Mets Opening Day Roster Prediction

With Opening Night just 4 days away, the Mets have substantially trimmed down the number of players in camp, but still have some key decisions to make. In this piece, I will give you my prediction for the 25 man roster by the time Opening Day rolls around. I will also provide some of Spring Training statistics of these players as of March 31st, 2016. 

Starting with the rotation

1. P Matt Harvey (3 starts, 6.30 ERA, 10.0 IP, 7.2 BB/9)

2. P Jacob deGrom (4 starts, 1.42 ERA, 16.2 IP, 1.1 B/9)

3. P Noah Syndergaard (4 starts, 2.04 ERA, 17.2 IP, 0.5 BB/9)

4. P Steven Matz (5 games, 4 starts, 6.27 ERA, 18.2 IP, 5.3 BB/9)

5. P Bartolo Colon (5 starts, 6.08 ERA, 23.2 IP, 0.4 BB/9)

• Starting off with the heart and soul of the team, the pitching rotation is pretty much set. The team brought back Bartolo Colon to fill innings until Zack Wheeler returns in July, so for the time being he will stay as the fifth starter. Barring any injuries, 1-4 will be set up as such for the rest of the season, and hopefully beyond that. 

That was obvious, let's move to the bullpen

1. Closer: Jeurys Familia (9 appearances, 3.24 ERA, 8.1 IP, 2.2 BB/9)

2. Setup Man 1: Addison Reed (10 appearances, 2.79 ERA, 9.2 IP, 1.9 BB/9)

3. Setup Man 2: Antonio Bastardo (11 appearances, 6.30 ERA, 10.0 IP, 4.5 BB/9)

4. Lefty Reliever: Jerry Blevins (12 appearances, 4.32 ERA, 8.1 IP, 4.3 BB/9)

5. Middle Reliever 1: Hansel Robles (10 appearances, 4.66 ERA, 9.2 IP, 5.6 BB/9)

6. Middle Reliever 2: Jim Henderson (11 appearances, 1.86 ERA, 9.2 IP, 0.9 BB/9)

7. Long-Reliever: Sean Gilmartin (6 appearances, 2 starts, 4.15 ERA, 13.0 IP, 1.3 BB/9)

Notable names left off: Erik Goeddel, Rafael Montero, Josh Edgin, and Logan Verrett.

• The team will carry 24 players for the first two games of the season because Hansel Robles will be serving a two game suspension. As for everything else, it is pretty well fortified. The only two unexpected picks in this section are probably Jim Henderson, who has had an incredible spring, and Sean Gilmartin, who performed very nicely last season as a swing-man. While I like Logan Verrett, I think the organization is more comfortable with him getting starts in Triple-A just in case the injury bug strikes Queens yet again. 

Starting lineup (against RHP)

1. RF Curtis Granderson (14 games,.295/.311/.432, 0 HR, 3 RBI)

2. 3B David Wright (7 games, .238/.304/.381, 1 HR, 3 RBI)

3. 1B Lucas Duda (14 games, .189/.268/.270, 1 HR, 2 RBI)

4. CF Yoenis Cespedes (15 games, .357/.400/.405, 0 HR, 6 RBI)

5. 2B Neil Walker (16 games, .209/.277/.372, 1 HR, 2 RBI)

6. C Travis d'Arnaud (17 games, .179/.267/.231, 0 HR, 8 RBI)

7. LF Michael Conforto (17 games, .220/.283/.390, 2 HR, 8 RBI)

8. SS Asdrubal Cabrera (15 games, .133/.133/.133, 0 HR, 2 RBI)

9. Pitcher

• The lineup is difficult to project because I am not sure where Terry Collins plans on putting David Wright. If he puts him in the two spot, either Lucas Duda or Yoenis Cespedes could conceivable hit behind him, but for lefty-righty sake I decided to go with Duda. Walker will likely be the #5 hitter until Michael Conforto shows that he can handle that spot.

Bench

1. OF Juan Lagares (19 games, .318/.388/.423, 1 HR, 7 RBI)

2. C Kevin Plawecki (17 games, .220/.298/.366, 1 HR, 4 RBI)

3. OF Alejandro de Aza (19 games, .372/.451/.442, 0 HR, 3 RBI)

4. INF Wilmer Flores (21 games, .302/.387/.377, 0 HR, 3 RBI)

5. UTL Eric Campbell (21 games, .286/.444/.333, 0 HR, 0 RBI)

Notable names left off: Matt Reynolds and Dilson Herrera.

• Juan Lagares and Alejandro de Aza pair for a nice duo of backup outfielders, and the Flores/Campbell duo does the same for the infield. While I do not believe that Kevin Plawecki should be up with the Mets, it's looking likely since the team has not acquired a serviceable backup catcher. Finally, Matt Reynolds and Dilson Herrera have been left off because I believe they both need to properly develop in Triple-A. 

The Mets should go after Jesus Montero

Montero is ready for a new team

While it isn't official yet, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, the Seattle Mariners have placed catcher Jesus Montero on waivers, taking him off the 40 man roster.

Montero has been with the Mariners organization ever since the club acquired him in the Michael Pineda deal four years ago. He had once been a top prospect in the Yankees organization, ranking #5 on Baseball America's prospect list from 2010, but quickly fizzled out when he made the transition to Seattle.

Whether it be off the field issues such as weight gain, or injury issues, Montero has struggled mightily in his 5 year major league career. In 2012, his only full season as a starter, the 26 year old backstop hit .260 with 15 HR for a Mariners team that was desperately searching for a long-term catcher.


Since that point, he has found himself with the Tacoma Rainiers, Seattle's Triple-A squad, on multiple stints. This past season, he logged 430 plate appearances with this team, and hit an astonishing .355 with 18 HR and 85 RBI. With the major league team, however, he hit a weak .223 with 5 HR in 38 games.

That begs the question: Is Jesus Montero a Quadruple-A player?

Seattle thought they were getting a cornerstone piece

Now, by definition, a Quadruple-A player is essentially someone who excels at the top levels of the minor leagues, but fails to perform positively at any level in the major leagues. There are dozens of these players in today's game, and it is a mystery as to why they have so much difficulty with the adjustment.

So, as for the question, I am going to say that he has not reached that point yet. I have always liked Jesus Montero, mainly because you can't find too many catcher's in today's game that know how to swing the stick. He turns 27 in November, so he still has provides plenty of youth, but it is doubtful that he becomes a full-time regular at this stage in his career.

The Mariners have no use for him as they currently have former 1st round pick Mike Zunino behind the dish, and is light-years ahead of Montero defensively. It is also evident that Mariner fans are tired of waiting for Montero to pan out, so if he clears waivers there is a chance that the Mets could grab him as a free agent.

Now, why would the Mets take a chance on someone with a little-to-no proven major league track record?

Plawecki has shown weaknesses at the ML level

The answer is simple: they need a backup catcher.

Kevin Plawecki needs to go to Triple-A and get some every-day at bats, and I think most Mets fans would agree with that sentiment. Whether that happens or not remains to be seen, but it is best for his long-term development to get the bulk of the work, rather than ride the pine with the big league club.

With that being said, who else could the Mets possibly turn to until Plawecki is fully ready for the show? Anthony Recker is now with the Cleveland Indians, Robinson Cancel is a coach in the Braves system, Omir Santos is also a member of the Tribe, and Ramon Castro is unofficially retired from baseball, so as far as bringing back the old gang, that isn't happening.

The only realistic internal option is Johnny Monell, whom is still with the Mets on a non-roster Spring Training invite that he received in the off-season. Monell hit .167 in 27 games for the Mets last year, and proved to be nothing short of a fringe backup catcher at best.

Of-course, a backup catcher's success isn't measured by just his offensive output. Defensively is where I will admittedly say that Montero falls short. He has a career caught stealing percentage of 14%, which is way below the average, and his career defensive runs saved is -9. Regardless of this iffy numbers, I want the Mets to take a stab at Montero on the off-chance that a change of scenery gets his bat going, because even with the defensive struggles, he can morph into a very fine bench piece at some point.

3 ways the Knicks can salvage this season

Carmelo Anthony controls his own future with a no-trade clause

The Knicks have had a wash of a season, and continued that trend after last night's loss to the Sacramento Kings. Although New York is still in the playoff race mathematically, they are realistically looking at their third straight season without a playoff berth, as they sit at 28-43 with 11 games left to play. Since the team does not have a 1st round pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, the future is in question. 

Here are 3 things that the team must do in order to prepare for next season:

1. Play the young guys

- Like any rebuilding process, it is important to see what you have in your inexperienced players to determine who will be around for the foreseeable future. Personally, I really like Jerian Grant, and although he has trouble from the perimeter, the potential is there for him to be an above-average floor general.

Grant could be a very useful player in the future

Let's take a closer look at Grant's numbers...

Jerian Grant (23 years old): 15.5 minutes per game, 4.9 PPG, 2.3 AST, .183 3P%, .804 FT%, 0 starts.

Now let's look at the numbers of Sasha Vujacic, who is arguably taking minutes from the youngster...

Sasha Vujacic (32 years old): 13.0 minutes per game, 3.7 PPG, 1.2 AST, .291 3P%, .788 FT%, 14 starts.

As you can see, there is really no major difference in the two players, except the age. This is where I don't understand the thought process that coach Kurt Rambis currently has. Vujacic is probably not going to be on the team next season, and Grant was a 1st round selection from the 2015 NBA Draft, thus meaning he'll be around for at least another season or two. 

The Knicks, who are in desperate need for a point guard that can drive in the paint, absolutely need to give Grant an extended look as the season comes to a close. Jose Calderon, the team's current starting point guard, can still shoot from the perimeter, but isn't anything more than a decent backup on a good team. 

2. Start recruiting for a new coach ASAP

The Knicks are 5-12 since Rambis took over

I'm going to ignore all of the reports that claim Phil Jackson would willingly coach the team next season, because they are utterly false and unrealistic. While Jackson has had an excellent coaching career, to say the least, he is better suited in a front office role at this point.

The main issue is going to be pleasing Carmelo Anthony with the coaching selection, as it seems that his preference would be Tom Thibodeau, formerly of the Chicago Bulls. Thibodeau had a career record of 255-139 record over 5 seasons with the Bulls, but was fired in May 2015 after tension between he and the front office. 

The problem with hiring someone like Thibodeau would be that he would ditch the current offensive system the Knicks have, which is the triangle system. Thibodeau has his own unique style of playing the game, and while it has generated plenty of success, it seems like Phil Jackson is hellbent on keeping the triangle system going. 

Another option is Kurt Rambis, who is currently serving as the team's interim coach. The only way, however, that Rambis returns to the team next year is if the Knicks finish strong. With 11 games left, and the Knicks amidst a horrible 6-21 record in their last 27 games, the team looks like it will be limping to the finish line. 

It will be very interesting to see who Jackson chooses, because he massively struck out on Derek Fisher and will need to be more careful this time around. As any NBA fan knows, the coaching is just as important as the talent on the floor, so I expect the organization to take it's time in deciding it's next leader. 

3. Give Carmelo Anthony a limited amount of minutes

Carmelo has had a very fine season, averaging 21.8 PPG with an impressive 8 AST per game, but there is no reason to push him any further in the home stretch, as the Knicks are likely not going anywhere this year. It isn't as much about throwing in the towel, however, since I would like the team to beef up the minutes for forward Derrick Williams, an upcoming free agent.

Williams, who is now 24, has made good work in the small work that he has received in 2015-2016. In just 16.9 minutes per game, he has posted 8.8 PPG, shown excellent transition offense, and has a knack for getting to the free throw line. Like I said before, he is an upcoming free agent because it is anticipated that his player option for 2016-2017 will be declined. 

I want the Knicks to bring back Williams for next season, as he makes for a very nice SF-PF combination off the bench, and a strong ending to the year for him could motivate the team to do so. I'd still like to see Carmelo Anthony start, but only receive about 20-25 minutes per game, which is a far cry from his current 35.4. 

Mets part ways with Tejada

The Mets announced that they have released infielder Ruben Tejada after he went unclaimed on waivers. Tejada, 26, was due to make around $3 million in the 2016 season, but the team will now only be on the hook for $500,000 since they cut ties with him 15 days prior to Opening Day. He is now to free to sign with any team.

Tejada has been in the Mets organization ever since being signed as an amateur free agent out of Panama in 2006. To say that he has had an interesting career path with the Mets would be an understatement.


Making his major league debut in 2010, Tejada was considered the future successor of All-Star shortstop Jose Reyes, and a strong 2011 season as a 21 year old backed up that theory. That year he hit .284/.360 in 96 games off the bench for New York, and truly looked like a solid option for the team moving forward. The following season, he was handed the starting shortstop gig and ran away with it. His numbers improved, as he hit .289/.333 in 114 games.

From 2013-2015, Tejada's numbers took a huge dip, and as a result of this he lost the starting job to Wilmer Flores last season. During that three year span, Tejada hit a combined .238/.323 in 292 games, while dealing with several injury issues. Despite the declining offensive output, many players have expressed sadness about him leaving, as he was regarded as a solid clubhouse member.

3B David Wright said the following in an interview "I've had the pleasure of watching Ruben grow into a quality player and a tremendous teammate. Ruben has produced many big hits for us and became an inspiration to this organization and the city during our playoff run last year. I will be rooting for Ruben and he will be missed."

Of-course, the inspiration that Wright was referring to was the city's response to his injury that he had received in the NLDS against the Dodgers. Tejada broke his leg as a result of a takeout slide from long-time Mets killer Chase Utley, and the Mets fan-base rallied behind the shortstop.

As far as my opinion, I am very conflicted about this move. So I will do my best to break down my thoughts.

Starting with the Pros

• The Mets are saving money: about $2.5 million to be exact, which could be re-invested in the team in July if they are looking to acquire talent. 
• It paves the way for younger talent: While Tejada is still only 26, the Mets are clearly looking at more youthful players to fill out their bench. At this stage, the organization has a good grasp with what Tejada can provide, and it is apparent they feel that they're other options in camp can step up and fill his shoes. Keep a very close eye on T.J. Rivera and Matt Reynolds, as I fully expect the two of them to battle for that roster spot. 

Now, moving to the Cons

• The timing: Right now, Asdrubal Cabrera may miss the first week of the season following a mild lower-body injury, meaning that the Mets may need to carry an extra infielder on the team for the first set of games. When this was reported, I immediately thought that Tejada was safe from being traded/released, as it seemed apparent that the Mets needed him. However, I guess they are comfortable with Wilmer Flores in the starting lineup, and a player with no major league experience backing him up.
• The return (or lack thereof): Ruben Tejada is a quality baseball player. Now, before you criticize me for saying that, think about it. He hasn't lived up to the All-Star-like projections that were immediately given, but had morphed himself into a nice option for Collins to use off the bench. Also, he is still only 26 years old, and coming off a decent year where he had a .338 on-base percentage clip, so it is strange that the Mets couldn't find a trade partner. 

Ruben Tejada is going to have no problem latching on with a new team. In the next week or two, teams will be desperately scrambling to find options to fill out their benches, and that is when I expect him to find a new home. Look at the St. Louis Cardinals for example, as they have just lost SS Jhonny Peralta for the 3 months of the season. Tejada would be a perfect fit for that team. 

From a Mets standpoint, I think this move just shows how much depth the team really has, and how much faith it has put in it's lower-leveled prospects. Ruben had an up-and-down run for the Mets, but will be widely regarded as a positive figure in the Mets universe, so I expect to hear many cheers the next time we see him again. 

Victor Cruz reworks contract terms to return to NY

In the continuing trend of New York Giants news, it was reported yesterday that the organization will bring back former star wide receiver Victor Cruz, but for far less money than he was originally intended to make. Cruz, however, "couldn't go anywhere else".

If anyone needs a comeback season, it's Victor Cruz

He had agreed to less money for 2016-2017 due to the fact that his market value took a big hit last season. He tore his patella tendon in Week 6 of the 2014-2015 season (so, two years ago), and has not made an on-field appearance since that point.

While rehabbing the patella tendon injury that had been previously stated, he tore a calf muscle in 2015, essentially wiping out the entire year from football activities. Both parties have said that the current rehab process is going well, but similar statements were being made last year. Therefore, it's unreasonable to expect Cruz to return to the field any time soon, let alone at a high level.

Cruz, now 29, bursted on the scene four seasons ago when he racked up 1,536 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns. In the three seasons after that, his numbers have taken a sharp decline, as he has put up 2,427 yards with 15 touchdowns in a combined 36 games.

According to a source, his new deal will have a base salary of $1.3 million with the chance to raise that figure to $5.5 million if he fulfills certain incentives. He was originally scheduled to earn $7.9 million next year and count toward almost $10 million in cap space.

I think this is a great move by the Giants because they really don't have that much to lose. Even if Cruz earns his incentives, the most money his deal can reach is $5.5 million, and that is a good market price for a potentially above-average receiver.

The talent is there, but he needs to stay on the field. Time will tell if the 2016-2017 season is a year in the right direction for the former Pro-Bowler. A duo of Odell Beckham Jr and Victor Cruz would certainly be fun, right?
 

Giants have huge 1st day of NFL Free Agency

The NFL Free Agent market opened up yesterday, and many players were quick to ink with their new teams. The Giants, who just recently made their first move of the year in bringing back Jason Pierre-Paul, agreed to terms with three additional players. It has become apparent that GM Jerry Reese is giving one last push for his job, as he has been on the hot seat ever since the organization parted ways with coach Tom Coughlin a few months back.

Harrison will go from one NY club to another NY club

The first signing that was reported was bringing in 27 year old defensive lineman Damon Harrison, who had previously spent the last four seasons with the New York Jets. It is a five year deal worth $46.5 million, with about $24 million in guaranteed money. 

Harrison, who went undrafted out of William Penn University, signed with the Jets in 2012 and immediately turned himself into one of the better run-stopping tackles in the league. In fact, before the 2015-2016 season, Harrison referred to himself as "the best nose tackle in football."

Harrison typically plays on first and second down, thus explaining the 1.5 career sacks in his career, but last season he put up a career-high 39 solo tackles for coach Todd Bowles' one-gap defensive system. He had become a regular in his second season and had started 48 consecutive games for Gang Green since that time. 

The next signing that hit social media was cornerback Janoris Jenkins on a five year contract worth roughly $62.5 million. All of the money in this deal, unlike Harrison's contract, is guaranteed. Jenkins, who had been with the St. Louis Rams since being drafted by them in 2012, had expressed his gratitude to the team on an Instagram post shortly after reports came out on social media. 

In 2015-2016, Jenkins had his most consistent season to date, putting up 64 tackles, 3 interceptions and 1 forced fumble in 15 games. The 27 year old said during the season that he and the Rams had negotiated on a contract extension all the way up until the team's bye week, but those talks broke off. 

The Giants were in the market for a top-notch cornerback after it was assumed that CB Prince Amukamara, their 2011 first round pick, would leave in unrestricted free agency. Jenkins, without question, is an upgrade over Amukamara, so the move does make a great deal of sense from the Giants perspective. 

The third signing was perhaps the biggest of them all, as they acquired defensive end Olivier Vernon. The deal is yet another five year contract, and this one is worth $85 million with $52.5 million being guaranteed money.  

Vernon will give the Giants an established defensive end

Vernon was given a transition tag by the Miami Dolphins, his previous team, on March 1st. The tag was worth $12,734 million, according to the NFL Players Association. Basically what this meant was that other organizations can negotiate with the 25 year old, but the Dolphins had the right to match any offer sheet that was proposed to him. 

He lead Miami in sacks last year with 7.5, and also racked up 61 tackles. He put up a higher performance during the second half, in particular, after Pro Bowl defensive end Cameron Wake was lost for the year following an injury. 

As for my thoughts, I already touched on it in the opening paragraph. General Manager Jerry Reese is fighting to keep his position, and is willing to sign immediate-impact players who will ideally take the Giants back to the post-season in 2016-2017. 

In the previous article, I touched up on the Giants horrendous defensive metrics, so it is no surprise that they are taking big strides to improve those numbers. While one could argue that all three players are getting massively overpaid, it is unfortunately how the market has gone so far for every top-notch player. Thus, I wouldn't criticize the Giants for the dollar figures that they are throwing at these players. 

Giants re-sign Pierre-Paul to one year contract

If anyone needs a comeback season, it's Jason Pierre-Paul

The New York Giants have brought back defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul on a one year deal worth up to $10.5 million in incentives. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, the Arizona Cardinals had offered the 27 year old "much more" money, but Pierre-Paul turned that down. On Instagram, he also announced that he would be returning to Big Blue, and expressed appreciation that the Cardinals had interest. 

Many expected Pierre-Paul to snag a one year deal on the open market to build his value back up after a lost 2015-2016 season. On July 4, 2015, he lost his right index finger due to an unfortunate fireworks accident around his family and friends, thus putting his season in question. He finally returned to the field in November, appearing in eight games with the Giants down the stretch. His numbers during that span were far from the usual, however, as he only had acquired 26 tackles and career-low one sack. 

Pierre-Paul had been a main-stay in the Giants defensive line ever since he was drafted 15th overall in the 2010 NFL Draft. He had a total of 42 sacks from 2010-2014, including a career high 16.5 sacks in 2011 when the Giants hoisted the Lombardi Trophy.

Despite his sharp decline, Pro Football Focus still ranks him at 30 out of 91 qualifying edge rushers. The site was impressed with his pass-rushing ability, and gave him a poor grade against the run game. 

As for my thoughts, I applaud Pierre-Paul for turning down more money from Arizona to return for some unfinished business in the Meadowlands. After the incident last year that almost put his career in jeopardy, he was absolutely slammed by the media and fans for his actions. Also, it did not help that the Giants were in the midst of a horrible defensive season and could have really used him in the first half of the year. 

The Giants defense needs some major work this off-season, evident by these statistics from the 2015-2016 year. 

Yards allowed per game: 420.3 (LAST in NFL) 

Points allowed per game: 27.6 (LAST in NFL)

I like the idea of an incentive-laden deal, since it is far from a guarantee that Pierre-Paul ever returns to even 75% percent of what he used to be. But given these numbers, the Giants will take anything they can get out of the 2-time Pro Bowler. 

Five NYM players to look out for as Spring Training rolls on

Although the Mets come into the 2016 season with far fewer questions than the previous year, there are still several intriguing stories as we inch toward Opening Night against Kansas City in the first week of April. In this article, I will give you the name's of 5 players to watch out for as Spring Training progresses. 

1. Josh Smoker

Smoker may be ready for his MLB debut

- Smoker was a former first round pick by the Washington Nationals in the 2007 Draft, but found himself out of baseball after 2012. In 2014, he inked a deal with the Rockford Aviators of the Independent League, and pitched to a 4.03 ERA in 28 relief appearances. While that number is far from excellent, it was enough to get a minor league contract with the Mets in 2015.

Last year, he got some attention by putting up a 3.12 ERA in 41 games across three levels of the minor leagues. There was also some debate on whether he would receive a September call-up, but the Mets opted to keep him off the roster. 

This year, he may be closer to a roster spot than other's think. Antonio Bastardo is a lock for the Mets bullpen, and the other options include Josh Edgin and Jerry Blevins, both of whom are coming off a major surgery. If they are deemed unready to start the season, Smoker could swoop in with a strong showing and give Terry Collins yet another power arm to work with. 

2. Dilson Herrera

- The Mets knew they were getting something special when they acquired Herrera in the Marlon Byrd trade a few years back. At the time, he was a raw, 19 year old second baseman with an improving bat and acceptable defense. Now, as a 22 year old with two separate stints with the big league club, one could argue that he is ready for an every-day job in the majors. 

However, I think it would be best for his development to start the season with the Las Vegas 51s. Neil Walker is going to be the team's second baseman for the foreseeable future, so it would make little sense to have Herrera ride the pine with the big league team. Also, the Mets as a whole have enough infielders on the projected 25 man roster, so it would be difficult to squeeze him in there. 

As a long-time supporter, I am confident that Herrera will continue his strong Spring Training performance, and equally as confident that we will see him with the big league club by the summer.

3. Gabriel Ynoa

Ynoa is ranked as the Mets #8 prospect (according to MLB.com)

- Ynoa is a piece of the next wave of pitching prospects that the Mets plan on bringing up in the next year or two, and he will likely begin the year in Triple-A. While he doesn't have the same ceiling as a Noah Syndergaard or Steven Matz, he could turn himself into a very nice back end starter. 

As far as his background, he opened some eyes in 2013 by putting up a 15-4 record with a 2.72 ERA in 22 games for the Savannah Sand Gnats (Single-A affiliate of the New York Mets). As he has progressed, his numbers have taken a dip. For example, in 2015, he had a 3.90 ERA in 25 games (24 starts) for the Binghamton Mets (Double-A). Despite that, he has maintained impeccable control, as he sports a career 1.3 BB/9 in a 6 year minor league career. 

Like I said before, I don't expect Ynoa to break camp with the team, but a few solid outings here and there could put him on the radar for a summer call-up if the Mets are struck with the injury bug. 

4. T.J. Rivera

- Rivera has been in the Mets organization for 5 seasons now, and has done nothing but hit. In fact, he was one of the names considered in 2015 when the Mets were looking for some extra offense off the bench. His true breakout season was in 2014 when he hit a monstrous .349 in 115 games for St. Lucie and Binghamton. 

I couldn't tell you why the Mets haven't given Rivera a shot yet. Defensively, he may be average at shortstop, but also has experience at first, second, and third base, which would make him an ideal utility player. 

The reason why he is on this list is because this year I feel like we really might see the Mets give him an opportunity, as they are reportedly not ruling out trading Ruben Tejada to save money, and could go to a younger, cheaper, player such as Rivera to fill his bench spot. As a 27 year old, Rivera is basically in the do-or-die stage of his professional career so now would be the best time to impress the coaches. 

5. Jim Henderson

- Henderson is the most realistic player out of these five to make the team. The Mets did not risk anything with him as they simply gave him a non-roster invite to ST to see if there was anything left in the tank. 

Henderson is ready to re-establish himself as a back-end bullpen threat

The 33-year old had two nice seasons with Milwaukee in 2012-2013, putting up a combined 2.98 ERA in 97 relief outings, while attaining 31 saves. Also, he had an above average K/9, which sat at 11.9, during that span. However, he was placed on the 60 day disabled list in 2014 following shoulder surgery, and missed the entire 2015 year while rehabbing.

After yesterday's 7-5 W against the Atlanta Braves, Terry Collins had some good things to say about Henderson, who contributed with a scoreless inning. Collins said "He's a guy who's got outstanding experience and was a closer at one time. I like the fact that it looks like his shoulder has healed up pretty well. The velocity has been very, very good."

Expect to see Henderson fight to the bitter end in camp as he tries to regain his past form of being an above average reliever. 

Chapman receives 30 game ban for domestic incident

Major League Baseball announced on Tuesday that pitcher Aroldis Chapman will receive a 30 game suspension as a result of a domestic violence situation that he partook in this past October. Chapman will not appeal the suspension, which will start on Opening Day.

Shortly after the announcement, Chapman spoke to reporters about the ordeal. He said "I want to be clear, I did not in any way harm my girlfriend that evening. However, I should have exercised better judgment with respect to certain actions, and for that I am sorry. 

On not fighting the suspension, "The decision to accept the suspension, as opposed to appealing one, was made after careful consideration. I made this decision in an effort to minimize the distractions that an appeal would cause the Yankees, my new teammates and most importantly, my family." 

Chapman will not be eligible to return until early-May

Chapman will lose a portion of his 2016 salary because of the suspension. To be exact, he is slated to earn $11,325.00 million this coming year, and approximately $1.8 million will be taken away. Despite the suspension, he will still reach the appropriate amount of service time to elect free agency at the end of the season. 

Chapman was acquired by the Yankees from the Cincinnati Reds in December of 2015 in exchange for a package of prospects (Rookie Davis, Eric Jagielo, Tony Renda, and Caleb Cotham). The 4-time All-Star is coming off a season where he posted 1.63 ERA in 65 games while accumulating 33 saves. 

According to reports, the domestic violence incident from October involved an altercation with Chapman and his girlfriend after she had "found something on his phone that she did not like."  Chapman claimed that he poked the woman on the shoulder and she fell to the ground. Later he admitted to firing eight shots from handgun in his garage during the incident. 

Chapman's case was one of three that were being investigated by the MLB's new domestic violence policy. The other two cases are surrounding shortstop Jose Reyes and outfielder Yasiel Puig. 

It is worth noting that Chapman will be able to practice with the team in Spring Training and participate in the exhibition games.