Mack Ade – Sandy Alderson Must Go

I said I wasn’t going to write about the Queens team. I said I would concentrate on the kids on the farm and let the other writers here voice their opinions as to what’s going on at the major league level, but I simply can’t do that. This team means too much to me to sit back and stay quiet about what I watch each and every day both on television and online.

Last night was a joke. Five runs crossed the plate because a good player that fought hard to become a decent second baseman, and earn a slot on the upcoming all-start team, is playing first base for reasons that make no sense whatsoever. The Mets General Manager, Sandy Alderson, went on WFAN radio and explained that the thought process here was that they wanted to see Jordany Valdespin play at his ‘natural position’ so they could determine what they had there. Really? What about Lucas Duda playing at his ‘natural position’, 1B, or Daniel Murphy going back to his ‘natural position’ 3B? Let’s not stop there. Wasn’t David Wright originally a shortstop?  See how ridiculous this all is?

Normally, I would call for the removal of the manager, but he obviously is not making these decisions. I take that back. He probably is part of the process and should be removed also. This is a completely lost season and it’s only a matter of time that key members of this team start to revolt in the clubhouse.

There’s not much left here folks and your new Sunday pitcher is not going to be an instant Savior for this team.

I’m not speaking for any of the other Mack’s Mets writers here and I welcome their posts saying they feel different, but I for one have seen enough. I frankly applaud the Wilpon family for staying out of the limelight this year, but it’s time to remove the people who have directed this team into this corner for parts of the past three years. Sandy Alderson, his two lieutenants, and Terry Collins should all be immediately dismissed. Interim replacements can be named from within the organization while a search begins for a permanent replacement. You need this done post haste so new personnel are in place before the upcoming trading and free agent season.

I would name John Ricco and Wally Backman as respective interim General Manager and Field Manager.

I would also return what talent I had on this team to the correct position (and team) they should be playing for. I have no problem with Ike Davis playing the rest of the season in Queens at first base. Atlanta seems to have no problem with Jason Heywood playing in their outfield, so the same logic should apply here. Murphy should be at second, Rubin Tejada should return to short when he is healthy, and David Wright should play third. That’s the best infield you have on the payroll so use it every day.

Your catcher should be John Buck until Travis d’Arnaud comes off of rehab and gets a few weeks of AAA ball under his belt.

Your outfield should be Marlon Byrd, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, and Lucas Duda, with Juan Lagares and Jordany Valdespin serving as key reserves. Valdespin can also spell Murphy and Tejada in the infield (when needed) along with Justin Turner.

Your rotation should be Matt Harvey, Jon Niese, Dillon Gee, Jeremy Hefner, and Zack Wheeler. Shaun Marcum (coming off his last outing) should be immediately served up as a trade piece for someone that can fit into this mess in the future.

Pen wise, I still don’t have an answer for a lefty. Josh Edgin doesn’t deserve to be in Queens right now. I’d hit the waiver line and try and find someone that can fill in until I can work someone out in a future trade/free agent.

And lastly, I’d clean house of the malcontents hanging around Extended Camp. Frank Francisco would be given a check and his walking papers. Hansel Robles would be put in the same taxicab. And, lazy and indifferent members of the medical staff that seem to think that the players should rule the roost when it comes to conditioning and rehab would be removed as well.

This would be a new team, top to bottom. No, there wouldn’t be enough talent to compete at a playoff level in 2013, but, given the fact that multiple contracts will be coming off the books at the end of this season, there looks to conservatively be around $45mil left to spend to return this team’s payroll to only $100mil, not some of the higher levels in the past. This alone should be able to get you two additional every day players to make the lineup better.

And, the magical rotation will continue to take shape as Rafael Montero joins Harvey, Wheeler, and Niese in 2014. The team will obviously set the table with starting pitching, but players like d’Arnaud and the two new additions (Choo?) will generate more key runs.

But, to return to today, things much change now and change is not substituting three players for three others that, on the surface, seem to have a limited future with this team.

I applaud Alderson and Collins for their efforts, and those around me say we will be proud someday about the past three drafts, but, it’s time.