Mar
14
2012

Spring Notes: Thoughts On Wright, Reyes, Gee

An article by John Delcos

First it was going to be a game or two, then at the end of this week, then next week and now David Wright hopes to be ready by Opening Day. Knowing these are the Mets, why didn’t they just throw Opening Day out there from the outset.

Why did it take them so long to send him to New York for this latest diagnosis of an abdominal tear? Why does this stuff always seem to happen with the Mets? Wright is easily the Mets’ most valuable commodity, so why do they treat this with such ambivalence?

I’m glad to see Wright playing this smart and taking his time, but wonder why the Mets were slow on the MRI.

***

The NBA trade deadline is tomorrow and everybody is wondering what will become of Dwight Howard. Reminds me of Jose Reyes when we all knew he wasn’t coming back. Would have hoped Orlando would have learned from the Denver Nuggets, who fleeced the Knicks for Carmelo Anthony, who has been nothing but a selfish headache for New York. In hindsight, the Mets knew Reyes wasn’t coming back and should have gotten what they could.

First Howard is leaving, then he’s staying. Make up your mind. In absence of something definitive, the Magic have to deal him and get what they can.

By the way, did you hear Reyes’ response the other day when he said he had “put the Mets behind him?” He did that when he left that last game after the bunt.

***

Dillon Gee pitched well in today’s 7-6 loss to Detroit, save a homer to Prince Fielder. But, that’s going to happen. Gee allowed two runs on three hits while walking one and striking out five in four innings.

“I thought today was a really positive day for me,” Gee said. “The past couple of outings I haven’t really felt that great. Me and Dan Warthen did a lot of work this week and really got me feeling good. … We made it a point to throw more curveballs today. The other day against the Braves I think I only threw one curveball, maybe two at the most. Today I threw maybe almost 10 curveballs. Because the fastball command has been getting better, it was time to start the next step to really start getting the off-speed stuff going.”

Terry Collins is still having difficulty putting together his patchwork bullpen.

About the Author: John Delcos

I am an active member of the BBWAA and have covered Major League Baseball in several capacities for over 20 years, including ten in New York working the Mets' and Yankees' beat. I covered the Baltimore Orioles for eight years and the Cleveland Indians before that. I currently serve as an editor and senior staff writer for Mets Merized Online. Follow me on Twitter @jdelcos.

7 Comments + Add Comment

stick March 14, 2012 at 9:31 pm

I still believe that regardless of what their plan was last July (trade or ride it out),once Jose went on the DL with a bad hammy whatever trade value he had was shot. Especially once he came back and everyone could see he was not right, and he was babying it.

No GM was giving up anything good for 2 months of a guy that they weren’t sure wasn’t going to blow out for the year any day.
- trs86 March 14, 2012 at 10:32 pm
  
  Very logical. So they decided that the return of Reyes at that point was not worth the return of ticket sales with him chasing the batting title as well as the possibility of re-signing him based on their terms. What they did not expect was the Marlins to go brain dead and offer the top 5 stars video game contracts with backloading galore.
  - srt March 14, 2012 at 11:34 pm
    
    Agree with the point of bad timing on trading Reyes. He went down 2 July in that game with the Yankees and didn’t come back until 12 days before the trading deadline. Those 12 days, as you said, he was clearly not healed and his numbers reflected that. Unless SA had a crystal ball, trading him prior to 2 July wasn’t happening.
    
    As far as what the Marlins offered him, I didn’t know they would but I said from the get go there would be at least that one GM out there that would be more than willing to outbid the rest and overpay. Just didn’t realize there would only be one involved – besides the Mets. Kind of bizarre, when you think about it. Especially for a SS with his skills. I can only assume the other clubs interested weren’t paying his price.
    - Fonzie13 March 15, 2012 at 12:27 am
      
      I think it’s not out of the realm, if the Marlins don’t open their new stadium this year, Reyes may still be a Met. Of all the years for the Marlins to start spending money, it would have to be a year when one of our own was a free agent.
      - srt March 15, 2012 at 8:38 am
        
        I was thinking along those same lines myself – especially when I read that the opening of the new stadium was delayed a year – was supposed to be 2011.
        
        Who knows though if the Mets did offer something like 5/85 with incentives to reach 100 MIL and option 6 year if there wouldn’t have been a couple of other teams in on that bidding? We’ll never know now…..
Joey D. March 15, 2012 at 1:06 am

Since it seems contract offers are not confidential (or if they are supposed to be there is sure a lot of leaking to the media going around) it appears the Marlins simply decided to put their ludicrous offer right on the table to simply eliminate the competition, which makes me gather they wanted to get Jose at all costs – just like the Wilpons were with Pedro Martinez and that four year contract which only one other team (St. Louis) was willing to offer but at less money.

Perhaps the reason is also the same – instant credibility. Though we all believe the Marlins, even if they are in first place, will be playing to mostly empty seats come late August and September perhaps there is some sort of television deal that made the contract length and financial obligations not really a problem (like with the Angels?). Pure speculation and it might also be that the owner has money to burn and thus the fish is his toy. Who knows.

I still don’t think the Mets (or Sandy) did not want to pay him anything even resembling his market value. If they did, there would have been at least some preliminary negotiations and not one or two few minute general discussions with the agent. Nor would there had been the remarks made to the New Yorker by Fred or the non-committal (intent wise, not money wise) statements by Sandy.

Even with David, we’ve simply got something about not losing both of them in the same year which adoesn’t give me much confidence in the direction David’s headed.
- Joey D. March 15, 2012 at 1:10 am
  
  In the first sentence of the next to last paragraph I meant to write “I still think the Mets did not want to pay…” and not “I still DON’T think the Mets did not want to pay”.
  
  Hey, what do you expect for a little after one in the morning? LOL

Need Tickets To The Mets Game?

Check Out These Great MLB Links!

For wholesale prices on New York Mets gifts and equipment, check these stores out!
Mets Autograph Signings
Mets Fan Apparel
Mets Autographed Baseballs
Baseball Card Supplies
Baseball Equipment

For the best seats and lowest MLB ticket prices, go to PurchaseSeats.com. Get your Mets Tickets now and follow them on the road with Yankees Tickets, Phillies Tickets, Nationals Tickets and Braves Tickets!