Comments on: Finding The Silver Lining In The Mets’ Second Half http://metsmerizedonline.com/2012/09/finding-the-silver-lining-in-the-mets-second-half.html Sat, 25 May 2013 18:18:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Joe D http://metsmerizedonline.com/2012/09/finding-the-silver-lining-in-the-mets-second-half.html#comment-277631 Joe D Mon, 03 Sep 2012 22:05:00 +0000 http://metsmerizedonline.com/?p=95091#comment-277631 Nice post Rob. So my understanding is that there is a silver lining assuming Sandy Alderson follows through on the wholesale changes he talked about.

I think it really depends on what these changes end up being. Just swapping out Thole, Murphy, Torres, Young, etc. for players with similar skill sets would be wholesale changes, but not the kind of changes this team needs for it to be a silver lining.

If all he has is admittedly $10-$15MM to spend, and if he isn’t willing to part with any upper level prospects to acquire game changers (he referred to Short-Season Brooklyn players as his trade chips), it’s really just the same old, same old.

We’ve shuffled around the chairs on the deck for two years in a row now. It’s time to make changes alright, significant ones.

]]> By: Metsie http://metsmerizedonline.com/2012/09/finding-the-silver-lining-in-the-mets-second-half.html#comment-277599 Metsie Mon, 03 Sep 2012 17:56:18 +0000 http://metsmerizedonline.com/?p=95091#comment-277599 Here is the silver lining to this season…

We had a good first half despite the fact that we started this season off relying on players who had not finished a Full season in the MLB recently, were coming off surgery, and didn’t perform all that well.

Johan Santana – Injured and had not played for a year and a half
Chris Young – Injured two seasons in a row
Daniel Murphy – Two half years due to two Knee Operations
Reuben Tejada – Who has yet to compete a full season in the MLB
Jason Bay – who has missed playing time every year he has been here and never performed to expectations.
Lucas Duda – who had only half a season of MLB experience.
Dillon Gee – who has yet to complete a season in the MLB
Josh Thole – who has never been a starter for a full season even to this day!
Ike Davis – Who also has never played a full season until now and missed half a year last season throwing tons of rust that weghed down his bat the first 4 months.
Scott Hairston – who has never been more than a bench player

And despite the struggles of Davis and Duda early on
Despite the loss of Pelfrey
Despite the fact we had a 4th outfielder and Two kids hardly ready for the MLB to play the OF positions Jason Bay wasn’t wasting.

They were in contention for the Division right up until the All Star Break!
All those guys who have yet to endure the rigors of a full season ran out of gas!

The Silver lining here is that now that they all might end the season healthy and might have built up the endurance to last without the struggles associated with all that missed time.

They might actually finish a season strong and productively!

All it will take is replacing the RH Power Bat jason Bay isn’t, Start those two kid phenoms in the rotation, Work on better aerobic and fitness stamina, and stop filling in the holes with cheap crap thats barely good enough to be a bench player let alone fill an important role like CF or the Bullpen!

]]> By: mike lloyd http://metsmerizedonline.com/2012/09/finding-the-silver-lining-in-the-mets-second-half.html#comment-277597 mike lloyd Mon, 03 Sep 2012 17:41:54 +0000 http://metsmerizedonline.com/?p=95091#comment-277597 The path the franchise chose in 2012 didn’t work…That is obvious.
The inherent problem is that the core philosophy and in general, adopted by ownership through the vision of Alderson and his team of former GM’s in the winter of 2010 will NOT work…
The changes adopted by MLB in the collective bargaining agreement will preclude this front office from ever being able to implement it’s plan of drafting players and overspending to sign them. They only got 1 draft to which they were able to “play” by the old rules, and use the advantages in being a ‘alleged’ big market team to draft over slot. The philosophy behind the drafting and overspending on drafted players and international FA’s was in minimizing the financial risk. In other words, if you’re going to miss, miss on a smaller scale by spending less millions on young players who MAY develop into stars rather than signing those “2nd generation” big money free agent contracts this FO hates so much. It’s about minimizing financial risk, and always has been since winter 2010.
The other teams in MLB have scouting departments too, and any advantages in being a big market team with a clear advantage in revenues have been leveled by the CBA consequences for going above cap limits, Including the loss of draft picks…
There is no “silver lining” in my estimation because the philosophy this FO adopted became obsolete with the new CBA.
So the philosophy will now change midstream, we all can read into that Alderson’s recent comments about using the trade market to become better…
The silver lining you speak of doesn’t exist, as this team will refuse to add quality players making any kind of large money even through trades, or free agency as this FO and ownership abhors bringing any money in at a time when revenues are down because of the economic environment and the onfield product being lousy.
The Tampa philosopy will be adopted and subsequently this team will be as bad as possible for as long as possible to garner higher draft picks for the Strasburg and Harper’s of the world. So wherein lies the so-called “silver lining” in that?
I applaud your optimism though Robert. I wish I could be so optimistic, but my hopes of seeing a winner in Queens anytime soon are dashed because the current FO, is having to change philosophy mid-stream… they’ll be no FA signing’s or player acquisitions via the trade route that bring “2nd generation” big money contracts in.
I believe ultimately, you have to spend money to make money. This FO philosophy is in contrast to that. This ownership’s take on this is that they are gun shy from the Santana and Bay contracts. Free agency is like standing in the batters box…Sometimes you swing and miss…Sometimes you hit the ball out. The only risk minimization is in developing enough of supporting cast players to bring in and pay a superstar. Only the sure thing slam dunk superstars are the one’s you chase…Something the Wilpon’s have shown an unwillingness to do. When a guy like a Pujols becomes available. That’s when you jump…Something Fred and co. will never do…and something this FO and this GM will never compromise on.

]]> By: Tommy2cat http://metsmerizedonline.com/2012/09/finding-the-silver-lining-in-the-mets-second-half.html#comment-277587 Tommy2cat Mon, 03 Sep 2012 17:07:58 +0000 http://metsmerizedonline.com/?p=95091#comment-277587 Well-stated interpretation of the value that can be extracted from this season. My expectations were very low going into the season, so I accepted our first half success, punctuated by Santana’s no-hitter and Dickey’s string of one-hitters to be a healthy stride toward the Met organization’s True North – pitching. Wright’s dominance was clearly house money.

This team’s flaws have been obvious since spring training – an 40 man roster lopsided with lefty hitters and not enough juice from the right side. Clearly, we are at a deficit for quality young everyday players.

This off-season will be critical, even moreso than last year, in determining the direction of this franchise. As upsetting as the Madoff affair was to all of us, at least we won’t have that distraction this year. While Sandy will be burdened with Santana and Bay’s contracts, he won’t be so burdened by the millstones that Omar left behind.

It kind of feels like 1983 – when Mookie & Hubie were just beginning to emerge and Frank Cashen was making small deals here and there to build a solid talent base. Then, the acquisition of Hernandez and Carter via trades paved the way to dominance.

I don’t think we’re that far off. My Met glass is more than half-full.

]]> By: DaveUpstateNY http://metsmerizedonline.com/2012/09/finding-the-silver-lining-in-the-mets-second-half.html#comment-277585 DaveUpstateNY Mon, 03 Sep 2012 16:54:35 +0000 http://metsmerizedonline.com/?p=95091#comment-277585 Yes, it’s because we have always embraced mediocrity. It will take a combination of things, as was shown in the early 80s. Smart signings, decent trades and good developing players. They’re not going to have 5 stars from the farm system; no one does. You hope for 1 star, 1 pretty good player, a half decent pitcher and mold it to the rest of the team. Instead, we got Andres Torres and a horrible Jason Bay.

It HAS to go deeper than the manager and General Manager. Haven’t teams like the Braves and Yankees proven that?

]]> By: hotstreak http://metsmerizedonline.com/2012/09/finding-the-silver-lining-in-the-mets-second-half.html#comment-277581 hotstreak Mon, 03 Sep 2012 16:39:14 +0000 http://metsmerizedonline.com/?p=95091#comment-277581 “Never is an awfully long time.”
― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

Hi Mr. North Jersey,

At least we have 1969 and 1986. But 26 years is a long time

]]> By: Squidoo http://metsmerizedonline.com/2012/09/finding-the-silver-lining-in-the-mets-second-half.html#comment-277576 Squidoo Mon, 03 Sep 2012 16:18:11 +0000 http://metsmerizedonline.com/?p=95091#comment-277576 The path the franchise chose in 2012, didn’t work. The reasons for that path, whether it be their ill-fated belief in their home grown players or simple financial restrictions, really aren’t important. What is important is that it hasn’t worked and changes are necessary.

This.

]]> By: Mr North Jersey http://metsmerizedonline.com/2012/09/finding-the-silver-lining-in-the-mets-second-half.html#comment-277574 Mr North Jersey Mon, 03 Sep 2012 16:16:07 +0000 http://metsmerizedonline.com/?p=95091#comment-277574 LoL, you started with Beauty & the Beast and ended with The Wizard of Oz. Talk about a segue. Speaking of Oz http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyywumlnhdw

]]> By: William H. http://metsmerizedonline.com/2012/09/finding-the-silver-lining-in-the-mets-second-half.html#comment-277573 William H. Mon, 03 Sep 2012 16:12:38 +0000 http://metsmerizedonline.com/?p=95091#comment-277573 Well done. I was struck by what you wrote in the beginning about how Mets fans always embrace finishing strong. It’s true of course. Even during some of those many 90 loss seasons, there was always a sense that things will be much better next season if we finished strong. It never really translated most of the time and there was never any evidence to support that finishing strong was a prelude to a solid season the following year, but it somehow gave us a little comfort. And it still does. That’s how it’s always been for Mets fans.

]]> By: hotstreak http://metsmerizedonline.com/2012/09/finding-the-silver-lining-in-the-mets-second-half.html#comment-277571 hotstreak Mon, 03 Sep 2012 16:07:39 +0000 http://metsmerizedonline.com/?p=95091#comment-277571 Remember Beauty and the Beast. The Prince is doomed and had to have a young lass kiss him before the curse ended. That meant the Prince had to change his ways. Well the Met fan base will not embrace this franchise until the Mets change their way of doing business. What changes have to be made? We are all like the little tea cup Chip: We do not know. Is it tear down and rebuild or spend money again? I think we have to go on the yellow brick road and have courage, brains and play with a heart.

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