With the same tired, one dimensional or injured names being thrown around, (Ryan Garko, Ben Sheets, Carlos Delgado), along with the recent signing of Gary Mathews, Jr, it's becoming more and more apparent that 2010 would be a lot more fun if we could all just take a breath and resign ourselves to the fact that watching a bunch of young guys play baseball would be a lot more fun than trying to hope for a miracle on an injured arm, an older fading never was, or a broken down former star.
Let's play Thole, Nick Evans, Daniel Murphy, even Ike Davis to platoon with Murph.
Why not have Chris Carter as the 4th outfielder?
Let Angel Pagan play CF for as long as it takes to get Beltran back.
Let's look at our "youth team" to start the season and a lineup that could work well:
SS-Jose Reyes (26)
CF-Angel Pagan (28)
3B-David Wright (27)
LF-Jason Bay (31)
RF- Jeff Francoeur (26)
1B-Daniel Murphy (25) and Ike Davis (23)
C-Josh Thole (23)
2B-Luis Castillo (34)
The same can be said of the pitching: Tobi Stoner, Dillon Gee, Jonathan Niese, Jay Marshall, all young and talented. Ollie Perez is still only 28 heading into the season, and I expect Big Pelf to have a superb year.
Here is a simple question--would you rather watch Ike Davis or Fernando Tatis in 2010?
The Mets don't need to go into 2010 with any lofty expectations, because every realist out there knows that this is likely not the year, nor is it the team that should expect to win right now.
That said, it is a team that can win, and by playing the younger talent, you'll likely get an inspired brand of fun baseball that would be competitive without breaking the bank. You also just might be surprised at the results.
It's the kind of thinking that would set up the more legitimate possibility for 2011 and beyond.
Play the kids now.
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7 comments:
Josh Thole for sure--not sure on Ike until we seem him in ST.
Agree on Garko and Tatis.
What you wrote is what the Twins do, and it works.
Nice job.
I'm not on board for the youth movement you describe. You're force-feeding guys into roles they're not ready for.
Ike Davis has 644 professional at-bats, none above AA. Josh Thole has caught 206 games as a pro, including the ones with the Mets last year.
I can't help noticing that you didn't ask for a chance to see Fernando Martinez in a prominent role in 2010 -- is that because you're not counting on him staying healthy, or is it because you're down on him because he looked over-matched last year?
I'd like to see the Mets give their younger players a chance, but not until they're ready to succeed.
Sure, add Fernando to the list! His name was not an ommission, but rather an oversight on my part.
Thole: they are not going to rush him... not defensively ready
Ruben Tejada - beeds a year to mature
Martinez - no reason to rush - first have see if he can finish a season without an injury
David - will be the Mets first baseman after the all-star break if things go well
Niese - will be the SP5 in May if things go well
Shawn Bowman - will win out utility over two thumbs Cora
Holt - not ready
Mejia - maybe never ready
Stoner - will shine in the pen
Mack
not David - Imean Ike (long day)
Awesome...thanks Mack!
(I still think Thole is the man this year)
youth is good. it shows that there's a chance that whatever they bring to the table will be around longer. youth is rebuilding. it's what the Mets really need to be doing now.
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