Meet the Mets (For Mets Fans Only!)

jfinnegan said:

It's odd that Conforto hasn't been signed. I had read he hurt his shoulder back in January and was only able to begin fully swinging a couple of weeks ago. Boras cost him tens of millions of dollars. I figured the Dodgers were going to sign him once they traded Pollock for Kimbrel.  

I agree with you on the Boras comment, and add that Conforto is a big boy and is responsible for his situation regardless of his agent.  Even with the shoulder injury, the fact that he is unsigned as of yet shows he really misread his value and situation.

The article I am posting here, by Anthony Martino, tries to make a ridiculous case that Conforto is comparable to Arod, Scherzer, Bryant, Seager, Springer, Altuve, and Rendon.  What a crock of warm rot.  Conforto has always been an okay but not great hitter, and he is a sub-par outfielder.  His career WAR is a lot lower than any of these folks. 

More to the point, each of those guys have been money players on teams that have been very successful.  Conforto has been uneven, streaky, and unreliable even at the best of times.  He cracked 80 RBIs once, 90 RBIs once, and, let's face it, when he came to bat in a big situation you never felt confident he would come through (and he often did not).  In a sense he reminds me of the later-career George Scott type of player--hits over 20 home runs, but too many with no one on base or late in a game when they do not matter.

My guess is he winds up with a one-year deal to try to prove himself, and then is back on the market in 2023.  Either that or someone needs him to fill in for an injured player and he can leverage that into a two year deal.  But the $100MM that the Mets supposedly extended?  Not gonna happen now.  Not that I am crying for him--he should have plenty in the bank to live a long and happy life without financial worries.
https://sports.yahoo.com/why-michael-conforto-scott-boras-170750283.html

mfpark said:

jfinnegan said:

It's odd that Conforto hasn't been signed. I had read he hurt his shoulder back in January and was only able to begin fully swinging a couple of weeks ago. Boras cost him tens of millions of dollars. I figured the Dodgers were going to sign him once they traded Pollock for Kimbrel.  

I agree with you on the Boras comment, and add that Conforto is a big boy and is responsible for his situation regardless of his agent.  Even with the shoulder injury, the fact that he is unsigned as of yet shows he really misread his value and situation.

The article I am posting here, by Anthony Martino, tries to make a ridiculous case that Conforto is comparable to Arod, Scherzer, Bryant, Seager, Springer, Altuve, and Rendon.  What a crock of warm rot.  Conforto has always been an okay but not great hitter, and he is a sub-par outfielder.  His career WAR is a lot lower than any of these folks. 

More to the point, each of those guys have been money players on teams that have been very successful.  Conforto has been uneven, streaky, and unreliable even at the best of times.  He cracked 80 RBIs once, 90 RBIs once, and, let's face it, when he came to bat in a big situation you never felt confident he would come through (and he often did not).  In a sense he reminds me of the later-career George Scott type of player--hits over 20 home runs, but too many with no one on base or late in a game when they do not matter.

My guess is he winds up with a one-year deal to try to prove himself, and then is back on the market in 2023.  Either that or someone needs him to fill in for an injured player and he can leverage that into a two year deal.  But the $100MM that the Mets supposedly extended?  Not gonna happen now.  Not that I am crying for him--he should have plenty in the bank to live a long and happy life without financial worries.
https://sports.yahoo.com/why-michael-conforto-scott-boras-170750283.html

I thought Conforto might take the QO after such a dismal 2021.  But I don't think it was stupid to pass it up either.  If he had a crystal ball and knew he was going to injure his shoulder working out, I'm sure he would have taken it.  

He's probably worth around $20MM a year when he's healthy, because he normally delivers about 4 WAR from his hitting.  His defensive WAR has been somewhat negative, but that's because the Mets put him in CF for a few dozen games a year.  He's a poor CF, a decent RF, and a very good LF.  So if a team signs him and puts him in LF, he'll possibly be an upgrade for them (although at the least important position).

I'm reluctant to call him "streaky" or not clutch because unless I've looked at specific stats from his healthy years about his high leverage ABs, I can't be sure I'm not biased by a few clutch ABs I watched on TV.  His aggregate stats are very good.  The BA isn't great, but his OBP is pretty good, and he hits HRs.  He's very similar to Nick Castellanos in terms of OPS for his career. And Castellanos just got $100MM for five years.

I'm curious to see where he ends up.  I think you're right it might be to a contender that loses a corner OF to injury early in the season.

ml1 said:

I'm reluctant to call him "streaky" or not clutch because unless I've looked at specific stats from his healthy years about his high leverage ABs, I can't be sure I'm not biased by a few clutch ABs I watched on TV.  His aggregate stats are very good.  The BA isn't great, but his OBP is pretty good, and he hits HRs.  He's very similar to Nick Castellanos in terms of OPS for his career. And Castellanos just got $100MM for five years.

Yes, I am talking like a Mets fan, which is always to see the glass as half-empty.  But most times when I was praying for Conforto to get a crucial hit, he didn't.  And I recall too many homers with the bases empty or when the score was lopsided one way or the other.  I would prefer Castellanos in a clutch situation.

Conforto is not a sub-par outfielder.

I thought he was a decent rightfielder. He would look awkward at times turning what looked like a routine play into a play where he would have to dive. I'll admit that for most of last year I was hoping he would take the HBP if it was in a clutch situation. A lot of the hitters changed their approach. I don't know if it was due to Chili Davis leaving, but I prefer his philosophy of trying to hit line drives instead of going for a HR every AB. I thought Conforto was going to be a consistent . 300 hitter with 20 HRS using the entire field. 

I like Megill, but it's tough to be as excited about opening day as I was a week ago.

Well. It’s Opening Day. Lots of games left to play!

We are Mets fans. Every year we wake up on Opening Day with a fresh bolus of “maybe this year” belief. Do not forget this sacred duty. 

“Why Time Begins on Opening Day” - Tom Boswell. I agree.  I can’t wait for first pitch.  

jfinnegan said:

I like Megill, but it's tough to be as excited about opening day as I was a week ago.

Seems like the Mets win every Opening Day regardless of who pitches.  It's games 2-162 that have been the challenge.

ml1 said:

jfinnegan said:

I like Megill, but it's tough to be as excited about opening day as I was a week ago.

Seems like the Mets win every Opening Day regardless of who pitches.  It's games 2-162 that have been the challenge.

Here's hoping for a good game on a certain Sunday in May. For those who are Facebook friends with me or follow me on Instagram you'll see what I mean. LGM!

jfinnegan said:

I like Megill, but it's tough to be as excited about opening day as I was a week ago.

Well, he did strike out a lot or people in his relatively short time in the majors last year.  There is that.

mfpark said:

jfinnegan said:

I like Megill, but it's tough to be as excited about opening day as I was a week ago.

Well, he did strike out a lot or people in his relatively short time in the majors last year.  There is that.

he was outstanding during the Spring.  I don't have anything against Megill, and I think he's got potential to be a solid #3 starter.  It's just the excitement was a lot higher when it was going to be that other guy starting today.

The weather in DC looks kind of dismal for later. 

Keith: "We used to say 'bottom third of the order,' but with the DH now...it is the 6, 7 and 8 hitters in the Mets lineup who drove in three runs and scored three."

Love the fact that Buck is honoring Wayne Garrett by wearing number 11 all year.

I don't post on this thread, but just sharing that our daughter-in-law is "grooming" the grandchildren to share her obsession.

I didn't know Megill could throw 99mph. He looked really good. So does Max hit Soto tonight? These guys shouldn't be in the majors if they're accidentally missing with fastballs by over 5 feet.

Revel in this moment. 

I'm gonna stretch the boundaries and post this here since Mo Vaughn is mentioned. From this past Monday...

Trying to watch the game on apple tv.  These announcers are unbearably bad.  Why do they do this to us?

Painful.

And it was HEAVEN watching GKR last night.  Like old friends coming over to hang out.

Let us hope the Apple TV experiment will never be repeated. Those announcers should all be jailed.

Going to the game in DC tonight. From the looks of it, the Mets fans will outnumber the legendarily soft, show-up-in-the-second-leave-in-the-eighth Nats crowd. 

And we remain on track for a 162-0 season!

DanDietrich said:

Trying to watch the game on apple tv.  These announcers are unbearably bad.  Why do they do this to us?

I don't have, nor will ever have Apple TV so I was spared. Once I found where it was airing, I clicked on audio MLB on my phone and smiled at hearing Howie Rose. All was well in the world. (For those who know me, one of the best gifts I received from my son was a cameo from Howie Rose. Will gladly share to anyone who requests if I can find it again.) LGM!

If Cohen offers a million bucks to MLB to keep the Mets off of apple tv I will match the first 20 bucks dollar for dollar.

I listened to most of the game on the radio and it was great to hear Howie Rose.  I then got home and watched the rest on Apple TV and it was so painful that I had to check the schedule to see how many more times we are going to be subjected to this crap.

Looks like 2 more.  

wendy said:

DanDietrich said:

Trying to watch the game on apple tv.  These announcers are unbearably bad.  Why do they do this to us?

I don't have, nor will ever have Apple TV so I was spared. Once I found where it was airing, I clicked on audio MLB on my phone and smiled at hearing Howie Rose. All was well in the world. (For those who know me, one of the best gifts I received from my son was a cameo from Howie Rose. Will gladly share to anyone who requests if I can find it again.) LGM!

I believe MLB games are free to anyone on AppleTV.  You'd just need to download the app.  I was out last night, so didn't watch.  I can endure bad announcing if I really want to watch the game.  There was a game on YouTube last season, and it was pretty bad, but I watched anyway.

Nice one tonight. Chris Bassitt’s postgame interview was something. Confident guy.

ml1 said:

mfpark said:

jfinnegan said:

I like Megill, but it's tough to be as excited about opening day as I was a week ago.

Well, he did strike out a lot or people in his relatively short time in the majors last year.  There is that.

he was outstanding during the Spring.  I don't have anything against Megill, and I think he's got potential to be a solid #3 starter.  It's just the excitement was a lot higher when it was going to be that other guy starting today.

I heard Megill is changing his name to Goodman. 

jimmurphy said:

Nice one tonight. Chris Bassitt’s postgame interview was something. Confident guy.

Bassitt is a GREAT pick-up. 

I understand that playing against the Nats is like extended spring training, but these are games the old Mets struggled to win.  I loved how Lindor used his interview after getting beaned to talk about how his teammates had his back.  That man is a leader.  Now the real question is can Carrasco have a good start.  Doesn't need to be shutout good, just good.