Inbox: Should Mets shake up batting order?
Now, the grind begins. The Mets have played nine games this season, with three off-days sprinkled in between. They’re about to play nine in a row before their next break, a stretch that should put some of their depth to the test. Before that happens, it’s time to dig once
Now, the grind begins. The Mets have played nine games this season, with three off-days sprinkled in between. They’re about to play nine in a row before their next break, a stretch that should put some of their depth to the test. Before that happens, it’s time to dig once again into the Inbox.
With Brandon Nimmo’s early struggles at the plate, do you think Mickey Callaway will bat him lower in the order? If so, who do think is currently the best player to hit leadoff?
-- Sharon F., New Jersey
Given how
If not Nimmo, the obvious alternative is
The Mets tried
Mostly, though, the Mets are at their best if Nimmo is batting leadoff and thriving. Any other option would be imperfect.
Why aren’t the Mets being more aggressive in pursuing free agent Dallas Keuchel, knowing Jason Vargas and Zack Wheeler could potentially be free agents next season?
-- Brian B., Sherman Oaks, Calif.
Since folks seemed unsatisfied with last week’s Inbox answer that the Mets aren’t in serious pursuit of
The price is the main issue. According to MLB Network’s Ken Rosenthal, Keuchel is seeking a one-year deal worth at least $18 million, or a multi-year contract with a lower average annual value. That’s a lot for a 31-year-old who showed some alarming trends last year, most notably a severe drop in strikeout rate. Scouts seem mixed on his future potential. And it’s a lot for any team to commit in mid-April, at a time of year when budgets tend to be set.
Still, Keuchel makes a lot of sense for a Mets team lacking much in-house rotation depth. I suspect New York is still sorting out what’s real and what’s not in its starting five, keeping tabs on Keuchel -- like a lot of teams -- in case he gets desperate. Should an injury or some other ill befall the Mets’ rotation, their interest would probably spike that that time.
Should we worry about Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman? We’ve seen they are better than this.
-- Jim V., Texas
In
What is Dominic Smith’s trade value like now with the hot spring and the success coming off the bench? You can’t trade your best bench bat midseason, but maybe next offseason, could the Mets look to deal him?
-- Steve P.
Over the winter,
Michael Conforto has always been a natural left fielder and Nimmo came to the big leagues in right. Why has Callaway been flipping them?
-- @ydhells_15
Two reasons. One,
Is there any chance the Mets call a spade a spade and turn Wheeler into a reliever? He has the stuff and an electric arm, but he clearly doesn’t have the mental makeup to be a consistent starter. I feel that he’d thrive as a late-inning reliever. Let him let it rip for three batters.
-- @BaseballFollow6
At this point, no, there’s basically no chance of that happening. While it’s something the Mets discussed earlier in
Have patience with Wheeler. He may not replicate his second half of 2018, but he has the ability to be a strong middle-of-the-rotation starter once he hits his stride.
Why has Callaway not used Luis Avilan as a lefty specialist thus far? He’s had him face mostly righties and Avilan has struggled.
-- Rob
Because of
Now, that hasn’t always been the case in Avilan’s career; so far this year, righties are crushing Avilan to the tune of a 1.636 OPS. It’s a small sample, but if it grows bigger, Callaway will have to consider limiting Avilan’s exposure to righties.
Anthony DiComo has covered the Mets for MLB.com since 2007. Follow him on Twitter @AnthonyDiComo, Instagram and Facebook.