This writer has for years been among those who largely refuse to hold the Wilpons responsible for the team’s on-field failings. Alas, this attitude no longer jibes with the reality we continue to see from this team.
Since the week before the break, it has become increasingly apparent that the Mets do not have enough talent to seriously compete with the better teams in the league. Yes, we have Johan and Wright and some big names, but the mystifying failures of some of those big names, along with the rather pedestrian play of most of the secondary players and reserves, has combined to give the team’s large and rabid fan base yet another summer of discontent.
2007 and 2008 were disappointments, but even the most cynical of fans has to agree that contending until the very last day of the regular season–despite the back-to-back horrific finishes—was infinitely preferable to the now nearly two-season-long marathon of uninspired and uninspiring mediocrity that we have been subjected to.
Yes, the Wilpons do spend a lot; this is not debatable. But the 2010 payroll, by almost all sources’ calculations, decreased from 2009, and it is hard to think that this is not directly tied to the overall economy’s effect on the Wilpons’ businesses. Madoff or no Madoff, Fred and his crew clearly have taken a hit over the last few years, and apparently have put a stop to continued escalating spending.
This began to become clear when the team stopped significant spending after giving Jason Bay a very generous deal; indeed the reasons for not obtaining more starting pitching over the last nine months (the extraordinarily fortunate arrival of Dickey notwithstanding) can be debated ad infinitum. Did Lackey want to be here? Was Pineiro overpriced? Did we not have the prospects to obtain Halladay or Oswalt? Did we but were we unwilling to trade them? The feeling here is that finances have finally begun to take a front row seat in the Mets’ decision-making apparatus. Whatever that apparatus consists of.
The Wilpons, much like last year, have said very little and done less during the somewhat extraordinary downward spiral we have witnessed since late June. Perhaps they really believe in the team. Perhaps they are as shell-shocked as we all are. Perhaps they are preoccupied with their other businesses in a very difficult economy. Perhaps they are still making money due to owning their TV network and the huge stream of corporate cash which flows into their coffers via the clearly corporate-focused Citi Field.
Unfortunately, sense and observation suggest that the latter is closest to the probable truth. Regardless of any opinion, the team can still make money without postseason appearances based on owning SNY and the corporate cash that flows through Citi Field.
Citi Field opened with 10,000 less seats that Shea had, which openly stated that massive gross attendance was not the goal. This writer felt the same way that countless others did after his first visit to the very nice Citi Field—it was hard to tell whose stadium one was at. The colors, the décor, and everything about the place screamed nice and new and primarily designed and dedicated to siphoning money from the wealthy and from corporations. This is not a leftist or a rightist rant; far from it. But this writer was expecting orange and blue everywhere, everything to be named after Met players and legendary figures, and to see a monument and a museum to the decades-long history of a very interesting team. This is not what appeared.
The creation, design, and reality of Citi Field was, quite obviously, not the labor of love of a family whose life centered around the team it owned, its history of colorful characters, and its two championship teams, which it can easily be argued are among the most memorable of the last 50 years. Citi Field, in size, concept, and reality, was designed to hold fewer people and first and foremost to milk every possible deep-pocketed source for maximum dollars.
Jeff Wilpon finally came alive in the wake of the embarrassing KRod situation. Prior to that, he had not commented much on the team’s on-field collapse, had not demanded anything publicly from players or management personnel, had not made a single change at any level that we know of, and had shown absolutely zero public concern for what the team’s fans have been going through for the second straight year. Fred Wilpon is most definitely a very smart man, and, as any father would, he publicly praised his son’s work. Those who hope that Jeff will be moved from his current position while Fred owns the team are most likely very delusional—Fred bought the team, as he has said, for his family. This is Jeff’s job. He’s not going anywhere.
The Wilpons have publicly praised Omar and shown no sign of removing him. Clearly Jerry Manuel will not be back. But why keep him for the remainder of the season? Do we need to see Francoeur and his sub-.300 OBP and a clearly futureless career minor leaguer like Hessman starting? The Orioles hired Buck Showalter, who may have been precisely the kind of successful, hard-nosed man needed to change the soft, consequence-less vibe of this team. The Orioles have played well since he took over. Why keep HoJo? The Astros and the Phillies changed hitting coaches in-season and have seen tangible positive results. But the Mets stand pat. Again. Might hiring a new manager and hitting coach, releasing Ollie and not playing a man down every night, and doing these things 1-2 weeks ago have injected some life into this team as well as a sense that the poor play might have consequences, and thus light some fires? Might we have been able to at least have made enough of a run to salvage respect if not a playoff spot?
Loyalty or inertia? Biding time or saving money?
The feeling here is that we may be in the midst of a dark period in Met history. Other than Niese, thus far the youngsters have shown very, very little to get excited about. Ownership finally reared its head when the chance to save millions in the KRod situation presented itself. Jeff has already laid the groundwork for lowered expectations with a trial balloon suggesting that someone already here (Takahashi? Parnell?) might do enough the rest of the way to be considered the 2011 closer. This would, of course, mean an opportunity to spend—or save–many more millions.
The way Citi was conceived, the way the team made zero significant changes other than Bay despite 2009’s results and the WFAN fiasco last fall, the way there has been absolutely zero done in the wake of now nearly two months of truly offensive offense-free baseball, and the way that ownership finally awakened when there were millions to be saved on KRod all combine to paint a very unpleasant picture.
There is some hope, to be sure, with a team that will return David Wright, Jose Reyes, a contract-year Carlos Beltran, Jason Bay, and the seemingly excellent 1-2-3 of Johan, Dickey, and Niese. But there simply is no way this team will contend without dramatic improvement to the secondary group that supports the mainstays. As this space has pointed out, in 2006 we had Floyd, Valentin, LoDuca, Chavez, Oliver, Bradford, and Sanchez. The supporting cast has diminished in quality every year, bottoming out in 2009 and 2010.
Will the Wilpons take the time and spend the required money to change this once and for all?
The expensive signing of their first round draft pick might show promise. But then again, it might also be another example of what some contend is doing just enough to satisfy just enough of the fan base to stave off mass defections.
Is the KRod incident the beginning of ownership presenting clear consequences to their players, or just a way for them to save desperately needed millions?
Was cutting Cora done to begin improving the supporting cast and amassing a war chest for 2011 expenditures, or just putting 2-point-something million in the mattress?
Only time will tell what the answers are to these and other questions.
But whether one is a Catatonic Optimist or a Nattering Nabob of Negativity, what we have seen thus far is not very encouraging.
It is hard to believe that another offseason will have us debating “breaking up the core” and whether it is this group’s “last chance” and if their “window” is closing. But here we are. Again.
One thing that we will most definitely and finally see without fail is whether or not winning is indeed the Wilpons’ top concern and priority. Failure to jettison Ollie and Slappy and not spending serious money on improvements to the bullpen, the back end of the rotation, second base, and the bench will lead to another season of discontent.
How many more seasons like this the average fan will endure is most definitely as questionable as the Wilpons’ commitment to winning is.
62 comments
njstuckintx
8/19/2010-9:55am at 9:55 am (UTC -4)
Dang, Bro. You getting paid by the word? That was one long read, but worth it.
You know, your last paragraph is the crux of the whole thing. The Wilpon’s are committed to winning. You just have to define what a win is in their eyes. Is fielding a product that keeps revenues streaming in their goal? If it is, they are winning. Winning big with each $10 beer. If the goal is to win a championship, profits be damned, well, they aren’t “winning” that (at least this year). It is an unfortunate system where emotional attachment on our part (the fans) does not take into consideration the overall goal of the Wilpon’s. Championships are nice, but when you can ponder what winning a championship is like while sipping Bordeaux and nibbling on baked brie, grapes and crackers that your butler has brought to you as you lounge in your imported Himalayan Goat skin recliner with carved ivory legs and your personal Swedish Masseuse kneads away the stress of such thinking out of you shoulders, I guess maybe not winning a championship isn’t all that bad.
Ceetar
8/19/2010-10:02am at 10:02 am (UTC -4)
I believe the Wilpons are devoted to winning as much as any other owner. I read somewhere that they budget the season based on breaking even and “profits” come from making the post season.
btw, beers are 7.75 for the good stuff. fairly reasonably priced actually.
njstuckintx
8/19/2010-10:05am at 10:05 am (UTC -4)
I was guestimating on the beers. It’s been too long since I’ve been to a Mets game in NY.
And yeah, I was painting a crazy scenario, but while they want to win, I don’t buy the breaking even with the team thing. If you factor in SNY, which is team related, they are making some ducketts, for sure.
kingman 26
8/19/2010-10:07am at 10:07 am (UTC -4)
“I read somewhere that they budget the season based on breaking even and “profits” come from making the post season.”
Truly ridiculous.
So they have “profited” once since 2000?
njstuckintx
8/19/2010-10:15am at 10:15 am (UTC -4)
I’ve been at Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s games, and am going tonight as well. I have not purchased any concessions at all (which is a miracle, cause beer makes everything, well, better). I was going to buy one last night and then thought, what the heck am i doing, i can buy a whole 6 pack with that money. Then as I sit and watch the people around me, they were throwing back beers and $7 nachos and $4.50 hot dogs like they just returned from a year long sabbatical in Ethiopia. Factor in TV contracts and such, I can’t imagine how a NY team can’t turn a profit. Yes, Ceet, I know what you wrote and I remember reading it as well. I just think that isn’t the whole ball of wax when it comes to overall $$$ spent and made for this team. They are definitely in it to make $. Maybe winning is first to them, but making a profit is as intertwined as ebony and ivory.
Ceetar
8/19/2010-10:20am at 10:20 am (UTC -4)
I always take reports about money and finances with a grain of salt.
Maybe they meant they budget the stadium, or the seats, to meet the payroll? and SNY is always profit? advertising?
Life is expensive these days. I do find myself having a snack and a beer or two when I go to the games. $30 easily..it adds up. but i’m out, i’m enjoying myself. Some days I do try to go to the park and buy nothing, find free parking, etc. it’s harder with the $19 tolls since I moved to the mainland though.
stickguy
8/19/2010-10:47am at 10:47 am (UTC -4)
for sure. A good accountant can make it seem like you are “losing” money even when you aren’t (by normal people standards). Depreciation, etc. all come into play.
Not to mention the entwined parts of the operation that charge each other fees.
so maybe the team/stadium itself is a loss leader (losing money) to get you in the door, but SNY is a cash cow?
Very few people actually know how much $$ the wilpons are clearing, and the true soruce, but I highly doubt they are losing money in any real sense.
njstuckintx
8/19/2010-10:17am at 10:17 am (UTC -4)
And the most important question (and appologies for the numerous posts), what qualifies as the good stuff? Brooklyn IPA?
Ceetar
8/19/2010-10:27am at 10:27 am (UTC -4)
this is where “stuckintx” hurts you..hehe.
Yeah, Brooklyn stuff was my main point. 4 different brooklyn brewery beers on tap. 3 of them exclusive to the concession/restaurant. Also the extended “Anheuser Busch” brands. (Goose Island and that type of thing) Also is a Blue Point tap too.
njstuckintx
8/19/2010-10:44am at 10:44 am (UTC -4)
Oh, it hurts alright. It’s $10 a six pack for Brooklyn. But, I can get a myriad of Fat Tire stuff here at very good prices. $12 & change for a 12 pack. Fat Tire, NJstuckinTX approved!
Ceetar
8/19/2010-10:53am at 10:53 am (UTC -4)
I’ve had Fat Tire. good stuff.
oleosmirf
8/19/2010-10:11am at 10:11 am (UTC -4)
great post Kingman and I agree with everything. This offseason will be a true testament to ownership’s desire to win as considering the 20 million or so of dead weight, they will need to increase their “budget” in order to field a team that can be good enough to make the playoffs.
unless “operation hope and pray” ends, the playoffs will never happen.
kingman 26
8/19/2010-10:13am at 10:13 am (UTC -4)
Thank you sir and thanks for reading!
stickguy
8/19/2010-10:33am at 10:33 am (UTC -4)
IMO, you should not look soley (or primarily) at the ML payroll to see if they are spending money. That mostly means they are following a model of adding big-name FA “stars”each year. And of course, is no guarantee of success (ask the cubs!).
I am more interested in the areas (the foundation really) where it is reported that they underspend (maybe to allow for the bloated payroll?). IFAs, draft picks, the minor league system overall. Stuff that is not as “sexy”, but where the perennial good teams (Rays, Twins, etc) that manage to win without super high ML payrolls invest their resources.
$12 million on overslots, IFAs, and MiL facilities can go a lot farther toward building a winning team than giving it to a guy like Ollie for 1 year.
Hey, I am all for trimming fat from the payroll, if they reinvest the money building the system. Replacing K Rod with a just as effective RP making $10,000,000 less per year? Wonderful if they can pull it off.
The money IMO is not the problem. The problem is who is “in charge”, and who is making the organizatinal philosphy decisions on how to spend the budget.
If Jeffy would replace Omar with a strong, smart BB organizationl guy (roster and system management), and really give him the autonomy to make sweeping changes, then the Mets will be well on the road to recovery.
oleosmirf
8/19/2010-10:36am at 10:36 am (UTC -4)
I wonder if this season maybe gets the Mets more involved in the Cliff Lee sweepstakes. Obviously, if the Yankees want him they will get him, but if the Wilpons really care about winning then getting an unarguable top 5 SP is the best avenue to explore.
a rotation of Johan, Lee, Niese, Pelfrey, Dickey is almost impossible to match.
Ceetar
8/19/2010-10:42am at 10:42 am (UTC -4)
I think Lee is too expensive. I don’t think he’ll be worth it, and I don’t think it’s worth locking down so much money in two SP that pitch less than 40% of the games.
But it depends on what we think about Niese Pelfrey and Dickey’s success for next year. If they’re going to approximate what they’ve done this year, and hopefully Niese and Pelfrey improve, then you don’t even really need Lee enough to pay that much for him. You can then use the 5th spot for bit players and rookie tryouts in Mejia and Gee, serviceable guys that we’ve grabbed from elsewhere, Misch, the rehabilitated Ollie, who knows.
njstuckintx
8/19/2010-10:47am at 10:47 am (UTC -4)
I have to agree. Seeing how we are paying Johan and how we see him beginning to tail off before our eyes is concerning. I mean, he is still very good, with flashes of brilliance, but, similar to Pedro, we all know long long long term deals with SP at high dollar values can be extremely risky.
oleosmirf
8/19/2010-10:57am at 10:57 am (UTC -4)
well i think there is a less than 5% chance that we get the same numbers from Dickey and Niese combined as we did this season.
I think we’ll see both players with a high 3 ERA and maybe see Niese in the 4.0-4.25 range
Dirtysanchez
8/19/2010-11:22am at 11:22 am (UTC -4)
I think lee can be worth it depending on the price that is. If he wants Johan money he can go to the yanks but if he wants a reasonable contract, Lee can definitely be worth it. The guy is a beast
oleosmirf
8/19/2010-11:26am at 11:26 am (UTC -4)
i’d give him Johan money but only at a max of 4 years.
stickguy
8/19/2010-10:44am at 10:44 am (UTC -4)
I doubt it, especially if the payroll is already tight. Signing another 32+YO pitcher to a 20mill+ LT contract does not sound like the ideal plan at this point.
Would much rather they try to spread the money to fill the multiple glaring holes (RF, 2B, maybe C), and still add a mid-level (and hopefully) yournger SP too.
Heck, the rotation has not been the real problem anyway. And it is hard to argue that this team, will be “fixed” by just adding 1 more SP (no matter how good he is).
If anything, putting all the available cash on Lee (and likely skiming elsewhere) would not indicate a new found desire to “win” as much as the old path of just getting the biggest name they can (to show they care?) while ignoring all the other holes.
oleosmirf
8/19/2010-11:09am at 11:09 am (UTC -4)
well i was implying the Mets spending on Lee and still spending on Hudson for 2B and someone like Austin Kearns or Coco Crisp as the 4th OF which is next to impossible you would think.
if i’m the Mets I look at the trade market and bring in someone like James Shields or a guy like Arroyo should he hit the market. Vasquez (only if he pitches well in Sept/Oct), Kuroda, Lilly, Garland, Westbrook
metsfan4decades
8/19/2010-11:20am at 11:20 am (UTC -4)
Not a chance, IMO.
rustyjr
8/19/2010-11:01am at 11:01 am (UTC -4)
Spot on in your Anaylasis kong – this franchise needs a great big shakeup
kingman 26
8/19/2010-11:31am at 11:31 am (UTC -4)
Thank you my friend.
Dirtysanchez
8/19/2010-11:21am at 11:21 am (UTC -4)
king, you are a top notch word smith, well done.
Cant argue with anything here. Its sad its come to this with this team. Theres alot of positives going into 2011 but it just feels the mets cant get out of their own way. Oliver Perez has not pitched in OVER 2 weeks(last apperance was aug 1st) and the offense is non existent. This team needs a major makeover and the only one stopping them in doing so is themselves. Thats the most depressing part. I just hope we see the right moves get done this offseason.
kingman 26
8/19/2010-11:31am at 11:31 am (UTC -4)
Dirty, I sincerely appreciate the compliment.
metsfan4decades
8/19/2010-11:24am at 11:24 am (UTC -4)
Very good read and hit on all the major (and minor) points all Met fans are questioning at the wake of this very disappointing season.
I’ve never been to Citi so I can’t comment on anything there. All I know is third hand from what I’ve read.
As far as $$, I don’t think the Wilpons are as broke as some are reporting. I believe the Wilpons are looking at money spent and bouncing it against the product and profits and finding it woefully short. That points back to the GM, in my mind. The single best thing this franchise can do is clean management house, starting with Omar. Doesn’t sound like the Wilpons trust him as a mouthpiece any longer and most certainly doesn’t have full autonomy anymore. I don’t even think he’s being allowed to make many decisions w/o running it by Jeff. Since Jeff doesn’t know baseball, he needs to get a GM in there he has faith in and for all practical purposes turn the reigns over and let him fix what’s broke.
To me, it’s a giving cleaning house also means a new coaching staff.
kingman 26
8/19/2010-11:32am at 11:32 am (UTC -4)
Thanks for reading MF4D…always appreciate your feedback.
rustyjr
8/19/2010-11:47am at 11:47 am (UTC -4)
Hey kong did you see my diatribe on Jerry this morning ?
oleosmirf
8/19/2010-11:50am at 11:50 am (UTC -4)
all i know is, whomever the GM is, operation hope and pray must end. we need to spend the money on bench players in case bad things happen.
RA Dickey or Jose Valentin wont be there to bail you at most times…
stickguy
8/19/2010-11:58am at 11:58 am (UTC -4)
well, dickey is the kind of guy available to sign as SP depth (not a bench guy, those are hitters). Unless you want them to get BP guys waiting in the wings to start?
and Valentin again is about the quality of a guy you can pick up for the bench. Most of the better ones are looking for starting gigs!
I do agree though they should try to get higher quality platoon/bench types if possible. But most of th ereplacement talent for guys going down is going to have to come out of th eminors.
for instance, Turner has been having a big year in AAA. I for the life of me can not figure out why they called up Tejada again for 2B, when Turner is also no the 40 man roster, and seems like a great option to replace cora.
oleosmirf
8/19/2010-12:10pm at 12:10 pm (UTC -4)
i look at the Phillies. they signed Ross Gload to a 1 year 1.6 mil deal as insurance in case Howard or Ibanez went down.
they didnt hope and pray that Howard or Ibanez would be healthy or that their prospect would be ready or that some cast off would have a career year. granted Juan Castro didnt work out as their backup MI and got lucky with Valdez but had they not signed Gload and instead went the cheap route, they wouldnt be in the position they are today.
its those Ross Gload type signings the Mets never ever make that can make a big difference over the course of a season.
stickguy
8/19/2010-12:29pm at 12:29 pm (UTC -4)
Gload was a decidedly underwhelming signing (and the local paper was not very high on it.) The guy put up whopping OPSs of .664 and .729 the last 2 years (with a high OPS+ of 90). Plus, he is 34.
He did have a good run when howard went down (until, of course, he got hurt), but that was playing way over his head (based on recent history). So, I don’t think he was all that much different than the Tatis’s or Jacobs of the world.
Now, someone like Troy Glaus, where you end up with starter quality at bench prices, that is the type of guy Omar needed to be getting!
oleosmirf
8/19/2010-3:20pm at 3:20 pm (UTC -4)
his 2009 numbers are exactly what you want for someone on the bench and in a part time role.
you have to spend the 1-3 mil here and there for reinforcments as 90% of time, the cast offs he invites to spring training cant play at an MLB level.
stickguy
8/19/2010-3:51pm at 3:51 pm (UTC -4)
you mean like getting cora.
oleosmirf
8/19/2010-4:11pm at 4:11 pm (UTC -4)
well Cora in 09 was perfectly fine. I would have went with Felipe Lopez instead but if Cora put up the same line as he did in 09, noone would be complaining…
wannybackstra
8/19/2010-12:09pm at 12:09 pm (UTC -4)
I just realized after all this time that Ceetar must actually be Jeff Wilpon.
Ceetar
8/19/2010-12:13pm at 12:13 pm (UTC -4)
I wish. he probably makes more money than me.
oleosmirf
8/19/2010-12:22pm at 12:22 pm (UTC -4)
well apparently they “only break even” so he’s not making much money lately
Ceetar
8/19/2010-1:30pm at 1:30 pm (UTC -4)
The Mets, and Jeff Wilpon, are separate entities.
TRS86
8/19/2010-1:33pm at 1:33 pm (UTC -4)
I can’t reply to Oleo because this site does not work on old IE versions. However, I am not sure using Ross Gload is an example that you want to use concerning Omar signing good role players. The Phillies, just like the Mets did a couple of years ago with Tatis, got lucky.
wannybackstra
8/19/2010-1:41pm at 1:41 pm (UTC -4)
Not really. Gload lead the league in pinch hits last year and batted 318 .418 .455 as a pinch hitter. He definitely had a clear defined value and purpose.
That said, I disagree with Oleo from the standpoint that these types of signings are usually the type that Omar excels at — the reclamation and reserve players. Cora notwithstanding, Omar has pulled Dickey and Blanco off the scrap heap and going back over time the Jose Valentins, Fernando Tatises, Pedro Felicianos and Tony Clarks of the world were all low fanfare signings that provided varying degrees of value.
TRS86
8/19/2010-1:34pm at 1:34 pm (UTC -4)
Hey you know what else I love? When someone who has a different opinion than you do suddenly either is that person, is in love with that person or is blind.
wannybackstra
8/19/2010-1:45pm at 1:45 pm (UTC -4)
You know what I love? Someone who makes a comment and has no idea about what he’s talking about.
If you’re referring to me saying Ceetar must be Jeff Wilpon, it has nothing to do with whether we share an opinion but rather an observation based on multiple instances and issues during which Ceetar has positioned himself as the New York Mets advocate.
TRS86
8/19/2010-1:43pm at 1:43 pm (UTC -4)
Can’t damn reply. So Wanny my point with Gload is that he was not good “depth” at the time. While he may have excelled at PH he was not really a candidate to fill in for injury with the overall stats he put up.
wannybackstra
8/19/2010-1:50pm at 1:50 pm (UTC -4)
Well, I’m not sure that a good pinch hitter is not depth. NL teams need those things.
Anyway, it was Oleo’s assumption that his purpose was to be a backup for Ibanez and Howard. I think it is pretty clear that is not the case (Ben Francisco is clearly the fourth outfielder) and the team went out and got Mike Sweeney to replace Howard) but that is neither here nor there. The fact is that Gload was definitely a reasonable signing for whatever their intended purpose. His career numbers of .283 .329 .413 are not spectacular, or even average for a starting 1B or LF, but are reflective of a serviceable player who won’t embarrass himself as a backup.
TRS86
8/19/2010-1:54pm at 1:54 pm (UTC -4)
But he was coming off a terrible year in almost every area but PH. If we remember Tatis’s line for PH was very good as well.
wannybackstra
8/19/2010-1:59pm at 1:59 pm (UTC -4)
Tatis was 9 for 35 as a pinch hitter last year (257 .325 .457) so he was not quite the success at the role as Gload (21 pinch hits).
I didn’t have a real problem with Tatis coming back anyway. My problem with Tatis was more related to the manager’s overuse of him.
TRS86
8/19/2010-2:02pm at 2:02 pm (UTC -4)
It’s a pain the ass but I guess I can do it this way. I would go through withdrawl if I could not post.
TRS86
8/19/2010-1:59pm at 1:59 pm (UTC -4)
Also, of course I know what the hell I am talking about. Ceetar has a right to his opinion without being called Jeff Wilpon or Jeff Wilpn lover or a blind optimist.
wannybackstra
8/19/2010-3:30pm at 3:30 pm (UTC -4)
and i have a right to my opinion that someone is a blind optimist or that you should mind your own business.
TRS86
8/19/2010-2:00pm at 2:00 pm (UTC -4)
I agree on Tatis, but wasn’t his PH line for this year very good?
Ceetar
8/19/2010-2:29pm at 2:29 pm (UTC -4)
It was, but I think we’re talking about like 6 hits.
TRS86
8/19/2010-2:01pm at 2:01 pm (UTC -4)
I can’t take it any more. I will have to either fix the issue or not comment until I can get Firefox downloaded somehow.
njstuckintx
8/19/2010-2:12pm at 2:12 pm (UTC -4)
Chrome works fine as well.
oleosmirf
8/19/2010-3:27pm at 3:27 pm (UTC -4)
my point is you cant go into next season with a bench of lets say Catcher, Murphy, Turner/Tejada, Carter, Feliciano b/c if on the very likely chance that Beltran and/or Reyes gets hurt you have another black hole playing everyday.
paying extra to get someone who has been a proven starter at some point in their recent career is a must…
njstuckintx
8/19/2010-4:13pm at 4:13 pm (UTC -4)
Good point. Anyone come to mind on SS who could fill that void?
wannybackstra
8/19/2010-4:18pm at 4:18 pm (UTC -4)
i think felipe lopez (a terrible defender at SS) is a free agent again next season.
but if they have felipe lopez next season, he probably has to start at 2B!
oleosmirf
8/19/2010-6:00pm at 6:00 pm (UTC -4)
Orlando Hudson needs to be at 2B next season (assuming Uribe cant be had). great defensive game at 2B plus he still bats above average
asod75
8/19/2010-5:11pm at 5:11 pm (UTC -4)
Great post, man. Well worth the read. And you hit on points just about every Met fan can relate to/agree on. Let’s hope this thing moves in a different direction. Hell, we’re not even playing “meaningful games in September” anymore.
GravediggerHebner
8/19/2010-9:03pm at 9:03 pm (UTC -4)
I guess a subtitle of this post could have been:
“The future’s not so bright that we gotta wear shades.”
I always thought that the oft-stated complaint that “the Wilpons were/are cheap” was ridiculous. And mostly I still do. The team is consistently in the upper reaches of payroll compared to the rest of the league.
The problem has always been they don’t spend well or wisely. Unfortunately they’ve shown no signs that they’re getting better at spending wisely and thus with seeming tighter purse strings they have even less a chance of success.
I have no problem if they decide to go forward with a payroll closer to 100 million than 150 million it’s their money. But if they do that it will become more important than it already is to hire a front office staff that knows how to spend the money it gets.
I read the other day someone strongly suggesting that the Mets should try to lure Billy Beane away from Oakland. If they’re going to continue to cut payroll that idea becomes more appealing.