Long Island Metfan and I have discussed our Mid Season
grades on the 2012 Mets. For the most part we are in agreement. Here are the
mid-semester grades for our 2012 NY Mets
Starting Pitching:
metsfan73: Back on June 1st, Johan Santana
accomplished the improbably. The Mets lefty threw the Mets first no-hitter
against the (then) offensively potent St. Louis Cardinals. Santana overall has
been OK, having pitched a few clunkers too many, but overall has done a
respectable job.
RA Dickey has been the ace going 12-1 heading into the All
Star break. It is expected that once again Tony LaRussa will T-Off Mets fans by
inserting Matt Cain as the All Star Game starting pitcher. Dickey had a tremendous
stretch where he went 44.2 innings
without allowing an earned run. Dickey has baffled batters with his
knuckleball, whether it be thrown slow, medium or fast, high or low.
Dillon Gee and Jon Niese has done a respectable job,
sometimes showing brilliance. Gee has
pitched better than his record, but has been prone to a poor outing every now
and again. Niese, for the most part, has been solid, not including yesterday’s
7-0 clunker.
Chris Young has finished out the Mets pitching staff and has
been a nice surprise after returning in June from the same shoulder surgery
that sideline Santana for over a year. Young (2-2) is living up to his past by
being a smart, gutsy pitcher. He knows how to pitch out of critical situations,
and is a solid #5 starter
Grade: A
longislandmetfan: Gee and Niese early in the year. They
have been outstanding..They are going much father into games.
Grade: A-
Relief Pitching:
metsfan73: The Mets relief staff is never any different;
they are the same over-used and under-performing group from one year to the
next.
Tim Byrdak has been terrific, but other than him and Bobby
Parnell, the relief staff has been awful. Jon Rauch has already blown 3 saves
this year. Rauch does accept responsibility for his performances, but he has
been absolutely awful
Miguel Batista is showing his age (41), and has been
inconsistent
Frank Francisco hasn’t looked better than he has the last
two weeks, and that is because he is injured and Parnell has been closing.
Terry Collins is too eager to use Francisco, even when he is off. Francisco
reminds me of Armando Benitez; can be dominating and can implode.
Grade: D
longislandmetfan: Parnell and Frank Byrdak have been the only guys in this pen you can
count on.
Grade: D
Bench:
metsfan73: The bench has played well when called upon, which
has been frequent with all the injuries. Injured OF/1B Mike Baxter had been
great (.323 10 RBI .392 OBP) until he suffered a separated collar bone making a
No-No saving catch for Johan on June 1st. Baxter is starting rehab
in Florida, and we hope he’ll be back soon.
Justin Turner has done a good job whether filling in at 3B,
2B, or 1B. He always comes to play, and has become the Mets mascot in providing
the Whip Cream pie in the face to the star of each game.
Jordany Valdespin is looking as if he is coming into his
own. He has hit well, but his fielding leaves a bit to be desired. I think he
needs to gain better focus, because at times he seems like he’s spaced out. He
has been playing real well of late, and expect to see him get more starts as
the season progresses.
Omar Quintanilla did an outstanding job in place of the
injured Ruben Tejada. Quintanilla played a solid defensive SS, and had some big
key hits during Tejada’s absence.
Ronnie Cedeno has not impressed me. His defense is at times
offensive, and he hasn’t added much to
this club.
Scott Hairston has been great off the bench and as a spot
starter. He is tied for the team lead in HR’s (12), and is ready to play when
called upon. I just hope the Mets don’t think he is an everyday player, because
he is not. He is a solid 4th OF and spot starter.
Grade: B+
longislandmetfan: Baxter and Hairston have been nuts; Valdespin … Nickeas stinks but you expected
that; Turner has done nothing against lefties…
Grade: B+
Manager:
metsfan73: Terry Collins has had his team prepared the
entire season, and with his exuberance and the youth of Nieuwenhuis, Tejada,
Davis, Duda, and Thole – the team never feels that they are out of any game. My
one knock on Collins is his penchant for overusing his bullpen – which much of
the time is unnecessary. He has this team believing in themselves, and he
appears to communicate well with his team.
Grade: A
longislandmetfan: Collins
has this team playing the right way and they don’t give up.
Grade: A
Mid-Season MVP:
metsfan73: David Wright. Case Closed. Wright is batting
.351, 11 HR’s, 59 RBI. Not only that, but his strikeouts have significantly
been reduced, and he has hit like an elite player in the clutch. He has moved
closer to the plate, and isn’t being fooled by the slider down and out, nor has
he been afraid of the inside heater. He has worked hard (as always) and it has
certainly paid off.
longislandmetfan:
Duh!
Mid-Season LVP (Least Valuable Player):
metsfan73: To me it is a toss up between
Jason Bay and Jon Rauch. Neither has been worth their weight and are being paid
well. Bay has become this generations Roberto Alomar. Most fans, myself
included, are concerned about Bay’s return, and that’s not because of his
extinct hitting skills, my concern is the Mets are winning without him, using
Nieuwenhuis, Valdespin, and Hairston in his place, all of whom have produced much more than Mr.
Bay.
As for Rauch, is he hurt? If so,
he should take time to heal, because he has been nothing short of
disappointment. I like the fact that the guy stands up to the press and media
and tells it like it is when he falters, but he needs to be more reliable as a
late inning set-up reliever.
longislandmetfan: Bay…nothing out of him when
healthy and his $$ will force Collins to sit someone who deserves to be in
lineup
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