In response to a question by Matt Cerrone, Buster Olney of ESPN said the Mets are going to have to start spending and even overpaying if they ever want to be in a position to compete.

I think we can look at what the Seattle Mariners are going through, because I think they’re the closest comparison to what the Mets are going through right now. They have a star pitcher who can go out there every five days and dominate any team [in Felix Hernandez], but a real lack of depth among the position players. And how do you convince great players to go there at a time when the team is struggling?

For example, take Shin-Soo Choo, who is a free agent this fall. I think the Mets will have to do what the Mariners had had to do, in recent years with position players, and overpay Choo. He’s a terrific player, but they’ll be competing against other teams that are in a better position to win than the Mets. And the way you overcome that, if you’re the Mets, is to spend a lot of money.

Is that the right thing to do? I don’t think you want to just spend a lot of money on a lot of different players and not know if it fits, just look at the Dodgers. But, at some point, you do have to have that foundation in place so that you can lure other players, veterans, to want to play for your team. And that’s going to be an important step for the Mets.

I’m not sure the Mets will take that important step. I know that they have been pointing to this offseason as the one where they suddenly, and magically, open their wallets and do what is necessary to get them back to the postseason.

I see a team that will 3-4 core players that will likely try to fill in the gaps much like they have been with players recovering from injuries or scrapheap signings.

I don’t believe that overpaying for any player, good or great, is in their DNA.

I’ve said that so many times.

Last offseason proved that. Next offseason wont be that different. I’m certain we’ll have plenty of rumors from “team sources” of the Mets being interested in Choo or Carlos Beltran or Jacoby Ellsbury. But in the end, they will come up a day late and a dollar short like they always do. Then it’s on to the next dog and pony show.

I’m sorry, but I’m just not buying it.

You hear it all the time: it isn’t about velocity, it’s about location. And no one exemplifies that old adage more than Logan Verrett. The 22-year-old Texas native was taken in the third round of the 2011 draft and has been impressive at all three minor league stops.

Verrett dominated A ball in 2012 in both Savannah and St. Lucie, combining to make 17 starts and finishing with an ERA of 2.70, a WHIP of 0.968, and a strikeout-to-walk rate of 7.15 over 103.1 innings pitched. Beginning the 2013 at AA Binghamton, Verrett has seen a slight regression in his numbers, but a slight regression from dominating is still excellent. After nine starts in the Eastern League, Verrett’s logged 60.1 innings pitched, his ERA sits at a 3.28 ERA and his WHIP is 1.044, good for fifth in the league, and his K/BB is 3.21.

And he’s doing it all with a 91 mph fastball.

“I know I’m not going to blow guys away,” Verrett acknowledges, “so I put a lot of effort into locating all my pitches and being able to throw all of them in any count. I like to keep them off balance and hitting spots helps me do that, especially with all four pitches.

Verrett’s repertoire consists of his fastball, both two-seam and four-seam, a slider, curve ball and change up  His fastball has heavy sink on it and the slider is the out pitch.  He has great command of all four pitches and can throw each for a strike at any time.

“You don’t have to throw 100 mph to get hitters out,” explains manager Pedro Lopez. “Guys who throw harder than he does get hit harder, because of his location. His fastball command to this point has been good. He’s also been able to throw his secondary pitches at any time in the count down in the strike zone.”

“He’s very aggressive and makes pitches when he needs to,” adds pitching coach Glenn Abbott. “He’s very competitive and likes the challenge.”

Lopez agrees. “He’s aggressive with all his pitches. He’s not afraid of contact and as a starting pitcher, when you do that, you find yourself pitching deep into ballgames. He’s been able to pitch deep into games just because he goes after hitters. That’s what he does best. He goes after hitters and he puts it in play early.”

Verrett’s 60.1 innings leads the Eastern League, as does his 6.7 IP per start (minimum six starts).

“Efficient” is how Coach Abbot describes Verrett. “You know what you’re going to get with him. When he pitched against the Yankees [AA affiliate Trenton Thunder], he got through 8.2 innings in his 100 pitches.”

Teammate Jack Leathersich sees the same thing, and from a pitcher’s perspective, adds that Verrett’s deceptiveness also plays a part in his success. “He’s not a 95 [mph] guy, but his fastball jumps out of his hand. I feel like as a hitter, it would look harder than what it actually comes in at. His slider is very, very sharp and looks exactly like his fastball coming out of his hand. That’s kind of his bread and butter.

“He’s really polished,” continues Leathersich, “and that’s how he was in college in the Cape league when I saw him there. He’s pitching really well and giving us a chance to win every time he goes out there.”

Catcher Blake Forsythe really enjoys catching Verrett. “He makes my job a lot easier than it is. He stays in the zone and is able to throw four different pitches for strikes. He’s got a lot of late movement, which forces contact, but not a lot of good contact. His slider is such a late breaking pitch, you have to try and go the other way with it. Hitters have to adjust to so many different things.”

When asked whether or not he expected to start this strong, Verrett offered a humble, if not sheepish, half-smile and shrug. “You always expect things to go well, until they don’t. But I prepared very intensely this off season  I got to spring training a few weeks early. I was really able to get good one-on-one time with some pitching coaches. I was able to get an early jump on throwing. I think I took a really good approach during the off season and brought it with me to Spring Training and carried that into the season. That really helped with my confidence on the mound.

Verrett credits a high school pitching coach for helping plant the seeds that would eventually become a blossoming professional career. “He was only 10-15 years older than me and just recently got out of the game, so he was really young. It’s my senior year in high school and I have this new age approach to pitching that I’m being taught. He was always giving me tips and tidbits in my sides and bullpens, and that’s in high school. Just to be able to have a pitching coach in high school was amazing, especially one that had just left the game maybe three years before. He knew what it takes and what’s expected at the professional level and that’s the kind of approach he brought to our high school team. That carried over to my Baylor career and I felt like I was real mature for a freshman.

He finished his Baylor career seventh in strikeouts, and third among those who only pitched three years. He ranks second and third in conference-play K/BB and ERA, respectively.

Verrett knows there’s more work to be done. “What makes me successful is my ability to put the ball where I want it with all four pitches. I need to get better at doing that every single time. Not having the three or four mistake pitches that I leave up in a start. Like last night, for instance, I had four or five pitches that I could look back and say, “Yeah, I left that ball up.” If I’m going to be successful in the big leagues, it’s eliminating those mistake pitches and I think I’m on the right path.”

(Photo Credit: Gordon Donovan)

Thoughts from Joe D.

First off, great job on this Xtreem… This is how you present an interview and do a focus piece on a prospect with supporting quotes from his teammates and coaches as well to add context and additional insight… Outstanding work…

Verrett has has been overshadowed by some of the bigger names in the system since being drafted and signed by the Mets in 2011. The truth is that if you put his numbers alongside any of our other top pitching prospects, you see someone who certainly belongs in the same conversation.

What I love most about him is that he knows who he is and what he needs to do to get to the majors. He’s focused on refining his already plus-command and understands that being able to spot any of his pitches will compensate for not having that 99 mph fastball. After only six starts in Advanced-A, he seamlessly made the jump to Double-A where he continues to succeed. Verrett is somebody you want to keep your eye on.

For more minor league interviews liked this and the best Mets Minors coverage you’ll find anywhere else, check out MetsMinors.net. Nobody is doing it better… Nobody…

Updated Post 1:44 PM

MLB Trade Rumors just posted something that would add to the debate on Choo as a potential acquisition for the Mets in 2014. I also updated the original post to indicate that Choo’s best position is right-field.

Of course, as with most free agents, Choo’s next contract will cover post-prime years, perhaps age 31-35.  With Boras doing the negotiating, we can’t rule out a sixth year or a salary in the $18-20MM range, plus the loss of a draft pick.

Are you guys ready for another Winter of debating the loss of a pick, even if in the Mets case it’s a second round pick based on where this season is heading?

Original Post 12:44

Tyler Kepner of the New York Times, had an article this morning suggesting the Mets should make a strong attempt at signing Reds center fielder Shin-Soo Choo if they are serious about contending in 2014. Choo is a free agent at the end of this season.

Choo, 30, was acquired by the Reds in the offseason for highly regarded shortstop prospect Didi Gregorious and outfielder Drew Stubbs. According to Kepner, Cincinnati Choo was charged targeted Choo to fix their problems in the leadoff spot, which produced a .254 on-base percentage last season. So far, Choo has delivered in a big way, ranking second in the National League with a .455 on-base percentage.

The Scott Boras client has always been able to hit for average and get on base as his career .386 OBP would attest. Going into this season, he has averaged 38 doubles and 90 runs per season in his career. He also can give the Mets power and speed while providing solid range and defense in center field, though right field is his best position. The left-handed batter has averaged 15 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a typical season for him and is on a pace to smash both of those marks in his walk year with the Reds.

“He’s the big reason why we are where we are right now,” said Brandon Phillips of the Reds, who hold the second-best record in the National League. “Playing against him when he was with the Indians, I always told everybody he’s one of the best all-around players in baseball — underrated. Right now he’s just being himself. It’s a blessing to have him over here.”

Kepner also adds that the South Korean native, might be a sensation in New York, whose metropolitan area has the second-largest Korean population in the United States, behind Los Angeles.

Obviously, I love Choo and had wanted the Mets to go after him last offseason, and even though he’ll be a year older I would still have no problem bringing him on board for the 2014 season and beyond. I’m assuming it would require at least a four-year commitment and the bidding from other teams will be aggressive. That’s the part that frightens me – or should I say frightens Sandy Alderson. You see, I’ll maintain what I’ve been saying all along about him and that is that he doesn’t have the stomach for these types of negotiations. To quote myself from last October, “Alderson doesn’t have the ability to go after a desirable and marketable free-agent, it sin’t in his DNA.”

There will be other outfield options out there next offseason, assuming they are not re-signed. Jacoby Ellsbury and  Carlos Beltran are among them.

The problem is will Alderson be willing to spend and come out strong?

Or will it be another Winter of waiting for the market to settle to his liking, which of course never happens leaving him to scamper and pick the bones of whatever carcass he can find on the scrap heap?

Joel Sherman of the New York Post, pops the question and defends Collins, saying:

“It is relatively easy to argue his second-year team had worse talent than his first and this, his third team, has worse talent than his second…That is why I have no idea if Collins is a good manager or not. Showalter would lose big with this team, and so would Tony La Russa and Joe McCarthy and Casey Stengel. Or some cloned combo of all of them.”

Sherman draws a comparison between what Collins has been given to work with as compared to the last Mets manager to succeed, Willie Randolph.

“He was given Pedro Martinez, Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado and Billy Wagner to team with the young Jose Reyes and David Wright and the still-succeeding Tom Glavine. Collins has had the opposite, pretty much — the removal of anything approaching veteran talent from this roster and a bunch of booby prizes put in their place.”

This is about lack of talent, not Collins, he goes onto write. And as I’ve been maintaining since the offseason, Collins will indeed be the sacrificial lamb – that much was true when he was allowed to go into this season as a lame duck manager.

But as Sherman concludes, no Mets manager ever will get a truly fair judgment if Sandy Alderson never figures out how to enrich the talent level of the 25-man roster.

Last week, I wrote how the most frustrating thing about Alderson’s first three years as the Mets’ GM, is that there is not one keeper he brought in on the MLB squad – not one major league player in three seasons.

While we hope the farm is as good and improved as we think it is, ultimately those determinations are only made in the major leagues and not from a prospect ranking list. That’s how it’s always been in the ol’ ball game…

After discussing my earlier post with me on Twitter, Mike Newman of FanGraphs conducted his own polling to one of the largest trafficked sports sites on the web. There are the results.

My conclusion?

Too many Mets fans are prospect drunk…

I would speculate that a similar poll on MMO would be somewhere in the middle with the majority of them pulling the trigger on such a deal without hesitation.

Original Post 9:00 AM

I am well aware of how every Mets’ site has their own readership of Mets fans, especially so when it comes to their commenting community, for those few sites like ours fortunate to have a steady commenting community. The differences are stark.

I was very surprised this morning when I saw the results on a poll Mets Blog took yesterday on if they would swap prospects d’Arnaud and Wheeler in exchange for Giancarlo Stanton. Actually, the word “surprised” might be a bit too mild, I think “stunned” would be a better choice.

Wow, almost two thirds would say NO to the younger and more established Stanton who is on a Hall of Fame trajectory.

“In a heartbeat,” said one Mets official, who is not in general manager Sandy Alderson’s inner-circle of decision makers but has a voice in discussions. “Nothing against those kids, but it’s Giancarlo.”

Stanton put up those gaudy numbers at ages 20-22. He just turned 23 and is still four years away from his prime 5-6 years of peak production.

I asked no less than – I don’t know – 10-12 different media types from Rosenthal to Callis to Heyman and not one said they wouldn’t pull the trigger. I asked three Mets players who requested to remain anonymous and one said, “Do you really have to ask?”

That is the majority sentiment on MMO as well. That poll up there just showed me the difference between MetsBlog regulars and Mets Merized Online regulars. The two couldn’t be more different.

Almost 75% of MetsBlog readers would rather keep the two unknown quantities rather than adding a proven 23-year old superstar even under the current Mets outfield situation… Wow!

To all of our MMO daily readers… All 16,000 of you… Well 17,000 if you just go by Monday… Have I ever told you how much I love you? :-)

I think it’s cool that when hot button issues come up like this one, that we have two megalithic sites for Mets fans that offer a nice contrast and together comprise the whole of the entire fan base.

Original Post 3/11

The Mets “retain an unfilled craving for a marquee outfielder,” writes Andy Martino of the Daily News.

Martino says that the team is monitoring star outfielders such as Giancarlo Stanton of the Marlins and Carlos Gonzalez of the Rockies.

One Mets person told Martino “there is heat there,” in regard to the team having a preliminary discussion with the Marlins about Stanton, suggesting serious interest.

There is no evidence that GMs Sandy Alderson and Larry Beinfest have discussed a Stanton deal, only speculation. But it does sound like there’s some serious interest on both sides.

This adds to what Ken Davidoff of the New York Post said in a different report yesterday, where he said Stanton, Gonzalez and Andre Ethier are among seven outfielders the Mets might consider acquiring this season or next winter. I didn’t much care for the other four outfielders on his list. Soriano? No thanks.

If the Mets are truly serious and this isn’t just them blowing some smoke up our behinds, they must know it would cost them likely two of their top prospects, namely starting pitcher Zack Wheeler and catcher Travis D’Arnaud.

Surprisingly, someone close to Alderson’s told Martino the the Mets GM does not have any particular attachment to either of those players, simply because he traded for them.

The Mets had already considered, but then declined on trading Wheeler to get Justin Upton or Wil Myers, during the Winter Meetings.

There’s nothing  close here so don’t get the wrong idea. But usually where there’s smoke there’s fire so let’s keep an eye on this.

That said, the Mets obviously need a marquee outfielder and they have to stop playing pretend with this current group of flawed outfielders, many of whom wouldn’t be starting on a lot of teams not named the Mets.

Santana’s left shoulder is not getting better and it isn’t unfair to wonder if the prideful or stubborn lefthander – take your pick – may have committed career suicide on March 3, a quiet Sunday that turned into one of the Mets’ loudest days of spring training.

Yep, that was one of the loudest days of the spring alright…

Original Post 3/26

HOW MUCH IS SANTANA CAUSE OF HIS OWN PROBLEMS?

When Johan Santana said he doesn’t know when he will pitch again, it isn’t inconceivable it could be never.

Santana’s left shoulder is not getting better and it isn’t unfair to wonder if the prideful or stubborn lefthander – take your pick – may have committed career suicide on March 3, a quiet Sunday that turned into one of the Mets’ loudest days of spring training.

The day after GM Sandy Alderson said he thought the Mets’ $31-million commitment was at least ten days from getting on the mound and not in good shape, Santana took it upon himself to prove him and the questioning media wrong.

Now, there’s no longer doubt of him staying in Florida or being on the Opening Day roster.

“I’ve just got to stay here and work out and get ready,’’ Santana told reporters over the weekend. “… I’m making progress. It’s just I don’t know when I’m going to be pitching again. That’s the thing: We cannot think ahead. The way we’re approaching everything is every day make sure we have a good day.’’

Too bad he wasn’t thinking that way when he expressed displeasure in not playing in the World Baseball Classic, and later anger at Alderson. Who knows what went through Santana’s mind when he took the mound with an “I’ll show you’’ chip on his shoulder.

How can there be progress when he can’t think ahead? How can there be progress when his shoulder isn’t close?

Since that day, Santana threw a light session, but was scratched from a start and has been reduced to 90-foot long tossing. Do you realize how far away that distance is from a regular season game?

He must gradually build up to 180 feet, and after cleared at that distance will he be allowed on the mound. Then, it’s throwing batting practice and building his pitch count up to 100. Manager Terry Collins said Santana needs to go through a spring training, which is six weeks. But, that clock doesn’t start until he gets on the mound, and nobody can say when that will be.

That’s progress?

And, that’s assuming there are no setbacks, of which there have been several during this struggle since shoulder surgery in September of 2010 to repair a torn anterior capsule.

Of course, it is hard to pinpoint an exact time when a pitcher’s million-dollar arm turns to ten cents. There was the injury in 2010, but Santana had issues with his shoulder in Minnesota before the trade to the Mets.

The wear and tear on a major league pitcher’s arm begins with the first pitch. Santana made 34 starts in 2008, his first year with the Mets, but had surgery in the off-season and hasn’t come close to pitching a full season since.

After two winters of rehab, Santana made it back last year with initial success, including a controversial no-hitter, the only one in franchise history.

Did Collins make a mistake leaving Santana in for 134 pitches, thinking he was giving the pitcher a shot at a career moment and Mets’ fans their lone bright spot in what would be a dark summer?

Of course, Santana didn’t want to come out, and no pitcher admits to being tired, but this was different. Had the no-hitter not been on the table Santana never would have continued pitching. His summer quickly unraveled and included a career-worst six-game losing streak.

After two winters of rehab, Santana, with the Mets’ knowledge, did not have a normal offseason. Then again, nothing has been routine about his winters since 2007 as there has been an injury issue each year.

“I’ve been in this game for a while,’’ Santana said. “I went through that [surgery] a couple of years ago and I’m still here. So I’m going to battle and try to come back and help as much as I can. When that is going to happen, I don’t really know.’’

Several questions are raised through Santana’s uncertainty. How much did the no-hitter hurt him? How carefully was Santana monitored in the offseason? Did going slower backfire? It is easy to suggest the no-hitter hurt, but how much did Santana contribute to his own demise this spring?

“I’m just building up my strength and throwing more volume,’’ Santana said. “… With injuries you never know. I got to spring training feeling good. And then, once I started getting to pitch and stuff and I got on the mound, I didn’t feel I was making progress.’’

If he didn’t believe he was making progress, then why consider the WBC?  More to the point, if he wasn’t making progress why did he get on the mound March 3, when his manager wasn’t expecting him to throw for nearly two weeks?

What forced him, pride or anger? Perhaps, he simply ran out of patience waiting to find out if he’ll ever make it back.

Santana might finally have his answer.

Wearing my Ike Davis shirt the last morning, I was approached by an individual asking if I was an Ike Davis’ fan. We immediately struck up a conversation and realized we were both diehard Mets’ fans. He was a 15-game season ticket holder and we would both be attending Opening Day this year.

Suddenly whisked back to the baseball world, we started discussing the Mets and the upcoming season. As the conversation wore on, we both agreed the tide needed to start turning for this franchise soon. After returning home, I continued to think about the discussion and noticed Joel Sherman’s column in the NY Post, in which he calls this season Sandy Alderson’s final mulligan. The conversation I had with the fan in Hawaii was directly related.

He agreed that things needed to change soon for the Mets but didn’t feel that would occur with the Wilpons still owning the team. I found myself taking a more positive approach – that with the likes of Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler, the future was bright. However, I added that the direction of this team did need to start turning this season, leading to an offseason where Alderson finally opens up the wallets, all en route to at least a semi-competitive team in 2014. Later on, I realized that in essence I was saying this is Alderson’s final mulligan.

And the 2013 season should be Alderson’s final mulligan. However, take it a step further. Since Alderson took over in 2010, the debate regarding the direction and quality of his approach has raged at Citi Field, sports bars and on sports radio. This is the year when we can finally at least start to answer that question Do the young pitchers and prospects continue to develop? Does Alderson add a couple players for the outfield? Does he begin spending some money at the Winter Meetings this offseason?

That question will definitely be answered in 2014 and beyond. However, by this time next season, I think we’ll have a much better idea of whether the Alderson is plan is working or not. And the question at that time will be, “Can you see this team being competitive this season (2014)?

Updated on 3/3

As most of us expected, Johan Santana has shown up to camp and is none too happy about being the center of attention this morning according to Andy Martino of the Daily News.

A displeased Santana had this to say to reporters,  ”What is spring training for? Training.”

While true, spring training is for training, Santana hasn’t trained or thrown a pitch off a mound since February 19.

Adam Rubin adds that a day after Sandy Alderson suggested it could be 10 days until Johan Santana stepped on a mound, “the southpaw decided to do so Sunday morning.”

It looks like those comments may have given Santana some extra motivation to get back to pitching – especially after concerns about his conditioning were leaked last night – and not in a good way.

This “non-story” is the “big story” in Mets camp today.

Look for some player reactions to start surfacing… And I expect Collins to speak on this some more at some point today or tomorrow, if only to try and squash it.

More to come…

Original Post 3/2

The Mets believe ace pitcher Johan Santana wasn’t in pitching shape when Mets camp began, which is what led to his shutdown early in camp, reports Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.

The team has found no soundness issues with his arm, beyond him not being ready to go. He’s working hard now so he won’t miss his Opening Day start, which is in jeopardy.

“The arm seems to be fine, he just was not in pitching shape when he arrived,” Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said by text.

The Mets were surprised Santana wasn’t in pitch shape, and couldn’t quite understand why Santana thought he could pitch for Venezuela in the WBC when they determined he wasn’t ready to throw for them.

Wow, now this is quite the situation we have here. What does Santana have to say about this? Nothing yet, but his agent Peter Greenberg told Heyman the following:

“He tried to rest physically and mentally this winter and use spring training to get in shape. The goal was to be ready by Opening Day or as close as possible. Mentally, as much as physically, he was burned out. He decided he needed a full break.”

You may recall that I tried on more than a few occasions to get some sort of status on Santana ‘s health this offseason, but got nowhere. Something seemed odd to me about the situation. When Santana didn’t even show up at the New York BBWAA Dinner where he was supposed to be the guest of honor, I knew something was amiss. But honestly, I had no idea it was anything like this.

Now that we have a little more information to go on, my first reaction is to say that I’m very disappointed in Santana – a Met whom I’ve always admired and had great respect for.

Considering the size of his paycheck and the fact that he’s been resting and recuperating since last August, his state of unpreparedness is quite inexcusable to me. Maybe that’s wrong of me to say, but I can’t hide my feelings on the matter.

This was supposed to be the first Spring in five years that Santana was coming to camp healthy and without any offseason surgery. It was supposed to be the Spring where he showed up to camp in the best shape since he became a Met. The fact that he showed up out of shape and ill-prepared is completely unacceptable.

“A fatigued left shoulder” after tossing barely 100 pitches since arriving to camp? A “lack of arm strength” and it’s only March 2nd?

What irks me most is that he did this knowing full well that the Mets had traded R.A. Dickey this offseason, and that the team would be relying on him more than ever before.

Forget the fact that Jonathan Niese may or may not get the Opening Day start if he isn’t ready to pitch – that’s not the damned point and it’s the furthest thing from my mind right now.

Santana has to man-up and tell us what happened here.

He owes it to the New York Mets, who are paying him a king’s ransom.

He owes it to Sandy Alderson and the front office, who have been blindsided by the situation.

He owes it to Terry Collins and his teammates, who expected veteran leadership from the undisputed ace of the team.

But most of all, he owes it to the fans, who have always given him unquestioned support and deserved better from him than this.

This situation is totally unacceptable.

Updated by Joe D. on 2/28

I bet this will get some of you excited about the outfield situation…

Jordany Valdespin, who is now batting .455 in Grapefruit League play, after two more singles tonight, is suddenly back in the spotlight thanks to his sizzling start.

Adam Rubin of ESPN New York reported that the talented, but often misunderstood utility player “could get a look in the outfield” according to manager Terry Collins.

So far, ‘Spin has been getting all of his playing time at second base mostly because Daniel Murphy (strained muscle) has been sidelined and still about a week from returning to action.

New kid on the block, Daniel Nelson has been very high on Valdespin and maybe he was onto something…

Original Posted by Daniel Nelson on 2/24

As some of you might know from my previous articles, I’m a Jordany Valdespin fan. The Mets’ intrasquad game and first Spring Training game against the Washington Nationals have only solidified my fandom.

Okay, okay. Maybe I wouldn’t necessarily have dinner with the guy, but are the Mets paying him to be a guy that you want to have dinner with? I don’t think so.

In the past two days, Valdespin has gone 3-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and two RBIs. Not a bad way to start.

Yeah, maybe he’s incompetent when it comes to social media, but we should all cut the guy some slack. He’s only 25 after all. I’ve made more questionable decisions this weekend alone than he seems to have made in his entire career.

I know what you’re thinking, “But Dan, you’re not being paid millions of dollars to represent professional sports franchise.”

True. I’m not. Like I said though, are the Mets paying Valdespin to be an ambassador for the Mets? Not really. That’s why we have David Wright. The Mets pay, or should be paying, Valdespin to hit baseballs really hard and not embarrass himself in the outfield. I could care less what he does with his personal life. As long as he shows up and plays well, he’s met my expectations.

What I’m getting at is Valdespin is a key player in 2013. We’ve already seen some upside with the other outfielders. Albeit it’s incredibly early to be making educated opinions, the outfield doesn’t look as bad as everyone’s made it out to be. Those kinds of issues always come about during the offseason. All anyone can do is talk. Things tend to be overanalyzed. I think what we’ve seen in the last two days paints a clearer picture than anything anyone has written about over the offseason.

There will be healthy competition for playing time in the outfield. If Valdespin plays the way he has, he could be our best outfielder. He’s versatile. He has the speed to hit leadoff, pop to hit in the middle of the lineup and the ability to come off the bench and pinch hit effectively. He might piss off a few people along the way, but he is who he is.

With that being said, it’s just good to be watching baseball again. It’s good to hear Gary, Ron and Keith. It’s good to see the Mets win and it’s great to be a Mets fan.

What are your thoughts on what you’ve seen so far?

I expressed my concerns about Lucas Duda’s 0-7 start late last night, which you can read below. I was not surprised by what I predicted would be an avalanche of “it’s only two games” rebuttals. There they are for all of you to see. It seems like many readers chose to ignore that it was Terry Collins who referred to Duda as a “work in progress” and that those were his words and not mine.

But, that’s the way it goes when you post unpopular opinions these days. A beautiful lie is always better than a horrible truth.

Further validating much of what I said last night, is what Terry Collins told reporters today in Port St. Lucie.

“Lucas Duda will not play in any games for the next few days,” the Mets manager said.

“And, as you guys know, I’m not here to embarrass anybody. So when he’s ready to play, we’re going to get him back in there. I’m hoping by Wednesday or Thursday he’s back in the lineup.”

Collins says Duda is not hurt, is not in pain and his wrist if fine. He just needs more work, which was another point I brought up last night.

The Mets’ starting left fielder has been in camp longer than anyone else on the roster. Duda has been swinging and working exclusively with hitting coach Dave Hudgens ever since early January day in and day out. Only three days ago Duda said he felt great and his swing was great, MetsBlog said his swing looked great, crowds were gathering to see him hit, yada, yada, yada…

So does this new revelation come as a shock to me?

No, of course not, I expected this.

One look at him was all I needed to see something was awry. His swing looked awful. He hits like he has one foot in a bucket. I don’t need more than seven at-bats to see that – I’ve been watching this game for 40 years.

So Duda will get more work on his swing – the same swing he didn’t correct during a demotion to Buffalo – the same swing that led to an awful first half that got him demoted in the first place. Hopefully, this new attempt to fix him will breed better results.

Duda may be is 0-for-7 with six strikeouts over his first two Grapefruit League games, but that’s the least of his concerns right now.

The Mets need find a quick fix for him fast, or we may be begging for Jason Bay in left field by the time May rolls around. (Yes Donal and Taskmaster, that’s a joke.)

I will be on a conference call with Sandy Alderson on Wednesday. Looking forward to hearing what he has to say about the season and hearing his responses to our questions and concerns.

Original Post 09:00 AM

Mets left fielder Lucas Duda has become the center of attention for the Mets ever since free agent Michael Bourn decided to pitch his tent in Cleveland and sign with the Indians.

Despite never having started more than 150 games in the outfield during his three year career, Duda is in fact the most seasoned outfielder the Mes have on their roster. He’s the one everyone is counting on – the one everyone is banking on.

Last Spring, Sandy Alderson said that Duda would end up having a similar career to Jason Giambi because they had the same power with an excellent eye at the plate, and the Mets GM even likened Duda to Joey Votto. Manager Terry Collins made a similar analogy to Votto a few days later during an interview on WFAN.

Then the 2012 started… Let’s just say things didn’t work out the way Collins and Alderson thought they would.

The slugger with the excellent eye and tremendous power couldn’t hit a breaking ball to save his life and he loved chasing everything out of the strikezone. And even a trip to Buffalo did little to remedy the situation.

SNY broadcaster Keith Hernandez lamented the fact that there was no change to his swing when Duda returned from Buffalo. “That’s the same Lucas Duda who struggled in the first half,” Hernandez said. “Bad swing and all.”

Duda in fact batted .234 after he returned from the minors, and his on-base, slugging percentage, and OPS was significantly worse than before he was sent down – he did not improve one bit.

So my questions is, what exactly did he learn from being sent down? Or more importantly, where was the evidence he learned anything at all?

A few days ago, Michael Baron of MetsBlog was very encouraged after watching Duda in the batting cage. “While the hitch was apparent when I arrived here last week, it is noticeably absent when he swings the bat now, Baron wrote. “It all looks great now, and Duda put on an impressive display during his batting practice session.”

Even Duda himself admitted that he has made changes to his batting stance, saying “ I eliminated the toe-tap,: he told reporters last Thursday. “My hands in the past have been kind of crazy. It’s a lot quieter now.”

After striking out in each of his four at-bats on Sunday against the Astros, Duda, is now 0-for-7 with six strikeouts through his first two game.

Reason for concern? Of course it is considering how much is riding on him this season. Unlike the other hitters in camp who only arrived a week or two ago, Duda has been swinging and hacking away since early January – working closely with hitting coach Dave Hudgens. Duda’s been in the cage everyday learning how to work counts and being more patient. So this isn’t exactly a case of Duda shaking off three months worth of rust.

“He’s trying to change his stride a little bit so it’s not so much movement, and he’s just not getting himself in hitting position right now,” Terry Collins said after the game. “It’s a work in progress.”

And therein lies the problem… As Duda prepares to begin his fourth season in the majors, he’s still a work in progress.

Cue the “it’s only two spring training games” retorts.

That always makes everything better doesn’t it? Rave about the players who had a great first one or two games, and excuse the players with bad starts with a tried and tested spring training excuse.

Excuse me for saying I’m very concerned, or that Duda looks no different now than he did before his demotion to Buffalo.

Wouldn’t it be great if MLB would make a special ruling for the Mets that would allow Lucas Duda to face batting practice pitchers when it was his turn at the plate?

I have hunch he’d look just as good as Jason Giambi, Joey Votto, Carlos Beltran, and Giancarlo Stanton.

Alderson said that there was no structural issue and that it is just a matter of building up strength in Santana’s arm. Initially, Santana was scheduled to make his first Grapefruit League appearance on March 2nd, but a lack of velocity during his last bullpen session raised concerns.

The Mets ace says he is in no pain, but obviously this is something to keep an eye on and it now appears he will be not be ready to make his Opening Day start on April 1st as was announced last week by Terry Collins.

The delay will push him back to a probable March 10th or 12th appearance – not nearly enough time to build up to a regular start two weeks after that.

According to the Mets GM, Santana will do some long-tossing once he gets back on a mound and no timetable for his return will be set until further evaluation.

Santana, 33, has not pitched in a game since being shutdown by the Mets last August and was prescribed rest for the offseason.

We’ll keep you posted as this story further develops, but it looks to me that Jon Niese could now be the Mets’ Opening Day starter.

As all Mets fan recall, it didn’t go so well and after 9/11 the Mets could not finish the comeback. I was at the Piazza home run game against Atlanta and I recall being so happy that I was sure they would go on to win the World Series. It never happened. As the Piazza era came to a close with no ring, I felt as though my favorite team was never going to win anything to have a parade over.

That feeling began to change as the 2005 offseason took shape. First Paul Lo Duca then Carlos Delgado. The Mets were well on their way with a mix of youth and veterans. That offseason I purchased a Jose Reyes authentic jersey. He was my favorite player and I spent my work bonus to buy the $200 jersey.

Every year since 1997 my family and I would go to opening day and get together – we were a group of 20 or more! We watched as the Mets spent 2006 beating up everyone and giving Mets fans the kind of run we had been waiting for since 2000. I laid motionless for more than 20 minutes as I watched the Cardinals celebrate on our field that October. (Side Bar: We should have bunted instead of sending Floyd to the plate).

The pain subsided and the Mets came out the gate on fire in 2007. It was such an amazing run until late September. We couldn’t close the deal again, and I can still remember Tom Glavine saying, “I’m not devastated.” Or whatever his exact quote was. I swore on that day, “I will never spend another dollar on an athlete.” I was so angry and he seemed to just get on with his life.

Despite the disappointment, my family and I returned to say goodbye to Shea on opening day in 2008. 2008 was our chance to wipe the slate clean and fix everything. We traded for Johan and we still had a great core. We had rooted so hard for them to take it to the National League. It was setup for another magical run until once again, we were mistaken as the Mets collapsed again. How could this happen again? How could our guys not have it in them to win one more game? To make matters worse, the Phillies won the title. Our group has not returned since.

We all know what it’s been like around here since 2008. No one needs a reminder so I will spare everyone. The point is, I want to come back. I want to be a Mets fan again. I want them to be relevant again. I have given the Mets everything since I was 5 years old and I want to keep going.

My wife asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I asked for a 4 pack of Mets tickets and a David Wright Authentic jersey to replace my Reyes jersey. I want the purchase to symbolize my renewed dedication to the the future of the Mets. It does not need to be this year. Or next. But I need it to become respectable. This is my commitment to Fred, Jeff and Sandy. I am also renewing our family tradition this year to exercise the demons of the last 5 years. Please dont fool me again. Please lead this team to prosperity again.

If not, I won’t be able to stay a Mets fan. It saddens me to say this. But the reality is, I am giving the Mets one more chance over these next few years to return my loyalty. You gave my Reyes jersey one good year and plenty of years filled with disappointment. All that I am asking is to give my Wright jersey more than just one good season. I am dedicated to you, show me the same this offseason and next.

Sincerely,

A Lifelong Mets Fan

This Fan Shot was contributed by MMO reader, Peter. Have something you want to say about the Mets? Share your opinions with over 12 thousand Mets fans who read this site daily. Send your Fan Shot to GetMetsmerized@aol.com. Or ask us about becoming a regular contributor.

David Wright has been called “unclutch” during his Mets career. That may be the case overall, but that certainly wasn’t the case today, as ne belted an opposite-field, three-run homer that proved the difference in securing R.A. Dickey his 20th win of the season.

It’s fitting that the Mets unofficial captain came through in a huge spot. The blast gave the Mets a three-run lead, and they wound up needing all three of those runs, since Jon Rauch gave up another ninth-inning home run.

Despite all the talk, Wright’s home run further proves that he is the face of this franchise. Yes, it’s one hit in the scheme of things, but timing is everything.

Getting Dickey his 20th win was really the only motivating factor for this team the last month or so. And with the game on the line, who came to rescue? The “captain.”

I hope this Wright’s homer serves as a wake-up call to the front office that a long-term deal must be agreed upon fast. There are teams salivating to get their hands on Wright, either through a potential trade next season or when he officially hits free agency after next season.

But hopefully, none of that will even be an option, as the Mets would be wise to work out a deal as soon as this season ends, so Wright can have a clear head going into the offseason.

And the first order of business after Wright pens his name on the contract would be to put the “C” on his uniform. He’s the captain; everybody knows it. This is his team now, and it will hopefully be his team when the Mets make their next World Series run (maybe in 2013, maybe five years from now, maybe 10 years for now).

There’s the argument that since the team has lost 80-plus games with Wright, they can easily be in the same position without having to spend the money. However, without Wright, the team probably would have lost over 100 games.

Really what Wright needs is a supporting cast offensively. It’s not going to be an easy task, but Sandy Alderson has to find some speed and power to build around Wright. Don’t expect it all to come this offseason, but a few moves would prove to Wright that the organization is committed to winning.

And when the time comes when winning is the norm in Flushing, David Wright better be leading the charge!

Buster Olney of ESPN.com reported that the Tampa Bay Rays will “probably” trade B.J. Upton over the offseason. The Rays came close to dealing their center fielder to the Washington Nationals prior to the trade deadline, but weren’t able to agree on the pieces before time ran out.

Upton made $4.825 million in 2011 and is due for a raise in what will be his final year of arbitration. The Rays currently have Desmond Jennings waiting in the wings and they believe he is ready to take over in center field.

At 27 years old, Upton still has loads of potential and he did hit 23 home runs and drove in 81 runs, but also batted .243 and struck out 161 times in the process.

Another option that has emerged is Cleveland Indians’ center fielder Grady Sizemore. Yesterday, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reported that the Indians are expected to decline Sizemore’s $8.5 million dollar option for 2012.

Sizemore, 28, had micro-fracture surgery on his left knee in 2010 which required him to miss half of the 2010 and 2011 season, and recently underwent more surgery on the same knee, but is expected to be ready for Spring Training. In 268 at-bats this season he batted .224 with ten home runs and 30 RBIs.

Both players certainly have their own unique issues, but might still prove to be an upgrade over Angel Pagan who could get almost $5 million dollars in arbitration this Winter.

Sizemore will cost the Mets only money, while of course Upton will cost both player and money. Would either of them be worth the risk?

With all the hype this week surrounding Carlos Beltran and the trade deadline, I felt it necessary to throw in my two cents.

Most likely, before the week is through, Beltran will be playing for another team. I’m normally optimistic about matters concerning the Mets, but I’m definitely realistic when it comes to this impending trade.

Carlos Beltran will no longer be a Met when this week is through.

Besides missing time due to injury and the unfortunate Game 7 strikeout, Beltran had a fine Mets career. He’s enjoying one of his more productive years this season as well.

So while Beltran will likely make another NL team very happy during the stretch run, he still will be a free agent after this season.

I’ve heard that some analysts believe the Mets would be wise to try to re-sign Beltran this offseason to a short-term deal.

I am very curious to hear what the fans think about this. I will present both sides of the argument to give everyone a clearer picture of what we are dealing with.

Beltran, when healthy, is an extremely productive all-around player. He hits for power, a decent average and has shown he can drive in runs in clutch situations. He also has shown surprisingly good range in the outfield, and there’s no doubt in my mind that he can shift back to center if he had to (or another team wanted him to be their everyday centerfielder).

Next year’s free agent outfield class will include Jonny Gomes, Raul Ibanez, Ryan Ludwick, Juan Pierre, Josh Willingham, Rick Ankiel, David DeJesus, Lance Berkman, Michael Cuddyer, J.D. Drew, Jeff Francoeur, Kosuke Fukudome, Xavier Nady, Cody Ross and of course Beltran.

Of this group, Beltran is by far the most complete player and will likely be the most sought after, except for maybe Berkman who’s having a phenomenal offensive season.

Since he will be heavily pursued, there will be a hefty price tag associated with him. He’s also a Scott Boras client meaning his agent will drive up the price. He’ll likely command a two-three year deal in the neighborhood of $10 million per season, if not more.

Do the Mets have the money to make this deal, especially with the possibility of re-signing Jose Reyes on the table? Reyes will easily get a deal of six-seven years, $130+ million, which may cripple the Mets payroll.

While Beltran may still be the most productive outfielder of the group, let’s look at the cons to re-signing him, regardless of the money.

He will be turning 35 years old in April. He’s no spring chicken and eventually his age is going to catch up with him. It may not affect him next season, but if he’s looking for a two-three year deal, that might be a factor.

Additionally, it’s tough to ignore Beltran’s injury history. Luckily, he’s been one of the few Mets to survive the second coming of the injury plague this season. But all it will take is the re-aggravation of a previous injury to make signing him a lost cause.

I’m very on the fence about possibly re-signing Beltran this offseason. First off, it’s very rare that a player will return to a team after being traded from them a season before. It’s not unheard of but still very rare.

In the meantime, who will play right field next season? The Mets young outfield prospects—Cesar Puello, Cory Vaughn, Matt den Dekker and Darrell Ceciliani—all could use some more seasoning.

Lucas Duda isn’t really an outfielder, but he’s shown he has hitting potential. Maybe it’s finally time for Fernando Martinez to step up?

Beltran seems to be too expensive an option as a stopgap in right field. However, if the Mets commit to him and he stays healthy, there aren’t too many better options than Carlos.

Like I said, I’m skeptical about this. I wouldn’t mind the Mets re-signing him to a short-term deal at a moderate price. But part of me realizes that it’s time to move on from Beltran and bring in some younger talent.

I want to hear what the fans think. Attempt to bring back Beltran this offseason? Let him go for good? The comments section is open, go for it.