Mack Ade:
You all have had the opportunity to read what my thoughts were regarding the winter meetings. What are yours and how do you think the Mets came out?
Charles Thompson:
Some might call me crazy, but I really think the Mets are going to win 85 games this year. The Mets biggest problem last year was their bullpen and now it isn't nearly the same issue. Sure, it isn't the Brewers bullpen, complete with their 13 million dollar set up man (K-Rod), but it is stacked with quality arms and will be a weapon for the Mets. Also, the Mets offense last season was more than adequate even without having Ike Davis for five months. This year, the slugger will be in the mix along with the emerging and perhaps even more powerful Lucas Duda. Let’s not discount the effect the closer fences will have on the psyches of Jason Bay and David Wright, who I actually think are going to have great seasons. The moves Sandy made (bullpen) and the ones he didn't (Reyes) are going to be talked about until after the season starts and people see how much of a difference having a good bullpen makes, as opposed to just having Reyes. Yes, there are more factors that go into winning and losing, but those are the glaring differences that this Mets team takes into the season. I would imagine, baring a trade or small signing, that this Mets team is set. Now, it’s time to cross your fingers and wait. It’s a long time until spring training.
Frank Gray:
I believe the Mets entered the meetings in need of a statement of direction. They had to tell the fans they clearly were not giving up on this season en route to the promised glory of the crop of youth waiting in the wings. They did so. By adding the depth to their bullpen and acquiring a faster, more team-spirited replacement for Angel Pagan, they have balanced out their clubhouse and their roster nicely. They have given the fans a reason to think the team will be competitive this season and beyond. All of this with very little funds for a "big market" team.
Michael Freire
I am generally pleased with the Mets' new direction and the overall results of the Winter Meetings. From what Sandy had to say to the media, the Mets may not be done, yet. However, going off of just the moves made to this point, they have added three very good arms to the bullpen (which was sorely needed) and they made a lateral move in CF (less offense, more defense) which saved a decent amount of money.
I think all of us Met fans would relax some, if we looked at the big picture. The team mortgaged the future in the middle to late 2000's to try and win the "back pages" in NY, and to win a WS title. We actually came pretty close, but fell short. Once the decline started, Omar valiantly tried to hold on by further mortgaging the future, but that didn't work either. So, here we are! You have to take your medicine at some point, or pay your bills eventually. It sucks and our team will scuffle along for the next season or two. BUT, it has to be done if things are to get better.
With that in mind, we should measure the Mets' player moves in terms of the future and not the present. I think Sandy will try to stay competitive for now, but if push comes to shove, the future (2014 as my fellow writers on this site have identified) will take precedent over the present (that explains the Reyes move, or lack thereof). Anyone who gets upset at that notion is being unrealistic.
Simply put, why spend extra money just because you can? If you are retooling and you are going to be mediocre for a season or two, you may as well conserve you resources until you really need them. Mike
David Rubin
Sandy Alderson had 3 strikes against him coming in to the meetings; he couldn't spend any large amounts of $$ on new free agents; he couldn't re-sign Jose Reyes to a deal either of them could stomach, long-term; and he had numerous positions to fill on the roster. Somehow, in spite of losing Reyes, Alderson managed to re-tool the bullpen in one seeming blast of electricity; rid the team of a center-fielder criticized for how many games he took off mentally for one who is the ultimate gamer; and, finally, set up the roster so that he could conceivably, if the moment arose, grab some interesting non-tendered players to fill out the roster as we all wait for 2014.
Yes, I agree with Mack that the organization can't/won't be relevant until at least that time, when, hopefully, we can expect a 1968 or 1985 repeat, hopefully.
It's hard to blast Sandy when he's simply the caretaker of a practically untenable situation; there's no reason, as Michael said above, to spend money just to spend, especially when those players won't be around in 2 years nor are they likely to make a difference in this season's outcome.
Overall, a B- to Sandy and Company, at a time when I expected (and it looked like) a "D" was going to be in order.
Michael Freire
I am generally pleased with the Mets' new direction and the overall results of the Winter Meetings. From what Sandy had to say to the media, the Mets may not be done, yet. However, going off of just the moves made to this point, they have added three very good arms to the bullpen (which was sorely needed) and they made a lateral move in CF (less offense, more defense) which saved a decent amount of money.
I think all of us Met fans would relax some, if we looked at the big picture. The team mortgaged the future in the middle to late 2000's to try and win the "back pages" in NY, and to win a WS title. We actually came pretty close, but fell short. Once the decline started, Omar valiantly tried to hold on by further mortgaging the future, but that didn't work either. So, here we are! You have to take your medicine at some point, or pay your bills eventually. It sucks and our team will scuffle along for the next season or two. BUT, it has to be done if things are to get better.
With that in mind, we should measure the Mets' player moves in terms of the future and not the present. I think Sandy will try to stay competitive for now, but if push comes to shove, the future (2014 as my fellow writers on this site have identified) will take precedent over the present (that explains the Reyes move, or lack thereof). Anyone who gets upset at that notion is being unrealistic.
Simply put, why spend extra money just because you can? If you are retooling and you are going to be mediocre for a season or two, you may as well conserve you resources until you really need them. Mike
David Rubin
Sandy Alderson had 3 strikes against him coming in to the meetings; he couldn't spend any large amounts of $$ on new free agents; he couldn't re-sign Jose Reyes to a deal either of them could stomach, long-term; and he had numerous positions to fill on the roster. Somehow, in spite of losing Reyes, Alderson managed to re-tool the bullpen in one seeming blast of electricity; rid the team of a center-fielder criticized for how many games he took off mentally for one who is the ultimate gamer; and, finally, set up the roster so that he could conceivably, if the moment arose, grab some interesting non-tendered players to fill out the roster as we all wait for 2014.
Yes, I agree with Mack that the organization can't/won't be relevant until at least that time, when, hopefully, we can expect a 1968 or 1985 repeat, hopefully.
It's hard to blast Sandy when he's simply the caretaker of a practically untenable situation; there's no reason, as Michael said above, to spend money just to spend, especially when those players won't be around in 2 years nor are they likely to make a difference in this season's outcome.
Overall, a B- to Sandy and Company, at a time when I expected (and it looked like) a "D" was going to be in order.
I think these moves are good, but they're not necessarily enough if you are going into the R word (rebuilding) mode.
ReplyDeleteYou have two seemingly good hitters who can't field -- Murphy and Duda. You can hide one in the field but probably not two. You have more options to replace Murphy than you do for Duda -- Turner, Satin, Valdespin, Havens -- so I could see him moved in the right deal.
You have two starters with major health question marks -- Santana and Niese. Dickey should be fine and Gee is healthy, but we're not sure which Gee will show up after spring training -- the 1st half Gee or the 2nd half Gee.
Pelfrey is the real issue. You can't discount the need to get nearly 200 innings out of someone, but are 200 awful innings really going to help you? At the salary he's going to earn, I think that's money not particularly well spent. I would sooner see him in a salary dump kind of trade and find a trio of reclamation who combined could give you those 200 innings at 1/2 the cost.
I'm definitely not sold on Torres as the centerfielder. He's had one decent season in an otherwise unspectacular career. He is kind of the Pelfrey of outfielders. At what he's set to earn, albeit less than what Pagan was likely to receive in arbitration, I'm not sure he's that much better than a Jason Pridie (not that I advocate bringing his bearded face back to Queens). The point is that it may be money ill spent.
Thole is another area of concern. I think his bat will improve by 15 to 20 points this year but his defense and handling of the pitchers is what worries me. I'm on board bringing in someone like Pudge to mentor him. He might as well learn from one of the best.
It appears the team is ready to cut ties with F-Mart and Niewenhuis isn't yet ready. That leaves the OF options in-house pretty slim. Guys like Vaughn and Puello are too far away to help in 2012 or perhaps even 2013. Consequently I could see a Murphy and/or Pelfrey trade netting AAA outfielders in return.
The other wildcard for trading is Parnell. Perhaps without the pressure of being "the guy", he may continue to develop. On the other hand, he could be another Kyle Farnsworth -- mostly flamethrowing throughout his career but very little success. I'm sure someone would always want a guy who could hit 100 on the gun, so he's someone I'm less inclined to trade but am willing to move if you get the right kind of return.
thanks for the post Reese...
ReplyDeletestay healthy and hurry up to Queens
As soon as possible, Reese.
ReplyDeleteTorres is an elite defensive CF and that alone makes him good enough.
ReplyDelete