30
2011
Memo To Sandy Alderson: Ya Gotta Believe!
An article by 
Willie Harris pulled a Tug McGraw before one of the games in Cincinnati and shouted out “Ya Gotta Believe!” after Terry Collins had addressed the team.
Harris told his teammates that this season was far from over and that the odds the Mets could rally to make the playoffs were very good.
He even joked and said, “then we can knock out Carlos Beltran’s San Francisco Giants off in October.”
“I mean, how cool would that be?” Harris asked. “We trade our best hitter and then we send him home. That would be pretty cool. We keep playing good, we might sneak in there. Who knows?”
I agree with Harris and as I wrote the other day, I hope Sandy Alderson isn’t done wheeling and dealing and that he tries to add a player or two that can help solidify the Mets chances to shoot for that Wild Card. Why not?
I read the following in the NY Post today who reminds us of how things were back in 1973 when Tug McGraw belted out what would be this team’s rallying call.
Exactly 38 years ago today, July 29, 1973, the Mets lost to the Expos, 6-4. They fell to 44-54 on the season, last place, nine games behind the first-place Cardinals, and it got worse. By Aug. 5, they were 12 under, 11½ games out, five teams sitting between themselves and St. Louis. We know how that turned out.
And let me add that back then, the Wild Card wasn’t even a glimmer in Bud Selig’s eye…
Look, I know the odds are long, but haven’t they always been for our Mets? Hasn’t every great moment in our team’s history relied on some divine intervention (and front office intervention) to make it happen?
Yes, we are in third place in the NL East and have no chance of catching the Phillies, but the wild card is only 6.5 games away. That is hardly an unreachable star.
With losses to both Chipper Jones and Brian McCann, the Braves have no thump in the middle of their line-up and are purely reliant on their pitching for the next 4-5 weeks. That could be all the opportunity the Mets need to make their move. But they need a little help…
I’m not ready to forget this season and spend countless hours salivating about a potentialy solid rotation in 2014 that may or may not never happen. I’m still concerned with 2011. I owe that to the players.
Hey look, you can do whatever you feel like doing…
You want to tune this season out and focus on an unknown future, that’s fine by me. All I’m saying is that I’m not ready to call this a season, and I hope our front office feels that way too.
Stop staring down from the owners box and throw this team a bone Mr. Alderson. They are busting their tails for you. Reward them with something - a reliever – a bat – anything – just show us you meant it when you said “this season is not a throwaway”.
Show the fans that you still believe in 2011.
Obviously, we all know how the players feel… They Believe…That’s How They Roll…
About the Author: Joe DeCaro
Went to my first Mets game, a Mayors Trophy game at Shea, in '73. We beat the Yankees 8-4 and I was hooked. I marched in two Banner Day parades, and before the Grand Slam single, there was the "Hendu Can Do" grand slam - I was there. I've collected Mets memorabilia all my life and started Mets Merized Online to feed my addiction.
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NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braves | 26 | 17 | .605 | - |
| Nationals | 25 | 17 | .595 | 0.5 |
| Marlins | 23 | 19 | .548 | 2.5 |
| Mets | 22 | 20 | .524 | 3.5 |
| Phillies | 21 | 22 | .488 | 5.0 |
Last updated: 05/22/2012
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As a fan I never try to tell someone they are wrong or that they are wasting their time believing the Mets can make the playoffs. I find that completely uncalled for. If a person feels the team can make a run who am I to say otherwise?
Personally I don’t see it but like Joe said the Mets history has many moments of long odds.
I am at a point I can do both. Watch the Mets play and enjoy every win as they fight to defy the odds while at the same time speaking only for myself accepting that I don’t see them making the playoffs.
If the Mets can make a run and get into the race I hope Alderson can add a piece that helps the team continue that run.
BTW for the record I am not suggesting that Joe in any way is suggesting that anyone iswrong or that they are wasting their time believing the Mets can make the playoffs. I was strictly speaking of myself.
There will be no additions nor should there be unless they contibute toward 2012 and beyond. Let the players play, let the fans root, but leave the handling of the team in the capable hands of Sandy Alderson, JP Ricciardi and Paul DePodesta. It is with them that our future lies and depends on, and they shouldnt be influenced by blogger and fans.
joe D!!!!!
thanks for this article, this is the GM that has many followers despite telling the team and its fans “F*** Y**”, you wanna win, go and do it yourself, he said “we’re done making trades” … uhhh what?? so you basically got rid of 2 all star and for a team that’s only 6.5 and with chances to make a real run and won’t even give them hgelp? so his job is save money, get draft picks see if they pan out, get cheap players and pray they become high reward players? that sounds like a man who doesn’t give a F*** if the team wins or lose as long as it doesn’t affect the payroll and the money coming in..
you’d think we make an addition somehow, is he not prepare or something??? this roster is minaya’s from top to bottom, except for izzy and paulino (every 3rd game) he’s brought nothin to this team’s roster, yet is getting all kinds of praise by his apologist like “he’s superb, smart, the right man for the job” well, where is he now when the team needs him to help them?? he’s thinking in 2014 while the team is making believers out of EVERYONE.. does this guy even knows what’s going on?? i mean, does he even watches this team??
Memo to JoeD and Alex68 you guys are so typical whining Met fans. You say trade for someone but you don’t say who , you say this is Minaya’s roster but what about all Minayas garbage that hamstrung us in the first place. Either root for the team or better yet go root for the Astros, but either way stop WHINING
additions that are part of th efuture? Certianly best.
But, if they can make a spare part move (a C prospect for a pen arm and salary say), heck yeah, do it.
Team still close enough to make a run. And I still say that even though they traded beltran, it was not raising the white flag. they still have plenty of offense, and the season always was going to hinge on the pitching stepping up and a few unherladed guys catching fire.
any, didn’t you hear our smart and superb GM??? NO MORE TRADE!!! igarashi, carrasco and acosta will be in the pen..
well, so far, he has shown to be that.
And I doubt he difnitively said there will be no more moves of any kind. Even after the deadline, moves get made.
No more big name moves? If he said that, fine, since it is pretty obviously going to be the case.
But I doubt even you believe he said (or thinks) “screw it, I don’t give a crap if they win or lose, I ain’t doing anything else this year but sitting back with my feet on the desk, counting spare change”.
If there is a way to improve the team without hurting the future, and they can squeeze out some budget if needed, of course he is goign to do it.
You seem to think needing to stabalize the payroll to match net revenue means cut every $ and never spend a dime.
Strap in!
The next two months may be an absolute thrill ride. I will be tuning in and rooting every day till our season is over.
Let’ Go Mets!
We need to find a quality arm for that bullpen!
I am so glad that you brought up the 1973 Mets. That is one Met season that seems to get lost in the shuffle when it comes to amazing championship runs. All the talk throughout Met history seems to be the miracle Mets of 1969, or the dominant team of 1986, or the expectant teams of 2000 and 2006. The 2011 Mets resemble the 1973 Mets in many ways. Injuries were a problem for the 73 team. But most of the regulars returned in september to turn it around. The pitching was stellar. The back ups held ground. Then the barely .500 team in 1973 upset the Big Red Machine in one of the more entertaining playoff series ever played. They almost pulled it off against the dynasty Oakland A’s, but just ran out of steam too short. That is one season I would sure love to read or even write about someday in full detail. I also hope SNY shows some of those games in september of 1973 on Mets classics. Games like the “Ball on the wall” or the clincher in Chicago, or some of the playoff and World Series games. 1973 alone should be a great team for the 2011 Mets to look up to and they seem to have the Manager who won’t let them quit down the stretch!
Mr. Alderson, take down this wall! (the one in left field!)
Joe – I think the best thing to do both as a fan and as an executive is to be invested enough in 2011 to the point where it doesn’t set the franchise back any further. If this team as constructed makes a playoff run, great. Grab bullpen arms if needed in a waiver trade, of course.
But you can’t go “all in” here. I enjoy watching every game but I also like the idea we are watching a GM execute a plan that he hopes will make the Mets a contender year after year. Beltran had to go, doesn’t mean Alderson doesn’t want to win. It means he wants the franchise to continue success.
I’m all for a wildcard run. I don’t think anybody is hoping the Mets fall out of anything, especially since there’s likely no other players on the trade block
any effort to improve this team at the expense of any future team is a magnificently bad decision.
You keep insisting that we need to hoard kids for the future. Well where are they going to play?
You already have an overcrowded infield once Davis comes back. The oldest one in that group (Wright) is 29!
So where do you expect to put these kids you keep saying we need to stockpile?
And wasn’t the whole point of getting those kids was so we could trade them for the pieces we need like the Phillies and Braves did during their decade of dominance?
1B Davis
2B Turner, Murphy
SS Reyes
3B Wright
Which one do you plan to sit so these Kids can contribute?
The Outfield is the only area that you could lose someone and not have it kill you. Duda is getting his shot doesn’t he qualify as a FUTURE?
Pagan well he’s back to being himself.
Bay gets paid too much to consider replacing but why couldn’t we trade him and one of those kids like Havens who will never get promoted due to the logjam in the infield and go get a decent LFer or maybe even a solid Catching prospect?
I hate to break it to you but all you guys who said our MiL was threadbare and barren and claimed it needed to be stocked via a firesale because we were not a good team have lost all the traction you thought you had earlier in the season!
Neither the ML or the MiL squads were as bad as your doomsday scenario painted them to be! In fact it is those “NON-EXISTENT” MiLers you kept insisting was our problem that have won a ton of games for us!
I find it quite Odd that you went from our MiL has nothing to the tact that we can’t give up any of those “Scrubs” for ML talent now that we have disproved the ‘Worst Team in Baseball” assessment everyone clinged to when they wanted us to sell off and rebuild.
A GOOD general doesn’t stick to his plan when the facts on the ground tell him his plan is no longer valid.
Sandy is smart enough to realize this…Are the rest of you “Rebuild”, “All about the Future”, “Take the slow drafting road” folks?
Like it or not 2012 IS the future! And if we compete hard and make a good showing this season then it might be easy to get the next Cliff Lee and Halliday so we too can run away with the division the way the Phillies did who as I pointed out just recenty were playing and winning as much as we have last year save one bad 5-13 start!
Metsie, I generally agree with your post but you say:
“Havens who will never get promoted….” I disagree. Havens is really showing the rust now of his long layoff, but he is a helluva hitter and will show it in the big leagues. There is a good possibility that Turner will eventually be gone despite the fact that he’s been better than expected. The problem then will be how to get Havens and Murphy into the lineup at the same time against RHP.
I disagree. All Havens has shown is that he has a propensity to get constantly injured. He has nagging and chrnic issues that will never go away. When he’s on the field he’s been a poor second baseman and his bat is streaky.
Des wasn’t meant as a slap to Havens who I also thought was the likely future 2B for this team…
But ask yourself this…
Who are you sitting to play him?
Murphy or Turner?
I mean it is already bad enough that we are likely going to have to lose either/or half the time to get both into the lineup.
Now that could change if Reyes leaves as Turner probably moves the SS and Murphy moves to 2nd.
But even in that scenario where does Havens play?
The problem as I see it isn’t so much Turner but Murphy.
Like it or not he is a big part of the fighting spirit on this team.
Save a trade of Wright or a never return of Davis there is no way to keep him in the lineup save the 2B position.
And I would guess thats where he is going to wind up with Turner acting as the utility IF.
Maybe they can convert him to the OF which would give Havens just enough Daylight to beat out Turner for the 2B position.
Now maybe something changes (Turner reverts to journeyman numbers) o they manage to convert Murphy to the OF.
But as it stands right now it will be tough for havens to even get a call up as our IF looks set (with the exception of the unknown in the case of reyes) for what would appear to be the next 4 or 5 years.
I agree with you that what Turner does will dictate Haven’s fortunes and viability.
But there is also the concern in that it was Turner and Murphy who seemed to generate the fight we have exhibited lately.
Its a good problem to have granted but at this point you have to wonder if Havens will ever see the light of day here.
you have this crazed fixation about a ballplayer who’s yet to even play consistently at the AA level yet! But there is almost a sinister-like joy you show anytime Ruben Tejada and now Justin Turner hit a bump in the road. ALL in the name of a minor league player who hardly plays.
What is your obsession with this minor league kid? You disappeared from this site when Tejada was promoted and stayed here a long time until he stopped hitting and NOW you’re saying Turner will be eventually gone? HOW DO YOU KNOW? How do you know that Turner doesn’t turn into our 2B of the future? You keep putting all these people down in the name of a kid who just finished up A ball and has yet to show anything in AA ball or show he can even stay healthy let alone even play at the AA level yet. You’re even creating scenarios with havens already in the Mets lineup! What about Valdespin?
Tejada is GOING to be a starting major leaguer, he’s ONLY 21 and we’ve witnessed the ebbs and flows of a prospect developing at the major league level and NOW we’re seeing the same thing with Turner and the Mets as a TEAM have prospered with BOTH guys. Turner is one of the Mets biggest clutch hitters for crissakes. How do YOU know he isn’t the answer for this team at 2B, maybe he is maybe not, time will tell. Why can’t you be happy about that? Instead it’s almost as if you wish ill on anybody who plays 2B until your boy toy…oh wait…IF you’re boy toy ever..EVER even makes it to the majors. Years of watching baseball has taught you NOTHING.
Stacking, hoarding the kids is exactly how and why teams like the Phillies are able to keep making these big trades and why we have not been able to make the big trade.
We certainly have had quite a few guys come up and that is awesome, but when they come up, they have to get replaced in the system too.
Stacking, hoarding kids is part of the process, not just to see them in Mets uniform but to see them help us acquire someone even better to put in a Mets uniform.
Nice story…if only it were true…
Ok so name the player they traded away to HOARD those players they used to get Pence…
Nice theory you have about HOW the Phillies get those players they traded but it has about as much to do with reality and JRR Tolkiens Middle Earth!
……and they lived happily ever after…….sorry your fantasy world is different from the real world……….
In what fairytale do you think they got these players over the past few years,just because they said “pretty please”?
Couldn’t name one I see….
They didn’t hoard kids, They just picked a lot with high draft position and missed by passing on guys they had to give up three players for to get back when they could have just taken them with one pick (if they did not pass) and traded what was left for something else.
So tell me are they hoarding kids now?
you say i always insist on hoarding kids for the future. i never said anything like that. i am saying this season is over and we should not “believe” we have a chance and make decisions as if this season isnt over.
Oh it’s over eh? I suppose Halloween is next week too!
Tell us Martin…
Who led the NL East on July 21st last year and by how many games?
Answer: Atlanta 6.5 games ahead of us and 7 games ahead of the Phillies.
Who won the Division and by how many games?
Answer: Phillies by 6 games! Made up 13 games on the Braves in that time!
How many games behind Atlanta are we today?
Answer 6.5
Nah it’s all over! Attitude of a true loser if you ask me!
And if they think like you then no point in saving kids anyway because the problem won’t be talent it will be your poor attitude that will KEEP them out of contention until they stop surrendering halfway through the season!
its not just one team ahead of us, dude.
Wasn’t just one team between the Phillies and Atlanta Either!
Still made up 12 games and if you really think all those other teams are going to make it up then why can’t we?
Face it Martin your quit but just because YOU quit doesn’t mean it’s over…If it was we would have quit before the season even started because you felt the same way then!
Turner is fine as an utility infielder. He doesn’t have the pop to be an everyday player. While I like Murphy at 2nd base, he’s only played the position about 20% of time this season, so it’s still unclear if he can hold his own there. What the Mets should do is give him more time this year at 2nd so he can get more experience at it and the team can see if he can be the future at 2B.
It’s always good to have depth in the minors because players get hurt and underperform. Depth can be used to fill in the production or be used to trade for replacements. But when you are 7.5 games behind the wildcard this far into the season you have little chance of making the playoffs. And when you are in a tough division that is only getting tougher with the young players and prospects that Washington, Atlanta, and Florida have, you have to make moves that will make the team competitive for the next 5-8 years in what will be the toughest division in the NL. Being a slightly better than .500 team won’t cut it.
Right now there is NO pop in this line up. Turner is not just a fine utility player, but a guy that is hitting close to .500 with RISP and has kept those numbers up since his call up – if we have better players to go every day and have him as a utility player we should be better then 3 games over .500
Don’t need pop! All you need are hits when men are on base!
And they are doing that pretty consistently.
I am talking about the future, that if the Mets were to be a contending team, Turner isn’t good enough to be a regular at 2nd. That’s why they should see if Murphy can play at least average defense at 2nd.
Turner is every bit as good as Backman was…Maybe even better!
Murphy may never be a gold glove but he just keeps hitting!
They are every bit good enough to contend. The reason we are as many games back is EVERYTHING to do with Pitching!
Compare our team to Atlanta.
What have they got that we don’t?
Does Gonzalez match up with Reyes?
Jones when not hurt might beat out Wright.
Uggla may have more pop than Turner but he’s hitting .206 on the year!
It’s their rotation and pen that has then 6.5 games ahead of us.
Turner may not be good enough to be an everyday player. But him and Murphy are probably a better combiation that Backman and Teufel were!
And they had Rafael Santana playing next to them not Reyes.
Saying Turner is as good as Backman isn’t exactly a complement to Turner.
While it’s true the Mets offense is much better than the Braves’ this year, 2nd base isn’t an area of strength with Turner. If Murphy can play an adequate 2nd then it would be a position of strength. Next season if Davis and Wright are healthy I’d rather have Murphy at 2nd than Turner or a platoon of the two. The team doesn’t have any major league ready starters with upside, so it’s not something you can improve immediately.
It isn’t an area of strength for Braves or Phillies either is the point I’m making!
You want HOF at every position fine but you don’t NEED HOF at every position to win the division!
Somthing lost on a lot of you…
You deem the grass greener in Philly and Atlanta but really the only thing they have on us is Pitching!
LET’S GO METS!!!!!
Joe I have to agree with you here. It does go with what I tried to say in my last FP Posting.
We always knew that this year was going to be a pivitol turning point for the Franchise.
But most of us expected things to get worse not better.
Well Surprise Surprise!
They are playing and fighting as a team. And to me thats a hell of a lot more important than the percieved talent level of your roster.
No one thought all those guys the Phillies rely on everyday were all that special when they got them either (Exception their aquired pitching)
BUT they played as a team, fought as a team and slowly but surely they all got touted as top notch players. People got fooled by that, even the team we play tonite who paid a bit player for the Phillies like he was a Type A Free Agent All Star! How is he doing now that the TEAM that made him look good is no longer there?
If our Pitching was as strong as the Phillies and Atlanta we would be a lot closer right now. Think of all those games we lost ground because the Pen or starters had that one bad inning where they blew the lead or gave up too much to make up in 2 innings or less!
That issue may be solved in a year and half with guys like Harvey, Holt, Mejia and the possibility of a returning Santana. They added to the list of Niese, Gee and Dickey not to mention the Wheeler kid we just got for Beltran. Thats a lot of potential starters to have to sift through and what doesn’t start would certainly make for some fine Bullpen arms.
We always knew that the future of this team was going to be set by the time the trading deadline hit us.
This team is fighting, winning and not giving up.
When was the last time we saw a team like that?
Well I’ll tell you…
1969
1973
1985
1986
I say lets try and get our Keith Hernandez or even Gary Carter (who would fill one of the few remaining needs we have)
They are playing and fighting as a team and I’m glad I was wrong about the team giving up when Beltran left!
They seem to be fighting even harder!
I hope Sandy will reward them for that and maybe look to make a trade that will show them he hasn’t given up on them either.
Something that might help us to make up ground on the Phillies and Braves but more importantly someone who can help ensure we don’t lose ground on them next year!
While we as Met fans should be thrilled with the teams recent performance, the playoffs are a long shot at best simply because we are chasing two very good teams. The Phillies are almost 30 games above .500 and the Braves are 17 games above themselves. Back in 1973, the leaders for most of the season barely played .500 ball.
This team has never quit despite the serious injuries and now having traded our best hitter in Carlos Beltran. In a division of big name pitchers, it is our pitching that has kept us in most games and without the resumes of a Tim Hudson or Jair Jurrgens in Atlanta or a Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee or Cole Hamels whom we seem to whip whenever he is on the mound against us.
The plan engineered by Sandy Alderson to find the right manager and to dump salary has worked nicely. Terry Collins has these players hustling and playing smart baseball. We have traded Carlos Beltran for a great pitching prospect and will acquire a few young prospects for K-Rod. The team took a chance with little risk in signing Jason Isringhausen and he has been very good not only on the mound but in the clubhouse.
Perhaps, the best moves by Collins were his patching things up with Beltran after all the nonsense last year and also his handling of Jason Bay whose struggles now seem to be turning around some. A big August and September by Jason Bay will help to keep us playing well and give him some renewed confidence.
Now that the potential billion dollar lawsuit seems to have been squashed, the Wilpons and their new limited partner should be able to give Sandy Alderson some room to try and improve our team for the future. Alderson won’t go for the big bucks gamble on one free agent but will likely try to restock the organization for the future.
We should be thrilled with the efforts of the players this year and for the big first step that Sandy took by dumping the two headed ALBATROSS of Luis Castillo and Oliver Perez.
It’s funny that so many people have forgotten that but it was a very big first step that management didn’t make earlier…
A season record of 10 games or so above .500 is not a fantasy if we can remain healthy as we are now. The healthy return of Johann Santana if just for a couple of starts this season would be a boost for next year. In the meantime, we have gotten playing time for Lucas Duda, Jason Pridie and Justin Turner and plenty of at bats for Daniel Murphy. Murphy is not going to play everyday once Ike Davis returns and Murphy’s bat makes him a valuable guy for us as a player who can field at a few different positions and a pinch hitter. He could be a natural as a DH in the American League…
so……the future is looking much brighter for our guys!
“I hope Sandy Alderson isn’t done wheeling and dealing and that he tries to add a player or two that can help solidify the Mets chances to shoot for that Wild Card. Why not?”
because adding players also means losing players. and the wild card isnt gonna happen. if trades happen they should be geared toward winning some other time, not now.