5
2012
When Sandy Promised “Wholesale Changes” Did It Resonate With You?
An article by 
October is gone, the World Series is gone too, and we’re into the first week of November. All quiet on the Eastern Front.
Thanks to some of the well-timed leaks soon after the season ended, there was suddenly an urgency to this offseason compared to seasons past. An apparent $100 million offer was being floated to the media and in turn to us, a specific quote that both Dickey and Wright could have extensions in place before the World Series was leaked to two different beat writers, and even national sports journalists like Jon Heyman and Ken Rosenthal were being fed some juicy morsels to share with the fan base. “Wow”, I thought. “This feels so much different than Sandy Alderson’s first two offseasons.
Then everything stopped.
Weeks went by… A month went by… The options were both exercised without a whisper of any progress, and instead the word was that no numbers were exchanged and that everything was actually at a standstill.
Now that’s the Sandy Alderson I know…
I have no idea where all that earlier stuff came from, but I’m sure it was all timed to coincide with starting dates of 2013 Season Ticket sales and the 2013 All Star Ticket Plans.
A couple of weeks ago, before the other Sandy turned our worlds upside down, I had asked our writers if they took Sandy Alderson at face value when he said there would be “wholesale changes” to the team this offseason. I wanted to know if it resonated with them. Here is what they had to say:
Jessica - On the outside, 2012 should seem like a disappointing season. But really, who could have asked for a better losing season. I think the Mets need to majorly upgrade their outfield this offseason. David Wright and Ike Davis need protection in the lineup; I hope that is one of Sandy’s “wholesale changes.” And of course, the bullpen needs to be broken apart and fixed again. I’m not expecting them to go after the big money free agent signing; I just expect Sandy to put together a team that can (at least) play .500 ball.
Nick - I believe Sandy and what he is saying, but the problem lies with the Wilpons and the unwillingness to spend money. I do not believe anymore they do not have money, but that they do not want to spend it unless they in their minds think it will be guaranteed a winner. I want Sandy to bring in 3 new OF, RH bench bat if not Hairston, 2-3 RP and a C, but I think it will be 1-2 OF, catcher of some sort and maybe 1-2 RP.
Robert P. – No, it didn’t. I was once very high on Alderson, but the lip service is starting to get old…fast. Any major additions via the trade market will come via the exportation of RA Dickey, if it happens. After that, Alderson will need to get creative. The Mets need major league talent, not prospects, and it’ll surprise me at this point if Sandy overhauls anything.
Mitch – Wholesale changes…pretty funny stuff. Let’s see…it’s now October 28, and not a single move yet. Other teams are making trades, and locking their important players up with contracts. What the hell is going on? Alderson better get a move on. I honestly don’t see how there can be major changes this off-season unless he has some blockbuster trade in the works…but I won’t hold my breath.
XtreemIcon – I don’t take GM-speak seriously. The comment that most resonated with me is when he said (paraphrase) they had two years to see what they had in the organization. That includes kids who weren’t ready when they got here like Harvey, Kirk, Valdy, and a longer look at Thole, Parnell and Duda and how the kids in the minors progressed or regressed. That said to me that Sandy, much like lots of fans, expected those kids to be the future of the organization, and they by-and-large disappointed. When a year ago, the masses thought the Mets had Kirk and Duda for years in the OF, now the Mets need to go out and get three guys. When 2011 was viewed as a sophomore slump for Thole because of how solid he was in 2010, now the Mets need a catcher, too. Parnell was supposed to be the closer of the future, and he’s unpredictable in the seventh inning, forget about the eighth or even the ninth. I don’t think Sandy will be afraid to trade any of these guys now, when a year ago, the Mets had a really bright future.
Clare - I know that it will be almost impossible for wholesale changes since we don’t have the money this year for that. But next year, when salaries are freed up, I expect big changes. So, I am willing to sit through another mediocre season to get to some winning ones.
Barry - I am hoping to see at least one major trade and a few minor ones or signings that will bring at least 5 or 6 players from other organizations to the Mets.
Joe S. – Anything he says is hard to judge because we’ve grown tired of words and long for deeds. If wholesale refers to trading key players (Wright, Dickey, Ike) for unproven prospects then no that’s not my version of wholesale changes. Alderson’s feet will be held to the fire on this, so like everything else, we’ll wait and see.
Rob S. – Sadly, I expect this to be a long winter. I don’t see Alderson doing anything to improve this club in the near future. If we still have Wright and Dickey on Opening Day (even though it’s unlikely), just retaining those two players would seem like an accomplishment.
Jessep – Well, I think you know the answer to this since you & I did a Crossfire after this interview. Here’s what I said then and I’ll say the same thing now. If in April, I look at this team and see an outfield of Bay-Kirk-Duda plus Thole behind the plate, plus the bullpen being relatively the same – then I’m going to start the path toward angry Mets fan. I won’t jump to conclusions today, but I listened to that interview very carefully, and if it proves to be malarkey then I’m going to be pretty ticked off.
Craig: I’m somewhat disappointed with the pace of change under Alderson. I’m probably MMO’s biggest supporter of this front office. I had a lot of hope and I expected things were going to happen fast and that changes would be dramatic. In fact I expected wholesale changes in 2011 and 2012, but that didn’t happen. This last draft was mind-numbing to me, especially as a devotee of the draft. I was disappointed. I was charged with writing the recap for that draft at the time and actually asked Joe to let someone else do it. I was too upset and was unable to put a positive spin on any component of that draft from start to finish. I’m slowly becoming a skeptic. I’m going to see what changes happen this offseason and hope for the best.
Gregg - I’m tired of hearing the Mets promise off-season changes. After hearing it for so many years, it just falls on deaf ears. Sandy’s actions need to speak louder than his words. I pretty much expect to see the same Mets team as we did this year, with higher ticket prices. The big change will the uniforms with the blue tops.
Ed - For me, “wholesale changes” just means they’re finally going to sell a Jonathon Niese blue T-shirt in the Mets Team Store. Alderson probably meant to say “cosmetic changes” but looked up the wrong word in his Thesaurus.
Dan - Oh it resonated alright. It resonated thoughts of lies, tales and broken promises. I’ll believe it when I see it.
Satish – Nope. I expect that they will do next to nothing, which will make me really upset. I don’t expect any major change. The only thing that I could see, is a trade of either Wright/Dickey/Niese/Davis and I’d be really interested in the return. If the wallet was opened up, there are a few names out there that I have gushed over (BJ Upton, Brandon League) that could really help this team, but I am going to temper expectations. Again.
Let us know if what Sandy says still resonates with you, especially his claims that this offseason was going to feature wholesale changes. What does wholesale changes mean to you?
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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Perhaps in using the words “wholesale change” SA, the lawyer that he is, was simply stating that the Mets cannot afford to pay retail. Thus, the Mets will be back shopping at the MLB equivalents of Big Lots and Wholesale Liquidators.
I believe that Hurricane Sandy did more to the NY area than Sandy Alderson and his goons will ever do in their lives to improve this team. Omar Minaya and Steve Phillips were both better General Managers for this club than the gang of idiots they have in the Front Office right now.
Javi, i must say, comparing this idiot with a tragic event like hurricane sandy is not fair to those affect it by it.. while i get your intentions were not to offend anybody i think the joke was a bit tasteless… but i get what you were going with though.. at this point who cares anymore.
OMG Alex!!!! I have been worried about you and Bayonne and had been asking about you in some of my comments here. I hope everything was okay with you and it’s great to see you back again. Have you heard anything from Bayonne?
Maniac, i am good. I had no power for the whole week!!!! plus I was dealing with the people from the light cause even our facility had no power up until today at 5 AM this morning. It was a terrible week for a lot of people in our area and even a few family members in NY. Fortunately i am fine and everyone who surrounded me is fine which is the most important thing. I also hope you and yours are ok. i haven’t posted or anything because i have been so busy. even today at work is been insane. But the CORE is here……
I do hope you and yours are ok as well.. and my prayers are with those who had accidents and tragic events happen to them..
Only in the sense your divorce lawyer tells you that you’re in for “wholesale change”.
Your ex-wife gets the house, alimony and child support and you get to work two jobs, live in a flophouse and drive a 15 year old car from now on.
I don’t know what kind of “wholesale changes” he could make…at least nothing that will improve the team in 2013. The Mets have an improving starting rotation…that’s the positive. Other than that, the team has no bullpen talent, zero offensive production from SS/2B/C. They also have no defense at C or 2B. They have no viable major league outfield options other than Hairston, whom the Mets probably will not re-sign. The only “wholesale changes” that could be made are trading the only players who have any worth (Wright, Dickey, Davis, Niese, etc.). So, any “wholesale changes” the Mets make for 2013 will only negatively affect the team in the short term…if that, at this point, is even possible.
The sharks are in the waters smelling blood. Be careful you might get what you wished for i.e. trading Niese and or Ike for JUpton and resigning an extension to DW and Dickey. Hey Sandy the shark is now Omar the Octopus signing all the FA allstars that turn in to Bay or get injured like Santana. The little mermaid is about to make a deal with Ursula. Meet you at the watering hole.
I take whatever the general manager and his bosses say with a grain of salt. Based on their actions the past two years, the purpose of moves lay not with the club.
Has anyone checked to see if the Met front office has made a change in the vendor they use to purchase their coffee supplies at whole-sale prices? Just saying……
Joe,
I think combining Nick’s and Jessep’s responses above provides the complete picture. Alderson is choked without some financial flexibility, and the Wilpons are hardballing to recover losses from prior years. Yes, the team may still be in the red, but this family somehow found a few stacks of $20 milliion each to purchase several of those $20 million shares sold earlier this year. The Madoff settlement was actually quite favorable, ther payroll is down $40 to $50 million, and paid attendance did not erode as much as it could have. 2014 wil bring $40 mill more in national TV revenues. If they stick to a $95-$100 million payroll for 2013, I can’t blame the GM. It will be more scrap-heap signings with perhaps a trade or two. Nothing too big unless Dickey (or Wright) is involved, which will make 2013 a tough year to watch and root, and should scare away many more paying customers. Frankly,despite my disappointment and public criticism, if this is what the owners give the GM financially, his best bet would be to make minimal changes and see if the Dudes and Captian Kirks can improve and become production, low-cost players. And, he should not part with any MLB pitching that can be part of the core (Niese), quality pitching is still the most valuable commodity in baseball (see 2012 World Series champions).
FACT: If the Wilpons had their finances straight, Sandy would not be working in Queens.
As a matter of fact…if the Wilpons had their money right…John Ricco is more than likely our GM /public pinata right now…
Sandy will make wholesale changes as soon as there is a wholesale change in ownership. When someone is handcuffed in back of a squad car, it’s pretty hard to escape unless you’re willing to die.
Sandy can get that outfield help and stay under the Wilpons budget, but he’d have to trade the farm. Blaming one for the other’s mistake is just wrong. The budget dictates this mess because of fifty million in salary to just two players. When that’s half your budget, you’re handcuffed. Nobody is going to take that fifty million away, it needs to run its course.
Sure Sandy could just say all this, but again, ownership wouldn’t like that. It’s on us, as smart fans, to understand what’s really going on. It’s amazing that his remarks are his demise, but the actual problem is with ownership and there left as if they’re unaccountable for whatever reason.
I am one who likes the approach Alderson is taking with the organization but I dont get the “wholesale changes” statement whatsoever. Sure Rauch, Hairston, Cedeno, Byrdak, Torres (hopefully), and Shoppach will be gone and replaced with other players. Is that what is meant by wholesale changes? There will be changes but it isnt necessarily for the better…either better players or a better team.
With payroll restrictions and lack of upper level minor league talent, the only way to do this is via trade. With the Mets situation, the sad thing is any trade chip of value only opens up another hole.
Joe d. The only thing resonating with me is your constant push to conspiracy theory. Get over it….it is what it is.
Yes Joe, listen to Heybatter and stop your conspiracy theory. Sandy Alderson said we will be championship caliber in 2014 and if he said it, then it must be true.
I am shocked that you have not already seen the many great changes. Look around you. Look at the standings. Look at the signings we made. Hope and sunshine is everywhere, but all you do is talk about conspiracy theories.
I am glad we have Mets fans like Heybatter who know the truth and can see through all your evil plots.
You missed my point. I think reducing every utterance out of SA mouth to the conspiracy level is giving him too much credit. I believe he is a puppet of ownership and is more media savvy and articulate than they are in saving their franchise. He is a placeholder on the way to the commish job where his management style is perfect to deal with franchise owners.
I never said I believed him, just said I objected to every word being reduced to a conspiracy.
As long as the Wilpon’s own the Mets, there is no hope. They are sucking the life out of the franchise and the fans. Not only can the Mets not extent their stars in Wright and Dickey, but they can’t even re-sign their bench players in Hairston.
Totally embarrassed to be a Mets fan. Maybe the Yanks will sign Wright eventually and trade for Reyes. Maybe then I can just turn my back on this losing / classless organization for good.
As for now, I will not spend a penny by buying tickets. Fans should unite and force the Wilpons to sell.
I’m with ya…
First time in 8 years i didnt spend a dime on them…
You are absolutely right, Joe. Our problems start with the budget, and end with new owners. We only have one way to speak that will be listened to, and that’s with our dollars. No tickets, and no merch. We may suffer for a couple of years, but they will have to fold their cards eventually, or bring the budget up to big city levels – even $10 million would improve things by quite a bit.
Wholesale changes? Is this some sort of joke? C’mon now!
If there was gonna be any real “wholesale changes”, Dan Warthen would’ve never been brought back as pitching coach, period.
trading Dickey and Niese sounds like wholesale changes to me. whether you like it or not.
oops I meant dickey and wright.
He’s a world class bullshitter. I don’t believe anything he says.
I for one am tired of the lip service. I as a fan am more than willing to sit through some rebuilding years, even if the actual rebuilding is the Wilpon treasury; however, I tire of the remarks such as these, which are, at best, distortions of the truth. I expect a trade this off-season. I do not expect Ike, Wright, or Dickey to be involved. I’m thinking of Mejia, Familia, Murphy, or another AAAA player. I would not be overly surprised if Flores is traded if Wright is extended. Other than that I expect nothing but normal spring invites. Maybe, Maybe a reliever FA. Those I doubt will be “wholesale” as the fans could perceive it.
It is the budget. Others will quickly point out that other teams have won with smaller payrolls. That’s true, but those teams have never even come close to a 140 million payroll and then were forced to cut 1/3rd of it, while still leaving another 1/3 tied into two basically unproductive players.
People who make that point are just unable to see through their hatred of Alderson when their anger should be squarely on ownership.
Frankly, I’m tired if these posts calling Sandy to task when everyone knows he has nothing to do with this mess. Does anyone really think he wants to operate at this payroll? Honestly, this is stupid.
Does anyone think he wants to be here at all?
The guy basically said Bud Selig had to beg him to take this job
Hi Truths,
No team has ever been forced to cut it’s payroll as deeply as the Mets but I believe the Marlins come close, having twice broken up a winning team when doing so.
Again, most of us are really not getting on Sandy’s case as we are with those who believe he was brought in for a “vision” and was right getting rid of the stars that we had with the team twice contending half way through and either nothing done (2012) or it actually dismantling it (2011). We see Sandy for what he is – not a baseball man but rather a corporate executive and legal expert who is working for the self-interest of the Wilpons – which is fine as long as it is acknowledged and we no longer are subjected to the false, past plaudits of money ball and computer analysis.
While many of us do resent Sandy’s legal double-talk which even that would ease up if others weren’t buying into it.
Sandy Alderson is not a baseball person.
On
The
Money
That’s my point too. I understand there’s not much to write about yet, but to pick apart a phrase uttered by Alderson as if he has the ability to actually change this team in 2013 is ridiculous.
It happens often and I just can’t believe how blind some people are to the real problems with this team. It isn’t Sandy. IT’S OWNERSHIP!!!
Hi Truths,
That’s what Sandy get for taking on such a job…. , it comes with the territory. Even though he is an accomplished lawyer and businessman and thus has to have a certain amount of skin to let things bounce off him, perhaps he didn’t expect the extreme scrutiny one is put under in New York and the media which is quite different than Oakland and San Diego.
For example, I don’t in think in New York he would ever get such tranquil and non-controversial interview as this one he got back in San Diego:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uw6tYtG1uk
I’ve been a die hard met fan my whole life and granted yes I’m young but I bleed orange and blue for this team as well as living and dieing with what they do. Alderson said we have two years to see what we had in the minor league and major league roster. I feel that after two years players he saw coming into his first tenure that he thought might be part of the future. I think for the most part he has a better idea of what we have and what can be traded or kept. I can see the likes of many people being traded this year to change things up. Anyone from Dickey, McHugh, Neise, Parnell, Murphy, Turner, Wright, Baxter and Duda along with minor league trades/deals. Now granted not all these players would give high return in a trade but these are players I think will be open to be dealt to mix things up. Now its very well possible this off season could be all talk no action like the past few seasons but I’m not giving up on Alderson yet. I’m waiting to be one of those optimistic met fans that when things start getting increasingly better I’ll be saying told you so. Ya Gotta Believe !
Hi Dan,
The question many of us ask is though it had problems, what was so bad with the team that Sandy inherited in 2010? Despite the “inexpensive” players he obtained – who were making little contribution – that team was contending for the wild card, having gone though a 49-36 clip after that dismal start. Yet, during that time, as the Mets moved to within six games in the loss column, instead of doing the job a general manager is supposed to do – make moves to improve the team’s chances in the last third of the season he needed more time to see what the team was made of?
No matter what the final result would have been, a general manager whose focus is the team, never throws in the towel with a team so close that late in the season. That he lucked into Zack Wheeler does not excuse the action of not doing the job a general manager tries to do – win.
Same this past season – inactivity while talk of being “buyers” as we were tied for the wild card lead and knew what our weak links were.
As R.A. Dickey alluded to, a team could both compete and build for the future at the same time. One need not shortchange the other.
But we are talking in terms of baseball and that is not what Sandy’s focus was all about. His plan had and has nothing to do with the quality of the team – both on a major league level (as attributed to above) and in the minors (as per signing the second fewest draft picks in the majors and not signing the 75th pick in the country due to quibbling over approximately $40,000 below slot money).
So that is why many of us disagree with the assumption that he had any vision or substantial plan on how to improve the team. He is only here because his business and legal expertise was required to keep the franchise fiscally afloat for an ownership which has now required three loans in order to meet it’s financial obligations – in the biggest baseball market in the country.
The moves
Not to say I don’t agree cause I do but granted he hasn’t done much of anything. He hasn’t drafted that bad and we got Wheeler for Beltran. Yes we were contending but the financial issues were sinking this team. Should he have taken a risk and go out and trade for someone to make a late push for a wild card ? Yes but things don’t always go as planned. Can any met fan honestly say or believe that he won’t do anything to improve this team during the rest of his tenure ? I don’t and yes when he was brought in it was to fix the legal and financial issues of this team but I can’t give up on him yet. With a lot of question marks on this team and the lack there of to spend money I still see a lot of potential and talent on this team for me to think or believe that all Alderson will do is come in and do completely nothing without trying to improve the team. This team was in contention for awhile this year also and still he did nothing but I believe that he has a better view of what he on this roster then 2 years ago.
Hi Dan,
Well articulated and I think we all share in the hope of our minor league prospects but I really do think the focus of Sandy’s work is dealing with the unique circumstances regarding the Wilpon’s cash flow problems and to stop the bleeding not of the team but of the ownership. If finances were different we would have had a baseball person in charge and Sandy would still be working for the Commissioner.
Again, I really don’t know if Sandy understood seriously enough the scrutiny he would be under working in New York and if he is having second thoughts not because of the work but because of the public humiliation he has become exposed to.
I watched the video interview of Alderson and I have to say I don’t feel he had the production on the field as a top priority. Now granted customer service and all those other things sound good but when you have a bad product on the field what good are all those things with no fans coming to the game. My view on Sandy still at the moment remains the same I still feel he’ll get something done but his leash is running short.
On another note I have interest in writing for metsmerized and have been in contact with someone but haven’t received any information.
Hi Dan,
Glad you were able to catch that video. Notice how there was again a lack in depth when it came to baseball on Sandy’s part? That’s why I don’t believe he should be given authority in matters related to baseball.
Also notice how relaxed Sandy appeared? Although that interview was a few years back, no doubt his being in New York is going to take it’s toll on him both physically and emotionally. With the understanding that he wasn’t interested in the job and happy doing what he was for the commissioner to begin with I wonder if he regrets the decision he made two years back.