30
2012
Don’t Expect Big Add-Ons, By And Large These Fighting 2012 Mets Are On Their Own
An article by 
Last night rumors abounded that the Mets were actively looking for relief help and actually contacted the san Diego Padres to inquire about Huston Street. You could read more about that below this update.
However, Adam Rubin reported that a baseball official familiar with the Mets plans told him that he did not foresee the Mets acquiring a large-salaried closer from another team at the trading deadline with the reason being they have Frank Francisco who is currently on the disabled list. The Mets signed Francisco to a two year, $12 million dollar deal as the headliner to their hot stove season.
If Alderson & Co. are shopping in the $3 million dollar or less department, it would eliminate most of the quality relievers that have been reported to be available. Basically it will be more dumpster diving and not any actual proven veteran closer who can bolster the bullpen and stop the bleeding.
The revamped bullpen which had been much ballyhooed leading into the season has been a phenomenal failure and has the worst ERA in the majors to prove it.
As I mentioned in a post last week, the Mets are also in great need of a right-handed bat, but there’s no indication that they plan to acquire one.
Everyone seems to think this operation runs in stealth mode – it doesn’t. Social media killed stealth mode so stop deluding yourself.
While this rumor that they contacted the Padres about Street was nice to see, how serious of a conversation was it and were any names exchanged? We’ll never know, but if history is any lesson, usually any big name players who the Mets have been tied to in the last two years have been just that – rumors. Nothing tangible ever came out of those rumors and it almost seems as though these leaks serve one purpose and that is to keep the Mets fan base engaged and hopefull that something big is going down which of course never materializes.
Will this front office give this Mets team – a Mets team that currently owns the Wild Card spot – the pieces it needs to put them over the top? Recent history tells us no. We might get a reliever to fill out the back of the bullpen and maybe even spare bat that might be drifting around, but don’t expect any of the sexier names you’ll be hearing about for the next 31 days. And believe me the Mets will be tied to just about every big name that may come available, but by now you should be used to that. You should know these types of leaks are just for some immediate PR value and to create some buzz, and not because all of a sudden there’s been some sort of strategical shift or a seismic philosophy change. Stone is stone.
These Mets will pretty much have to do it on their own if they are to hang on to that coveted Wild Card which they have done for almost the entire first half.
Holdovers from the Minaya regime like David Wright, Ruben Tejada, R.A. Dickey, Johan Santana and even rookie Kirk Nieuwenhuis will have to continue to step up and get the job done with or without any help at the trade deadline. Ike Davis and Daniel Murphy need to each give the Mets a big second-half and so far things on that front look good. Dillon Gee and Jon Niese must not tire as they’ve done in past seasons once the calendar turns to August – those two must continue to progress as they have. Bobby Parnell must exorcise his demons and be the late game reliever that is commensurate with his talent.
The Mets have proven to be resilient which is what has kept them from any prolonged losing streaks so far. They have shown tremendous fight and are one of the most dangerous teams in the majors with two outs. They’ve even showed some guts which we haven’t seen before. Who wasn’t charged up when Dickey retaliated and hit Gordon with that pitch last night?
This team could go to the play offs and I’m certain that they will. How far they go after that is the real mystery. Some real help from the front office would certainly be a grand gesture, but this front office doesn’t operate that way. They are methodical to a fault. We’ve gone from feast (Minaya) to famine (Alderson). Maybe one day we can get it right and find some middle ground. But for now what we have is a team that is busting their asses everyday win or lose and nothing seems to phase them.
I’m looking forward to an exciting second half.
Original Post 6/29
According to Andy Martino of the Daily News, the Mets are actively looking for bullpen help and have inquired about Padres RHP Huston Street,
This comes a couple of days after Ken Davidoff of the New York Post, first reported the Mets were going to contact the San Diego Padres to inquire about Huston Street and also consider other candidates like Grant Balfour and Brett Myers.
MetsBlog writes:
Street, 28, is 1-0 with a 1.42 ERA and 11 saves, having allowed just three earned runs and eight hits in 19 innings over 20 appearances so far this season. Street missed most of May with a strained right shoulder, but has returned to record seven saves and pitch to a 1.93 ERA since June 4.
Street is in the final year of a three-year, $22.5 million contract he signed with the A’s in January, 2010. Street holds a $9 million option for 2013, but the Padres can decline that option and pay him $500,000 to become a free agent.
Nothing like a good trade rumor to get the weekend going. 
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.
102 Comments + Add Comment
NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braves | 25 | 18 | .581 | - |
| Nationals | 23 | 21 | .523 | 2.5 |
| Phillies | 21 | 23 | .477 | 4.5 |
| Mets | 17 | 24 | .415 | 7.0 |
| Marlins | 12 | 32 | .273 | 13.5 |
Last updated: 05/19/2013
Recent Comments
- RandomGuy: on Keep Daniel Murphy In The Leadoff Spot: And the run that scored... yup he...
- Mike Jones: on Keep Daniel Murphy In The Leadoff Spot: Isn't it telling that you had to...
- Mike Jones: on Keep Daniel Murphy In The Leadoff Spot: Do pervy old people typically change the...
- Matt Mosher: on Reds vs Mets: Marcum Takes The Hill, Ankiel Batting Second, Duda Cleanup: Trading Dickey for that package was a...
- Aaron: on Reds vs Mets: Marcum Takes The Hill, Ankiel Batting Second, Duda Cleanup: Gone! 3-3. Cueto and Marcum both struggling. This...
MMO Mets Chat
Need Tickets To The Mets Game?
Check Out These Great MLB Links!
Photographs From Gordon Donovan
5364 Fans Follow Us On Twitter!
1269 Fans Like Us On Facebook!
2341 Fans Read Our Feed!
1702 Fans Subscribe via Daily Email!
lagares,satin & cohoon for street
They not stupid
I would give them familia or maybe marte
No way they should give up Familia, regardless of the regression he’s taken this year.
We don’t need familia with all the pitching we got in the minors
Doesn’t matter whether we need him or not, you don’t deal an arm with that much upside for a reliever who isn’t Mariano Rivera in his prime.
So what would you give up I don’t think it’s a bad trade streets is very good.
You wouldnt trade Familia for any reliever? Really? Kimbrel, Axford, Hanrahan?
If you want someone as good as Street you have to trade “upside” talent. Who want’s talent with no upside for a star reliever like Street? Are you kidding?
Some of you people refuse to accept that you’re going to have to give to get. You don’t win without taking a risk.
The upside of Jeurys Familia not as good as previously hoped. He throws too many BB’s.
His K% has been 26.7, 24.7, 19.2 as he’s gone from A to AA to AAA. Meanwhile his BB% has risen, as shown by these numbers for the same period: 5.9, 9.0, 14.5. The selective hitters in the higher minors are not giving Jeurys an easy time. This kid is not yet ready for the bigs.
But huston would take it the mets to ok wheeler when he was struggling
His upside is still there. I think his problems this year have been mostly mechanical, which can be fixed. He still has a ton of potential because he has a great arm and is only 22 years old.
I cant believe Huston Street is only 28. It seems like he’s been around forever. I’d give up Murphy for him and see if they bite, they seem to need offense.
They going to want young players not no Murphy’s
Street is proven. A fine reliever.
Please, please, PLEASE get Gregerson & Quentin too.
This is all for show. Sort of like Mets interested in Aroldis Chapman or Ty Wigginton rumors. Alderson is not a Chivas Regal or Johnny Walker Blue kind of guy. He’s more like a Franzia Box-O-Wine guy.
And even if there were any truth to this rumor, you think Omar don’t know who’s legit and who isn’t on the Mets farm? LMAO!
Don’t Forget about the Oreoles. Their bullpen is lights out. They are in dire need of an outfielder. Torres could be spared.
Torres is not helping they team
Showwalter is desperate. He has only two outfielders on his roster. Maybe the Padres would help him out.
If they desperate take bay then
I said desperate not demented. Nobody would pick up Bay’s contract. Just think of Bay as a really pricy bench player.
Torres? It would take a lot more than that to cough up one of their relievers. I for one would love to take O’Day back tho.
Oh I was thinking Luis Ayala nothing but a rental for a rental.
O’Dey was wasted in useless roster move. I liked him too.
Who was he kicked off for again? That bum Figueroa? Ugh. To this day, I HATED that move.
Oh yeah. Jerry loved to bring people up for a single start. What a great Rule 5 pick that we through away.
I was so elated when that laughing POS got his walking papers. That was “gangsta”. If he stayed around even longer, we may have not even held on to Beato.
Willie and Jerry had diffrent personas on camera. Willie was bottled up, holding in his rage at the poor playing. Jerry was just laughing his way to the bank.
I know that the Padres had their share of Injurys this year but why is thier record so bad? Their staff numbers look Great and they are young. The team has no power and doesn’t seem to hit for beans. Their outfield seems a little long in the tooth. They have lost a few prospects to waviers so I’m not thinking that they will be looking for a 4 for 1 type of deal. I think Omar will be looking for Den Decker or Vaughn or Nieuenhaus. Hey he may even throw in Dale Thayer LOL.
I disagree with you here. I fully expect the f/o to get the players needed for this team to stay in this wild card race until the end. It might not be Street, but it could be Balfour. It might not be Derrek Lee but it could be Reed Johnson. They wont sit on their hands when the team is six games over .500 and have the best starting pitching out of the other wild card contenders. We need two pieces and they don’t have to be big pieces. The one thing I do agree with you on is the terrible job they did with the bullpen and the fact they expended 90% of the money they had this offseason in an area that now looks worse than it did last year.
At the time, the moves they made looked good. I don’t think anyone could have predicted Ramirez would struggle like this, given how good he was the past few seasons.
I personally don’t think the players are the underlying problem though. The problem has been Terry’s steadfast belief in “roles” and pitchers going the full inning coupled with having only 1 lefty specialist in the pen.
When used correctly, the guys we have are good enough to seal the deal although I will admit that this team does need a closer as Francisco has always done better as the 8th inning guy
“I’m looking forward to an exciting second half.”
Same here.
Holy juxtaposition Batman. Going from, Sandy won’t do anything, it’s all lies, it’s all smoke and mirrors, everyone is one their own, everyone needs to have big second half’s to make the playoffs because there is only scraps if anything on the way…TO…”I’m looking forward to an exciting second half.”
I don’t think you are Joe. Your columns this week have all been pointed against the FO, and that is fine, one of the great luxuries to running your own blog. But don’t say that you are excited after writing all of that. You clearly have no hope in the FO and you think it’s going to tank the season. Say it if you mean it! Don’t do all this doom and gloom lead up and pull back at the last minute.
And whether I think this is true, God I hope you are wrong. If they finish strong to the ASG and scraps is all that it is I definitely will be upset. By no means mortgage the future but moves can be made. My gut tells me the make a decent move.
Are you proposing that one cant be excited for the players while disagreeing with the higher-ups? Is that what you are saying? Surely you’re not suggesting that you cant have one without the other or that fans are incapable of disliking ownership or front office while being excited about the team. That’s simply a silly notion. So which one are you? Team/Ownership/Front Office loyalist, or a despiser of players and all?
I think you need to read my statements again because you obviously didn’t comprehend them. It was directed towards the article. I find it odd that a piece that basically says I have no hope that the FO will do anything positive for this club with more than 10 paragraphs or doom and gloom followed by a final sentence of “Boy I sure am excited”. Maybe I didn’t comprehend the last sentence correctly and it was sarcasm.
I feel you can completely dislike the approach of the FO and root for the team. I feel that they are separate entities. People just confuse that fact that I will wait to pull my pitch fork out and chase Buddy Alderson around until after this Winter. I know it’s so hard to fathom that I will withhold seething hate for the GM until after this off-season (if he continues to take financially constrained approach) when I see what he will do without the handcuffs.
And if you actually read my post you would of seen “If they finish strong to the ASG and scraps is all that it is I definitely will be upset.’ Not much of a Sandy cheer-leading statement is that?
And the rest of us findit odd that you who claim to not be all about defending Sandy seems to always be defending him and that you still have faith in an FO that when you are challenged to name the move you think has helped the MLB roster since he got here runs away and ignores the question because all you have as a good move to cite is Wheeler who hasn’t helped the MLB team in any way yet!
Your just exposing yourself!
You say one thing but your actions speak much louder than your words!
Ive been very critical of some of his moves. If you are really interested ( I know you aren’t you are just interested in arguing) just search for them dude. I don’t feel the need to beat the dead-horse. Like I even said recently no matter what my feelings are on the bullpen moves, they failed. I have a difference of opinion with you why he targeted certain players over the others but regardless, they didn’t work out and it’s on him.
Now if you excuse me I recently commissioned some Belgium monks to sing praises to the all-mighty Sandy and I’m going you listen to it while drinking a Trappist Chimay Ale. Have a great weekend and holiday Metsie. LGM!
Avoiding the question again I see…
Which move was you NOT critical over?
Wheeler and what else?
Oh God just let me drink in peace Metsie…
Extending Niese’s contract, Minor League contract to Young this year, Hairston, dumping KROD’s and his 17m extension. Not resigning Reyes (was against it no matter what payroll was and have been a big advocate on moving him since 08), getting rid of FMART and that distraction. Brydak…
I’m am probably not going to stop back today. If you want to have a discussion on any of this catch me later and I’ll be happy to discuss how I got flamed to hell from all Mets fans about my Reyes reasoning.
Again I hope you have a fantastic weekend and holiday.
Hi Salty,
I think Joe D. might have been expressing what Joey D. believes to: that this team as it is now has the talent to, if not make the playoffs, then have a decent run at doing so but that it would have more of a legit shot had the front office been more capable.
I only will add what I’ve said before: If we kept KRod, signed Takahashi for two years (Sandy only willing to give him one) and kept Izzy, those three along with Parnell, Byrdak and Francisco doing middle relief (of which he is more suited for) we wouldn’t be having this discussion. Either the financial mess of the Wilpons made it so that we couldn’t or Sandy adheres more to his principles than what is good for the team. Keeping those three players would have thrown a monkey wrench into our “rebuilding” plans no more than his signing Carassco, Rauch and Francisco.
Naaaaahhhhh your not all about the Sandy…Not at all…LOL
Seeing you only have a IQ of 303 I would not expect for you to comprehend what I or anyone writes. Just run along and argue with yourself.
Seeing as for the ast two days you are the only guy who has mounted a defense of Sandy and looked for ways to get him a pat on the back no one needs a high IQ to know your full of it whenever you try and feign your not all about defending Sandy!
Hey Salty,
Don’t think you helped your argument any by implying Metsie has an IQ of 303 for that would place him in the super-genius level and probably the smartest individual in the world next to Wyle E. Coyote LOL.
http://wilderdom.com/intelligence/IQWhatScoresMean.html
Joey,
About six months ago Metsie said he had a IQ of 303 to try and leverage his argument against mine. To get a rise I bring it up every once in a while. And yes I presented the same information to him as you did to me.
Hey Metsie and Salty,
Didn’t know you two had that 303 IQ thing going on between you.
Mine is like that, only with a decimal point in front of the number – like Peter Griffin!
This Mets season so far has been so much fun for me compared to the last three. They play with such enthusiasm and bravado and while they make so many mistakes from time to time it doesn’t even bother me one bit. These guys were written off as far back as December and look at what they’ve done? What has Philly done better with double the payroll? What have the Marlins done better with Reyes, Buehrle and Bell? Look at this cast of non-stars we have Thole, Murphy, Turner, Duda, Torres, Tejada, etc. We have a great team and by team I mean a group that in total is more valuable that the sum of it’s individual parts. Lets Go Mets!
Right on Lisa!
LGM!!!
Ever since acquiring Don Clendenon, Met fans are always thinking we are one player away from a championship. This current team is so fun to watch and with so much potential down
on the farm, I don’t want to see Sandy tamper with the homegrown youth Great comment Lisa
The Mets are in no position to be giving up any important prospects, solely for a “chance” of making the playoffs.It would be foolish and shortsighted to go after any of the “sexier” names given how much this team has overachieved.
You can’t get Huston Street without giving up at least Familia AND another high end prospect. Look at what the Padres got for Mike Adams. Balfour will likely command just as much.
The Mets should look to either (a) find an underachiever and pay the entire contract and give up a “player to be named later” or (b) find an unheralded guy that the Mets are really high on, but his current team doesn’t value as much.
I know a lot of people want to see us try and fix the bullpen and it is a position that needs fixing, no one can deny that, but It’s not the kind of thing you fix at the deadline!
Hell it’s hardly worth trading for relievers at ANY time during the season. If you need Bullpen help then you don’t have anyone to trade for it because all the guys you could trade away are not wanted (which is why your trading in the first place) or fill a much larger role than any reliever your going to get for them, Which leaves you left to trade some other player is way more valuable (potential everyday player or starter) than the guy your going to get back.
Closers are the only exception there but Closer is actually the least of our problems right now.
While I don’t trust Francisco as much as I would like to, He is here for this year and next and while Street might make for fewer rolaid consumption what will we have to give away to get him? Going to be a lot actually probably a lot more than he will be worth!
But what we really need is Middle relief that can keep us in position for our closer to get a save opportunity. So think about that and tell me first off what are you prepared to trade away to get guys for that role?
Is trading a Flores worth getting a 7th and 8th inning reliever or a Lefty Specialist? Really?
If we could find someone who would take the Middle relievers we have to get one of thiers it would be one thing and a decent trade.but who is going to make that deal?
So any trade we could make to actually fix the pen is going to cost you a much more valuable kid than what your going to get back to pitch those middle innings.
And if he insists on dumpster diving to fix things he will have the same result he has gotten twice already! Which is why we are in this mess of a position in the first place!
Middle relievers are the cheapest players on the planet even the ones worth having. No reason to look for the cheapest just go for the best he will still be cheap compared to the rest of the roster!
What they really need to do is go after a RH Power bat. preferably one who can play the OF and if you can’t find that then second choice would be to find a good CF with speed and decent OBP to put some speed at the leadoff position. Torres has been better lately but he is hardly good enough at the top of our order.
We have some options in the MiLs to try as middle relief and with Parnell, Mejia and Beato we also have three potential candidates to compete to be our future closer!
And given this FO’s past history in targeting relievers I just don’t trust them to find the right guy to solve our problems, and don’t think what they will have to give away to get it will be worth it in the end.
But get a RH Power bat and you could solve two problems with one player…
Score more runs and that Middle relief we have won’t be able to blow leads as easily and who knows if he helps us score enough there may not be enough Save opportunities to need a closer like Street either!
I disagree. If you go out and get yourself an above average closer (Francisco has always been an 8th inning guy and occasional closer) you can move everyone down a notch and that is how you improve your middle relief.
If Francisco becomes your 8th inning guy then Parnell moves down and becomes your top middle reliever. Then you have Ramirez and Rauch as righty specialists and Hampson and Byrdak as your lefty specialists.
The Mets biggest problem has been they are using specialty pitchers for the full inning instead of alternating L/R. That’s especially been the problem with Rauch…
Sure it’s always better to fill from the top and make your current top your depth, last guy on the good line gets dumped…
But what are you ready to give away to get a guy like Street?
Is giving away a flores worth a guy who pitches 1 inning one game in three?
The league leader in Save opportunities last year had 54 Ops…Not even a third of the games his team played!
How much do you give away to get a player who at best helps you a third of the games you play for an inning or less?
Think about what it takes to get him and tell me they will contribute far less than the Closer will!
Of course you don’t give any top prospects, but that’s my point. I don’t think trading for a decent middle reliever is going to fix anything. I’m all for trying, but I don’t want to see a good prospect get sent away, when the help is likely not going to make a difference anyway…
They can evaluate Hampson and see if he is good enough and if not maybe trade for a loogy, but other than that I don’t think anyone available is much better than Rauch…
Ok so your not giving away any top prospects so who are you going to trade to get him?
You have to give something to get something.
So what do you trade to get it?
Sure won’t be anyone in the pen we have that we don’t like and if it IS someone from the pen it is more likely to be francisco than anyone else!
So much for the move down to setup man if thats the case!
So in the end at best you improve about 25 games at closer, do nothing for the middle relief that is the REAL problem we have even getting to a save situation and we don’t have any kids we are so down on enough to trade for a guy who can fill the middle relief positions we need.
It’s easy to say don’t give them anything good in a trade but you still have to give them something that will entice them to make a deal. And no one seems to have a suggestion on whoi they are willing to give away to get a closer, all the names mentioned are guys we think will give up more if we just hold onto them!
Unless the Mets find a closer or 8th inning guy they can bring in, pay the whole salary, while not having to give up an important prospect (like what Milwaukee did with K-Rod) you don’t do a damn thing.
If used properly this bullpen is capable of being decent. They wont win you a WS, but if Rauch, Ramirez, Batista, Byrdak are used properly, they can get the job done.
If the Mets want to make a move they should go for someone that is struggling like Francisco Cordero or Brandon League that are impending FA on non-playoff bound teams. All you have to do is pay their contract and a give up a PTBNL on a hope that a change of scenery is all they need.
Baseball official familiar with the Mets…….what does that even mean?
a WAG from someone with no actual clue?
Ah, exactly. Martino reported they checked in a Street. Doesn’t sound like a FO that has decided to stand pat.
This year and going forward it’s going to be different. With the extra WC, not many teams are throwing in the towel this early. Might be more available come end of July. What’s the rush now? Why go down the road this early ‘assuming’ the Mets are going to do nothing?
I say check back in a month, see where we’re at, what was and was not done. Then we’ll all have something substantial to be arguing about.
Interesting fact: If you take out the 3 relievers most responsible for the Pen ERA (Acosta, DJ and Elvin), The Pen ERA is under 4.00. So, not actually that bad relatively speaking.
Considering those 3 have nothing to do with the Pen going forward, they are irrelevant, as is the ERA they contributed in the first half.
Unfortunately you can’t take it away but you can definitely replace.
That is an interesting fact. I wish we could subtract those three from bullpen era, but we can’t. That said, I think most improvements from this bullpen has to come from within. I just don’t see the Mets being able to both take on salary and give up top minor league talent for a bullpen arm.
I just don’t see it. Maybe I don’t want to see it because that’s a heavy price to pay for a guy whom could be gone in half a year.
as long the Mets have two lefty specialists in the pen and Terry manages the bullpen properly, the current pen will be good enough, so long as Francisco/Parnell get the job done in the 8th/9th
They have been doing it from within all season long and it’s not working.
no, of course their runs still are in the ERA.
the point I was making is, they are gone. Outta Here! so yes, the pen ERA SO FAR was 5.00, but the guys currently in the pen (meaning, the ones that are going to be pitching innings going forward) is about 3.95.
They got rid of the real bad guys that were giving up piles of runs. The remainder is much more normal (average).
and the past is done. the only thing that matters is the 2nd half, which because the pen has been reworked a bit, is not likely to be as bad.
Sure you can try that….But you do seem to forget those three have inflated ERAs because combined they only threw 32.2 Innings while the rest have thrown 140.2
And Take away Parnell and Byrdak (52.2 Innings combined and ERA around 3.05) your back up in the 4.6+ ERA in 90+ innings.so they have given up close to 46 Runs in 78 games and close to one run every two innings!
Thats just horrible!
now go and use the ERA for Parnell, Francisco, Batista, Byrdak and Hampson (only against LHP), Rauch and Ramirez (only against RHP)
Would be nice if we only used those guys against the splits you want to ook at but we would need 20 Bullpen arms to use them in a way that makes those splits worth looking at!
1) Given how we have 4 starters that are on pace for 200+ innings the bullpen doesn’t get as much work as most teams. Young pitches to contact so he goes deep into games as well, despite the shoulder concerns and Dickey is a threat to go the distance every start.
2) You only pitch strictly off splits when it’s late and close. Not every game there is a save situation where the SP only gets 6 IP so there is no need half the time.
3) By pitching a guy to one or two batters per game, you can use them more often than someone who goes the full inning.
Sometimes Rauch/Ramirez will have to face a lefty, but NEVER EVER with a man in scoring position. Parnell is the ONLY reliever other than Francisco, that can the other side out with regularity…
Hi Stick,
Even taking those three out of the equation for the moment, if the Met bullpen ERA would thus be below 4.00 without them, that means there are still too many way above 4.00 causing it not to be any lower without that trio anyway.
But I think a good point out of what you are making is for a return to the two or even three inning reliever, even as a closer. That way we wouldn’t have to rely on so many contributing to that horrendous ERA not to mention having more bench strength with less in the bullpen. Of course, that will never happen in the immediate future.
“A baseball official familiar with the Mets plans told him that he did not foresee the Mets acquiring a large-salaried closer from another team at the trading deadline with the reason being they have Frank Francisco who is currently on the disabled list. The Mets signed Francisco to a two year, $12 million dollar deal as the headliner to their hot stove season.”
Large salaried closer? They’re not willing to pick up a guy making $7.5 million this year with an option next year because of Francisco, who’s not only making $2 million less than Street this year, but someone they can slide over to be the setup man? I call bullshit on this story. Who is this “baseball official familiar with the Mets” anyway?
do you realize how much the Mets would have to give up for Street?
Street is an expensive piece for a low budget team, that would be both the Mets and the Padres. The Padres pitching looks young and good. The hitting not so much. Their outfield is largly comprised of value priced journeymen. Omar knows the Mets system intimatly. I’m thinking Den Decker, Vaughn, or Flores with a couple of throw ins. Havens, Satin, Lutz. To swing the money and roster space for Sandy, he may even take Ramerez or Rauch off our hands.
I’d feal better with FF in a setup role. last year when the other Franky was shipped off, everyone in the bullpen took a step up and promptly fell on their face. With the acquision of Street, the bullpen parts might do better in their step down roles.
Street will cost you at minimum, one of your top prospects. Not Harvey or Wheeler, but you will have to give up one of your next best guys
I’m sorry, but even with Street closing, it’s silly to give up a top prospect for the small chance this overachieving team has of making the playoffs…
enough with the overachieving crap. the season is right about 1/2 over, and the Mets are in the playoff spot right now. At this point, they are more underappreciated than overachieving!
and given the state of the NL, why should they have any less chance than any of the other teams scuffling along?
“At this point, they are more underappreciated than overachieving!”
Exactly. Ask Chipper, Rollins and Beltran. They all said that the Mets were underappreciated by “experts” and that this team was gonna shock people.
Top pitching prospect no deal. This is also a salary dump for the Padres. The bats I suggested are real prospects. The Padres need Bats.
Last year, the Padres traded Mike Adams to the Rangers for Robbie Erlin and Joe Weiland. Robbie Erlin is a better prospect than any hitting prospect in our entire organization…
A closer with a sub 2.00 ERA and a relatively cheap option is not available as a “salary dump”
It’s going to cost the Mets, or whatever team, an asset or two…
Who says the Mets are now low budget? I thought Alderson said all the financial problems are behind them?
I despise this front office (as if that’s any news) and I despise their close to the vest, let-the-other-guy-make-the-first-move approach. This is NEW YORK and it’s all about WINNING. Let’s make a move and help this team. They’ve proven enough and if this team doesn’t get some help now they can sink into oblivion while Sandy will say one year later that he felt they never had a chance. Just like he said about last year when THIS season he says the Mets were never in it or something to that affect.
like Jason Bay?
It’s easy second guessing after the fact huh? I’ll respect you more if you were against the Bay signing from the beginning. NOBODY predicted that Bay would have done this bad.
Most people who complain about the Jason Bay signing only do so after the fact.
Look at the roster and the minors, I think Omar has left this organization in pretty good shape
Yes, but if Omar was still here he would have rushed them all to the big leagues like he did with F-Mart, Mejia, Carlos Gomez etc. I was against Bay, but I obviously did not think it would be anywhere near this bad. I did expect Perez to be a huge flop though.
Omar didn’t leave the system totally barren, but he was never able to draft a star and the minor league system really struggled to develop the talent that he brought in. the 2009 draft really set the organization back as it’s the reason why we’ve had no young guys in AAA at all until very recently.
My point is filling a need with the “best player on the market” usually works against you. The Mets bullpen also is a lot different now than it was even 2 weeks ago so we need to evaluate the most recent changes (adding a 2nd lefty) before we can say what we need for sure.
you are the baseball equivalent of a politcal party hack. you dont care about anything except any sabermetric is bad, and you announce that you played the game. omar is good and sandy is bad. david wright is bad and jeff francouer is good because francouer has a low OBP and you stupidly think wright is a bad clutch hitter.
you never eally anlyze anything, you announce your stance over and over and ove and pretend the evidence is in your favor.
sandy is doing well. the team is playing well, making the right calls and acquiring good talent.
Hi Bayonne,
The financial problems are ahead of them. The Madoff ruling gave the Wilpons a reprieve allowing them to wade through the many upcoming years of drought so they can still hold onto the team instead of closing the lid of the coffin on them.
I despise the actions of this front office but if the moves they made weren’t forced upon them due to that economic scenario above, then I will despite the individuals just as much as those actions.
In either case, bet many of us would buy tickets if ownership suddenly changed hands.
Hi Joe
. Who knew the National League was so bad? Nothing sells seats like a pennent race. Sold seats helps the cash flow. Two more arms and this bullpen will be good. Is now the time to win? If so bring up Harvey and Wheeler. Move Young and Gee to the Bullpen. Those guys could throw 3 or 4 inning saves. That would take the load off the other relievers.
Man am I glad I have been staying away. How quickly we forget the inactivity of the Mets during the season during the later Omar years as well. My hope is they don’t go out and sacrifice the future for some mediocre reliever.
exactly. Now if the Mets want to trade some prospects for a young up and coming reliever, that is under team control for the next 5 years and can be our closer of the future while helping in middle relief now, I’m all for it, but I think it’s silly to throw prospects away for a small chance at a playoff birth…
Why does the reliever have to be young? Why can’t the Mets get veteran help? If fact that’s what they need more than anything else if they are to contend. They need VETERANS who have been through the wars to help out and if you have to give something to get than that’s the way it goes. Of course you have to be smart about it but this team needs to acquire some veteran leadership sooner rather than later.
veteran or youth, it doesnt matter. what matters is ability to get things done.
also all of this is speculation. rubin says no closer is coming. who said no bats are coming? do we presume to know everything because of the existence of twitter?
“How quickly we forget the inactivity of the Mets during the season during the later Omar years as well”
I didn’t. I recall that the inactivity came back to bite us on the backside, especially in 2008. To not only fall apart for the 2nd year in a row, but to watch our rival win it all was BRUTAL. They won’t be sacrificing the future for a mediocre reliever. The difference now from year’s past is now we have the flexibility in the farm to make that sacrifice. The last few years, the main complaint here was “We don’t have enough from the farm to get (insert name here)”. Now, it’s transformed to “We can’t sacrifice the future”.
I meant what I implied. Houston Street is a mediocre reliever and would cost more than prospect depth. I think the Mets can make the playoffs but it won’t be because they traded top prospects for mediocre players.
trs86 — Huston Street may not be worth what the Padres want, but he is very, very good. To say he is mediocre surprises me.
I don’t want them to get Street because frankly I don’t see how he fits into the pen, plus the Geren issue.
But to say he’s mediocre is just uninformed.
438 G, 456IP, 467 K, 117BB, 1.05 WHIP 3.04 ERA for his career
Since 09 when he joined the NL he’s gone
191 G, 187 IP, 152 H, 196K, 39 BB, 1.02 WHIP, 3.27 ERA
I can’t even imagine where somebody would get the word “mediocre” to describe those numbers, besides the part of the body below their tailbone.
Sorry but Street is not a dominant closer IMO and consideredinformation cost is not worth a top prospect.
I mean really. Omar’s last 3-4 offseasons were nothing really to write home about either unless one big name per offseason floats your boat. 2006-2007 offseason we sign 40 year old Moises Alou who was injury prone in his prime and just came off of 2 injury plagued seasons and that was pretty much it for a team that just missed the world series and had 3 pitchers about to collect Social Security.
2007-2008 offseason we trade for Johan (Great Move) Santana and did nothing else,.
2008-2009 offseason we sign yet another free agent closer and trade for an injured set up man Putz and did absolutely nothing else. Oh right, we gave Ollie a 3 year deal out of desperation.
2009-2010 offseason we sign Jason Bay and 2 unknown Japanese pitchers to a team supposedly in win now mode. RA Dickey which was a moved that was mocked by not only the media but Met fans.
So the last 4 offseasons by Omar weren’t exactly filled with a flury of activity. It was fill one hole at a time each offseason.
I personally would be curious about the Geren/Street thing. I’m not sure how good of an idea it is to bring a pitcher in who said “For me personally, he was my least favorite person I have ever encountered in sports from age 6 to 27″
I don’t know, call me nuts but I don’t see that being a great mix for the Mets.
In my view the Mets need middle relief help. They need guys they can count on so they do not over extend the late inning guys.
I’d rather see them find another lefty (hard to do) or another reliable RHP out of the pen. Kind of the way Heilman used to be.
Glen Perkins – Min
Jared Burton – Min
Aaron Crow – Kcy
Kelvin Herrera – Kcy
Charlie Furbush – Sea
Tom Wilhelmsen – Sea
Shawn Kelley – Sea
Grant Balfour – Oak
Shawn Camp – Chc
Brandon Lyon – Hou
Wilton Lopez – Hou (DL)
Kameron Loe – Mil
Luke Gregerson – SD
Matt Belisle (col)
A left could be Colorado’s Rex Brothers? Pretty young though…
But these are the guys I’d be “happy” with. Everybody else would just be an addition that I’d be more of a wait and see with.
“I’d rather see them find another lefty (hard to do)”
If you want another lefty, call AA in Toronto and ask for our old friend Darren Oliver. He’s having another great year out of the pen.
I still say either the Wilpons wanted to dismantle this team so to still hold onto it or hired a front office which didn’t do what many contend it does – think ahead and not for the moment. If they did, we would not be having this discussion about the bullpen and especially the need for a closer since we would have retained two key elements that Sandy inherited and shipped off, plus another one in Izzy of whom he got for us and then released.
If Huston Street is mediocre you must think Francisco is cow dung and Parnell the maggots that form on it.
Sorry I forgot to hit the reply button, but my comment was for trs86.
If San Diego would consider unloading their salary commitment and getting a good amount of cash in return for Street along with giving up not a top a minor league prospect but rather one with a C rating (see attached) then it could only help us.
Unfortunately, the Mets do not have the cash so there goes any thought of obtaining anyone without giving up someone paramount to our future. That I would be against. Otherwise, it’s a shame for with clubs in dire economic straits, we know how much money talks in both directions – dumping and obtaining – just through our own recent appearances.