16
2012
MMO Fair or Foul: Mets Rebuilding Strategy All Wrong?
An article by 
Here’s a new feature that will take a look at some of the stuff making the rounds in the Mets blogosphere. Tell us if you think the following statement is Fair or Foul.
Trying to piecemeal together a ballclub like the Mets have done almost never works. Incremental upgrades work for contending teams. They’re wasted money for teams intent on slicing their payroll by one-third as the Mets are. As tough as it would have been to hand the injury-prone Reyes the six years Miami did, the structure of the contract actually made sense for the Mets, who have no money now but, whether under new ownership or a vanity-share-stabilized Fred Wilpon, should a few years down the road.
Instead, the Mets – the least-talented team in the NL East by a fairly large margin – spent the winter working on their bullpen. And while it projects as a potential strength, relief pitching is notoriously difficult to peg year-over-year, and the possibility for implosion is almost as strong. Moreover, bullpen strength is almost always an endgame for teams on the upswing.
Lock down the starting pitching, fortify the lineup, then bolster the bullpen. The Mets are trying to build from the bottom up, the sort of strategy that works just about never. ~ Jeff Passan, Yahoo Sports
What do you think – fair or foul?
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 | 42 | 28 | .600 | - |
| Nationals | 34 | 35 | .493 | 7.5 |
| Phillies | 34 | 37 | .479 | 8.5 |
| Mets | 25 | 40 | .385 | 14.5 |
| Marlins | 22 | 47 | .319 | 19.5 |
Last updated: 06/18/2013
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But ARE they rebuilding? What have they done besides dump salaries? While we’ll always have prospects in the minors, how many have the excitement that brought Doc Gooden or Darryl Strawberry? How many are even talked about as much as (though they were a bust) Fernando Martinez and Lastings Milledge? How many have ever burst onto the scene like Ryan Howard or Ryan Braun (Seaver & Gooden, no batters)? How many pitchers in the last 20 years have developed into REAL, quality pitchers?
Where’s the rebuilding?
Dave, You are absolutely correct. There is no rebuilding in process and there will not be for several under years under this ownership and administration. The organization is downsizing not rebuilding. Cost is being shed as rapidly as possible to get down to a level of affordabillity. Unfortunately, as performance deteriorates on the field, revenue at the gate diminishes causing the spending bar to move even lower. This organization is currently focused on downsizing in an environment of a downward spiral. The current path will not lead to improvement. A reorganization of control is required before rebuilding can even begin. Under current circumstances, that is some years off in time leaving Mets fan in a quandary and quagmire of unfulfilled expectations.
How apt is this point from the article?
“If Wilpon wanted what was best for the Mets, he’d sell now and give the club a chance to avoid the wrecking ball barreling toward him. Instead, this is about him and his family and their team, and so he olés the wrecking ball, knowing its target is the team onto which he so desperately wants to hold. It’s sad really, this proud franchise sullied by a man whose greed overwhelmed the greater good of the thing he purportedly loved. Sounds a lot, in fact, like someone with whom Fred Wilpon was intimately familiar: Bernie Madoff.”
this article isn’t about the Wilpons, we all know they’re broke and this is what we have to work with.
This article is about doing a better job with what you have to work with and I’m happy to see this, now maybe, just MAYBE some people will come with their own ideas on how the Mets could have gone about things because IMO, and as I’ve said many times, Alderson is doing an absolutely TERRIBLE job with whatever money he has to work with. He did a LOUSY job last winter because as I’ve said before and as you can see how Beane is acting over in Oakland – who Sandy wants to model this franchise after – they don’t care about trying to win unless they are 100% sure their team can contend. They can’t be bothered with trying to make what they have into a contender. On MLBNetwork tonight Billy Ripken, Dan Plesac, & Greg Amsinger all pretty much wondered what the hell Beane is doing over in Oakland when they have some nice young pitching already. They all gave their thoughts but they all wondered what the hell kind of plan is going on over there. Just like here in a way.
He also writes
“General manager Sandy Alderson inherited a next-to-impossible situation: the biggest market with commensurate expectations and a cross-borough big brother that epitomizes success; a farm system devoid of talent; and an impoverished ownership group so intent upon keeping its claws in the franchise it had no qualms sacrificing a season or two, and maybe more, to ensure it stays in power. Mets? Psh. This is the New York Mess, and the ugliness is just beginning.”
I wrote about this yesterday. You cannot separate the Mets and the Wilpons. Finkle -> Einhorn. Einhorn -> Finkle. There is no best for the Mets. There is what is best for the Wilpons, and for them, it’s holding onto the Mets with every ounce of strength they can muster.
You must be nuts! Despite the financial woes that Fred Wilpon currently has, he is still sitting on what was once and most likely will again be a CASH MACHINE. The only way that he might have to sell the team is if he gets clobbered by the lawsuits pending from the Madoff scandal.
So, Fred goes out and offers a small piece of the team to raise $$$$ to keep things floating until things get straightened out. His new GM has reduced payroll, pushed the direction of the team towards building a young dominant pitching staff and decided not to risk long term, inflated salaries on injured players. The reality for Sandy Alderson is that if extremely lucky, we will at best be a team that is a bit below .500 for the next two years. We could also easily lose 100 games too. It sucks big time but there is no other alternative under the circumstances. In the meantime, if the Wilpon’s are smart they will continue to offer cheaper ticket prices, will bring back more “fan” days like Banner Day, will give away BATS and retire a few jerseys and hang em on the walls at the ballpark. Fred Wilpon needs to pay attention to the diehard fans from the past and pay tribute to the heroes in Mets history. He can do that by creating walkways and areas in the ballpark and on the property named for our heroes.
i disagree with the main premise that we should have resigned Jose, despite our financial woes, for ONE big reason: while he was our catalyst on Offense we didn’t win because we had (and have) mediocre starting pitching (on balance), and had a woeful bullpen.
IF we were looking down the road (to ‘when’ we have money) as Jeff Passan contends we should have been doing, then we should have gone after SP in trades and selected F/A’s this year.
And that’s the alternative vision of rebuilding: do it with a combo of developing talent on the farm, sharp trades (Garza, Shields, Gonzalez, Pineda), and targeted F/A signings (maybe CJ Wilson). In our case, we must prioritize pitching. We didn’t do that, and that’s the crime here.
Our offense wasn’t the problem last year, or in most recent years. Our problem currently and, in recent years, has been subpar pitching–from the starters to the bullpen.
Let”s talk about how to tackle that issue and why we haven’t–NOT–that we should’ve resigned Reyes. Because, given our circumstances—financial and ‘where’ our pitching prospects are in their developmental stages (1 – 3 years away)–we shouldn’t have.
Hey at least you’re trying to propose other ways the Mets could have still tried to stay in contention REGARDLESS of their budget.
I know someone like an srt or an ‘any’ are gonna come in here, completely ignore what this post is about and start saying things like “they’re broke”. We all KNOW THAT. This article is about how to go about things with whatever money they have and Bob L has proposed some interesting ideas but I DO disagree with him on Reyes because I think money could have been freed up to keep him if they would have made an effort to move Wright, maybe with some prospects like Havens or Valdespins for young major league ready starting pitching, or if you want to throw a catcher in there be my guest. That’s how I would have gone about it because to me Wright’s numbers are a lot of window dressing because he’s not a clutch player. Wright does not know how to win. He’s a good and mostly durable athlete but a lousy competitor, the team would have been better off moving him and keeping Reyes.
If somebody can come up with an idea on how to move on keeping Wright & Reyes but trade other guys like Pelfrey or include Gee in a package than by all means let’s hear it.
ANYTHING but the malaise that has overtaken most people around here..and I’m talking about the people who defend Alderson at every turn and think that NO OTHER moves could have been made to keep this Mets team in contention last year AND this year. They all bow down to Sandy and believe his moves are the only way
Ah i loved Reyes (as i do Wright), but keeping either one made (makes) no sense, in my view, because of our financial circumstances and because our lack of competitive pitching–from the rotation to the bullpen. THAT has been the crux of 5 years of increasing ineptitude on the field…and we have yet to fully address it.
Damn, only the guy above the clouds knows IF our current crop of pitching ‘stud’ prospects prove out in real time. i sure the heck hope 2 – 3 are productive MLB pitchers for us.
The crime is NOT using the money ‘saved’ on Reyes to engineer trades for pitching talent like a Garza, Shields, Gonzalez, Pineda, and maybe, CJ Wilson. (i make the wild assumption, that Wilpon would ever have considered such a strategy.)
Is that all you want? Propositions REGARDLESS of the budget? Alright then, that’s easy. I would have resigned Reyes and signed CJ Wilson. I would have packaged Pelfrey and Gee with pitching prospects NOT named Wheeler, Harvey, Familia and Gorski and shopped them for a solid #2. I would have signed Papelbon to closer and Capps to set him up. I would have signed Sherril to be my second LOOGY.
Ok, that was fun. But recess is over. Unfortunately, the Mets don’t play fantasy baseball. They play real baseball where you can’t do anything REGARDLESS of budget. The budget drives everything. EVERYTHING is done with respect to the budget. You say you know the team is broke, but then you say things like trade Wright to free up money for Reyes? I’ve got news for you. The team is broke. Listen carefully. The team is broke. Any move that “frees up money” is not for the team, it’s for the debt. This is not obvious to you? All that money that came off the books, and still another just 10-12 million dollars given to Sandy for free agents. Why? Do you really think Sandy just refused to spend the $60 million?
Please tell us so we can all understand. What has to happen for you to realize there are absolutely no circumstances under which Sandy can improve the major league roster dramatically. Just so we know where you’re coming from. Throw us a bone and tell everyone so we might understand you better. When do you say “shoot, it sucks that the Mets are in the cost-cutting situation they’re in, but they just don’t have the money to compete.”
this fool is so off base and so bent out of shape because his god is being questioned he can’t even understand english in when i say regardless of budget i don’t mean spend crazily, i’m saying build a team as best you can no matter what your resources are.
Face it, Alderson is doing a LOUSY job. Another GM could have done a better job with the same money – that’s what i mean you try and compete regardless of budget.
I don’t understand how people on the outside looking in can say there were other moves to be made. What moves? How do you know there were better moves to make?
You can question a specific deal on its surface. That’s fine, if you want to say signing Rauch was a bad move, you can do so. But you can’t tell me “that maybe smarter or creative trades instead of just plain old salary dumps could have been a better way to go.”
Which creative trades? All you sound like is somebody expecting another team to hand us their best player for a bag of balls. You have no idea whats out there for the Mets, or what other teams think of our players so how can you sit here and say “go make creative trades.” ?
Was the Pagan deal not a creative trade?
What are you looking for? Give me one example of a creative trade? I’d bet $ its probably unrealistic
First of all I would have thrown in Capt Kirk and take your pick of any other minor leaguer to try and land Andrew Bailey. If it took Wilmer Flores (or somebody else) too I would have done it.
And if able to land Bailey than instead of spending on Rauch, Francisco and Pelfrey (like they did today) I would have tried used that money for a starting pitcher and/or catcher.
The possibilities are many..but don’t tell that to srt or any. They refuse to accept any other moves besides Alderson
i believe in Wheeler, Harvey, Mejia and Familia the way i one believed in Generation K, Tim Leary, Julio Valera and David West. Hail Mary is not a strategy winning the same as a ponzi scheme is nor a legitimate investment plan. There is no plan for the.future but be sure to come to the stadium and.buy some crap.
Building the Seventh, Eigth, Ninth Inning Pitching without Starters is a Half-Baked Idea, like Icing a Cake Before It’s Baked. Still, I hate the Wilpon’s, so anyway we can Fire the Owners is Fine by Me! I hope Alderson builds a Scud Missile. Molotov Cocktails Anyone?
Finally someone in the mainstream media calling out the front office for not doing enough with what they have. To spend $20 million on the bullpen and not even have a bonafide closer is irresponsible. Meanwhile they completely neglected rotation, catcher, second base and are downgraded in centerfield with a career part timer.
Fair. There is more than 1 way to skin a cat. The trade of Pagan to me, was foolheardy. The Mets could have kept Ramirez and refused arbitration to Torres essentially it saving 3 million. They could have dealt Pelfrey or renounced him saving another 6. Reyes is making 10 million both this year and next. Question being, would you trade Pagan, Pelfrey and Torres and Cedeno for Reyes and Ramirez? For 2012? Moving forward next year if Wright has a comeback year or proves
healthy in spring, you can tear up his contract
, and ask him to sign an extension team
friendly in the short term. You still have 2 under 30 vets manning the left side, ure new bullpen and the same question marks in the rotation…A few minor league deals like Pinero, and James and another arm, sign Endy Chavez for same money as Baltimore
and Captain Kirk still waiting in the
wings…Same money being spent for this
year, completely different outlook, even
Tejada could have been the 2b and Murphy
could have been dealt for another possible rotation arm…By the time Reyes and Wright start making big dollars, they’d still be young enough to earn their keep, and Santana and Bay’s contract would have been off the books, and the young guys would be coming in waves…So Passans’ point is fair, they would still be “retooling”, but would have the added bonus of having the main gate attracIons to market as well. New bullpen, like Sandy wanted, the only problem is it still doesn’t have the rotation to compete in the East, but it also affords the latitude to have dealt for a stud starter or sign an ace in a
year or 2…I don’t know…That would have beem my plan…
I meant to write ‘the end result’ of the Pagan trade was foolhardy..i would have renounced Torres…i think they still could have…
All your doing is backloading A hey contract for an injury prone player that cant possibly live up to its value. Wright’s defense is way too poor to deserve thhe kind of extension he’ll be asking for Giving Reyes that sought of money and then asking Wright to do anything friendly is a joke.
Even with both those players under contract you have a team that won’t win more than 70 games this season or next
U could be right, as I said, there is more than way to skin a cat…i just am trying to, as an armchair gm, looking at the overall outlook. Including keeping the turnstiles moving while trying to construct a team to win in a few years, he’s still cutting payroll, but keeping his marquee players. Keeping the revenue stream if you will, but still showing the fans you are at least trying… If DW didnt play ball in extension talks, at least you rationalize dealing him to the fanbase, or even lettinghim walk. But you at least could say
you are trying to win, and the fanbase
couldnt argue. Its fair of Passan to make the point he s making.
I disagree with the article. I’m not sure if the Mets are fully rebuilding or not. But if they are, I see no problem with what they are doing. A team in rebuilding mode generally isn’t going to be making big signings, but they still want to field a respectable team. The pen was a glaring hole last yr, so improving the team in that area is important. And those guys can be traded midseason (as Passan said contending teams always look for pen help) for a prospect of some sort.
I thought we know-it-all fans and future gms recognized by now that the best way o rebuild is from the bottom up. Judging from this websites top 50 ny met prospects, it looks as though the Mets have done pretty good thus far.
What we need next is a strng first half from Wright and Dickey and a draft similar to last years. Both those guys should net us a few more ba top 100 prospects.
But this needs to happen mid season. The Mets still have to sell seats. Our prospects need another sea on of seasoning lol . Do we really expect to see our fantasy AA team in Citifield to start the season?
Give it a break guys. Blogs like this one keep us well informed so we at least have an idea of what our future looks like. Just wait for 2014 when we can be really competitive a couple of good trades and another good draft and this team will showcase an extremely young and talented rotation. Havens will join Duda and Ike to form a powerful lefty dominated lineup ,similar to the 08 Phils. . Captain Kirk will be roaming the outfield on his way to being the actual Captain. Somebody will be traded for our future catcher ( I hope his name is D’arnaud)
We are going to have the young amazing team we all pray for each spring. It’s just not gonna be this season but we have to be somewhat competitive. Regardless if we are rebuilding or not, a good, reliable bullpen is essential. The Mets aren’t gonna win many games this season resulting to an even further decline in attendance. Even us die hard fans will turn our backs next year if the few leads they have are blown by an awful pen . A few quality 7-8-and 9th inning pitchers are just as important as quality starters
So, foul, or whatever. I disagree. The Mets are rebuilding in a city where,as you can see, fans won’t let you. The Wilpons need attendance so they can afford to keep the teams and no one wants to watch a team that not only loses but blows leads defensively a player like Cedeno was necessary . Scott Hariston is such a good player off the bench ,it’s possible that he can be trade bait for the right team chasing a pennant
This article is one year too early. If this issue exist next year this time then I’ll understand but odor now ,be patient. Sandy Alderson knows what he’s doing and he’s got us on the right track
Im sorry this automated spell check can ruin you. Last sentence *** if is issue exist next year this time I’ll understand but ***”for now*** be patience. Btw. I missed a few caps and periods ,sorry no edit
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. This team should’ve been gutted immediately following the 2008 season.They prooved after 2 consecutive choke jobs that they couldn’t win as a group.The team had no heart and no leadership and they continued to try and put a bandaid on an infection.The pitching staff was a one man show(Johan) the bullpen was an absolute abomination.The 2 homegrown stare no-shows when it counted.Beltran only guy to carry his weight.
They go out and sign K-Rod,bring in Putz but do not add any decent starting pitching.I don’t care if no one got hurt in 2009,with that rotation they had no shot at making the playoffs.
Again after an injury riddled year in 2009,instead of gutting the team they add Jason Bay and 2 unproven Japanese pitchers.They totally missed out on a nice haul for Beltran,Reyes and Wright.
Alderson should’ve came in last year and tore up the team and instead he went out and signed a bunch of low risk guys instead of moving guys like Reyes and Wright.
This rebuild should’ve started 3 years ago.I still can’t believe after watching 2007 and 2008 unfold that people still think this team would ever get over the hump.
I think it is a silly commentary. When you have absolutely no money, there is no onther way to put a team together. After this year, if the Wilpons can raise the buyers, and the mets can shed themselves of larfge contracts, then you can apply this argument. Not now.
Well, they had to do something to try and complete as best as possible this year. And the pen was an area that they felt they could improve enough to make a difference.
Of course it would be “better” to get a good starting catcher, a couple of top of the rotation SP, and a stud CF. But where exactly where these guys hiding, for a team that seemed to have no payroll to speak of to spend?
unless you are saying that if you aren’t a serious playoff contender already, why bother to try and sign guys that could help you win more games?
Look, the mets are a huge long shot. And if that long shot was coming in, they need the guys here already to have huge years, and at that point the pen would be an issue.
Why did they have to “improve” the bullpen any. The followerers always tell the world that getting this guy or that guy wouldn’t make the Mets a winner so not getting someone is good. So now you tell us that it is good to waste money ion the one area that it is most difficult to smartly improve. The bullpen is a crapshoot while you pretty much know if your upgrading at catcher or second base or center field. So because lord weasted money on crappy releivers you all have to defend the worst possible money waster he could have done, and he didn’t even get anything that was good, jsut mediocre undependable and overpaid guys to give ius a bullpen that is better than it was in Sept but certain;;y worse than the opne we had in May.
There were no players within the organization capable of closing . Frank Francisco was signed To a decent and movable contract. With a good first half ,he can be traded to a contender for a decent prospect. Same for Rauch and Ramirez. The Rauch signing is questionable but the move for Ramirez makes up for it. Ramirez has always been awesome and might fetch a bettr prospect than Rauch or Francisco. If these guys are here for the next couple of years their definitely improvements over Parnell and Bulcholtz
This season we at least have a better pen and guys capable of not blowing leads and people are complaining. When are we going to realize Alderson actually knows what he’s doing.
It’s amazing not is amazing.It’s one thing not is one thing.It’s pathetic not is pathetic.Geez!
I’ve yet to read on article Passan has posted that’s anything but over-the-top type sensationalism that always piggy backs on series beat writers who actually do their homework.
That being said, he’s just not getting it. The Mets are broke. It’s not about spending money for all the spare parts this year vs. signing Reyes. That only addresses this year’s budget. Reyes would have been for 5 more years when most of the guys signed with ‘that money’ are only here on a one year contract.
Injury concerns or not, I still believe if the Wilpon’s Mets weren’t in the financial situation they’re in, Reyes would have been resigned.
This is so much about rebuilding as it is about reducing payroll so the Wilpons can hang onto their team.
Jeeze, need an edit button:
‘This isn’t so much about rebuilding as it is about reducing payroll so the Wilpons can hang onto their team.
Now srt wins the awartd for the supreme sandy lover/worshipper. He proudly proclaims that an article he didn’t even read doesn’t get it. Brilliant. We all get it now srt. You don’t get anything that isn’t sdpoon fed by lord sandy. Question. did you not read because you were incapable of reading it, or because you were afraid to read something not in line with the direcrtives of your kult leader?
Just stop.
I’d repeat this is all about the Wilpons being broke and less about the GM, but that would just fall on deaf ears.
no, YOU stop
The only one who has deaf ears is YOU. You absolutely refuse to believe that no other moves could have been made, that maybe smarter or creative trades instead of just plain old salary dumps could have been a better way to go.
Instead you lay down at the feet of Sandy Alderson and continue to kiss them. You’re a phoney
You two ought to get a room.
at the rate it’s going and if you’re reading the comments of other fans that room is gonna have more than me and alex in it.
Why don’t you get a life and stop thinking with your book-keeper’s visor and start realizing this FO may, in fact, be horrific and they are hurting this team not helping them.
“As tough as it would have been to hand the injury-prone Reyes the six years Miami did, the structure of the contract actually made sense for the Mets, who have no money now but, whether under new ownership or a vanity-share-stabilized Fred Wilpon, should a few years down the road.”
- That’s an assumption you can NOT make in business. You just can’t. You can’t sit here in 2012 and say “things should get better in the future so lets just spend now and worry about it later.”
“Instead, the Mets – the least-talented team in the NL East by a fairly large margin” – Would have been with or without Reyes.
His description of how the Mets are trying to build the active roster is actually wrong. Nobody is sitting here saying Jon Rauch is the future of this team. Are they? No. Answer me this, what is the #1 commodity on a trade deadline market year after year after year? If you said bullpen arms, you guessed right. It’s a buy low, sell high mindset with acquiring bullpen arms.
Spending $ and long term years on a closer for a bad team is a waste of $. Yet if Francisco has a nice year leading into the summer, there could be playoff contenders who are in desparate need of a late inning reliever.
“but it’s the Jose Reyeses that win championships” Funny quote when you consider that you know… he didn’t.
The Mets are a rebuilding project, whether people here like it or not. You’re not rebuilding a franchise with overpaid veterans in a New York Minute, you’re just not. Prospects are never a sure thing, which is why the more you have the better chance you have. It’s about developing these players, regardless of what anybody says. If you have ONE guy (Fmart, Milledge etC) that everybody is waiting on, the odds are against him being a true impact player.
You need minor league depth, not 2-3 guys who will turn the franchise around. IT’s about collecting that depth, developing in and then figuring out the best way to use those players and to find talent to put around them.
Johan Santana, Jason Bay, Mike Pelfrey and even David Wright likely will do more for this franchise long term by being dealt in the summer or next off-season than they will in a Mets jersey.
The buying up veteran talent and telling fans “we’re good again!” does not and has not worked. People LOVE homegrown talent like Reyes, yet they don’t love the idea of having multiple homegrown players rather than 1 or 2.
If you’re going to finish in 4th or last place, you might as well have a plan to turn the roster into something noteworthy 2-4 years down the road.
Jessep, the irresponsible quote to me was the structure of the Reyes deal being friendly for the Mets, with no regard for the actual deal. All deals are backloaded, first of all, and secondly, this isn’t a one-year, $10 million contract. You know what other deal makes sense for the Mets? Pujols’ contract. He’s only making $12 mil in 2012. That’s heavily backloaded, as well, so it makes perfect sense.
Exactly.
Does Passan really think the Mets finances will be out of the woods inside a year?
I’m quite certain that Passan was inferring that while the Mets get their financial house in order, the Reyes contract would not have been a burden on them for 2012 and 2013. That’s what I got out of that. On that point he is right. But he may have been assuming that the Mets were serious about making Reyes the top priority when we all know that was never the case.
i don’t think jose reyes is not the only one who hasn’t won a championship.. HOF players haven’t won WS rings, but that does not make them less valuable.. Bonds, Griffey, Tony Gwynn etc never won a ring either.. but of course, you only sh** on reyes because you hate the man, funny, tulowitzky haven’t won, kimbrel and the braves prospects haven’t won.. i don’t see your point…
Alex: I merely commented on the fact that the quote was Jose Reyes’ win championships, and to date he’s won… none.
Nobody says Tony Gwynn wins championships, why? Because he didn’t win any.
And I don’t hate Reyes as a player, I think you comparing him to 3 of the greatest baseball players of my generation is funny but I don’t hate him.
I never said Tulo or Kimbrel win championships either… so why you bring them up is just a poor attempt at making a point.
The thing is, you’re quick to point out he’s not a championship player, therefore having it on the team is meaningless, if we had 9 reyes play the position since 2003 we’d have 7 championships by now… you’re the worst… i still don’t know what exactly is your contributiion to this blog when all you do is critique mets players, hate on reyes, suck SA’s balls, talk about payroll and draft picks and love the atlanta braves.. seriosuly, go away man…
thanks for your input Alex. If we had 9 David Wright’s we’d win too, are you going to reply by saying “David Wright is a championship player.”
Something tells me you won’t.
and spare me the “unclutch” bs because we both know Reyes’ so called clutch ability is borderline non-existent.
If you play baseball for 9 years, you can’t be a championship player until you (wait for it) win a championship. If Reyes were a championship player he wouldn’t have folded like a lawn chair in September of 07 and 08.
Again, wright’s job is to be an RBI man, to drive in runs, reyes is to get on base, create havoc on the basepaths.. but of course, if you’d like, i’d take 9 beltran 20x over 9 wright on a team.. is that better then????? you’re the worst, seriously, is ok to admit that you don’t like reyes, i don’t like wright that much, but i give him props when is due, i’ve said many time he should’ve been MVP in 2007 had not been for that serious choke job, but when i said he was being unclutch in 2008 and all his legion turn on me is when i stand tall, till this day, he’s proven me 100% right…
Wright was hitting. How can he be awarded RBIs when his “create havoc on the bases” guy isn’t getting on?
and yes, I’d take Beltran over Wright because Beltran is a legit 5 tool player. Or, he was.
Look at down the stretch of 2007 and 2008. those were the best months of Wright’s career. Blaming him for the Mets not making the post season is crazy and just highlights your bias.
“but when i said he was being unclutch in 2008 and all his legion turn on me is when i stand tall,”
Ya, be proud to be wrong.
“he’s proven me 100% right…”
Except for those times he didn’t.
But hey, Hanley Ramirez would be much better for the team.
I like Passan, but he’s way off here.
Bottom up building never works? He should explain that to the Yankees of the 90s, the 2003 Marlins, the Rays of the last 5 years, etc etc
The fact is, if you want to build a sustainable winner and not deal with each season as it comes (which is part of how we got into this mess), you build from the bottom up. You have a system that produces good players frequently and then fill in holes (or put your team over the top) with free agents and trades.
Passan can talk about going after starting pitching all he wants. It is not a secret the Mets have major problems in their starting 5. But, how do they improve? They have no money for a top flight free agent pitcher. Besides, the closest thing available to a legit ace was Yu Darvish. CJ Wilson is a decent #2 at best. He’s not turning this team around.
What are they going to trade with? Their own pitching prospects? Because all of their most exciting prospects right now are pitchers. It would be kind of pointless to trade a pitching prospect for a veteran pitcher in the Mets position. And they don’t have a catching prospect to trade. Not a good one, anyway.
This is much ado about nothing. You can look at this situation and decipher it in one of many ways. I mean look at some of these comments and see how opposing they are to each other. Is what Passan wrote outlandish? No I dont think so. Based on his views which millions enjoy he sees the Mets situation as dire financially and strategically as well with regard to the baseball part. What he wrote was fair.
With this type of team Passan is writing about, we need to keep the score close and win low scoring ball games. We gave away too many games with our bullpen the last couple of years.
Know this is a repeat of a comment made in another post, but it again applies to the question in hand.
Just because the Wilpons got us a Zach Wheeler, still imagine what 2011 might have been had we retained KRod and Beltran, Murphy and others had not succumbed to injury and perhaps we claimed one or two “rentals” off waivers.
And these actions DO hurt the team in the long term for the Wilpons ARE sacrificing the future by slowly ridding themselves of quality players like Reyes and possibly Wright who still have productive years ahead of them and some of the young players now on the roster once they become eligible for arbitration ala Billy Beane (Pelfrey is not one teams would be calling up for). These players are just as essential in the path to future success because few teams other than Tampa Bay ever won dominated mostly by prospects coming up within a year or two of each other without the aid of seasoned veterans. It’s always a mixture.
Only teams where the players all get old at once does a competitive franchise find itself in the situation of having to truly rebuild (and last season we WERE competitive before it was broken up). That was more the case beginning in 2007 when age starting catching up with our first baseman, second baseman, left fielder, right fielder, catcher, three starting pitchers and closer. Yes, I agree KRod or Beltran would have remained on the team this season but that is not like adding one’s left side of the infield along to it.
Rebuilding – general managers usually do both, keeping their team competitive while building up the farm system at the same time. That’s the business of baseball. Sandy was given no choice but to do one and forget the other….