7
2011
Should Alderson’s Plan Be Affected By The Teams Success?
An article by 
Mets general manager Sandy Alderson is in a really tough spot right now. What does he do with the trade deadline approaching? Does he become a buyer or seller? Does he deveiate from his plan for the future because the team is having success right now?
For all of the optimism prior to the season about this team being a .500 club, and maybe winning 85 games, did anyone really expect it to happen? Spring Training always breeds hope, and at this beginning of this season I had hope. But as Mets fans we are always waiting for the other shoe to drop, and two huge ones did when Ike and David went down. If this team was “maybe” a .500 team with them, they were definitely not close to one without them, right? Well you have all seen the answer, and I attribute this to the new regime and their new attitude. Terry has done a great job with this team and instilled a winning attitude and accountability. But because of the team’s success, Sandy is finding himself in a precarious situation to say the least. Do you sell players such as Beltran, Krod and Izzy, or do you keep the train rolling and add on instead? Sandy has choices and all of them have negative and positive advantages.
With the recent rumors of trades involving Krod, Byrdak and Izzy, Sandy is making it clear that while we are in contention he still does not want to mortgage the future for a potential playoff push. Guys like Izzy and Byrdak are replaceable, and could bring something good back from a team who desperately needs bullpen help for their playoff push. Krod is the killer, because we have nobody who can get the job consistently enough at the end of games. But, regardless of what he means to this season, his hit on next season is so great that if he can go, he should. We will have to find a way to get by with Parnell and Beato among others.
Trading Beltran is much more difficult because he has been the anchor in the middle of the lineup all season. If you trade him away you are essentially giving up on the season. But, if you keep him you won’t get anything for him in the off season since a clause in his contract prohibits us from offering him arbitration.
The other side has us keeping Beltran and trying to make a push for the playoffs. In that case, you would not get anything for him in terms of players back. But, if you continue to stay in the race, you continue to put Fannies in the seats and money in the Wilpon’s pockets. Full stadiums could potentially be more valuable than a couple of mid level prospects. All the talk about lower payrolls was a direct result of our poor play and lack of meaningful baseball late into the season in recent years. The poor play led to a drop in attendance, and fans waiting longer than usual to buy into the team when they were playing well. Right now it looks like this team is getting stronger, and with returns of Wright and Santana around the corner, things look even brighter. If this team keeps winning, people will continue to buy in and come out to support them.
If you told me I had to make a choice today, I would probably decide to be a partial seller. I would trade guys like Izzy and Byrdak because they are valuable commodities this time of year, and their age makes them not a part of the future. I would try my best to trade Krod and see what we have in Parnell and Beato at the end of games. I would also try to trade either Pelfrey or Capuano to open a spot for Santana. Either one would could slot in easily as a number 3 or 4 starter on a team in a race, and bring something good back. You have to take someone out of the rotation to give Santana the ball, so instead of wasting them in the bullpen, just trade them and get something. Capuano is not gonna be here next year, and it’s time for Pelfrey to move somewhere else.
At the beginning of the season I wanted to be optimistic. The predictions of us being a decent team were all projections based on a healthy team. If Collins can get this out of the Buffalo Soldiers, what can he do with a healthy roster? It’s anybody’s guess what Sandy is going to do, but there is no doubt that he is in a very tough spot.
For more of my insights come visit us at BigAppleMetsTalk.
About the Author: Dan Valis
I am a staff writer for Mets Merized Online. I am a Mets team analyst with a focus on the minor league system, as well as the major league club. I am a lifelong New Yorker who was born and raised to be a Mets fan. The ups and downs of being a Mets fan is what makes following this team so much fun, but at times so frustrating. You can follow me on Twitter @BgAppleMetsTalk.
27 Comments + Add Comment
Recent Comments
- Coach Mike: on Featured Post: Keep Daniel Murphy In The Leadoff Spot: "Because of Murphy’s high on-base percentage, batting...
- Matt Mosher: on Choo Could Be Impact Outfielder For Mets In 2014, But Would Cost A Pick: No, it is not worth it. He's...
- Brittany Ann: on Reds vs Mets: Niese Looks For Another Solid Outing: The starters have been improving. The Mets...
- BadBadLeroyBrown: on Reds vs Mets: Niese Looks For Another Solid Outing: Another Day another terrible Lineup by Yours...
- Connor O'Brien: on Featured Post: Keep Daniel Murphy In The Leadoff Spot: You also haven't said WHY it is...
MMO Mets Chat
Need Tickets To The Mets Game?
Check Out These Great MLB Links!
Photographs From Gordon Donovan
5372 Fans Follow Us On Twitter!
1269 Fans Like Us On Facebook!
2341 Fans Read Our Feed!
1702 Fans Subscribe via Daily Email!
moneyball in a tightspot!!!!!! good article, intereted to see what are the reaction from some of sandy’s apologist here in MMO
I personally Blame Sandy for the fact the team is 3 over .500. This is an outrage! (roar!)
by the way alex, unless you know what moneyball is… you probably shouldn’t reference it. Your statement above proves that you have no idea what moneyball was
more sabercrap.. no need to know geek crap, show me baseball… and by the way isn’t money ball’s main focu is the team’s modernized, analytical, sabermetric approach to assembling a competitive baseball team, despite the team’s disadvantaged revenue situation????? you see how you try to be a jerk and end up being an as-sho-le???
haha so you took Wikipedia’s opening paragraph, added some alex68 typos and you think that makes you look smart?
It just makes you look uneducated… once again
lmao.. i’d be lying if i say it was my statement, and btw, i am probably way more educated than you..
If you are more educated than me, then you must have taken the following classes on a Pass/Fail basis:
Introduction to Writing
Introduction to Typing
Introduction to Baseball
as long as i bring the cheddar 2 my family after graduating and becoming VP of personal and manufacturing i am good..
i only write in MMO, and mostly is to make ppl see how much of a dou-che/as-sh-ole you are for trying to bring down ppl..
I bring people down? Says the guy who attacks women on this site right?
By the way looking up “Moneyball” on wikipedia and typing the opening paragraph doesn’t make you educated about what Moneyball is. A truly educated person wouldn’t pretend to know what something is so that they can mock it. That’s called ignorance.
+1
coop:
see what i mean??? jezzeP, remmeber, my invitation to go to a mets game together is still open, i went april against the nats, now aug 6th and 7th against the braves, i got tickets left.. i get a total of 4 for each game, around 3rd base dugout, let me know…
Lets just Blame Sandy for your past comments and move on alex
since you have time to dig out the past, please look for any comments about me offending women.. unless, you are one and took offense to something i said..
Alex, you told a female writer on here to get back in the kitchen, called another a DW chick (but you are not the only one) and quite frankly, have a bad attitude to most of the female writers on this staff. Being one of them, I feel the need to speak up. But I’m not trying to make this a feminist rant so please tone the gender association.
coop, i didn’t but i know someone did, i actually defended females in here, hell, i love linda cohn!!!!!
In all fairness Alex68 you attack everyone on here. But last year the misogyny was very prevalent. Not just you but you were certainly one of them.
coop,
if i ever offended you or any females here, my sincere apology. it wasn’t my intention nor i think i ever did, but jezzeP had an agenda to make ppl believe i hated on their articles, insulted women and other stuff he came up with to get me banned just because i think his articles are stupid, ridiculous, to riled up the truly mets fans or plain crap about urinals..
alex, I don’t really understand why you’re even trying to say you never insulted Denise or Kay in the past? Move along…
I think the real litmus test will be during the Phillies series in upcoming weeks. It’s good to take at least three out of four (with the final determined tonight) from the Dodgers but they are not a good team. SF will also be a test of sorts with the fly pitching they are facing. That will no doubt make Alderson’s job more difficult but I think why not be both – buyers and sellers? The last few years we haven’t done much in terms of midterm trades or when they did, it’s backfired (Do I really need to bring up Black Friday?). The Mets are fun to watch now but it’s contingent upon a few things — Reyes and his DL stint/hamstring, Johan returning (do the Mets need more pitching? Yeah probably), K-Rod (option begone!), and how they perform in upcoming weeks. Honestly, I think it’s too soon to tell (coming from a last-minute midnight oil burning former English major).
ohh, so the braves beat out BAL, SEA, and HOU and their world beaters, the mets beat the dodgers and we shouldnt get too happy about that.. yeah, i see.. the yankees are 1-8 against boston and 49-26 against everyone else, they suck too right?
Erm…did I say that? no. Move along there cowboy. Kthxbye
Coop: Pay no mind to him. He doesn’t understand simple things like: The Mets played the Astros or the Mets played the As too. It’s tough for him to use logic. He likes to pretend the Braves are not that good, even though you know… they won 91 games last year and are on a 95 game pace this year.
It has nothing to do with them being good and everything to do with the fact they played Baltimore 3 times.
I say move Krod and Pelfrey in a package deal. Should get something good from that. Beltran is a harder choice but to be honest if you can send him to the Rangers or the Rays and get some young arms in return…why not. In all honesty, the Braves and Phillies have good teams and it will take a lot from the Mets to even get into the wildcard.
Possible trade- Beltran to Giants for Belt or Zack Wheeler
KRod and Pelfrey to Cardinals (I would just like to see what happens to Pelfrey under their pitching coach) for ?
Beltran to Giants for Belt or Wheeler? I highly doubt that.
A) Why would San Fran give Wheeler away for a rental aging player?
and B) Why would they give up their future at 1B or OF if he’s moved for 3 months in the OF?
If they got either of those they should name Flushing, NY “Alderson, NY”
yeah, because other than being named prospects, these 2 guys are studs MLB players.. wow.. you are amazing..
here we go again
you’re right alex. I’m way off for saying the Giants would never trade THEIR #1 OR #2 RANKED PROSPECTS for a 34 year old 2 month rental outfielder.
I’m so stupid sometimes. Why wouldn’t the Giants do that? It makes so much sense!
Yes the success should always have a bearing on your plan.
As the generals say your war plan is in affect until the first shot is fired and from then on you have to be prepared to scrap the plan and adjust to the situation.
Now that doesn’t mean he should change to a win now plan because we are close…
But he should look at why we are successful and adjust what he goes after accordingly.
The plan going in was to rebuild and reduce salary via trades until or unless the team showed it was pretty much a competitive team and close to making a playoff.
It is not quite close to that yet but it has showed that a total blow up is probably not really needed or even wise at this point.
We still have guys we can trade to reduce salary AND get some kids as well, but the firesale I would have to say has been called off and a more targeted approach is now in order.
That means they will try to keep Reyes, Save their money and get thier kids with K-Rod and Beltran trades, and then once Wright and Davis return (maybe even Santana) they will have a bunch of kids who have showed some ability to wheel and deal to replace Beltran and K-Rod (If Beato doesn’t replace K-Rod himself) and we will be in a fine position to augment and make a good run in 2012.
Imaginge…
Trade Beltran and K-Rod and get some kids maybe even just trade chips.
Wright and Davis come back that leaves us with a logjam at 2B with Tejada, Murphy and Turner. Not to mention Havens and Flores as chips as well.
Santana comes back that put Gee and/or Capuano into a tradeable position with Harvey and Holt in position next year (will likely go to AAA in 2012) for a mid season call up to the rotation.
Some Minor Bullpen augmentation and we could have a very good team without an awful lot of turbulence on the roster.
And to think a month ago everyone wanted to blow it all up!
Since we are talking about Mets and SA and not whether insults are flying or not then I will put in my two cents, that’s $.02.
I say we keep Carlos cause any team wanting him will not give up much cause of his no compensation in off season plus the way he is playing now he can be the leader he was in past and hold this team together until David, Jose and Ike return.
Only if a team is really desperate for a bat and feels that they are a bat away from playoffs and SA can get a real good B pitching prospect, never have enough, then maybe but remember that Carlos has no trade clause.
Wow what a bummer that Jose will be out 3 week, why if he is DL’ed then doesn’t it go to Monday?
Missing the Philly series will be a killer for team cause Jose does great in that park plus his loss will affect team and how SA moves on.
I say if you can get something good for Izzy or Byrdak then move them cause the way they are pitching now then the receiving team will get a compensation pick cause of these guys work so far.
I hope that SA will consider how having Carlos, Jose, David and maybe Ike back along with Santana will affect attendance and allow fans to enjoy a good team in Aug and Sept unless we are just worried about 2012 then trade K Rod, Izzy, Capuano, Byrdak, Pelfrey I am still hoping he will work out, his emotions sometimes get in the way of his mound work.