Reaching Your Priorities

The Mets we’re eliminated from the playoffs before starting their game on Wednesday.



I was about to start writing this post when I came across a story about a California porno company that was planning ahead for their future:


A San Fernando Valley adult entertainment studio began construction this month on what it calls a “post-apocalyptic” underground bunker in anticipation of a global catastrophe rumored to take place in late 2012. A spokesman for Van Nuys-based Pink Visual said the bunker will be “far more than a mere bomb shelter or subterranean survivalist enclave” with amenities such as multiple fully-stocked bars, an enormous performing stage and a sophisticated content production studio. “Our goal is nothing less than to survive the apocalypse to come in comfort and luxury,” said Pink Visual spokesman Quentin Boyer, “whether that catastrophe takes the form of fireballs flung earthward by an all-seeing deity, extended torrential rainfall, Biblical rapture, an earthquake-driven mega-tsunami, radioactive flesh-eating zombies, or some combination of the above.” - link  


See, this is the kind of forward thinking the Mets need. The world might be burning, but below it, there is still someone on the pole.


You all know I approach this as a job. I am a big fan of the New York Met players, not the organization, and especially its ownership. My reasons are personal. My press passes were taken away after being laid off as a Mets beat reporter by Morris News Services. The media representative for the Mets said I was then only a blogger. I felt honored. I was in the same class as Matt Cerrone and Adam Rubin (nice try, Mack).


I no longer participate in or attend any New York Mets games. I also have no desire to stand outside the fence to the spring training parking lot and I’ve stopped attending any minor league games. I stay in contact with many of my friends in the organization and, like others, I continue to prove you can do a pretty decent job on a web site without leaving your office.


What I choose to do is a job. Reporters get transferred every day. Last year’s Philadelphia Phillies beat reporter is this week’s Mets guy. That’s how the business world runs. Your loyalties are your priorities.


My priorities are to provide the best coverage of the New York Mets minor league teams.


The Mets priority should be to win the World Series.


They didn’t get that far this season, but did they get closer?


I believe they did.


1. They hired a new General Manager of Baseball (not the business of the team, folks). Sandy Alderson and his VEEP squad has brought a degree of baseball expertise this team hasn’t seen in many years.


2. New management has executed their first draft and proved they respect the process a lot more than the previous administration. There was a considerable amount of over-seed money spent on prep players, something that just wasn’t done on a consistent basis in the past.


3. Management also slowed down the herky-jerky minor league reassignments, allowing key prospects to spend more time working on their game at the same level.


4. Following the “Moneyball” theory (I’m really sick of hearing about), management signed P Pedro Beato, who looks to be a bullpen mainstay in the future.


5. They also added, via trades, SP Zack Wheeler and RP Daniel Herrera, who should both bring dividends in the future.


6. Lastly, the took giant steps in developing Mets minor leaguers that were also in the system. Players like OF Lucas Duda, OF Nick Evans, SP Dillon Gee, and RP Manny Acosta have all proven they should have a locker in the Mets clubhouse in 2012.


Was it enough to obtain their priorities?


No.


We keep reading about the Madoff mess and how much this has affected the operation of this team. In reality, 2012 was not affected and the Mets went to the plate with a $140mil+ payroll, enough money to make it to the playoffs.


The fact they didn’t make it… and didn’t make it earlier than the previous year’s team… had nothing to do the quality of the team. The Phillies went bonkers this season and everyone in the National league will be eliminated earlier because of this.


It’s going to be close to impossible to operate a baseball team trying to win a ring, with a reduction of team payroll of $30mil, but the Mets are going to have to try it due to their ownership mess.


In my opinion, there isn’t going to be a parade down Fifth Avenue in October with Terry Collins on one of the floats. But, there could be a wild card slot if this team continues on the path it’s heading in.


And, some of the things needed to be accomplished are:


1. Sign SS Jose Reyes. David Wright and Jose are the face of your franchise. Offer him $21mil a year for four years and hold your guns. His hamstring injuries will prevent anyone else from offering more.


2. Decide who is going to play second base in spring training and be done with this until Reese Havens either stays healthy and matures or joins F-Mart on the prospect pile heap.


3. Clear salary for 2013 (we’re talking about Mike Pelfrey, Angel Pagan, and Ronnie Paulino). There are going to be some really talented players available in the 2013 free agent maket and the Mets need to scrape up every dollar they can find to compete here.


4. Get the Madoff mess done. Settle. Pay. Operate accordingly.


5. Continue the progress of in-system prospects. Promote Zack Wheeler and Mike Harvey to the rotation, either after the all-star break, or in September, depending when they seem ready. Let Lucas Duda play every day in RF so it can be determined if his bat can live with his legs and glove. Add Jose De La Torre, Josh Stinson, and Chris Schwinden to the bullpen and let Manny Acosta close until Jenrry Mejia is ready.


Will this get the Mets to the playoffs. Maybe.


Will it make them closer to succeeding in reaching their priorities? Definitely.