Topps Cards That Should Have Been: 2007 Mets

 

Oh man, there are some weird ones in this post.

The Mets were one year removed from being a playoff threat that nearly made it all the way, and were trying to repeat, despite pressure from the Phillies and Braves. And...they made a lot of very strange roster decisions, from spring training to the end of the season. We're gonna do the sort of understandable ones first.

Jason Vargas, before he became a standout for Seattle and KC, was shipped over to New York in exchange for Matt Lindstrom, and figured he had a shot to try some starts. Unfortunately, the Mets' rotation was pretty set in stone, with Tom Glavine, Pedro Martinez, Orlando Hernandez, John Maine and Oliver Perez staying pretty strong the whole year. So he only got two starts, and they didn't go well. Vargas came away from the season with a 12.19 ERA, with 17 hits and 14 runs allowed. This would be a run that would wound his career, and make him a suspect candidate for the majors until the Mariners would take a chance on him in 2009.

But, with the injury to Pedro Martinez, the team needed more starting options before landing on Mike Pelfrey. 

So they fished Brian Lawrence out of a deal with the Rockies. Lawrence, a former Padres starter, was traded to the Nationals for Vinny Castilla and didn't play a game for them due to injuries. So he needed to prove something to someone, and the Mets really needed rotation help. Lawrence, in 6 starts, had a 6.83 ERA with a 1.9 WHIP. Not a great run, and after the release he'd never make the majors again. Lawrence as a Met would have been a cool Topps card, but...it was not to be.

We just talked about Aaron Sele a few days ago, talking about his 2005 with the Mariners, but at this point in his career he was bouncing around, just trying to make some playing time, in relief or starting or whichever. In 34 games, all relief appearance, with the Mets, Sele would pull alright numbers, with a 5.37 ERA and some long-man work. Like Lawrence, Sele would bow out after this season.

Okay, now some REALLY weird ones.

Ricky Ledee, former Yankee bench bat and guy who sort of bopped around the league for 10 years afterwards, finished his career with the 2007 Mets. In 17 games, Ledee hit .222 with 6 RBIs and his last homer. 

SANDY ALOMAR JR., who I always thought bowed out in 2006 with LA, played some games with the Mets in 2007. Sandy Alomar Jr. was 41 in 2007, and still catching. Yes, understandably his defensive numbers had gone down, but he was still playing, and the Mets...needed a 41-year-old backup catcher? I will say, though, that his defensive numbers weren't bad in his 8 games, but he did hit below the Mendoza line and didn't last very long at all. 

And this is the weirdest one. Ruben Sierra had been a bench bat/DH for most of the 2000s, and I assumed, mostly correctly, that his career ended in 2006 split between the Yanks and Twins. But...at 41, he decided he still wasn't done. So he attempted to make Spring Training with the Mets. This is an incredibly strange sight, and I kinda wished he'd have made the team so Topps could make a card of him. He didn't, and he retired afterwards, taking his career total of 306 homers with him.

Tomorrow's got some strange ones too, courtesy of the 2007 Nationals.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2019: Phillies

...they just can't get it done, can they?

Look, i've been hoping for these guys to bounce back after since Hoskins came up, because they've been trying really hard, and they don't deserve their rotten luck, but...for the second year in a row, they've blown a May-June lead and let countless teams, like the Braves, Nats and Mets, finish in front of them in the standings.

Cesar Hernandez's 2019 was down from his breakout 2018, but still had a 2.5 WAR, a .279 average, a team high 171 hits and a .741 OPS. Unfortunately, he also struck out 100 times. You pick and choose. He's been DFA'd due to cap space, and will likely spend 2020 on another squad.
Why Him in 2019?: One of the last few homegrown talents to excel for Philly.
2020 Prediction: I say Cleveland signs him, and he has a modest year there

 After striking out way too much in Seattle, Bruce was picked up by Philly, where he struck out only 29 times in 51 games, as opposed to his 53 strikeouts in 47 games as a Mariner. He also hit well, with 12 home runs and 32 RBIs, peaking in the midst of the bamboo phenomenon.
Why Him in 2019?: Ended the year with dignity, and a higher average
2020 Prediction: Will be used off the bench most likely, but will have more homers than he did this year.

 In a year where Andrew McCutchen, Jay Bruce and Corey Dickerson saw IL time, Adam Haseley was a smart call-up for Philly. He had a .266 average in 67 games as a Philly outfielder, and had 26 RBIs in that time.
Why Him in 2019?: Usurped Nick Williams and Roman Quinn as the wisest homegrown outfield choice.
2020 Prediction: Will have a durable, consistent sophomore season sharing the OF with Harper and Cutch.

 Jake Arrieta had a strong start this year, with a 3.46 ERA in April with 30 strikeouts, and while his numbers lessened over time, he still notched 8 wins before leaving in August with a season-ending injury.
Why Him in 2019?: A veteran presence whose absence put the rotation in disarray
2020 Prediction: A season more similar to his Cubs numbers.

 Hector Neris' Jekyll/Hyde nature continued in 2019, as he garnered 28 saves a season after losing the gig with a 5+ ERA. It's even more admirable when you consider that the job only became his after David Robertson's injury
Why Him in 2019?: Was a light spot in a mixed-up bullpen.
2020 Prediction: He'll have lost the job again by June.

 After a strong start in Queens, Jason Vargas was a smart get for the Phillies. Unfortunately, his 2018 numbers returned, and had a 5.37 ERA and a 1-4 record.
Why Him in 2019?: Made the pitching situation in Philly in August even hazier.
2020 Prediction: Will be signed to a minor league deal, and will make a few starts, but his days as a perennial opening day rotation member are over.

And my favorite move the Phils made in 2019 was trading for Corey Dickerson to help with the outfield. When Dickerson was healthy, he hit .293 with 34 RBIs. Of course, he only played 34 games in the last 2 months.
Why Him in 2019?: His injury made the Phillies gain faith in Adam Haseley
2020 Prediction: Will be an amusing starting outfielder for an out-of-the-conversation team.

Coming Tomorrow- The team Dickerson came from, who didn't fare much better.

The Unstoppable Breakout of...Jason Vargas???

He's been okay at best for a while, he's coming off an injury-plagued 2016, he hasn't been trusted with a rotation spot since 2015...and right now, he's 5-2 with a 2.00 ERA, all the while pitching for one of the worst teams in the MLB. I don't know how Jason Vargas is doing this, but I'm happy it's happening.

Especially considering that the Royals can't count on anyone else on this pitching staff whose name isn't Danny Duffy. Everyone else is either injured or tanking. Jason Hammel's completely fallen apart, Ian Kennedy's on the DL, Nate Karns is middling. It's honestly Vargas and Duffy right now- Danny Duffy had a nice start tonight against the (sigh) Yankees, and Vargas has been keeping things tight in his starts. I can't believe I'd be saying that about Jason Vargas in 2017, but he's been unstoppable so far.

Only problem is that the lineup is VERY stoppable. Half of the lineup his hitting below the Mendoza line. Two years ago they won a World Series, and now none of them can hit. I should make a disclaimer that the people who are hitting, like Salvador Perez, Lorenzo Cain, Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer, are still doing pretty well. Besides, this is the core they've been placing all the laurels on all the time. It's just everyone else, including the youth movement they've been bringing in since 2015, as well as the people they signed to hit this year, like Jorge Soler and Brandon Moss, who aren't doing a damned thing. And it's hard to see.

At least they have Jason Vargas making the news and everything. At least there's something good to talk about in KC this year.

Coming Tomorrow- Speaking of former World Series champions that have fallen a bit...oh gosh, you don't mean...agh, not again...

Uncustomed Heroes of Baseball: Royals

I figured Salvador Perez, who broke out big time this year, and became one of the premiere catchers in the AL, deserved a really nice custom, so I whipped up an '88. I think this might be one of my best customs of 2014, though I'll be tallying those up once I'm done posting the new customs.

The Royals made the World Series and had an incredible season. I just wish they would have won the whole thing.

Jeremy Guthrie has been a durable starter since the mid-2000's, pitching through hard-luck Orioles teams before becoming one of the elder statesman of the Royals rotation. While he lacked the Shields-like 'best of the season' credentials, he was a formidable starter.

Jason Vargas has played for a couple different teams over the past few years, but I reckon this one was the most successful for him. He was a nice extra starter for them.

Coming Tonight- A few members of the Tigers.