David Wright could very well land on the disabled list today leaving a glaring hole at third base which leaves me wondering will the Mets continue to ignore the undrafted T.J. Rivera?
Eric Campbell made the team out of Spring Training. He’s hitting .159/.270/.226 in 30 games. He has a -0.2 WAR, 39 OPS+, and a 47 wRC+.
Matt Reynolds was briefly called-up to to injuries. In eight games, he hit .100/.182/.100. It’s a very short sample size, but he has a – 0.1 WAR, -20 OPS+, and a -15 wRC+ player. Before his call-up, he was only hitting .238/.303/.369 in AAA. In 2014, he hit .267/.319/.412.
Ty Kelly was also called-up due to injuries. In five games, he has hit .091/.167/.091. Again a very short sample size, but he’s a -0.2 WAR, -26 OPS+, and a -23 wRC+ player. Last year in AAA, he hit .236/.322/.296. There have been four other organizations that gave up on him before the Mets signed him to a minor league deal.
These are the three players the Mets have deemed more major league worthy than T.J. Rivera.
This is no fault of Rivera. He has done everything the Mets could possibly ask. He has improved as a hitter each and every year at each and every level. Last year, he hit .306/.345/.443 in AAA. So far this year, he is hitting .374/.409/.549. He is leading the Pacific Coast League with 45 RBI, six more than teammate Travis Taijeron who has the second most.
He has been great at the plate this year with runners in scoring position with a slash line of .400/.432/.585 in 65 at bats. He is currently riding a 17-game hitting streak as well.
Rivera has also become a very versatile player. In college, he played second and third. During his time in the minors, he has played second, short, and third while also becoming an adequate defender at first. This past week, in an effort to become even more versatile and attractive to the Mets, he has begun playing left field.
There are some holes in Rivera’s game. He has doubles power. He doesn’t work the count well. He may play multiple positions, but he’s not a plus defender at any of those positions. So yes, there are some flaws, but you know what? These are the same flaws that Campbell, Reynolds, and Kelly have. The only thing that separates Rivera from these players is they got a shot, and he didn’t. That and Rivera has been a much better hitter in the minors than the other three players.
The Mets have World Series aspirations. They cannot keep trotting out players who hit WELL UNDER the Mendoza Line. The Mets have to do something as Campbell, Reynolds, and Kelly have squandered their opportunities. There are no more excuses. The Mets have to call up Rivera.
I would like to see Herrera and TJ Rivera up once they DL Wright. DFA Campbell.
I just can’t see Campbell going anywhere.
Wake up Mets!!! All this kid does is hit .300 & he’s wasting away in AAA while we struggle to score runs.
What was ty Kelly hitting in triple a before his call up?
You tell’em MD! Dfa Walters dfa cambell move Duda to 60 day dl, whereby clearing 40man spots Rivera plays 3b and or platoons with loney and Taijeron platoons with grandy. Send dwn or dfa Kelly he stinks.
Kelly and Campbell both look like AAA Players. Give Rivera and Taijeron a chance.
.391 but he is also coming off a terrible season in the PCL. Rivera has been good every single year.
Loney would take one of those roster spots.
Emphatically agree. Rivera has don’t nothing but hit hit hit and hit. There’s nothing wrong with doubles power at all… he puts bat to ball and doesn’t strike out like many players in today’s game do. Guys like Campbell and Kelly don’t belong near a contending team like this… they’re players like those they’d trot out in 2011, 2012… the rebuilding years. Rivera’s shot is long overdue.
Wright and Duda will be out for a while.
TJ will bea good backup to Flores and Loney
campbell should be released
Sounds like Campbell was just DFA’d to make space for Loney… Now who gets called up when Wright goes on the DL. I hope they DFA Walters and call up TJ!
In the press box at Cashman field there is always half a dozen faces up there watching the game, one of those guys doesn’t project good things for Rivera. Results don’t matter with the Mets. They find a needle in the haystack and they don’t want him. Signing Loney sends the same message down the farm that I’ve seen before from this franchise. Calling up Reynolds was the dumbest move yet.
The lunch meet and greet with the players is Sunday after the game, I’ll make sure Rivera knows MetsDaddy thinks he is getting a bad deal.
His infield D is just fine but he is a hack in left. You know his D in left is bad when my wife says “that is two errors in two games.” Both errors the scorer gave a hit, the box score in Vegas is fantasy land sometimes.