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June 04, 2006
Rick Down On Melky Cabrera
Joel Sherman, today, is picking up on my thoughts from yesterday. Here's a snip from Sherman's column:
Yet here they are, just 21, with Norfolk, Columbus and Triple-A in the rearview mirror. Both are starting for New York teams and maybe starting something else: A long-running debate. Lastings vs. Melky, Melky vs. Lastings.
"It's hard to say who is better," said Mets hitting coach Rick Down. "They are both tremendous. Melky has the better arm, Lastings runs faster. But you start adding it up and what you have are two good players who can be mainstays in this city for years and New York fans can argue about who is better forever."
"I love Melky," Down said. "I'd take Melky in a heartbeat. Melky can play."
It is an instinct he had about Cabrera from 2004. That is why, he says, he is not surprised Cabrera is seizing opportunity. Down ticks off attributes. Switch-hitter. Good from both sides. Superb hitting eye. Excellent arm. Good speed. Good kid.
The more that I think of Melky, the more that I want to say he's reminding me of a shorter, faster, version of Ken Singleton.
Maybe I should say a "Bernie Williams who can really throw"?
And, if that's how he turns out, that will do just fine.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at June 4, 2006 09:16 AM
Comments
We'd be incredibly fortunate to have another Bernie Williams on our hands, arm or not.
Posted by: pokeefe
at June 4, 2006 10:17 AM
The whole Melky/Lastings thing shows the hypocrisy of the New York media. When Melky got called up, everyone was against it, said he couldn't play here, said he wasn't a real prospect, said he was a fourth outfielder. And all because he wasn't highly ranked by places like "BA" and because he had a bad six-game stint at TWENTY years old. But Lastings, who was a high draft pick and who was slobbered over by "BA" and whose name they had heard of, arrived like a God or a King. People in the press were already saying, without him having a single big-league hit, that he was the rightfielder/leftfielder of the future for the Mets.
People in the press -- even guys like Sherman and Madden, who write about it so much -- don't know a lot about guys in the minors. So unless you're a high draft pick or unless they've heard your name a few times, they attack you. Everyone goes on and on about the skills of Lastings, but Melky is the same age and could end up being the better player. He certainly has looked more comfortable than Lastings (who, though he has A LOT of attitude, looks like a good player).
I suppose it just bugs me how these two are treated so differently. People still seem to think that Melky is "suspect," and that he won't be around when the Yankees trade for someone. Lastings, who's proved nothing yet, already has his spot in the HOF, if you're to believe the hacks who write in this town.
Posted by: baileywalk
at June 4, 2006 11:55 AM
All I know is I want one of those "Got Melky?" shirts. I'm loving this kid and I'm so thrilled he's playing a big role on the team this year. It's nice to see some young faces out there doing well.
Posted by: MJ
at June 4, 2006 06:38 PM
Very few of the baseball columnists and even fewer of the beat reporters have any clue about minor league prospects (I can only think of 1 NY writer who has even made the effort to watch a NY farm team...Andrew Marchand who admitted it was the first time for him when he recently went to see Milledge play in Binghamton to get some background on the kid for a column). For the most part, they rely on the "expert" opinion of either ML scouts from rival teams (yeah, like you'd get an unbiased opinion about a Yankees prospect from a Red Sox employee) or the BA-types (who are unwilling to admit that they are not objective and are HUGE fans of certain teams whether it's the Red Sox, the Dodgers, or the Kansas City Royals).
Posted by: JohnnyC
at June 4, 2006 07:30 PM
I suppose it just bugs me how these two are treated so differently. People still seem to think that Melky is "suspect," and that he won't be around when the Yankees trade for someone. Lastings, who's proved nothing yet, already has his spot in the HOF, if you're to believe the hacks who write in this town.
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Lastings will get run out of town. Watch.
Posted by: Raf
at June 4, 2006 08:30 PM
More likely, raf, Omar will be tempted to trade him for Dontrelle (along with Pelfrey...who most Mets fans (and the gullible press around here)think can pitch in the major leagues after two months of pitching less-than-successfully in High-A ball). One thing you've got to give the Mets and some other organizations -- they're smart enough to actually showcase the prospects they're not that sure of so they can trade them and at least get some value for them. Unlike the Yankees, who would rather give PT to the likes of Erickson and Long. Omar's happy Milledge has made a splash this weekend. Means the Marlins will be salivating. There's always another Mike Cameron or Xavier Nady to play RF in Shea Stadium
Posted by: JohnnyC
at June 4, 2006 10:24 PM
Actually, I think the Mets'll hold on to Lastings.
Posted by: Raf
at June 5, 2006 11:17 AM
Yeah, like they held on to Kazmir.
Posted by: JohnnyC
at June 5, 2006 01:04 PM
More like how they're holding on Bannister, Wright, Heilman & Reyes...
Posted by: Raf
at June 5, 2006 02:22 PM
Look at their minor league numbers. There is a reason Milledge came with a lot more hype, his numbers are a lot better. That being said they both have a lot to prove and look to have a lot of potential.
Posted by: DaveRighetti
at June 5, 2006 03:55 PM
Also, Pelfrey pitched lights out in High-A ball, but has struggled a bit in AA and needs to develop his offspeed pitches before he'll be major league ready.
