15
2011
Some Mets Spring Training Questions
An article by 
Good afternoon. Players are trickling into camp today in Port St. Lucie. A few pitchers are throwing, but they don’t have to officially check in until tomorrow.
No team reports to spring training without questions, and the Mets are no exception. They will enter the season this spring loaded with questions, but without any substantive answers.
Here’s the top ten issues surrounding your New York Mets:
Q: WHAT WILL BE THE OWNERSHIP FALLOUT?
Speculation has the Mets attempting to reach a settlement in the Ponzi mess instead of taking their chances in court where reportedly the losses could reach as high as a billion dollars and undoubtedly force the Wilpons to sell the franchise. Who knows? Even a settlement could be that costly. One thing where there is no doubt is the team won’t be adding salary at the trade deadline, but will be trying to shed it, notably with Carlos Beltran being shopped.
Q: HOW WILL TERRY COLLINS IMPLEMENT THE NEW CULTURE?
The Mets are supposed to be a no-nonsense bunch concentrating on fundamentals. Such things like hustling, working the count, throwing to the right base and running the bases begin in spring training. Collins is expected to run a tight camp and is to be decisive about two issues, whether Beltran plays center or right and where, or if, Oliver Perez fits in the roster.
Q: HOW HEALTHY IS CARLOS BELTRAN?
Let’s face it, this is Beltran’s last year. The Mets would like to move him and save on his $18.5 million salary, but to maximize the return he has to be healthy, productive and playing center. Beltran playing a sound center will make him easier to move.
Q: WHAT WILL BECOME OF JOSE REYES?
Again, this is predicated on the ownership situation. Ideally, the Mets would like to sign Reyes – the 2006-2007 model – to an extension, but what will their economic situation be like? If Reyes gets off to a great start the meter will start running high, and at the same time so would the price tag in prospects that it would take to procure him. There is a prevailing sentiment the Mets’ ownership situation might force the team to deal Reyes to ease the financial strain. Such a decision would impact the franchise for years.
Q: WILL MIKE PELFREY TAKE THE NEXT STEP?
Many scouting reports have Pelfrey ranked as a No. 2 or No. 3 starter, but Johan Santana’s injury makes him the ace. Pelfrey said his goal is consistency, but he has to be more than that – he has to be dominant. The rest of the rotation is loaded with concerns, but even should Pelfrey develop into a 20-game winner, it probably won’t be enough to lift the Mets into competitive status.
Q: WILL THE REAL JASON BAY STAND UP?
The Mets expect 25 to 30 homers a year for the $66 million package they will spend on Jason Bay, not the six they received last season before he sustained a concussion. Bay gave the Mets hustle and defense, but was clearly an offensive liability. The Mets must hit this summer to make up for the multitude of pitching problems. David Wright, Beltran and Bay are the projected 3-4-5 hitters.
Q: WAS R.A. DICKEY A FLUKE?
The Mets are banking no with a two-year deal, but the fact remains he’s coming off the best season of his career. Dickey never pitched better than he did last year, and he’s only done it once. Dickey’s numbers dictate a No. 5 starter, but he’s second behind Pelfrey. The Mets got lucky with Dickey last year. Will they be again?
Q: WHAT ABOUT THE BACK END OF THE ROTATION?
Jon Niese, the No. 3 starter, ran out of gas after a 6-2 start and finished 9-10. Clearly, he’s not a given. Neither are the No. 4 and No. 5 starters, which should come from a pool of Chris Young, Chris Capuano, Dillon Gee, and yes, Perez. Young and Capuano are coming off injuries, Gee is unproven and Perez is on his last chance. Management will not endure another summer of a Perez saga. He’ll earn it in spring training or they’ll cut ties and be quick about it.
Q: WHO’S IN THE BULLPEN?
Speculation is the Mets will monitor Francisco Rodriguez’s appearances as to avoid his $17.5 million option from kicking in. Of course, part of that is predicated on Rodriguez’s health. But, what of the rest of the pen? Bobby Parnell figures to be the set-up man. D.J. Carrasco, Taylor Buchholz and Taylor Tankersley will be in the mix there somewhere, but hardly come across as clamp-down relievers. Pat Misch could be the long man, and there’s always the chance Perez could stick in the pen.
Q: WHO PLAYS SECOND?
The Mets have already said Ruben Tejada isn’t in the plans to start. The cast includes Daniel Murphy, who hasn’t shown he can play the position, or for that matter, stay healthy. Justin Turner, Chin-lung Hu, Brad Emaus and don’t forget, Luis Castillo, are also possibilities. The best combination would be Tejada’s glove and Murphy’s bat, but that’s not an option. The uncertainty of it all could bring us another year of Castillo, who, if nothing else, is fairly predictable in what he can provide.
I will be providing you with Spring Training Briefs and Updates everyday going forward.
About the Author: John Delcos
I am an active member of the BBWAA and have covered Major League Baseball in several capacities for over 20 years, including ten in New York working the Mets' and Yankees' beat. I covered the Baltimore Orioles for eight years and the Cleveland Indians before that. I currently serve as an editor and senior staff writer for Mets Merized Online. Follow me on Twitter @jdelcos.
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2011- no Met October baseball
2012- no Reyes. No Beltran. Castillo off the books. Perez off the books.
The Wilpons look to maximize their finances. No new signings.
No October baseball.
2013- New Met PR Campaign gets underway! “Lets Get Excited!” of As the Wilpons continue their financial reconstruction by hyping players from within the system in lieu obtaining talent via free agency. If you thought Murphy and Thole were over hyped wait until you see the full court press put on for Harvey, Flores, etc…
of course Met fans buy into Alderson’s plan” and post thinks like “Hey Man patience! Sandy has a plan!”
2014- Young Met team. NO October baseball. Wilpons continue their financial recovery.
2015- Fans increasingly beginning to question Alderson. Only took them 4 years! Wilpon’s have recovered enough to allow Alderson to sign 1 high profile for the purpose of quieting the fan base. Of course Met fans again accept Alderson at his word as he talks of great things ahead. Of course no October baseball again this year.
Does your crystal ball also predict who will be owner of the Mets in 2013?
Screw that! with his prediction skills I’m shooting for Powerball Numbers!
lol
oh right the article was about Spring Training questions and not about the Wilpons choosing to field a non-competitive team for the next 3-5 yrs.
Spring Training question: Mr. Wilpon how did the Mets utilize the 30 milion dollars received from MLB revenue sharing this off-season?
T with the Metshe below is from a blog I found seconds ago online. Does anyone have a good general idea of just how much the Wilpon’s take in each year with the Mets?
I think MLB shares revenue from online merchandise and profits sharing. The Mets also take income from their cable network?? Or is the Cable network a different entity than the Mets? Co Mets, cable and revenue sharing?uld it be true that the Wilpons are taking in 350 million a yer total from the
“12 million times 2 = 24 million…but with ad revenue, and figure an extremely low overhead I gotta believe SNY is in the 250 million dollar range… +/- 20 to 40 million…
Lets for arguments sake, assume that the Wilpons are only getting even say 50 million from SNY as profit(which is way, way low in my opinion)…add that to 30 million dollar MLB internet revenue(at least) + universal MLB merchandising and tv revenue which is what? another 30 million at the very, absolute least? That’s already 110 million before gate, parking, and “concession” sales…You have to figure the Wilpons are grossing over 300 million annually with ease from the Mets…probably over 400…”
Lifelong somewhere I recall SNY taking in 140K and the Wilpon’s get 67%. Not sure about the rest of the numbers but their not hurt by losing merchandise sales because all teams pool those so that’s probably a stable figure. Concessions have got to hurt, tickets, parking all that stuff. Internet was going to cost all the owners a small sum the first couple of years but wound up making money in the first and presumably more each year.
They don’t receive revenue sharing, they don’t pay it either but their certainly closer to the paying it end then the receiving it end. They’ve never done either.
no guarantee that they won’t take on any payroll at the deadline. Simply requires that they are actually a serious playoff contending team, and that it doesn’t appear to be a mirage, with an obvious place that an available player will be a (perceived) difference maker.
and Reyes can still easily be signed. Whatever extension they give him does not have to be paid until April of next year. Since there is 50mill +/- coming off, they could still easily drop payroll a ton next year with Jose.
if they are really that overly strapped, they will be selling out anyone so better off having reyes as part of the deal.
I dont like the fact that you said Murphy doesnt show he can play second base or be healthy. Where do you get off saying that. Murphy played in winter ball and was given a good repour by scouts that he played a serviceable 2nd base and had few problems. He get hit on a dirty play last year but played 2009 for the season with out time off, the only Mets player who did.John your comments on him are not true.