As many of you faithful readers that follow this blog know, I was very disenfranchised with the perceived lack of significant off season moves. But as pitchers and catchers reported to Port St. Lucie during the frigid month of February my anger started to ebb and a wave of positivity came rushing forth ( thanks for the pep talk Kong ). So far I see the positives outweighing the negatives . I see a team that for the most part that has taken the perils of last year to heart and are vowing to avenge their reputations for blip in the road for what was the ’09 season. I see smarter defense being played ( especially Daniel Murphy). I see that hitters are being patient at the plate. Our bullpen might be one of our biggest strengths this coming season. And how can a smile not crack your face when you think of the strides that Mejia, Davis, Martinez and Neise are making ! But then you either listen to the radio whether it is WFAN or 1050, or you watch SNY and Espn and you sense the utter lack of respect that is being heaped on this team , not just by the hosts and the talking heads – but by our fellow fan base as well !!! I was listening to Evan Roberts on WFAN yesterday, and he has been a bit more positive about the Mets of late . But some caller with the brain of a typical Yankee fan ( lobotomized) went on to kill the Mets about their off season , he kept to the usual script about how we have a poor farm system with no prospects and went on to pontificate how the Mets signed a bunch of AAAA ringers to play in Buffalo ! Both mine and Evan had the same reaction which was WHAT!!!! This alleged Mets fan (Â I suspect he was really a Skankee fan) was in my opinion way out of line and although my views have clashed with Roberts of late , we were on the same page that it seems fashionably to knock our team at every possible moment. I swear sometimes I feel like our team is the Rodney Dangerfield of baseball. But remember Rodney always did get the last laugh – and so shall the Mets !
Â
                                                                        
                                                                             ” Our Patron Saint !”
And with that said …. HERE COMES THE INFAMY !!!!
Happy Birthday to one time catching prospect and understudy to Mike Piazza from ’01-04 , Vance Wilson . (1973)
New York Mets signed free agent outfielder Jerry Martin of the Kansas City Royals on March 17, 1984. Does anyone here have any recollection of him playing in ’84 ? Because I sure as hell don’t !
New York Mets traded pitchers Pete Walker and Luis Arroyo to the San Diego Padres for outfielders Roberto Petagine and Scott Adair on March 17, 1996.
New York Mets signed free agent Timo Perez on March 17, 2000. Timo in my opinion was the first incarnation of Angel Pagan. Both were fourth string outfielders who were thrusted into playing everyday , could hit, and made great defensive plays. But both suffered brain farts when running the bases – see the ’00 World Series game one for a prime example.
New York Mets released ” Super” Joe McEwing on March 17, 2005. There was no position that Joe didn’t attempt to play to keep himself in the line up. He was a average player at best, but man did he ever own Randy Johnson !! He is currently a manager in the Chicago White Sox organization.
And don’t forget – There are just 19 Tim Foli days until the Mets open the 2010 season against the Florida Marlins at Citi Field.- ( Yes I know that Bobby Ojeda also wore the number 19 – but this is my countdown so deal  with it !!!)
48 comments
rustyjr
3/17/2010-7:08am at 7:08 am (UTC -4)
Oh and btw happy st paddys day to us all !
stickguy
3/17/2010-8:19am at 8:19 am (UTC -4)
too me a while this AM to figure out why the XM station I had on was playing Celtric music,. I tend to be a little foggy at 6:30.
stickguy
3/17/2010-8:18am at 8:18 am (UTC -4)
ALl the back pages, off season “reviews”, and season predictions are just back ground noise. I combination of hyperbole, mis information, and parroting what you heard elsewhere (the old “everyone knows” concept”.
“winning” the off season is also wildly overrated, since last I checked, you don’t get a trophy or parade for that (or a bump inthe standings). The media and talking heads also tend to focus too much on the new faces signed, and not paying enough attention to the returning talent (both young guys on the upside of the development curve, and ones returning from injuries). And they also tend to downplay who was lost.
shorter answer, ignore the off season. Hell, ignore most of ST, beyond looking at how healthy guys seem to be. And as much as possible, clean the slate from the year before.
Once ST is over, and the roster is set (and hopefully we have more concrete answers on when R&B will return), then you can try to evaluate the Mets, and the other teams, and make predictions for the season.
Most of which will be pretty far off, of course, but that’s part of the fun!
njstuckintx
3/17/2010-9:01am at 9:01 am (UTC -4)
You also need to ask the question, what actually would have made these experts declare the offseason a victory? Every offseason cannot be what the Yanks did last year. You just don’t sign a Tex, CC and AJ every offseason. That was a perfect storm.
The Mets did everything they needed to sans the SP issues. Upgraded OF, C, BP and Bench. 5th slot position for the SP as well. All this while reducing their overall payroll. They may have something similar to the Yanks perfect storm in 2012, with Perez, Beltran and Castillo (and Reyes, but he’s getting resigned without question) all coming off the books. How the Kids pan out will determine how that all plays out though. So, I just don’t see how people can say the offseason was a bust. It’s bothered me for a while now. I know it generates more buzz to beat on the Mets, but when all the facts are shoved in one’s face, how do they overlook it? Baffling.
stickguy
3/17/2010-9:24am at 9:24 am (UTC -4)
They didn’t sign at least a 2nd ace, if not 2 more. So, automatic F.
best as I can figure, that is the logic.
They had a bad year, so anything short of a yankee level (circa 2008) splurge was unacceptable?
My big gripe is they harped on the results from the players on the field in the 2nd half, but then gave no plusses for the ones slotted to come back.
But like you said, they had certain open spots that were filled with pretty much the best available options (C and LF), added SP depth (#5 guys), and some spare parts. All while preserving the top prospects, and looking to get the calvelry back a year late.
Overall, that has to be considered a reasonable success. Even without adding a middle-upper rotation SP, which just didn’t seem to be available at a realistic cost.
njstuckintx
3/17/2010-9:45am at 9:45 am (UTC -4)
I personally give them a B. That B is for the Cora signing specifically.
And this is a revisionist B. I originally wanted a high risk signing due to the lack of anything legit out there pitching wise (after Lackey). But looking how those high reward guys are playing (sheets in particular), it seems they have made the right decision.
trs86
3/17/2010-9:49am at 9:49 am (UTC -4)
The risk signings were there just they did a good job of not overpaying for them. Escobar, Iragashi, Taka, Jacobs those are all risk signings but total they add up to about 2M. LOL>
udontmesswthejohan
3/17/2010-9:59am at 9:59 am (UTC -4)
I think people are disappointed int he off season because even with the improvements they have made (Bay and the assumption that Reyes and Beltran would be healthy – how is that working out BTW?). Is that this was still a deeply flawed team last year, even if they were healthy. Did they pick up enough games this year with what they did? I don’t think so when the starting rotation after Johan still looks the way it does.
I advocated going after an OF (I was partial to Holliday, but it was obvious that he wanted to stay in STL, and Bay is a good player so I really have no problem with that) and Lackey. You can say what you want about the contract lackey got and whether it will still be viable down the road, but right now, can you tell me that you wouldn’t feel more comfortable with at least Johan and lackey at the front of the rotation.
Look, I’m a pessimist in life, but not when it comes to my sports teams. I always take a glass half full approach, but the truth of the matter is that a LOT of things need to bounce right for this team to have a chance. By a LOT, I mean more than the average team that expects to contend. That’s just the way I see it.
ceetar
3/17/2010-10:02am at 10:02 am (UTC -4)
but it’s not chance for those things to bounce right. (And a fair chance that Lackey bounces wrong, even this year, and misses games)
Perez, while not exactly the mark of consistency, healthy, is a lock to win over 10 games. The offense wins him more than that. Pelfrey is a growing pitcher, and won 10 games on a bad team. So it doesn’t seem unreasonable that good or bad bounce, both guys win 12-14 games.
udontmesswthejohan
3/17/2010-10:16am at 10:16 am (UTC -4)
But you are just choosing to assume that Maine, Pelfrey, and Perez are able to recapture the success that they enjoyed in the past. It’s far from a sure thing. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying it can’t or won’t happen, but I can’t say that I’m overly optimistic, and that is why I don’t think you can label the off season a success.
Right now, the team looks almost identical, with the exception of Bay really, as the team that ended last season.
trs86
3/17/2010-10:20am at 10:20 am (UTC -4)
He’s not assuming previous success for those guys. Just using logic that they will win 10-14 games. If MOP are healthy that is what they will win. Maine of course I am still not sure he is healthy.
Also, Udon’t how can you call this team identical to what they finished with when you look at the pitching staff?
You are most concerned with the lack of upgrade on the staff but then don’t acknowledge that we ended the year with Figgy as our #1.
udontmesswthejohan
3/17/2010-10:31am at 10:31 am (UTC -4)
You are right, not identical since all the injuries, but I guess my point is that this team was flawed last year with or without the injuries. The M & O boys were not exactly lighting it up before the injuries.
trs86
3/17/2010-10:36am at 10:36 am (UTC -4)
Depends, when were the injuries? Maine and Perez appear to have been injured all year.
Also lets not forget they had the best May in team history before the injuries and were in 1st.
ceetar
3/17/2010-10:23am at 10:23 am (UTC -4)
Why should I not expect a young pitcher to grow and learn off a bad one? Even if he pitched just like last year, with the added/healthy offense he’d win 2-4 more games probably.
Perez isn’t really ‘recapturing’ anything. He was injured last year. you can’t really count that. Not saying what he did in ’07 and ’08 was amazing, but he’ll win some games.
Maine has had less a history of success and is a little older in that you start to question a little bit if he’ll ever really get it together. But again, if you go back to the last time he was fully healthy?
I just don’t think it’s as much a thing of chance that these guys do indeed improve. No more than say, Hamels, or Happ having good seasons.
njstuckintx
3/17/2010-10:12am at 10:12 am (UTC -4)
I’d absolutely prefer to have Lackey now. I’d take Wolf now, for that matter. But saying they only got 1 of the top 3 FAs is a failure is not a fair summation of the offseason. Question for you. If the Mets had signed Lackey instead of Bay, would you change your grade on the offseason?
I don’t think you can judge the offseason based on every flaw the Mets had and it only be a success if they’ve filled everyone. I consider the Nats to have had a very good offseason. Their team still will be either 4th or 5th in the NE East, but relative to what they were to what they got, they definitely improved. Same logic for the Mets. What they had at the end of last season to what they currently have, they are improved.
udontmesswthejohan
3/17/2010-10:29am at 10:29 am (UTC -4)
“Question for you. If the Mets had signed Lackey instead of Bay, would you change your grade on the offseason?”
Not necessarily, but why couldn’t they have attempted to sign both of them? I mean, is that really such an inconceivable notion? Especially after what the Yankees did last year? I’m honestly tired of people criticizing the Yankees for “buying” championships. the rules are the rules. The Mets can afford to take advantage of them unlike many small market teams, so they should do just that.
While I agree with you regarding the Nats offseason, I don’t buy the comparison. Since when did we start comparing ourselves to the Nationals? If this is the case, then it says more about the sad state of affairs of this orginization than anything else.
Lastly, I also disagree that this team is vastly improved. We still are without Beltran and now Reyes. yes we got Bay, and i think he will work out well, but right now, opening day, this team is hardly improved.
njstuckintx
3/17/2010-10:42am at 10:42 am (UTC -4)
It wasn’t so much the comparison to the Nats specifically, but the sitaution of improvement.
As to the attempt to sign, I don’t think we ever had a chance. You know the details as well as I do with “Omar was going to meet with him and then the Sox snapped him up”. Other than sitting on his front step when free agency started, I’m not sure we really would have been given the chance, regardless. If putting out a contract that would most likely have been declined makes you feel better, than, OK, the Mets should have put something out there. The Mets would have had to way overspend to make Lackey choose NY over Boston. IF I had the choice, I’d choose Boston too, and I heart the Mets!
udontmesswthejohan
3/17/2010-10:46am at 10:46 am (UTC -4)
“IF I had the choice, I’d choose Boston too, and I heart the Mets!”
Ha – no arguments there!
trs86
3/17/2010-10:47am at 10:47 am (UTC -4)
There are plenty of reports that Omar had been in contact with Lackey. However, those reports also say that the Mets had no intentions of giving him the guaranteed years he wanted. Thus no reason to discuss things with the Mets. Boston was the only team to offer the years so he jumped on it.
trs86
3/17/2010-10:49am at 10:49 am (UTC -4)
Also, obviously this team is vastly improved from the one they ended with if nothing else because they have a better rotation than Pelfrey, Figgy, Misch, Parnell and Redding.
But besides that again the opening day lineup of the 2009 Mets was predicted to go to the WS AND was in 1st place before the injuries. Why would they need a major overhaul?
njstuckintx
3/17/2010-11:00am at 11:00 am (UTC -4)
Agreed, and I feel this opening day isn’t that much different than that one.
Assuming quickly healed injuries for Reyes/Beltran, no reason to suspect Mets can’t make a run.
trs86
3/17/2010-10:17am at 10:17 am (UTC -4)
I am not sure many teams were willing to give Lackey that kind of money considering his injuries. You have to give Boston credit for getting creative with their contract but I agree with the Mets that contract is too long. Besides, how do you get on the Mets for not signing one specific player when you don’t know if that was even possible?
udontmesswthejohan
3/17/2010-10:37am at 10:37 am (UTC -4)
I’m not saying that not signing him was a sin. But, I did expect them to at least be involved. Didn’t you?
I was dissapointed in the effort, or lack thereof, more than anything else really. The truth of the matter is that it was a weak free agent class with regard to pitching, so I think they got let off the hook a bit. But if there were 3 or 4 top of the rotation guys available do you think they would have been seriously involved with one of them if they didn’t like Lackey? Or would they have just settled on Bay all over again. I’m not so sure that they would have been involved. I’m sorry to say that, but that is where I am at with this team right now.
trs86
3/17/2010-10:44am at 10:44 am (UTC -4)
They were involved. Plenty of reports have came out saying just that. They had no desire to go that length in years and Lackey knew it.
stickguy
3/17/2010-8:26am at 8:26 am (UTC -4)
As to positiviality, it just seems that negative (shock value?) “reporting” has become almost mandatory. Almost like the various blatherers and talking heads are afraid to say anything positive or upbeat, in fear of being labelled a wussy, or being laughed at. Guess being edgy is the goal now.
That and being obsessed with rumors and gossip, and having to be the first twit to tweet (David Wright belched! Season over met fans! panic!)
Much better to tune out the noise, don’t obsess over the holes you perceived, and try to look objectively at the possibilities. And try, if you can, to actually enjoy watching some games.
And I honestly think there are fans out there that are so miserable now (about things that have nothing to do with actual games or play on the field), before the season even starts, that they probably should just boycott the team for the sake of their mental health.
I’m sure to hear some kool-aid comments, but so what? Right now, the mets are in 1st place. And if you can’t be upbeat during ST, what’s the point? Is it only OK to enjoy the team if they are predicted to win 140 games?
metsfan4decades
3/17/2010-8:28am at 8:28 am (UTC -4)
I’ve been hearing and listening to Met fans this off season and they’re running the gambit from:
- poor off season
- 4th place finish
- no farm system
- contending team
- 1 SP short of post season
- season = over with April loss of Beltran and Reyes
- worst GM
- worst manager
I know baseball is not played on paper. I know if it were, as of today the Phils have the best shot of winning the NL east.
I pretty much know the Nats aren’t going to be sitting top of the NL East come Oct.
Since baseball is not played on paper, how about Met fans wait until we actually play a few games before declaring season = over?
Did anyone predict the injuries and lost season that was 2009? Anyone going in see more games lost than won – by a wide margin? I’ll bet no….
Bottom line is we’ve got enough talent on the team to contend. It’s anyone’s guess how this all plays out.
Me? I’m going in optimistic until there is good reason not to be.
stickguy
3/17/2010-8:36am at 8:36 am (UTC -4)
obviously my rant just above this post was not directed toward you!
I would say that being more “mature” comes from having been around this block a few times (wisdom of the ages? Too damned old to get all worked up anymore?), except that some of the biggest knee-jerk negativity mongers are even older!
rustyjr
3/17/2010-8:40am at 8:40 am (UTC -4)
Hitting the Jameson alread stick j/k btw I figured it wasn’t aimed at me
stickguy
3/17/2010-8:54am at 8:54 am (UTC -4)
Nope, not you easier.
And trying to be realistic is fine. It’s the “sky already fell and hit me on the head” crowd that I get a laugh out of.
rustyjr
3/17/2010-8:57am at 8:57 am (UTC -4)
Oh you mean mattsblog lol
metsfan4decades
3/17/2010-8:57am at 8:57 am (UTC -4)
I just hate that ‘mature’ usually equates to ‘old’ – LOL…
rustyjr
3/17/2010-9:00am at 9:00 am (UTC -4)
I’m a very imature mature lol
ceetar
3/17/2010-9:51am at 9:51 am (UTC -4)
well, in the sense that it usually takes experience and learning from mistakes to get wise and mature, and that takes time. Some learn faster than others though.
I think a lot of it, online at least, has to do with the average age of a blog commenter. This is mostly conjecture, but it feels like the average whiny, season over, fan is parroting negative things they’ve heard, and is very doom and gloom and don’t really get it. And are also young.
gategem
3/17/2010-10:33am at 10:33 am (UTC -4)
“wisdom of the ages? Too damned old to get all worked up anymore?â€
Not too damned old to get all worked up anymore, but rather old enough to put things in their proper perspective. There are more important things to get worked up about in life. Baseball to me should be fun. It’s entertainment. I try to ignore both the extreme negative and positive comments on the internet or by the media and not look at an 8 oz glass as being half full or half empty but as containing 4 oz of liquid.
CaseStreet
3/17/2010-9:24am at 9:24 am (UTC -4)
Caught some DNL last night. They all agreed Omar’s best move this offseason was brining in the Mets B&B (Barajas and Blanco).
stickguy
3/17/2010-9:32am at 9:32 am (UTC -4)
realistically, compared to where they finished the season to now (which I have to think is the only logical way to judge and off season), where are they?
IMO, they are better at C, 1B, SS, LF, SP and BP. Call CF, 2B, RF and 3B a push (although you can argue that 3B is better too).
Logic? Sometimes I have it. But, C and LF are new players that are better than what they replace. SS is reyes coming back to replace the dreck. SP is mostly the injured being healthier, and a better #5 option(s). BP I like a bunch of the new arms. And 1B I am assuming (hoping for?) some normal progression for a young player (and of course, much better option coming up behind him).
Hell, even the prospects on the near horizon are a step up.
So, the team improved quite a bit overall over the mess that sputtered down the stretch. Are they a 95 win dynamo? Darned if I know. But they did have a good off season, if you look at it as a whole (and the team on the field, or soon to be there!)
trs86
3/17/2010-9:39am at 9:39 am (UTC -4)
Right now SS and CF are not improved but other than that I agree and would add that our SP SHOULD all be improved.
CaseStreet
3/17/2010-9:42am at 9:42 am (UTC -4)
Cora should be an improvement over A. Hern.
trs86
3/17/2010-9:47am at 9:47 am (UTC -4)
LOL, I guess.
ceetar
3/17/2010-9:53am at 9:53 am (UTC -4)
RF is probably not improved either.
I’m getting really excited about the season. (more so if Reyes’ tests come back clean, soon.) 19 days.
stickguy
3/17/2010-9:55am at 9:55 am (UTC -4)
that’s why I said 2B and RF were a push, menaing they are probably about the same.
stickguy
3/17/2010-9:54am at 9:54 am (UTC -4)
well, I kind of fudged on SS since that was such a weird, late breaking change in ST. And just blind faith he is back resaonably soon.
If R&B are both back by 5/1, then they still count inmy analysis!
ceetar
3/17/2010-9:59am at 9:59 am (UTC -4)
It’s sounding more and more like Beltran will be back before May 1st. I know that’s not a popular sentiment, but I’ve heard he’ll start playing rehab games when the Mets break camp, in two weeks, April 1st, etc. Beltran says he only needs like 10 days of games. Which seems reasonable because he _is_ in shape. maybe 2 weeks of games? But all reports suggest that if that’s the case, it’s April 20th, give or take.
Now, I think the ‘goal/hope’ for both players should be on the field before April 26th. Give them about one series to get acclimated before the ‘big’ Phillies series.
stickguy
3/17/2010-10:06am at 10:06 am (UTC -4)
April 26th would be wonderful. Don’t even miss that many games, given all the days off in April (only 22 games scheduled for the entire month).
It is time for the Mets to get a couple of breaks with players coming back early instead of late, right? Please?
ceetar
3/17/2010-10:12am at 10:12 am (UTC -4)
The setbacks of last year don’t mean that we should expect a setback with Beltran. Not that that’s stopping anybody.
Obviously until they’re on the field playing, anythingcan happen, but it doesn’t seem wrong to hope.
CaseStreet
3/17/2010-9:41am at 9:41 am (UTC -4)
yeah, just pointing out how people are really excited about B&B improving MOP. (B&B is a new acronym I’m introducing).
njstuckintx
3/17/2010-9:47am at 9:47 am (UTC -4)
And it sounds cozy and inviting too!
stickguy
3/17/2010-9:53am at 9:53 am (UTC -4)
every B&B needs a good MOP if you want satisfied customers…