Jul
1
2011

2011: Season and Future depend on West Coast

An article by Jessep

I posted this prior to the Yankees series, and I wanted to re-iterate it. This road trip, the entire season hangs in the balance in my view. This is the type of trip a team like the Mets can either prove to Sandy Alderson they are worth keeping or the type of trip that can just kill a season and start the trade wheels in motion.

To me, for those of you out there who are clinging to a belief that the 2011 Mets are a playoff team, you should be looking past this Yankees series and looking towards the next 2 teams they play.

Hasn’t it seemed lately that whenever the Mets fly out West something bad happens?

In 2009 on a trip to San Francisco and Los Angeles, the Mets saw Pelfrey balk 3 times in 1 game, Ryan Church missing 3^rd base, Jeremy Reed throwing past Castro as the winning run scored, 5 errors in 1 game, and then of course Delgado’s injury took a turn for the worst in 2009 as he needed hip surgery and Alex Cora tore a ligament in his thumb.

Granted it was mid-May when they flew out West, but the damage was done. Prior to the series in San Francisco, the Mets were 1 game AHEAD of Philadelphia in the NL East. After the Dodgers series, the Mets found themselves a game back in the NL East, and the bad luck of injury after injury would ensue leaving us all with a terrible taste in our mouth.

In 2010, the Mets flew into San Francisco after the All-Star break 7 games over .500. When they would leave Los Angeles, they’d find themselves just 1 game over .500 after a 2-9 road trip. Before that first game, the Mets were just 1 game out of the wildcard race. When the road trip ended they found themselves 6 games out.

It was clear after the Dodgers series that the 2010 season was over. Prior to the Giants, we were all wondering who can the Mets get in the trade market. After the Dodgers series, we were all wondering who will take some of our players off our hands?

This year, the Mets are faced with questions on the future of Beltran, K-Rod and of course Jose Reyes. While dealing with the never ending questions about their place with this franchise, the Mets are clinging to playoff contention.

If this Yankees series is important, its because the Mets need to gain some sort of momentum before flying out west.

This road trip in my view will dictate so much in terms of not only the 2011 season, but also the future. A successful road trip could mean Alderson attempts to find some bullpen help or make small deals to continue to push towards an exciting summer of Citi Field baseball.

A failed road trip could see players like Beltran and K-Rod packing their bags soon, and maybe just maybe Jose Reyes.

The Mets are scheduled to see Ted Lilly, Hiroki Kuroda, Clayton Kershaw, Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain on this upcoming road trip. Needless to say it won’t be easy!

About the Author: Michael J. Branda

My time with MMO began in July of 2009 when I wrote a Fan Post defending Omar Minaya (before it was cool to do that.) I grew up a Mets fan with the mid 1980's teams. My favorite Met of all-time is (and was) Wally Backman. When it comes to sabermetrics versus old school thinking, I like to think I meet in the middle. I believe thinking of new ways to get answers is helpful, especially when the same way has not produced results. However, I think over-thinking certain situations can get you into trouble. I'm excited for the new regime, because I believe they have pieces in place to focus on several aspects of the Mets organization. I've waited this long for a World Series, waiting a few more years for another chance isn't going to kill me.

13 Comments + Add Comment

alex68 July 1, 2011 at 2:15 pm

you sound like a broken record, you don’t want the mets to lose, yet you post an article writing about what? negativity towards your OWN team!!!!!!!!!!!!!
you’re worst than fred wilpon.. go root for the A’s or something.. who cares what happeed in 2009, guess what, in 2006 the mets went on a west coast road trip and went 9-1!!! how come you don’t mention that!!!
ughhhhh… you’re such a poser man..
Bayonne Mets Fan July 1, 2011 at 2:34 pm

you don’t look past tonight. What a RIDICULOUS post.

Let’s just win tonight’s game first.
Satish Ram July 1, 2011 at 2:39 pm

I don’t particularly agree with this post.

If they start worrying about what comes after, and they can’t focus on this series, they’ll be screwed.

I hate the Yankees but they’re a damn good team – and a win is a win. We need to win these games just as much as we need to win every other game following that. I tend to like to take things one game/one series at a time.

Their focus should be on playing their best tonight, winning, and doing it again the next day.

Not the trade deadline, the following series, the past west coast trips…etc. The players don’t decide if they’re leaving at the deadline – Alderson does. (And everyone knows this trade deadline will say a lot about how he wants to run this team…) Granted, Beltran has a no-trade, but you get my point. They need to just focus on winning against a good team this series and then look forward.
- jessep July 1, 2011 at 2:44 pm
  
  I’m not saying the Mets should ignore the Yankees on the field. I’m looking ahead as in… in terms of analyzing a season. I’m saying for US as fans we need to circle the west coast trip on our calendars because it likely means more for the direction of this franchise in 2011 then this weekend does.
  - Satish Ram July 1, 2011 at 2:50 pm
    
    I don’t think Alderson is going to change his views based on this road trip – this is all pure opinion, by the way.
    
    I think that he already has an idea in his head of whether we should buy or sell at the deadline, and unless we go on a TORRID streak, that won’t change.
    
    That being said, I think they’ll have to worry about the West Coast trip when they get to it. The fact that we had 2 not so great road trips in the past two years doesn’t mean much to me.
    
    When it comes to analyzing a season, I feel that the only extra importance holds is that it’s early July and we’re hitting the trade deadline soon.
    - jessep July 1, 2011 at 2:51 pm
      
      If the Mets enter the break under .500, it could be time to sell. And based on the recent past of traveling out West… that is a possibility.
      - Satish Ram July 1, 2011 at 2:53 pm
        
        Right.
        
        But technically, this 3 game series then means just as much as the series that come right after. The wins all count as the same.
Gregga July 1, 2011 at 3:32 pm

Nice post Jessep, I briefly touched on it in the 3Up and 3Down. The upcoming west coast trip is going to be huge for the Mets for exactly what you hit on, things have not gone well lately for the Mets on the coast. It may be a little early for the fire sale, but in about ten days from now we’ll either be cheering or crying.
jessep July 1, 2011 at 2:33 pm

I sound like a broken record because I’m saying the 2011 season could depend on this west coast swing?

What record is that?

Alex: I’d like you to write a blog. Do you think you could handle that? Or is your goal in life to write negative comments trying to pretend you know more sports than a 4 year old?
- alex68 July 1, 2011 at 2:40 pm
  
  you mean i know more sports than you?? why don’t you come out of the shells and admit you a oakland fan huh?? is embarrassing to have a mets fans love another team o much like you, also, i am still waiting for you to tell me who are the player for the future of the mets since you have said that reyes, tejada, turner, wright are not part of the future
  - jessep July 1, 2011 at 2:42 pm
    
    Did I miss the part on this website where I write about the A’s?
    
    So because I think the A’s from 1999-2006 were a damn good franchise that makes me an A’s fan? Or does it mean I pay attention outside of my Mets bubble?
    - alex68 July 1, 2011 at 2:54 pm
      
      sigh… i do pay attention, good for them if you ask me, but i don’t drool over other franchiZes,players or gm’s from other teams either..
Jessep July 4, 2011 at 8:05 pm

As I believe I pointed out. Tonight begins the most important road trip of 2011 for the Mets.

Will they prove to Alderson that they shouldn’t be broken up? Or will they falter and kill any momentum they could have before the break?

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