Mack Ade - Negativity

I received an email recently from another blog, asking if I would be interested in answering a few questions for his site. Naturally, I said yes and off the interview went.

I’ve always prided myself of having the minor league kid’s backs so I thought the interview had gone well. We wrapped up with a few follow-up questions and then I was asked if the interviewer could send me one more. I said sure.

The question basically asked why I was so down on the Mets, in general, and Sandy Alderson, in particular. I actually felt insulted. I love the Mets and I think  Alderson has done a great job at securing Zack Wheeler, Travis d’Arnaud, and Noah Syndergaard. I can’t believe this guy thinks I’m dissing the Mets, in general, and Alderson, in particular.

At this point, I was reminded of a great book I read back in the 1970s, “How To Negotiate Anything”, by Herb Cohen. Cohen said “forget the forest and the trees, sometimes we get stuck on the knot holes.”

I took a mile walk in the woods (we have woods in South Carolina) and went back to my computer to read what was said in the interview.

I had pointed out my general disappointment in Alderson’s first draft in 2011. I did say some nice things about a couple of the picks, but, in general I said I was very unimpressed with it.

I got back up on my Nimmo-horse (boy, this kid must think I hate him), pointing out once more that you just don’t use a pick that early in the draft on a player with basically no proven talent.

I said that I didn’t see one player in the 2012 draft that would make it to the majors someday. It was pointed out how harsh of a statement that was, giving me the opportunity to tone it down, which I didn’t.

Internationally wise, I was equally critical, pointing out the lack of quality signings over the past two years. I also pointed out what I felt was the absurdity of paying the number one international bonus in the league to “another shortstop”, Ahmed Rosario, when, at the same time, you under-slot your first eight picks in the Rule 4 draft.

I reminded everyone that the team has remained a fourth place club.

And lastly, I spent time on the debacle we call the 2013 Mets outfield.

I did finish the interview and, for the sake of honesty, agreed with the writer that my grade for Alderson would just be passing at this point. I’m not sure when it will come out, nor am I proud enough of it to link it here.

Look, my hopes over the years for Mack’s Mets were that other writers would handle the parent club while I would write exclusively about the kids in the minors. For years, MMs was just me and the minors.

It’s obvious to me that I have gotten caught up in all this Fred Wilpon – Sandy Alderson – Bernie Madoff bullshit and I need to get back to doing what I do best, analyzing the kids down on the farm and letting all of you know who you may be seeing some day. We’ll let the other writers here at MMs talk about Queens and Company.

This will begin today when I get a chance to see the exhibition game against Washington.

Thank J.P. for the wake-up call.