Well with yesterday’s 4-2 victory over the Miami Marlins ( why couldn’t they win the final games over the Marlins in ’07 and ’08 – maybe the Mets present day situation would be a lot different these days) the 2012 Mets season mercifully came to a close.
Yes now we have about a month of irrelevant baseball to look forward to until the hot stove heats up again. It will be interesting to see if Sandy Alderson will be able to stay true to his ” turn over the roster” plan with what is speculated to be the same payroll budget as last season ( or slightly higher).
Last season I made a bunch of bold predictions – some were ended up being true ( Dickey winning more than 15 games, Harvey being promoted by late July) as well as many more that I was off base about.
First off I was very happy with the trade that sent Angel Pagan to the San Francisco Giants for outfielder Andres Torres and reliever Ramon Ramirez. I still maintain that Pagan was – and still would be a bad fit for the Mets with his lazy brand of offense and defense. But Torres proved to be just as much as a liability both in the field as well as at the plate. While Ramirez was erratic at best.
My second prediction that I was wrong about was that Chris Young would not pitch until August at the very least. Well we now know Young was back in the Mets rotation by mid June. When you saw the long road back that Johan Santana took from the same procedure that Young had it was easy to speculate that Young may have sat this past season out.
I was also wrong about the Mets bullpen. Yes I thought the additions of Frank Francisco and Jon Rauch – along with Bobby Parnell and the rest of the pen would be better than the bullpens of the recent past. Yes they had stretches of dominance, but they blew too many close games and finished up with the worst bullpen E.R.A in the league.
And finally I predicted the Mets to finish the season at or above .500 – instead they ended up with a worse record than last season. Boy was I wrong !!!
And with that said… HERE COMES THE INFAMY !!!
Mets alumni celebrating a birthday today includes:
Middle reliever Middle reliever from ’98-’01, Dennis Cook is 50 (1962) . Cook was one of the unsung members of what I consider one of the best Mets bullpens of all time.
Sadly on this date in 1975, original Mets majority owner, Joan Payson passed away. Joan was not your typical owner. She was a passionate baseball fan and could always be found sitting in the stands mingling with Mets fans. She was the Mets matriarch.
The New York Mets released utility infielder, Chico Walker on October 4, 1993.
The New York Mets released reserve outfielder, Ced Landrum on October 4, 1993.
The New York Mets granted reserve outfielder, Ricky Ledee free agency on October 4, 2007.
Mo Vaughn will now try to go into hibernation until spring training – but we all know he will be too hungry to sleep !!
23 comments
srt
10/4/2012-7:36am at 7:36 am (UTC -4)
Can’t say I fared much better with my overall predictions – although I was almost right on the money with the Mets. I had them finishing last with 74 wins. Turns out they finished 4th with 74 wins.
I had Johan starting the season on the DL. Thankfully, he was good in the first half and gave us that magical game on June 1st.
I had Dickey being solid. That was a bit off as solid turned out to be a huge understatement. Dickey winning 20 games, making every start with what we now know was an abdominal tear which happened on 13 April?…..beyond impressive.
I was never impressed with the Marlins and what they did last off season. I had them finishing third though and not last.
Not many had the Nats or the As winning their division.
One of mine – and sticks – favorite predictions? This was the year the Phils started their downward slide. Here’s hoping that continues for many years to come.
Looking forward to the 2013 season now. You just never know…..
Stickguy
10/4/2012-8:00am at 8:00 am (UTC -4)
I don’t remember my predictions. Other than I thought they would be over .500 and at least on the fringe of the WC. I was right, but only for 3 months!
Oh, and the PHils. not as much a prediction as a wish.
what the hell. If the As and the orioles can vault in 1 year from dregs to playoffs, in tough divisions, then any team can.
one interesting thing related to the “fans” that only care about hating Sandy. They make an inconsistent argument.
first, the mets were right there 7/1, in the race, just a couple little player additions away from the playoffs. But, Sandy did not add them (apparently causing the entire team to crawl into the fetal position and stop trying, yet I digress).
But, they also say the team has nothing, Sandy can’t fix it, they are 5 years away, yada yada yada.
well, since basically the same team will be back, with just some of the dead wood trimmed off, shouldn’t they still be just those couple of players (a pen arm or 2, an OF bat) away? Because if adding them mid-July would have kept them in the race, wouldn’t doing it now put them back?
oh, and Sandy DID add reinforcements. Their best (or 2nd best) 2nd half SP, and a major help to the BP (Harvey and Edgin). They just did not come from the outside, but both hit here in July, and were probably better than any dregs they would have gotten on the open market!
Anyway, just like with last year, the team has some holes but is not that far away. A couple players out of nowhere with a big year, and suddenly they stay in the race. THey at least have a base of solid SP to work off of, and that is huge.
Stickguy
10/4/2012-8:03am at 8:03 am (UTC -4)
oh, my early off season predictions: THe FO is already in Aruba. They left Ricco to do the minor moves (non-tenders and such), other than that they are closed for business.
well, seriously, I thik they are doing nothing again this year. Some minor shuffling of the spare parts (gone: Ramon/rauch/torres and a few others of that ilk). And will bring in some other cheap filler pieces. Other than that, WYSIWYG.
only question is Dickey and Wright. Will they be extended, or running out the string?
Oh, and Bay will get cut in ST. that is going to be the bone thrown to the fans to distract their attention from the man behind the curtain.
srt
10/4/2012-8:11am at 8:11 am (UTC -4)
I can’t make any predictions on how this off season will play out. I have absolutely no idea….
I will say this: I won’t be surprised by anything.
- Whether Wright is re-signed (my hope), whether he’s traded
- Whether they just pick Dickey’s option up and maybe trade him. (I’m hoping for a reasonable extension.)
- Whether Duda is gone or manning LF next year.
- Whether Ike really is traded – which I really can’t see at all.
- Whether Bay really is cut – please SA, make it so.
- What they do with the OF.
So many questions, so little money…..
TRS86
10/4/2012-8:22am at 8:22 am (UTC -4)
You know, I have completely changed my mind on Bay. If they can move him for a little bit of cash saved then by all means. However, I am fine with him being there as the platoon mate for the time being with Duda IF the Mets do not plan on trading Duda. Until Lucas proves he can handle the OF and LH pitching he is just a 27 year old platoon guy.
Again with Bay, there’s a difference between he and Perez/Castillo. For all intents and purposes Bay has played his ass off but has just lost something. He is willing to do whatever role his team asked without waver. So as long as he is comfortable being the 4th/5th OF playing all 3 OF positions? I have no problem with him being back.
srt
10/4/2012-8:34am at 8:34 am (UTC -4)
Regarding Bay…I don’t know if I’ve changed my mind on wanting Bay gone, but I can see them going down the road of keeping him, at least for the start of the season.
I know it’s probably all coincidence but did you notice this past season when Bay was on the DL, they were playing good, winning games. When he was active on the 25 man, they were losing.
Starting to think there is something to not just building a team with talent, but building one where all the pieces fit together.
TRS86
10/4/2012-9:15am at 9:15 am (UTC -4)
I think it has nothing to do with it. Bay didn’t cause Duda or Kirk to stink or the bullpen to suck or Gee and Johan to get injured.
NJstuckinTX
10/4/2012-11:30am at 11:30 am (UTC -4)
For the production you will likely get from Bay, if they just DFA him in the spring and someone picks him up, you’ve basically got your minimum wage replacement player covered salary wise. I see no way he is traded, but I do see getting the same production from just about any replacement and losing the “stigma” of Bad Bay will be an overall positive, I think. And it does suck for Bay. He’s not a bad guy. Hustles like he should. He just fell off the proverbial cliff and face planted into the wall. twice.
I still wished they signed Lackey.
wanny
10/4/2012-8:53pm at 8:53 pm (UTC -4)
duda doesnt need a platoon partner. his stats this year were equally miserable v. l and r. not much worse v. l than r.
last season he was passable v. lefties.
he needs a defensive replacement more than anything.
darknova306
10/4/2012-11:49pm at 11:49 pm (UTC -4)
No, Duda needs a full time replacement. I’ve had enough of the fanboys clamoring for me to believe he’s a big league power bat… he’s not even a major leaguer to begin with…
kingman 26
10/5/2012-12:52am at 12:52 am (UTC -4)
The funniest is those who suggest trading Ike and playing Duda at first—a right side of the IF of Duda and Murph.
That would be something.
darknova306
10/5/2012-1:19am at 1:19 am (UTC -4)
Duda at first base (let alone on the major league roster to begin with) would be terrifying and vomit-inducing.
wanny
10/4/2012-8:54pm at 8:54 pm (UTC -4)
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/split.cgi?id=dudalu01&year=2012&t=b#plato::none
darknova306
10/4/2012-11:01am at 11:01 am (UTC -4)
Nah, they’ll stay in NYC just long enough to do a few interviews about how hard they’re trying to resign Wright and Dickey, just to keep us interested and hopeful, then they’ll fly to Aruba.
And the team was very much overachieving in the first half, and that obviously wasn’t sustainable. They’re not “just a couple pieces away” unless you’re still living in Omar land.
Stickguy
10/4/2012-4:35pm at 4:35 pm (UTC -4)
just about every team (maybe not the astros) are just a couple of pieces away. Ask the Orioles and A’s. Just the trick is, finding the right couple and bringing them in!
gategem
10/4/2012-6:47pm at 6:47 pm (UTC -4)
Ceetar, is that you?
darknova306
10/4/2012-7:36pm at 7:36 pm (UTC -4)
Yes, most teams are a statistical outlier miracle season away from contending. I’m just trying to stay in the realm of rational expectations, rather than getting my hopes up for a miracle.
Hazmet
10/4/2012-7:51pm at 7:51 pm (UTC -4)
And the A’s piece was clearly hiring Bob Melvin, damn it all if we had only hired Bob instead of Terry we’d be in the post season!
Clearly kidding, and I had no interest in Melvin but he did well handling the A’s. Surprised me.
NJstuckinTX
10/4/2012-5:25pm at 5:25 pm (UTC -4)
Well, off topic but with Bobby V fired, I’m very happy this team did not sign him back when he was a potential candidate. I still wanted Hurdle, but whatever…
Stickguy
10/4/2012-6:30pm at 6:30 pm (UTC -4)
yeah, I was not pining for him to come back. but now it will give a portion of the loony fringe something else to obsess over.
kingman 26
10/4/2012-6:36pm at 6:36 pm (UTC -4)
Pretty sure I predicted 75 wins, which really seemed kind of obvious.
But, in recent Met fashion, they did it in the worst possible way, appearing to be pretty good and then collapsing again.
I have loved this team for over 40 years, but as fans we are trapped in the irrational disconnect between fan desires and ownership prerogative.
No new spending is happening, and the main thing to root for as a fan is re-signing Dickey and hoping for a rotation which can lead us to .500 and beyond.
A 6 or 7 year deal for Wright at 18 or 20 mil per? Omar at his finest.
gategem
10/4/2012-6:53pm at 6:53 pm (UTC -4)
“but as fans we are trapped in the irrational disconnect between fan desires and ownership prerogative.”
The rationalization is that we root for the Blue and Orange or the Mets and not the ownership. But what happens if ownership decides to change the colors to violet and green and the name to the New York Empires? What then?
darknova306
10/4/2012-7:33pm at 7:33 pm (UTC -4)
Then we give the Wilpons a big “fu*k you” by rooting for the Giants, as they’re the rivals of Fred and Jeff’s favorite team. BAM!