Update: It’s a miracle! A beat writer who doesn’t unfairly hate on the Mets. My apologies to Keith Law, who ranked (ESPN insider needed) the Mets’ farm system 15th in the MLB, which is pretty great considering all the players lost in the last couple years for Santana and Putz. Hat tip to MetsBlog for the link.
FoxSports’ Ken Rosenthal released an article this morning bashing the Mets. I agree with some of the article’s major assertions – mainly that Omar isn’t a great GM (average at best) and the team needs to reconfigure it’s structure and how it operates. But how Rosenthal arrives at the conclusion is mainly based on ridiculous theories. Here are my responses to these questionable quotes.
“botched courtship of free-agent catcher Bengie Molinaâ€
How so? Where’s the evidence of “botchery� They offered him more money than the Giants, yet he chose to stick with the team he played for last season. He said he would have played for the Mets if they offered him an additional guaranteed year, but they didn’t want to. Nothing here was botched.
“They were blindsided on both Pineiro and Molina.â€
For Molina, read above. Maybe the Pineiro signing came as a bit of a surprise, but they knew what he wanted, and their inability to make him an offer shows disinterest more than anything. I believe the Mets were luke-warm on Pineiro at best. He had one good season after a slew of mediocre seasons. If the best baseball decision was to NOT sign him to a two year deal, how is this something worth bashing the team for?
“They might have lost Bay, too, if another suitor had emerged.â€
This is just ridiculous. Rosenthal must be living in some sort of fantasy world where he makes up potential scenarios that meet his agenda, and writes articles about them. Here, I’ll do the same: “The Red Sox might have lost lackey, if another suitor had emerged. Therefore Theo Epstein is a terrible GM.†It’s the exact same scenario. Just complete absurdity.
“Pineiro identified the Mets as his No. 1 choice, but instead signed a two-year, $16 million contract with the Angels.â€
Again, read the above about Pineiro. Maybe the Mets didn’t think he was worth that much, which most fans agree was a good baseball decision.
“The Mets have yet to address their chemistry issuesâ€
Where’s the proof of any chemistry issues? In fact, screw proof; I haven’t even heard any rumors! Rosenthal completely made this up and ran with it. I don’t even know what to say…insanity.
79 comments
mrose
1/27/2010-11:12am at 11:12 am (UTC -4)
1,000,000% agree prismo.
this article is complete BS
Kingman 26
1/27/2010-11:20am at 11:20 am (UTC -4)
Completely right Prismo, and sorry to be repetitive, but these articles mean less than nothing.
The national media hates the Mets, and these clowns get a larger readership when they bash us.
If they bash the teams who REALLY deserve bashing (Tex, Det, KC, Pitt, etc) no one will read or care.
The comments he makes about Molina and Pineiro are embarrassingly idiotic.
The only time I see this idiocy is when it is rehashed on here, and while I fully support anyone reading and thinking anything they want, trust me—if you ignore articles like this, it does not diminish your life even 1%. In fact, it enhances your life!
Thank you and have a nice day!
prismo
1/27/2010-11:24am at 11:24 am (UTC -4)
There wasn’t enough material for a post here, but I’m sure you remember Davidoff’s post yesterday about “well run organizations.” He listed the Orioles, among many other teams, as teams that are WELL run. The Orioles haven’t won 80 games since 1997. They’ve finished in better than 3rd place ONCE since 1997. How is that a better run team than the Mets? Is it because their fans have accepted failure and don’t make a fuss about it like we do?
prismo
1/27/2010-11:24am at 11:24 am (UTC -4)
I’m sorry – correction. Better than 4th once.
Kingman 26
1/27/2010-11:52am at 11:52 am (UTC -4)
That is what I mean—the Orioles should have been one of my examples. The Mets were right at first place every day from the beginning of 2006–July 2009–the Orioles have not sniffed third place in forever! Could Rosenthal write anything more meaningless??
Angelos has completely ruined what was one of baseball’s best franchises from the mid 60s–the mid 90s.
Terrible contracts, prospect after prospect who amount to nothing, etc.
The Bedard trade was the first thing they did right in a decade.
metsgirl31
1/27/2010-11:25am at 11:25 am (UTC -4)
+1…and thanks for saving me the trouble of typing the same thing
prismo
1/27/2010-11:26am at 11:26 am (UTC -4)
Haven’t seen you post in awhile! Welcome back?
metsgirl31
1/27/2010-11:28am at 11:28 am (UTC -4)
I’ve been here reading everything…been busy and still trying to decide how I feel about everything that’s transpired this offseason
prismo
1/27/2010-11:30am at 11:30 am (UTC -4)
Fair enough! Let us know when you form an opinion.
metsgirl31
1/27/2010-11:33am at 11:33 am (UTC -4)
Lol…doesn’t really matter what my opinion is cuz if this is the team we go to war with then I’m a Met fan for better or worse. I’m gonna be positive and believe my team will prevail. No matter what happens this season I’ll still be there next season. As we all will. Can’t fight it. We survived last season (barely) and we’ll survive whatever comes this season too.
Kingman 26
1/27/2010-11:50am at 11:50 am (UTC -4)
+ Many and thanks for the great attitude!
metsfan4decades
1/27/2010-12:03pm at 12:03 pm (UTC -4)
+1 from me too!
trs86
1/27/2010-12:40pm at 12:40 pm (UTC -4)
The First Ladies of TRDM. How lucky we are.
Kingman 26
1/27/2010-12:50pm at 12:50 pm (UTC -4)
Amen to that TRS.
trs86
1/27/2010-12:02pm at 12:02 pm (UTC -4)
I don’t think it’s that they hate the Mets Kingman. I think it has more to do with the fact that we as fans, myself included, are suckers. That helps because we read it and either agree and give them hits, disagree and give them hits, don’t care and give them hits. Then because the country itself is anti-NY they like watching the Mets burn.
They don’t care about the Mets they care about money.
GravediggerHebner
1/27/2010-12:04pm at 12:04 pm (UTC -4)
Agreed, which is why they don’t write this same tripe about the Pirates, Orioles, Royals or Rangers. If a tree falls in a forest and no one is there to here it, does it make a sound?
Kingman 26
1/27/2010-12:27pm at 12:27 pm (UTC -4)
I do think many of them do hate the Mets.
I totally agree with your last two sentences though.
Maybe Rosenthal is a Yankee fan. I mean, I hate the Yankees and the Knicks and I am very happy when they fail. If I was a national sportswriter, it would be hard for me to hide this bias.
I still say that when a team is in or very near first place for 3 1/2 of the last 4 years as the Mets were, and only fell out of the race last year due to injuries, that all of the media venom and mockery coming the Mets’ way is a joke. It is not even a joke, it is just the media today. Write and say ANYTHING to get people to pay attention. Nowhere is this MO more true than what we have seen from Rosenthal and Klapisch regarding the Mets.
CaseStreet
1/27/2010-11:35am at 11:35 am (UTC -4)
thanks prismo, there’s certainly something wrong with the way the team is run, but Rosenthal makes a stupid argument
saltygary
1/27/2010-11:37am at 11:37 am (UTC -4)
Rosenthal is an ass and have no desire to read any of his work.
saltygary
1/27/2010-11:44am at 11:44 am (UTC -4)
This is Klapisch’s article that sums up the Mets season:
http://www.northjersey.com/sports/pro_sports/baseball/klapisch/012710_Klapisch_Same_old_Mets_even_with_Santana.html
saltygary
1/27/2010-11:46am at 11:46 am (UTC -4)
I think it’s spot on except for the part where the Mets needed to get Sheets but I think only Fongy and I were against that move.
prismo
1/27/2010-11:49am at 11:49 am (UTC -4)
There isn’t really an insight though. It’s mostly just a recap. Hard to disagree with most of it.
prismo
1/27/2010-11:47am at 11:47 am (UTC -4)
“The gap between the Mets and Phillies has never been wider than it is today.”
Uh…what about the majority of last season when most of our best players were injured.
Every beat writer bashes the Mets article after article. Not ONE comes to their defense, even just a little.
metsgirl31
1/27/2010-11:50am at 11:50 am (UTC -4)
Right…every move or non-move cannot be wrong. The odds are against that.
darknova306
1/27/2010-11:56am at 11:56 am (UTC -4)
I just want this off-season to end so we can get past this nonsense and start talking about ‘what happened in the game last night’.
GravediggerHebner
1/27/2010-12:02pm at 12:02 pm (UTC -4)
Why does my mind wander to terrible baserunning and dropped popups? Thanks Dark!
trs86
1/27/2010-11:57am at 11:57 am (UTC -4)
We are going to have to expect as Mets fans for most media articles to be baiting and just plain garbage. Fact of life. The writers know we are a very passionate fanbase who is down at the moment. Thus want to get more people to read your site, bash the Mets. If a writer came out in support of Omar’s moves right now he would be laughed at but not only that, no one would read it. We have to be strong as fans to try and stay positive and optimistic when our team needs it the most. It will not be easy as the GMJR trade proves. Not rehashing it but the articles that say they don’t understand the trade or that it was stupid are just flaming. It may not have been the best trade but it has a rational and you can like that rational or not. It’s the same ones who like to say that Omar does not have a plan. Again, that’s crazy talk that the organization does not have a plan. Of course they have one. However, they may not be following it due to bad decisions or circumstances. You may not like the plan but there is one. The talk of the budget suddenly shows up. Of course they forget that the Mets have never given a firm budget and that has worked just fine in the past. Nor do they mention that the Redsox and Yankees owners often do not give their GM’s budgets either.
Again, it’s like watching NBC OR Fox News and looking for the truth. You are not going to find it there. You are going to find stuff designed to make money.
GravediggerHebner
1/27/2010-12:00pm at 12:00 pm (UTC -4)
Those of you that have access to WFAN, Rosenthal will be on with Joe & Evan at 12:05pm to discuss this article among other things.
metsfan4decades
1/27/2010-12:11pm at 12:11 pm (UTC -4)
I wish the season was starting next week. Bare minimum, it would give these analysts and beat writers different scenarios in which to bash us….
Seriously, I just cannot believe we will be worse than last year.
That being said, we ended 2008, a couple of games out with basically the same level of talent. Swap Delgado for Bay. Swap Church for Frenchy. Catching talent same, if not a bit better.
BP can’t possibly be worse.
That leaves SP. I still think this is the one glaring area we’ve got a problem with. All ?? behind Johan. Not a lot of depth. If Pelf/Maine/Perez get it done this year and remain healthy, we’ll be O.K. That’s a big if though, in my mind. I really would have liked to have seen a veteran pitcher behind Johan, preferably a strong #3, if not #2. We didn’t get it.
As far as FAs, after Lackey, pickings were slim. I don’t believe Lackey had any interest in the Mets so I don’t see that as Omar’s fault – unless he was willing to be aggressive and grossly overpay.
Still time for a trade but I don’t think that’s happening either.
Maybe we should take a page out of Omar’s book with his positive thinking and enthusiasm. I wish I could see it though as just that, and not a bit on the delusional side….
stickguy
1/27/2010-12:34pm at 12:34 pm (UTC -4)
I think a move will still happen 4D, but we won’t really know until the season starts!
GravediggerHebner
1/27/2010-12:21pm at 12:21 pm (UTC -4)
On all the specific points that Prismo deconstructed separately, I agree.
On Prismo’s first paragraph, which is what Rosenthal is now primarily discussing on the radio, I also agree. The Mets have run their front office in this unique way for years, since before the Minaya/Randolph days. It’s this ownership group and it’s “collegial” style that has been in place for at least a decade (Steve Phillips is on record describing it during his tenure) that is the ultimate problem, that filters down to everything else.
To me that means that the occasional successes under the Wilpon ownership umbrella have been more accidental, or lucky, than good, and based as much on the ability to spend lots of money as lots of us say the Yankees successes are. The Yankees just spend so much more and don’t have such a dysfunction at the top they have less failure. And that scares the hell out of me.
I try not to think about the ownership or the front office on a daily basis, and just enjoy the players and the team, and the game. But when my mind does go to the ownership and the front office, it doesn’t make me happy and unless/until the team is under new ownership I don’t see how that’s going to change. They may have some good luck and some happy accidents along the way, but I can’t say I’m excited looking forward to them since they’re so unpredictable.
stickguy
1/27/2010-12:39pm at 12:39 pm (UTC -4)
hard to know if the structure really makes a difference, vs. the people in the structure? Although I agree that, while some organizations lend themselves to the “collegial” style, I wouldn’t think that a sports team is one of them.
A strong BB ops manager (in whatever role) directing the operation makes much more sense. Of course, the staffers need to be empowered to raise ideas, but there has to be a clear bottom-line decision maker and chain of command.
maybe the Met structure would work better if you had a guy like Pat Gillick in the seat that Jeffy has? Who knows.
anyway, over the last decade, the Mets have had 2 very good periods (leading to 2 NLCS and 1 WS appearance), surrounding a down period, so they obviously have the ability to build a winning team, having done it twice in that time.
I expect though that the FO would function fine if they put a real BB mind in Jeffys spot, or got a dominant GM to marginalize him.
trs86
1/27/2010-12:42pm at 12:42 pm (UTC -4)
Agreed. Omar the average GM has not put the franchise in a tailspin. We could do better, we could do worse.
GravediggerHebner
1/27/2010-12:52pm at 12:52 pm (UTC -4)
I am not sure someone with the talent, knowledge and experience of a Pat Gillick would want to work in that setting, but to be fair I’ve never asked him, that’s just my opinion.
Clearly the Mets have built solid teams but I think it’s at least open to debate as to just how that happened, and impossible for any side of the argument to truly determine how much was design and how much was blind luck. Maybe it’s because I’m too close to this situation both literally and emotionally but I find it easier to look at other organizations and imagine that they have a plan in place (I mean an overall long term plan, not a plan specific to one offseason). I think almost all of us have even in the best of times complained that this current regime “doesn’t know how to fill spots with ‘good’ players,” that they have a few great ones and a bunch of ‘others.’
Bottom line, I’ve been following this team since 1974, I’m not and have never been a season ticket holder but I will continue to watch and listen to the games I don’t attend, and I will continue to attend my annual 5 to 20 individual games depending on my own personal economy and not the won-lost record of the team. I’ve been to Tuesday night games in May of losing seasons with 6,0000 in attendance and to September Fan Appreciation Days at the end of 100 loss seasons. That’s not going to change.
But to say I am firmly behind this ownership group and front office, to say I see and believe in their vision for the short and long term of this team, would be a complete fabrication.
I really can’t wait until 3/2 and that first spring game, when I can just enjoy my HD SNY telecast of Florida sunshine and the sound of the crack of the bat, and the fastball hitting the mitt followed by the umpire calling a strike. The less time I spend on the owners and the front office, the better my mental, emotional and physical health.
tkfj
1/27/2010-12:38pm at 12:38 pm (UTC -4)
Screw Rosenthal, seriously that was horrid, assumption based analysis. Let the haters hate, the bashers bash, time to prove them wrong once the season starts. Positive thinking, FTW.
trs86
1/27/2010-12:40pm at 12:40 pm (UTC -4)
LOL< I mean this with tongue in cheek, but I thought you WERE Rosenthal?
Kingman 26
1/27/2010-12:56pm at 12:56 pm (UTC -4)
I was about to contact you because I was sure someone had hacked into TKFJ’s account and was posting under his name….
stickguy
1/27/2010-12:44pm at 12:44 pm (UTC -4)
His logic really was bad. Pinero, who knows how that went down, but the Mets made him an offer, and he liked LAs better. Is Rosenthal saying he told the mets if they added $X, he would sign, but they never responded? Hard to believe that. Now, maybe they said no more money, but that is a different story.
and Molina? They had the best (only?) offer out there seemingly forever. Certainly appears that it was Molinas side that strung things along. But again, it seems the Mets said the offer is on the table, take it or leave it, and he left.
Frankly, these should be looked at as positive moves. Omar used to get crap for bidding against himself, or giving out overly generous contracts (crap not reall ydeserved, compared to other GMs at least). But, here they set reasonable parameters, and stuck to their guns. Just like a “real” team and GM would!
stickguy
1/27/2010-12:46pm at 12:46 pm (UTC -4)
maybe you should syndicate me and Kingman. We can go forth and spread positiviality wherever the nabobs of negativity flower.
trs86
1/27/2010-12:49pm at 12:49 pm (UTC -4)
Hmmm, considering it would be me and 2 others listening I wonder who we should get to sponsor you guys? I am a beer drinker myself. Prefer Blue Moon, or perhaps just a Bud Light.
King and Stick’s Happy Hour brought to you buy Molson Coors Brewing Company the makers of Blue Moon.
Kingman 26
1/27/2010-12:52pm at 12:52 pm (UTC -4)
HA!!
I love the word “positiviality.”
trs86
1/27/2010-12:46pm at 12:46 pm (UTC -4)
Shock the World. Rubin, Manuel, Cerrone and I agree:
Rubin said he asked Manuel if Daniel Murphy could be a Joe McEwing-type utility player some day, with a better bat, ‘but Manuel suggested Mark DeRosa may be a better comparison.’
“That is an excellent comparison, actually… very interesting.”
I have said it before, his defense in LF was passable for a guy to give someone a break, I am sure the same could be said for his 3B, and 2B skills. Maybe he is “better” at 1B but for the future of the Mets, Murphy’s best role very well could be as a LH utility guy with a good stick.
GravediggerHebner
1/27/2010-12:56pm at 12:56 pm (UTC -4)
To borrow and twist slightly a phrase from Dennis Green, assuming that Ike Davis “is what we think he is,” that may be Murphy’s only chance to be with this team after this season.
trs86
1/27/2010-1:06pm at 1:06 pm (UTC -4)
Even if he is not, I think there will be FA to upgrade the position unless Murphy god willing proves me wrong.
jaydh
1/27/2010-1:19pm at 1:19 pm (UTC -4)
Just let the kid play. Develop him. He works hard to get better and he improved a lot at the end of the season. Lets see if he can build on it before looking at other options. Of course, disregard if delgado becomes more mobile.
darknova306
1/27/2010-1:37pm at 1:37 pm (UTC -4)
Agreed. The kid only got 1 game in at AAA. His rookie season should really have been a full AAA season for him. 12 HRs and 38 2B isn’t exactly garbage. I think he can really improve with another year of experience, especially with a healthy lineup around him. I could very well be wrong, but let me have some optimism about SOMEONE on this team.
fongy2
1/27/2010-1:41pm at 1:41 pm (UTC -4)
I’ve said it many times….The kid reminds
my ALOT of a cross b/t/ Dave Magidan and
Gregg Jefferies…..Which ain’t to bad.
stickguy
1/27/2010-1:49pm at 1:49 pm (UTC -4)
jefferies could hit. And in case you forgot, he had his best year (of a few good ones) in St. Louis, playing 1B! Pretty sure he finished fairly high that year in the MVP balloting, and had over 100 rbis.
fongy2
1/27/2010-2:01pm at 2:01 pm (UTC -4)
Jefferies could hit MLB pitching @20y/o…Which
again has been my argument
at how overrated FMart is.
I don’t think there’s much doubt Murphy’s gonna hit.
He knows what hes doing at the plate, takes pitches,
doesn’t K much, etc..
Like Mags,he was a 3bman,
converted to 1B.
Jefferies really never had a position BUT again, man
could he hit!
Kingman 26
1/27/2010-2:54pm at 2:54 pm (UTC -4)
Not fair my friend.
There have been lots of players who did not dominate at the minor league level who became MLB stars.
Wright, Reyes, and Utley are 3 guys who did not show in the minors how good they would eventually be.
Kingman 26
1/27/2010-2:57pm at 2:57 pm (UTC -4)
Oops, talking about FMart here….
stickguy
1/27/2010-1:37pm at 1:37 pm (UTC -4)
And frankly, getting a guy from the minors who can fill that role for minimal money is a very good thing. Nicer of course if he blossoms into a solid starter, but still very useful and hard to find.
Derosa got pelnty of money, and was in pretty good demand, for a few years doing it.
and for the jack of all trades, you don’t have to be spectacular defensively at all the positions, just have a basic clue and make the routine plays.
fongy2
1/27/2010-1:35pm at 1:35 pm (UTC -4)
I’ts still amazin to me the amount of Murphy bashing which goes on with Met fans. What exactly did many expect from a kid in
his first full season, with no AAA experience, switching positions in season, on a team with no one around him in the
line-up???…I also find it strange that many of the same fans
who have been expecting FMart to have already been fixture
here,despite never being above average at any level and never
staying healthy for a yr, want to so quickly send Thole up to
Buffalo for a yr “to prove himself”.
I also can’t understand the general negativity with Pelf and
Parnell.
stickguy
1/27/2010-1:47pm at 1:47 pm (UTC -4)
instant gratification?
I agree though that I liked what Murphy showed (although the numbers weren’t spectacular), considering all the factors you mentioned. And I am erally anxious to see what he can do with a full off season to digest and process the year, work on his weak areas as a hitter, and practice defense,.
If anything seems clear about this guy, he likes to play, and works really hard to improve. Maybe not the single most talented player ever, but almost guaranteed you won’t look back and say he wasted his god given talent!
F Mart? He actually performed well at different levels, just missing too much time. It probably was a stupid thing bringing him up last year, but he showed enough flashes to make you realize what the hype is about.
Thole? He actually looks like a ML hitter now, so since it seems to be defense that he has to master (he ertainly hit just fine in AA), buffalo makes sense.
Pelf does get too much crap. Still looking to put it all together, but he seems to have the stuff to do it.
fongy2
1/27/2010-1:57pm at 1:57 pm (UTC -4)
Maybe I’m too jaded when it comes to FMart BUT
I’ve seen ALOT of him in ’07&’08 and never saw in
dominate for a gm, much less a week or a month.
Granted he was always the youngest guy on the field BUT for all the hype…. He was very ordinary in ’06,’07&’08 AND from everything I saw
live, the kid has a sweet swing BUT ordinary power,can’t hit the slow stuff, has ordinary speed
and isn’t a CFer, but a LFer.
I’ve had the feeling with him for a long time
that AT BEST he’s David DeJesus….And THAT won’t
be for a few more yrs.
stickguy
1/27/2010-2:23pm at 2:23 pm (UTC -4)
as with all prospects, only time will tell.
The only time I saw him in person was a game in washington that I went to while he was up. IIRC, he roped 2 doubles off the wall, so based on that small sample, he looked pretty danged good!
In his case, I give some credence to the various “pros” that do the rankings. If they still all like him, I say give him some more time.
Also, those guys set their rankings more on projected ceiling, not just what they are doing at that point.
anyhow, this shoulc be a big year from him. Stay healthy, and if he can put up 400 very productive ABs in AAA, he could be on the fast track (or, faster than what he has been on!)
trs86
1/27/2010-2:31pm at 2:31 pm (UTC -4)
I am not bashing him, I like him as a baseball player. Mark Derosa is a very good MLB player and a valuable one at that. I just don’t see him as the 1B for the NY Mets. Sorry.
GravediggerHebner
1/27/2010-2:40pm at 2:40 pm (UTC -4)
Michael Kay, now Yankee play-by-play announcer after his previous career as Yankee beat writer, seems to be spending the majority of his ESPN 1050 radio show this afternoon on the Mets. Those with the stomach for it may want to check it out.
So far they are some combination of rudderless and broke (financially) according to Kay.
njstuckintx
1/27/2010-3:13pm at 3:13 pm (UTC -4)
It always amazed me that NY had/have Carton and Joe & Evan as the only Pro Mets radio people in the area.
mrose
1/27/2010-3:26pm at 3:26 pm (UTC -4)
don’t forget Steve Summers
saltygary
1/27/2010-4:08pm at 4:08 pm (UTC -4)
He’s the one guy I miss listening to on the Fan, Except when he gets into the Rangers because I can care less about Hockey. But Ranger fans should be proud to have him.
billydeewilliams
1/27/2010-4:16pm at 4:16 pm (UTC -4)
Randy Winn to the yankees…maybe now MC can shut up about his whole “Mets shoulda gotten Randy Winn cheaper” nonsense.
njstuckintx
1/27/2010-4:27pm at 4:27 pm (UTC -4)
Now it will probably bring up TRS wanting Damon to play first. heh.
njstuckintx
1/27/2010-4:31pm at 4:31 pm (UTC -4)
TRS, I joke.
mrose
1/27/2010-4:29pm at 4:29 pm (UTC -4)
are you kidding? Now hes gonna continuously say that they shoulda just signed winn, its gonna rehash the GMJ fiasco all over again
GravediggerHebner
1/27/2010-4:40pm at 4:40 pm (UTC -4)
You called that one.
I don’t give my “page views” away so I haven’t read the article but I bet it overlooks the idea that Winn took $2.5 million and only Brett Gardner standing between him and lots of playing time, and the opportunity to get to the postseason something he’s never done in his career, over the “opportunity” to back up a back up for the Mets, a team with to put it politely a less realistic chance at the post season than the Yankees.
mrose
1/27/2010-4:42pm at 4:42 pm (UTC -4)
“…so, the Mets could have had winn and Brian Stokes, for $2.5 million, as opposed to no stokes and Gary Matthews Jr. for $1 million… got it…”
that is at the end of his article..which leads to believe an “opinion” piece is coming and likely forgetting what you said… but lets see if you are surprised..you make great points
stickguy
1/27/2010-5:47pm at 5:47 pm (UTC -4)
another TRS find passes us by. If he went to Mill, that means the Mets took a pass on him.
“The Brewers claimed infielder Joe Inglett off waivers from the Rangers,”
But, on the good news side, Tim Redding signed with the Rangers.
And, only a minor league deal, which I exoect a number of the remaining fuys will have to do, so you gotta figure Omar snags 1 or 2 for depth, even if it is at Bufffalo?
GravediggerHebner
1/27/2010-5:54pm at 5:54 pm (UTC -4)
I’m not 100% sure of this but I believe if the Mets had claimed him on waivers they would have to put him on the 40 man roster.
If that’s true, according to Mets.com that roster currently has 39 people on it. The Mets must be holding a spot open for someone else, perhaps one of their non-roster invitees to spring training, an as yet signed acquisition such as Smoltz or Washburn, or God forbid Carlos Delgado.
stickguy
1/27/2010-6:04pm at 6:04 pm (UTC -4)
I haven’t seen it lately, but I have to imagine there are still a few guys taking up space on the 40 man that will not be missed if they get removed. Start with Slappy if they need room!
and if they resign Delgado, unless it is for a MiL ST invite, I may boycott the team too.
rustyjr
1/27/2010-5:54pm at 5:54 pm (UTC -4)
lol tim redding we hardly knew ye lol
rustyjr
1/27/2010-5:55pm at 5:55 pm (UTC -4)
btw he signed with colorado – his era will be in the 12′s lol
stickguy
1/27/2010-6:04pm at 6:04 pm (UTC -4)
texas, colorado, it’s all just out west to me.
rustyjr
1/27/2010-6:11pm at 6:11 pm (UTC -4)
one has steers the other one has rocky mountain oysters lol
rustyjr
1/27/2010-5:53pm at 5:53 pm (UTC -4)
guys in responce to my column earlier today – I am not trying to be nagative but i feel a little disillusioned. ever since wilpon went on the fat mans show and said they would do all they can to field a championship caliber team ( sorry ive repeated that to death) except for signing bay and taking their chances on evers, escobar and the japanese guy ask tyourselves wow this team will be right up there with the phils and marlins? a lot of things have to go right for this to happed – I am and I will always be a die hard fan but i can’t swallow the company line thats being force fed to us. I want this team to win badly – it kills me to slag them! I heard rosenthal today and yes he came off as a first class douche – but he did make a couple of valid points. i was reading Mets fever earlier and they said cots had the payroll to date at 129 million whereas last years payroll was 149 mill – i do feel that the mets are trying to cut costs even though they denied that they were think about it between the cut in the prices of seats and the more that availabilty of seats – since we know that unless they start off the season in a dominating way – will end up being unsold. So i think they arer trying to save face to recoup that money – I hope im wrong , but honestly what has this organization done recently to give us confidence in them. Sorry kingman my friend right now i don’t feel so positive, maybe once i see grapefruit league games on sny my opinion will change but right now i feel very down trodden
GravediggerHebner
1/27/2010-5:59pm at 5:59 pm (UTC -4)
I think of anything you could possibly pick to repeat to death, you picked the perfect thing with that line from the Francesa interview. It shows them to be at best delusional, at worst complete BS’ers. At this stage of the off season there is really nothing they could realistically do that would live up to those statements. Trading for Arroyo AND Phillips would be about as close as they could come so I guess they have a slight opening there, but otherwise I think along the lines of “Remember The Maine” (the ship, not the pitcher) or “Remember The Alamo” it’s something that bears repeating.
stickguy
1/27/2010-6:10pm at 6:10 pm (UTC -4)
cheer up. Pretty soon the off season will be over, and you can focus on the only enjoyable part of fandom. Watching them play. With sitting out in the sun sucking down beers while doing it being a close 2nd (or maybe distant 1st).
that whole interview was kind of silly, but they never did promise unliited spending on every FA. But you are right, it would have been better to skip the hyperbole.
and, as to the budget? This is a business, you know. And if they are seeing a revenue drop looming, then it is prudent to trim the expenses a bit. And better on the ML roster, then at the MiL level (including the draft and IFAs).
while sometimes you gotta spend money to make money, remember we are fans, they are the business people that take the losses.
Besides, the team is going to be just fine. It should be an enjoyable team to watch, and they will win plenty of games if they can avoid the wholesale injury problems. At least the guys that had the problems are either gone (for now!) or have been repaired.
rustyjr
1/27/2010-6:14pm at 6:14 pm (UTC -4)
but stick other than pelf where do they spend when it comes to the mil ? and also other than castillio when have the mets made a big mid season seadline deal – and don’t give me frenchie lol otherwise i know im not being rational here i know its a buisness but we are a big market team and i am a bit embarraed that they didnt really flex those muscles this off season – i better be butying stock in sam adams and rolaids cuz ill be needing it lol
stickguy
1/27/2010-6:23pm at 6:23 pm (UTC -4)
I actualy don’t think they invest enough in the minor league ssytem and draft, so the idea of them cutting back there is truly scary.
And no, Omar hasn’t made a huge deadline deal, but there really aren’t that many big name ones yearly, are there? SO nady for Ollie+ was pretty significant, Castillo, and that’s about it.
but to be fair, in 2006 there was no need, and in 2007 at the deadline they were cruising pretty good, and 2B was kinda the big need. 2008 I give you he should have grabbed some more arms. And last year, why bother?