A blog dedicated to the New York Mets with some other baseball thrown in.

Friday, May 12, 2006

Cliffy, Platoon Candidate? - Part Trois

What is the below?

.262
.239
.224
.100

If you said a negative trend, you would be right. If you said Cliff Floyd's batting average against lefties in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006, you would be right as well.

Cliff Floyd has a potent bat. Well, maybe I should be using past tense ‘had’, but I personally do not think he is done just yet. He has hit the ball hard a lot this year, but just in the wrong places. So far this year, Cliff Floyd is on pace for 158 games, 71 runs scored, 16 doubles, 16 homers, 76 RBIs, 60 strikeouts, and 60 walks with a sub .200 batting average. The number that jumps out at me the most is 158 games. That is a lot for a guy who has not hit a lick and he is due to play in every single baseball game this year but four.

Given Cliff Floyd's age and health history, he is one guy that is just going to eventually drop off in production fast rather than a slow decline. Is this the year? Maybe, but it is getting to the point where you have to start thinking it might not be a bad month and he cannot be getting this many at-bats. Since the second half of last year, he has now played in 99 games and put up 14 doubles, 2 triples, 15 homeruns, 57 RBIs, a .234 batting average, and a .408 slg. When you expand the sample size, the results are not good. What other options are there? Not many. Victor Diaz, Chris Woodward, Endy Chavez, and Jose Valentin are out there.

We'll just erase Valentin out of the equation for obvious reasons leaving three options. With the bad bat that Floyd has had this year, he at least contributed by saving quite a few runs. Diaz could not have done that and Woodward certainly could not have done that. The Mets showed a willingness to take on a weak offensive second baseman in the name of defense and Endy Chavez has hit lefties to the tune of .276/.312/.384 from 2003 to 2005. Chavez is the only real viable option with the big league club.

Giving Endy more playing time does not necessitate a roster move like bringing Diaz up and although it is not optimal to have a lefty/lefty platoon, it calls for a look. I’m not suggesting he just sits against lefties since the Mets could conceivably not face a left starter the entire week, but he should start sitting a game or two a week until he catches on and especially against lefties. If he starts to heat up, great. If not, at least he is getting some seemingly much needed rest and giving the Mets a chance to get some production out of left field. Although earlier in the year me suggesting such a thing would have been unthinkable, the Mets have strong hitters in the eight and nine spots of the order and Chavez can slide right into the eight spot. Hopefully Floyd is not done and will eventually produce at which point he can resume getting the lion's share of playing time, but soon, his playing time is going to have to start getting affected. If it drags on later through the summer, Victor Diaz should get some serious consideration as a call-up and start sharing time with Cliff Floyd in left so the Mets could keep some consistent offensive output from every spot in the lineup.

* * *

  • S.U.C.K. M.E. alert! S.U.C.K. M.E. alert!

    Courtesy of Hubie from the comments @ Metsgeek.com">.

    Is that good or bad for us?

    The Milwaukee Brewers recalled left-hander Dana Eveland from Triple-A Nashville on Wednesday after placing Ben Sheets on the 15-day disabled list because of tendonitis in his right shoulder.

    Eveland was 3-1 with a 0.75 ERA in six starts for Nashville. He’s scheduled to start Saturday night at home against the New York Mets.

    Sheets, who began the season on the disabled list with a strained shoulder, is 1-3 with a 6.64 ERA in four starts. He missed a scheduled start on Sunday, and right-hander Ben Hendrickson was to take his turn Thursday. Sheets went on the disabled list retroactive to May 3.
    S.U.C.K. M.E. indeed. Who knew the Mets would probably rather face Ben Sheets?

  • Also from the comments courtesy of PDNH:

    Valentin is a switch hitter which provides us with versatility. He can make outs from both sides of the plate.

    It's funny because It's true.

  • The CY Young predictor from ESPN has three Mets in the top ten, but don't let your eyes wander north of the top ten in the NL. If you do, excessive hyperventilating and a possible desire to inflict pain upon yourself may occur. You have been warned.

  • More DIPS...I figured it would be fun to take a look at some of the Mets top pitching prospects and their DIPS era. Ok, well maybe it's not fun per se, but how about mildly interesting?

    Mike Pelfrey had a dirty DIPS ERA of 1.95 to a 2.56 actual. He's basically right on.

    Alay Soler has been really good this year. Reeeeeaaaalllly good. His 4.93 h/9 is just silly and he also posted a 10.64 k/9, a 5.13 k/bb ratio, and has not allowed a homerun this year. He has a sparkling 0.77 ERA between AA and high A. His DIPS ERA was 1.69, so he is pretty much on because getting a sub 1.00 DIPS ERA is pretty impossible.

    Jon Niese surprised me a bit. He has given up more than a hit an inning and walked 4.18 batters per nine innings. What he has going for him is that he has kept the ball in the park and not allowed one homerun this year while owning a 10.02 K/9 ratio. His DIPS ERA is 2.58 to his actual ERA of 3.34.

    Finally, Jose Sanchez. Sanchez has posted a 0.90 WHIP and a 2.75 k/bb ratio. His DIPS ERA is 3.42 and his actual ERA is 2.18. He has been a nice surprise this year and he has decent stuff and could emerge as a solid pitching prospect for the Mets this year.

  • From brian b...

    Creighton has an ambidextrous pitcher and he is not so surprisingly the only one in Division I baseball do it.

    "I have average stuff from both sides, and I really think it takes me to pitch with both arms even to be a little bit effective here," Venditte said. "It throws the hitters off and it gives me the advantage almost every at-bat. I need every inch I can take."

    I have the ability to not look like a girl when I throw with my non-natural hand and that is something to hang my hat on at the end of the day.

  • Notes from NorthJersey.com:

    One thing in Jose Lima's favor -- the opponent.

    He's taking on the Milwaukee Brewers, a team that he has a 10-0 lifetime mark against with a 1.92 ERA. The grain of salt to take that with -- Lima has not faced the Brewers since 2001.

    On hold

    Brian Bannister will bump either Lima or Jeremi Gonzalez from the rotation when he gets back from the strained hamstring that has sidelined him, but it will be at least one day longer than expected.

    Bannister was scheduled to throw a simulated game today, but it was pushed back to Saturday because physically he was not quite ready. The one positive is that he may not need to take the expected minor league rehab start before returning to the roster.


    First, on Lima Time!. I don't care about past numbers. Throw those out. Only Geoff Jenkins remains from that team so it might as well be a team from Japan.

    Second, on Bannister. If they expect to throw him up against the Yankees and skip a rehab start, that's nuts. However, I guess they have little choice since a bad Brian Bannister might be better than a good Lima Time! or Jeremi Gonzalez.

  • As mad as I am at Aaron Rowan, I have to give him credit. That catch was amazing. It was the best play that I've ever seen when you factor in the complete disregard for his body. I guess he did not get the memo that it was not the playoffs, but that was just nasty.

    "The Rowand play was the greatest play I've ever seen in my life," Mets starting pitcher Steve Trachsel said. "As far as sacrificing your body, I've never seen anything like that. It was unbelievable."

    What did that play do to me? Let's see. It took away a hit and three RBIs from Xavier Nady on my fantasy team and made benching Gavin Floyd one of the dumbest moves of the year. That ball falls in, I look like a genius. That ball gets caught, I miss out on offensive numbers and a complete game win on the pitching end. Now I know how managers feel.

  • If you woke up this morning and said, "I want to read a fluff piece on Mike Pelfrey", you are in luck.


  • Check out Mets Weekly tomorrow at 12:30 PM. This weeks program focuses on the Tides and the call up process from AAA to the majors. The show premiers on SNY at 12:30 on Saturday.

  • 25 Comments:

    Blogger Toasty Joe said...

    Not sure it's a full-fledged, official SUCK ME situation (a la Michael O'Connor of the Nats), since this scrub actually pitched 3 innings against the Mets last August, according to my crack research. But it does have SUCK ME potential written all over it.

    11:48 AM

     
    Blogger ossy said...

    i've been tired of cliff floyd for a long time. his shitty start is only givin me a chance to say, "i told you so."

    i was begging for this guy off my team all winter. you all were giving him props bc of his good year last year and how he carried us.

    i saw through that. he was doing a bernard gilkey impersonation out there. he isnt really good.

    now he's stinking it up out there and giving my boy wright no protection

    11:53 AM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Personally, I remain a big fan of Mr. Floyd. Teams have decided to pitch him away this year to devastating effects, but he'll turn it around. He's got to start poking things the other way to get the respect he wants.

    The Rowand play was enormous, type of play that could completely energize a team. Let's hope it doesn't.

    A special on the Norfolk Tides will likely be short, or repetitive (Lastings Milledge, Lastings Milledge, Lastings Milledge).

    So think the Mets will put Humber on the 60 day to make room for Gonzalez? Further, anyone notice that Evan MacLane was sent to Brooklyn after his last start? What's with that?

    12:16 PM

     
    Blogger Toasty Joe said...

    Re: Cliffy, I posted a trade proposal on my blog - Yanks need a left fielder now. Hm....

    12:23 PM

     
    Blogger michael o. said...

    The potential is there and he's been killing AAA. I have no faith.

    Ossy, what's better than a healthy I told you so. Not much. Cliff's 1st half was amazing and carried my fantasty team, but I was benching him a lot in the 2nd half but his goodwill from the 1st half carried over. He has not been good for a while.

    He's got to start poking things the other way to get the respect he wants.

    My trust Bill James handbook is at home so I cannot check historical data, but I'd venture to guess he cannot do that very well so you might be waiting for a bit.

    Isn't Humber on the 60 already? If not, why the fuck not? Evan MacLane goes with Brooklyn like open sores go with hookers. Four years as a pro? Three stops in Brooklyn. You have to love it especially since he pitched well at AAA.

    Yankees have will have Melky once he comes back. Cliff is not worth a cliff bar and punch in the face right now.

    12:36 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Like you, i look at the ability to NOT give up homeruns an important factor in judging minor league pitchers.

    This ambidextrous stuff is nothing new.
    Barry Zito is also a switch pitcher. But of course they told him the quicker way to the majors was to be a lefty. I don't know if he can still do it anymore.
    Billy Wagner was a right handed pitcher until he broke his right hand or something. While he was injured he started to throw lefty. I don't know how old he was when it happened but it did happen. So now he's a lefty.

    In Chicago they had things called "GRINDER RULES" based on stuff Aaron Rowand would do.

    Maybe McLane went to Brooklyn because they had to open a roster spot for Jose Offerman or Jeriome Robertson!
    Is the Brooklyn season even started yet? wtf?

    12:49 PM

     
    Blogger michael o. said...

    Yeah, keeping the ball in the park for young guys is great and the fact that Niese has not is a good sign. In fact between Plefrey, Niese, and Soler in OVER 100 innings, they have given up exactly one. That is fucking swell.

    This ambidextrous stuff is nothing new.

    That crap is hard. Give credit to the kid for doing it at such a high level.

    Rowand has a set. I watched that replay again today. The dude never slowed down. Not a step and he knew the wall was there. If you pull up a bit, you do not catch the ball. The only you catch that is full speed and going balls deep.

    Brooklyn starts in like three weeks or so. Early June.

    Soler definitely has more a chance. Pelfrey does too, but you cannot go with him for obvious reasons. I think this rotation will will be OK, but how soon the Mets make it OK is up to them.

    Bannister will come back and confound Yankee scum like every offspeed pitcher does to them.

    At least they are running short, but short for them is still offensively better than any team in the NL.

    You need to rack up saves. That is a calculation with actually mathematics and shit and not just going by the eye. Not just that, but middle relievers should never be in that conversation. It is debatable whether closers should be, but every once in a while a closer is that good, but it still has to be a weak starter's year.

    Bring up Nady to bat 5th at least. He's been struggling too, but not as bad as Cliff. At least Nady would be getting more RBI chances.

    Rowand did not do that to get his face on SportsCenter, he did that because without think you go for it. 9 of 10 would have pulled up, but Rowand manned up and went for it and hoped for the best. He came out ok..he'll miss maybe a game? Dude was solid.

    1:08 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    The year Eric Gangé won it he deserved it though. No one really stood out except for his performance.
    I mean the onyl run he gave up was in the All-Star game or soemthing, fucking amazing.
    It was 2003, right?

    1:23 PM

     
    Blogger michael o. said...

    Yeah, he deserved it, but like I said, weak starters. If some guy won 24 games with a 3.30 ERA, it's his. What were the most wins? 18? I don't think wins are the end all be all, but the voters like guady wins. Yeah, it was 2003 I believe.

    No, it's not ok, but you cannot fault the guy for doing it. Sometimes it's not as if you are consciously weighing out your options in the heat of the game. Like if I do this, then this. That was a bang bang play for Rowand.

    Of course the catch was not worth it if he was out for the three months, but who thinks Rowan said "three months or this catch..I'm taking the catch!". It worked out, game won, game closer to the Mets, and he is ok for the most part. You think Cammy and Beltran said face smash or catch? Shit happens.

    Traxx has looked like shit. If you weren't worrying about the rotation before, you better start. The rotation is shitty.

    1:44 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Joel,

    Hi, I am excited that you will be joining Carlos and I. CD and I think you'll like the NL and the Mets

    CB

    2:02 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    2:02 PM

     
    Blogger michael o. said...

    You hear anything about Joel Piniero?

    2:29 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Here's the MacLane story. It's got to be a paper move:

    http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=104285&ran=105900

    "Robertson’s contract was purchased from Newark of the Independent Atlantic League, while Smith (Class A St. Lucie) and Cullen (Double-A Binghamton) were called up within the organization. The Tides must make three more transactions to meet the 24-man roster limit.

    Evan MacLane and Orlando Roman, the starting pitchers on Monday and Tuesday, and outfielder Cory Aldridge were sent to Brooklyn on Wednesday."

    As for the Cliff: I believe he did that a bit last year in a similar funk, but maybe I'm wrong. No doubt an approach at pitching to him is circulating around the league at the moment, so you know, act/react.

    Still Nady fifth is not such a bad idea. The guy kills the ball. Too bad he likes to hit to straight away center field so often, anywhere else and that ball was gone.

    3:28 PM

     
    Blogger michael o. said...

    DG, thanks for the info. It didn't make sense, but the Mets are well known for stacking their Brooklyn team. They seem to handle a lot of things wrong and we are just kind of use to it.

    Cliff was not very good in the second half. What's weird is the fact that his bat speed appears to be pretty good and it does not look like he's physically lost a step when compared to the last three years, but he is just not doing it. Concentration issues? I'm not sure, but something has to be done physical problem or not. It is not the worst thing to give him 120-130 games a year anyway at this point. If he is not killing the ball like the first half of last season, he should getting some regular rest.

    3:47 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    just curious, why was a comment deleted?

    mike as usual you are correct. rowand went balls deep. that is what sports (and life) are all about. of course it doesn't pay to hurt yourself, but it sure as hell pays to go for it. there may be a fine line here where you cross into stupidity, but like you said you disregard that in the moment.

    all of that said, FUCK ROWAND AND HIS FUCKING CATCH.

    let's just smile like we mean it and pretend like we are lost in shibaland as we imagine our september roation of pedro, glavine, pelfrey, soler, bannister all kicking ass. wouldn't that be swell.

    3:58 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Mr met,
    my apologisies for the veiled attempt at optimism.

    http://metstradamus.blogspot.com/
    http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

    'If Minaya decides to bring in more of a #4 type, he can make a play for Joel Pineiro or Gil Meche from Seattle, maybe Kip Wells from the Pirates if he's healthy.'


    My personal take really has not changed. I saw Kris benson pitched in a start in 99, against Izzy, and his curve was awesome. but as a met I did not like him.
    I dont like Traxx as a Met. period. Also i take it Omar/Willie dont either. I believe Omar decided to shed Kris' salary to be used later, and replace him with bannister/Maine who could get him 10 wins over the course of a yr. Now the problem is Traxx. Omar is waiting to get a #3, and letting the talent pool develop (concepcion/gomez)for a trade. If Traxx continues to be THIS poor, I expect a trade more sooner than later, especially given the Phils (&Hamels) are applying pressure.

    I wanted to note these two sites, and the commonalities as well as the obvoius....that Omar wants a better starter to slot behind Pedro and Glavine, with Bannister at #4.

    4:19 PM

     
    Blogger michael o. said...

    Jake, it was deleted because it was a double post. Nothing bad, just tow of the same thing and I cannot have that.

    Exactly. You disregard that in the moment. If you get some vibes from an ugly chick with the beer flowing, do you pull up because you know better and there might be consequences? Fuck no. Balls deep my friend. Living any other way is simply not living up to your potential.

    pedro, glavine, pelfrey, soler, bannister

    What happened to Traxx? You predicting some bumpage to the bullpen? Trade? Dead? What?

    I'd take either of those guys. They are not the answer, but part of it. The Mets need to gain some consistency from those back ends spots.

    Kris still has a good slider. I like him as a Met and thought he could have had a breakout year in this park in this league.

    Traxx is annoying, but if he is the #5, that's not bad. That being said, he's the #3 right now. Better than Bannister or Maine, don't care what Bannister's ERA is. Bannister could end up better in two months, but his ceiling is not so high. The Mets need to figure out something and sooner rather than later.

    I agree though. Omar is not stupid and they want something better after out top two, but why not address that in the off-season? You don't give Benson away without someone to replace him. Say what you want about Benson, but he had the ability. He pitched a gem at Yankee stadium and that is what you should expect from your #3. The ability to beat everyone, but less consistent than your #1 and #2. The Mets have no one that resembles that right now and it is concerning.

    4:35 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Bannister's biggest problem, if you ask me, was too much respect. That ought to change over the course of a couple more starts, or at least I hope. He's the ideal five. Personally, I think Trachs has always been a little more than the very end of the rotation only because he has been able to consistently offer innings pitched. In my view, that makes a number four starter, which is what he is. It's the very center of the rotation that hurts the team at the moment. Still it's early, and the Mets have money saved for when they need it.

    8:16 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Well we all knew that Lima wasn't going to go five innings and give up only one run. The guy has nothing left. DFA him tomorrow and put Gonzalez in his place.

    10:05 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Ouch.

    It is auspicious that Oliver and Bradford could not halt the bleeding.

    I agree that Lima has not done enough to warrant a 3rd start. But then it was a question of eating innings in lieu of bannister.

    At this point I can see Heilman at least getting a chance. But heath bell needed to more with his inning. I am the only one who publicly (blogs)/predicts a trade of Heilman in a deal for the starter we sorely need. I think Omar is trying NOT to give him up, but may already have a deal in place. But given the poor showings by Traxx, Lima and Maine, the time may be coming to just fess up, and let heilman start.

    If Lima is demoted he must be waived, in other words...sayonara.

    What other option is there, the bullpen is rapidly becoming overworked.

    11:53 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    The one thing I noticed about Cliff was that his batting average on balls in play is pretty low. Usually it's around .300, but his is significantly lower than that. I think someone at metsgeek posted an article about that. Cliff could just be going through a run of real bad luck.

    12:46 AM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Um.....no??

    From Rotoworld:

    Kyle Lohse has 72 hours to accept his demotion to Triple-A or he will forfeit his $3.95 million salary.

    "I can't see it not happening," manager Ron Gardenhire said. There is speculation that the Twins are now shopping Lohse in a trade, perhaps to the Mets.

    Um......no.

    -- Nokes

    9:49 AM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    To be a upright lenient being is to from a philanthropic of openness to the far-out, an cleverness to trusteeship undeterminable things beyond your own pilot, that can front you to be shattered in hugely extreme circumstances as which you were not to blame. That says something exceedingly impressive relating to the prerequisite of the ethical autobiography: that it is based on a trustworthiness in the uncertain and on a willingness to be exposed; it's based on being more like a shop than like a sparkler, something somewhat feeble, but whose acutely item handsomeness is inseparable from that fragility.

    2:11 PM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    n every tom's existence, at some time, our inner pep goes out. It is then break asunder into zeal beside an encounter with another magnanimous being. We should all be thankful recompense those people who rekindle the inner transport

    1:58 AM

     
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    A likeable noachian time eon is the reward of a well-spent youth. A substitute alternatively of its bringing sad and melancholy prospects of rot, it would hand out us hopes of timeless lad in a recovered world.

    8:24 AM

     

    Post a Comment

    << Home