30
2011
Get Ready For New Season Of Mets Hot Stove Weakly
An article by 
It looks like by the sound of things yesterday from Sandy Alderson, there will be little to no improvement made to this years team that finished in fourth place with a 77-85 record.
The GM confirmed that payroll will be in the $100 to $110 range.
That means if they sign Reyes to an annual average of $20 million dollars, they will have just $17-$27 million dollars to spend after doling out $83 million to Jason Bay ($16M), Johan Santana ($24M), Jose Reyes ($20M), David Wright ($16M), R.A. Dickey ($4.75M) and DJ Carrasco ($1.2M).
That’s just $17-27 million dollars to fill 19 roster spots…
Kick in another $12 million minimum if they intend to keep Pelfrey and Pagan and your down to $5-15 million to fill the other 17 spots on the roster. In other words – expect another lackluster hot stove season where most of the signings will be high injury risks, reclamation projects, waiver wire fodder, and plenty of excuses.
So while the Phillies and Yankees will go shopping at Macy’s and Bloomingale’s to improve and solidify their perennial division leading rosters this offseason, the Mets will once again be slumming it while playing in the same backyard as their high and mighty rivals.
We must be cursed…
Please spare me the Tampa Bay Rays and Arizona D-Backs won with less than $60 million crap. Cinderella teams always abound every year and if you’re going to use them as your shining example, first give me written evidence you picked them in March for the post-season this year.
Spending wildly is no guarantee of winning a championship, but spending wisely is and always has been.
I’m not saying we should emulate the Yankees, but for crying out loud can we at least try keeping up with the Phillies?
How could a big market team whose pitching sucked so bad not even consider a run at C.J. Wilson?
It’s embarrassing… And what will be even more embarrassing will be the numbers Pelfrey, Niese, Gee and Dickey post in a smaller Citi Field… If we weren’t the worst rotation in the league this season, we certainly will be by this time next year, although I hope to God that I am wrong.
It looks like the Mets are already set at catcher according to Adam Rubin. A team source told him our backstop tandem in 2012 will be Josh Thole (.690 OPS) and Mike Nickeas (.510 OPS). I wonder if Willie thinks we’ll be sipping the champagne with those two offensive juggernauts in the line-up?
Whose ready for all those warm and fuzzy feel-good stories about Jason Bay working hard in the offseason? Maybe we could get Kevin Burkhardt to produce a series of fireside chats with Bay this winter so we’ll have something to fill the dead air on Mets Hot Stove Weekly? I loved tuning into the Mets Hot Stove Show last year and learning that R.A. Dickey’s favorite snack food was donut holes. Hey, did you know Lucas Duda loves being a lumberjack during the offseason?
So another throw-away it will be… Sigh…
About the Author: Joe DeCaro
I'm a lifelong Mets fan who loves writing and talking about the Amazins' 24/7. From the Miracle in 1969 to the magic of 1986, and even the near misses in '73 and '00, I've experienced it all - the highs and the lows. I started Mets Merized Online in 2005 to feed my addiction. Follow me on Twitter @metsmerized.
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NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braves | 24 | 18 | .571 | - |
| Nationals | 23 | 20 | .535 | 1.5 |
| Phillies | 20 | 23 | .465 | 4.5 |
| Mets | 16 | 24 | .400 | 7.0 |
| Marlins | 11 | 32 | .256 | 13.5 |
Last updated: 05/18/2013
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Joe –
I’ve always thought that the Wilpons considered this team a hobby and never really took it seriously. Apparently they gave it to Jeff just for him to have something to do since he really has no job or career. Now as they have the new field draining funds away, maybe they will realize that this is all for real. Bring back the kid with the $200 million offer and SELL THE PLACE TO SOMEONE WHO WILL TREAT THE BUILDING AND THE TEAM AS A PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL TEAM AND FACILITY.
“For Love Of The Game” really is a movie title, not a business motto.
Even during the wild spending years, pre Minaya as well, this team always has relyed on waiver wire, injury rehab and reclamation projects and that’s all due to not having a consistent prospect flow.
Even the guys we have brought up are usually brought up to fill spots they’ve rarely played in the minors and are brought up early and often times are less athletic to boot.
Look at the guys who have played well on both sides of the ball for us in recent years. (Reyes, Wright, Davis, Pagan and Tejada) Two IFA’s, a first round pick, a supplemental pick and a 4th rounder. Exactly the areas that we do way too little at.
We rarely take back a supplemental round pick and often times give up our #1 and or #2 and #3 picks.
We have been pretty successful lately with 5th-13th round types like Evans, Thole, Murphy, Satin, Duda but those guys are great for rounding out your starting eight and bench. The real difference makers (on both sides of the ball) have to come from rounds 1-3 as well as the occasional surprise elsewhere and the IFA market.
That takes putting a lot of money into scouting and developing as well as signing and it also takes patience and a plan that encompases more than just this year.
Sometimes that plan has to include some hold the fort type guys as opposed to making a questionable long term signing that costs a draft choice or that prospect flow never gets started.
Aaaaahhhh, the hot stove….time to hear about potential players who could be of great use to the Mets…who will undoubtedly end up playing elsewhere.
notice how in EVERY CONVERSATION words like championship or win ever come up??
i’ve said this all along, the man is not here to win, he’s here to save the wilpons as much $ as he can, sourround the few good players we had with garbage so we can have a so so team.. his concern is always payroll, reducing to this or that, he’s already thinking about the draft picks he’s getting when reyes leaves.. is a pathetic situation but it is reality. the mets once again will go shopping at the 99 cents store, is embarrassing to tell you the thruth, the man can not even be creative enough to make trades, and when he does, he gets played out. go figure. the saberheads who love him are in for a rude awakening…
Exactly right,
I’ve noticed that too. This guy NEVER mentions things like “Bringing a winner to New York” or “Do our best to put a contender out there in 2012 for the fans of New York”
He never, ever talks about wanting to win.
That’s is because he uses words only adults understand. Omar used to say that all the time, he lied.
It’s not about keeping up with the Joneses for example Yankees get Hideki Matsui Mets get Kaz Matsui. It’s about the Mets spending wisely and making wise decisions toward the goal of winning at least 1 World Series and hopefully many more. I don’t want to keep up with the Phillies I want to surpass them. I can understand your frustration Joe D cause I share them as well but my view is I have seen the keeping up angle and it got us 1 playoff appearance. I want to surpass and win as I am sure all Mets fans do so I can tolerate for now to try and see if something other than keeping up will pay off.
the rays are good every year now. they are not cinderalls. they are run by sabre guys. it isnt about money.
Tell that to Carl Crawford. The Rays have a great farm system from finishing last for all those years. Once their current studs hit their 6th MLB season…they will be gone too, either by trade or free agency.