Brodie's Inferno: Another Hot Stove Metsian Podcast

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

A METSIAN PODCAST

Hot Stove Report

48 Minutes

Mets fans wanted change; Brodie Van Wagenen brought us change!

Sam and I discuss and debate the acquisition of Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz from the Seattle Mariners, and the monetary and player costs involved; Noah Syndergaard trade rumors; the decision to non-tender Wilmer Flores and retain Travis d'Arnaud; Jim Riggleman hiring as bench coach; Allain Baird hiring as assistant GM and VP of player personnel and development; the politics of Robinson Cano wearing #24 traditionally kept in reserve out of respect for Willie Mays; and more.

#LGM

N.Y. Mets: Brodie Van Wagenen Launches Winter Offensive

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

That's One Small Step for Brodie; One Giant Risk for Metskind

New York Mets: For better or worse, Brodie Van Wagenen's mission to compete now while also building a contender for the future has just taken a bold giant leap forward.

I cringed with disgust upon first hearing about the rumored trade to acquire Robinson Cano; a purely emotional response.  Several days have since passed, allowing me to further assess one of the more major trades of impact negotiated in team history.  Suffice to say my opinion has softened slightly although my overriding impression remains mixed at best.  Partly because the Mariners were motivated by desperation insofar as completing a trade and therefore were not dealing from a position of strength.  As such, I feel the Mets failed to effectively and fully exert an apparent and considerable advantage in leverage.


THE DEAL:

• New York Mets get Robinson Cano, Edwin Diaz, and $20 million.
• Seattle Mariners get Jay Bruce, Anthony Swarzak, Justin Dunn, Jarred Kelenic, Gerson Bautista.

Emotional me has no interest in a 36-year old slugging second baseman in a non-DH league, who is still owed $120 million over the next five seasons, and coming off a PED suspension.  The latter puts his true rate of physical decline into legitimate question.  In his first four years with Seattle, he averaged 156 games per season, and in 2016 started 161 games as a 33-year old.  The former user now in his late 30's comes to Queens where the Mets, unrealistic as it may seem, are expecting him to maintain a similar level of availability through and beyond his 40th birthday.  In Cano's defense, he seldom DH'd for the Mariners, and played very well last season after returning from suspension.  But then why wouldn't he look fresh considering he was out most of the season ...

If available and healthy, Robinson Can easily becomes the most accomplished hitter in the Mets lineup.  But for how long?  Now that Cano's past has caught up with him, he becomes suddenly accountable to Father Time.  Great potential exists for rapid decline.  Otherwise, Cano owns a career slash of .304/.355/.493 over 14 seasons.  He batted .300+ in seven of nine seasons with the Yankees.  He topped .300 for the eighth time during his first season with the Mariners, but then averaged .289 over his next three seasons.  In 2018 he once again achieved a .303 mark albeit in 310 at-bats.  He is averaging 24 home runs and 96 RBI through his career, and last year hit ten home runs with 50 RBI in just 80 games played.  In this particular instance, consistency speaks for itself.

If we set the length of Cano's remaining contract aside, the actual money involved becomes less of an issue, and actually quite manageable.  The $28 million formerly owed to Jay Bruce, and $8.5 million owed to Anthony Swarzak, now get added to the incoming $20 million check from the Mariners.  Subtract those monies from the $120 million owed Cano, and the Mets are on the hook for roughly $12.7 million per season.  That's reasonable, and in truth, I'm overjoyed someone took Jay Bruce and Swarzak off the Mets hands.  For that, I am truly thankful.

With a little more insistence, I'm sure Wagenen could have shoved Todd Frazier down their throats as well.

I digress ...

Of course, Edwin Diaz served as the hook.  Since the Mariners are in full blown rebuild, it made no sense retaining a top flight closer with obvious trade value.  He was an easy throw-in for the Mariners for as long as the Mets were removing Cano's prohibitive contract from their books.  In turn, the Mets receive a young, elite closer, with multiple years of organizational control.  No better reliever presently exists on the free agent market ... not at this age, and certainly not at this price.  Diaz is nothing short of a very fine acquisition.

But the true cost to the Mets remains to be seen.  We'll find out if and when prospects Justin Dunn, Jarred Kelenic, and Gerson Bautista ever become major league players.  It's this aspect that has many Mets fans up in arms.  Numerous members of the media and fans alike feel as if the Mets surrendered too many prospects, highly rated Justin Dunn and Jarred Kelenic specifically.  I myself am torn about the Mets parting with both.  Again, the Mets had all the leverage and should have done more to steer Seattle clear of one or the other.

No one can predict the future.  Therefore, dealing with prospects, in a manner of speaking, is no different than gambling: sometimes you roll sevens, and sometimes you crap out.  Too many prospects throughout Mets history have been labeled can't miss only to flame out like a bottle rocket: Mike Vail; Fernando Martinez; Lastings Milledge; Alex Ochoa; Generation-K; et al.  And it's not like the Mets are presently experiencing great success with recent top round draft selections.

In fact, history shows where it concerns the past acquisitions of Keith Hernandez, Gary Carter, Frank Viola; Mike Piazza; Johan Santana; etc.; dealing prospects benefited the Mets considerably in most if not all instances.  Breaking the bank for Cano is clearly a win now transaction that just may work.  And odds are Brodie Van Wagenen may reveal another trick from under his sleeve before he's through. 

Perhaps it's we fans who need to revisit and more intensely study the Mets farm system and realize there's no future in it.  That's what Omar Minaya and newly hired Allard Baird (brilliant move) are here to correct.  So maybe Van Wagenen is on to something after all.  In the context of winning now, recall last season how the Mets lineup lost its number three, four, and five hitters.  It devastated their summer, and ultimately their season.  Otherwise, they were a competitive lot for at least four of six months. 

Enter Robinson Cano, at an average annual cost of $12.7 million a season.

Losing Justin Dunn is a tough pill to swallow. 

Sensible and pragmatic me nevertheless gives this trade a stamp of approval.

Brooklyn Cyclones: Arms Race Heating Up in Coney Island

From the desk of:  THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

Dutchess Stadium

Brooks lead series 2-0

I - BKN 3; HVR 0

II - BKN 6; HVR 1

III - FRIDAY

GAME THREE

Brooklyn Cyclones

vs.

Hudson Valley Renegades

FROM

Fishkill

NEW YORK

Brooklyn Cyclones: Behind strong pitching Baby Bums are 7-3 in last 10 games; closing in on first place Staten Island Yankees.

The season long offensively challenged Brooklyn Cyclones have outscored 

the Hudson Valley Renegades by a 9-1 margin through two games.  

The Cyclones will attempt a sweep Friday evening.

The Brooklyn Cyclones have come a long way since their sub-par start to the regular season, and have effectively tightened up the McNamara Division race.

And now, the only thing better than the cool ocean breeze at Coney Island, is the heat being generated on the pitching mound at MCU Park, home of the Brooklyn Cyclones.

Mets first round draft pick (#19 overall) Justin Dunn is scheduled to make the third start of his professional career in Troy, N.Y. this weekend against the Tri-City Valley Cats.

He presently owns a 1-1 record with a 0.75 ERA after five appearances and two starts.  He has limited the opposition to a lone earned run on 12 hits and five walks, with 13 strikeouts through 13 innings pitched.

However, the Brooklyn Cyclones pitcher suddenly turning heads is left-hander Thomas Szapucki.  He was promoted to Brooklyn after just five appearances for the Kingsport Mets of the (R) Appalachian League, in which he posted a 2-1 record with an attention grabbing 0.62 ERA and 0.86 WHiP.  He allowed just 17 hits, walked nine, and fanned 47 batters in just 29 innings of work.

He has since made two starts for the Cyclones.  His last start on July 31 against Aberdeen was nothing short of a gem.  He earned an unfortunate loss after allowing one unearned run, but otherwise tossed seven innings of two-hit baseball, walking one, and fanning 10 batters.

Thomas made his Cyclones debut on July 14 against the Staten Island Yankees, and it was a beauty.   He pitched 5.1 innings of scoreless baseball, while limiting the Yanks to just four hits and three walks, while fanning eight batters.

The performance of starter Harol Gonzalez is also demanding attention, who after nine starts leads the NYPL with 67 strikeouts and a 0.88 WHiP, along with the league's fourth best 1.77 ERA.  He owns a 4-1 record so far, and has allowed 12 walks and just 37 hits through 56 innings pitched.

On Tuesday, Aug. 2, the Cyclones added getting one-hit by the Aberdeen Ironbirds to their list of ponderous 2016 achievements.

They've since went on to take two straight from the Renegades up in Hudson Valley.  This past Wednesday against Hudson Valley, Harol Gonzalez tossed seven innings of scoreless, four-hit baseball, while issuing just one walk and fanning four batters.  The series finale scheduled for Friday.

• Mets second round draft pick first baseman Peter Alonso hit his fourth professional home run against the Renegades.  He is presently slashing .295/.373/.534, with seven doubles and 18 RBI through 25 games and 88 at-bats.

Brooklyn Cyclones: On Justin Dunn's First Pro Start

Here's my latest for 

RisingApple.com

Local kid does good...

Mets First Round Draft Pick Justin Dunn 

Sparkles in First Professional Start

Mike

senior staff writer/Rising Aplle

Brooklyn Cyclones: Lowell Spinners Complete Coney Island Sweep

From the desk of:  THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

13-16

tied last place

McNamara Division

BROOKLYN CYCLONES: Time for all these college kids to start showing what they can do...

It took some doing, but the 2016 Brooklyn Cyclones are finally assembled.

Former University of Connecticut southpaw Anthony Kay, the Mets first round compensatory draft pick (#31 overall) finally agreed to terms with the club on Wednesday - two days before the July 15 signing deadline - and will report to the Brooklyn Cyclones.

That means all eleven of the Mets first ten round selections are now signed, sealed, and delivered straight out of college - an astonishing turn from the Paul DePodesta era.

That said, let the frat party begin...

Delta Tau Chi - Brooklyn

• Rd. 1 - Justin Dunn, rhp, Boston College
• Rd. 1 - Anthony Kay, lhp, UConn
• Rd. 2 - Peter Alonso, 1b, Florida
• Rd. 3 - Blake Tiberi, 3b, Louisville
• Rd. 4 - Michael Paez, 2b, Coastal Carolina
• Rd. 5 - Colby Woodmansee, ss, Arizona State
• Rd. 7 - Austin McGeorge. rhp, Long Beach State
• Rd. 10 - Gene Cone, of, South Carolina

Kingsport

• Rd. 6 - Chris Viall, rhp, Stanford
• Rd. 8 - Placido Torres, rhp, Tusculum, TN
• Rd. 9 - Colin Holderman, rhp, Heartland CC, IL

Brooklyn's opening week of the regular season was somewhat less like baseball, and something more akin to boot camp, having to play 56 innings (29 extra innings) in the span of just four games/days, highlighted by their 20 inning opening night loss against the Staten Island Yankees.

An omen of things to come?

They were promptly no-hit thereafter, and recently turned the club's first ever triple play.  In other words, the first 39 games of the season have provided fans with a little bit of everything both, good and bad.

Despite their sub .500 record, they've more importantly managed to stay within shouting distance of first place Staten Island, who jumped out to a 5-0 start, and posted a fine 11-3 record in June.  But the junior Bombers have since cooled.  Saturday's loss against Hudson Valley dropped them to 7-9 for the month of July.

Brooklyn, however, is presently failing to seize the moment.  They entered Saturday's action trailing Staten Island by six games, but gained no ground after getting whitewashed 4-0 Saturday, capping off a sweep by the visiting Lowell Spinners, whom initially shut-out the Cyclones 1-0 in Thursday's series opener at MCU Park.

   

The loss dropped Brooklyn's season record to 13-16, but there's a case to be made their season is just beginning.

Saturday only marked Michael Paez' fourth appearance for Brooklyn, as he played for Coastal Carolina during their recently concluded college championship run, while first baseman Peter Alonso just concluded his first full week with the Cyclones.  

The Cyclones presently rank 13th with a .214 team batting average, yet rank sixth in the circuit in runs scored.  So there's hope for this line-up yet.

Likewise, there's hope pitchers Anthony Kay and Justin Dunn can soon help getting Brooklyn's 5th worst team ERA turning in a better direction.

Last Sunday, Justin Dunn (#19 overall) made his Brooklyn debut.  It was his second relief appearance of the season, and for a second straight time pitched two scoreless innings en route to earning his first victory as a professional.  The Hudson Valley Renegades witnessed Dunn's full repertoire, including a fastball that popped the catcher's mitt with a top speed of 97 mph.

He is adhering to a prescribed light schedule - every sixth day.  His next appearance was scheduled for Saturday, June 16.  That never happened.  Perhaps Sunday then?

Dunn otherwise discussed making his first professional start during SNY-TV's live coverage of Wednesday's Cyclones game, perhaps next week against the Aberdeen Ironbirds - albeit a limited three inning start at most.

Brooklyn Cyclones: #1 Draft Pick Justin Dunn Makes Pro Debut in Batavia

From the desk of:  THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

Brooklyn Cyclones vs. Batavia Muckdogs

I - BKN 5; BAT 1

II - BKN 5; BAT 1

Game Three

Brooklyn Cyclones

vs.

Batavia Muckdogs

FROM

Dwyer Stadium

Genesee, N.Y.

BATAVIA: Stay Team Stay!

I have noting but respect for the rich seventy-seven years of Batavia Baseball.  When the Muckdogs visit Coney Island's MCU Park, I make it my business to be there.  After all, what are the Cyclones without competition?

Historic competition at that...

Birth place of the original PONY League back in 1939, a reorganized circuit proceeded forward in 1957 as the New York-Penn League, likewise founded in Batavia - the last remaining charter member of the circuit.

This series potentially may very well be Brooklyn's last visit to Batavia and Dwyer Field.  The park itself was rechristened in 1996, but the original playing field has been in place since 1937.  All these decades later, baseball may be coming to a sad end in Batavia - relocation.

The visiting Brooklyn Cyclones so far have won two of a three game set by identical 5-1 margins, with the series finale scheduled for Wednesday.

BROOKLYN CYCLONES: Mets First Round Draft Pick (#19 overall) made a sparkling professional debut on 4th of July.

Justin Dunn, the New York Mets #1 pick (19th overall) of the recent 2016 June amateur draft made his professional debut on Independence Day in western New York against the Batavia Muckdogs.

A local product hailing out of Freeport, Long Island, Dunn, 20 years old, and is listed at 6'2" 170 pounds.  He and the Mets reached an agreement on June 21, for the full slot value of $2,378,800 million dollars.

Used primarily as a reliever during his three years at Boston College, Dunn's early season performance in 2016 earned him a promotion into the Eagles starting rotation by April.

ICYMI

Justin Dunn Has Entered The Building

He features a mature four pitch repertoire replete with a mid-90s fastball, polished curve and slider, and an effective change, and finally put them to work for the Brooklyn Cyclones.

Two things to keep in mind before discussing Justin Dunn's performance: the Mets debuted him on the road, and in a non-save situation.

Read into it what you will...

Dunn otherwise pitched his first two innings as a pro on the fourth of July, charged with protecting a 5-1 lead during the eighth and ninth innings of Saturday's victory.

The first batter to step in against him was number seven hitter, Batavia DH Isaiah White, who reached on an excuse me infield single.  Three pitches into Justin's second batter, his battery mate made his first trip to the mound.  A fielder's choice then advanced the runner to second.  Third batter in second baseman Rony Cabrera witnessed one each of Dunn's 95mph fastball, and nasty slider, but reached safely on yet another excuse me infield single, putting runners on the corners with only 1-out.  With his very next pitch, however, Dunn induced lead-off hitter Cory Bird into an inning ending 4-6-3 double-play.

With Batavia's number two, three, and four hitters, due up in the ninth, Justin Dunn provided distant Mets fans a measure of validation by retiring the Muckdogs in order, fanning the first and final batters of the inning ... game over.

Brooklyn Cyclones: Justin Dunn Has Entered the Building

From the desk of:  THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

Justin Dunn preparing for professional debut in Brooklyn

BROOKLYN CYCLONES: Mets Sign First Round Draft Pick, Justin Dunn; Next Stop, Coney Island.

The New York Mets and first round draft pick Justin Dunn agreed to a $2.38 million signing bonus Tuesday.  Dunn, 20, is now on his way to come ply his talents here at MCU Park.

A local talent hailing out of Freeport, Long Island, listed at 6'2" and 185 pounds, Dunn was selected #19 overall by the Mets as a junior out of Boston College.  In fact, he tied for the highest RHP pitcher selected in BC history.

He features a mid 90s fastball, a good off-speed curve, hard slider, and an effective change-up to boot.

Dunn was utilized in relief earlier this year, racking up 17 strikeouts with only 3 walks in 9 appearances.  By April, Justin was inserted into the starting rotation and finished out the season totaling eight starts.

Among them - in the days leading into the 2016 amateur draft - Dunn threw seven innings versus Tulane on June 3, in which he allowed 2 earned runs on 5 hits and one walk, and fanned 11 batters.   In his start previous to that, Dunn threw a complete game against Georgia Tech, allowing 2 earned runs on 7 hits, with 9 strikeouts.

In 17 overall appearances, Dunn posted a 4-2 record, with 2 saves and a 2.06 ERA this season, while allowing 52 hits and 18 walks, with 72 strikeouts over 65.2 innings pitched.

Overall, he posted a 9-6 record and 3.45 ERA during three year career at Boston College.  In 120+ innings pitched, Dunn allowed 110 hits but only 25 went for extra bases.  He otherwise allowed 46 earned runs, 48 walks, and fanned 124 batters, while limiting the opposition to a .247 average against.

The Cyclones are still waiting on fellow first round draft pick (#31 overall) LHP Anthony Kay, who has yet to reach an agreement with the Mets.