Good morning, Met fans.

In Mets nation, there’s always something to talk about. Is this season truly over or is there a glimmer of hope? The bottom line is how does this team get better and can it get better under the present circumstances.

August is WaiverMania

Jesus Feliciano, Mike Hessman, Luis Castillo, and Oliver Perez should clear waivers by Monday. Castillo and Perez make sense since Castillo can’t make the routine plays anymore and Perez is a dud. I read a post where someone thought Perez should be made to pitch until his arm falls off rather than being released. How stupid! Get real! How does that help us? He’s a bum, no doubt, but put blame where it belongs. He was a scrub when our team decided to give him a new contract. I just want him to go away.

Hessman, a backup  first and third baseman and pinch hitter, being moved doesn’t make sense for a prospect in return. We need a backup for Ike and DW and a pinch hitter off the bench. Who’s expected to play those roles? Hessman will probably be claimed and we will pull him back. Not a wise prospect for prospect move since no team is going to offer a great prospect.

Feliciano has been adequate in spots considering the little playing time he gets. He got the most of his run when Pagan was out and played CF very well. Is there someone else on this bench that is better in that spot? I absolutely don’t like F-mart over Feliciano right now. F-Mart needs to be traded for value as soon as possible.

So are we primed to focus on the future now? It seems some of our fans think the future is right now and the influx of young players is what is best for our team. There are some marked changes at rightfield and second base specifically. Cora was released so clearly the future at second base is seen to be Tejada. The defense of Tejada up the middle is worth more than the .230 bat he’s swinging. No one likes the transitioning Havens at that spot? Castillo is certainly not going to be moved back, so the old guard is being slowly moved out. It’s clear the focus is on defense and not batting from that position.

Wild Card Wishes

Stop wishing now. These Mets are not winning the Wild Card. That team is more than likely coming out of the West. If there is any shot at the playoffs at all, it is going through the division. There are two teams on top of us and we just lost 2 out of 3 to both of them. You tell me how this team has a chance based on what we’re working with. I’m all ears.

Core Issues

Mets at Turner Field and the Braves rivalry. 200o World Series. 2006 pennant. Being associated with some of the roughest times in a franchise’s history leaves a stigma and its automatically assumed that you make changes but leave the core alone. What happens when the core is part of the problem? I wanted to believe that the core’s inability to stay consistent was because of the turmoil in the hierarchy of this team but it’s not. These core players are streaky. They get hot and then they fizzle. That is unacceptable in this market. Too many slumps. Too many mental lapses. Hitting. Pitching. Fielding. It’s all about consistency, basics, fundamentals, etc.

If Reyes, DW, and Beltran are the team’s leaders, then what they do, all else will follow, right? In this case, the blind leads the blind. Time for new frontmen. It doesn’t have to be rebuilding, just reshaping. It’s time for a change and not the little surface changes we’ve been seeing.

You can’t say there are issues with leadership on this team and forget the on-the-field leaders, too. The Wilpons, Omar, Jerry, and the coaches. Reyes and DW (especially), Pelfrey, Beltran, Frenchy, and Bay. They all bring a lot to the table. Now do you like what you’re being served? No one should be untouchable at this point.

Git some, Met Nation! Have a great week!