Mets’ GM Sandy Alderson, spoke to the media today.
In the midst of a season that could be best described as “a dumpster fire,” fans were hoping this impromptu press conference would provide some clarification.
Instead, we got more nonsense.
ASDRUBAL CABRERA
We all saw the game Sunday night. We saw Asdrubal Cabrera limping around the field. When he was removed from the game in the 4th inning, many of us had the same thought. “Finally!” After the game, it was announced that Cabrera had a tight left hamstring and was listed as day-to-day.
He’s been hurt for a while. In fact, Alderson had this to say during his last press conference.
“Cabrera! There’s a guy who’s playing. He’s not 100 percent. He’s playing. ‘Oh my god, he needs a day off, he needs a week off.’…He’s playing. Will we lose him at some point? Maybe. Right now, we want to keep putting a winning team on the field.”
But after a national tv audience saw him grimacing after every swing, and limping to and from the dugout between innings, Alderson would have to do the right thing. Wouldn’t he?
Nope. The Alderson press conference began with the GM saying that Cabrera is good to go and would be in the lineup TONIGHT. We’ve all seen how this movie ends.
JOSE REYES
Next topic of discussion was Jose Reyes. Alderson said Reyes was on the team “due to merit and not sentiment.” He said that Reyes “had a big hit the other night.” I guess he heard how ludicrous that sounded out loud, so he attempted to backtrack.
“In some ways this in an indictment of other personnel, we have to have somebody we want to replace him that we think that meets that threshold.”
REALLY?
Hey Sandy, I know you probably don’t get up to Binghamton that much, but you have a player there named Jeff McNeil.
JEFF MCNEIL/PETER ALONSO
Jeff McNeil is hitting .333/.406/.647 with 16 doubles, 3 triples. 14 homers, 42 RBI and 20 BB/23 K for the Rumble Ponies. He has an OPS almost triple that of Jose Reyes. Also, he can actually play in the field.
Alderson did mention McNeil. He said Jeff McNeil and Peter Alonso might get promoted to Triple A soon.
“Similar to Alonso, probably the next step for him is a possible promotion [to Triple-A] and that’s something we continue to consider. … We need to see more.”
If you want to make the argument that Peter Alonso should be in the majors instead of Dominic Smith, you may be right. I get it though. Alonso is only 23, and they want to see what they have in Dominic Smith, their former first round pick.
McNeil is 26 though. How much more do you need to see?
NOAH SYNDERGAARD
Next on the docket was Noah Syndergaard. He will receive a second opinion on his finger, and the team will know more tomorrow. Could they send Asdrubal Cabrera to the doctor’s office with Syndergaard?
AJ RAMOS
AJ Ramos may need shoulder surgery.
MICHAEL CONFORTO
Alderson then said that Michael Conforto needs to figure out his hitting issues at the MLB level, but didn’t rule out a demotion. Alderson added, “Conforto is part of the solution.”
What are the other parts of the solution?
THE OFFENSE
“We’re not satisfied, and the work that we’ve done to date has not been successful. … When you’re scoring runs at the anemic rate we have, that hasn’t worked. So from that standpoint, I take total responsibility for where we are. I’m not happy about it.”
THE BULLPEN
He then admitted the bullpen is “a work in progress.” Hmm. Maybe, we could have come to that conclusion in February instead of June.
ADRIAN GONZALEZ/ DOMINIC
“We want to see [Dominic Smith]. This may be a short-term proposition for Dom. It may be a longer-term proposition. We just thought this was an appropriate time.”
YOENIS CESPEDES
There is no prognosis or timetable for Cespedes, who remains sidelined with a sore right hip.
WILMER FLORES
Flores will begin a rehab assignment tonight with St. Lucie. He’ll bat third and play third base.
So, in essence, they are going to continue to play their hurt players at the Major League level. As far as the players who are already hurt, we don’t know. Say a prayer.
They are going to keep a player on the roster who cannot hit or field, but the decision is based on merit.
Let’s go Mets!