Cinder Block Wall

With today's transaction, the trading or Francisco Rodriguez, the Mets are seemingly taking a step to the side and starting to lay the building blocks for the 2012 season. I believe any hope of retaining Jose Reyes was predicated on the removal of the all star closer who was set to make an astounding 17.5 million next season, thanks in large part to Terry Collins dumbfounding usage of him in non-save situations.

I'm sure some of you might disagree with me, and I'm certainly not sure if we would recieve compensation picks if offered arbitration, but the single demerit or critique I'd have for Terry this year would be K-Rod's never ending march into the ninth innings of games he had no business in. Considering what the Brewers offered, I'd rather have our closer back and the picks in next years draft; especially since we're over .500 and have some players coming back from injury. However, what's done is done, and Alderson made the right and nessesary move, making sure that next years salary isn't crippled due to a vesting option gone horribly wrong and a decrease in player payroll.

Now that this saga is over, Sandy can start with Carlos Beltran's departure and then begin to figure out what 2012 has in store with this franchise. Being a construction worker, I see building a team alot like building a wall. A cinder block wall, just like a team, needs a solid foundation and in my mind, that has got to be pitching. Now, I don't a clue what they are going to do next year in this rotation, but as long as Mike Pelfrey doesn't get traded and Johan Santana comes back healthy, I'd imagaine that what you see is what you get and that wouldn't be too bad, although in order to compete with the Phillies, I do believe we need a legit 1a starter to go along with Santana, but I don't believe it'll happen.

Next in our wall, we need the base, which sits on the foundation and sturdies the coming bricks. That, I hope, would be Reyes. I have to assume that by saving the 12+ million in the K-Rod deal, we'd actually have the needed funds to retain Jose and I think the success of this team depends on it. After the bottom row which is that base is set then we're ready to move on, and we must start to lay down the bricks. Every cinder block wall has them, and when using this analogy, the bricks would be the nineteen other players on this team.

After Alderson, who by the way would be our "layout man" or "architect" for our cinder block wall, provides the foundation and base, he must start to lay the building blocks of this team which would be the David Wrights, the Ike Davis', and any current or new players that are brought in to fill out this roster. In the end, Collins and his coaching staff are the motor that keeps this team from falling apart and crashing to the ground. They are the foremans that make sure the pieces are put in the right spots. Hopefully, when all is said and done, and 2011 turns into spring training 2012, this wall is completed, strong, sturdy, and built to last, without any of the hasty patchwork that seemed to follow this team in recent years. I don't know, I just can't wait to get back to what it was like back in 2006, pre-Dauner Sanchez taxi cab incident, when the were dominant and they knew it. When it was fun for them and better for us. I just can't wait to kick the shit out of the Phillies, Braves, and Yankees. I sure hope it's soon. Thanks for reading, til next time..