MLB

FOX Sports Exclusive

Mets get hot, then fall back into state of flux

Share This Story

Ken Rosenthal

Ken Rosenthal has been the senior baseball writer for FOXSports.com since August 2005. He appears weekly on MLB on FOX. Follow him on Twitter.

MORE>>
 
Updated May 21, 2009 1:38 PM ET
     
 
Just when the Mets finally started to roll, winning 11 of 13 games, they again lost their equilibrium.
Center fielder Carlos Beltran sniped to reporters about left fielder Angel Pagan after a flyball dropped between them in the 11th inning of Monday night's loss to the Dodgers. Manager Jerry Manuel denied a problem with outfielder Ryan Church on Tuesday, evidently forgetting every dig he has taken at the outfielder since spring training. And, perhaps most important, the Mets seem torn on how to replace first baseman Carlos Delgado, who will be out at least 10 weeks after undergoing hip surgery. One scout makes a logical point: Jeremy Reed is an outfielder. Daniel Murphy is an infielder. So, why is Manuel playing Reed at first base and Murphy in left field? Mets general manager Omar Minaya told reporters Tuesday that Murphy and Fernando Tatis would be the team's primary options at first. But Reed was again at first Tuesday after making the Mets' fifth and final error the previous night. Delgado, a potential free agent, is unlikely to be part of the Mets' 2010 plans. The team could start the transition immediately, commit to Murphy at first and worry about Delgado's return later. Murphy, 24, might never show the power that teams want out of first base — or, for that matter, out of left field. Yet, some scouts compare his hitting approach to Don Mattingly's — not that you would have known it from a move that Manuel made on Tuesday. The Mets, trailing the Dodgers 5-3, had runners on first and second with two out. Murphy, a left-handed hitter who handles lefties well, was set to hit against rookie left-hander Brent Leach. But Manuel summoned Gary Sheffield, Joe Torre countered with right-hander Ron Belisario and Sheff grounded out to end the inning. Not exactly a vote of confidence for Murphy, whom the Mets keep insisting is a big part of their future.

Indians' DeRosa: On the move?

The Indians are open-minded to trades that would provide major-league pitching help, and the buzz in scouting circles is that they want to use super-utility man Mark DeRosa to bring such a return. DeRosa, 34, is highly regarded, but he's a potential free agent batting .242, diminishing his value. The Rockies, who would love to dump third baseman Garrett Atkins to clear a spot for Ian Stewart, have kicked around an Atkins-for-DeRosa exchange, but the Indians would have little motivation to make such a move. DeRosa, who plays six positions, also would be a good fit for the injury-depleted Mets. But the team that probably could use DeRosa most is the Brewers, who just lost second baseman Rickie Weeks to season-ending wrist surgery. Like the Mets, the Brewers might not have the pitching that the Indians would require. They also might balk at assuming the rest of DeRosa's $5.5 million salary. Still, the Brewers and Indians completed the CC Sabathia trade last June. The addition of DeRosa might continue the momentum of the Brewers' 21-5 run — and tweak DeRosa's former team, the Cubs, in the process.

The problem in Oakland? Not the manager

The A's were outscored 47-13 while losing four straight to the Tigers and Rays, but don't expect general manager Billy Beane to fire manager Bob Geren.
It's not as if the team is underachieving and the manager is at fault. The A's again have suffered an inordinate amount of injuries to players at critical positions. Their starting rotation is the youngest in the majors. And their offense has not produced well enough to insulate the pitching, in part due to the injuries.

The Red Sox's next move — or moves

The Red Sox apparently want to trade a young pitcher such as Clay Buchholz or Michael Bowden only for a young hitter whom they could control for a similar length of time. Rangers Class AA first baseman Justin Smoak and Cardinals AAA third baseman Brett Wallace are the types of hitters who fit that description, though the Red Sox do not appear to be aggressive on either player at the moment. The addition of a prospect would not solve the Sox's immediate needs if they wanted an alternative to slumping designated hitter David Ortiz. But the Sox also could add a more established veteran in a separate deal, giving up less talent in exchange for taking on salary.

The D-backs' tangled Webb

The idea of the Diamondbacks trading right-hander Brandon Webb before the July 31 non-waiver deadline is not preposterous, but it's pretty close. Webb, 30, has not pitched since April 6 due to bursitis in his right shoulder. Even if the D-backs concede the season, he would need to regain his health and effectiveness quickly to bring the value the team would desire. The D-backs are more likely to move right-hander Jon Garland, a potential free agent. They control Webb for one more year at $8.5 million, and a 2010 rotation that included Webb, Dan Haren, Max Scherzer and top prospect Jarrod Parker could be formidable.

Angels' Palmer: Is the party over?

We all love the Matt Palmer story, and everyone should keep rooting for the 30-year-old rookie who has won his first five starts for the Angels. But when Palmer's ERA rose from 3.38 to 4.26 on Tuesday night, it might have marked the beginning of his regression. Little in Palmer's minor-league track record with the Giants suggested that he is capable of suddenly emerging as a quality starting pitcher. His absurdly low .202 batting average on balls in play demonstrates that he has benefited from good fortune. The AL average on balls in play is .304.

Around the horn

  • One executive's take on Tigers left-hander Dontrelle Willis, who allowed only one hit in 6 1/3 scoreless innings against the Rangers on Tuesday night: "Good, not as good as the (pitching) line. Still deceptive, but basically a one-pitch guy. No notable breaking ball. Mixed between his two-seam (87-88) and four-seam (91-92) fastball with two-seamer more effective. Command better than I expected."
  • A scout's take on Ortiz, who went 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts in his return to the Red Sox's lineup against the Blue Jays on Tuesday night: "B.J Ryan threw an 86-mph fastball right by him. He's cheating so bad to the fastball, anything that spins is going to get him out. I don't know how much longer they can go on with this, not in that division."
  • The Diamondbacks believe their promotion of center fielder Gerardo Parra might snap some of their other youngsters to attention, forcing them to adopt more of a winning approach. Parra, 22, lacks the upside of some of the D-backs' top young players, but he is a steadier hitter who produces more regular contact. So far, he is 7-for-17 with two triples and a home run.
  • The Nationals tried using veteran pitchers such as right-handers Julian Tavarez and Kip Wells in the late innings, but that plan didn't work, either. The next auditions could go to right-hander Jason Bergmann and younger relievers, enabling the Nats to at least see what they have for the future. Right-hander Mike MacDougal is throwing 95 to 97 mph with a 91 mph slider at Class AAA, but as the Nationals can attest from watching Tavarez and Wells, that doesn't mean he will throw strikes in the majors. If the Nats can get lefty Joe Beimel going, he could be an attractive trade chip.
    • Tagged: Jeremy Reed, CC Sabathia, Jon Garland, Dontrelle Willis, Matt Palmer, Joe Beimel, Mike MacDougal, Red Sox, Angels, Blue Jays, Indians, Tigers, Brewers, Dodgers, Nationals, Yankees, Mets, Rangers, Cardinals, Clay Buchholz, Angel Pagan, Max Scherzer, Giants, Rockies, Diamondbacks, David Ortiz, Mark DeRosa, Carlos Beltran, Daniel Murphy, Brandon Webb, Ian Stewart, Rickie Weeks, Dan Haren, Michael Bowden

    More Stories From Ken Rosenthal

    FOX Fantasy Baseball Game 2012


    Trending Now

    Stories | Photos | Lists | Videos

    MLB Videos

    Morosi: AL spring training headlines Posted: Feb 09, 2012
    FOXSports.com's Jon Paul Morosi discusses all the AL headlines heading into spri...

    Morosi: NL spring training headlines Posted: Feb 09, 2012
    FOXSports.com's Jon Paul Morosi discusses all the NL headlines going into spring...

    MLB2K12 - Verlander on Verlander Posted: Feb 08, 2012
    Justin Verlander loses his mind playing himself on MLB2K12.

    MORE FOXSPORTS VIDEO »
    SimLeague Baseball - Simulation Baseball Game

    Fox Sports Store

      itemName itemURL imageSrc price itemDescription
      Nike Chicago Cubs Tackle Twill Hoodie Sweatshirt - Royal Blue http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Chicago_Cubs/browse/featuredproduct/250780/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_250000/FF_250780_xl.jpg&w=100 49.95 Nike Chicago Cubs Tackle Twill Hoodie Sweatshirt - Royal Blue
      Nike Boston Red Sox Ladies Red Local T-shirt http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Boston_Red_Sox/browse/featuredproduct/605356/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_605000/ff_605356_xl.jpg&w=100 19.95 Nike Boston Red Sox Ladies Red Local T-shirt
      New Era New York Yankees Youth Navy Blue Tie Breaker 39THIRTY Stretch Fit Hat http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_New_York_Yankees/browse/featuredproduct/605557/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_605000/ff_605557_xl.jpg&w=100 16.95 New Era New York Yankees Youth Navy Blue Tie Breaker 39THIRTY Stretch Fit Hat
      Nike Oakland Athletics Green MLB Practice T-shirt http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Oakland_Athletics/browse/featuredproduct/606322/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_606000/ff_606322_xl.jpg&w=100 27.95 Nike Oakland Athletics Green MLB Practice T-shirt
      Philadelphia Phillies Mascot Pillow Pet http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Philadelphia_Phillies/browse/featuredproduct/626447/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_626000/ff_626447_xl.jpg&w=100 29.95 Philadelphia Phillies Mascot Pillow Pet
      New Era Colorado Rockies Black-Purple Stoked Snapback Hat http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Colorado_Rockies/browse/featuredproduct/644117/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_644000/ff_644117_xl.jpg&w=100 28.95 New Era Colorado Rockies Black-Purple Stoked Snapback Hat
      Texas Rangers Manager Stainless Steel Watch http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Texas_Rangers/browse/featuredproduct/722692/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_722000/ff_722692_xl.jpg&w=100 69.95 Texas Rangers Manager Stainless Steel Watch
      Majestic Justin Verlander Detroit Tigers #35 Youth Navy Blue Player Pullover Hoodie Sweatshirt http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Detroit_Tigers/browse/featuredproduct/723016/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_723000/ff_723016_xl.jpg&w=100 39.95 Majestic Justin Verlander Detroit Tigers #35 Youth Navy Blue Player Pullover Hoo..
      Majestic Albert Pujols Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Replica Jersey - White http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Los_Angeles_Angels_of_Anaheim/browse/featuredproduct/777026/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_777000/ff_777026_xl.jpg&w=100 99.95 Majestic Albert Pujols Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Replica Jersey - White
    Microsoft© 2012 Microsoft