I'm too good to bat 7th!
I really hate the Phillies but I had this idea that I entertained for about 8 hours yesterday….I thought about the Mets trading for Shane Victorino. Like I said, It made sense for about 8 hours.
The Mets need a center fielder that can stay on the field. Andres Torres has a barking back problem and Kirk Nieuwenhius can’t hit water if he fell out of a boat. Now that’s when I came up with this notion that maybe, just maybe, the Mets might entertain the idea of trading for Shane Victorino.
Now hear me out because you might have come to the same conclusion I did.
The Phillies stink and they are looking to unload some players they may not be able to sign next year, one of them being Shane Victorino. I hate the Phillies but business is business and Victorino, on paper, might not be a bad idea. He is a switch hitting center firelder who can track a ball and add speed to a line up. At this point, he’s only batting .245 but perhaps a change in scenery and a new team might help him.
For the record, I had this idea before I saw Jordanny Valdespin play center against the Cubs-not that he’s the solution.
I also didn’t know what transpired that afternoon at Citizens Bank Park with Shane and Mr. Manuel. Which, in my book, put the kabosh on my idea.
Apparently, Mr. Victorino didn’t like where his name was in yesterday’s line up against the Braves and balked at Charlie Manuel which prompted him to get benched. Shane was batting 7th and according to ESPN’s John Kruk, he either “pouted” or walked out of the the locker room. Regardless, he was benched for his behavior and to me, dropped about 10 notches in my book and sent my idea into the trash….where it belongs.
I had the opportunity a couple of years ago, to watch a Met/Phillie game on a Phillie station. I’ll tell you something, it’s not just the fans who hate the Mets, their announcers were brutal, especially toward Jose Reyes.. This was when he used to dance and do his handshakes every time he thought he did something important. They villified him and even when so far as saying that they would never tolerate that kind of player……I remember asking a Phillie fan whether they would like to sign Reyes rather than Rollins last year-he laughed and said that the Phillies would never pick up a “selfish” player like Jose.
Well, now I’ll say this. The Mets don’t need a selfish player like Victorino, they don’t need a player who will balk at the line up. A player that will pout if he dosen’t get what he wants. A player who would put himself in front of his team.
The Mets are too good for that.
So now I have another idea….maybe the Miami Mercenaries would be interested in Victorino. He would fit right in.
Thoughts?
16 comments
SaltyGary
7/9/2012-9:47am at 9:47 am (UTC -4)
I would look at it this way, whatever team he is traded to will probably give him the motivation he needs to win his next contract.
It would be very hard to embrace him, not nearly as hard as Glavine since there is less history, but we were trained to hate this guy. His attitude made us hate him. I HATE HIS FRIGGEN FACE!
But wouldn’t we want that attitude on our side? I was always a vocal opponent of Reyes’ dancing, but I am not worried about that kind of stuff from him. With the outfield/heavy lefty lineup that the Mets have, I would welcome him.
Stickguy
7/9/2012-10:31am at 10:31 am (UTC -4)
He’s better than Torres. And probably will come out like a man with something to prove (well that, and he wants a new contract, and don’t discount how much that plays into things).
Charlie swears that it had nothing to do with being put 7th, that he was just all down and upset about how he has been playing. Maybe the same thing?
anyway, I would hate him too, but if he could bounce back to what he did last year, it would allow Torres to be cut (or DL’d for the back) and Kirk to platoon with Bay. And frankly, that looks like a lot better team to me.
and to go back to yesterday’s question about solving the LHP dilemma?
this year, vs. LHP, Shane is hitting .316/.391/.592/.982 Just sucks batting lefty. But I can live with his face for those #s.
so, that would help immensely, and you could if desired life with the right handed hitting for the defense.
SaltyGary
7/9/2012-10:34am at 10:34 am (UTC -4)
Off Topic, Cain starting over Dickey. Of course he is, pure La Russa.
srt
7/9/2012-10:43am at 10:43 am (UTC -4)
Wasn’t a doubt in my mind that LaRussa would not pick Dickey. He just about said it last week when interviewed about it.
It’ll be a real sin though if he doesn’t use him at all. Might be a once in a lifetime opportunity for RA.
srt
7/9/2012-10:42am at 10:42 am (UTC -4)
Going to say right up front that even though I know some of those Phillies will be available (how can Amaro not be selling?), Victorino wasn’t even a blip on my radar.
What’s his WAR? I can’t imagine the 1-2 games he might bring to the table will be remotely worth any of our prospects.
Sandy was specific yesterday in his interview with the SNY booth about being careful who they brought in as a fit with this current clubhouse chemistry. As far as I’m concerned, Victorino would not ‘fit in’. Especially if he is guilty of that whining yesterday that caused him to be scratched from the lineup.
Jessep
7/9/2012-4:13pm at 4:13 pm (UTC -4)
I’ve always seen him as a dirty player to be honest. I have absolutely no interest in him and frankly, if he was wearing a Mets uniform, I’d never root for him. I’d never boo him or say I hate him etc. I just wouldn’t be a fan.
He is, dare I say… “pond scum” ha
Stickguy
7/9/2012-10:40pm at 10:40 pm (UTC -4)
well, if in his first game as a met he went 10′ out of the baseline to cheap shot Utley, then you would love him, right?
oklahoma met
7/9/2012-7:24pm at 7:24 pm (UTC -4)
Good gravy….please just say HELL NO to this jackass. I would boo him all day long. Of course, its from the couch and he wouldn’t hear it, but I would feel better!
phillies fan behind enemy lines
7/9/2012-10:33pm at 10:33 pm (UTC -4)
I’m a phillies fan who hates the Mets, and after those recent September meltdowns, you should probably hate them too, but I digress.
Here’s my honest take on Shane: He’s a very good CF and a pretty decent hitter whose gone into an extended tailspin. He’s definitely not a dirty player (yes he laid out Molina on a play a the plate…that’s baseball), and he hustles on every play, but I think he’s not as quick as he once was. He’s truly passionate…and that’s where the trouble starts.
He’s an emotional guy. We’ve seen him elated, and we saw him devestated by the death of (announcer) Harry Kalas. He got very choked up when he opened a center for under-privledged kids.
Charlie said he was very down when he saw Victorino in the locker room, and said emphatically that Victorino didn’t have a problem with the 7-hole. The season’s an embarassment, and he’s struggling at the plate so badly he should be hitting 7th. I think Shane’s emotions just got the best of him. That’s different from being a Prima donna.
You could do a whole lot worse than Shane. On the other hand, I don’t think he’s equipped to deal with the way you guys choke down the stretch.
Stickguy
7/9/2012-10:43pm at 10:43 pm (UTC -4)
he also gives every indication that he is gagging under the self imposed pressure of playing for his next (and first) big long term contract.
But, right now, i would take him. He is still raking lefties, and has speed and D in CF. for 1/2 the year, you could do a lot worse.
and it would really piss off the Philly fans (the few of you that are left!) if he came to the Mets, found his game, and helped lead the Mets into the playoffs while the Phils went home!
phillies fan behind enemy lines
7/10/2012-9:57am at 9:57 am (UTC -4)
I think you’re right on, Stickguy.
I watch the Phils every day and IMO he’s been the team’s spark these last 6 years. I want him to snap out of it, not leave. Sadly, a trade may be what Shane needs, and I will be heart-broken to see him go.
And yes, I fear that if the Mets get him, he will absolutely rip us to shreds.
SaltyGary
7/10/2012-10:15am at 10:15 am (UTC -4)
WARNING TO METS FANS!!!
Do not trust Phili fan when he says Victorino is a good fit. LOL
Stickguy
7/10/2012-10:23am at 10:23 am (UTC -4)
Well, most Met fans hope that Ruben Jr. continues his trend of resigning all the guys from the glory days to big contracts to lock them onto the team well beyond their productive years.
He really seems to want to keep the old gang together!
phillies fan behind enemy lines
7/11/2012-1:11pm at 1:11 pm (UTC -4)
There’s probably more truth there than I’d like to admit. I will say this: It’s more exciting to watch a team that exceeds your expectations. When the expectations are sky-high, they can only disappoint (see: Yankees).
But as a fan, you don’t like to see the guys who made you proud dealt like meat.
Hazmet
7/10/2012-10:17am at 10:17 am (UTC -4)
Great blogger name. While probably not accurate I’ve alway’s thought of Victorino as the baseball equivalent of Vai Sikahema. Hard nosed gifted player who alway’s pissed me off.
On being a Met’s fan, it could be worse we could be Yankee fans.
phillies fan behind enemy lines
7/11/2012-1:18pm at 1:18 pm (UTC -4)
As I get older I’ve realized that secretly I wish a lot of the guys who piss me off were on my side. But not always. While I think Manny Ramirez is perhaps the best hitter I’ve ever seen, I really don’t think I’d want him on my team. He doesn’t seem to elevate the guys around him.