At Rotoworld they write about Endy Chavez injuring himself while playing in the Venezuelan Winter League:
Endy Chavez injured his right hamstring and right ankle while playing winter ball in Venezuela, the Mets confirmed Sunday.
Mets spokesman Jay Horwitz said Chavez is expected to be ready for spring training next month.
Over at Fake Teams they talk about the possibility of trading Endy Chavez for Jason Marquis:
The Mets could address their starting pitching by trading for the Cubs' Jason Marquis, who bring a penny-wise/pound-foolish alternative to filling their rotation holes. And the Daily News says all the team would have to deal was Endy Chavez. Of course, the writer opines that'd be too much. Right, a 4th OF for a veteran pitcher is too steep a price to pay.
All the local NY papers are running articles relating from Mets' management that the team's current ensemble of pitchers is good enough to win without adding Santana. Seems to be as much public relations as truth. Good luck with that.
Over at the Gotham Baseball Forum, screen name Not4Nuttin writes the following about the Mets bench:
The Mets will likely carry 5 or 6 players on the bench this year, and 11 or 12 pitchers. Last year, I believe (but someone correct me if I'm wrong), they carried 12 relievers for most of the year and only 5 bench players. As it stands now, assuming Castro is not a starter, we have 3 bench players that are locked in for next season, and a 4th(Endy) who is a virtual lock:
C Ramon Castro $2,300,000
INF/Util Damon Easley $950,000
INF/Util Marlon Anderson $1,050,000
OF Endy Chavez $2,750,000 (salary is an estimate)
That leaves one spot open assuming they carry 12 pitchers. And, I'd assume it will be Ruben Gotay (at about $480,000, again an estimate), as we need someone who can fill in at SS and 3B. It strikes me as a bit weird that we'll be carrying 3 natural 2B on the bench in Anderson, Easley and Gotay, but that seems the route we are going to go. Of course, Easley and Anderson can also play the corner OF spots (with Anderson even playing a little CF the past few years), and each can also play 1B, and possible 3B and Easley can even apparently play some SS as well (having played a decent number of games at SS each of the past several years, except last year).
But doesn't it seem a bit odd going with a bench like this? I like the bench, but it feels like we are missing a key piece. Is it foolish to think that Gotay will be the last piece, or will the Mets exile him back to AAA and have some other veteran bat for the bench? I hope not. Its just that looking at this bench, it seems like something is missing.
Can the Mets do well in the playoffs without our first baseman?
If Carlos Delgado comes back from his hip injury, will he be the hitter he has been for the majority of the year, or will he be the hot hitter he was before he went down. We've seen streaks of brilliance throughout this year, where he would string together a few games with big hits or home runs. He has consistently driven in runs, driving in 80 this year, even though it seems like 18. He continually has lacked the clutch hitting, and usually strikes out in big situations.
While Delgado has been out Shawn Green, Jeff Conine, and even Marlon Anderson have filled in at first. Green has been a hot hitter as of late, smacking doubles and going the other way nicely. He also holds the longest current streak in the NL of games at first without an error.
Conine hits the ball well, but all of his balls seem to find the other teams glove. He will sting a ball, and it will end up going right to the shortstop or second basemen. He is decent at first, but has limited mobility.
Anderson, as we all know, is a pinch hitting master. He is a utility player, most likely being able to fill in anywhere but pitcher or catcher. He can play well at all positions, but doesn't excel at any particular position.
With Green hitting the way he is, we might be breaking even at first, especially the way Carlos has been hitting all year. I still feel that Delgado is underrated at first base, but Green can play the bag well.
In conclusion, we will need Delgado back, even if he isn't 100% and maybe doesn't even get the start every game. Green can fill in just fine, and we will have Lastings Milledge, Carlos Gomez (maybe), and Endy Chavez to fill in if Shawn is at first. Imagine that big bat of Delgado's off the bench? I like the sound of that.
--TheRopolitans.com--
Obviously wrapping up and securing the division title and home field through round 1 and 2 are the priorities here. But after that, here are some pending issues.
Jose Reyes NEEDS Rest:
Can we get A Hernandez to play some short? With each new view of a pop up flying off of his bat, it's become over-obvious that he is tired. The 48 hours off ending the Cinci series, followed by the scheduled team day off, will be a nice rest period for Reyes. But a little more may actually be in order.
Keeping Castillo Healthy:
Like Reyes, Castillo needs rest. With Gotay as a solid backup, it should not kill the appearance of the offensive lineup. Defense suffers, but Castillo lightening the workload on his knees and Gotay getting at bats is a good thing; gain a bit of pop and keep the valuable, aging, number two hitter fresher for the postseason. Its a symbiotic relationship that helps the team exponentially because in addition to the rest and health benefits of Castillo, Gotay keeps a nice bat on point.
Pedro:
* Building arm strength.
* Properly evaluating his status for the postseason and how he should be used. Bullpen? Starting? If in the rotation is he your number one, two, three, or four starter?
Sorting Out the Rotation for the Playoffs:
'Nuff said for now. See who has it going down the stretch. Clearly the toughest evaluation the team will need to make heading into round one. And of course this impacts......
The Bullpen:
Which starter or starters will go to the pen? The Mets win games the Duke starts at a high rate. He has big stage moxy. On the flip side however, he may be the most adaptable for the pen, an area where the Mets desperately need improvement. El Duque has pitched out of the pen in the postseason before (2005 WS Champion White Sox).
I've been vocal since last November about the temptation and logic behind Pedro being used in the pen. But its apparent that isn't a popular thought and highly unlikely due to ego. Some say his arm wouldn't be capable of getting loose on short notice. But being used an inning a night might be easier on the arm than the workload of 6 at a time. I'm no doctor though.
If he takes a step back in performance over the next and final 3 starts of the regular season, it would be a major risk to let him start a playoff game. So this final stretch will determine a lot.
The team will also need to decide how many bullpen guys they carry as their bench is extremely strong and one impacts the other. And where is Joe Smith? Is he coming back soon or what? What is his chance of being on the postseason roster?
Can Mota restore our confidence in him? Can Willie resist the temptation to burn out Sosa's arm? So far he has severley overused him and I fear for his effectiveness dropping off.
The Bench:
Conine needs some ABs. In addition to the chance Delgado's hip issue lingers, Conine is one of the few attractive righty bat options off the bench. It is dominated by sweet lefty options. But other than Milledge, who starts 50% of the time anyway, Conine is the main righty pinch-hitter late in a game. He needs to get AB's in September for his timing come October.
In blowout games or games that seem to not matter (should the Mets build a more than comfortable lead in the NL east), Chavez should be in there relieving the old and fragile, but important to the postseason, Mosies Alou. Let him come off the bench late in the games like Willie has been doing, or get him more frequent starts in place of Moises.
Regarding the rest of the bench, roster decisions will have to be made and the pitching roster will determine how many bench players are carried. As always it all begins with the pitching.
Catchers:
Getting Castro healthy is number one priority here. All the Mets can do is sit back and wait, hoping he heals. He's on the postseason roster even if he only heals by Septembet 30 and gets no MLB ABs before the first round. Will the Mets carry 3 catchers or will they prefer to carry an extra arm in the bullpen or give that spot to a non-catching bench player?
From Bryan at Mets Lifers (Network Member):
At Rotoworld they write about Endy Chavez and his latest rehab start:
Endy Chavez (hamstring) went 3-for-4, including two infield hits during another rehab start with St. Lucie on Monday.
Chavez's hamstring appears to be almost 100 percent. He will be activated from the disabled list sometime this week.
Okay - calm down a minute, take a step back and hear me out! First and foremost, I want Omar to re-sign Endy Chavez for next year's team. Second, I hope that both Lastings Milledge will continue to shine and that Carlos Gomez will come back healthy and show that he is in the majors, for good! However, even though it means sharing playing time, diminished defense in rightfield, and perhaps only as many as 350 at-bats, I believe the Mets should also re-sign Moises Alou next season, fitting him into a platoon with either Chavez or Milledge.
one more season, especially at a discounted price. His stats this year: 173 At-Bats, 8 Homers, 28 RBI's, .318 Average, 25 runs and only 18 strike-outs in only 47 games. Times that by 2, and he has 346 at-bats, 16 homers, .318 avg., 56 RBI's, 50 runs and 36 K's in 94 games. If he played a whole season (I know - not going to happen) - he'd have 24 homers, 84 RBI's, 519 at-bats, .318 avg., 75 runs and only 54 K's. Combine his stats 
with a combo of Gomez and Milledge, and right field becomes a position of great strength for us!
Let me know what you think!!!!
Steve Popper at North Jersey writes aboutEndy Chavez and his first rehab game:
At Rotoworld they give an update on the condition of Endy Chavez:
Endy Chavez, who has been on the disabled list since June 7 with a hamstring strain, is expected back in two-to-three weeks.
Chavez hasn't begun a rehab assignment yet, but a three-week window seems possible if he's going to start one shortly.
From Ed Ryan at Mets Fever (Network Member)...
Manager Willie Randolph doesn’t expect outfielder Endy Chavez back any time soon. “I don’t think Endy is that close … he must have damaged his hamstring more than originally thought.’’
At Rotoworld, they give an update on Endy Chavez:
Endy Chavez (hamstring) hopes to begin running next week.
"I know now I can tolerate a little pain," Chavez said. "Before when I felt pain, I would stop and shut it down, not knowing what that pain was. But now, I know when I have a little pain I can work through it." Chavez, who has been out since June 6, hopes to return from the disabled list in late July.
At Rotoworld, they write about Endy Chavez:
If any Met fan has been living under a rock for the last three weeks or so, then they didn’t know that the Mets have had a swarm of injury bugs biting at them. Although the team has continued to push forward without some of the key bats in the lineup, signs of weakness are starting to shine through.
With Valentin, Alou and Green on the disabled list and Beltran day to day, the seemingly impenetrable batting line up that the Mets boast, looks almost mortal now. We have Easley, Johnson, Chavez and Gomez manning their positions for the time being. This, however, has taken a huge bite out of the deep bench and, let’s faces it, they just aren’t sufficient replacements for their starting counter parts.
Teams have noticed this, and for the first time this season are getting a pretty good whiff of the blood in the water.
On Tuesday, the Mets are getting set to face the Phillies. If, at least, Beltran isn’t in the lineup, they are going to have a huge problem in defeating them.
We need our starters and we need them quick.
Anthony Di Como at Mets.com, writes about tonight's game against the Cubs at Shea Stadium:
It's now been five wins in six games for the Mets, and with six more contests still to come at home, the team is slowly beginning to pick up the pace in the National League East. It's certainly early, but with many elements of the offense coming around, the upcoming stretch could prove vital for the Mets.
David Wright is hitting. Carlos Delgado, too, is coming on, while backups Endy Chavez and Damion Easley are flourishing in their newly expanded roles. And even with Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran cooling down -- slightly -- it leaves the impression that this is a complete team.
"I'd love to see these guys carry the team the whole year," Wright said. "But there's going to be times when they struggle. It's all about getting hot at the right time."
The Mets will try remaining hot in the second of four games against the reeling Cubs. While New York has been winning, Chicago hasn't, now with four losses in its past five games.
Things don't get easier for the Cubs against John Maine, the Mets' lone remaining undefeated starter. Maine will put his 5-0 record to the test against Chicago's Carlos Zambrano, who hasn't been nearly as consistent -- as his 3-3 record can attest.
Maine admittedly hasn't had his best stuff in two May starts, but he pitched well enough for the Mets to win both. The young right-hander pitched one of his best games of the season last year against Chicago, firing seven innings of shutout ball -- despite earning a no-decision in an eventual 1-0 Mets victory.
Zambrano hasn't been close to his dominant self this season, his ERA only recently dropping below 6.00. He still pitches deep into games -- averaging around six innings per start -- but has been plagued by the effects of 10 home runs. Zambrano was perfect against the Mets last season, earning two victories in two tries.
Chavez should again start in left field with Moises Alou on the pine, and the speedy backup is likely looking forward to it. In 14 career at-bats against Zambrano, Chavez has five hits, including a triple and a home run.
John Delcos at Lo Hud, writes about the Mets and yesterday's outfield:
AJSmith posted the question of whether the outfield trio of Carlos Beltran, Endy Chavez and Carlos Gomez was the most talented defensively in the history of the franchise.
Could be.
Overall, the best outfield trio in Mets’ history could be Darryl Strawberry, Lenny Dykstra and Kevin McReynolds. But, for pure speed and the ability to get the ball, AJ is probably right.
Mark Herrmann at Newsday, writes about the Mets and their depth on the bench and in the minors:
Sunday typically is a day of rest for big-league clubs, a time when veterans get time off. Mike Piazza used to get held out so often that Bobby Valentine, then the Mets' manager, joked that complaints were pouring in from fans who bought the Sunday ticket package
The Mets have more depth than the Brewers, who lost two of three this weekend. The latter used two lefthanded batters, Tony Gwynn Jr. and Craig Counsell, as pinch hitters against Perez, a lefthander, and came up empty. The Mets, on the other hand, reached into the minors for Gomez and came up aces.
Credit the Mets' culture for developing an extra like him -- Gomez's batting average has steadily improved through his five years in pro ball -- and for making him feel so comfortable as an emergency call-up (Alou's quadriceps is barking and top prospect Lastings Milledge is hurting).
Good teams run deep. Depth keeps them fresh and helps them take chances. For instance, the Mets were (mistakenly, it turns out) so confident in Milledge last year that they traded rightfielder Xavier Nady for reliever Roberto Hernandez. They got Perez as a throw-in. If Perez keeps pitching like this, that 2006 deal will be the best move of 2007.
Marty Noble at Mets.com, writes about the Mets and the special, Breast Cancer, Mother's Day bats:
The Mets' color scheme, expanded in 2000 to incorporate black, is to temporarily add another color Sunday afternoon. At least six of their players, including four of their All-Stars from last season, will use pink bats on Mother's Day as a means of raising awareness for breast cancer.
Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado, Jose Reyes and David Wright will be among some 200 big-league players who tentatively plan to take their swings with specially colored pink Louisville Slugger bats Sunday. Teammates Endy Chavez and Ramon Castro plan to do the same.
The widespread participation already is more than twice that of 2006.
"Raising people's awareness for a great cause like this is something we can do," Wright said. "It's important that we do our part in the partnership that baseball has."
And Castro, the Mets' reserve catcher, added, "People will see pink bats and say, 'What's that?' That's what you want them to do. Then someone will explain what we're doing to help."
Ed Ryan at Mets Fever (Shea Nation Network), writes about Endy Chavez:
We're in the fifth inning here and Chavez already has two hits. Which leads us to wonder -- just how valuable is Chavez? He wanted to pursue a starting job this winter, but opted to re-sign with the Mets as the fourth outfielder. And on most days - like this one -- he looks as good as anyone in the lineup. source Steve Popper
Michael Rudner at NY Baseball Online, writes about Endy Chavez and how he's the best 4th outfielder in baseball:
As an avid Mets fan, I follow the team’s every move during the off-season. When they added Endy Chavez before last season, I just remember thinking huh? By the end of the year, the 165 pound outfielder had my friends and I chanting MVP whenever he stepped to the plate. He had an unbelievable season capped off by his incredible catch in Game 7 of NLCS. This year looks no different as he continues to have a flare for the dramatic. Only Endy is capable of a walk-off drag bunt in the bottom of the 12th inning in a 1-1 game. Could you see any other player in baseball having the guts to pull that off with 2 outs in the 12th? I think SNY’s Kevin Burkhardt said it best when he asked Chavez after the game, “When are they going to put a statue of you outside the stadium?” Every fan loves Endy and if Major League Baseball decides to add a 10th man of the year award, Chavez would win it year in and year out.
Atom Feed (xml)
