The words seared into my consciousness.
I previously defended Sandy Alderson, thinking as a hired gun his job was to pare payroll and ease the Mets’ financial strain, which he did.
However, there is no defending what he said yesterday at the Mets’ Annual Christmas party, one where they asked R.A. Dickey to dress as an elf.
I usually applaud honesty, but this time it would have been better had Alderson kept his mouth shut. If you’re surrendering the season before Christmas, don’t come out and say it, not with good will in the air.
“I would expect the roster would look similar to what it did at the end of last season – with some exceptions,” Alderson said.
Ouch … that hurt, but deep down we expected that to be the case all along.
Yeah, and those exceptions will put the Mets over the top. Yeah, and I still believe Santa Claus and the M & M talking candies do exist.
Alderson doesn’t think much of the FA market and the Mets have precious little to trade. If he thinks that cupboard is bare, what does he think he has on his roster?
Even less.
Gone from last year’s train wreck will be Tim Byrdak, who is recovering from shoulder surgery, along with Jon Rauch, Mike Pelfrey, Ramon Ramirez, Kelly Shoppach, Andres Torres and Manny Acosta. Some could be missed, but all their roles still need to be filled.
You might also say good-bye to Scott Hairston, whom the Mets say they’d like to retain, and, of course, the big one in R.A. Dickey.
Dickey will enter the FA market if there’s no extension and the Mets are playing hardball over roughly $6 million over the life of the contract. This, despite David Wright deferring $8 million of his 2013 salary; Jason Bay also deferring money in his buyout; and CEO Jeff Wilpon saying there would be more money available.
“It’s hard to speculate,” Alderson continued. “When you think about it, the trade market, signing free agents and so forth, it’s relatively young in the season. It’s hard, really, to accurately predict where things will end up.”
Wrong. It is easy to predict where things will end up. Watching the Mets is like watching Gilligan’s Islands reruns. It always insults your intelligence and you know Gilligan will screw it up in the end. Substitute Alderson, the Wilpons and Omar Minaya for Gilligan and you know the rest.
The Mets won’t do anything this winter and regardless of what kind of start they have won’t add anything of substance at the trade deadline. In the end we’ll have another dismal, losing season in front of sparse crowds at Citi Field. And, of course, more hollow talk.
Enjoy those Shake Shack burgers and microbrews.
Alderson said he won’t spend money now just because he has it, but might wait until January. What makes him think the market will get better then? Markets only get leaner.
There will be an influx of free agents at the end of spring training when teams decide their rosters, but those are only rejects. The Mets have enough of those.
Who knows? Maybe the Mariners will cut Bay and the Mets will make a play for him.
Alderson said, “the important thing is we have the flexibility to make a baseball decision rather than be constrained by sort of an artificial financial limitation.’’
Wrong again. The important thing is to improve the bullpen – actually, create one – and get an outfield. What the Mets have in those areas wouldn’t meet the traveling squad limitations for exhibition games.
Alderson spoke of the importance of adding a veteran presence, but then again, there sits Dickey in his little elf outfit. How humiliating for him. It is clear the Mets don’t want to pay Dickey what he’s worth despite making him out to be Jim Palmer in the trade market.
I recognize Dickey’s limitations in age and only had one great year, but damn, pay him for that year.
What he brings to the clubhouse and meant last year to the team and city was special. His story is unique and the shrinking Mets’ fan base relates to him.
If nothing else, pay him for his willingness to pitch with a torn muscle nearly the entire season. Pay him for giving us a reason to watch the Mets.
It is clear the Mets want to use him for a half year at a bargain price and try to swing a deal at the deadline. It is clear the Mets are being cheap and not seeing the big picture.
It is clear for all the talk about changing the Mets’ losing culture nothing has changed.
And, don’t you wonder what Wright is thinking today about his deal and all those promises the Mets made him?
