2009 Season: Omar’s Plan Went Bust

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• Big Wes July 1, 2009 at 8:12 am

  Gregg,

  I really like your article and agree with most of it. The Mets didn’t just hit a bump in the road, they hit a landmine. The question that every Mets’ fan has had on their minds is: can these Replace Mets stay within striking distance of the division leader until the All-Star Break? They have so far but, the outlook is not very good. The Mets lost five straight and they are looking at getting swept for the second straight series in a row. As if that wasn’t enough, the Mets have a series coming up in Philly where we are praying that the Phillies suck like they have this year at home. To be honest with you, I don’t see how the Mets make a trade even if Beltran and Reyes come back AND the Mets go on a hot streak. How much are we going to give up and for who? The trade market isn’t all that great this year.

  Believe and Let’s Go Mets,

  Wes
• Amazin86er July 1, 2009 at 9:00 am

  Even though I picked the Mets to win the NL East I have a hard time believing this statement…

  “On opening day, this team was the class of the National League.”

  …looking back on my prediction it may have been wishful thinking and a lot of hope involved and I certainly did not expect the rash of injuries. However, with the question marks that were Pelfrey, Perez, and Maine as the 2-4 starters and the poor supporting cast(Church, Castillo, Murphy, Schneider, etc.) to the stars(Beltran, Delgado, Reyes, and Wright) there were just too many “ifs” that needed to turn into positives for this team to be considered the class of the National League. I mean I have to ask what had the Mets done in the last 2 years coming into this season to earn such a billing? While there is no doubt this team would be in a better position if they were fully healthy but lets not forget that they did not really get out of the gates very well in the month of April when they had their “normal” team.
  • METS62FAN July 1, 2009 at 10:25 am

    CAPSLOCK=DISABILITY ACCOMODATION
    AMAZIN, WHAT U SAY IS CERTAINLY TRUE IF YOU WANT TO ANSWER EVERY PRESEASON QUESTION LIKE JOE BENINGO WITH A NEGATIVE. THE ’08 METS’ THOGH CERTAINLY DISAPPOINTING, TIED FOR SECOND IN THE LEAGUE IN RUNS SCORED WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF “CAREER YEAR” ATTAINMENT BY ANY OFFENSIVE PLAYER, THE TEAM THEY TIED WAS THE PHILLIES WHO BENEFITED BY CAREER YEARS FROM VICTORINO & WERTH WHILE RECEIVING CAREER EQUIVILENT PRODUCTION FROM THE OTHER HITTERS. FINAL STANDINGS TOO MUCH RELATED TO DIFFERENCE IN BULLPENS, LIDGE WAS UNCONCIOUSLY OUTSTANDING ACHEIVING 100% SAVE RATE FROM CAREER 80% RANGE. MET BULLPEN, WE ALL KNOW WAS ATROCIOUS. WITH A FULL & THOROUGH UPGRADING OF THE MET BULLPEN WHILE PHILS’ PEN REMAINED UNALTERED WAS CERTAINLY CAUSE FOR OPTIMISM. CONSIDERING ONLY A 3G DEFICIT TO BEGIN, THE REPLACEMENT OF HEILMAN, et al WITH PUTZ, et al SHOULD CERTAINLY OUTWEIGH THE LONE PHILLY UPGRADE FROM BURRELL TO IBANEZ.
    WHAT NO ONE HAS IMPLICATED “THE PLAN” AS THE CAUSE FOR BELTRAN’S BREAKDOWN, I WILL. DEMANDING BELTRAN COVER ALLEY TO ALLEY ON RECENTLY OPERATED ON KNEES IS ASKING FOR PHYSICAL TROUBLES. OTHER QUESTIONS OF REYES’ INJURY, WBC RELATED? HIDDEN BY PLATYER? THE CAUSE FOR REYES’ REDUCED # OF STEALS EARLY? OR SETTLING FOR DOUBLES INSTEAD OF TRIPLES? IS WRIGHT’S STROKE CHANGE TO FAVOR INCR BATTING AVERAGE AT COST OF POWER FULLY ATTRIBUTABLE TO CITI DIMENSIONS OR DOES CHARITY CONTEST WITH JETER BASED UPON HIGHER YEAREND BATTING AVERAGE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR?

    I’M SOON GOING TO BE 60 & HAVE SOLELY BEEN A METS’ FAN FOR 47 YRS AND THROUGH ALL MY LIFE I’VE LEARNED THE SIMPLE, OBVIOUS ANSWERS ARE SELDOM THE RIGHT ANSWERS. CERTAINLY BULLPEN ISSUES WERE MAIN CAUSE FOR BOTH COLLAPSES WITH CULPRITS NAMED HEILMAN & THE 2 4 LETTER WORDS, SOSA,MOTA. THERE WAS NO REASON NOT TO BELIEVE THE STRONGLY UPGRADED BULLPEN WOULD ENSURE THE FRONRUNNING METS OF ’06,’07,’08 WOULD NOT FALTER AGAIN IN ’09.
    • Amazin86er July 1, 2009 at 11:32 am

      I am not placing blame or second guessing or really complaining as I fully understand the impact that the rash of injuries have had and there are zero teams in baseball that can overcome losing such key players for extended periods. However, I will say this, Omar Minaya has made mistakes by only focusing on one area of the team after each of the last three seasons.

      For example:

      After 2006 the Mets needed a RH bat and they went out and signed Moises Alou. He completely negelected the starting rotation and any other area of the team.

      After 2007 the Mets needed a frontline starting pitcher and they acquired and signed Johan Santana. Great move but there were also other areas of the team that needed to be addressed and they were simply neglected once again.

      After 2008 the Mets needed a revamped bullpen and a lockdown closer and they acuired JJ Putz and signed Francisco Rodriguez while once again neglecting all other areas of the team.

      Do you see a pattern? It seems Minaya thinks that every season is going to turn out the same as the last. He has been unable to see that other areas of the team are in need and usually only sees the problem after how glaringly awful that area of the team was the year before.

      ———————–

      All I am saying is even when this team was at full strength it was not the hands down “class of the National League.” There were many question marks and many “hopeful” performances being counted on. The fact of the matter is that no two seasons are ever alike and just because the bullpen was revamped does not mean anything was guaranteed. And no I do not expect Minaya to see into the future but as a “baseball man and lifer” he should be able to see that there are more issues with his roster makeup than just the glaring obvious problems.
      • The Good Jerry July 1, 2009 at 12:11 pm

        I agree 100% with your post. Omar Minaya has been very reactive as a GM instead of proactive.

        Wht makes a GM great is the ability to anticipate problems before they happen. You look at some of the top GM’s and Omar doesn’t even compare favorably to them.

        Plus, Omar has had the luxury of ample cash to get his fixes. He has never had to be creative. He simply throws more cash around than the other GM and gets his man.

        If Omar was a good GM, he wouldn’t have let the Mets sink to this terrible bargaining position. He should have reacted as soon as Delgado first complained of hip pain and seen that Murphy was plan B. He didn’t and now we’re screweed.

        It didnt take a genius to see the left field platoon was a remake of the Titanic. The signs were there for everyone to see as far back as the spring training games, and yet he let that go too.

        Bad job Omar!
      • METS62FAN July 1, 2009 at 12:28 pm

        AMAZIN’, I SEE YOUR POINT; BUT THE ONLY WAY TO ATTEPT TO ADDRESS ALL THINGS AT ONCE, IS TO OPERATE LIKE THE YANKEES. THAT WILL NEVER, EVER HAPPEN IN FLUSHING. CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF THIS TEAM IS NOT BEING RUN FRUGILLY, NOT WITH THE SECOND HIGHEST PAYROLL; BUT THE REAL PROBLEM IS THE MORAL CONVICTION OF THEIR PRIMARY OWNER, FRED WILPON. FRED VOWED TO NEVER PAY THE PUNATIVE LUXURY TAX OUT OF MORAL CONVICTION. HE HASN’T & HE WON’T. OMAR HAS INCREASED THE PAYROLL TO WITHIN 13M OF THE 162M LUXURY TAX CONSTRAINT TO WIT YOU BVIOUSLY CAN’T ADD MUCH MORE TALENT SO U MUST ASK WHICH OF HIS BIG MOVES WOULD YOU UNDO TO MAKE WHAT OTHER MOVES? CERTAINLY MOST MIGHT SAY CASTILLO; BUT ARE YOU FEELING GUARANTEED THAT SANTANA, GETTING A NEGATIVE BY REPORT FROM HIS FRIEND, THE DUMPED CASTILLO, STILL AGREES TO WAIVE HIS NO-TRADE? DO YOU NOT INK BELTRAN AT THE TIME? PUTZ? K-ROD? TO ADD WHOM? CERTAINLY A NY GM WITH THAT RESTRICTION, MUST BUY THE OBVIOUS, NECESSARY IMPROVMENTS AS WELL AS HOPE FOR SUPRISE PRODUCTION FROM INEXPENSIVE ALTERNATIVES. WHEN THEY WORK, WE USUALLY JUST ACCEPT IT WHEN THEY DON’T WE CASTIGATE FOR NOT GETTING BETTER OPTION. REMEMBER SHANE VICTORINO WAS A RULE 5 PICKUP NO ONE EXPECTED TO BE A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTOR AS WAS ALSO JASON WERTH. WHILE THERE ARE MANY CRITICS BECAUSE OF THE OBVIOUS NYY COMPARISON DUE TO PROXIMITY. IT’S RARELY POINTED OUT THAT ALL THEIR EFFUSIVE SPENDING HAS NOT INCREASED 26 TO 27 FOR 10 YRS OR THAT ATLANTA’S PAYROLL HAS REMAINED SOMEWHAT FIXED DESPITE ALSORAN STATUS THE PAST 3 YRS. THERE’S CERTAINLY BEEN BAD CHOICES,GAMBLES AS WELL AS A FAIR SHARE OF BAD LUCK. THE PAUCITY OF RH OUTFIELD BATS SUPRISED ME THIS PAST OFFSEASON. SEEMED LIKE EVERY OF POWER HITTER AVAILABLE WAS LH. JERRY’S PLAN TO INCREASE PRODUCTION BY GETTING THE BULK OF THE LINEUP HITTING SAFETIES THE OPPO WAY, INCR OBP TO ENSURE PLENTY OF RBI FOR PWRHITTERS BELTRAN,WRIGHT,DELGADO CERTAINLY SHOULD’VE WORKED IF 2 HADN’T BEEN MIA AND OTHER WASN’T ABANDONING POWER FOR BA, HIMSELF.
        THE METS’ LUXURY RESTRICTION HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN EFFECT SINCE THE PENALTY WAS ESTABLISHED. IT’S NOT ABOUT PROFIT AS IT IS ABOUT MORAL CONVICTION.
        I UNDERSTAND THAT SINCE, I WAS LIVING IN LA FOR THE NORTHRIDGE QUAKE. WHEN THE CLOSESET MARKET BEGAN CHARGING $10.00 FOR A GAL OF WATER. MY RESPONSE WAS TO BOYCOTT THEM & NEVER RETURNING TO BUY ANYTHING DESPITE THEIR BEING CLOSEST TO MY HOME.
        • Amazin86er July 1, 2009 at 2:22 pm

          I completely understand the fact that the Wilpon ownership will not go over the luxury tax threshold and honestly they should not have to. They spend plenty of money throughout the organization. Since players like Valentin, Floyd, Lo Duca, Bradford, Oliver, etc. left the orgaization for whatever reason, Omar Minaya has done a poor job to replace those players contributions on and off the field. Look around the league at teams with lesser payrolls and look at their supporting cast to their stars. That has been the main differences between the last couple of seasons compared to the 2006 team or compared to other contending teams. Basically outside of the main cogs on the Mets, Minaya has done a poor job at building an overall solid roster with more resources than most other teams. I do not want the owners to spend more I want the resources to be used more effectively.
• Will July 1, 2009 at 9:36 am

  I agree, stay with the current team, no reason to get one player and expect that one player to change this team around. If…and it’s a big if…the Mets players come back healthy, they shouldn’t have a problem to compete. Now if the Blue Jays are willing to give up Rios for lets say Church and another player not in the Mets future…than I’m all for it. But trading away Fmart, Holt, Parnell, Mejia, Flores, Marte, Havens, Davis or Evans for a-rent a player wouldn’t help us at all. Save those guys for the offseason if somebody big becomes available or just save them for the future of this club.

  On another note Manuel has got to stop using Tatis…he’s not the player he was last year…Evans, Reed and Murphy has to play before him.
  • METS62FAN July 2, 2009 at 10:10 am

    CAPSLOCK=DISABILITY ACCOMODATION
    HELLO, THE REAL PROBLEM? U BELIEVE OMAR DIDN’T DO A GOOD JOB? OTHER GMs WOULD DO BETTER?

    HERE’S HOW I SEE IT FOR THE BETTER PART OF A MONTH 3 OF OUR 4 BEST EVERDAY PLAYERS, 40% OF OUR ROTATION, OUR #1 8th INNING SETUP OPTION HAVE ALL BEEN MIA AND THE METS ARE 2GB OF LAST SEASON’S WS CHAMPION. I’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM ANYONE WHAT OTHER TEAM IN MLB COULD LOSE SUCH ESSENTIAL PLAYERS & MAINTAIN CONTENTION FOR SO LONG. MOST SWEAR BY ST LOUIS MNGT, INCL KEITH, WHERE WOULD THEY BE TODAY SANS JUST PUJOLS & CARPENTER FOR THAT LONG? BOSTON? NYY? PHL? ATL? ANYONE? GAME BY GAME YOU MAY HAVE A POINT; EVEN PLAYER BY PLAYER; BUT IN THE BIG PICTURE, I READ ALL THESE KNOWNOTHING, GUESS EVERYTHING PUNDITS TALK ABOUT WHAT MAY HAPPEN OR WILL HAPPEN, YET NONE OF THESE NIGHTMARES HAVE OCCURRED. PHILS HAVE NOT RALLIED OR PUT IT TOGETHER, METS HAVE NOT COLLAPSED UNDER THEIR OWN WEIGHT, THEIR MALIGNED ROTATION OF SUPPOSED AVG PITCHERS HAS PROVEN TO BE BETTER THAN AVG & VERY RESILIENT. IS THIS ALL A FLUKE? DOES OMAR GET NO CREDIT? IT’S NOT ALL LUCK. OVER & OVER OMAR HAS PROVEN TO BE A BETTER TALENT EVALUATOR THAN MOST ie REDDING,LIVAN,NIEVE,GREEN,REED,TATIS(’08) AND OTHER CRITICIZED ADITIONS. TO HAVE A TEAM STRONG ENOUGH TO CONTEND WHILE BEING GUTTED OF IT’S BEST TALENT & TO GET CRITICISM OVER APPLAUSE IS SHAME ON MET FANS. SURE U CAN BEMOAN THE LACK OF POSITIONAL PROSPECT TALENT; BUT WHERE WAS IT TO COME FROM IN PAST 4 YRS? SHOILD BEEFING UP MINORS THROUGH DRAFT PICKS HAVE TAKEN PRIORITY OVER IMPROVING A THIRD/FOURTH PLACE PARENT TEAM INTO A 4 YR CONTENDER? DON’T THINK SO, NOT IN NY(CERTAINLY RENOWNED FOR IT’S PATIENCE LMAO!)
• D.C. July 1, 2009 at 10:14 am

  Somehow the locker room last night was very tense and quiet. Trade now.
  • METS62FAN July 1, 2009 at 10:30 am

    CAPSLOCK=DISABILITY ACCOMODATION
    DC, TRADE WHO FOR WHOM? BE REALISTIC, YOU AREN’T GETTING HOLIDAY FOR CHURCH, ALONE. REMEMBER YOU CAN’T TAKE ON MORE THAN 12M IN PAYROLL BY OWNER’S ORDERS. ACCEPT THAT LIKE YOU ACCEPT THE COLOR OF THE SKY.
• mary July 1, 2009 at 2:46 pm

  Well I personally don’t think Omar in really that muc to blame. We had a good team before the injuries. Even now, we have a better team that what they are playing like. All these guys can do better…we have seen it. Fact is they are not. they are not playing hard, they act like they don’t care and our standings reflect that. Sure, we coudl have gotten Manny in the off-season, but guess what? He had 50 game suspension. That is just as bad as an inuury….worse because the media would not get off it.
• sarge July 1, 2009 at 9:33 pm

  I think that we still need to wait to pull a trade cause we have to see who will be sellers and buyers. You just can’t make a deal cause you want to. Other teams know how desperate we are and will fleece us of whatever decent prospect we have. A 2 month rental is not worth it unless we give up little or take on a left over contract. How can Omar forsee that the impressive BP he put together would be missing Putz for an extended time? I believe Mets will bounce back when they get back their core players and think that maybe with Ollie we can catch two months of a new and better Ollie. LGM!
• sarge July 2, 2009 at 2:14 pm

  Hey Gregga the season is not over yet. You can write this article in Oct but don’t you think, considering all that has happened, that it is a bit pre mature to call this season as a disaster under Omar’s watch? Sheesh lets wait until Sep at least before throwing in the towel.
• Tim Allardyce July 2, 2009 at 4:57 pm

  It’s not really surprising that the Mets are having to use fill-in guys to plug holes. As a physical therapist I know how frequently baseball players suffer injuries. Check out my article on baseball shoulder injuries.

  Tim

  http://www.exercisesforshoulderpain.com/shoulder-pain-and-baseball.html
• TommyJ July 2, 2009 at 5:54 pm

  “How does Delgado fit into the future of the Mets?”….He doesn’t. Time to start thinking about a new 1st baseman. I also agree with Will’s comment about Tatis, let Evans, Murphy and Reed play.