den Dekker was one of those prospects that, 'if everything went right,' was going to pan out and be a solid performer. Kirk Nieuwenhuis was another.

I remember on another website a commenter was a big backer of both of them, saying they'd be big factors for the Mets under the right conditions.

Unfortunately, it wasn't so.

den Dekker's 2018 return was abysmal, as he went hitless in 18 at-bats. Oh well, thanks for coming back Matt and taking us back a few years, it's worth the memories!

If you were "pleased" to see "Matt DD" come back in 2018, ... well, let me just process for a moment. Hmmmm.

IF that was true (and you weren't just being nice to get Matteo da Dekkero's autograph in the mail), then that is a prime example that the Mets need to make new memories for all of us.

2018 was a lost season. After a hot start, things had fallen apart by June. Looking back now, after the disappointment of 2018, it was getting to the point where it reminds me of a (modified) line from Dumb and Dumber: "We got no food! We got no jobs! We're 'pleased' Matt den Dekker is coming back!"

Because to me, being pleased that Matt den Dekker was coming back is like being pleased that algebra II homework was coming back.

My only lasting memory of Dirty Matt is a game on TV at Yankee Stadium and him not catching a long drive to the warning track (a tough ball to his right and over his head). The ball was ruled a hit, but he took a razzing from the bleacher creatures and it seemed to rattle him.

The other thing is I remember thinking that it was odd for the Mets to have two left-handed center fielders born in 1987 with European-sounding names come up around the same time.

However, never for one moment did I ever think that Matt "Dirty Den" Dekker was anywhere close to the level of Kirk Nieuwenhuis as a prospect.

Whereas I saw Kirk as the second coming of Lenny Dykstra (at least for a few months in 2012), I saw this guy as a slightly-built player who was overmatched at the plate and looked like he could be the center fielder of the Dutch national team, but not the Mets. I know he's not Dutch by the way; he's Kelvin Chapman's cousin in fact.

My man Kirk Nieuwenhuis handily won the war between left-handed center fielders born in 1987 with European-sounding names that had come up around the same time. According to baseballreference.com, Kirk's career WAR was a whopping 2.9 whereas Matt "Alex was Pleased" den Dekker's career WAR added up to an underwhelming 1.0. It was an interesting matchup though.

I'm surprised Mets-Know-It-All or NYB Buff didn't correct me already, but for all I know, no one here cares much about Matt den Dekker, even Alex.

I mean, if you're Kelvin Chapman's cousin, that means something. You might even have some old autographed Mets cards or some funny John Stearns stories.

However, as Kevin Chapman's cousin, this guy was bound for a life of mediocrity at best.

In his last hurrah for the Mets in 2018, den Dekker went 0-18 in 21 plate appearances. Two walks gave him an identical OBP and OPS of .095.

He also pitched 2.2 scoreless innings at Las Vegas that year, so here is yet another 0.00 ERA guy who got cut, albeit at the AAA level.