Memo To Fred Wilpon: Keep Your Mouth Shut!

41 Comments + Add Comment

• Nester May 23, 2011 at 11:38 am

  I actually commented in the other post about exactly your same points. Wilpon just made Alderson’s job a lot harder in my opinion. Additionally, when the Mets get to Chicago to play the Cubs, how do these comments from the man who signs their checks make them feel? What future free agents would want to play for a team where the owner slams them in the media?
  • ben_yoel May 23, 2011 at 11:43 am

    Bingo ^
• alex68 May 23, 2011 at 11:46 am

  Jesse P thinks DWRIGHT is a superstar.. shocker.. and to be honest, NO HE IS NOT!!!!!!!!!
  • ben_yoel May 23, 2011 at 11:48 am

    I think David Wright is a superstar. Jesse P disagrees…

    I stand by that hard too. I really believe David is a Superstar. Not a bias opinion (as a mets fan) either.
    • jessep May 23, 2011 at 11:53 am

      ben: yeah it is a bias opinion. How can you say its not? At least be honest about it.

      Off the top of my head the only superstar hitters in mlb today are: Pujols, Votto, Miggy, AGone, Youk, Braun, Prince, Tex, ARod, Hamilton, Tulo, Howard, Mauer and of course Jeter but for different reasons.

      These are offensive forces who change the game day in and day out, and every team is aware of them and people come to the park to see them play.

      How can you say DWright belongs in the same category as those guys? Because 3 years ago Wright put up comparible numbers? Carlos Quentin had an excellent 2008, is he a superstar also?
      • ben_yoel May 23, 2011 at 11:56 am

        I would absolutely take Wright over Youk or Tex. Wouldn’t even think twice about it.
        • jessep May 23, 2011 at 12:10 pm

          I’ll admit Youk is probably not a superstar. But he’s certainly been a better hitter than Wright from 2008-today and he has just as many gold gloves.

          Saying you’d take Wright’s #s over Tex’s, I’m not really sure what thats about. Tex has won 4 gold gloves, and last year was probably his worst offensive season of his entire career after his rookie year, and he out produced Wright during Wright’s best career season…. so I’m not sure how you could justify wanting Wright’s offensive #s over Tex.
          • ben_yoel May 23, 2011 at 12:11 pm

            Tex plays in Yankee Stadium. Enough said.
            • jessep May 23, 2011 at 12:19 pm

              Ben: You have to be smarter than that right?

              His WORST year came as a Yankee. Are you really trying to tell me Texiera isn’t an elite hitter?
              • ben_yoel May 23, 2011 at 12:25 pm

                Texeira is an elite hitter. Don’t misread what I’m saying.

                However Texeira is also whats called a product of his environment.
                Yankee Stadium is an absolute JOKE. Pop Up’s that wouldn’t even graze Citi Fields walls leave the park for HR’s there.

                If David Wright played 3B for the Yankees he would hit 30+ HR a year GUARANTEED. And you can bet your ass you would be calling him a Superstar then…
                • jessep May 23, 2011 at 12:32 pm

                  So Ben we are canceling out Tex’s 6 years prior to being a yankee where he played for 3 different teams and focusing on 2009+ to determine his career?

                  Odd how his numbers prior to being a yankee are so similar to when he is a yankee.

                  His 2008, 2007, and 2005 seasons were better overall than his 2009 at Yankee stadium. But I guess that doesn’t work because it ruins your stance huh
      • Trufan May 24, 2011 at 10:33 am

        Notice how 8 of 14 of the players you consider “superstars” are 1B, which is at the bottom of the defensive spectrum and thus needs to be great hitters to hold value? How many SS have put up the kind of offensive numbers comparable to those 1B in the past decade? ARod when he was a SS and maybe Hanley and Tulo in their best seasons. Similarly 3B is a demanding position defensively and you won’t find many 3B with the same offensive skills as Wright, which is why Wright is one of the elite players at his position and a legit superstar.

        “How can you say DWright belongs in the same category as those guys? Because 3 years ago Wright put up comparible numbers?”

        In 2007 Wright had a WAR of 8.9 (NL best), in 2008 a WAR of 7.1. To put that in context, Pujols only had a WAR of 8.4 in 2007, and the NL MVP Rollins had a WAR of 6.9.
  • jessep May 23, 2011 at 11:48 am

    68: Are you reading anything I say or are you just making things up as you go along?

    What part about me saying above “Really? A superstar? He’s a superstar on name recognition because he plays in New York… not because of his baseball ability. How is he a superstar? He’s never finished better than 4th in an MVP race, he’s not on any sort of Hall of Fame pace, and he’s never won a big game”

    Told you “Jesse P thinks DWRIGHT is a superstar.. shocker.. and to be honest, NO HE IS NOT!!!!!!!!!” would make sense to type?
• pal88 May 23, 2011 at 11:47 am

  What I want to know is what motivated this dimwit to make these comments now ?

  I wish he’d sell the team already and take his dumb shit son with him..

  You don’t trash your team in the paper..if he has an axe to grind he should have used it on madoff
  • ben_yoel May 23, 2011 at 11:54 am

    U’ve got me man. I said the same thing this morning. That’s what I named this article “Keep Your Mouth Shut”. There’s no reason at all to makes these comments. No one benefits.
• ben_yoel May 23, 2011 at 11:53 am

  I absolutely respect your opinion Jesse P. That’s what makes writing and being a fan fun. Everyone has their own opinion. This is what makes Sports great.
• alex68 May 23, 2011 at 12:02 pm

  sorry jesse P, i am worked up over this and thought you said it. my mistake. with that being said, your list of superstars is a little off. youkilis and teixeira are superstars?? really?? prince?? braun??
  Pujols, Votto, Miggy, AGone, Youk, Braun, Prince, Tex, ARod, Hamilton, Tulo, Howard, Mauer and of course Jeter but for different reasons.

  if jeter is a superstar then so is chipper wouldn’t you say?
  • jessep May 23, 2011 at 12:15 pm

    I could probably live with saying Chipper is a superstar. Jeter is the game’s biggest superstar from 1996-today. You can’t deny that. Line up 10 random people anywhere in America and ask them to name the SS of the yankees and then ask them to name the 3B for the Braves.

    Chipper isn’t on Jeter’s level. Nobody is.

    I admitted before Youk is likely not a superstar but I think he’s been better than Wright for the last 4 years as a whole.

    Tex is absolutely a superstar. His rookie year at age 23 he hit 26 HR, drove in 84. Since then he’s been 30+ HR and 100+ RBI…every. single. season. That’s 7 straight years. That’s a superstar.

    I think Prince’s resume speaks for itself in terms of being a superstar. Ryan Braun’s a superstar in my book too, his offensive #s speak for themself
• Matt May 23, 2011 at 12:36 pm

  I have thought Wilpon is an idiot for quite some time now…these comments only further back that up. As far as Wright being a superstar…he HAD the potential to be a superstar, however, since the 2008 season his numbers have been in decline and he is only 28 years old, so as of right now, he is not a superstar. Having said that, he is who some fans consider the face of the franchise and he is the player the Mets use as their poster child, therefore, Wilpon is just a fool for minimizing Wright in a very public forum. As for Reyes, when healthy he is far more valuable than Crawford, so for Wilpon to say he is not worth “Crawford money,” is just ludicrous. Not to mention, Reyes had one injury since 2004, which made him miss significant time, so it is not as if he is injury riddled. These comments bring several things to mind: 1. this is his way of rationalizing moving these players. 2. Look at the source of the comments…Wilpon either earned $50 million or lost $300 million in the Madoff scheme, therefore, he is either a crook or an idiot. Personally, I think he is both.

  And of course there is his comment, that this team is sh*tty…now, I do not disagree with that statement, but he is the owner of this sh*tty team…so he has no one to blame but himself. Idiot.
  • jessep May 23, 2011 at 12:39 pm

    I love how we toss around “when healthy” as if it means nothing.

    As if players who rely on speed get faster and healthier as they grow older.
    • Matt May 23, 2011 at 4:42 pm

      1 injury in the past 7 years doesn’t seem like a huge issue…especially since he (Reyes) turns 28 next month…not 35.
      • XtreemIcon May 23, 2011 at 4:43 pm

        Eight career seasons, only four with over 135 games played.
        • Matt May 23, 2011 at 5:12 pm

          Those 4 seasons you mentioned were all in the past 5 seasons. He suffered injuries in 2003-04…not real concerned about injuries he had 7 years ago…since then, 1 major injury that he had in ’09 and a couple of nagging injuries in ’10 with his oblique. Looks like this season will make it 5 out of the last 6 with over 135 played since he has played every game (46) thus far….also, not that it’s a huge accomplishment, be he has played in 67 straight, which makes him the current Mets’ iron man. If morons like to refer to Wright as the Mets’ Jeter…maybe, currently, Reyes is the Mets’ Ripken.
          • XtreemIcon May 23, 2011 at 5:15 pm

            So which is he? The “iron man” from 2006-2008, or the constant nagging injuries from 2009-2010 and the beginning of his career? Do you know for certain? No one’s denying the fact that WHEN HEALTHY he’s one of the best. But he’s only really been healthy in just half of his career, including his unhealthiest period most recently. How much would you pay for him?
            • Matt May 23, 2011 at 5:34 pm

              Read closer…did not call him the iron man from 2006-2008 (you missed 2005 where he played 161)…called him the current iron man because he has played 67 consecutive game…most on the Mets. As for him being in “his unhealthiest period mosr recently,” thats simply untrue. His unhealthiest period was clearly 2003-2004 when he could not get on the field due to major leg injuries which caused him to change the way he ran for a period following that…he then played 153+ games 4 straight years, before suffering a major injury in 2009. In 2010, he had an injured oblique which caused him to miss some time, but he still played in 133 games and had double digit HRs, 2Bs, and 3Bs, batted over .280, and scored over 80 runs on a team that could not score runs. So, in 9 MLB seasons, he has been healthy for 2/3′s of his career as opposed to the “half of his career” you claim. How much would I pay him…5 years/$90 million with with 1 or 2 option years thereafter.
              • XtreemIcon May 23, 2011 at 5:54 pm

                5/90 is dead on. I’d start at 5/75, go to 5/90 and maybe go to 5/100 if I absolutely had to. But there are a lot of REYES IZ TEH BEST EVR fans who will swear off the Mets and lynch Sandy if Reyes is gone, with no respect to the busines of baseball. Those people don’t really have a leg to stand on if Reyes does demand Crawford money and the Mets don’t give it to him.
        • t agee May 23, 2011 at 5:18 pm

          X,

          That’s kind of skewing the whole story. Since we’re talking injury here I really don’t think last year should be held against him. The thyroid cost the majority of the lost games and the oblique was not a long term thing plus what chance did he have to play 135 games his rookie season? He was bought up for the first time mid June. There weren’t even 100 games left in the season.

          The only fair and accurate way to discuss Reyes injury chances is to say he has had two years where leg muscle issues cost him most of the season, 2004 and 2009. In between he played 632 of 648 games over four years.

          The 2009 injury was the same one Niese suffered. Some how the Dodgers team physicans diagnosed it as a calf pull. We treated it accordingly. Who knows what kind of a difference that made.

          I look at the way he moves out there and see no reason to be concerned about him for five full seasons.
          • XtreemIcon May 23, 2011 at 5:31 pm

            It gets to the point when people who are injury prone gets nagging injuries that were at first overlooked. Nick Johnson is a great example. Fluke incident after fluke incident and all of a seudden, he’s injury prone. First a hamstring, then a thyroid, then an oblique. All in two years. Johnson played 130+ in 2005 and 2006, then shattered his leg at the end of the 2006 season, missed 2007 and most of 2008, then played 130+ in 2009. But everyone consideres him injury prone even though his list of nagging injuries resembles Jose.
            • XtreemIcon May 23, 2011 at 5:32 pm

              “First a hamstring, then a thyroid, then an oblique. All in two years.”

              Was about Jose.
            • t agee May 23, 2011 at 5:45 pm

              Really X,

              Does nick Johnson’s body type remind you of Jose?

              Nick Johnson spent a lot of time immobile after his broken leg and wasn’t all that athletic to begin with. Jose has been fully and surgically healed and is just now entering his physical prime. Get him for 5. He’ll be fine.
              • XtreemIcon May 23, 2011 at 5:55 pm

                I’d do five.
                • t agee May 23, 2011 at 5:59 pm

                  Alright. Get Greenburg on the phone. Let’s get it done.
    • t agee May 23, 2011 at 5:39 pm

      I look at it a little differently. First of all a five year deal (if possible) would leave him at 32 years old. most everyday position players play their best ball right up to 32.

      Reyes will probably lose a little speed but he’ll still be the fastest guy on the field almost every day. He’ll still provide terrific play at SS. Probably will become a better and more disciplined hitter and likely will play everyday for five straight seasons.

      Reyes has always been the face of the team on the field for us as well. He’s an iconic NY Met. I would strongly advise five years 100M. That does leave him time for a 2nd big deal at 2016 dollars. Even just a 3 year deal could be worth 75M for him. Take the picks in 2017, not 2012.
• jessep May 23, 2011 at 11:37 am

  “Wilpon just openly ripped his 3 best offensive players in the media. If you are trying to trade any of these guys come July 31st, now your bargaining position could be faltering.”

  Disagree. Why would a GM of say San Fran care that Wilpon doesn’t think Reyes is worth a Crawford contract or that Beltran’s contract 7 years ago was a mistake? If anything it gives a team like San Fran hope that they could sign him and thus more likely to trade for him and for Beltran who cares? Why does a GM care that he regrets a contract 7 years ago? It has no impact on trading for him.

  “Wilpon basically calls Reyes an oft-injured player with zero chance to land Carl Crawford money.”

  — Do you think this was a secret in MLB? Because Fred Wilpon says it, now other baseball executives will realize Reyes has underachieved?

  “All because you are too incompetent to resign him because of his injury riddled past?”

  —- So you just said above this that he will get $100m. So you’re telling me you want to give $100m long term deal because of an injured past? And you think he’s wrong for disagreeing with you?

  “He’s a fan favorite. Wilpon and Co. should be doing everything in there power to bring Reyes back after 2011.”

  —- If fans ran the team we’d be in a lot worse shape. This is just a silly reason to commit over $100m to a baseball player.

  “HOW DO YOU RIP THE FACE OF YOUR FRANCHISE?!?!? “David Wright is NOT a Superstar”…Umm I’m pretty sure he is. He’s been a top 3 player at his position for the best 5-6 years. That qualifies as a Superstar in my book.”

  Really? A superstar? He’s a superstar on name recognition because he plays in New York… not because of his baseball ability. How is he a superstar? He’s never finished better than 4th in an MVP race, he’s not on any sort of Hall of Fame pace, and he’s never won a big game.

  Is Brian McCann a superstar? He’s been on average the top catcher in MLB to date, but I doubt you’ll find people claiming he’s a superstar.

  Wright is a good, not great player. There’s no denying that. The only way you can try to prove it wrong is if you close your eyes and pretend it’s 2008. But it’s not. You can’t keep calling him a superstar because 3 years ago he looked like he would be one.

  “Without a doubt he’s the Mets Derek Jeter. It’s just plain stupidity no matter how you look at it.”

  This sentence really ticks me off and it drives me nuts. Comparing Derek Jeter and David Wright is a joke. If he was “our” Derek Jeter, he would have helped the Mets win a World Series. You don’t get a tag like “our derek jeter” simply because he came up through our minors system.

  Derek Jeter is going to the Hall of Fame when he retires. When David Wright retires he’s gotta buy a ticket to see Jeter’s plaque.
  • ben_yoel May 23, 2011 at 11:42 am

    #1 – I’m not comparing Wright to Jeter. Jeter is the face of the Yankees franchise. Wright is the face of the Mets franchise. Do you get it?

    #2 – Wright is a Superstar. McCann is a borderline Superstar. McCann is a top 5 C in baseball when healthy.

    #3 – Yes these comments hurt the Mets bargaining at the deadline. You must always support your players. Knocking them hurts your position when you try to get talent back. This is a fact. Ask anyone.

    4. I would ABSOLUTELY give Reyes 100 million. He’s the 2nd best SS in baseball.. An absolutely SUPERSTAR. I wouldn’t give him 142 million though…
    • jessep May 23, 2011 at 11:47 am

      #1: Yes I get it. The face of their franchise is a hall of famer. And you’re happy with the face of our franchise being “good”

      #2: You sure are having fun with the word superstar. People buy tickets to see superstars in opposing parks. Everybody in the league knows a superstar can change the game at any time. A superstar is a hall of fame caliber player. Not David Wright.

      #4: So if Reyes tells the Mets he wants 120 for 7 years. You sign the dotted line?
      • ben_yoel May 23, 2011 at 11:51 am

        “Everybody in the league knows a superstar can change the game at any time” – Do me a favor and watch this – http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=14776369

        And no I would not give Reyes 7 years 120 million.

        However I would give him 6 years 96 million with a mutual option for a 7th year that would bring the deal over 100 million…
        • Hodges14 May 23, 2011 at 11:55 am

          I would make Reyes that offer today – right now – and would hope he would take it.
          • ben_yoel May 23, 2011 at 11:58 am

            He claims to love playing in NY.

            He says he wants to be a Met forever. (This was before this moron’s comments (Wilpon).

            He has a great house in Long Island. His family is comfortable here.

            I pray to God he takes whatever offer the Mets do end up offering.
  • t agee May 23, 2011 at 6:12 pm

    Brian McCann has been a tremendously underrated player. I don’t give a **** how other people view him. I only care about how he’s preformed. He’s performed great. Not Piazza great but damn good.

    He’s given his team a big offensive advantage at his position every time he’s in the lineup and his defense hasn’t hurt the Braves one bit.

    With a recent catching corp of Santos, Schneider, Barajas, Blanco, Thole he would have represented a ten fold increase in catching offensive firepower.

    An average of 24 HR’s 100 RBI .360 OB for 6 years all for about 3M per. Compare that to Brian Schneider’s 10 M over 2.
• baby al May 24, 2011 at 5:56 pm

  i pegged this freddye wilponzie many moons ago.he is basically trying to get reyes and the rest to get into a war of words and ask to be traded.then freddye says’see i had to get rid of them’.nice try freddye but reyes has too much class..something u ,freddye,know nothing about.give it up wilponzie sell the team and crawl into the sunset of your miserable,money stealing life.p.s. after observing your gross mug on the newspaper this morning..now i know why joan rivers had all that plastic surgery!