
Thole was expected to be a .300 hitter and it is pretty obvious he will not be. His approach at the plate is terrible. He is not aggressive and consistently takes fastballs right down the middle. And when he has two strikes, (which seems like every time up) he chokes up on the bat and tries to do anything he can not to strike out. He turns into a slap hitter (see Luis Castillo) and becomes extremely vulnerable.
Based on the recent couple of weeks, it seems Terry Collins has become more inclined to use Shoppach on more of a regular basis, even against right handed pitchers. The Mets need to upgrade at this position. It will not happen with Thole and Shoppach on the roster after this season. Though Shoppach is a free agent, it is likely the Mets will bring him back for next year. Having Shoppach and Thole will keep the Mets from pursuing another catcher.
What are the Mets options? They can try to trade Thole but lets be honest, even at age 25 he has little value. Perhaps he can be added to a trade as a throw in. That would be ideal. Since Thole is not arbitration eligible until after the 2013 season, he is unlikely to be non-tendered. The truth is, Thole is not a regular catcher, even as part of a platoon. I think the Mets need to move on from Thole before they can make an effort to upgrade the position. Maybe releasing him may be a little harsh, I can't think of anything more resonable for the Mets to do. Thole is still young enough to get a fresh start somewhere else. I wish him the best, but its time for Josh Thole and the New York Mets to part ways.