6/30/14

Craig Mitchell -- An Open letter to Angry Met fans...........

Dear Met fans. While the current vintage of the Mets aren’t world beaters, yet, you can’t say that Sandy
Alderson has sat still. Since opening day the team has been actively tinkering, changing and making roster moves which for the most part have been effective.  No, I’m being serious. The entire bullpen has been reworked and after starting off the campaign mind-numbingly bad, it is now a strength.  Seriously, our bullpen and our pitching depth is so good that we have barely missed Bobby Parnell and Dillon Gee and Matt Harvey.

 Let’s be honest, aside from his latest start, Diasuke Matsuzaka has been awfully good filling in for Gee.  How many of you were expecting Jacob deGrom to be this year’s Matt Harvey/Zach Wheeler? I think
the smart money was on Noah Syndergaard. Actually, Syndergaard may still show up in Queens this summer, but honestly, it’s not a necessity anymore. The staff has excelled and grown without Gee or Harvey for most of the season. I find that tremendously encouraging.

And the bullpen? Jeurys Familia and Josh Edgin have stepped up and are excellent righty/lefty setup men. Jenrry Mejia has not only excelled and flourished as a closer, but he’s thrown in a moon walk or two; Vic Black is making the Marlon Byrd trade look better and better. Matsuzaka and Carlos Torres have grown into the roles of bullpen saviors. Also, who thought Dana Eveland would be so effective? When Gonzalez Germen is your only weak link in the bullpen, you are doing something right.

Here it is June 30th and I’m still watching Met fans calling for boycotts and saying they've had enough.  Really? How many times have I covered this? The 2014 Mets are NOT the end of the world. Yes, they just dropped 3 of 4 to the Pirates. Yes, they have 6 outfielders and 1 shortstop. But, they are not the worst Met team of all time. They aren't even close.  I understand the frustration with the ongoing saga of the Wilpons money troubles. I understand how fans want to see the Mets spend big money on free agents and pull the trigger on deals in attempts to get the team’s offense better right away.  It’s time for acceptance. Yep, it’s time to accept what is. IT’S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. At least not in that way.

The Mets plan on completing this rebuild a la the Oakland A’s. They are going to do it on a budget.  That means without a payroll near 200 million like the Yankees.  Threaten to boycott all you want. It comes across as a spoiled tantrum. No, it really does. Perhaps we should just sign on and enjoy the ride because frankly, I still think, barring injuries and anything unforeseen, the worst is over.

This year’s big expenditure, Curtis Granderson is proving he’s no Jason Bay.  Granderson has been terrific since May 1st.  He is giving the Mets exactly what they thought they were getting. The added bonus is he’s a tremendous asset on the bench and in the clubhouse. He’s fun to watch. Yes, he went 0-17 in the Pirate series, but he'll bounce back.

As I have stated over and over. I was firmly and loudly on team Ike.  Watching Lucas Duda the past three weeks has made me question that as well.  Maybe I don’t know everything about baseball. More specifically maybe the Met coaches who worked closely and know Ike Davis and Lucas Duda knew something I didn’t.  Because while Ike Davis is still in neutral and platooning in Pittsburgh,  Duda has shifted gears and is getting better and better.  Duda is on pace to bat   .252 with 25 homers and 80 RBI.  I can safely say that will easily match or better what Kendry Morales, Davis, Josh Satin or many other first basemen will do this year.  The year isn’t over, but there is reason to be very optimistic.

Now that said, I’m still not a fan of Terry Collins.  I still firmly believe he does not utilized talent well. He
lacks faith in young talent (and on a team that is rebuilding that is problematic), and I feel he is very staid as a field tactician. He has improved in his managing of the bullpen of late. But still, I think the Mets would benefit from a manager who has a fire in his belly. A man who can get the most out of his veterans while bringing along the young players at the same time.  It’s embarrassing to see Wilmer Flores bounced up and down from Las Vegas without being given a clear shot to prove what he has to offer. Clearly if the Mets think he can play shortstop at this level he should be given a shot. If they feel he’s not a good fit for this team then their tactics have diminished his trade value tremendously. He has been mismanaged.  The same can be said for Andrew Brown, Matt den Dekker and Chris and Eric Young.

Clearly, Chris Young is not viewed as a cog in the Mets future.  As Sandy Alderson has stated he was a 7.25 million dollar insurance policy on Juan Lagares. He still has value. His series against the A’s proves that. But Chris Young can be utilized most effectively by platooning him.  Eric Young Jr. is an asset with his speed. As a switch hitter, EY is a much better hitter against right handed pitching. CY is much better against lefties.  That dynamic SCREAMS platoon!  Platoon the Young’s in left and let Lagares and Granderson remain mainstays in center and right.  Why this hasn’t happened is beyond me.  If Alderson and Collins are so caught up in numbers, the splits clearly show this would be a great move.  Let’s hope. But if it doesn’t happen, I’m not going to kick my feet and suck my thumb and cry about it.  Terry Collins and Sandy Alderson are getting paid to make those decisions. I may not like all of them, but that’s the way it is. It's their necks on the line. Not mine. 

No, I’m not a lemming. I just look at the Yankees. Their payroll is 203,000,000. Their pitching is bolstered by Masahiro Tanaka and frankly their bullpen is quite good. But as for their position players, for that money they are a compilation of aging free agents on the south side of their careers.  The average age of their top 10 starters is 34.1 years old.  What about next year? Jeter is gone and A-Rod will try to come back. Teixeira will be 35, Beltran 38, Ichiro 41, Brian Roberts 37, Alfonso Soriano 39. The Yankees despite all that money are not going to have a lot to show for it next year.  That’s a no brainer.  The Mets will be in a much better position than their cross town high spending cousins.  The point is, money isn’t not the only answer.

The Mets need to improve at short. If not, then they do have to upgrade elsewhere. Are they really going to trade Daniel Murphy? Yes, they might.  If the Mets can package Murphy for an upgrade at short, or left field they’ll do it. They probably believe Flores can be plugged in at 2nd and they have Matt Reynolds in AAA who they are grooming for a middle infield position. Hell, EY is a natural second baseman.  We all love Murph’s bat, but he’s a square peg in a round hole at second base. This is as good as he gets. He is tremendously mediocre at second. In a close game my heart is firmly in my mouth when a grounder is hit to him with the game on the line. I know I'm not the only one who feels that way. It's just the way it is. This is his high water mark. That said, I don’t think the Mets are in a rush to move him, but if the right offer comes along, sure, Murph will be dealt.  It kind of reminds me of when the Mets traded Hubie Brooks.  I was quite upset with that deal, until I found out that Gary Carter was the return player.


Bottom line, as a Met fan I get frustrated too. But I also get tired of the same old complaints and threats by fans.  Sure, we’d all like a winner in Flushing.  But it’s not going to happen your way. It’s going to happen the Mets way. While you were in the middle of your tantrum you probably missed that Kevin Plawecki has moved to AAA and homered in his first game.  Good things are happening.  Just dry your eyes and relax. It is, what it is.


17 comments:

Anonymous said...

May these liars feel the wrath of the fans!

bgreg98180 said...

Craig
Well defined and impressive argument. 
The problem is Met fans have been patient and trusting for the past 5 years. 
Remember, it has been the ownership themselves that have insisted through out all these years there isn't and never have been financial problems stopping Alderson from acquiring free agents or retaining players.  
It has been Alderson himself that has insisted he has not been held back by ownership. 
It has been Alderson and ownership that promised the fans if they hung on these past 5 dreadful years, 2014 would be the payoff. 
NO sir. Fans have a right to be upset. 
Fans have a right to not trust. 
They have a right to doubt all of the moves or non-moves 
They have not been given any reason to believe this year or next year or any year in the future will be much different

Mack Ade said...

I no longer have a general feeling about Mets fans.

I started being one in 1962 so I have been pretty much been beaten down..

I don't get frustrated or angry anymore because I approach this as a job but I can see why some fans, especially younger ones, can't seem to understand why teams from small cities are able to turn this into a profitable business.

I will say this for the 2014 season. Based on the limited amount of talent on this team, it amazes me just how many of these games were close until the end.

Tom Brennan said...

Boy, Craig, I was seeing red until you mentioned they didn't give Andrew Brown enough of a chance! (Mack loves it when I mention his name!)

Then I realized you and your article were brilliant. Seriously, a good attempt to see the glass half full - or fuller. All transactions are inherently risky - Dice K a very good one, Chris Young (so far) an abysmal one. So they've done OK in many respects. Yanks still manage to do enough to draw more fans and win more games. Despite their aging apparatus, they seem to have a way to land on their feet. Hopefully the Mets' very conservative spending approach will succeed by next year and the Tanks' "roll out the money barrel" approach will catch up with them in a way they cannot financially finagle their way out of in 2015. With that old age, they may have a whole herd full of albatrosses next year. But had they wisely spend not like the Yanks' $200+ MM, but just another $20-$40 million this year, they'd likely be right there (or in first) and drawing lots more (paying) fans than they are - and vibes would be positive.

Reese Kaplan said...

Therein lies the problem. They will do enough to get close but not enough to push forward. They're on pace for another 74 win season under the (ahem) leadership of Terry Collins. It's the same Terry Collins who insists on Eric Young, Ruben Tejada, Bobby Abreu, Anthony Recker and others who are not and should not be part of the future. Change the manager, change the attitude.

Steve from Norfolk said...

Craig,

Nice piece. I get tired of all the negativism too. Sometimes it overwhelms me and I start spouting it myself. You made an excellent point about the Youngs. I just think we need to make room for Nieuwenhuis somewhere, somehow. He seems to have finally learned to hit at this level, and presents us with one of those pleasant dilemmas. His defense is the same caliber as Lagares, and for the present, he's hitting with a better average and with more authority. So, which one do you start?

Duda , as you said, is turning out to be a pleasant surprise. We wanted a power-hitting 1st baseman, and it's looking like we got one!

Bob,
2014 was supposed to be the year, and it would have been, except for Matt Harvey's TJS. That probably set us back 2 years. Next year is going to be a year for him to see just how he recovers. But, 2016 is going to be great. Conforto should be ready for LF, Dominic Smith for 1st, Dilson Herrera at 2nd, which will give us some really good trade pieces for the 2015-16 offseason. I know we were promised that this would be the season, but I can wait 2 more years for what's coming. It's going to be great!

Steve from Norfolk said...

Reese,

Tejada may not be Ozzie Smith, but he's doing a pretty good job right now. I'm sorry, but Flores is just not a SS any more. The only way Tejada is going anywhere soon is if we trade for a SS. Wilmer's going to get his chance, most likely at 2nd. If Wright need to move to 1st, which I can see happening sooner rather than later (see Ryan Zimmermann) he may be our next 3rd baseman. But, I just can't see the Wilpons coughing a big enough contract to keep Murphy here. . If we're not going to keep Murph, I'd like to see Murphy and Tejada traded to the Giants for Brandon Crawford and another ML player or a couple of almost-ready prospects. Crawford plays a ML average defense and hits for power. He'd be a good get for us.

John Castagliola said...

I refuse to give the Wilpons MY money if they're notgoing to put THEIR money into the team !!!

bgreg98180 said...

Steve
so........
one player is the difference?
Every team has players that get hurt.
If your team is built where one player destroys your whole season,
There's a problem.

bgreg98180 said...

Steve
We were told the same thing about 2014. It was going to be great.
Now 2016?
Then, 2017?
Then. ... 2020?
That Kool-Aid you are drinking is really just water with red food coloring. (Wilpons found it cheaper)

David L. Whitman said...

TC hopefully will be gone by the All-Star break
The team is playing short-handed because they sent Flores down-which was stupid move at the time and even worse now. This is a crucial series against the division-leading Braves. A Braves sweep and this season is shot.

Steve from Norfolk said...

bob,

Ouch!

In retrospect, it could have been done this year, but only because everybody is losing people, especially pitchers, to injury. No one could have predicted that Atlanta would lose two SP's to TJS, Miami would lose Fernandez, Washington would lose Harper and Zimmermann for so long. Harvey was expected to have been our staff ace, and no one was prepared to spend the kind of money we would have had to to be what was expected to be necessary to be competitive this year. As it turned out, all we really needed was one good power bat. Of course, the only one that was available was Abreu, and he was unproven last offseason. The way our farm system is now, when we do go for it, we'll be able to sustain the push for a much longer period than one year. The main thing that gets me fired up is how close we are to being in the thick of it. We're close enough that good management could have made the difference. If Sandy had the balls to stand of to Fred and make a change, we might be in first. What's Fred going to do, fire him and make Jeffy the GM? I'd like to see Wally here, but I think Teufel could do the job, too. Of course, Sandy would probably put Bob Geren in if he fired TC, because he'd be a yes man.

I'm losing focus, so I'd better cut this short. I understand your frustration, but it was already too late to go for it last offseason by the time we knew what the situation in the division was going to be. We could still do it with a sharp trade or two. We are not beyond help by any means.

bgreg98180 said...

Steve
my apologies, I don't mean to attack you.
I'm just upset that not enough has been made of all the misdirection, half-truth, arrogant nonsensical decisions, & flat out lies Met fans have been subjected to.
The Wilpons & Alderson deserve to have their feet put to the fire.
They should feel the pressure to produce results fast and know they have mistreated the Mets fans
and the fans KNOW they had been mistreated.

Robb said...

This is a great piece. i would like to add that as met fans we need to understand that hitting and throwing a baseball are hard. we need to also not be so quick to either proclaim a player is a savior or throw them under the bus.

Just on alderson:

first job, was to move the bad money off the books
second was to rebuild the farm system
third was to stabilize the foundation
fourth was to turn the young players loose
fifth was to augment around them in free agency
sixth is to win
seventh is to make sure their is more talent coming

he has done a relatively good job on all but the wins and thats the only one he cant really control

Steve from Norfolk said...

Bob,

No offense taken - just my feeble attempt at humor. The intelligence level of the discussions here is what keeps me coming back. I just don't want people to confuse the cheapness and deception of the owners with the efforts and professionalism of the players. Maybe some of them don't perform as we'd like, but I can't think of one pro ball player that says to himself "I want to play really bad today!" before they go out on the field.

Anonymous said...

Well-written and accurate article, but I doubt that the author was the only Mets fan in his section of PNC Park Sunday, watching the Mets strand 11 runners and fail time after time to come up with a "clutch" hit. Unfortunately the lack of situational hitting has really plagued the Mets all season.

I think what most Mets fans should be most upset about (aside from being on pace for a 6th straight losing season, including the last few on Sandy's watch, no defense for that) is that Alderson has proven himself to be a mediocre (at best) GM, now well into his fourth season here. Each year's bullpen, for example, has been average to below-average. Anyone remember the Frank Francisco signing? Chris Young's signing is no better. Meanwhile, the fact is that the "smart" trades Sandy has made (for Dickey and Beltran) are thus far not looking complete steals for the Mets. Now, the jury is still out (of course) on the players returned, but Wheeler and d'Arnaud have struggled at the major league level (with an ever-increasing sample size) , and Syndergaard is still in AAA. Even in the wake of the Harvey and Parnell injuries, I was hoping the Mets could at least stay at or just above .500 this year, with all 3 of those players showing signs that they could be reliable major league starters. Even if the Mets record does not end up at .500 this season, if the aforementioned trio can show improvement during the second half then Mets fans have legitimate reason to believe in Sandy's plan and an exciting 2015. Otherwise, though, it is reasonable for Mets fans to call for major changes next off-season.

Big AL said...

The rebuttals to this article are excellent. Mr. Gregory summed up what Ive been thinking since January: Alderson promised 2014 would be the year; Alderson said he has not been held back financially by the Wilponzis; SO he thought adding Young and Grandy would bring him the "90 wins"? In addition, I AM NOT thrilled by Duda. .250, 25 homeruns and 80 RB for 2014I? Ok, so he's better than Satin and Ike. Lets compare him ... not to Miggy Caberera .. but to Olerud, ((90 plus rbis every year as a Met); or Keith, (always batting over .300 until age caught up in 1987); those are first baseman to be thrilled with! A few of you mentioned that all they needed to do was spend a few more $$$ and this could have been a contending team. And that's the rub ... they signed Grandy and just sat back. I never thought Omar was that great. But here are a few of his trades and signings when he took over (2004 - 2006): Pedro, Beltran, Wagner, Nady, Degaldo, Alou. Yes, I know Sandy was brought to fix the Mets from the farm. And he's done a good job with the pitching. But who says that Conforto, Smith and Herrera will be any good? I know Im all over the place, but this team is a mess, even with the pitching. Bring in Wally (to manage), and start spending some $$$$$ on hitters... or the fans will just stay away, as they have over the past few years. This is not a small market town. this is not Oakland. This is the big time... (LOL) I look forward to your comments... whether you agree or not!