Craig Mitchell -- Nickels and Dimes......the 2014 Mets

OK, I’ve seen enough. We all know that the future is bright for the Mets.  The Mets have a collection of young arms that should rival what the Atlanta Braves staffs of the early 90’s had. That’s exactly the line that Mets have been feeding its fan base for three years.  For good reason, the arms coming up in the Met system are impressive. No one is a guaranteed to be a superstar, but the potential is truly heralded. 2014 was supposed to be the breakout year with Harvey, Wheeler, Gee, Niese headlining the rotation.  Well, Matt Harvey’s injury put a dent in that plan. But then, the Mets went out and got Bartolo Colon as a stop gap, so, we are certain to improve and at least be competitive this year right? I was on board with that notion at one time, but sadly not anymore.

I love the Mets; I’ve made that abundantly clear. I’ve seen the rants and the constant tirades for the “Coupons” to sell, for the Mets to get rid of Sandy Alderson. I hear the criticisms of giving a manager

who hasn’t produced a winning record a contract extension. I’ve heard it all. For the most part I have stayed positive (and I still mostly am) but I think that there is more to it. It’s not just one thing. The whole Met organization is in disarray. I’m just being realistic. The cracks in the façade are showing.

Because of the Wilpon’s involvement in the Bernie Madoff scandal, the Mets finances have been strapped. Instead of spending like a major market team, the Mets are nickel and diming their players and payroll, looking for bargains in veteran retreads and preferring to grow and build from within. Now, that's not to say Sandy Alderson has been a disaster. He pulled off terrific trades gaining the Mets Noah Syndergaard, Zach Wheeler and Travis d'Arnaud. That's some haul for Carlos Beltran, RA Dickey and Josh Thole. Also, there’s nothing wrong with having a home grown team, but position players are scant on the Mets farm. Additionally, I also see the Mets hanging their hopes on players that just can’t get it done. For whatever reason for his collapse, it’s abundantly clear that Ruben Tejada is not the starter of the future at short, or even the present. Hell, he’s not even a competent utility man at this point.   The ultra-thrifty Mets could probably bring in Stephen Drew. Sure they would lose a draft pick, but young arms are their strong point. Any draft pick next year won’t impact the Mets until 2020 or even later, if the major need is filled, then why not give it up? The Mets main needs can bring in an affordable impact guy at short. The team would immediately be better up the middle and at the plate.  But, no, right now we are looking at Tejada, Flores or Quintanilla as the prospects at short.  That’s embarrassing. That is mismanagement and no one is being fooled that any one of them will make an impact this year. Flores might with his bat, but his defense will struggle to become adequate, additionally, he’s unproven. He hasn’t done it in the majors. What happened to winning 90 games?

The outfield situation is a bit clearer.  I think the signing of Chris Young was a good move. The Mets got him cheap enough that he can platoon or start or even be a 4^th outfielder and he’s not being over paid. Most fans want to see an outfield of Juan Legares in center, Granderson in right and a platoon of Eric and Chris Young in left.  Granderson is going to prove a steal. However, according to Collins and Alderson, Lagares (who’s batting .323 this spring) is an underdog to start. There’s one thing for sure, the Mets sure know how to frustrate their fans.

OK, on to Matt Harvey. The way the Mets appear to be handling him and his access with the press and media seems to be problematic too.  Harvey is constantly being admonished and seemingly gagged and controlled by management when it comes to the press.  Who said what to who and why doesn’t matter. The Mets are coming across as control freaks with an agenda. The latest scuffle is over where Harvey is going to do the majority of his rehabbing. The Mets want him to spend the majority of his time at Port St. Lucie. Harvey wants to rehab in New York. The Mets think that would be bad for Harvey. They think the allure the night life will be a bad influence on their ace. Fact is, Harvey only has to spend 20 days in Port St. Lucie, after that the Mets need his written permission to stay. Don't think that's gonna happen. You would think the Mets would be better at keeping future (or even present) superstars happy. They come across as incompetent parents stomping their feet and making public spectacle in a supermarket showdown with a toddler.  Frankly, it frustrates the fans, Harvey and creates tension. Harvey is the jewel in the crown. He is the "Seaver" of the future. The Mets seem inconsistent in how they are handling this blue chipper. That being what it is, it really does look like the Mets are trying to keep secrets from the fans.  They act more and more like they are hiding something.  

Now, to first base; the ultimate cluster****.  Now, it’s no fault of Ike David or Lucas Duda that they both choose the most important spring training of their careers to get hurt. But frankly, it has really exposed the fact that most other organizations wouldn’t be having this issue. Davis and or Duda would have been traded or released before spring training started. I have previously championed Ike Davis at first base, but this is just getting impossible. Whether it be his own inconsistency or his propensity for injury, he just doesn’t seem to be the answer the Mets can count on.  Still, as of this writing, the Mets are betting their future on the bats of this pair of lefties who have never gotten it done consistently in the majors.   I’m a fan of both, however I am discovering that I am more a fan of their potential. Some potential never gets realized. If the Mets are serious about the whispers that they think they can win 90 games this year, well then there is a switch hitting proven first baseman who can step right in and make the Mets a lot closer to contending. I’m taking about Kendry Morales. Call off all the bets and get stronger at 1^st   right now.  Sign Morales and he could bridge you to when Dominic Smith might be ready.  If Davis or Duda make it big somewhere else, god bless, but if the Mets want to keep on selling the line that 90 wins is possible. They are going to have to pay to do it and take a risk that Duda or Davis become stars somewhere else.

But wait… I left out Josh Satin didn’t I?  I did, but on purpose. The Mets have said, without saying that Satin is not their 1^st baseball of the future (or any future.) It’s clear the Mets see Satin as utility man with an upside akin to Dave Magadan. Not good enough. The Mets want a power presence at first. Satin does not fit that bill.  They frankly might consider Matt Clark or Eric Campbell more seriously. The only way Satin gets the majority of the starts at first is if Duda and Davis are still out or traded in April and no signings have occurred and Clark and Campbell play themselves out of contention.

Frankly, importing Drew and Morales would not be costly (aside from the draft picks) and the Mets would not be anywhere near big spenders on their payroll. More importantly, they would have Mejia, deGrom, Montero, Syndergaard, Matz and a host of other arms and prospects preparing to make an impact or be fodder in other moves or trades. Add Harvey and now 2015 looks real good.

But we were talking about 2014. Yeah, while I hope for the best, I’m not seeing it.  I find it hard to believe that without Duda, Davis, Harvey and with Granderson basically replacing the Marlon Byrd factor 2014 might look a lot like 2013 in many ways.  Not horrible, but not contenders either. Not to mention Travis d’Arnaud, still unproven, he would have to make a major leap to come close to how John Buck started last year.  Account for all of that and what I see is a franchise trying to do with smoke and mirrors what other teams achieve with practical moves and incisive trades and roster moves.  The lack of that ability and or unwillingness to concede that is what the Mets are trying so hard to hide.