Many will say “Yes” but as usual, I don’t agree with the majority of what I’ve been hearing. The team has done little to improve, operating under the belief or the “company line” that guys such as Big Pelf will improve or that John Maine, and the ever-enigmatic Ollie Perez are going to return to their 2007 form. This may be asking a lot for a team that has yielded multiple disappointing seasons for the past 3 years or so.
If the discussion on the table is are we happy with the way business is being run? The answer is an emphatic “No”, beginning with the Tony Bernazard award winning performance in the hit high school drama “Give me your lunch money or I’ll meet you after school!” to the ongoing Carlos Beltran injury/media nightmare to the bevy of free agents that are behaving as as if the Mets have E-Coli.
Things from a foundational/organizational standpoint don’t look so good and there’s no real argument there.
Additionally, the team’s makeup has barely changed apart from the addition of Mr. Jason Raymond Bay and some other ”minor” moves. Yes, more should have reasonably been done especially since the team has played so poorly or underachieved in the past few years. Big Market Teams = Big Market Expectations.
If we’re being asked to swallow a “small ball” mentality this year, then let’s explore it.
What makes this team that different from the 2009 Seattle Mariners? After King Felix (and before Cliff Lee), who were their #2 through #5? I don’t know either but we do know that they went from a 61-101, 4th place finish in the AL west in ’08 to 85-77 last year. The additions of Ken Griffey, Jason Vargas (a Mets castoff), and former Pirate Ian Snell didn’t make a difference stat-wise but the one thing that even their new coach and their fans will say is that they played better defense, improved situational hitting, and their pitching was vastly improved (with help from the aforementioned defense) to the tune of a 24 game improvement.
The Mets have added or currently have players that have the potential to play up to that standard too. Barring any arising coaching issues or lack of focus from the players, there’s no reason not to expect them to do just that. I’m not ready to say the Murphy experience at first base will be greatly improved or the catching situation will be sufficient as far as the game calling or offense at the bottom of the order, but lets not ignore all the other significant strengths of this team. (And I hear that, Murph’s been working hard at the position) We know what to expect from the rest of the infield. Our outfield is one of the best (when Beltran is in) and one of the most entertaining (when Pagan is in).
Can Big Pelf win 10 games this season? Can Ollie tap into the potential we’ve been hearing about now that he’s graduated from “The Institute”? (That never gets old to me!) Can J. Maine come back healthy and match his 15 game win record from 3 years ago? Can a healthy Nieve and a determined Figgy add to a much questioned rotation? Hard to predict, but definitely not beyond the realm of possibility. The point is that there’s no way that our season is already over before it starts as so many hint or suggest.
As long as there’s a Wild Card, a trade deadline, and 162 games to be played, anything can happen!
Which one of our great fans, Mets blogger or sports journalist predicted that practically every player on our squad would be injured in a historically unprecedented 2009 season?
Let them play the games… Let them endure the rigors of a full season… And lets see where some fundamentally sound baseball can take our Amazins. Besides the offseason’s not done just yet, it just feels like that sometimes. LGM
Nothing is ever determined before the season; if so, we would have some rings to wear. Let’s not forget that many picked theets to win it all last year. Games have to be played. We have plenty of time to cry when it really matters.
I cant stand the fact that so many fans are tossing in the towel so early simply because we didnt add another starter. I wanted a starter as much as the next fan, but isnt this the same rotation that was predicted to win the World Series by ESPN and Sports Illustrated a year ago? So what’s change that cant be corrected by good health? Lets go Mets!
Man, is football season here already? I don’t think so, spring training is less than 10 days away. Time to play the game and not the spoken word.
This off season and free agent crop should reminds us of how important it is to develop players within the organization. Having home grown talent at first base and catcher may not lead to a WS in 2010 but it may in 2011 and beyond. Met fans complain about the minor league system and how free agent signings and trades have depleted that system but now that the Mets are committing to young talent (due to lack of money and shallow free agent talent pool) Met fans are complaing about not signing free agents- talk about a bi-polar fan base. Spring training is around the corner it is time for the internal optimist in all of us to come out. So let’s support the team we have and enjoy watching players develop and become healthy again. The goals for 2010 are health and player development. 2011 will allow us to make some additions and compete for a championship and who knows 2010 may give us an upside surprise just like 2009 gave us a downside surprise.
Mariners won quite a lot of games because they built an all-worldly defensive team. They were probably just 70-ish win team on paper but add in their amazing defense and a few surprising performances (Branyan, Gutierrez, etc.) and that made them an 85 win team.
And Nick, there is a GM who used to work with the Mets.
While I appreciate the optimism and will continue to subscribe to the DirecTV MLB package to watch my beloved Metropolitans, the reality is that the promises ownership made to this fanbase on WFAN to improve the team this year have not materialized. Needs that are glaring have not been filled and there still is a bevy of bad public relations that engulf this team. Free agent players even seem bent on not coming to Flushing. This concerns me.
The Mariners analogy is wrought with hope, but they did it in a division that pales in comparison with the NL East. Here are the brass tacks: 1. Atlanta is better. 2. Florida will at some point figure it out and 3. Philadelphia is still dominant (Thank God, they traded Cliff Lee). The Mets did little to improve the most glaring concerns in my opinion, specifically support for Santana. I do not think fans are not hopeful at being surprised, but what is more disconcerting is that many promises were made and with the exception of Bay, we did nothing to significantly improve our chances of contending with the Phillies.
Our fallback plan has become we were picked to win last year and now we will go to battle with the same guys. I think that strategy is flawed and that it was not what we were sold by ownership and Omar. Hudson would have been an easy addition and wanted to be here. He instantly changes the culture in the room and supports David Wright. There are not enough of those types in the clubhouse and Omar seems to not understand that. I feel bad for Omar as I think he is a puppet, but he has also made some bad decisions (Joey Cora $2mm?).
I agree with Rich K maybe the move is towards 2011, but if that is the case management should be less obtuse and talk about the opportunities for Thole, Davis, Mejia, etc instead of proclaiming that the team will contend in 2010.
Eh, I would say the Braves have better pitching, while the Mets probably have better hitting (on paper). However, I’ll bet the Mets hitters will be closer to 09 numbers than 06 (due to recovering from injuries) and I’d probably rank the Braves, Fish, and Phils over the Mets.
The biggest problem with the offseason is there seems to be the assumption that everyone who was injured will come back healthy and be just as productive as before last season. I hope this is true, I am sure we all do. However, we already have Beltran down. How long will it be before we hear Maine experienced stiffeness, Johan is tender…yada yada yada… The Mets needed to spend some coins to protect against this scenario. Where is the depth? Not on a bench that has Alex Cora and Henry Blanco. Not in a bullpen that still has Sean Green. Not on first base where we have little power and Fernando Tatis. Please. We couldn’t do better than Fernando Tatis? Where is the defense? Just thinking of gimpy Luis Castillo and Murphy/Tatis covering the right side makes me queasy. We could have and should have done a lot better than this.
IMHO, you are absolutely right. This coming season is set up to be a large disappointment. There are just too many ways to fall short with players returning from injuries and positions staffed with less than first rate players. The team appears to be structured with shortcomings throughout. The prognosis looks far from healthy.
Going in to the 2000 season, Did ANYONE think that team would have made it to the WS?
I am NOT saying this team will, but just something to think about.
There is no doubt that the Mets could have eased the worries of all those concerned by acquiring some solid help with their starting pitching. Jason Marquis was a guy that was talked about most in terms of free agents available. So, as we get ready for spring training it looks like the only help we will get is going to be from our own guys. The upside could be good but remains to be seen. Regardless….if the Mets don’t have strong and healthy seasons from the core players like Reyes,Beltran,Santana and K Rod combined with a return to form comeback by our poster boy…..we will be watching the Phillies and Braves from the basement of the NL East…A cold hard fact!
If Pitching is the name of a winning game than only one thing is certain in the National League East:
QUESTIONS ABOUND EVERYWHERE:
I RECENTLY RECOUNTED TO A FELLOW MET FAN THE FOLLOWING, TOO MUCH FOR MY LAZY ASS TO RETYPE SO BEAR WITH THE PASTE JOB, PLEASE you’ll get my point:
LAST i’VE HEARD RE. DELGADO WAS HE HAD DIFFICULTY IN THE FLD CAUSED BY SURGERY & WAS SEEN LIMPING CONSIDERABLY, i DOUBT HE’S BACK.
DON’T BE SO QUICK ABOUT ANNOINTING THOSE OTHER STAFFS. SORRY; BUT
HALLADAY
HAMELS
BLANTON
HAPP
MOYER/CONTRERAS/BASTARDO/KENDRICK
IS NOT THE NYY OR BOS ROTATION, NEITHER IS ATLANTA’S WITH 3 35+ YR OLDS + I STUD+1 ROOK ROTATION OF:
JURGENS
LOWE
HANSON
HUDSON
KAWAKAMI
WEREN’T U A PROPONENT FOR SIGNING SHEETS?
TRY LOOKING AT THESE 2 SETS OF STATS:
http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=282656 BEN SHHETS’ CAREER PER MLB.COM
http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=113898 KELVIM ESCOBAR CAREER PER MLB.COM
IT WOULDN’T SHOCK ME TO SEE THEM GIVE KELVIM EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO WIN A SPOT IN THE ROTATION, I UNDERSTAND HIS VENEZUELAN WINTERBALL STINT WENT VERY,VERY WELL & DRS HAVE CLEARED HIM AS HEALTHY TO START ST. I THINK ALL THIS SETUP TALK IS TO ALLEVIATE EXPECTATIONS/PRESSURE & THROW JEFF OF SCENT THAT WE MAY HAVE ADDED BOTH A RELIABLE SP & A POWER OUTFIELDER DESPITE HIS ATTEMPTS TO STRANGLE OFF FUNDING.
IF U REALLY LOOK AT STATS U’LL FIND, AS I HAVE, THAT COLE HAMELS IS AS OVERRATED AS THEY COME & NOT STRIKINGLY BETTER THAN MAINE & PEREZ. OUR #4 & #3 WHEREBY HAMELS IS TOUTED A #1A JUST COMPARE THE 3 OVER PAST 3Y.
OF THESE 3 TEAms, (ours is the only one completely under age 32(without escobar @ 34)) as well as all capable of 95+ sustained pitching.
If Pelfrey, Perez & Maine each pitched to their proven best capability attained in 2007 & 2008 we’d have:
a 2,3,4 in the rotation with 13W,15W,15W I’d say that wins & if Escobar could pitch as he did in the AL in 2007 that’s 18W (considerably better results than any #2 in our div)
I’ve discovered the NY newspaper,sports reporting secret regarding the Mets & their fans; ANGST SELLS!!!
The injuries sustained by Maine & Perez were not career altering, Maine worked too hard in rehab from his first ever injury(bone spur) which was arthroscopically(minimal invasion) repaired resulting in a “tired arm syndrome last season. His last outing was very dominant for 7IP over FL. While the names of those SP available after Lackey were certainly more experience(older) Garland,Pineiro,Marquis, Wolf, Sheets, Washburn, Bedard are certainly not “DIFFERENCE MAKERES” and if taken separately & compared to our in-house alternatives of Pelfrey, Perez, Maine, Nieve, Niese cetainly not overwelmingly better talent wise. Considering each & everyone of those available are older than our oldest SP, Santana,31 and our inhousers are all in their 20s having a more complete resume means nothing more than they are more experienced & since when does older mean better re. pitching?
Think about it, Omar, whom u might question, certainly has proven to not be a moron or suicidal. If Escobar made the rotation, I certainly woyuld not dismiss a pitching staff featuring a rotation comprised of:
SANTANA(31)
ESCOBAR(34)
PEREZ(29)
PELFREY(26)
MAINE*(29)
WITH BOTH NIESE(24) & NIEVE(28) IN RESERVE! BACKED BY A BULLPEN WITH PARNELL/FELICIANO @ SETUP & K-ROD CLOSING
COMPARED TO PHILLY:
HALLADAY(33)
HAMELS(27)
BLANTON(30)
MOYER(48)
WITH CONTRERAS(39), BASTARDO(25) & KENDRICK(26) IN RESERVE BACKED BY A BULLPEN WITH DENNYS BAEZ @ SETUP & LIDGE CLOSING
OR ATLANTA
JURGENS(24)
LOWE(37)
HANSON(24)
HUDSON(35) RET’NING FROM SERIOUS SHOULDER SURGERY
KAWAKAMI(35) NO RESERVE EVIDENT BUT SETUP MAINLY SAITO”(41″) IN FRONT OF CLOSER WAGNER(40) NEITHER YET TO PITCH SUCCESSIVE GAMES SINCE INJURY.
I’M NOT EXTOLLING OUR PITCHING PITCH LIKE ALL-STARS OR HOFers, only if they could, after a season of virtual rest reproduce the same caliber quality they each have already displayed within the past 3 yrs. personally, I think that reasonable. Perez’ wildness & needing Peterson claims are that much more for angst pile. In 2004, long before he ever met Rick Peterson Olliver Perez over a full season issued 81BB while striking out 239 in 196 IP! BTW that only 4Ks shy of a 3:1 ratio K:BB.
MY BIGGEST POINT IS NOT THAT WE ARE SET IN PITCHING; BUT TO POINT OUT HOW THE ENTIRE DIVISION IS BESET BY BIG QUESTIONS!
aNOTHER REMARKABLE ASSET FOR OUR TEAM AMONST THE TOP 3 CONTENDERS IS “AGE” AS PRESENTLY CONSTITUTED WE ARE REMARKABLY LESS RELIANT ON PLAYERS 35+ THAN ANY OF THE OTHERS. OUR ONLY PLAYERS 35 OR OLDER ARE: FIGUEROA,BLANCO,COSTE,CASTILLO,CORA WITH ONLY CASTILLO BEING THE SOLE REGULAR IN THE LINEUP.
BESIDES THE ROTATIONAL AGE PHILLIES IBANEZ @ 38 & ATLANTAS CHIPPER @ 38 ARE KEY COGS TO THEIR RESPECTIVE LINEUPS.
I HOPE THIS ASSUAGES YOUR LINGERING CONCERNS OF DOOM! AS IT HAS MINE!
…PT, LGM!
——————————————————————————–
From: lrk162@gmail.com
To: PTHYLAND@aol.com
Sent: 2/6/2010 5:33:08 P.M. Eastern Standard Time
Subj: Re: NY Daily News: Madden: Mets fans have to be asking, Is this it?
I ve said if before and I’ll say it again. Our pitching dosent compare to atl, philly or probably fish. I think pelfrey is gonna be ok. maine and perez scare me. Whats the latest with delgado? No one has picked him up yet.. Its a long season
On Sat, Feb 6, 2010 at 10:37 AM, PT wrote:
This page was sent to you by: PT
Message from sender:
MORE OF THIS NYPRESS C RAP ALONG THE LINES OF”YO MET FANS; ANGST SELLS! HAMELS IS A STUD? LEAVE OUT HIS EXCEELENT POSTSEASON OF ’08 & U GET A VERY AVERAGE PITCHER HIS BEST CAREER SEASON , IN SEASON, WAS 2007 WHEREBY HIS RECORD WAS: 15- 5 3.39 2007 WAS ALSO BEST SEASONS FOR PEREZ & MAINE: 1`5-103.39 15-10 3.91 RESPECTIVELY. THE NY PRESS EXTOLLS HAMELS AS A 1A POSSIBILITY, YET IS HE “THAT” MUCH BETTER? SINCE ’07″ ’08 14-1`0 3.09 ’09 10-11 4.32 FOR A VERY UN-1A TYPE OF CAREER. FOR HONESTY SAKE TO COMPLERTE THE COMPARISON MAINE & PEREZ, BOTH HAD INJURY SEASONS IN ’08 & ’09 MAINE: ’08 10-8 4.18 ’09 7-6 4.43 PEREZ: ’08 10-7 4.22 ’09 3-4 6.82 CONSIDERING HAMELS IN PITCHING IN FRONT OF THE MOST DEVASTATING OFFENSE IN THE NL. IS HE REALLY A 1A WHILE MAINE & PEREZ ARE SCLOCK? I DON’T THINK ANY OF THEM ARE 1A MATERIAL; BUT ALL HAVE THEIR BEST YRS IN FRONT OF THEM! HAMELS CERTAINLY IS VERY OVERRATED & IN MY OPINION WOULD STRUGGLE TO CRACK THE ROTATIONS IN EITHER BRONX OR BOSTON. CERTAINLY NOT TO BE FEARED!
Sports | 01/30/2010
Madden: Mets fans have to be asking, Is this it?
Bill Madden
Well, it sure didn’t take long for the Jason Bay euphoria to subside over at Citi Field. The baseball winter has just about ended and, alas, other than signing Bay to play left field, the Mets’ lengthy offseason shopping list remains mostly unchecked.
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