28
2012
Off-Season Patience Is A Virtue
An article by 
Maybe I’m in the minority here but the last few years have taught me one thing about social media – it allows teams, agents, and players to get whatever message they want sent to the masses to benefit themselves first.
How many times have we heard “player X” could be traded? Or “team offered X to player”, or a player is looking for “X” in a contract?
I have learned that things like “Rumor Central” on ESPN are more about taking a shot in the dark than reporting news. Think about the trade deadline, you see pages and pages of “players who will be traded,” and then what happens? A small percentage get dealt, and in some cases, to a team not even listed as “Interested.”
And them bam, Cliff Lee is a Phillie and Adrian Gonzalez is a Dodger and we still do not have David Wright signed. Lee and AGone’s transactions weren’t reported well ahead of time, they were reported as the news broke. Nobody had the “source” that the Dodgers could add Adrian Gonzalez and all of Boston’s dirty laundry until the talk was completed between the teams.
Why not? Because social media has allowed “sources” to feed a story to a reporter with less evidence of fact than ever before. Teams, players, agents use this to their advantage for leverage.
Why? Because if Rick Reilly taught us anything in his recent Monday Night Football gaffe, it’s that reporters rush to Twitter because it is their chance to be “first” on the story.
We’re seeing this with David Wright right now. I’ve said about a hundred times here that I will judge when there is something to be judged. Right now, if you poll the Mets fan base, everybody has an opinion on something they do not even know if it’s factual or not.
People are rushing to judge the Mets and David Wright based on something that has not even happened yet.
The same can be said about Dickey. The story is going to start that if Wright is signed, it’s adios Dickey. Well, maybe not. Why do we need to decide that before anything happens?
Why are we so quick to make up our mind before anything happens? What hurry are we in this winter to judge on a contract before the ink touches the paper?
It’s not just David Wright either, it’s the entire hot stove season. You’ll hear Mets fans scream at the top of their lungs that the Mets are doing nothing right now. Yet, we have 4 months before any player puts on a uniform.
I’m not suggesting that the Mets will have a brilliant off-season or that the David Wright contract will fit every fans point of view perfectly.
I am suggesting that when it comes to negotiations, it’s best to draw a conclusion when something actually happens rather than rely on “reports,” with no outcome.
I promise you all, the Mets will make roster moves, David Wright and R.A. Dickey will either be a Met in 2014 or not a Met in 2014. It will play out, and when it does – you’ll have the opportunity to judge the Wilpons, Alderson, Wright, Dickey and their agents appropriately.
About the Author: Michael J. Branda
My time with MMO began in July of 2009 when I wrote a Fan Post defending Omar Minaya (before it was cool to do that.) I grew up a Mets fan with the mid 1980's teams. My favorite Met of all-time is (and was) Wally Backman. When it comes to sabermetrics versus old school thinking, I like to think I meet in the middle. I believe thinking of new ways to get answers is helpful, especially when the same way has not produced results. However, I think over-thinking certain situations can get you into trouble. I'm excited for the new regime, because I believe they have pieces in place to focus on several aspects of the Mets organization. I've waited this long for a World Series, waiting a few more years for another chance isn't going to kill me.
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|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Mets | 16 | 24 | .400 | 6.5 |
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Last updated: 05/18/2013
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Hi Jessup,
Is that a duraflame fireplace you have in that picture? Similar to the one we have too!
“People are rushing to judge the Mets and David Wright based on something that has not even happened yet.”
Such as the nature all over now because fans have so much access to things now. Before you had a couple of beat writers and many were loyal to the team due to their desire for access. Now you have as you said a desire for volume and speed. Many of the moves that are made today were made in relative obscurity even a decade ago. The trade for the kid from Oakland, it might have been weeks before we knew about that and maybe not until spring training. But now we are news starved and with not much news the reporters have to provide a product. Of course with blogs like MB, MMO, AA and even the desert there is now a group of readers that not only are dedicated fans who are opinionated but they now get to voice those opinions on every move that is made giving them a voice that did not used to be available.
Yes the landscape has changed dramatically.
{In King Leonidas Voice}
“T-H-I-S I-S BLOGGING!!!!!”
LOL!
Telling me or anyone else we should wait til something is written in stone is equivalent to the Jerks at Mets games whom are on there Cell Phones the whole game and get mad when the people around his section start cheering “LETS GO METS” to start a rally
This is what we do…when we here REPORTS whether they be true or false we chime in this is what we do. This is what we’ve done before blogs when we used to get our news soley from newspapers whenever we saw any speculative trades or free agent signing we gave our opinions to one another tre or false. Its Hotstove baseball thats the whole fun about the off-season fans speculating and giving their opinions of who we should trade for or who we should sign.
Boo Hoo if David Wright was offended he should take it up with the people he’s negotiating with. Afterall however foul it might seem that the Wilpons handle their business this way it it the NORM! Leaks on purpose to sway public opinion to swing things in their sides favor. Wrights people im sure are leaking things as well with or without his consent. If the Mets had lowballed Wright and wouldnt budge do you think he wouldnt come out and say hey the reason i didnt sign was the offer wasnt fair?
So if you dont want to participate in the speculative nature of the off-season or hotstove you dont have to participate in it.
Why cant I say If this report is true and Wright doesnt accept this deal he is greedy? Why cant I say wow thats a ridiculous contract the Mets offered Wright and they are fools for it and we’re gonna be screwed if this is the case???
I do it because it starts a conversation where someone with an opposing view can comment and tell me that I am nuts for not wanting to re-sign Wright at any cost…..
Its Fodder for us cattle(baseball fans)
FYI Adam Rubin is reporting Jon Niese is scheduled to have Heart surgery before X-Mas but should be 100% for spring training
https://twitter.com/AdamRubinESPN/status/273850860323348480
Didnt he have the Nose with bad breathing now this??? Kinda scary….I like Niese but I would look to move him if the value is there
I believe the issue was diagnosed around ASB. From what I understand not a big deal but good to get the procedure done.
Hi BBLB,
Fortunately, it is more a corrective procedure than a surgery and is for correcting an irregular heart beat – Tommie Agee played with that all his career.
Hey Joey D
Im sure theyll get things right with his heart but i also mentioned the breathing issues he’s had and Durability this season was his healthiest. Not saying he wont have a healthy career just see little writings on the wall. And if there is some team that is willing to give up what the Nats gave up for Gio Gonzalez last year I’d do it.
HI BBLB,
As far as breathing issues, that’s what happens when the front office stinks…
LOL…True!
I thought the reason you guys always bring them up is because you thought it was something fun to talk about?
I have never once ever started a converdsation where I said we should get [insert name here] by trading name,name,name,name, first born, name name name name the way the rest of you guys have.
I have suggested types of players to go looking for and will try and find a name I think fits because you all INSIST there MUST be a name mentioned…
Those HYPOTHETICALS are no more true than the rumors that are being trashed here are they?
At least the rumour is based on SOME fact or source….
But it’s only a problem when someone else plays the hypothetical and not when you yourself do it?
They go to twitter because like everything else SOMETIMES the truth gets out….
I’m sure the Mets DID make an offer to Wright…
What it was or when it was made isn’t important to me…
If it is enough to sign him or simply insult him maybe I will care…
And we will find out soon enough which it was because he will either sign something or not.
Yes, be patient. The rotten GM hasn’t done a thing in now his third winter. You gotta be him or on hois payroll to preach such utter crap.
Tell us again how patience was a virtue in 2010 and 2011 offseasons?
I agree with jessup as far as waiting for 2014 to judge the current management. SA said he has a plan in place and will stick to it and the mets will be competitive in 2014. Its hard to be patient but you cant put a bandaid on a broken arm and expect lasting results. I will give the guy the benefit of the doubt until his self-imposed deadline is met.
As far as commenting on rumors, thats a different story, We are all mets junkies and thats why we come here. we like to talk about our team and every bit of news or rumor gives us a chance to conversate which is why we are here in the first place. I sure dont agree with all the opinions here but its always a lively debate.
Oh don’t get me wrong ray, I’m not saying you don’t have the right to judge this front office prior to 2014. In fact I’ve gone on record to say April 2013 – I need to see some real changes on the field or else I will start to turn sour.
My point is yesterday was the day of Wright negotiations. I think I saw 3 different “offers” reported. And each one seemed to escalate toward negativity toward Wright. They could be accurate, I don’t know – but coming up with an opinion about somebody based on something that hasn’t even happened yet is a slippery slope.
We’ll all have a chance to judge Wright based on the actual outcome. Judging him based on “sources” is a waste of time.
No money lots of patience. Wow. Next year the Sandra dee FO should draft a 12 year-old 3rd baseman. So we can wait till 2020 so he can takeover for David. Lacking patience is a Mets fan God given Wright! So if Fans would like instant gratification,so be it. 50 years 2 Championships thats patient enough! The team hasn’t made the playoffs in 6 years. So sign David and Dickey or trade them,just make the team better.
Maybe Sandy should procure a DNA sample of every baseball superstar, pay them each $50,000 for it. Don’t know if that would be challenged by the Player’s Union because it’s not tampering. Anyway you then implant the DNA sample into surrogate female eggs
Then hire surrogate mothers to carry these babies and then sign them right out of the womb. Bet you’d have a good success ration – and it’s cheap!
*ratio
Hey, if it were possible, someone would already be doing that. Stupid international treaties.
This is all jibber jabber twitter news bulletins and this site has bought in.
Wright’s contract was not completed yesterday, which if you believe Joe, might be the first time he ever predicted something wrong.
Because Johan and Jason’s contracts are up right when the extensions go into effect, the Mets have plenty of cash to give Wright and Dickey. That’s easy to see or predict.
I want to know what else they can do this year to help the team get better….much better. They came in fourth last year with these guys, they’ll do the same without more offense. Is the money there to do it? I don’t think so.
So, will they get creative and make some trades? I don’t think so.