Rising Apple » Mitch Petanick

Year In Review: Manny Acosta

Mitch Petanick — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 18:00:26 +0000

Manny Acosta had a very forgettable start to the year in 2012. It was one of those starts that players wish could be erased from existence. His season was going so poorly, that he was optioned down to triple-A on May 31. He was later recalled to the big league team, and it seemed a light bulb had gone off for Acosta, as he became the Mets most reliable reliever down the stretch. Let’s take a closer look at Acosta’s 2012 campaign.

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Year In Review: Rob Johnson

Mitch Petanick — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 18:30:49 +0000

Rising Apple’s Year in Review series takes a look at catcher Rob Johnson today. Johnson spent more time in 2012 with the triple-A Buffalo Bisons, but he did manage to get into seventeen games with the big league club. Johnson didn’t have a very big impact in 2012, and the highlight of his campaign had to be catching Matt Harvey‘s major league debut.

How he handled the bat

Jul. 26, 2012; Phoenix, AZ, USA; New York Mets catcher Rob Johnson (16) at bat during the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. The Mets defeated the Diamondbacks 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-US PRESSWIRE

Rob didn’t make a big splash offensively in 2012. He had 52 at bats with the Mets this past season. He sported a .250 batting average, and only managed two extra base hits. While with Buffalo, he only had a .206 average over 45 games. The Mets catchers will not be remembered for their offensive prowess in 2012, and while he didn’t spend much time with the big league club, Johnson didn’t do anything to change the way fans felt about the Mets catching situation. It seems that all one of the catchers had to do was show a little offense in 2012, and they could have locked the job down. Instead, as we move towards 2013, the job is still up for grabs.

How he handled the glove

Much like Johnson’s offensive output, he didn’t do anything defensively to wow anyone in 2012. He only threw out 10% of base stealers in the games he started for the Mets. On a positive note, he didn’t make any errors while behind the plate for the Mets last season over a span of 135 innings. However, Rob Johnson was probably best known as being Matt Harvey’s mentor while in the Mets organization.

Contract status/Projected role in 2013

Johnson was recently outrighted from the 40 man roster to make room for prospects in light of this year’s rule 5 draft. He opted for free-agency, and will most likely not be back with the team in 2013. Johnson’s future is up in the air, and if he does manage to sign with another team we can expect him to have a similar role as he did with the Mets in 2012 (spend time in the minors and be used primarily in a backup role at the big league level).

Year In Review: Andres Torres

Mitch Petanick — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 18:00:25 +0000

Rising Apple’s Year in Review series takes a look at centerfielder Andres Torres today. If you recall, the Mets traded Angel Pagan to the San Francisco Giants for Andres Torres and Ramon Ramirez back in December, 2011. The trade will not be remembered favorably by Mets fans, as Torres had an awful 2012 campaign, and they are forced to watch Angel Pagan having a blast in the playoffs. Torres started 79 games in centerfield for the Mets in 2012, and spent some time on the disabled list with a calf injury. Let’s take a closer look as to why Torres had such a lack luster year in 2012.

Aug 9, 2012; Flushing, NY,USA; New York Mets center fielder Andres Torres (56) triples to deep right allowing a runner to score eighth inning against the Miami Marlins at Citi Field. Mets won 6-1. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-US PRESSWIRE

How he handled the bat in 2012

The best word to use that will summarize how Torres performed offensively in 2012 is disappointment. Torres is a career .241 hitter but the Mets were probably hoping to get the Andres Torres of 2009 and 2010, where he hit around .270. Torres ended the year with a very unimpressive .230 batting average, and teetered in the low .200s for the majority of the season. He had more strikeouts (90), than hits (86) in 2012. That’s definitely not a recipe for success, and definitely not what the Mets had in mind when they traded for Torres last winter. There isn’t much more to say about Torres’ offensive performance in 2012. He isn’t known in baseball circles as an offensive juggernaut, so when a player like Torres is performing below what is expected, it is never a good thing.

How he handled the glove in 2012

Torres was easily the best defensive outfielder the Mets had in 2012. There aren’t many complaints about how he handled the glove. He ended the season with a .993 fielding percentage, which is nearly perfect. Torres has been known for his defensive abilities, which is one of the reasons why the Mets traded for him last winter. They were just hoping to get a little more offensive out of him.

Contract Status/Projected Role in 2013

Andres Torres will not be with the Mets in 2013. Andres Torres is a non-tender candidate moving into 2013. He will probably net close to $3MM for 2013, and the Mets will opt to spend what little money they have elsewhere. Look for Kirk Nieuwenhuis to take over in centerfield during 2013, unless the Mets make an off-season trade. Look for Andres Torres to sign with another team, and be utilized as a fourth outfielder (the Mets sure had a bunch of those in 2012).