Jan 29
We have about 24 days until the begininning of Spring Training. Although Sandy did some nice bargine hunting this off season, I still think he is short a position or two.
If you were the GM of the Mets, what position would you try to improve during the remainder of the off season and Spring Training?
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25 comments
Stickguy
1/29/2012-9:33am at 9:33 am (UTC -4)
starting pitching has to be #1. If for no other reason, that you absolutely have to plan as if Santana will not be in the rotation anytime soon (actually, plan as if he doesn’t exist).
On the field, I would say Catcher. My reasoning is that there are guys on the horizon for the other weak spots (OF and 2B). But catcher, any possible internal options are far away, and Thole/Nickeas just does not look good or to have a future.
Also would be nice to see a regular that could help the pitchers improve. Especially since the team does not have a pitching coach at this point.
OF? Until Bay gets dumped he clogs up the works. Duda is the LT guy for LF, and I think they are waiting on some of the Kirk/Den Dekker/Puello types to mature enough to come up for the CF/RF rotation.
And 2B, I still want Havens in there ASAP, and I truly feel he is the LT answer, starting soon.
SS? Not a big Tejada fan, but for now, let’s see what he can do.
MetsFan4Decades
1/29/2012-10:00am at 10:00 am (UTC -4)
I’m going with SP as well.
What good is an improved BP if they’re conceivably going to stink by nature of the fact that the SP can’t get deep into games? Overworked usually equals a broken down BP.
SP is the one area of the off season I just don’t get. We have no depth at all. From everything I’ve read, we haven’t tried yet to add to the depth. Is the plan really to get into ST, wait to see how many of the starting 5 won’t make Opening Day, then go out and do something to negate that? If yes, the Mets are in worse shape financially then even I thought….
Hazmet
1/29/2012-11:13am at 11:13 am (UTC -4)
Position I’d try to upgrade: Owner.
After that the rest would fall into place.
gategem
1/29/2012-1:19pm at 1:19 pm (UTC -4)
LMAO! Well said!
darknova306
1/29/2012-11:17am at 11:17 am (UTC -4)
Catcher, second base, left field, center field, right field, #1 starter, #2 starter, #3 starter, ownership. Did I miss anything?
darknova306
1/29/2012-11:20am at 11:20 am (UTC -4)
I’d also replace about 75% of the fanbase. Anyone whining about not having a “payroll worthy of NYC” gets tossed in the Hudson. Do it, Sandy!
kingman 26
1/29/2012-12:13pm at 12:13 pm (UTC -4)
HAHAHA! I think you are underestimating.
I have completely stopped going elsewhere aside from an occasional poke at Bayonne because he and that site are so idiotic, because the level of whining at places like Metsblog and the Ledger at this point make the average nursery school look like a staid monastery.
Stickguy
1/29/2012-12:34pm at 12:34 pm (UTC -4)
agreed 109.47%.
I know things aren’t great right now, but having the best record in the NL (at least) form 2006-2008, being in a NLCS and alive in game 162 2 years running, does nto count as come kind of Moses level wandering in the desert for eons.
Heck, they won what, 77 and 78 the last 2 years after that? Just a few game sunder .500 is again not worthy of 1962 level angst.
Frankly, if many of the posters on some of those sites represent the fan base, then no, the NY fans don’t deserve anything better than what they are getting!
kingman 26
1/29/2012-12:40pm at 12:40 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah, it is ridiculous. On a grand scale.
I feel like they really might lose 90+ and finish last, but I am STILL very psyched about spring training, and I always find something to enjoy (well, the last couple of months of the Manuel era in 2010 tried my patience.)
I guess that is what a lifetime of being a Met and Net fan (and hell, even the last decade of Dolphin fanhood) has done to me.
Seriously, I just think that the whining nincompoops on those sites are the tiny minority—the teeny, single-digit percent of people who have no lives aside from their fandom and are just pathetic.
No way most fans feel like those people do. No chance.
MetsFan4Decades
1/29/2012-12:32pm at 12:32 pm (UTC -4)
Ding. Ding. Ding.
Reading across some of these Met blogs just gives me a headache lately. Probably the only 2 that you can read comments and not see consistent whining is here and AA.
MMO takes the prize though. It’s an all out ‘Sandy vs. Omar’ flame war over there.
Oh, wait a minute…..that’s right – I’ve got no right to comment. I’m only a female – one who walks around with a calculator and slide ruler. I couldn’t possibly know a thing about the game of baseball…..
Stickguy
1/29/2012-12:35pm at 12:35 pm (UTC -4)
at least (IMHO) you are in good company!
gategem
1/29/2012-1:29pm at 1:29 pm (UTC -4)
Just send him to this site:
http://www.aagpbl.org/
gategem
1/29/2012-1:23pm at 1:23 pm (UTC -4)
Your wish will come to pass as the Mets become more and more irrelevant so if and when they are able to put a decent product on the field it will attract an entirely new generation of Mets’ fans.
Mr North Jersey
1/29/2012-11:43am at 11:43 am (UTC -4)
Centerfield
SaltyGary
1/29/2012-2:49pm at 2:49 pm (UTC -4)
I’m with you MR. North, CF will be bad. The trade is great as long as they signed another CH and user Torres as a 4th/defensive replacement.
Not that it really matters seeing there are many gaping holes, but the OF is going to be real bad this real. Maybe they should get another SP with a good ground ball ratio instead
kingman 26
1/29/2012-12:10pm at 12:10 pm (UTC -4)
I was going to say starting pitching and catching, but Mr N woke me up quickly.
CF is going to be just horrific, maybe the worst in the game.
Doesn’t matter much though, as the Wilpons clearly have the purse closed (which is irrelevant anyway as it is empty) but hey, as I have tried to say on my optimistic days, it’s about 1982.
Let’s watch the kids in the spring and hope for serious steps forward from Duda, Ike, Niese, Gee, Tejada, and Parnell.
If 3 or 4 of those guys really step it up, there may be some hope for the future.
Stickguy
1/29/2012-12:38pm at 12:38 pm (UTC -4)
Torres is just a place holder until someone out of the minors shows enough to be worthy of getting a shot at the job. The FO is smart enough to know that none of the possibilities (Kirk say) are feasible out of ST, so they need someone out there that can play D.
And don’t forget, regardless if the CF hits at all, they need someone that can cover real ground between bay and Duda.
kingman 26
1/29/2012-12:42pm at 12:42 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah, agreed all around. I just never imagined that when Pagan went, he would be replaced by the player who is perhaps THE best example of a poor man’s Pagan!
But yeah, let’s see Kirk do well and stay healthy and join your BFF in the outfield of the future.
MetsFan4Decades
1/29/2012-1:42pm at 1:42 pm (UTC -4)
I’m thinking that trade was more about what we got back in pitching than anything else. For whatever reason, the FO was really down on Pagan and were moving him out no matter what.
The fact that we downgraded in CF kind of speaks volumes on where this franchise is right now. As in this FO has no intention of spending money to fill holes if there are too many to fill – especially when there isn’t any money and there aren’t enough prospects for a trade.
Patience will be the order of the day for the next few years….
kingman 26
1/29/2012-2:08pm at 2:08 pm (UTC -4)
Well, I have said it before and I will say it again–the years of horror from 1962-1968 and 1977-1983 eventually resulted in two of the most memorable title teams in the last 50 years of baseball.
Let us hope the current period does the same.
Stickguy
1/29/2012-2:10pm at 2:10 pm (UTC -4)
I hope the tires on the float aren’t all dry rotted out by then. I can’t afford new ones…
kingman 26
1/29/2012-2:52pm at 2:52 pm (UTC -4)
The float is actually in great shape; not to worry.
I dressed it up in red, white, and blue today for a short parade to celebrate the Nets catching the Knicks in the standings, and it performed like a champ.
Seeing the Knicks suck this year is really such a pleasure. All of the hype, and they remain a high-payroll, fundamentally flawed team that does not even try to play defense or work together. Nets beat Toronto tonight and we move ahead of them How sweet that would be.
Paul
1/29/2012-1:28pm at 1:28 pm (UTC -4)
Are you shaking loose some money with this question, or do I have to stick with payroll neutral moves?
If I’ve got to stay payroll neutral, I think I’m going to stand pat and hope to move some veterans for younger players at the trade deadline.
If I’ve got a little money, it would entertain me to sign Raul Ibanez and tell Jason Bay they’d be splitting playing time
SaltyGary
1/29/2012-2:47pm at 2:47 pm (UTC -4)
Only problem with Ibanez is he suffers from the same problem Bay has, they can’t see the ball and their bat is slower. I think I would rather boo on LF as opposed to two at this point.
NJstuckinTX
1/29/2012-3:13pm at 3:13 pm (UTC -4)
SP is the #1, C and the CF come in 2 & 3. I actually like the BP at this point. SS will be what it is and I think Havens will be up soon enough so that Wright will be moved, Go Big Murph to third and we’ll see what the haul from Wright brings back. But the lack of SP, the poor game calling behind the plate and the void of production from CF will certainly be glaring.