The Beanball

The New York Mets Need to Sign Shin-Soo Choo This Off-Season

benberkon — Sat, 18 May 2013 18:47:43 +0000

The New York Mets offense is struggling. The team has a collective .230/.302/.382 triple-slash, with a .684 OPS–which ranks 26th in the major leagues. However, the real issue is with the Mets’ outfield. Mets’ center fielders have combined for a .530 OPS+ (worst in the majors) and right fielders a .621 (tied for third worst). While Mike Baxter and Andrew Brown, perhaps, deserve a chance to start this season, the Mets need to sign to-be free agent Shin-Soo Choo this coming off-season.…read the rest of this article on Yahoo! Sports.

The Resurgence of Nate McLouth

benberkon — Fri, 10 May 2013 18:59:43 +0000

It wasn’t too long ago that Nate McLouth was one of the more exciting, young outfielders in baseball. In 2008, McLouth–in his fourth major league season–posted a 125 OPS+, 26 HR, and 23 SB campaign for the Pittsburgh Pirates. The then 26 year-old also led the league with 46 doubles.

Perhaps channeling incredible foresight, the Pirates dealt the recently-extended McLouth mid-2009 to the Atlanta Braves for a package of prospects. At the time, it seemed as though the Braves had acquired a franchise cornerstone–but unfortunately, it couldn’t have been further from the case.…read the rest of this article on Guy Speed.

5 MLB Prospects Making the Most of Their Unexpected Playing Time

benberkon — Fri, 03 May 2013 14:40:21 +0000

It’s hard to believe it, but there has officially been a full month of baseball. While a month might be too early to, say, tab the currently reigning Kansas City Royals as the “team to beat” in the AL Central, it is a reasonable period of time to react to rookies’ performances.

Out of spring training, there were five notable prospects who, for one reason or another, were able to win a spot on their respective organization’s major league rosters. Below is a pulse check on how those five are currently performing.…read the rest of this article on Guy Speed.

What the Mets should do with Daniel Murphy, Part 2

benberkon — Fri, 03 May 2013 14:33:32 +0000

The first part of this two-part series detailed a possible extension scenario for Daniel Murphy. Extending him through his final two arbitration and first two free agent seasons would make some sense for the New York Mets, but the organization should simultaneously attempt to generate trade interest for the 28-year-old’s services, too.

The Mets’ farm system is relatively weak in terms of natural second basemen (i.e. Daniel Muno and Branden Kaupe), but the front office has prudently pushed offense-first Wilmer Flores to learn the position at Triple-A this season.

The 21-year-old infielder played 24 games at second base in 2012, and has already logged another 18 at the position so far in 2013. While Flores might never become a plus defender—or even a league average one—his bat could make up for it. At least that’s what the Mets are banking on.…read the rest of this article on Amazin’ Avenue.

What the Mets should do with Daniel Murphy, Part 1

benberkon — Wed, 01 May 2013 20:47:43 +0000

Among Mets fans, Daniel Murphy is a contentious player. They are generally split on how to view the 28-year-old infielder. To most, Murphy is a solid-hitting, hard-nosed starting second baseman, who would ideally be a super utility option on a playoff caliber team. To others, however, Murphy conjures up pure contempt. Starkly differing sentiments not withstanding, there is still a case to be made for a contract extension.…read the rest of this article on Amazin’ Avenue.

Dan Straily Should Stay in the Major Leagues

benberkon — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:40:05 +0000

The Oakland Athletics have been cultivating quality, homegrown pitchers since the late-1990s. The likes of Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder, Barry Zito, Rich Harden, Joe Blanton, Huston Street, Trevor Cahill, Brett Anderson, and Andrew Bailey have all come up through the farm system.

Heck, even Jason Isringhausen, Dan Haren, and Gio Gonzalez–though not original Athletics–have too found solace as young acquisitions for the A’s at the major league level.

Yet, even though the A’s have long prided themselves on the ability to develop their own pitching staffs, the organization has seemed to malign a pitcher who could very well be a future ace. That pitcher is Dan Straily.…read the rest of this article on Baseball News Source.

Justin Upton Trade Already Haunting Diamondbacks

benberkon — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 19:10:39 +0000

In 2011, Justin Upton emerged as an elite hitter in the major leagues. Upton, then 23 years old, already had a 26-home run season under his belt, but 2011 was different. His 141 OPS+ ranked just outside the top 10 in the National League, and his 31 home runs were tied for ninth. Upton’s maturation into one of the league’s finest hitters was not a surprise; success was always an expectation.

Upton was the first overall pick in the 2005 draft. After dominating at all levels in the minors, the Arizona Diamondbacks promoted the 19 year-old to the show — where he became a fixture in the Diamondbacks outfield for the next five seasons.

But after a rough 2012 season in which the hitter posted a comparatively mediocre .280/.355/.430 line and just 17 home runs, the formerly untouchable stud became expendable.…rest the rest of this article on Guy Speed.

Would Extending Dillon Gee Make Sense for the Mets?

benberkon — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 19:00:08 +0000

Matt Harvey has been the toast of town. And rightfully so. The 24-year-old has hurled a 1.54 ERA, 2.39 FIP, and 3.9 K/BB through 35 innings, and has also been victorious in all four of his decisions. Harvey’s dominant performance to date has prompted just about every Mets fan to wonder when the organization will extend the budding ace.

However, according to Brian Costa of the Wall Street Journal — and much to the chagrin of Mets fans — the Mets haven’t broached the subject yet.

While there is no doubt the Mets should quickly extend Harvey before he starts booking Light ‘N Lively Yogurt ads, the team should also consider locking up his more modestly performing rotation-mate, Dillon Gee.…read the rest of this article on Amazin’ Avenue.

What a Matt Harvey Extension Could Look Like

benberkon — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 18:57:32 +0000

Through the first month of the season, the main attraction in Flushing has been Matt Harvey. Harvey has dazzled both Mets and baseball fans alike with a 1.54 ERA, 0.68 WHIP, and 3.90 K/BB. He’s even won 4 of his first 5 starts in 2013. But with each dominant game the 24 year-old ace spins, his future price tag only increases. And that’s why the Mets need to extend Harvey soon–if not next week.

Even though Harvey has yet to pitch a full season, there is still plenty of incentive for the Mets to extend their brightest homegrown pitcher since Dwight Gooden. In 15 career starts, Harvey has owned a 2.29 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and 3.03 K/BB–but he’s also been worth 3.4 WAR. Since 1.0 WAR is roughly equivalent to $5.5 million, Harvey has been worth around $18.7 million in just 88 1/3 innings.

But as great as Harvey has been so far, how much will he be worth in the future?…read the rest of this article on Yahoo! Sports.

Matt Harvey is Filling the R.A. Dickey Void

benberkon — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 21:07:54 +0000

For an organization that refuses to fully acknowledge that they’re in rebuilding mode, the New York Mets made a pretty indicative move by trading ace R.A. Dickey this past off-season. Dickey, who won the Cy Young award in 2012 behind a 2.73 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 4.26 K/BB over 233 and 2/3 innings, was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays on December 17, 2012 for a package of top minor league prospects. But considering the next best Mets pitcher in 2012 was Jonathon Niese (3.40 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 3.16 K/BB), Mets fans were rightfully worried how the team could possibly fill Dickey’s production void in 2013.

However, 3 starts into this season, it is evident that Matt Harvey will not only be the Mets ace in 2013, but also, for many years to come.…rest the rest of this article on Yahoo! Sports.