24
2011
Why Is Collins Telegraphing His Spring Training Decisions?
An article by 
It’s hard to imagine Spring Training is only 22 days away when you look out your window and it looks and feels like you’re living in Alaska… or Buffalo, where Terry Collins introduced Tim Teufel as the new manager of the Bisons.
One of the things I absolutely love about spring training is watching all the battles as players openly compete to win specific roles or even a spot on the 25 man roster. There’s something thrilling about watching players give it their all in a tight battle with one of their teammates to become the opening day rightfielder or the team’s fifth starter. The best player ultimately wins the job (sometimes), while the loser is sent packing to the minor leagues or in some cases even released – never to be heard from again. That’s baseball.
It looks like this spring training will be different… much different…
Since being named manager of the Mets two short months ago, Terry Collins has been proclaiming the winners and losers of many of those expected spring battles even before one pitch was thrown or the crack of a bat was heard. Why? I don’t get it…
Athletes love competition, it’s in their blood, it drives them. Why have all these spring training invitations when you’ve already told most of them through the media that they basically have no chance to win a job?
Was it absolutely necessary, even if it was the best thing, to let the world know that Ruben Tejada and Lucas Duda will begin the season in the minors? Was it further necessary to have them read that they’ll be playing new positions as well; Tejada at shortstop, and Duda going back to first base?
Was it that imperative to name Mike Pelfrey the opening day starter in January rather than letting him earn that right by out-pitching R.A. Dickey in February and March? That’s exactly what Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel did last winter when they named Mike Pelfrey the number two starter, only to eat their words when they broke camp after Jon Niese and John Maine out-pitched Pelfrey relegating him to start the fourth game of the season. Some would argue that it was intended to boost Pelfrey’s confidence, but what message does it send to Dickey who was by far the better pitcher in 2010, that he was a fluke?
Why can’t we just have everybody show up to Port St. Lucie like in the good old days? Shouldn’t you take the best 25 players up north after all is said and done – after spring training has run it’s course and served it’s primary purpose?
Did we really have to announce the first six players in the batting order now?
Doesn’t Terry Collins want to wait until he sees the players exhibit their strengths and weaknesses first hand, before figuring out how all the parts are going to fit together?
Making out you lineup card in January is something usually reserved for bloggers and fans, not the actual manager – especially a brand new manager who has yet to even meet all of his players.
On Sunday, he even went as far as saying there’s only one spot to decide, second base.
“Look at our lineup. I’ve looked through National League lineups. we have as good a lineup as anybody. We’ve named the first seven spots already. Only second base is up for grabs.”
Josh Thole is entering the season as the starting catcher after having amassed a total of 225 at-bats over parts of two seasons with the Mets. Thole, 24, will not have to worry about going to camp to win a job as it has already been decided based on his overwhelming career to date. Seriously speaking, has he acquired that much respect with his career totals of 3 home runs and 26 RBIs that he is already considered to be a lock behind the plate after such a small sample size?
Maybe if Thole was some prized prospect and organizational phenom (Jesus Montero, Buster Posey), I wouldn’t have a problem with it, but Thole has never been considered that type of a player. He was so weak offensively as a first baseman, that the Minaya regime felt that the only way for him to have even the slightest value was to try and transform him into a catcher. Thole was only batting .267 in Buffalo last season before he got the call. It just doesn’t make any sense. I wonder how Ronny Paulino feels now that he knows he won’t be competing for the everyday job after saying he was looking forward to a chance to start? Sorry Ronny… the kid gets the job… He’s earned it.
In less than half a season in Buffalo, Lucas Duda had scouts drooling. After 264 at-bats he had 17 home runs and 53 RBIs while batting .314. His .389 OBP led the league as did his ,999 OPS. It wasn’t a fluke… In Binghamton, Duda posted a line of .289/.411/.503 in 161 at-bats before getting bumped to Triple-A. After the Mets called him up, Duda struggled during his first 13 games collecting just one RBI and zero home runs. But in his next 16 games, Duda busted out big time batting a robust .340 and collecting six doubles, four homers and 12 RBIs to close out the season with a big bang. His reward? A one way ticket to Palookaville.
Look, I’m not saying that any of these moves wouldn’t have happened eventually anyway, but the point is that you just never know what is going to happen, so why not just let it play out on the field instead of at a press conference while standing in front of a dozen mics and recorders?
If we are going to do things differently, then lets do things differently, because all of this is all too familiar and exactly how Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel played it. In fact I’m still having nightmares of when Jerry Manuel proclaimed Jose Reyes the number three hitter.
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About the Author: Joe DeCaro
I'm a lifelong Mets fan who loves writing and talking about the Amazins' 24/7. From the Miracle in 1969 to the magic of 1986, and even the near misses in '73 and '00, I've experienced it all - the highs and the lows. I started Mets Merized Online in 2005 to feed my addiction. Follow me on Twitter @metsmerized.
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The more things change the more they stay the same. I just don’t get it.
jerry part deux… i hope not!
Maybe it’s just that the Mets want to keep their name in the public’s eyes so as to sell a few more tickets. Beyond this purpose, it makes me wonder.
“Was it that imperative to name Mike Pelfrey the opening day starter in January rather than letting him earn that right by out-pitching R.A. Dickey in February and March? That’s exactly what Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel did last winter when they named Mike Pelfrey the number two starter, only to eat their words when they broke camp after Jon Niese and John Maine out-pitched Pelfrey relegating him to start the fourth game of the season. ”
And how did that work out once they started playing games that counted?
For a lot of guys, Spring Training isn’t about winning a job. It’s about tweaking the good stuff you already have and improving on your not so good stuff. Since Pelfry and Dickey don’t have the competition to worry about, they can now do things like experiment with new pitches in their arsenal. One of the big tasks for Pelf this off season was improning his curveball.
Are you mad that David Wright has been announced the starting third baseman or Reyes the starting short stop? Should they have to compete?
Why did you choose Pelfrey to make that argument rather than Josh Thole? I’ll tell you why, because the argument wound’t have worked with Thole that’s why.
Collins naming starters, winners, lineups, etc. is ridiculous. I dont see any of the other managers in the NL east making such claims.
Yes, it does work with Thole. Do the Mets have a better option than Thole?
No. He’s the starting catcher. Paulino is there to platoon for him against lefties. Now that Thole knows his job is secure, he can use the Spring to focus on his hitting of lefties.
Yeah, just like Daniel Murphy was secure in being named starting leftfielder in December of 2008 by Omar Minaya. Youre right, small sample sizes are okay to make decisions like that in December. I’m glad your not GM.
really? You are holding Minaya’s mistakes against Collins?
A few things:
There’s something thrilling about watching players give it their all in a tight battle with one of their teammates to become the opening day rightfielder or the team’s fifth starter. ~Well, lucky for you, you’ll get that thrill again this year, as RF and the 5th starter ARE up in the air. (although the real “battle” is for CF, with RF being the consolation prize).
And I’m not sure if you noticed what you did, but you followed up your argument that 225 ML at-bats was insufficient to make Thole starting catcher by saying Duda shouldn’t be relegated to AAA because he was great in 16 games.
That’s the new way of thinking folks, rationalizing everything instead of letting the competition speak for itself.
Thole could be the starter – BUT we just don’t know yet – that’s all Joe D said.
Even though Duda played a small amount last year, he was impressive and he can’t be ruled out of winning a job in spring training – that’s all Joe D’s saying.
Nowadays I find myself more and more explaining things in these posts that before, never needed explaining.
Not good.
Dude I don’t need an explanation, and “the new way of thinking, rationalizing everything” makes no sense whatsoever.
What am I rationalizing? That we don’t have a 5th starter named? because we don’t. Did Terry say who was playing CF and who was playing RF? No, he didn’t. I’m not rationalizing, I’m stating facts.
I was just pointing out that in one paragraph, 225 wasn’t conclusive about Thole, and in the next paragraph 16 games was somehow more conclusive for Duda. That’s rationalization, by the way.
Please don’t try and play the role of the “tired, wise old baseball man, protector of the game;” it doesn’t suit you.
“Nowadays I find myself more and more explaining things in these posts that before, never needed explaining.”
Its not that hey didn’t need explaining, its that they were never questioned.
Huge difference.
I believe he was saying that Duda should have been in the spring training competition (or battle as he likes to call it), not that he should be handed the job the way Thole was. And I agree. Duda should not have been given the brush before hand, especially after his display in the last two weeks of the season when he was seemingly the best player on the team.
Joe — good article.
Regarding your sentence: “Duda busted out big time batting a robust .340 and collecting six doubles, four homers and 12 RBIs to close out the season with a big bang. His reward? A one way ticket to Palookaville.” You’re right on.
Palookaville? Yup. I lived in Buffalo some years ago. Besides beef on kimmelweck rolls, and the ‘red hots’ franks, they have the Bills, Sabres, and some good lacrosse. Not much else except gloomy clouds and snow in season. But they really get on Big Apple fans for what they claim as being overbearing. It’s the ‘have nots’ vs. the ‘haves’. LOL
Maybe the Bisons will help change the name from Palookaville to Buffalo!!!
I continue to ask does anyone think that any of the things said can not be changed if need be?
Pelfrey is the most tenured starter and it will be expected to lead the rotation along with hopefully Dickey. unless there is some serious injury or huge trouble with mechanics these 2 are expected to be the main starters come the start of the season.
The idea that somehow naming Pelfrey the Opening starter hurts the team. You will have to show me how exactly does it hurt the team?
Cause you wanted to see Dickey possibly get it?
The only way I see Dickey will get it is if Pelfrey is injured or is so messed up mechanics wise he needs to stay in Florida for another week when camp breaks. In which case Collins switching to Dickey would be as simple as him announcing it and what harm will come from having Dickey then the Opening day starter instead of Pelfrey in that situation?
I understand you may want the fun in thinking their is a competition for it as a fan but other than the not being able to talk about who will be the Opening Day starter Pelfrey or Dickey? I don’t see how this hurts the team.
I agree about Thole though you make a fair point there.
The Tejada Duda thing again I dont see how you have a problem with him saying what positions he wants to see them playing?
As far as them competing I would guess it will be up to them to play well enough to make them reconsider if sending them down is best or not but other than that we all know Tejada sruggled at times with the bat and Duda’s appearance was nice but brief so them starting at AAA is not much of a surprise.
regarding duda, the history of baseball is littered with guys who beat up on call-ups in september, only to never be heard from again. if duda is that great, he will eventually rake in AAA, get called up, and become an all-star.
of course, he’s not replacing a healthy jason bay, so really who cares, but if he’s really that good, he won’t just flounder in the minors.
The history of baseball is also littered with players who’ve played several seasons with the big club as part timers and eventually taking over as starters.
If Duda rakes in spring training and is STILL sent down that can actually hurt a young ballplayer and hinder his progress. It may be better for him to come up and be a back up and get 200 ABs.
Maybe he’ll become a starter or an Oscar Gamble type player but if he’s one of the 25 best players at the end of spring training he should be brought up no matter what his role is,
i think if he has a really good spring, he’ll make the 25.
What if Pagan, Beltran and Bay are better?
then he would have to beat out someone else for a bench spot.
Donal,
If Pagan, Beltran, and Bay are better than Duda would be the 4th outfielder. Can’t you figure that out for yourself? Why do you have to ask?
Maybe he starts twice a week and in between pinchitting. Maybe Beltran gets a day off a week, maybe he plays less this year cuz of his knee. Duda could get almost 200 ABs in a season just playing twice a week. But he’ll be pinch hitting also and even maybe being called up to bat for some guys in big spots too. Whatever it takes to win games.
You just take the 25 best people north that give your team the best chance to WIN. That’s it. Everybody will know what their role is.
Can Duda play CF?
from what i know, he can’t really play a major league left.
I knew you were going to say that. It just happens to be a bad idea. Let Duda stay in AAA where he gets to work on his game everyday and call him up if he is needed to play everyday.
4th outfielder =/= best outfielder in minors.
I can’t believe people can’t figure these things out for themselves. It’s incredible.
If Beltran needs a game off – Pagan moves to CF, Duda plays RF and Bay plays LF for that game.
“You just take the 25 best people north that give your team the best chance to WIN.”
On the surface it’s hard to argue against that idea but can I ask then if Castillo and Ollie have a good Spring and Dickey is struggling do you leave Dickey down at AAA and bring Ollie north?
I doubt anyone would find that agreeable. The point is you dont just base it on the best 25 based on S.T. You base it on who you think will be the best during the regular season. You have to look beyond stats in Spring.
well, it would have to be a really good spring, and i’m not counting on that.
i guess the question is do you want your fourth outfielder to be a good defender with a weak bat or a weak defender with a good bat. obviously, sandy and collins think it is the former.
and to be clear, he has to have a really good spring in the field also, not just at the plate.
i think the question to bayonne ought to be what to do if duda is killing the ball and ike isn’t hitting his weight. do you still take the best 25 ? do you ?
No francis,
you use common sense. If Ike isn’t hitting his weight he’s still your starting 1B, just like if Reyes or Wright or Bay don’t have good springs they’re still your starters.
Common sense.
It has nothing to do w/stats with some players but for some others, yes, the performance can win you the job no matter who you are.
I agree with that statement that is why i find Collins saying Pelf is the opening day starter not that big a deal cause common sense for the most part dictates that he would be it anyway. Even if he is struggling a bit.
Common sense is a load of crap. Its a method of superstitions people use to justify their illogical statements. “Well, everybody else thinks this way, so it must be right.” Never mind if “everyone” does think that way or if the popularity of a concept makes it correct.
It was once common sense that the Earth is flat.
It was once common sense that traveling at over 30mph would cause a person to explode.
It was once common sense that black guys couldn’t play baseball.
Use fact based conclusions. You’ll find yourself in a much better place.
Sorry for that rant. People throwing around “common sense” is just a pet peeve of mine.
How bout next time saying the following 5 times.
Pins and needles. Needles and pins. A happy man is a man that grins.
meh, I’d rather just crack open the bottle in my desk.
Shhhh, don’t tell my boss.
He’ll want some.
i agree. the only tricky part is to value how the fourth outfielders compare defensively, and how they run the bases, lay down bunts, etc.
i’m guessing that harris and hairston have the advantage over duda there, but i really don’t know.
either way, since beltran is gone next year, i would at least think about duda in RF instead of left. bay isn’t moving. sonce duda started in right and was moved to left, i can assume his arm is weak, but again i do not know.
he actualy showed himself to have a very strong arm in the OF. He also used to pitch in HS, and supposedly could hit 90, FWTW.
I agree i know i would prefer Duda over Willie Harris myself.
Yet I can understand the value of having Duda play in AAA and watching him have a good 1st half down there and Alderson being able to use that as a commodity in trading for another need position like Pitching as well.
I also can understand how having a player you think will be a future starter have his development slowed by riding the bench.
In the ned it’s about how Duda best helps the Mets. Is it by hitting off the bench in the bigs or playing well in AAA?
Look at the big picture here. Beltran and Bay are both returning from injuries. So the team has to be prepared for one of them (hell, Pagan too) to go down at some point, even early in the season. So, you want to have a guy ready to step in.
and also, what is the knock on Duda? His OF play needs to improve, and you are only going to do that by playing real games (not just shagging flies).
so put those 2 pieces together, and it makes a strong case for Duda going to AAA for intensive work on fielding and lots of AB and PT in the field.
that way, if the need comes, he should be more ready than if he was sitting on the bench, getting 4 PH ABs a week and never seeing the field.
While I’m not at all a fan of what the front office is doing, I’m very supportive of what Collins is doing. Stability is important. And really people, are we arguing for Paulino to compete for a job? How did the last time we let a steroid guy have job work out? The guy could bat1.00 and he wouldn’t be the opening day guy, cuz he’s SUSPENDED!! Also there’s such a thing as investing confidently in our future. I’m a big Dickey fan (hehe) but even if he wins 25 with a 0.00 ERA he’s not as big a part of our future as Pelf. Age matters. Also for the Alderson fans here, don’t talk out both sides of your mouth. You can’t be a fan of being patient with our prospects, then whine they don’t have a chance to compete for a spot on the big club. Duda & Tejada have no business on a bench in the majors; they should be racking up ABs in 3A. There’s no space for them in the starting lineup, point blank. That’s the way our club is built currently. This is in my opinion, a silly post targeting the one new guy in the organization who isn’t the problem.
Also regarding Tejadea, who I’ve been a leading supporter of and hoping he does make the team…..I can be persuaded that maybe it is better for him to play SS in AAA if The Mets feel he will eventually replace Reyes. So my thinking has changed in that regard.
But if he’s one of the best 25 players at the end of spring training now… then he should still come north. At the end of spring training you bring north the 25 best guys that give you the best chance to win games. Period. And if he’s one of those 25 than bring him up north too. Alfonso switched positions, Reyes has..I’m sure Tejada doesn’t have to go down to AAA to play SS if he wins the 2B job. If he wins the job then he should play 2B up here and if Reyes does leave he can just switch over to SS, and if it’s next year he can play SS in spring training, he looked good filling in at SS last season – he already knows how to play it. If he doesn’t win the job, fine, than send him down to play SS but if he’s your best 2B then bring him up, you don’t send him down to play SS if he’s your best 2B.
let them compete in ST and we”ll see what happens.
yo uthink it should all be about the numbers they put up in ST? DOes what they did last year, and the teams own scouting report on them, come into play also?
does age, experience, improvement needed count? Or are you fine with Mejia winning a rotation spot too (or god forbid, back to the pen?)
You just watch the guy and if he performs the best, that’s it. He wins the job and goes north with the team.
If Mejia impresses me in spring training and pitchers better than somebody else and I truly feel bringing him up north is gonna help the team win games. Then he comes north.
So, you think the Mets would have been better off leaving Pelfry off the roster last spring? He did have a terrible Spring Training.
No Donal,
You use common sense. I would have brought him north. If Pelfrey has a bad spring again you still bring him north. What applies to some players doesn’t apply to others. If Gee has a bad spring and Mejia blows people away than that could be a tricker decision. It depends who’s involved
Don’t hurt your ankles back pedalling like that.
mejia blew people away last year. should he have been brought north ?
That’s why i say it’s tricky, if he doesn’t and Gee pitches better and shows finesse than Gee comes up north.
If Mejia and Gee both impress it’s a tougher call. If Mejia blows people away and there’s a spot open and he’s grown some over the winter, and he’s more mature then yes..I bring him up AGAIN.
There’s a lot of factors involved that’s why when I say you bring up the best 25 that give u chance to win games is not all about best stats. Of course not. But for some guys, yes there performance will decide if they come north or not but obviously not like guys like Ike, Wright, Bay, Reyes, Pelfrey, Santana (if he was healthy)..even Dickey – if he has a bad spring he most likely still comes up – it all depends on what they show you beyond the numbers.
The only way Tejada, a kid I personally like, will wind up being the best ‘anything’ is if other players are injured. He has to hit .270 and he can’t. Also you’re overplaying his defensive abilities — it’s not the difference his weak offense will compensate for.
Give him another year, let his forearms and wrists develop so he can get some snap with the bat, and then we’ll see.
At another position, the faster, stronger, perhaps quicker, Carlos Gomez is now on his third team. He would have been a Mets keeper if he hit better. In four seasons, Carlos has raised his average from about .230 to .245. Wow!!! Magic can happen, but not often.
Oh, the angst.
I think there is too much being made out of Terry saying that, at this point, what he expects. But of course it is subject to change, if guys on a bubble comepletly crap the bed in ST, or guys get hurt which throws it all out the window.
and I don’t think he said anything unreasonable. every team has set guys that are obviously going to start. And indicating what lineup he wants is fine, since that is not really dependant on any ST performance.
so all the concern is about naming an opening day starter (not rotation, just which one of 2 locks is going game 1), and indicating that Thole is going to catch on a regular basis (not everyday , just being a regular).
so what? Both Pelf and Dickey said that they want to use ST to work on their “stuff”, and getting reading for the season. Counterproductive for SPs like that to instead go all out to just try and beat the other guy. Better Pelf spends a month having an off speed pitch beat around while he is perfecting it.
catcher there isn’t much of an option anyway, since Paulino is not looked at as a FT guy for the most part. So that if anything is just a message to Thole to relax and work on his game.
Now, if he came out and annointed a 2B starter already, that I would have a problem with. DItto for the 5th SP. Those are legitimate open competitions. Bench and pen too (and note that he is not saying anything there).
RF? like someone else said, pagan and beltran have jobs, just have to decide where they stand. And bay we are stuck with.
so really, they were telling Duda that he is considered a real part of the future (or serious prospect) and they want him to play, menaing they don’t want to carry him as a PH off the bench. I got no problem with that. ANd saying he will play 1B and OF? SO what, he did that before.
Why did he say it?
Simple! Off Season motivation!
If you hear someone else might take the job you wanted you will start now to get into better shape and win your place back! Show the Manager he was wrong!
This is the time where the players should be working out and getting into season shape so they are NOT out of shape when they get to StLucie! Nothing could motivate a player more than telling him he is not the starter now so he can stew on it and motivate himself to get what he thinks he deserves!
Why name Pelfrey the starter and not Dickey? Because Pelfrey was the best pitcher on the team last year in the Win column and earned that right! He is the homegrown pitcher and a member of the CORE (if there is one here) that will be treated, developed, and cottled until such time as he is no longer a member of this team! He is considered an INVESTMENT not just any old guy on the roster! How many years have we spent trying to make this guy an ACE of our staff yet never a glint to show he would be until last year? By saying he is the opening day starter we are basically saying Schools Out Pelf! Time to be all you can be! Some guys will rise to that occassion. not sure Pelf is one of them but you have to have this moment at some point to know for sure! With a potential house cleaning in our future it makes sense to go all in on Pelfrey and if he fails to deliver you might get something back by trading him before the stock goes too low when you start that firesale!
Manuel might have made Dickey the opening day starter because he felt Dickey thew batters off timing for the guys that followed him. Do you agree with a guy you all claim to be an idiot? Dickey is going to be better with Pelfrey throwing before him. We only have three guys we are sure will even BE starters. Pelfrey Dickey Neise is a pretty good starting point. Semi Hard thrower, Guy who throws trashcans, Guy who throws Harder than Pelf, followed by one of two guys who are coming off surgery(none throw hard) and Dillon Gee (who is a rookie and is average in speed and stuff). That is a great rotation as far as screwing with batter timing! You want your hardest thrower to pitch AFTER Dickey but a reasonably hard thrower with stuff before him!
So from a purely baseball strategic view it makes sense that Pelfrey starts opening day unless Santana gets a pill from McCoy of start trek that grows a new shoulder by Opening day!
Telling Tejada he is going to start in the Minors is a good thing. It lets him know he had better start hitting right out of the gate in ST or thats where he is going! There will be an open competition at 2nd regardless as Castillo, Tejada and likely Murphy will all try to win the job. And tejada has even further reason to go back to the Minors and play SS on a daily basis!
Jose Reyes is in his walk year and very likely to be traded mid season for prospects. Who plays SS if he leaves? It’s Tejada! So this is a smart move that is predicated on the fact that if he WINS the 2B job in ST then he is hitting and if he hits then there might be no reason to have a deadline firesale and no need to replace Reyes because we are a winning team!
Why would Thole be named the starter? Well lets face facts here folks Paulino at this point in time is nothing more than a Platoon player! A fine backup for Thole. Paulino would have to make a very big showing to get the start. I would say he just got his kick in the ass and that competition might inspire Thole to take the next step! He is similar to Pelfrey in that he is home grown. He was moved to catcher to try to make the investment pay off (Dodgers di the same thing with Piazza).
There are two ways Collins could be and he would get complaints no matter what he did!
He could not answer any questions and you would all cry what the secret is OR
He could give honest answers based on what he currently knows and get bitched out for making decisions before the Fans did cause they all have the LUXURY of waiting until spring training has already started!
Well it’s his job to play the hand as he sees it and until the cards change stick to his plan. As of now all the cards say Thole will Start, someone other than Tejada will be playing second, Pelfrey will be our best pitcher followed or surpassed by a repeating performance by Dickey,
And RF and CF are pretty much going to be based on who chases fly balls better, Beltran or Pagan!
Words are cheap! They don’t mean crap! He can say whatever he wants now his final roster will be determined by who Sandy wants to see play. His Lineup will be based off who played the best out of that group at each position.
Pretty much what Manuel had to do last year and what every other manager goes through on a yearly basis unless they are the GM as well!
If you were asked the same questions Collins was asked and decided to answer you would have given the same exact answers given what you know about the players we have!
So I see no reason why to second guess a TV Interview!
Just wait to see the results on the field and leave him alone to do what he thinks is best. If his best isn’t good enough Backman will have another year or two of experience under his belt to be ready to take over!
It’s from those Elect Wally posters that I think most of this WTF moments and criticism of Collins is coming from!
Let him Manage and if he fails, You might get what you wanted!
“Words are cheap!”
must buy in bulk at Costco.
LoL
Hey if a picture paints a thousand words, think of how many words does it take to paint a picture? LOL
There is your explanation!
Now hold on Joe. This may not be all that it seems. I mean, Beltran will be getting traded at some point this season, and will certainly be gone for the 2012 season. At that point the Mets thinking might be to move Pagan to CF, move Ike to RF, and Plant Duda firmly at 1B. So this could be a move to put some sparkle on big Dude’s footwork around the bag. Now the true sign will be if Ike plays any RF in ST.
I agree Pete but I think it’s just as likely that Ike gets traded if Duda proves he can play 1B. As a Major League ready, two way player under team control for 5 more years and only costing you say 8M over the next 5 years is exactly the kind of player who would bring the biggest return and everyone can afford him.
Sandy loves power and plate discipline and isn’t that fussed over infield corner D. I’d hate to see Ike go but I think it could be an option Sandy is keeping open.
How about Terry telling Adam Rubin that he told Daniel Murphy to be ready to back up Davis and Wright as he had no others to be a backup. But he also said Murphy is still in the running for 2nd base. He said they had no protection as most of the other players were for S/S and 2nd base. Now Evans can play 1st, Emaus can play 3rd are they not being consided and would that mean that Evans would be gone as he has 2 Outfielders to back up the outfield and Evans can only play the corners that the others can play center?So Terry has already decided.
Don’t recall reading any of that. And if anything, i think you are extrapolating quite a bit from a small comment.
and terry doesn’t get to decide. Sandy makes the final decisions as to who makes the team.
Read Adam Rubins column talking with Terry Collins about Murphy.
He probably told Emaus the same thing about backing up 3B, but I’ll agree with you that it doesn’t look good for Evans. With having to spend a roster spot on 2 2nd baseman (Murphy Emaus) and a guy who can play both (Hernandez or Hu) those guys will all have to do something else. I wonder if 11 pitchers would work, it did all last year with no bullpen burnout at all. It would absolutely work in the first couple of weeks so it should be worth a try. We’ll have some starters and relievers in AAA to bring up here if need be.