Well here we stand at the cusp of oblivion. That’s right tomorrow we will have stood many times before – on the outside looking in while the eight best teams slug it out for baseball supremacy . As a Mets fan this doesn’t phase me anymore. I am used to it. Disappointed ? Nahhh – that emotion passed around early August Infuriated ? I have to admit I am some what. From the broken promises of last off-season to the few weeks that this team looked like a cohesive , dominant unit that could make a run at the postseason I wouldn’t be human if I wasn’t. Am I happy that Jerry Manuel will be gone and Omar might also follow suit ? Happy is too strong of a word. I would have to say relieved. Don’t get me wrong I like and respect Omar and Jerry – and the past two and a half seasons aren’t entirely their fault. Ownership , injuries and poor play by a unbalanced rosters play a part in the downfall of what looked to be another bright era in Mets baseball. But Omar and Jerry misread the patience of a fan base as a sign that we were content with the shoddy play and a roster full of holes. Now because of their errors in judgement they ( Jerry at least – Omar remains to be seen) have punched their tickets out of Flushing.
Jerry will be spoken in the same breath as Howe and Harrelson, Torborg and Torre – great guys who just weren’t the right fit for this team.
Omar – whether it is fair or not will probably be lumped in with despised general managers of the past such as Grant and Phillips.
But here we stand . One game left – the calm before the storm. The autumnal wind is blowing , and and the cries of change flows through it.
" Every silver lining has a touch of Grey "
And with that said….. HERE COMES THE INFAMY !!!!
Happy Birthday wishes go out to the forgotten man from the late ’70′s Mets starting rotation,Kevin Kobel (1953).
Much maligned middle reliever from ’07-’08, Scott Schoeneweis is 37 (1973) .
Sadly on this date in 1991, the father of this franchise, Bill Shea passed away. We owe him a debt of gratitude or we all might be wearing the dark Yankee blue and white today ( the thought of that makes me ill).
New York Mets traded middle reliever, Paul Siebert to the St. Louis Cardinals for minor leaguer,Bob Coluccio on October 2, 1978.
Mo Vaughn has told me that he will apply for the Mets strength and conditioning coach position.
And yes my fellow Mets fans it is true … There is one game left with Jerry Manuel at the helm as Mets manager !!
24 comments
Mr North Jersey
10/2/2010-5:51pm at 5:51 pm (UTC -4)
1 game away indeed. Well here is to 2011.
Hopefully my fellow authors will all have watched and learned from my tutorials by then.
rustyjr
10/2/2010-5:59pm at 5:59 pm (UTC -4)
lol was at the doctors all day – tomorrow – i rpomise
Mr North Jersey
10/2/2010-6:12pm at 6:12 pm (UTC -4)
I only mention them cause I feel you could truly benefit from them in my opinion but I understand how hard it is on occasions to find time for things so even though i keep ribbing you to see them I do it with fun in mind and know that whenever you can see them is just fine with me.
rustyjr
10/2/2010-6:15pm at 6:15 pm (UTC -4)
Will do
stickguy
10/2/2010-5:59pm at 5:59 pm (UTC -4)
I have no clue what will actually happen, but I am pretty positive that this is going to be a fun off season!
njstuckintx
10/2/2010-6:20pm at 6:20 pm (UTC -4)
Rusty. I found a book that I almost think I need to send to you. It’s “A day in the life of Mo Vaughn”. It’s when he was still on the Red Sox, but as soon as I saw it was in my daughters book case, I thought of you. Apparently it came from our neighbors who are Sox fans.
njstuckintx
10/2/2010-6:23pm at 6:23 pm (UTC -4)
Oh, and go go gadget Hunsicker or Krivsky!
rustyjr
10/2/2010-8:07pm at 8:07 pm (UTC -4)
Btw Look, let’s play a few games.
First of all, Cott puts the 2010 Mets salaries at $126,498,096.
In that figure are players that already have gone away, meaning there already are 2011 savings for the removal of Jeff Francoeur ($5mil), Gary Mathews ($1mil left over on 2-year deal), Alex Cora (115K leftover similar to Mathews deal), Mike Jacobs (900K), Rod Barajas (500K), and Frank Catalanatto (650K). All these figures were included in the above 2011 salaries printed by Cott.
Next, I think it’s safe to save that John Maine ($3.3mil), Kelvim Escobar ($1.250), and Fernando Tatis (850K) are past Mets now.
Lastly, I’m going to assume that Sean Green (975K) sealed his fate this week, and that the Mets will make a lame offer to Pedro Feliciano, designed to secure two draft picks ($2.9mil).
So, if all that happens, that’s a projected savings on $17,450,000, which gets the Mets real close to a $100mil 2011 existing payroll.
Heck, maybe there is some money to spend here.
Well… let’ play game number two.
Let’s put together a 2011 25-man squad with what the team has left, and salary commitments etched in stone.
A few dreams and desires:
1, I’m going to off all the bad guys. Sure, the Mets have to pay Oliver Perez, Luis Castillo, and K-Rod in 2011, but let’s just dump them… we can use the savings listed above to offset much of that cost.
2. Next, let’s build a 25-man squad with 15 minimal salary players… yup, 15 out of 25 players.
3. We need to build in some conservative salary increases for guys like R.A. Dickey, Hisanori Takahashi, Angel Pagan, and Mike Pelfrey, who have earned them.
4. Lastly, the $126+mil salaries that Cott estimated for 2010 have only Reyes’ out option. We need to assume he will be resigned at a conservative, but decent level.
So, how does that look?
1. 1B Ike Davis: 400,000
2. 2B: Ruben Tejada: 400,000
3. SS: Jose Reyes: 15,000,000 (projected)
4. 3B: David Wright: 14,250,000
5. LF: Jason Bay: 18,125,000
6. CF: Carlos Beltran: 20,071,000
7. RF: Angel Pagan: 1,750,000 (projected)
8. C: Josh Thole: 400,000
9. SP: Johan Santana: 24,000,000
10. SP: Mike Pelfrey: 5,000,000 (projected)
11. SP: Jon Niese: 400,000
12. SP: Jenrry Mejia: 400,000
13. SP: R.A. Dickey: 1,500,000 (projected)
14. P Dillon Gee: 400,000
15. P Bobby Parnell: 400,000
16. P Hisanori Takahashi: 1,250,000 (projected)
17. P Ryota Igarashi: 1,750,000
18. P Manny Acosta: 400,000
19. P (new) 400,000
20. P (new) 400,000
21. C Omir Santos 400,000
22. U Nick Evans: 400,000
23. U Chris Carter: 400,000
24. U Justin Turner: 400,000
25. U Lucas Duda: 400,000
26. Bad Oliver Perez: 12,000,000
27. Bad Luis Castillo: 6,250,000
28. Bad F. Rodriquez: 12,167,000
$ 139,113,000
So, we start off with a $126mil salary in 2010… we save $17mil… build a team with 15 minimal salary guys, plus the current contracts, and proper raises, and we’re now up to $139mil without added a single new player.
Crazy Eddie managed their money better in the 80s
rustyjr
10/2/2010-8:09pm at 8:09 pm (UTC -4)
Oops – got this from metsmerized online
njstuckintx
10/2/2010-8:16pm at 8:16 pm (UTC -4)
I think this is going to be one creative or disgusting off season. They’ll need someone better than Omir Santos as the backup. And that isn’t taking into consideration the pitcher needed for Santana while he’s on the DL. Yikes indeed.
stickguy
10/2/2010-9:33pm at 9:33 pm (UTC -4)
a different BU catcher than Omir isn’t going to cost much more, so no biggie there.
and they aren’t going to be getting a #1 SP to replace santana. Figure that it will just be whatever depth guy they have laying around.
njstuckintx
10/2/2010-8:57pm at 8:57 pm (UTC -4)
OK, because I’m bored and interested at the same time, here’s my fixes.
Take Oleo’s advice and flip Beltran for Dice K. Straight up, no money kicked in. That’ll be the 5th starter/Santana fill in. That’ll leave you with Bay, Pagan and Duda as your OF, with Evans, Feliciano being backups? If you figure Evans can be backup CF, then the need for Feliciano is diminished.
You are forgetting about Murphy. He’ll make the squad, as 2B or more likely Bench Player. As such, Turner will start in AAA.
And, this isn’t taking into consideration what you can get back for Ollie (prob. nothing), Castillo (prob. nothing) or Krod (even at 50 cents on the dollar, you’re going to get back something decent. Maybe something from AZ?). Figure that to be 2 RPs or an RP and a Mil Leaguer? Or even a young starter?
Carter can’t be on the team. I like the animal, but he’s got no arm and while his bat is decent, there are a couple other PH options I’d rather roll with.
So, there are a couple tweaks without any FA signings, or trading kids for something.
kingman 26
10/2/2010-8:59pm at 8:59 pm (UTC -4)
Nice plan.
Evans instead of Feliciano probably, and trade Reyes for prospects and start Tejada at SS, and you really have something!
No love for Carter??
njstuckintx
10/2/2010-9:03pm at 9:03 pm (UTC -4)
Much love for Carter. Greater love for the Mets. Sometimes Love Bites. Then Bleeds…
Mr North Jersey
10/2/2010-9:12pm at 9:12 pm (UTC -4)
“Sometimes Love Bites”
LoL, sounds like an episode of “True Blood” to me.
TRS86
10/3/2010-11:29am at 11:29 am (UTC -4)
Actually I thought it was Mack’s Mets. Either way it’s a classic example of silly math.
For one after over and over and over the Mets payroll was at LEAST 8million more than what Cots has because of the Bay signing bonus. Why is it that people can’t comprehend that one?
2. Reyes is not getting re-signed at 15M a year.
3. anyone knows that subtracting players leaving does not actually mean that you have that much money to spend. Obviously you have to account for player raises. I am sure the Mets themselves are aware of that when they signed the deals.
4. No one has a clue what the new GM’s plans will be for the roster nor do we know how much money the Wilpons will invest in said new GM.
rustyjr
10/3/2010-11:35am at 11:35 am (UTC -4)
probably was Macks – i had a brain fart when posting it
kingman 26
10/2/2010-8:51pm at 8:51 pm (UTC -4)
Rusty, your pieces continue to improve. This is really excellent my friend.
My biggest contribution to this place by far was dragging you here in May 2009!
The Steal Your Face logo with the Mets’ emblem and Touch of Grey lyrics….yes, along with Led Zep and Alice in Chains and Gruntruck and Jay-Z and jazz I love the Dead too. Really nice work my friend.
rustyjr
10/2/2010-9:01pm at 9:01 pm (UTC -4)
Thanks pal – howxwas your visit to citi ?
kingman 26
10/2/2010-9:12pm at 9:12 pm (UTC -4)
Excellent! Great trip to the Acela club with Dad and Bro and Sis-in-law, then a truly beautiful day, a Wright HR, a Duda BLAST, and RA even pitched!
Really great day….we definitely have to get together someday.
I hope you have a blast in AC.
stickguy
10/2/2010-9:40pm at 9:40 pm (UTC -4)
sorry I missed this game. Went to daughters soccer game instead, then mowed the lawn and pulled weeds.
I truly do live on the edge.
stickguy
10/2/2010-9:39pm at 9:39 pm (UTC -4)
not a bad couple of set of rosters. Plenty of flexibility with the cheap guys.
And hopefully they get some salary reflief from dumping the dead wood, which will help. Or they make an investment in talent a year before payroll flexibility (bite the bullet for for 1 year).
But, get the young guys blended in this year coming up, and know what vet talent you need when they have money to spend before 2012.
metsfan4decades
10/3/2010-12:52am at 12:52 am (UTC -4)
I don’t have a problem with filling out the depth needed in 2011 with the kids, to a degree.
Couple of thoughts:
- Taka is a FA. No guarantee he even signs with the Mets, let alone at a discount. Without Taka in that BP, and assuming KRod will be gone, we’re almost going to be starting from scratch there. Who’s left? Parnell for sure, Iggy who has a 2 year contract and maybe Feliciano. Valdes and maybe Dessens get a ST invite. I’d rather part ways with Manny but if they keep him, so be it. Green better be gpne….
- Carter has no place on this team. He can’t play any defensive position period. These days, your bench has to consists of guys who can play multiple positions. I’m looking at one of Evans or Duda – possibly both.
- Think we’ll be picking up a back up catcher ’cause I don’t think Santos is the answer. Need someone who can catch more than one game a week if necessary which apparently Blanco cannot.
- Trading Reyes is like throwing out the baby with the bath water. No matter how you spin it, you’re selling low. For the same reasons some cite as reasons to part ways (health? attitude?) are the same reasons you’re not getting back what you think you can. Can’t have it both ways. And an unproven at 2nd and Tejada at SS? Nah…..
TRS86
10/3/2010-11:32am at 11:32 am (UTC -4)
Agreed on Reyes, unless you can get an impact MLB player for him then you keep him AT LEAST until the ASB. You are not going to get any less value for him then. Especially if he is healthy.