Let 2006 Go

Wendy Adair

When the Mets 2006 season ended with Game 7 of the NLCS, many felt that the team would bounce back and be a force the next several years.   The core of Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes and David Wright were going to lead the team to great things, fans were excited for the future.

Everyone knows what happened after that: 2007- September collapse, 2008- more of the same, 2009-not even a chance for postseason after May, 2010-season over before All Star Break, 2011-season over in August.

Carlos Delgado retired, Carlos Beltran is now a St Louis Cardinal and Jose Reyes is now a Miami Marlin, the only member of the 2006 team instrumental during that season is David Wright.  Mike Pelfrey was on the 2006 team but with only a handful of starts, it’s difficult to put him in the same category as the others.  Wright does have an enormous burden on his shoulders because he is expected to bounce back from a disappointing, injury filled 2011, in which he missed two months due to a stress fracture in his lower back.

Another thing that will be an interesting story in 2012 is how the Mets handle David Wright’s contract – will he be traded mid-season after a successful first half? Will he be extended so that his contract is not a distraction for him or his teammates?

Pitchers and catchers are reporting to Spring Training next month and as usual, all eyes will be on the new acquisitions from the first sighting.  I am not going to get into the whole financial situation, plenty written about that in recent months.  However there will not be as many new faces in Port St Lucie as many fans would hope to be the case.

As of now, the starting rotation of 2012 is filled with question marks; here are the projected starters:

1)    Johan Santana – Shoulder a question mark after surgery?

2)    Mike Pelfrey – Will not being the “Ace” help or hurt him?

3)    RA Dickey – How will the knuckleballer handle another long season?

4)    Jon Niese – Does he have the durability to be a mainstay in this rotation?

5)    Dillon Gee- Will he prove that he belongs in the Major Leagues for a full season?

I love my team and will root for them no matter what, but if fans keep comparing this group to the 2006 team, they are setting themselves up for disappointment.   That was a long time ago and the players are different, so the expectations need to also be changed in 2012.

Baseball Lemons

Armando Diana

The adage if life gives you lemons, make lemonade should be the Mets theme for 2012. Fans have written off the season. Pundits refer to the team as a compilation of has-beens. Amazingly, this determined outcome is before a single pitch of the season commences.

Wasn’t Green Bay supposed to win the Super Bowl in two weeks? 

I do not believe the Mets will be in the World Series but I also don’t believe we are in for a 90 loss season. I expect about 84 wins in 2012. When I look at the projected starting eight position players, I believe the team can succeed if each player reaches their respective season averages.  That seldom, if ever, happens.  Some players will have career years while others face career lows. 

The Mets ranked twelfth in Major League Baseball for runs scored in 2011 while Philadelphia ranked thirteenth. Philadelphia, however, ranked first in pitching (by ERA) and second in fielding percentage.

Teams do not have to lead the league in any statistic other than ensuring it scores more runs than the competition on game day. The Mets will not be the best at anything in 2013 but there are ways of making these lemons into lemonade.

Small adjustments can make a big difference.  The team will not replace the offense of Jose Reyes  but I have a few suggestions to help increase wins:

·         Make the pitchers better hitters to help the offense.

·         Hit and run more often to offset the expected drop off in steals

·         Develop players into better base stealers..  Daniel Murphy, Jayson Bay and David Wright can step up more in this category

·         Stop throwing away at bats with sacrifices.  Major league hitters should hit, not tap.  However, a good sacrifice bunt in strategic places works

·         Hit behind the runners

·         More suicide squeezes

·         Develop more sophisticated pick off plays and other fielding tricks.  A good defense makes a good offense

·         Pitch inside more

The Mets need to make the other team uncomfortable.  Have them worried about pick offs, an aggressive offense, and an aggressive pitching staff.

Parents Know Best

Armando Diana

The names Rhon and Lisa will not be easily recognizable to most Mets fans. Add the surname Wright and now you will realize they are related to David Wright. Rhon and Lisa Wright are David’s parents.

Andy McCullough, who covers the Mets for the Newark Star Ledger, wrote a wonderful article on Wright in the Sunday paper. It gives readers a good understanding of why Wright is a person any employer would love to have as an employee.

Wright said he wished Fred Wilpon didn’t make disparaging comments about him in the New Yorker but then said:

“That family has done a tremendous amount — I’m able to do things like this because of that family. So no matter what has been said, no matter what will be said, I’ll always have a certain love for that family. For drafting me. For developing me. And for obviously (giving me) the chance to not (need) to get a real job after baseball is done.”

He went on to say: “Fred said one thing. You can either get your feelings hurt and react a certain way. Or you can kind of realize that it’s a tough time for them. It was a tough time for us as a team. He said it. It’s in the past. You get over it, and just kind of forgive and forget.”

Chalk one up for great parenting. Anyone who is that well grounded, who can look beyond his eyes and see the complete picture of life is a winner.  And it starts with the parents. Rhon and Lisa obviously knew preparing David for life was far important than having a superstar baseball player.

In the article, Wright spoke of Cliff Floyd who took Wright under his wing when he was just starting out.  Floyd helped Wright as a young player.  As the Mets stockpile the farm system with “can’t miss” prospects perhaps it makes sense to have a veteran ballplayer who can be a role model.

Wright’s work ethic, his grasp of what is truly important in life will be invaluable. I am a huge Wright fan and the Mets fan in me wants him to be a Met for life.  The person in me hopes Wright receives the rewards he deserves as far as appreciation and respect. Unfortunately, I am so down on the Wilpons, I do not think they are capable of giving him that reward.  If the Wilpons still own the team when the decision on Wright is due, I hope he leaves for greener pastures.

January Musings

Armando Diana

This time of year is the slowest for baseball lovers.  We are still about six weeks away from spring training, the football playoffs will be over soon and I don’t consider basketball and hockey sports worth watching. The Mets are fighting to stay relevant but there are a few things worth raising:

·         Fernando Martinez’s descent from can’t miss top prospect, to also ran with arthritic knees should be a warning to anyone getting too excited about Zach Wheeler, Matt Harvey, and Jeruys Familia.  The Mets have been here before with Generation K, Gregg Jefferies and Lastings Milledge.

·         If the news today of the potential minority owners closing with the Mets is true, it proves there are five people dumber than the Wilpons.  Why anyone would trust $20 million to the Wilpons is beyond me but, hey, it’s their money.

·         Does anyone else get the feeling the Mets are becoming the purgatory of wayward baseball personnel? With notable exceptions, it seems players, executives, trainers, and medical staff who have past their prime, never had a prime or will never have a prime seem to stay with the Mets while others who can amount to something leave. It’s like the old corporate adage:  the good employees leave while the mediocre ones remain. 

·         For those who enjoy irony or poetic justice: How sweet will it be for Houston fans to have Martinez become the player the Mets thought he would be after the Mets won the Carlos Beltran sweepstakes and plucked him from the Astros?

New Year, Same Mets

Armando Diana

The dawning of a new year typically brings hope for the future.  How the clock moving from 11:59 to 12:00 accomplishes that is unknown.  The start of the spring training comes complete with similar hopes.

As long as the Wilpon family owns the Mets, chances for a bright future are remote.  They have proven to be the Inspector Clouseau of baseball.  A good example of their cluelessness is in a scene from the first Pink Panther movie:

Reporter: Could you give us a statement please?

Inspector Clouseau: Yes. Chocolate makes one very thirsty

However, I am not one of those people who believe the Mets are destined for 90 losses in 2012.  I believe they will be competitive.  I think David Wright, Jason Bay, Ike Davis, and Daniel Murphy can provide enough offense and I do not think the defense is as bad as most think.  I would prefer a two more starting pitchers and Mike Pelfrey in another uniform but Sandy Alderson isn’t done searching the crap heaps yet.

I also think they should consider moving Wright to the outfield and putting Murphy at third base.  This will give Justin Turner an opportunity.  I think Bay is a good outfielder and can do well enough in centerfield to warrant the risk.  If the conventional wisdom is correct and the Mets are throwing 2012 away for a better 2013 and beyond why not fiddle around with the team?

They won’t do it because if Wright becomes Wright again he has more value as a third baseman in a trade.  The only way the Mets keep Wright is if new owners are running the team.  But let’s pretend for a moment.  Given the Mets roster, this is my lineup:

Murphy – 3B

Turner – 2B

Wright – LF

Bay – CF

Davis – 1B

Duda – RF

Thole – C

Tejada - SS

Admittedly, Murphy is probably a better number three hitter than a leadoff hitter but thanks to the Wilpons the best leadoff hitter in the game not named Ricky Henderson is playing for the Marlins.

I think the only thing most fans can do in 2012 to help the team is pray the Wilpons are forced to sell the team.  That would rank as one of the team’s best moves in 50 years.

Dickey to Ascend to New Heights

Armando Diana

Late December to early February is Death Valley for baseball news. Other than hot stove topics most journalists and bloggers look for something to fill space and hope a baseball player does or says something stupid we can beat to death for days. 

RA Dickey will be climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in January for charity.  The Mets management is not with his plans and informed him they have the right to void his contract if he gets injured on the mountain. Knowing the Wilpons, they probably sent him the letter in his Christmas card.

Anyway, it seems the Mets organization is trying to dissuade Dickey from following through with his plans.  Fans, journalists and bloggers seem against his plans and question whether it’s a good idea to risk his financial future for a charity.

The Mets organization has no right to dictate what Dickey can do on his personal time.  They have every right to protect their investment in him so sending him a note reminding him of the consequences is fine.  Pressuring him not to do it is not right.

Let the man climb.  It’s his life and he can do what he pleases. Plus if you are going to risk your career it might as well be for a good cause.  I’m sure Dickey would prefer the Mets management actually act like a baseball organization and ensure the best team surrounds him when pitches.  Despite my frustration with the Wilpons, it’s their right to do what they will with the organization.

Until I am willing to invest my own money in the team I can complain all I want about their inability to run an organization, it doesn’t matter. It’s their team and they can thumb their noses at the fans.  Likewise, it’s Dickey life he consider his options and make his own decision.

Money Making Ideas

Armando Diana

Published reports indicate the Mets owe $989 million by 2015.  That number includes loans to banks, Major League Baseball, and lenders. Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz are so desperate to find sources of money they are seeking minority investors.

However, team Wilpon and Katz are so far removed from reality they believe 10 individual investors will pony up $20 million for a four percent stake in the team.  This investment comes complete with absolutely no input to how the money is used but they will get discounts on Mets merchandise.  That perk is only eclipsed by the joy of meeting Mr. Met.

I cannot help but wonder if the people working in the Mets strategy department are totally inept or to afraid to tell Wilpon or Katz ideas like this are nuts.  I also wonder if anyone employed by the Mets has any self-respect.

Being a fan eager to assist and realizing the team has no standards when it comes to conjuring moneymaking ideas I have some to offer:

·         An infomercial pitching the benefits of minority ownership

·         A reality series where Mr. Met challenges other team mascots to mud wrestling. Viewers bet on who will win with all proceeds going to a Mets Foundation for the betterment of the team

·         A bake sale

·         Wilpon can join the cast of celebrity apprentice

·         Players can stand outside supermarkets in the tri-state area with tin cans

·         A dunk tank at Citi Field.  I bet if Wilpon sat in a dunk tank, the team would make a mint.

·         Magazine sales

·         Popcorn sales

I think they should also consider debt-consolidation or perhaps going into Staten Island and looking for a guy named Vinny “Three Fingers” for a loan.  If all else fails, they may want to consider hiring Jon Corzine as a financial advisor.

Nip Tuck; Not Surgery

Armando Diana

One of the hardest things to do as fans is view your team objectively. Fans tend to overvalue their players and point to the intangibles to rationalize the high marks.  The Hot Stove season gives fans an opportunity to dream up trades.  With that in mind, I venture into trade discussions cautiously because I am one of the worst offenders of inflating home team players’ value.

Sandy Alderson’s seeming desire to trade Jon Niese confuses me.  I get the fact Niese can bring back prospects but why give up on him unless the Mets have other reasons to want him out of the clubhouse.  The recent rumors involving Eric Young Jr. for Niese and Justin Turner is just silly.

Turner is beginning to gain a cult following with the Mets similar to Joe McEwing.  He’s a hard-nosed player and the type of spark plug I’d want on my team if I were a manager. I guess Alderson must be targeting all fan favorites to jettison off the team and ensure Citi Field resembles a ghost town.  Anyone watch “Major League”?  OK, seriously now, I can understand a straight swap of Turner for Young swap if Alderson wants to add speed to the lineup. Why include Niese? 

I believe the thinking is Niese will inspire the Rockies to part with some of their “can’t miss” prospects. Ever notice there are more can’t miss prospects that miss than succeed?  I believe the Mets will not be as horrid as most people believe.  There is enough run producers and just enough pitching to stay at the .500 level.

Why not mix veterans, with youngsters and a few role players? Throw in a surprise comeback here and a breakout year there and maybe the Mets will draw fans.

Incongruent Clues

Armando Diana

Marketers call two opposite images appearing in an advertisement incongruent clues.  For example, a print ad trying to position a gold watch as classy and elegant uses corduroy as a backdrop..  The incongruence is cheap fabric and a gold watch.

The Mets are once again appearing schizophrenic. On one hand, upper management is touting the future through the likes of Zach Wheeler, Matt Harvey, and Jeruys Familia. The storyline is the potential for a great team resides in young prospects.

On the other hand, fans are reading stories about the Mets trying to trade Jon Niese. He is a young, inexpensive, high-ceiling left-handed pitcher who is under team control for another four years.  Isn’t that what the team wants? 

Further, there have been some reports rationalizing the idea of trading Niese because value shouldn’t be place on players based on what he might be able to accomplish.  Huh?  Granted, I subscribe to that theory but the team can’t be playing both sides if the fence.  In my mind, there are three ways to build a team.

The first is with a veteran team.  This is a team filled with players with at least five years experience and are set in the way they play. The second is with a team of young guns learning as they go.  This team is fun t watch but requires the fan base to buy into the equation.  The third is with a mix of veterans and young guns. This requires a careful hand to ensure the mix of players is right.

I understand Sandy Alderson will listen to any offer for any player.  That’s just good business. Being consistent with your message and actions is better business. If the team wants to sell tickets I suggest they pick a strategy, make sure the fan base knows what it is, and stick to it.

On another note regarding Mets schizophrenia, how bad will the team look holding on to Oliver Perez for as long as it did because he was a lefty but trading Niese in short order?  Unfortunately, that would be typical of the team.

Change the Dialogue

Armando Diana

Whenever lovers break up well-meaning friends trying to ease the pain often use such platitudes as “Better to have loved and lost….” or “you were too good for them” or “you’ll find someone else.”

The jilted lover usually forces a smile and thanks the friend.  However, inside a part of them is angry because they know it’s empty rhetoric.  The aspect the Mets organization continues to misunderstand is the relationship between fans and team is not logical.  It’s based on emotion tied to players.

Time heals all wounds but not memories. Sandy Alderson is telling fans the team will be exciting to watch, fun to root for and will become an eventual winner.  He’s right on all counts.  The path he has taken is a proven model of success.  Develop a strong Minor league system, develop players and have “cheap” labor for about six years. Cheap labor in this context is a relative term since I can’t comprehend calling a minimum salary of $414,000 cheap.  I also can’t grasp an average salary of $3,014,572 not being enough for any employee but that is a topic for another blog.

Alderson should shut up. Every time he pitches why fans should fork over hundreds of dollars for a three-hour experience, he sounds increasingly disingenuous. He needs the players to get out into the surrounding communities and connect with the fans.  It’s a basic concept.  When people meet the players and have a good experience they vest more in the team.

I’m not talking about pomp and circumstance events at Citi Field.  I’m suggesting the players visit surrounding Little Leagues, Cal Ripken Leagues, Travel Leagues, colleges, high schools, grammar schools, and even baseball academies. I also suggest they not try to sell fans on attending games.  Their presence alone will compel kids to want to see a game.  Why do you think politicians stump for a year kissing babies? 

Smart players know the best way to increase attendance at the stadium is to increase their attendance with the community.