The New York Mets began the New Year with a bang (of a cap gun) with the signing of Omar Quintanilla. They followed one bang with the signing of right-handed Jeff Stevens and infielder/outfielder Corey Wimberly.
Meanwhile Frank Francisco and Jon Rauch’s contract details were made available. The Mets held their annual Winter blood drive and the Mets are still waiting to see if they will host the 2013 MLB All Star Game.
The Mets brought back outfielder Scott Hairston and R.A. Dickey posted his 1st pic as he prepared to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Jon Rauch and Frank Francisco spoke to the media and spoke about being healthy and happy to be here.
Alderson took the opportunity to announce no big trades or signings that would command more than $1.5 million were looming. The Mets later reported the signing of infielder Ronny Cedeno to a deal slightly more than $1 million.
It was reported and later confirmed by the Mets that they have hired turnaround consultants CRG Partners which also happened to handle the Texas Rangers bankruptcy and finally R.A. Dickey keeps getting closer to climbing that mountain.
13 comments
Stickguy
1/8/2012-12:00pm at 12:00 pm (UTC -4)
man, was I wrong when I predicted right after the season ended that the FO would be very active, wheeling and dealing trying to make the team better. That sure as hell is not even on page 2 of the off season “to do” list.
The first thing that turnaround firm should recommend is to fire the 3 expensive guys in the FO, and just let Ricco handle the job. Which as best as I can tell is answering the phones, making coffee, and offering ST invite deals to scrubs. hell, i could do all that (other than the coffee part. I don’t drink coffee).
Just hire some unknown but well regarded dude to organize and run the player development side, and a scouting guy, and call it a day.
Anyone know what they have payroll down to now, since the team is basically done?
TRS86
1/8/2012-1:04pm at 1:04 pm (UTC -4)
Just because No trades were made does not mean they weren’t active.
Stickguy
1/8/2012-5:12pm at 5:12 pm (UTC -4)
the old “we tried” defense?
Stickguy
1/8/2012-5:42pm at 5:42 pm (UTC -4)
and no, at this point I do not believe they had any intention of actually working on trying to compete or really build the ML club. Just shed money.
NJstuckinTX
1/8/2012-8:49pm at 8:49 pm (UTC -4)
I think by “active” Stick meant actually pulling the trigger on trades. And I thought they would as well. Still some time, though. I’m still curious if a Niese deal gets done to Toronto or even if Colorado bites on Wright (which I don’t think happens). My personal prediction is that Wright is traded to Cincinnati by the trade deadline. That and ten cents will get you, uh, ten cents.
And Fongy, if you still read here… We just got Tebowed.
fongulalou
1/8/2012-10:52pm at 10:52 pm (UTC -4)
Yes I do, and yes we did my friend.
Disapointing end to a 12-4 season with what I think was the 2nd best team in the AFC and maybe 4th best in the NFL.
The only team in the NFL with no losses to bad teams AND
after week one, 3 or 4 plays from winning 15 straight despite a
horrible and injured O-line, a badly injured QB, injuries to our 1,000 RB AND 3rd down back, multiple injuries to our D-line, LB corps and even our Secondary which isn’t great to start out with. Those are facts, HOWEVER they are not excuses. They were out played, out coached and didn’t deserve to win………
Besides, it beats getting blown-out by Belicheck and Brady next week, which they would have. No matter what any paid “expert” wants to say or admit, there is something about Tebow which can’t be measured by stats or simply how he plays the position compared to others. I’ve never heard anyone say it BUT he reminds me ALOT of the old QB Billy Kilmer in that he plays real ugly at times but has intangibles most others don’t have and while he may never be a Superbowl QB, he and his teams will win alot more than they’ll lose. Meanwhile…to our Mets, when I saw the headline of this thread, I thought it was a joke. As can be applied to the entire off-season, ” Didn’t get much done and not much hope for a winning 2012″.
NJstuckinTX
1/8/2012-11:12pm at 11:12 pm (UTC -4)
I hate the injury excuse, but Pouncey, Mendenhall, Roetheohogalinaduginuaisdbbeger, and then the early injuries in the game… I’m proud of what they did, but I didn’t see them going far. Much like us as Mets fans… Injuries killed this season.
NJstuckinTX
1/8/2012-11:14pm at 11:14 pm (UTC -4)
PS, you are missed.
fongulalou
1/8/2012-11:36pm at 11:36 pm (UTC -4)
Thank you Sir! I still check out whats going on here every few days BUT my work schedule has been tough.
Also honestly, not much to chime in about AND outside of you, Brock, MF4D and a couple others, far too many Met fans want to con’t to believe we don’t and won’t suck. after almost 40 yrs of life and death with this team I can’t see victory in a 4th place finish or hope for a .500 team. I also can’t buy into the Wilpons B.S. anymore. They should bail-out, everyone including them know it BUT they won’t AND I don’t see any situation in which Selig would lean on them b/c of their relationship. They’ll con’t to get loans, play games with payments, not spend any money and operate like the K.C. Royals of the NL for a few yrs while developing our youngsters of which there are no superstars or franchise changers. Meanwhile fans like me who have seen ONE Championship in 40+ seasons will suffer.
I already have spent a lifetime rooting for my Mets while rooting just about as hard against the yankees. I simply can’t get excited by a phillies or braves playoff loss OR
finishing ahead of the nationals…..And I certainly spend way too much energy, time and money watching Jose Reyes become Jose Reyes to now cheer for him to get hurt or his marlins to go down in flames. Thats not a victory to me as a die-hard, crazy ass Met fan since 1973. It stinks but at 46 thats where I am.
fongulalou
1/8/2012-11:46pm at 11:46 pm (UTC -4)
Oh, on the Steelers, I thought going in this group had one more season in them, 11-5 or 12-4 right up there with the ravens and likely a 2nd round loss to them or the pats on the road. So, I wasn’t far off. I gotta say, I’ve taken this big loss better than any by the Steelers
OR the Mets in my lifetime. I think some of it is that b/c of my own views, I’m a big Tebow supporter.
My wife was actually Waaay more pissed about the loss than me. I just didn’t see a Superbowl run having to play all road games, with all the injuries, AND by some chance to have even gotten there… there was NO CHANCE Arians was ever gonna modify the game plan to keep the Packers or Saints offense off the field….He would have tried to shoot in out with them And THAT would have spelled blowout in the Superbowl.
MetsFan4Decades
1/9/2012-8:54am at 8:54 am (UTC -4)
What you said, Fongy…
We’ll likely spend the whole season fighting to stay out of last place.
The only difference this year is we all know it going in. No expectations, no pressure. Just watch the games to enjoy some NY Met baseball….no matter how bad it may turn out to be.
Maybe we’ll get a couple of pleasant surprises along the way with some of the kids.
gategem
1/9/2012-7:58am at 7:58 am (UTC -4)
Last year the Packers had 15 players on IR when they won the SB and this year the Giants have 13 players on IR (they use the same Doctors the Mets do) so no excuse. I believe the Steelers had already started concentrating on the Pats and had their bags packed for Foxboro. Instead they’ll be going home.
fongulalou
1/9/2012-10:08am at 10:08 am (UTC -4)
Yeah, like I said, no excuses! And….I don’t know of any
Steeler fan who is attempting to make any. We knew this was the last run for much of this bunch.
They were outplayed and more glaringly out coached.
I think this Steeler team is far too professional to look past anyone and as I pointed out they were the only team in the league w/o a “let down” or bad loss after opening day. So, unlike just about every team in every sport these guys come to play every game.
They simply had a bad game plan and didn’t adjust once
Tebow started doing things NO ONE thought he could do.Not much more complicated than that.