8/2/14

Reese Kaplan - You'll Get Nothing and Like It!


This morning I awakened in a cold sweat with a vision that the Mets rallied to finish nearly .500, there was a ticker tape parade led by Terry Collins waving his contract-for-life high over his head, the Wilpons were lighting big Cuban cigars (embargo be damned!) and Sandy Alderson somehow negotiated a sweetheart deal that allowed him to become the next baseball commissioner while simultaneously continuing to forge the Mets’ future.  At the press conference he announced his new plan to give back to the fans by rewarding them with a nickel for each empty $12 beer cup they recycled.  “We’re rewarding our fans for believing in the plan – and for drinking enough to forget about the on-field results!”

Aaaah!!!!!!!

I know what inspired this nightmare.  It was the recent non-waiver trading deadline in which Sandy Alderson sat on his hands, apparently turned off his cell phone and emerged from the feeding frenzy no better and no worse than before it started.   What’s interesting to me is that as you ask around what people think about this approach, you have some in the “Buy!” camp, some in the “Sell!” camp, but I’ve yet to find a single person who felt doing nothing was the right approach.  It signaled once again that the front office is hopelessly out of touch with it customers.

Look, either approach could have worked.  The division leading Washington Nationals were buyers (or more accurately, renters), landing quality infielder Asdrubal Cabrera from the Indians in order to fortify their lineup and to make themselves more difficult to beat.   While you could debate the merits of whether or not sacrificing anything for a few months of help for a free-agent-to-be is good business, the fact remains they made a decision and acted upon it.

Even the Florida Marlins, the crown princes of the fire sale, acted boldly, trading a couple of top prospects to get a pitcher from the Astros who could step in and help them right now while they find themselves surprisingly in third place in the division.  Was it a gamble?  As Sarah Palin would say, “You betcha!” but again they identified a need and addressed it.

The National League Champion St. Louis Cardinals recognized they desperately needed pitching.  Furthermore they had a crowded outfield which had no room for top prospect Oscar Taveras.  They traded All-Star slugger Allen Craig and starter/reliever Joe Kelley to the Red Sox for veteran former All-Star starter John Lackey who would help them in their quest to return to the World Series.    Trading a 26 year old pitcher and a 30 year old outfielder for a 35 year old starter who is also due $15 million next year may not be good business either, but they got out from under $10 million per year in salary obligations and  opened the door to play the speedy, slugging Taveras.

Even the cross-town rivals who only have the Derek Jeter farewell tour to celebrate this year took decisive steps to reinforce their delusional quest for relevancy.  

Now let’s look at the Mets.  If they were true believers in the nearly .500 level of play they’ve delivered for the past month or so, then they would have been buyers.  The needs were obvious – a left fielder and a shortstop – but as they began the first post-trading-deadline game, they were once again limited to just two hits.  Getting rentals would probably not be a prudent move but it would signal to the fans that for the first time since the current front office came to power that they were serious about winning.

Maybe they were ready to build an even stronger foundation for the future.  Then they could have unloaded salary to give themselves the ability to address these needs during the off-season via free agency or by taking on players under contract.  Between Bartolo Colon and Daniel Murphy they had nearly $20 million of salary tied up in two 2015 players.  Whether it was for AAA players who might step in and help rather quickly or lower level prospects whose value wouldn’t be known for 3 or more years, the fact remains that the option to be sellers was there for them as well.  After three losing seasons which featured late season collapses, they probably didn’t have the stomach to be honest with the fans by doing what was necessary to ensure a more solid future and grant them increased payroll flexibility. 

Instead, what did they choose to do?  They wouldn’t commit to be buyers.  They wouldn’t commit to be sellers.  They did nothing. 

What does that decision say to the fans?  “Hey, we don’t really believe we can contend!” or “We’re afraid of losing what few fans come to the ballpark!”  Neither is a particularly good message.  You could market a decision one way or the other effectively given the price paid or booty received.   The only thing accomplished was reinforcing apathy which is a curious decision to make when things are incrementally better than it’s been since 2011.  You’d think they’d want to build on the soupcon of optimism that’s permeated a plurality of fans and even some of the media. 

Earlier in the week I opined that fans should be prepared to temper their expectations.  Unfortunately I was right, yet it still stung a bit seeing nothing happen at all to make the team better either now or in the future.  Here’s hoping the off-season is a little more active (and that Terry Collins will play out his final season with the lineup pencil in his hand.) 



14 comments:

bgreg98180 said...

Reese
sadly much of what you write is accurate.
Even with all healthy prospects and no pitching injuries the Mets are a slowly building team.
unfortunately as Alderson chooses to build slowly, the productive offensive players are growing older and older.
If the Mets are planning to be a reliable playoff team in 2 years. ....won't D. Wright be 33?
Not to mention the 40 man roster crunch this off-season.
And fans cannot rely on Alderson suddenly becoming an aggressive trade seeking team builder or free agent signer.
Alderson's history shows he is very passive in trades and free agents (except for C. Young who I'm sure has scared Alderson from doing something similar again)

Mack Ade said...

The slowness of Alderson has to be tempered with the orders from the front office. The money faucets wee turned off.

Also, the team continued to chose to strengthen their position in young pitchers, not bats.

I'm starting to think this is more Brandon Nimmo's team than David Wright.

Ernest Dove said...

Lets face facts......
Under current ownership, this is a marlins/rays/As type organization. And with that, please stop dreaming of Tulo type guys being added.
Instead, hope and pray that the pitching stays healthy, and that degrom (and eventually thor/Montero) have immediate impact success...
And, usually same facts, regarding hitters, pray that duda hits 35 homers a year for the next 2-3 yrs, and pray that Nimmo and conforto also have immediate impact......because there will be no other 10-12+ mil/yr players on this team, unless they trade grandy.

bgreg98180 said...

Ernest
considering all of the lies, half-truths, misdirection, and blame ( yes I'm talking about Alderson putting fan attendance as having to increase before the team puts more into payroll) this ownership and front office has put its fans through the past few years. .......
that is just not good enough for many fans anymore. Evidenced by the dwindling attendance and general lack of interest in the team.
If the owners and front office want to take a cautious and inexpensive approach without any risk. ....
then I guess I will have to take the same approach to their team. No more buying merchandise, tickets, watching on tv, or reading about them until I slowly decide to cautiously re-engage after the team proves they can reliably give me value for my season worth of investment.
Sorry, the last few years have taken their toll with me and I am among those fans that have slowly opened their eyes to how terribly we have been treated by the ownership and front office's words and deeds.
I do not have any trust in them anymore

Mack Ade said...

Bob -

"No more buying merchandise, tickets, watching on tv, or reading about them until I slowly decide to cautiously re-engage after the team proves they can reliably give me value for my season worth of investment."...

Well, I would still watch them on TV, but that's about it

You have to stop buying all that Mets shit that is online and sold at the stadium.

You also have to stop going to the stadium (unless 50 cents is singing after the game :)

You can spend all the time you want on this site writing about the past, but it's not going to change a thing.

What's done is done.

What is, is, what is.

Oh yeah... one more things... the Giants plays the Bills tomorrow on TV

bgreg98180 said...

Mack
sorry but not. Tv either......
just not worth watching as all I think about is what could and could have been.
feeling so sorry for Wright. ..
remembering all of the poor treatment.
Heck I shouldn't even be putting all of the effort into this comment

Reese Kaplan said...

Honesty from the front office would be a refreshing change. I don't mean to divulge confidential information, but be upfront with the fans about expectations. Don't proclaim a 90-win manifesto and then do nothing to make it a reality.

A few years ago the Mets let Reyes walk away without an offer in hand. Depending on who you choose to believe, Reyes was either going to the highest bidder by $1 or the Mets simply didn't act to make him a legit offer.

Now with the financial constraints that came about through the Madoff mess it's understandable that they couldn't afford both Reyes and Wright. However, they could have traded one to restock the then barren farm system. Even if they'd traded Reyes instead of letting him walk, you could also argue that the future would have arrived sooner had they traded David Wright instead of tying up $140 million of the puny budget on a player in decline. However, once again they were not honest with the fans about the need to rebuild and went about it half-heartedly, plugging in has-beens and injured players into starting roles (at the expense of rookies, I might add).

Honesty. That's my major issue with the team. If they come out and say they have no money and they have to live within X budget, fine, then do it smartly. Don't throw money at the Chris Youngs, Frank Franciscos and yes, David Wrights of this world. Get young, under-control players who can help you at an affordable price until the financial storm is over.

bgreg98180 said...

Reese
You write what I am thinking

Reese Kaplan said...

Thank you, Bob.

In between my rants about Terry Collins, Ruben Tejada and Eric Young, I occasionally have moments of lucidity. :)

Anonymous said...

Hate to disagree, but this is a vapid and sarcastic argument against prudence and for doing something for the sake of something. You point out moves that others made as if they were already successful and worthwhile, but nobody will know and are totally irrelevant to whether there were any good deals for the Mets. "The Yankees got Stephen Drew, so the Mets must have passed on Babe Ruth!!!" One has nothing to do with another and the only bat that moved near the profile if what the Mets need was Cespedes and that cost Lester. Is that what you wanted? And would you have given Thor. Too many if these write ups are manufactured outrage that is unconnected to reality.

bgreg98180 said...

Anonymous
I am sorry
but what you are saying is completely wrong
the lies and poor fan treatment is fact.
nobody is identifying one particular move that should have been made
but a general issue with an overall lack of interest in improving at a faster pace than 7-8 years.
All the while misleading fans and outright lies.
nonsensical decisions such as Reyes, c young, 2 left handed 1st basemen, 6-7 outfielders on the roster, completely devaluing Flores........
the list goes on and on.
are you happy that the team will not seriously enter a season with legitimate expectations of being in the post season until Wright's 33rd birthday. ...at least?
I'm sorry Anonymous. ... but I do not trust or care for the Wilpons and Alderson's front office.
They have proven they do not care about us as fans.

I think you really need to see clearly Anonymous that the MAJORITY of Mets fans have agreed with me & Reese and eff.....
this is fact as proven by the decline in attendance over the past few years.

I do seriously envy your optimism though.
I remember holding onto it myself.

bgreg98180 said...

Anonymous. ..
hmmm
Cespedes for Syndegaard?
Now that actually is interesting.

Sadly though. ....with a more aggressive front office though. ..he could have already been a Met ..... for a couple of years if Alderson wanted, without costing any prospects.
Puig could have been too.

Reese Kaplan said...

Perhaps a similar argument could be made for taking the risk on the unproven Jose Abreu for the same money spent on proven Curtis Granderson.

After his horrific start, Granderson is producing, albeit at a lower level than anticipated. I'm sure his star quality, his experience playing in NY, his post season experience, his clubhouse influence and the thumb-your-nose at the Yankees all went into the decision to hire CG.

Now I will give them something of a pass on that one given the fact they were already overrun with 1st basemen. However, Puig and Cespedes were there for the taking for just money, no draft picks sacrificed.

It does sting less now that Duda is performing at a solid level and they made the right decision in which left handed first basemen to dump. However, the return was minimal and the circus atmosphere never should have been allowed to happen in the first place.

You'd think they'd have learned from their mistakes, but no...this is the team that said, "Shortstop, we don't need no stinkin' backup shortstop," and proceeded to go with 6 outfielders.

jamsbar7 said...

Seemed like a pretty whacked trade deadline w some star pitchers avail, didnt seem to match up well for Mets, the avail stars much better then Colon/Gee/Niese. Alderson did mention an AZ trade , i think Sandy would've waved in Prado at $11 million per season 2015/16 to bridge gap to Nimmo/Comfronto and adds alot of position flex for fututre moves and still a solid gamer type player. Let's hope next year w Harvey and Parnell returning, Thor, and emergence of DeGroom and possibly Montero contributing that the stars line up and wee can make some produjctive trades and moves...