Guys, I’m not on the Tong bandwagon yet. The comparison to Lincecum might come true but from what I saw last season is a very hittable fastball that is straight as an arrow and breaking stuff that isn’t Lincecum level. Yet? Sproat is most likely a BP arm once he flames out as a starter. Why nobody is talking about Christian Scott befuddles me and yes I know he’s coming off TJ and has missed a year but I liked the kid’s moxie and if he’s back that is going to be a good arm for that rotation. McClean and him will be solid pieces and hopefully for a long time. I’m not sold on Tong and if his value is as high as it’s ever been I’d rather some other team find if he’s real. Stearns isn’t going to get fleeced by Preller. Stearns knows SD has issues and deal need to be done out there. Patience is a virtue and Stearns has it in spades. Mebbe to a fault but he’s not gonna be rushed and do something stupid even though we all are sour on him right now.
I talked about Christian Scott a few weeks ago! 😉 I agree, I’m shocked he hasn’t been mentioned more in rotation discussions. Even if he’s not a full factor til May, he teased Sproat/Tong type potential when we saw him last. If he’s healthy, he’ll be a fixture
I know YOU did and I was just saying in general all the other Mets outlets I read or listen to seem to have forgotten about the kid. I think he will be a solid 3 and possible 2 behind McClean for that rotation.
I totally agree. The relative silence around his name has been especially shocking given how loudly he was being praised and hyped up when he debuted. Crazy how absence due to injury for even just a year can all but erase a player from a person’s memory
I'm not so sure it's a matter of him being forgotten as much as it's wait and see. He blew his arm out but good. No one really wants to factor him in until they get a look at him in Spring Training.
Plus, he showed some promise before he came up, but without much success with the big club. He didn't win and the team was 2-7 when he pitched.
An interesting idea, though: he didn't start much in college, just 5 GS across 55 G with Florida. And we didn't convert him to a full-time starter until 2023. Could he be the missing piece in the 'pen?
That’s great context - you’re right, he was praised for his stuff and for the potential, but the game-end results left a bit to be desired. I think Scott working out of the bullpen to start the year is plenty likely, actually - granted, his numbers stabilized with more innings of work in the Minors, but I’m inclined to chalk that up to his natural development more than I am a lack of fit in a relief role. If he looks solid and healthy in spring, I wouldn’t be shocked if they throw him right into the rotation either, but I think his role in that regard will be naturally influenced by whatever rotation additions the team makes before Feb
That's how I see it, too. If he really shows out in Spring Training, he could slot into the rotation, theoretically. But realistically, it's not likely unless someone moves or starts the season on the IL (please, not that again).
I like Dominguez for the most part, but man, those walks. It's possible last year was an anomaly, but still, tallying over 5 BB/9 IP for two different teams makes me nervous.
That being said, if you're right and it was the result of mastering a new pitch mix, he definitely fits the mold of what we should be looking for, especially if we're going young in the 'pen. Which I think we are. But we need at least one more good veteran arm to make it work.
Those breaking pitches absolutely *dive* out of the zone - the movement is mouthwatering, but also very easy to see how he could be prone to missing his spot with some of them. He also generally likes to flirt with the lower edges of the zone - looking at his heat maps, most of his stuff tends to play down, and both the splitter and sweeper in particular appear to have seen quite a bit of placement far below the box this season. If he can refine their location next year and trend back towards his 10.5% career BB rate, whew boy look out.
Looks like we scooped up Luke Weaver for the role. They're pretty close numbers wise, but Weaver is around the zone more. And it's possible there was a little worry about Domínguez's stuff profiling a little too closely to Devin Williams.
But hey, it still might be a get, depending on how much we're planning on using the kids out there.
For the same price as Keller feels just right. I like Keller (hence me mentioning him twice in the span of a week), but what worried me with him was the vast disparity between his performance this past season and his line from the preceding four. Chicago worked magic with both him and Drew Pomeranz last year, so maybe the improvements will stick, but Dominguez’s relative statistical stability year-to-year won out for me on the wish list.
With Weaver, though his stat sheet is certainly checkered, I’m encouraged by the sustained improvement he’s demonstrated the last two seasons; he also comes with proven ability to perform in the city, which is always a plus. Looking at their respective 2025’s side by side, there are a lot of nearly identical numbers – should be a nice foundation for Justin Willard and Co. to work with (🤞🙏)
There's definitely a lot to work with. I think Weaver's big issue last year was the left hamstring, but other than that, he's been pretty effective pitching out of the bullpen.
There's still a ways to go, but the back end is taking shape, at least. I think one more veteran arm out there would help. It's thinning out fast though, so if we're going to do something, it will have to be now.
Though I hadn’t initially given him much thought yet this winter, I’ve got renewed interest in Danny Coulombe with fellow lefty Brandon Waddell getting DFA’d today…something to dig into.
Veteran arm, reliable, consistent and still effective. I like him.
First I've heard of Waddell getting DFA'd though, kind of bummed about that. What he lacked in stuff he made up for in heart.
Anyway, Coulombe on a one-year with an option or a two-year at a decent AAV would work. If we keep Brazobán as the righty middle inning bridge guy, we'd be really close to getting it done.
The thing about Fairbanks is his steadiness. Look across his game logs and you don't see him getting beat up very often. He'll basically have one, maybe two appearances in a month where he gets nicked for a run or two, but the rest of the time it's lots and lots of zeroes.
Guys, I’m not on the Tong bandwagon yet. The comparison to Lincecum might come true but from what I saw last season is a very hittable fastball that is straight as an arrow and breaking stuff that isn’t Lincecum level. Yet? Sproat is most likely a BP arm once he flames out as a starter. Why nobody is talking about Christian Scott befuddles me and yes I know he’s coming off TJ and has missed a year but I liked the kid’s moxie and if he’s back that is going to be a good arm for that rotation. McClean and him will be solid pieces and hopefully for a long time. I’m not sold on Tong and if his value is as high as it’s ever been I’d rather some other team find if he’s real. Stearns isn’t going to get fleeced by Preller. Stearns knows SD has issues and deal need to be done out there. Patience is a virtue and Stearns has it in spades. Mebbe to a fault but he’s not gonna be rushed and do something stupid even though we all are sour on him right now.
I talked about Christian Scott a few weeks ago! 😉 I agree, I’m shocked he hasn’t been mentioned more in rotation discussions. Even if he’s not a full factor til May, he teased Sproat/Tong type potential when we saw him last. If he’s healthy, he’ll be a fixture
I know YOU did and I was just saying in general all the other Mets outlets I read or listen to seem to have forgotten about the kid. I think he will be a solid 3 and possible 2 behind McClean for that rotation.
I totally agree. The relative silence around his name has been especially shocking given how loudly he was being praised and hyped up when he debuted. Crazy how absence due to injury for even just a year can all but erase a player from a person’s memory
I'm not so sure it's a matter of him being forgotten as much as it's wait and see. He blew his arm out but good. No one really wants to factor him in until they get a look at him in Spring Training.
Plus, he showed some promise before he came up, but without much success with the big club. He didn't win and the team was 2-7 when he pitched.
An interesting idea, though: he didn't start much in college, just 5 GS across 55 G with Florida. And we didn't convert him to a full-time starter until 2023. Could he be the missing piece in the 'pen?
That’s great context - you’re right, he was praised for his stuff and for the potential, but the game-end results left a bit to be desired. I think Scott working out of the bullpen to start the year is plenty likely, actually - granted, his numbers stabilized with more innings of work in the Minors, but I’m inclined to chalk that up to his natural development more than I am a lack of fit in a relief role. If he looks solid and healthy in spring, I wouldn’t be shocked if they throw him right into the rotation either, but I think his role in that regard will be naturally influenced by whatever rotation additions the team makes before Feb
That's how I see it, too. If he really shows out in Spring Training, he could slot into the rotation, theoretically. But realistically, it's not likely unless someone moves or starts the season on the IL (please, not that again).
I like Dominguez for the most part, but man, those walks. It's possible last year was an anomaly, but still, tallying over 5 BB/9 IP for two different teams makes me nervous.
That being said, if you're right and it was the result of mastering a new pitch mix, he definitely fits the mold of what we should be looking for, especially if we're going young in the 'pen. Which I think we are. But we need at least one more good veteran arm to make it work.
Those breaking pitches absolutely *dive* out of the zone - the movement is mouthwatering, but also very easy to see how he could be prone to missing his spot with some of them. He also generally likes to flirt with the lower edges of the zone - looking at his heat maps, most of his stuff tends to play down, and both the splitter and sweeper in particular appear to have seen quite a bit of placement far below the box this season. If he can refine their location next year and trend back towards his 10.5% career BB rate, whew boy look out.
Looks like we scooped up Luke Weaver for the role. They're pretty close numbers wise, but Weaver is around the zone more. And it's possible there was a little worry about Domínguez's stuff profiling a little too closely to Devin Williams.
But hey, it still might be a get, depending on how much we're planning on using the kids out there.
For the same price as Keller feels just right. I like Keller (hence me mentioning him twice in the span of a week), but what worried me with him was the vast disparity between his performance this past season and his line from the preceding four. Chicago worked magic with both him and Drew Pomeranz last year, so maybe the improvements will stick, but Dominguez’s relative statistical stability year-to-year won out for me on the wish list.
With Weaver, though his stat sheet is certainly checkered, I’m encouraged by the sustained improvement he’s demonstrated the last two seasons; he also comes with proven ability to perform in the city, which is always a plus. Looking at their respective 2025’s side by side, there are a lot of nearly identical numbers – should be a nice foundation for Justin Willard and Co. to work with (🤞🙏)
There's definitely a lot to work with. I think Weaver's big issue last year was the left hamstring, but other than that, he's been pretty effective pitching out of the bullpen.
There's still a ways to go, but the back end is taking shape, at least. I think one more veteran arm out there would help. It's thinning out fast though, so if we're going to do something, it will have to be now.
Though I hadn’t initially given him much thought yet this winter, I’ve got renewed interest in Danny Coulombe with fellow lefty Brandon Waddell getting DFA’d today…something to dig into.
Veteran arm, reliable, consistent and still effective. I like him.
First I've heard of Waddell getting DFA'd though, kind of bummed about that. What he lacked in stuff he made up for in heart.
Anyway, Coulombe on a one-year with an option or a two-year at a decent AAV would work. If we keep Brazobán as the righty middle inning bridge guy, we'd be really close to getting it done.
Welcome to the Mets, Luke Weaver!
You're not enamored with Fairbanks? His stats look mighty fine.
The opposite! Like him a lot, when I wrote about him last week I said I liked him more than Suárez. Just focused on a diff name today
The thing about Fairbanks is his steadiness. Look across his game logs and you don't see him getting beat up very often. He'll basically have one, maybe two appearances in a month where he gets nicked for a run or two, but the rest of the time it's lots and lots of zeroes.
A bit off topic, has anyone heard anything about Munetaka Murakami whose window closes on Monday at 5pm? Rumors and info has been limited.