Showing posts with label Omar Minaya. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Omar Minaya. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Here's Hoping Omar Has Deep Pockets This Offseason
Now that the 2009 baseball season is officially over, Mets fans everywhere have their fingers crossed that Omar Minaya is able to fill the many holes present on the team's roster. So with the GM meetings now underway in Chicago, I leave you with the official list of free agents available. So unless (or should I say, until?) there is some big news for the Mets on the free agent or trade front, I'm signing off for now. Here's to Omar and the Wilpons having deep pockets!
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Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Even Costumes Can't Hide the Ugliness of a 90 Loss Season
Last night, the Mets lost their 90th game of the season to the Nationals’ Ross Detwiller, who earned his first Major League victory. Despite a good performance from journeyman pitcher Nelson Figueroa, the Mets anemic offense could not break through against the Nats. Playing another round of listless baseball, this team is clearly done for the year and is now just mailing it in until the season comes to a merciful close.
In April, no one would have expected the Mets to have the sixth worst record in baseball. After missing the playoffs by a hair in 2007 and 2008, Sports Illustrated even predicted this team to go to the World Series. Unfortunately, a ridiculous rash of injuries threw a wrench in that plan, but even so, there really is no excuse for the mediocrity this team has displayed on the field over the past three months. Lack of hustle and a complete ineptness when it comes to baseball fundamentals is what has put this team at 90 losses and counting. You can expect some degree of mental and physical mistakes when most of your regular 25 man roster is replaced by subs and young minor leaguers, but we have also seen a ton of mistakes this year from the veterans and it is inexcusable.
In April, no one would have expected the Mets to have the sixth worst record in baseball. After missing the playoffs by a hair in 2007 and 2008, Sports Illustrated even predicted this team to go to the World Series. Unfortunately, a ridiculous rash of injuries threw a wrench in that plan, but even so, there really is no excuse for the mediocrity this team has displayed on the field over the past three months. Lack of hustle and a complete ineptness when it comes to baseball fundamentals is what has put this team at 90 losses and counting. You can expect some degree of mental and physical mistakes when most of your regular 25 man roster is replaced by subs and young minor leaguers, but we have also seen a ton of mistakes this year from the veterans and it is inexcusable.
While I don’t necessarily advocate Jerry Manuel and the coaches being fired, some blame has to be shifted on to this staff because clearly, the team is not responding. The same thing happened under Bobby Valentine and Willie Randolph towards the end of their respective runs as manager as well. I can’t say that about Art Howe because the leadership wasn’t there with him from the very beginning, but that’s another story. But once the season ends, Omar and Jeff Wilpon really need to evaluate everything. This includes the major and minor league players and the coaching, medical and scouting staff throughout the organization. They need to find out what isn’t working and make changes. They also need to set a direction for the club so they have a specific plan in place to fill the areas of deficiencies both on and off the field. There is no cohesion within the Mets and that needs to change because next year could be another bust if they head into spring training and everyone isn’t on the same page.
You may ask yourself, how bad is the lack of direction the Mets have displayed this year? Well, it is so bad that the players can’t even get their rookie hazing ritual right. This rag tag collection of randomness just perfectly illustrates the lack of direction, cohesion and teamwork. Check out: Mets 2009 Rookie Hazing.
And on the flip side, you have the Yankees 2009 rookie hazing, which was well planned with a consistent theme – much like their team. And, their costumes don’t look like the $19.99 specials from the nearest Halloween Adventure stores.
Yankees 2009 Rookie Hazing.
Pretty obvious just in comparing these two photos which of the New York Teams are playoff bound and the other is preparing for a long offseason.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
The NY Mets' 2010 Agenda - To Patch or Tear Down? That is the Question!
For the Mets, the sole goal for the rest of 2009 should be focusing on what they need to do to turn this mess around next year. The team needs to evaluate every player on the roster as well as those in their minor league system. They also need to evaluate the personnel in the front office, the coaching, medical and managerial staff and figure out once and for all what changes need to made. Clearly, the winds need to shift in Flushing to remove the awful stench emanating from Citi Field.
First and foremost a decision needs to be made as to the fate of both Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel. While I don’t always agree with Manuel’s tactics, the truth is, he has done a pretty good job of steering this sinking ship of injuries through the muck. Unfortunately for Jerry, if Omar is fired or moved to a different position within the Mets organization, he is probably a goner. And if Manuel is ultimately let go then the only person I would want to see the Mets hire as manager is Bobby Valentine. If Valentine could lead the 1999 and 2000 teams to the post-season with an outfield of Benny Agbayani, Jay Payton, Timo Perez and Derek Bell then clearly he can make this motley crew into winners. And you can bet that any “bad seed” players that have trouble following orders won’t be long for the team if Valentine is manning the helm.
If the Wilpons decide Omar needs to go or be moved elsewhere within the organization, whomever they hire for the GM position needs autonomy to build the team as he sees fit. The Wilpon meddling needs to stop. Sign the checks and shut the F$% up. Whether they promote John Ricco to GM and hire a strategist like Gerry Hunsicker or Buck Showalter to work alongside him remains to be seen, but personally, I don’t know enough about Ricco to have confidence solely in him. If he had some reputable advisors working with him, that’s another story. Another name that has surfaced recently as far as GM goes would be Oakland’s Billy Beane. Could Billy be lured away from the left coast by the Mets giving him double the player payroll to work with? It remains to be seen.
With regard to the medical staff, this is a short one. Fire everyone. Whomever you replace them with, make sure they have medical licenses to practice on humans in the United States of America. Some references would be good as well. Stay away from candidates names Kevorkian and Spacemen.
As far as the players go, now is the time to see what we’ve got from these replacements and some of the minor leaguers once the rosters expand. Clearly, the core of the team is Wright, Reyes, Santana, Beltran and K-Rod. Everyone else is pretty much expendable at this point and Reyes could be included in this group if there was a mind-blowing offer made. I’m liking what I have seen from Francouer thus far in right field so barring any tailspin you have only left field open next year. Can Fernando Martinez handle it? Unfortunately, his earliest try-out will probably be spring training. I hate to give up on a prospect so young but I have to say, from what I have seen of him, F-mart is not that impressive…maybe he just isn’t ready for the majors. It also doesn’t help that he is always hurt. The other in-house option for left field is Angel Pagan. Pagan looks good but is he an everyday player and will he hustle like one? Now is the time to find out…Otherwise, the Mets need to find someone to play left field who can hit for power. Not having a bat who can tie a game with one swing is a huge detriment that needs to be fixed.
For the infield, third and short are fine with Wright and Reyes, providing Reyes is healthy for 2010. Castillo must be commended this year for bouncing back to form so if he is at second and can be productive that is fine. First base, though, is a giant question mark. Delgado is not coming back, and as mentioned, we seriously need someone in the line-up besides Beltran with some sort of power. Can we afford to go with Daniel Murphy at first? He’s shown promise and you have to give the kid credit for sticking it out through the horrendous batting slump and learning a new position. With that being said, though, we need a bat…we really need a bat. And unfortunately, Murphy has proven his outfield skills are non-existent. He’s too young to be a bench player so I’m not really sure what to do here…I had high hopes for him but the truth is, if they can get some power at first base and can trade Murphy to an AL team where he can play first and DH then maybe that’s the best scenario for everyone involved.
As far as pitching goes, aside from Santana, the starting rotation is a mess. Pelfrey has clearly demonstrated he is not a #2 starter. He needs to use the rest of this season to prove to management and fans once and for all what he is capable of. Stop with the hand-licking, the balking and the yips and just get it done. Either that, or the Mets need to Isringhausen him so he can become a star for another team. Hey, we all know that’s what usually happens when the Mets trade home grown talent (Melvin Mora, Marco Scutaro…dare I continue?).
Oliver Perez is another giant question mark. His last outing was very good but you never know what you are going to get from him. If the Mets can possibly move him with that outrageous contract, they probably should. Doubtful but…
As far as the rest of the rotation goes, Jon Niese may or may not be a factor depending on how he heals from the hamstring injury. I would like to see him back to take Livan Hernandez’s spot in the rotation but that remains to be seen. If not Niese, perhaps Parnell will be in the rotation but I tend to think Parnell is of more value in the bullpen.
There is also some question for John Maine as well. Maine is always hurt but worth taking a chance on for a one year incentive-laden deal. Worst case scenario> With a cheap deal, if he can’t hack it you release him or try to trade him. Honestly, I trust Maine more than Pelfrey and Perez at this point. Despite the injuries you get the feeling that he gets it as far as pitching goes and he seems to not be afflicted by attention deficit order like Perez or anxiety like Pelfrey.
As far as the bullpen goes, obviously, K-Rod is the closer, though with 2 blown saves in his last 3 opportunities that can be debated. Feliciano has proven to be reliable as has Stokes. Sean Green, not so much. He is somewhat expendable though I don’t know what kind of trade value he has.
Putz’ fate somewhat depends on whether he returns this season. If he does and proves he can get people out, I would pick up his option. If the Mets don’t opt to keep him they can always trade him. Plenty of teams need closers so they might actually get something worthwhile back. The same can be said for Wagner. If he can come back before the waiver deadline and prove he can pitch someone might claim him for the stretch run.
As mentioned earlier, though, once the 2009 season is over the first thing that needs to be done is for the Mets to figure out their front office and managerial situation. This needs to be done relatively quickly. The indecisiveness and dragging stuff out can’t happen. If you are firing people, do it and move on. Hire their replacements, set a goal for 2010 as far as the direction this team is going, make a plan and stick to it. Either patch the glaring holes and try to win in 2010 or cut your losses, clean house and rebuild. There is no real middle ground. The Art Howe years proved that you can’t fence sit in New York or you will quickly continue on the path to irrelevance that 2009 kicked off.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
The Judgement Judges
By now I need not rehash the three-ring circus known as the New York Mets front office. Actually, it now seems the Wilpon’s administrative wing could be more accurately referred to as the rear office.
Firing Bernazard? Good move, Omar. Attacking Adam Rubin? Bad move, Omar. I think we’re all in agreement on these things. That is, if you’re not including Omar or the Wilpons in “we.”
Why? Well, in the firing phase of the main circus event, both Omar and Jeff Wilpon made it clear they both had deep respect for Tony Bernazard and considered him a friend. So, one must ask, what could possibly lead one to consider as deeply respected a man who himself exhibited, from all accounts, absolutely no respect for those under his watch? Either poor Tony has been judged harshly during years and years of chronicled questionable behavior, or those who ultimately wielded the axe have to have their own judgment questioned by virtue of their chosen bedfellows. How do you even begin to express your deep respect in the same breath as you terminate that person’s employment based on their behavior? It’s like saying you admire a person who has been convicted of DWI for their ability to hold their liquor.
The next breach of judgment is Omar’s decision to single out Adam Rubin as though he caused Bernazard’s actions. Adam Rubin was not the voice in Tony Bernazard’s head guiding him through what seems to be years of bizarre behavior. Adam Rubin was merely the messenger. Omar might consider that shooting the messenger may not be the best career strategy for someone who’s calling press conferences.
The upshot of this all may actually be coming to light, as it’s now been reported that the Wilpons have expressed that Omar’s days may be numbered. They should be. Even in apologizing to Rubin, Omar defended his actions, and it later became somewhat clear that the apology was given from a child who’d been taken to the woodshed. Magnanimity is obviously as foreign a concept for the stammering GM as maintaining a positive public image seems to be for the club as a whole.
Be all this as it may, I’m certainly capable of believing that everyone can have a particularly bad moment within an truly unfortunate day as part of a really crappy week. For that, I’m more than capable of mustering forgiveness for a man who may, at some point – maybe Thursday during the 3rd press conference in 4 days – appear to be truly repentant. Omar was upset, and chose the wrong place to vent and the wrong person to spew venom toward. I can forgive that moment of irrationality if I’m convinced of the contrition.
But Omar himself needs to have history reviewed and needs to now be judged by his actions and performance in total. He may be due forgiveness for some trades he’s made that didn’t pan out wonderfully for the team. Who of us has a flawless crystal ball? If we are to believe his convoluted reasoning, he may be due forgiveness for flying to the west coast to fire his manager at 3AM in what had been, until this week, the greatest Mets media fiasco since the club’s inception. Maybe Omar should have these sorts of “big bads” tempered by some achievements, such as bringing Johan and K-Rod to Queens. So grading by big plusses versus big minuses, Omar can be judged to be right in the middle. Mr. 50%. The Wilpons may be alright with that sort of grade for their GM, but after weighing all the considerations no one in their right mind can defend Omar as the best man for this job by virtue what should be considered the grandest tipping point on the New York baseball scale of good judgment:
Oliver Perez’s contract.
Omar simply doesn’t deserve more chances. These laughing-stock weeks have allowed the window to be opened for him to be judged by the judgments he’s made. The Wilpons are being judged precisely in that same manner by every fan who considers buying an expensive ticket to a home game. Right now, the Wilpons are also failing miserably. Right the ship, cut your losses, clean your slate and get back to performing well both on and off the field. What’s been going on these past few years is shameful, and responsible ownership needs to make responsible judgements to fix that.
Just to be clear, I’ve never asked anyone about getting a job in baseball. And if the Wilpons had any public relations and crisis control skills, Adam Rubin would be starting his job as Director of Corporate Communications on Monday.
Read more!
Firing Bernazard? Good move, Omar. Attacking Adam Rubin? Bad move, Omar. I think we’re all in agreement on these things. That is, if you’re not including Omar or the Wilpons in “we.”
Why? Well, in the firing phase of the main circus event, both Omar and Jeff Wilpon made it clear they both had deep respect for Tony Bernazard and considered him a friend. So, one must ask, what could possibly lead one to consider as deeply respected a man who himself exhibited, from all accounts, absolutely no respect for those under his watch? Either poor Tony has been judged harshly during years and years of chronicled questionable behavior, or those who ultimately wielded the axe have to have their own judgment questioned by virtue of their chosen bedfellows. How do you even begin to express your deep respect in the same breath as you terminate that person’s employment based on their behavior? It’s like saying you admire a person who has been convicted of DWI for their ability to hold their liquor.
The next breach of judgment is Omar’s decision to single out Adam Rubin as though he caused Bernazard’s actions. Adam Rubin was not the voice in Tony Bernazard’s head guiding him through what seems to be years of bizarre behavior. Adam Rubin was merely the messenger. Omar might consider that shooting the messenger may not be the best career strategy for someone who’s calling press conferences.
The upshot of this all may actually be coming to light, as it’s now been reported that the Wilpons have expressed that Omar’s days may be numbered. They should be. Even in apologizing to Rubin, Omar defended his actions, and it later became somewhat clear that the apology was given from a child who’d been taken to the woodshed. Magnanimity is obviously as foreign a concept for the stammering GM as maintaining a positive public image seems to be for the club as a whole.
Be all this as it may, I’m certainly capable of believing that everyone can have a particularly bad moment within an truly unfortunate day as part of a really crappy week. For that, I’m more than capable of mustering forgiveness for a man who may, at some point – maybe Thursday during the 3rd press conference in 4 days – appear to be truly repentant. Omar was upset, and chose the wrong place to vent and the wrong person to spew venom toward. I can forgive that moment of irrationality if I’m convinced of the contrition.
But Omar himself needs to have history reviewed and needs to now be judged by his actions and performance in total. He may be due forgiveness for some trades he’s made that didn’t pan out wonderfully for the team. Who of us has a flawless crystal ball? If we are to believe his convoluted reasoning, he may be due forgiveness for flying to the west coast to fire his manager at 3AM in what had been, until this week, the greatest Mets media fiasco since the club’s inception. Maybe Omar should have these sorts of “big bads” tempered by some achievements, such as bringing Johan and K-Rod to Queens. So grading by big plusses versus big minuses, Omar can be judged to be right in the middle. Mr. 50%. The Wilpons may be alright with that sort of grade for their GM, but after weighing all the considerations no one in their right mind can defend Omar as the best man for this job by virtue what should be considered the grandest tipping point on the New York baseball scale of good judgment:
Oliver Perez’s contract.
Omar simply doesn’t deserve more chances. These laughing-stock weeks have allowed the window to be opened for him to be judged by the judgments he’s made. The Wilpons are being judged precisely in that same manner by every fan who considers buying an expensive ticket to a home game. Right now, the Wilpons are also failing miserably. Right the ship, cut your losses, clean your slate and get back to performing well both on and off the field. What’s been going on these past few years is shameful, and responsible ownership needs to make responsible judgements to fix that.
Just to be clear, I’ve never asked anyone about getting a job in baseball. And if the Wilpons had any public relations and crisis control skills, Adam Rubin would be starting his job as Director of Corporate Communications on Monday.
Read more!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Send In The Clowns - The Circus Has Arrived At Citi Field
To compare the New York Mets to Ringling Brothers would be an insult to P.T. Barnum, who was not only a brilliant showman but a savvy businessman as well. While the first half of the Mets season was a comedy of errors and injuries, lately, much of the hurt inflicted on fans has come from the bungling ways of the front office and ownership.
We’ve seen a lot of this in the past under the Wilpon ownership regime. From essentially letting the players run the team in the final days of Bobby Valentine and the trading of Scott Kazmir, to the midnight axing of Willie Randolph, the Mets have been a public relations nightmare for so long it’s amazing their respected PR guru Jay Horowitz doesn’t keel over from the stress on a daily basis.
The latest debacle yesterday was actually an attempt to smother the previous week’s debacle of the bombshell allegations against VP of Player Development, Tony Bernazard. In case everyone out there in happy Phillies-land missed this, good old Tony was apparently a great baseball mind who had zero social skills when dealing with players and other personnel. He also apparently liked to whip off his shirt and threaten players but we can’t go there because as you all know, the first rule about fight club is don’t talk about fight club.
Anyway, after NY Daily News Reporter Adam Rubin broke the story of Bernazard’s misconduct last week, the Mets GM Omar Minaya addressed the media, saying the team was investigating Bernazard’s actions to the 11th degree. It was a cringe-worthy spiel in which Omar spoke in circles, using the word “investigate” far too many times. But hey, at least the front office was taking these allegations seriously. So despite Omar’s lack of command of the English language, at least the fans knew the team was looking into matters.
A week went by and even though the Bernazard story died down a bit, it was still making some headlines in the New York papers. The Mets, seeking closure, concluded their investigation and decided to remove Tony from his post. Yesterday, the team called another press conference where Minaya informed the public of the teams’ decision.
Sadly, what should have been closure turned into even more of a fiasco as soon as Omar hit the podium. The press conference was torturous to listen to. It was so bad that I actually wanted to crawl under my desk and hide.
Pretty much the only concrete statement made was that the Mets concluded their investigation and decided that it would be better if the organization parted ways with Bernazard. Omar could not or would not divulge the details of what lead to the decision. He did not specify whether the allegations made by the Rubin and others were true. All he said was that the Mets had been investigating Bernazard since before the claims were printed and that what they found out did not jibe with the organizations philosophy.
As Omar talked in circles, the press conference became increasingly difficult to listen to as every question he was asked he either could not answer because he was kept in the dark about the details of the investigation, or because of some human resources clause. But things turned really ugly when he called out Daily News writer Adam Rubin for going public with his Bernazard story because he was angling for a front office job. Wait a second, Omar, what did you say? Please tell me you didn’t go there…Oh, but he did…
At this point, what could have been a positive press conference and an example of the Mets putting something damaging behind them, instead opened up a whole new can of worms. I don’t know what he was thinking in saying this, but Omar, bad move…very, very bad move that is likely the beginning of the end for you.
As talk radio and the SNY Network went wild with this, the Mets front office attempted damage control a few hours later with their second press conference of the day in which Omar and Jeff Wilpon addressed the earlier slip of the tongue. In a pseudo apology, Omar essentially said he was sorry. But the mea culpa was not for accusing Rubin of undermining Bernazard in an attempt to get a job in the Mets front office, but for doing it at the earlier press conference. Now what kind of back-handed apology is that? That just added more fuel to the fire…You would have been better off saying nothing and waiting for the storm to pass.
Sadly, for everyone involved in this organization, this whole incident is embarrassing. For Mets fans it is truly disheartening. How can we have faith in our team if the front office acts like a bunch of bumbling idiots? How can we expect our team to take the field and play good solid baseball if there seems to be some sort of trickle-down effect where the ineptness of the front-office infects the team?
Surprisingly, maybe all of this hullabaloo is good for the players on the field. This is one of the few times in a disappointing season that the focus is not on their losing ways. The one hope in all of this is that perhaps with the spotlight shining elsewhere in the organization, the team can concentrate on just going out and playing good fundamental baseball. But as for the front office, these kinds of shenanigans have to stop.
Unfortunately, unless Omar pulls off some majorly brilliant trade or the Mets manage to make the post-season, this is probably his final curtain call. I don’t really see how he can recover from this, which is kind of sad because I get the feeling the truly inept person in all of this who should bear the brunt of the blame is really Jeff Wilpon and the way the Wilpon family runs this team.
Regardless of who the GM or even the manager is next year, if the Mets ever expect to be competitive the Wilpons need to become truly silent owners and hire great baseball people to run the everyday. The Yankees built their dynasty teams of the late 90’s while George Steinbrenner was banned from baseball. The Wilpons need to essentially ban themselves from doing anything other than signing checks. Either that or sell the team, make back your Madoff money and call it a day. As fans, all we really want is to win and be proud of our team. Sadly, I can’t say I have felt that way since 2006. And the circus has lost its mystique as well…Why spend money on Ringling Brothers when I can watch the Mets do a better job of clowning it up six months out of every year?
Read more!
We’ve seen a lot of this in the past under the Wilpon ownership regime. From essentially letting the players run the team in the final days of Bobby Valentine and the trading of Scott Kazmir, to the midnight axing of Willie Randolph, the Mets have been a public relations nightmare for so long it’s amazing their respected PR guru Jay Horowitz doesn’t keel over from the stress on a daily basis.
The latest debacle yesterday was actually an attempt to smother the previous week’s debacle of the bombshell allegations against VP of Player Development, Tony Bernazard. In case everyone out there in happy Phillies-land missed this, good old Tony was apparently a great baseball mind who had zero social skills when dealing with players and other personnel. He also apparently liked to whip off his shirt and threaten players but we can’t go there because as you all know, the first rule about fight club is don’t talk about fight club.
Anyway, after NY Daily News Reporter Adam Rubin broke the story of Bernazard’s misconduct last week, the Mets GM Omar Minaya addressed the media, saying the team was investigating Bernazard’s actions to the 11th degree. It was a cringe-worthy spiel in which Omar spoke in circles, using the word “investigate” far too many times. But hey, at least the front office was taking these allegations seriously. So despite Omar’s lack of command of the English language, at least the fans knew the team was looking into matters.
A week went by and even though the Bernazard story died down a bit, it was still making some headlines in the New York papers. The Mets, seeking closure, concluded their investigation and decided to remove Tony from his post. Yesterday, the team called another press conference where Minaya informed the public of the teams’ decision.
Sadly, what should have been closure turned into even more of a fiasco as soon as Omar hit the podium. The press conference was torturous to listen to. It was so bad that I actually wanted to crawl under my desk and hide.
Pretty much the only concrete statement made was that the Mets concluded their investigation and decided that it would be better if the organization parted ways with Bernazard. Omar could not or would not divulge the details of what lead to the decision. He did not specify whether the allegations made by the Rubin and others were true. All he said was that the Mets had been investigating Bernazard since before the claims were printed and that what they found out did not jibe with the organizations philosophy.
As Omar talked in circles, the press conference became increasingly difficult to listen to as every question he was asked he either could not answer because he was kept in the dark about the details of the investigation, or because of some human resources clause. But things turned really ugly when he called out Daily News writer Adam Rubin for going public with his Bernazard story because he was angling for a front office job. Wait a second, Omar, what did you say? Please tell me you didn’t go there…Oh, but he did…
At this point, what could have been a positive press conference and an example of the Mets putting something damaging behind them, instead opened up a whole new can of worms. I don’t know what he was thinking in saying this, but Omar, bad move…very, very bad move that is likely the beginning of the end for you.
As talk radio and the SNY Network went wild with this, the Mets front office attempted damage control a few hours later with their second press conference of the day in which Omar and Jeff Wilpon addressed the earlier slip of the tongue. In a pseudo apology, Omar essentially said he was sorry. But the mea culpa was not for accusing Rubin of undermining Bernazard in an attempt to get a job in the Mets front office, but for doing it at the earlier press conference. Now what kind of back-handed apology is that? That just added more fuel to the fire…You would have been better off saying nothing and waiting for the storm to pass.
Sadly, for everyone involved in this organization, this whole incident is embarrassing. For Mets fans it is truly disheartening. How can we have faith in our team if the front office acts like a bunch of bumbling idiots? How can we expect our team to take the field and play good solid baseball if there seems to be some sort of trickle-down effect where the ineptness of the front-office infects the team?
Surprisingly, maybe all of this hullabaloo is good for the players on the field. This is one of the few times in a disappointing season that the focus is not on their losing ways. The one hope in all of this is that perhaps with the spotlight shining elsewhere in the organization, the team can concentrate on just going out and playing good fundamental baseball. But as for the front office, these kinds of shenanigans have to stop.
Unfortunately, unless Omar pulls off some majorly brilliant trade or the Mets manage to make the post-season, this is probably his final curtain call. I don’t really see how he can recover from this, which is kind of sad because I get the feeling the truly inept person in all of this who should bear the brunt of the blame is really Jeff Wilpon and the way the Wilpon family runs this team.
Regardless of who the GM or even the manager is next year, if the Mets ever expect to be competitive the Wilpons need to become truly silent owners and hire great baseball people to run the everyday. The Yankees built their dynasty teams of the late 90’s while George Steinbrenner was banned from baseball. The Wilpons need to essentially ban themselves from doing anything other than signing checks. Either that or sell the team, make back your Madoff money and call it a day. As fans, all we really want is to win and be proud of our team. Sadly, I can’t say I have felt that way since 2006. And the circus has lost its mystique as well…Why spend money on Ringling Brothers when I can watch the Mets do a better job of clowning it up six months out of every year?
Read more!
Sunday, July 26, 2009
How many sides to one story can there be?
Not that this is new for me when it comes to the Mets, but I'm confused. I like to think of myself as someone who stays on top of the latest information - but am I the only one who didn't know the Mets were in talks with the Blue Jays for Roy Halladay? According to a July, 20 2009 Daily News article, SI.com reported that the Jays offered the Mets Halladay for Fernando Martinez, Bobby Parnell, Ruben Tejada and Jon Niese.
Why wouldn't Omar Minaya strongly consider that deal? Even if the GM considered this year a lost cause, which I'm not sure they do yet, Halladay could fully contribute to next season as well. With the team that was assembled in preparation for the 2009 season, there's no telling where the Mets would be in the standings if everyone stayed healthy. I'd even go so far as to say they'd still be a definite contender.
Of all the episodes of Baseball Tonight and Sports Center I've watched on ESPN over the past few weeks, not once have I heard mention of the Mets in the conversation with Halladay. I know they have a lot of needs right now, the most important probably being a bat, but what could it hurt to add, quite possibly, the best pitcher in the majors?
And as awful as people have deemed the Mets Farm System, it doesn't seem as far gone as we're to believe. For some specifics, check out Eddie D'Anna's article on SIlive.com.
Since Minaya has been around, he has made some interesting moves. Some have worked out, others haven't - and like I've said before, it's hard to know how much blame you can place on the GM and manager when it seems that the talent just may not be there. But what's the case against Halladay? Or making any move right now? I'm not sold either way, but I'd love for him to come out and tell us something. His cryptic quotes are getting a little old. I'd like his side, but in understandable, logical terms. Read more!
Why wouldn't Omar Minaya strongly consider that deal? Even if the GM considered this year a lost cause, which I'm not sure they do yet, Halladay could fully contribute to next season as well. With the team that was assembled in preparation for the 2009 season, there's no telling where the Mets would be in the standings if everyone stayed healthy. I'd even go so far as to say they'd still be a definite contender.
Of all the episodes of Baseball Tonight and Sports Center I've watched on ESPN over the past few weeks, not once have I heard mention of the Mets in the conversation with Halladay. I know they have a lot of needs right now, the most important probably being a bat, but what could it hurt to add, quite possibly, the best pitcher in the majors?
And as awful as people have deemed the Mets Farm System, it doesn't seem as far gone as we're to believe. For some specifics, check out Eddie D'Anna's article on SIlive.com.
Since Minaya has been around, he has made some interesting moves. Some have worked out, others haven't - and like I've said before, it's hard to know how much blame you can place on the GM and manager when it seems that the talent just may not be there. But what's the case against Halladay? Or making any move right now? I'm not sold either way, but I'd love for him to come out and tell us something. His cryptic quotes are getting a little old. I'd like his side, but in understandable, logical terms. Read more!
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
All Talk and No Action Makes Omar a Dull Boy
Yesterday was of those all talk and no action days for the Mets. As if to take the focus off the weekend’s debacle series against the Braves, GM Omar Minaya addressed the media to update everyone on the status of his and manager Jerry Manuel’s job security, as well as on the Mets’ stance on the looming trade deadline. Since Omar often speaks in a circumlocutious manner, let’s analyze the meaning behind the giant puffs of hot air spewing forth from his mouth.
Job Security
In addressing reporters on Monday, Minaya spoke of an encouraging conversation with Jeff Wilpon that ironically occurred just as the Mets were being swept by their cross-town rivals, the Yankees. In this ill-timed conversation, Jeff Wilpon said, "I want you to be our general manager, and I want Jerry to be our manager." In an amusing twist, when Jerry Manuel was asked about this vote of confidence prior to the game, he said that he hadn’t recently spoken to Jeff Wilpon about this! Perhaps Omar should have filled Jerry in that he was about to rehash an old conversation to the media! Where’s PR Director, Jay Horowitz in all of this? Maybe still hanging out in St. Louis from the All-Star game?
Ok, I digress…But now, considering this vote of confidence came about two weeks ago before the wheels completely came off the bus, what was the point of Omar bringing this up to the media now? Could it be a message to the fans that Omar and Jerry bear no culpability for the state of this season given the injury situation? Or is it more of a message to the players that both Omar and Jerry will be back next year and to not mail it in the rest of this season? Players give up when they sense a manager’s mortality. Maybe this is management’s way of saving Jerry Manuel from becoming a lame duck. Who knows really what they are thinking. After all, this is the same front office that flew Ryan Church with a concussion, flew Willie Randolph from New York to California to fire him at 3AM and flew Carlos Delgado to Los Angeles to put him on the disabled list. Clearly, at the end of the day, what they say and what they do are two totally different stories. It may just be that with the whole Bernie Madoff loss, the Wilpons really don’t want to fire Omar and still have to pay him for the three year extension they so foolishly bestowed upon him last year. The same goes for having to pay Jerry Manuel for 2010. As we all know, though, the Mets change their minds as frequently as they change their underwear so only time will tell if one or both still hold their jobs next season when the Mets finish 2009 in fourth place.
Trade Deadline
In an effort to save face with the legions of disappointed fans, yesterday, Omar addressed the team’s stance on the looming trade deadline. "Are we buyers? We're going to continue to talk to different clubs," he said. "If we have the opportunity to improve the club, does that make us buyers? Yes. We're going to continue to talk to clubs."
Pardon me for asking, but what exactly does this mean, Omar? Are you sure you have command of the English language because essentially, this is a giant circle of BS and you are tap dancing around a straight answer. All we as fans ask is to just be honest. Are you buying or selling at the trade deadline? Or are you standing pat? What is the approach here?
Clearly you really have nothing to sell that’s going to bring you anything of value. And you really have nothing with which to buy with. The Mets have no real prospects of interest, and again, I have a sneaking suspicion that thanks to good old Bernie M., the Wilpons either don’t have the funds or don’t want to spend them. If they do have the funds and the rumored Halladaytrade proposal from the Blue Jays is true, you would have to be smoking crack not to jump at the deal. Fernando Martinez, Jon Niese, Bobby Parnell and Ruben Tejada for Halladay is a no-brainer if you can get Halladay to agree to an extension. This is as one-sided a deal as the Santana coup was. Martinez looks more and more like the bust Alex Escobar was every day. Niese projects to be a fourth starter at best. Parnell has shown cracks in his armor the last two months and Tejada will likely never play shortstop for the Mets unless Reyes is unloaded. You have no farm system as it is so what’s a few more mid-level prospects? The Jays aren’t even asking for your two best prospects in Brad Holt and Jenryy Meijia. Even though the Mets look done for 2009, to have Halladay and Santana pitching next year is about as dominant as you can get. You add a bat to replace Delgado’s and you’re 85% on your way to a division title. And Halladay doesn’t go to the Phils or any other NL East team. What are you thinking?
Somehow, I get the feeling this trade proposal really is a rumor because if it isn’t and the Mets just won’t even consider it then Omar definitely needs to go…and if it’s the Wilpons being reluctant to let Omar do this then they should just sell the team, make back some of that lost Madoff money and call it a day.
And what did Omar have to say about all of this? "That rumor's out there right now, but I'm not going to comment about rumors.”
Well, Omar, do you know what I have to say about this? Until you and the front office are forthright with the fans about what your plans are for this team and how you plan to fix this giant mess, maybe you ought to keep your mouths closed instead of spewing a bunch of nothing as a placebo. Mets fans are loyal to a fault. We have put up with way more losing and disappointment than success and yet we return every season with new hopes and dreams. Clearly, we hate ineptness, but we can deal with it. Deception, however, whether intentional or not, is unforgiveable so don’t go there…We deserve better. Oh, and come September, if anyone is thinking of making Jerry Manuel take the fall for this lost season, you had better make sure Bobby Valentine is locked in to take his place. He’s probably one of the few people I trust to put words into action and turn this ship around.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Is it time to think about next year?
I'm not one to give up easy, I usually hold out hope until it seems completely hopeless, but I'm starting to think it's time to think about next year. Surprisingly, I'm not all that bitter about it. A number of sports reporters (thank you Peter Gammons)picked the Mets to go all the way at the beginning of the season, and had they stayed healthy, maybe it would have happened. But with all of their injuries and bone-head plays, that doesn't seem to be in the cards anymore.
I know the season is just half over, but they're nine games out and I don't think they can come out of it. So at this point I think it's time to start thinking about next year, and I think Oman Minaya has to take into consideration the impact this season's injuries could have. Is it time to really shake things up and trade one of their stars? Or do they try to add some solid "supporters" like they tried this year?
Minaya made a ton of changes to the bullpen and I'm not sure how much better it is. No doubt we have a solid closer, but is the rest of the bullpen really an improvement over last year? I know earlier in the season they saved some games and got out of some tough spots, but they seemed to sink.
How about the manager, Jerry Manuel? Maybe it's just me, but I didn't have that much of an issue with Willy Randolph. How can you really tell when it's the manager or the team just isn't that good? I also don't like the way they got rid of Randolph, but that's a different story. Manuel makes a lot of moves I don't agree with. But then again, how much of that is him and how much is Minaya? Does Manuel really have control over his team or does he differ to a higher power?
I'm honestly not all that sure what they need to do to be a contender next year, because I thought they did a good job of that this season and look where they are. SO am I speaking prematurely? Is there still a chance? Or do we just bow our heads and wait till next year? Read more!
I know the season is just half over, but they're nine games out and I don't think they can come out of it. So at this point I think it's time to start thinking about next year, and I think Oman Minaya has to take into consideration the impact this season's injuries could have. Is it time to really shake things up and trade one of their stars? Or do they try to add some solid "supporters" like they tried this year?
Minaya made a ton of changes to the bullpen and I'm not sure how much better it is. No doubt we have a solid closer, but is the rest of the bullpen really an improvement over last year? I know earlier in the season they saved some games and got out of some tough spots, but they seemed to sink.
How about the manager, Jerry Manuel? Maybe it's just me, but I didn't have that much of an issue with Willy Randolph. How can you really tell when it's the manager or the team just isn't that good? I also don't like the way they got rid of Randolph, but that's a different story. Manuel makes a lot of moves I don't agree with. But then again, how much of that is him and how much is Minaya? Does Manuel really have control over his team or does he differ to a higher power?
I'm honestly not all that sure what they need to do to be a contender next year, because I thought they did a good job of that this season and look where they are. SO am I speaking prematurely? Is there still a chance? Or do we just bow our heads and wait till next year? Read more!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Perception as reality
Not having watched the show I can’t vouch for the validity of this, but based upon a huge number of Twitter mentions, it would appear that comedian Jimmy Fallon’s monologue Monday night included this quip: Tomorrow is the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Or as the Mets like to call it, "vacation."
By the sheer volume of redistribution of this little pearl of wisdom, one might think this was the greatest comedic utterance since Costello first asked “Who’s on first?” But in truth, the line’s about as funny as it is accurate. Of the 29 MLB teams, 13 rosters didn’t hold a single player voted as an All-Star. And, of the remaining 16, only one - the Phillies - had more players (5) invited to the season’s halftime show than the Mets (4).
I’m not about to indict the misguided Fallon for assault with a foolish tongue. The fact of the matter is, if you’re perceived as a joke, you are a joke, and so far this year the Mets might as well be wearing joker’s hats instead of baseball caps. Player lowlights don’t just end up on local news, they grace the entire world online and live there in perpetuity. Just as HD television takes note of every minor skin flaw your favorite reality star is sporting, the internet makes every major flaw of your favorite sports star a broadband reality and the potential butt of any joke, late night or otherwise.
If the Mets are going to allow themselves to be defined by their troubles - walk off errors, base running blunders, bat anemia, and an inability to portray that you actually do understand all the rules of the game (just to name a few) - then they’ve created the true playing field that the rest of the world judges them on. By not rectifying their problems on the field they’ve allowed perception to become reality. Today’s reality is that the Mets put up a comedic first half. It’s up to the players to change the perception by providing a new, improved reality, no matter who within their system might be playing at any time on any given day.
Management is another perceived joke that has seemed to be laughed at more and more since Omar Minaya’s plane touched down on the west coast and Willie was sent packing back east. However well he may believe he break danced around any criticism about how that particular situation was handled, Minaya’s personal presentation in the year since has invited the perception that he is a bit of a stammering joke. Through all the team troubles, Minaya has appeared to be incapable of displaying himself as forthright and fully educated. Through injuries he’s appeared unaware of status or expected treatment, and through player moves he’s appeared less than honest and, frankly, ignorant. Most importantly, through a period when the need for any type of field and plate relief would appear to be a no-brainer, he’s stuck his neck out just enough to bury his head in the sand while the inadequacy of the farm team he's responsible for is beginning to ring clear. While Jerry Manuel’s mantra could be categorized as “don’t give up,” perception is that, for at least this season, Minaya already has. For a team to which he’s devoted the second highest total salary in the major leagues, that might be considered the very biggest joke of all. That is except for the All-Star game itself, which is arguably in a league of its own.
For all you twitterati who might be interested, feel free to follow my ongoing musings at twitter.com/MikeVooss
Read more!
By the sheer volume of redistribution of this little pearl of wisdom, one might think this was the greatest comedic utterance since Costello first asked “Who’s on first?” But in truth, the line’s about as funny as it is accurate. Of the 29 MLB teams, 13 rosters didn’t hold a single player voted as an All-Star. And, of the remaining 16, only one - the Phillies - had more players (5) invited to the season’s halftime show than the Mets (4).
I’m not about to indict the misguided Fallon for assault with a foolish tongue. The fact of the matter is, if you’re perceived as a joke, you are a joke, and so far this year the Mets might as well be wearing joker’s hats instead of baseball caps. Player lowlights don’t just end up on local news, they grace the entire world online and live there in perpetuity. Just as HD television takes note of every minor skin flaw your favorite reality star is sporting, the internet makes every major flaw of your favorite sports star a broadband reality and the potential butt of any joke, late night or otherwise.
If the Mets are going to allow themselves to be defined by their troubles - walk off errors, base running blunders, bat anemia, and an inability to portray that you actually do understand all the rules of the game (just to name a few) - then they’ve created the true playing field that the rest of the world judges them on. By not rectifying their problems on the field they’ve allowed perception to become reality. Today’s reality is that the Mets put up a comedic first half. It’s up to the players to change the perception by providing a new, improved reality, no matter who within their system might be playing at any time on any given day.
Management is another perceived joke that has seemed to be laughed at more and more since Omar Minaya’s plane touched down on the west coast and Willie was sent packing back east. However well he may believe he break danced around any criticism about how that particular situation was handled, Minaya’s personal presentation in the year since has invited the perception that he is a bit of a stammering joke. Through all the team troubles, Minaya has appeared to be incapable of displaying himself as forthright and fully educated. Through injuries he’s appeared unaware of status or expected treatment, and through player moves he’s appeared less than honest and, frankly, ignorant. Most importantly, through a period when the need for any type of field and plate relief would appear to be a no-brainer, he’s stuck his neck out just enough to bury his head in the sand while the inadequacy of the farm team he's responsible for is beginning to ring clear. While Jerry Manuel’s mantra could be categorized as “don’t give up,” perception is that, for at least this season, Minaya already has. For a team to which he’s devoted the second highest total salary in the major leagues, that might be considered the very biggest joke of all. That is except for the All-Star game itself, which is arguably in a league of its own.
For all you twitterati who might be interested, feel free to follow my ongoing musings at twitter.com/MikeVooss
Read more!
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Placing truth on the disabled list
The ball sailed over the fence to end the 2006 season, and took with it the final hopes of the Mets in the World Series. No miracle, Endy or otherwise, would change that. After a few hours or days of disbelief, it was easy for a fan to look back at the season with pride in a job well done, if not completed. As winter waned some months later, pitchers and catchers couldn’t report for duty fast enough.
April ’07 rolled around and it was easy to be optimistic. So close, yet so far just 6 months earlier, it was to be a season to fulfill the promise of the previous one. But, come September, The Collapse.
The summer of ’08 led the Mets into the All Star break as the then hottest team in baseball, having finished the first half with a 9-game winning streak. But once championship home-field advantage was surrendered to the AL (almost single-handedly by Dan Uggla), the Mets’ season’s surrender appeared to follow close behind. In the end, another collapse, this one awash in a surreal feeling of familiarity. The darkest road is never again as uncomfortable as the first time it’s traveled, and we’d now been down this road before.
Beginning this current 162 game stretch of passion, fans again had reasons to believe. Not just because of the massive improvements to the previous year’s Achilles heel of a bullpen, but because within each of us innately rests the belief that lightning which has struck twice couldn’t possibly make a third visit.
Mother Nature has a funny way of defying expectations.
One has to ask why Mets fans seem to be so beaten so early in a year wrought with such misfortune. Mets fans have always been an emotional bunch. Maybe it comes from the history of the club and the Casey Stengel that lives in each of us. Maybe it’s the nature of rallying behind an underdog, or, in most years, a palpable sense of heart that rubs off into the stands. But after the tightrope heartbreak of the past few seasons, maybe it has more to do with a sense of entitlement, a feeling that fans deserve a return instead of being punished by the regular day-to-day trials of this team. For their investment of time, money, and emotion, fans felt they were owed a great year from what was billed as a reinforced core, to make up for the embarrassment of the past two.
Or maybe the feelings come from a long hidden reality that is now finding the spotlight: The evil Phillies or the killer Braves or the resurgent Marlins, all of which miraculously and seemingly sadistically “step-up their game” whenever they face the Mets, have nothing to do with why there haven’t been new banners to adorn the new stadium. Instead, the team that three times came so close to its post-season aspirations hasn’t made it far enough because they’re simply not good enough. Not strong enough physically, not smart enough tactically, and most certainly not stable enough mentally.
In turn, much in the same way the Wilpons were bilked of their imaginary investments off the field, fans who have turned a blind eye to what their team has been are being Madoff-ed in return, having their own hopes, dreams, and emotions for the team they invest in of themselves now shown to be baseless.
Adding insult, the only ones not wielding bats who actually can work to right this ship have made it clear they are totally disinclined to do so. In return, it’s alright for fans to take issue with the stance management, specifically Omar Minaya, has adopted. The answer to having problems isn’t “they’ll be fixed when they’re fixed.” The response should be “what can we do to fix them right now?” Yet when pointed in this direction, Minaya seems to only expect broken players to miraculously heal in time to fix a season that will then be beyond repair (if it’s not already). In the process, the signal he’s giving the existing players tells them he doesn’t believe they’re good enough to devote resources to. What a great way to inspire pride and drive: If your players haven’t already resigned themselves to failure, give them every remaining reason to check out. Whether big moves or some smaller ones, any level of action from management would give the players and fans the ability to move forward for a fight through the remainder of the season. And keeping the fans in the fight for the remainder of this season would at least allow us to keep picking up the pieces of the past few years, moving out of 2009 united behind every idyllic believer’s favorite battle cry: “Wait till next year.” In spite of everything, fans have still had heart, and expect their stammering General Manager to do the same.
One final note to Mr. Minaya: Action would probably also go a long way to keep filling seats in your new, pretty stadium, and keep the working stiffs who are contributing to your contracted salary with every ticket they buy (a contract that is third only in idiocy to the ones you gifted to Luis Castillo and Prince Ollie) from thinking of their local bar, SNY and Papaya King as a viable alternative to a trip to the ballpark.
For the record, I’ve got some predictions for the second half: I don’t expect Carlos Beltran to return to the team for any appreciable length of time this season. I believe the bruise he has will be found to be a more severe injury that will require more radical treatment. Similarly, I don’t expect Jose Reyes to be able to make a triumphant return, but will rather re-injure his leg quickly and either play out the season at much less than 100% or require season ending surgery. John Maine seems almost inevitably on the road to another medical intervention. Of the major players, I believe Carlos Delgado and Billy Wagner will come back just in time to show they still have enough talent to be worth something on the open market next year.
And unless there’s an epiphany within management or talent well before the end of July, I’m sticking with a prediction I made after just 2 weeks of this season had passed: This team, even healthy, doesn’t have what it takes to win enough, and will end the season right where they stand today - 4th place in the NL East.
I can’t begin to tell you how much I hope I’m wrong.
Read more!
April ’07 rolled around and it was easy to be optimistic. So close, yet so far just 6 months earlier, it was to be a season to fulfill the promise of the previous one. But, come September, The Collapse.
The summer of ’08 led the Mets into the All Star break as the then hottest team in baseball, having finished the first half with a 9-game winning streak. But once championship home-field advantage was surrendered to the AL (almost single-handedly by Dan Uggla), the Mets’ season’s surrender appeared to follow close behind. In the end, another collapse, this one awash in a surreal feeling of familiarity. The darkest road is never again as uncomfortable as the first time it’s traveled, and we’d now been down this road before.
Beginning this current 162 game stretch of passion, fans again had reasons to believe. Not just because of the massive improvements to the previous year’s Achilles heel of a bullpen, but because within each of us innately rests the belief that lightning which has struck twice couldn’t possibly make a third visit.
Mother Nature has a funny way of defying expectations.
One has to ask why Mets fans seem to be so beaten so early in a year wrought with such misfortune. Mets fans have always been an emotional bunch. Maybe it comes from the history of the club and the Casey Stengel that lives in each of us. Maybe it’s the nature of rallying behind an underdog, or, in most years, a palpable sense of heart that rubs off into the stands. But after the tightrope heartbreak of the past few seasons, maybe it has more to do with a sense of entitlement, a feeling that fans deserve a return instead of being punished by the regular day-to-day trials of this team. For their investment of time, money, and emotion, fans felt they were owed a great year from what was billed as a reinforced core, to make up for the embarrassment of the past two.
Or maybe the feelings come from a long hidden reality that is now finding the spotlight: The evil Phillies or the killer Braves or the resurgent Marlins, all of which miraculously and seemingly sadistically “step-up their game” whenever they face the Mets, have nothing to do with why there haven’t been new banners to adorn the new stadium. Instead, the team that three times came so close to its post-season aspirations hasn’t made it far enough because they’re simply not good enough. Not strong enough physically, not smart enough tactically, and most certainly not stable enough mentally.
In turn, much in the same way the Wilpons were bilked of their imaginary investments off the field, fans who have turned a blind eye to what their team has been are being Madoff-ed in return, having their own hopes, dreams, and emotions for the team they invest in of themselves now shown to be baseless.
Adding insult, the only ones not wielding bats who actually can work to right this ship have made it clear they are totally disinclined to do so. In return, it’s alright for fans to take issue with the stance management, specifically Omar Minaya, has adopted. The answer to having problems isn’t “they’ll be fixed when they’re fixed.” The response should be “what can we do to fix them right now?” Yet when pointed in this direction, Minaya seems to only expect broken players to miraculously heal in time to fix a season that will then be beyond repair (if it’s not already). In the process, the signal he’s giving the existing players tells them he doesn’t believe they’re good enough to devote resources to. What a great way to inspire pride and drive: If your players haven’t already resigned themselves to failure, give them every remaining reason to check out. Whether big moves or some smaller ones, any level of action from management would give the players and fans the ability to move forward for a fight through the remainder of the season. And keeping the fans in the fight for the remainder of this season would at least allow us to keep picking up the pieces of the past few years, moving out of 2009 united behind every idyllic believer’s favorite battle cry: “Wait till next year.” In spite of everything, fans have still had heart, and expect their stammering General Manager to do the same.
One final note to Mr. Minaya: Action would probably also go a long way to keep filling seats in your new, pretty stadium, and keep the working stiffs who are contributing to your contracted salary with every ticket they buy (a contract that is third only in idiocy to the ones you gifted to Luis Castillo and Prince Ollie) from thinking of their local bar, SNY and Papaya King as a viable alternative to a trip to the ballpark.
For the record, I’ve got some predictions for the second half: I don’t expect Carlos Beltran to return to the team for any appreciable length of time this season. I believe the bruise he has will be found to be a more severe injury that will require more radical treatment. Similarly, I don’t expect Jose Reyes to be able to make a triumphant return, but will rather re-injure his leg quickly and either play out the season at much less than 100% or require season ending surgery. John Maine seems almost inevitably on the road to another medical intervention. Of the major players, I believe Carlos Delgado and Billy Wagner will come back just in time to show they still have enough talent to be worth something on the open market next year.
And unless there’s an epiphany within management or talent well before the end of July, I’m sticking with a prediction I made after just 2 weeks of this season had passed: This team, even healthy, doesn’t have what it takes to win enough, and will end the season right where they stand today - 4th place in the NL East.
I can’t begin to tell you how much I hope I’m wrong.
Read more!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
The Brotherhood of Chlorophyll Facials
By now you know the story of last night’s installment of “The 9 Stooges Play Baseball.” The abundance of lowlight reel additions during the 4th inning alone would be enough to give any fan reason to pull out their hair longer than Fernando Martinez will be pulling grass from his teeth after his inability to put one cleat in front of the other. How appropriately symbolic for an entire club that’s fallen flat on its face all over the field.
For weeks, the cry in Queens has been centered around the abundance of injuries this team has had to overcome, but in reviewing the gaffes that have really cost games, it’s largely been a bunch of veterans who have been to blame: Church (missing 3rd base), Castillo (4-legged base running and the pop up), K-Rod (Mariano’s walk), Santana (Yankees meltdown and overthrowing Wright yesterday), and let’s not forget the manager (among others, how do you even throw one pitch to Jeter with the pitcher due up?). That, in itself, counts 6 game changers. Think about what reversing even just half of them would mean to the standings right now.
It’s one thing to be bruised, it’s another to offer yourself for tattooing. Bruises heal, the impression of a tattoo lasts forever no matter what you do to remove it. 2007 and 2008 have left their mark, and this 2009 team has already tattooed itself, with the remaining veterans being the ones spilling the ink and creating this brotherhood’s legacy. Sure, players of every age have caused oodles of other errors, miscues, and mental hernias that have contributed to too many losing efforts, but this is precisely the time when veterans need to take the reins and bully the team through its hardships. Not in the dugout, not in the clubhouse, not in the media. On the field. The only place it actually counts is on the field, measured by how many times you cross the plate (although judging by the LOBs you’d believe someone thinks you get a few bonus points for the other 3 bases).
That said, all the leading by example can’t make a fundamentally flawed team sprout fundamentals. Even in its best incarnation, before being decimated by medical issues, this had not appeared to be a team that would dominate. If they’re going to be serious about making a run for the NL East or Wild Card this season, the Mets need a cavalry greater than what they may have returning "sometime after the All Star break." I’m not for selling the future haphazardly, but the core of this team needs to be denser. If they want seats in the post season that don’t come from StubHub, Omar Minaya can’t afford to let this team drown in preventable losses and Jerry needs to do more than preside over 28 minute hugfests.
The bugles need to sound soon, or when they finally do they may be playing taps.
Read more!
For weeks, the cry in Queens has been centered around the abundance of injuries this team has had to overcome, but in reviewing the gaffes that have really cost games, it’s largely been a bunch of veterans who have been to blame: Church (missing 3rd base), Castillo (4-legged base running and the pop up), K-Rod (Mariano’s walk), Santana (Yankees meltdown and overthrowing Wright yesterday), and let’s not forget the manager (among others, how do you even throw one pitch to Jeter with the pitcher due up?). That, in itself, counts 6 game changers. Think about what reversing even just half of them would mean to the standings right now.
It’s one thing to be bruised, it’s another to offer yourself for tattooing. Bruises heal, the impression of a tattoo lasts forever no matter what you do to remove it. 2007 and 2008 have left their mark, and this 2009 team has already tattooed itself, with the remaining veterans being the ones spilling the ink and creating this brotherhood’s legacy. Sure, players of every age have caused oodles of other errors, miscues, and mental hernias that have contributed to too many losing efforts, but this is precisely the time when veterans need to take the reins and bully the team through its hardships. Not in the dugout, not in the clubhouse, not in the media. On the field. The only place it actually counts is on the field, measured by how many times you cross the plate (although judging by the LOBs you’d believe someone thinks you get a few bonus points for the other 3 bases).
That said, all the leading by example can’t make a fundamentally flawed team sprout fundamentals. Even in its best incarnation, before being decimated by medical issues, this had not appeared to be a team that would dominate. If they’re going to be serious about making a run for the NL East or Wild Card this season, the Mets need a cavalry greater than what they may have returning "sometime after the All Star break." I’m not for selling the future haphazardly, but the core of this team needs to be denser. If they want seats in the post season that don’t come from StubHub, Omar Minaya can’t afford to let this team drown in preventable losses and Jerry needs to do more than preside over 28 minute hugfests.
The bugles need to sound soon, or when they finally do they may be playing taps.
Read more!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
2009 Survival Guide for Mets Fans
Mets fans are a passionate bunch who are incredibly resilient and loyal to a fault. For the most part, we take the phrase "Ya Gotta Believe" to heart. But is there ever a time when you need to detach from the chaos to save your sanity? For the 2009 season, that time might be right now.
The Mets are finishing up June with a 9 and 17 record for the month. Now granted, with the ridiculous amount of injuries that have befallen them, the under .500 record is understandable. You can even argue that earlier in the month there were quite a few games that they should have won if they had managed to play error-free, solid fundamental baseball. As the month has progressed, however, you can’t even remotely say that. A bleak situation has turned even bleaker with the loss of Carlos Beltran. When news of this first broke last week I was pleasantly surprised to see the team rally and take 3 of 4 from the Cardinals. But losing this bat combined with the Triple A line-up of replacements, bad bullpen work, circus-like mental mistakes and a general lack of hustle, is too much to overcome.
All of this became painfully evident over this weekend’s series against the hated Yankees and it started in the first inning of Friday night’s game. I generally hate interleague play - especially the Yankee series because even though games within our own division mean more with regard to the standings, losing to the Yankees is pretty much unbearable. It is like salt in the wound in a city where your team and its fans are second class citizens. Granted, for the past few years the Subway Series has been pretty evenly matched, but the fact that we lost the World Series to the Yankees in 2000 (thanks, Armando!) was the ultimate blow and I am scarred for life by it. It was after that World Series that I learned how to save my sanity by resorting to a SIMB. Now, you may ask yourself, what is a SIMB? A SIMB, my friends, is a sanity saving tool for any fans of losing sports franchises. It is a Self-Imposed Media Blackout.
I am a die-hard Mets fan. I will always root for them and always support them, but every once in a while it is necessary for me to tune them out and sort of pretend they don’t exist. For example, while most Mets fans were in agony during the Art Howe years, I simply tuned most of it out. Much more pleasant than getting upset over a situation you can’t control.
After the collapse in 2007, I was forgiving enough to believe in them for the start of the 2008 season. When that got off to a ridiculously slow start with the Willie Randolph debacle, I again resorted to short-lived SIMB. Before I could bring myself to believe in them, they had to give me some reason to believe. And then true to form, they did give me a reason to believe in July and August. Of course, in September, they once again kicked me in the shins, but hey, as Mets fans, we have come to expect the worst and we usually get it!
Now, in 2009 with the new ballpark and a much improved bullpen, I once again gave the team the benefit of the doubt and had faith that they would redeem themselves for the past two black Septembers. I have been very patient all through this June swoon because of all of the injuries, but at this point I just can’t stomach what I have been seeing the past few games to continue watching. It is like a comedy of errors. Not only do they not hit, they also do not pitch. And the lack of hustle and the lethargic, sloppy play are just too much for me to take. So I won’t. I’m tired of all of it. Tired of the losing. Tired of the ineptness. Tired of hearing about the injuries. Tired of Jerry Manuel talking about treading water (inexcusable). Would Bobby Valentine be happy with treading water? Hey Jerry, how about losing the Zen and lighting a fire? I have news for you, Mahatma Manager, Omar can trade for whoever is available but one or two deadline acquisitions are not enough to help this team if Beltran is out for the season.
So at this point, if the Mets don’t show up for games, why should I? SIMB, baby! I will watch and listen from a distance and detach myself emotionally. Hopefully, they’ll surprise me like they usually do and turn things around once a few of the walking wounded return from the salt mines. But until then, I’ll let the games play out in the background and watch from afar. Sometimes good things happen when you least expect them but if they don’t, at least the disappointment will be over long before the last day of the season.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Jerry’s Lemonade Stand
The trauma center known as the Citi Field claimed its latest victim early this week when Carlos Beltran was sidelined with an ongoing deep bone bruise of the knee. With 9 major components of the team on the DL, Jerry Manuel seems to have gotten a free pass for the season. How can you blame the manager for the play of a team that is a shell of what it should be?
A good manager never takes credit for the success of the team, and all the blame for its failures (well, unless it’s Omar’s fault, but that’s another story). In the process, a good manager should also be able to overcome adversity and create winning opportunities. So while the current pandemic in Queens may breed a safe cocoon, I’m thinking that more than ever this is the prime time to be scrutinizing the skipper’s ability to be functionally creative. Before the cavalry comes back to try and clean up whatever mess may happen in the coming weeks, let’s see how Jerry’s able to make lemonade out of lemons.
Fernando Tatis has been batting cleanup the past two days, an experiment Jerry has explained as giving the opportunity to see if he can reclaim some of his spectacular rejuvenation during last season. In the process, Tatis has single-handedly redefined the art of sparking double plays for the opposition. Both days his already scary proclivity for doing so would be even greater had David Wright reached base ahead of him a few more times. Placing a slumping player in a lineup position normally relegated to cartoonish behemoths with questionable hormone levels has to raise the eyebrow of anyone paying attention. Let him rejuvenate, just don't do it there. I don’t doubt Tatis’ heart or the possibility of rekindling the fire in his offense, but this is the major league, not a feel-good Disney movie, and cleanup isn’t the place for batting practice. Mix it up and get Reed or Church in there, with a displayed ability to get hits when they’re in a groove. If you’re going to give someone a chance at redemption, don’t you want them to start with the bigger bat?. If Tatis is going to find his groove, he can find it at 6 or 7 just as easily. Would Cora, Church, Santos and Wright be a less effective front 4 than what’s up now? If Jerry’s going to think out of the box, maybe he needs to think farther out.
There was no way the Mets were going to win against Pineiro yesterday, who had a masterful game. But with Livian Hernandez batting, Jerry called for a very rare hit and run. The questionability of this is overwhelming. That’s not creativity, or working with the tools you have. It’s grasping at straws, but the team that won the night before certainly didn’t look like it required desperate moves. The season still has a lot of time, but it’s past the time when you can afford to give up games carelessly. I realize these examples only spotlight two games worth, but these past 3 months have generated plenty of other possible inclusions.
As engaging and insightful as he can be when describing wins post-game, Jerry has a way of sounding awfully like Willie Randolph when the team loses. The standard lines of “tomorrow’s another day” and “we just have to put this one behind us” have gotten old even before halftime. I’m not about to drink the Kool-Aid that says Jerry can’t win with the team he has, he’s not to blame because of it, and we shouldn’t worry as long as the team that’s playing .333 ball is over .500.
I’m waiting for lemonade.
Read more!
A good manager never takes credit for the success of the team, and all the blame for its failures (well, unless it’s Omar’s fault, but that’s another story). In the process, a good manager should also be able to overcome adversity and create winning opportunities. So while the current pandemic in Queens may breed a safe cocoon, I’m thinking that more than ever this is the prime time to be scrutinizing the skipper’s ability to be functionally creative. Before the cavalry comes back to try and clean up whatever mess may happen in the coming weeks, let’s see how Jerry’s able to make lemonade out of lemons.
Fernando Tatis has been batting cleanup the past two days, an experiment Jerry has explained as giving the opportunity to see if he can reclaim some of his spectacular rejuvenation during last season. In the process, Tatis has single-handedly redefined the art of sparking double plays for the opposition. Both days his already scary proclivity for doing so would be even greater had David Wright reached base ahead of him a few more times. Placing a slumping player in a lineup position normally relegated to cartoonish behemoths with questionable hormone levels has to raise the eyebrow of anyone paying attention. Let him rejuvenate, just don't do it there. I don’t doubt Tatis’ heart or the possibility of rekindling the fire in his offense, but this is the major league, not a feel-good Disney movie, and cleanup isn’t the place for batting practice. Mix it up and get Reed or Church in there, with a displayed ability to get hits when they’re in a groove. If you’re going to give someone a chance at redemption, don’t you want them to start with the bigger bat?. If Tatis is going to find his groove, he can find it at 6 or 7 just as easily. Would Cora, Church, Santos and Wright be a less effective front 4 than what’s up now? If Jerry’s going to think out of the box, maybe he needs to think farther out.
There was no way the Mets were going to win against Pineiro yesterday, who had a masterful game. But with Livian Hernandez batting, Jerry called for a very rare hit and run. The questionability of this is overwhelming. That’s not creativity, or working with the tools you have. It’s grasping at straws, but the team that won the night before certainly didn’t look like it required desperate moves. The season still has a lot of time, but it’s past the time when you can afford to give up games carelessly. I realize these examples only spotlight two games worth, but these past 3 months have generated plenty of other possible inclusions.
As engaging and insightful as he can be when describing wins post-game, Jerry has a way of sounding awfully like Willie Randolph when the team loses. The standard lines of “tomorrow’s another day” and “we just have to put this one behind us” have gotten old even before halftime. I’m not about to drink the Kool-Aid that says Jerry can’t win with the team he has, he’s not to blame because of it, and we shouldn’t worry as long as the team that’s playing .333 ball is over .500.
I’m waiting for lemonade.
Read more!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
It really ain't that bad
Although the Mets haven’t lived up to the expectations set for them by Sports Illustrated at the beginning of the season, they certainly have done exactly what die hard fans expected. From Luis Castillo dropping a pop fly to Jose Reyes and his perpetually torn hamstring, true Mets fans expected this.
However, even with the loss of Reyes and slugger Carlos Delgado the Mets offense hasn’t completely laid down. In fact, they are hitting for a monstrous team average behind NL league leader David Wright. The injuries have given playing time to super prospect Fernando Martinez and Gary Sheffield has been an absolute beast thus far.
The bullpen has been steady. The loss of J.J. Putz has hurt a bit, but rookie Bobby Parnell has stepped up in a big way. Even if as a rookie he has to bring a little girls’ backpack stuffed with candy to the bullpen for every game.
The missing ingredient for the Mets is starting pitching. Omar Minaya needs to get a pitcher of at least the caliber of a Brad Penny if the Mets want to go deep into the playoffs. But with the guys on the roster now, there really is not that much need for worry. The return of Reyes alone will erase the three game lead the Phillies currently have. So as long as the infield can catch pop ups, there is no need for alarm. Baseball is a game where Steady Eddie wins the race. Once the Mets have weathered the injury storm they should be fine. Just don’t tell that to us die hard fans. We are convinced the other shoe is going to drop.
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