I mean, just incredible. Awesome. Thor, Noah Sindegard. Contract year? You love a good contract year. I do like a contract year. Shirtless. He had the whole team's shirtless.

People are kind of buying into him now. I think he's won over the crowd with his antics in a way. I didn't make that up, right? It is a contract year for Sendergarde. I can find it. Maybe we'll look that up. It is for Stroman, who's penciled in their three-slot. And that's where I get worried about Stroman,

where if things aren't going well on a contract year, that's got a lot riding on that. Yeah. Could also go really well. He could also ball out. That'd be great. Contract year for Michael Waka. He's got a ton of incentives.

Incentivating contract for Waka-Flocka-Flamm. Pretty right. Ricky's just signed a one-year deal. Stephen Matt. So, I mean. Jed Lowry, Asespidus, Strowman and Mariznick. Yeah, you're right. Strowman is a contract here.

Wait, wait, so Thor's not. So no, Sindegard. Okay. Syndegarde's a free agent in 2020. Gotcha. My bet. I thought that's why he was in all the trade rumors. We all forgive you.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Strow show and that's my bad. No, that's why all those trade rumors were so stupid. Right, right, right. Will the Metsby buyers at the deadline? Yes. Yes. If you're a Mets fan, are you hoping for them to be buyers?

Are you hoping them to be like the buyers of one small piece? Because if you get the Mets front office doing a bunch of trades, that scares you more than excite you. I think it's more so they'll be buyers because, as I mentioned, they have bonus pieces to a degree. I think Dominic Smith can hit, and he's a first baseman. He can hit. But that Alonzo dude went nut job last year.

We haven't even talked about him. So, like, if the Mets had a DH, like, I think I would love this lineup. You could throw Dom Smith in there or move Alonzo either way. And you have some options between Jet and Yo-Yo, like we talked about. But, like, the Mets have some bonus pieces here that I think is going to turn into a deadline, fill whatever their need is at that point. Yeah, I could see that. So I don't think it's necessarily buyers like you're selling out the farm.

but the Mets the Mets have a couple duplicate puzzle pieces that they need to trade in for the right fit. Will Batances take over the closer's job? He can. He can. I'd pencil in for at least like two weeks stretch, minimum. It's a weird thing in our heads

because we are Yankee fans and we've seen the highest of highs from Batanzas where you could do nothing. It's not an option. It's not up to you. Dellen will be throwing the ball. ball past you. And we've seen the lowest of lows where it's like you don't even need to bring a bat. Like he'll walk you. And then if he does, he throws a get-me-over pitch and it turns

into a bad day real quick. So I don't know. I think they should let it ride with Edwin. I mean, the guy had a special, special closer season just two years ago. So give him a little leash. Last year was clearly an aberration. You know, he got Mets. So I'm going to give him a little leash, but at the same time, I mean, if he blows like two or three games in the first couple weeks... Handed to Dellen. Yeah. So, yeah, I don't know. I'm still going to believe in Edwin Diaz because he's so young and talented.

But, I mean, you know, I would not be shocked at all if Dellen's back there ripping it. They don't have any other minor leaguers. I talked about Andres Simenez. They don't have many others that are, like, supposed to come up 2020. Only other guy I saw. It was a pitcher that I believe was on their top ten prospects. Franklin, Kilome. Colome.

Colome. Killome. Kill me. Dude, that's a great, great Mets joke. Kill me. Oh, great. We got a pitcher named Killammy. Kill me.

Kill me. Damn, I hope he's not brutal Because if he's brutal Oh, yeah. Oh, kill me's in? Yeah, just kill myself. Yeah, that's tough. But it looks like, I mean,

he's ninth prospect in their org, starting pitcher, feels like injuries and pitching. You might see him get a chance. Maybe he's good. Who knows? See the name Oswalt and AAA, which just makes me think of Roy.

So, hey, you know, maybe he's his cousin, and he's good. About it. Son? No. Brother, from a different mother? I mean, could be brother.

It'd be a little bit of a cap. Papa Oswald, just getting after it in his old age. Popswalt. Popswalt. That's cool. That's what I'd say. All right, I had one more point to make. Okay.

I totally forget it because you kind of just went off the rails. We will need the over-under if that'll distract you for a second. Maybe that was it. Wilson Ramos is a pretty good kid. I like him. Okay, cool. I think he had like the highest batting average of a catcher last year. I don't.

I think I totally. lied. My least favorite part of the match is when Brandon Nimmo takes a walk or hit by pitch. Yeah. It's too much. It's a lot. I like the idea of what he's doing. I hate his execution. Man, right now they've got Rosario hit an eighth, which, again, I know it's...

You hit that dude, and then he does that? You want to hit him again. I'd do a pickoff where I aim at him again. Rosario's stats last year weren't crazy, but he hit... I think he hit 15... Or no. He's projected for 15 homers this year. But as an eight-hole shortstop, the Mets lineup, it's good.

Yeah. Well, their over-under is lower than the Indians. They're in a really tough division, Jake. What would you guess they're over-under is? Probably 86. 86 and a half. They also lost Sack Wheeler. Yeah.

He never fully put it together. But they have a full season of Stroman. He put it together enough to get a big old contract, though. Full season of Stroman pretty Ricky, and it's a little bit of a wash for me there. Okay. Michael Waka. They won 86 games last year. Yeah.

I am taking the under. Okay. Because I just believe in the Mets men's. Metsing more than I believe in everything panning out for them. Makes sense. And I don't think Mets fans will be upset with me there. I think they'll nod their head and be like, yeah, I was too. the very pessimistic fan base.

Why wouldn't you be? Why wouldn't you be? I'm going to go over. I'm kind of in on these Mets. Yeah, I think they're really good on paper. Those are words to die by. I think the Nats are going to have a tough year. I've kind of been open with that.

That's going to be tough once we get to the Nationals PPP. I think I might lose a couple fans there. But I do think repeating is one of the toughest things to do in sports. And like you said, the Braves Donaldson thing doesn't get talked about a lot. Like, he had a special year. They have guys that can step up. But I don't know. I don't know if that young magic in theory should work,

but there's also growing pains. That's kind of how baseball works. The Phillies were also out of it. I think the Phillies got better. I think Girardy's going to have the Phillies, at least competing throughout the whole season. Yeah. Girardi turned dog shit into, like, guys that play all season.

I think you're going to see a three-headed race between the, the Mets, Phillies, and Brace. So I'm going over. Oh, my God, Nats fans. Beware. Jake's coming for you. Yeah, Nats fans aren't going to like me this year. Wow.

Only because you lost Rendon. Holy shit. And you won the World Series. We're out. That's it. You just signed a bunch of old guys. I can play second and third. That's great.

Oh, we'll let Rendon go. Yeah. It's awesome. Thanks for looking. Bye, guys. Bye, guys. First ever moving podcast. Move pod.

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