Morning
My continued laptop problems has prevented me from putting together my usual graphic filled observation post this morning so I put up Reese's article at 6am and this will have to do for today.
What I can do is give a suggestion to Steve Cohen (if he still reads me) regarding something he needs to determine.
I played organized ball. It may not have been for teams owned or operated by MLB organizations but they were in a league and they had managers and coaches. In my book, that's organized.
it doesn't take Tom Tango to take the temperature of the clubhouse, the dugout, and the players while the games are being played. There are big differences between teams and players that are playing balls out than one that look like a dress shirt that lost its starch.
I'm not suggesting players are mailing it in at this point in a failing season. No, these are pros. But even pros lose their edge near the end of a long, miserable season.
Cohen needs to determine if there is a virus here. Is it team effort? Is it individual players? Is it the brass? Field management? Some coaches?
If there are, he needs to cure them before pitchers and catchers report next spring. And frankly, he needs to do this on his own. He’s the owner of the team. Not one of the guys. And no one has ever acted normal around him.
He could reach out to a couple of key people he trusts, but even that is going to be tainted by a biased slant. No, once again, he’s on his own here.
nI'm reminded here of an old Hugh Laurie TV series named House M.D. There was always some weird ass aliment someone had that House and his team of incompetent associates could never figure out a cure for. Until just after the last commercial break. This is where Cohen M.D. comes in, but his mysterious ailment might be caused by one or more of your own "incompetent associates ".
You're up, Steve.
I absolutely love the NY Mets. It’s been a passion since I was 6 years old & saw Grote jump into Koosman’s arms on a 8 in black & white tv in 1969.
ReplyDeleteI’ve lived through every minute of every season - the great & the awful.
This “era” of NY Mets baseball has been brutal to experience. The H2 collapse of 2021, the running out of gas in 2022, the complete meltdown in 2023. The first half of 2024 (the second half of 2024 is exactly what I live for), & now the 2025 debacle.
All of this is connected to the core. I love those players as players (even though the streak ones is maddening). They just have consistently proven that they can’t pull it together through the most critical final moments.
Something drastic needs to change. This is a game of percentages - & eventually they percentages could finally break our way - but time is running out for this group & the cost to support this team / even with Steve’s resources is simply unsustainable (& not good business). I am certain that Steve Cohen knows this. He has really tried to bridge the gap to long term sustainability, which is greatly appreciated. But this group just does not have it. Period. Proven time & time again.
It’s time to pull up, looks at all our assets (current & future) & really make the moves to get this right. We need a late 90s Yankees core to emerge - one that can consistently win the moments that matter.
Here here
DeleteThe problem is they must first clean the slate of bad contracts. Then, pray the next wave of prospects turn out. Lastly, draft and sign IFA better
Frankly, do all this and the team is still at least two years off
Unless
Those three rook starters are for real
Well said, RVH. There is a very fine line between the "short memory of failure" mind set needed to succeed and the "it's OK, there's always tomorrow" acceptance of failure. This team is on the wrong side of the line - they need some competitive fire. Last week's bench-clearing altercation even seemed like it lacked real passion.
ReplyDeleteRemember the controversial Tommy Pham comments as he left the team? Who's really working hard to pull out of this and who is coming to the games because they are paid to show up?
None of this solves 2025 but could rescue 2026.
100% Paul!
DeleteThis group collectively is not as good as the Phillies. Part of what makes the Phillies successful is they are bad-ass. The Mets collectively are soft, especially in this poorly assembled pitching staff. I am extremely disappointed with Manaea, but I would have signed him, too, but NOT for 3 years. Age-wise, this should have been Manaea’s BEST year of the three. I dread that the Mets owe him two more years at $25 million each. Montas? Awful signing. Very heavily questioned when it happened. Siri? Seriously? Find people that are not brittle and have fire in their belly. Gilbert was fiery. Why trade fiery? I was very critical of Gilbert in 2024 being carelessly fiery, but he has been healthy. Maybe he learned. Mullins? Not fiery.
ReplyDeleteI would look at the repeated attempts to build an expensive, veteran-based team. If there are fiery prospects, like McLean keep them. If there are enough of them, rebuild using Mets prospects.
HOW MANY VETERANS HAVE FAILED?
Why is Bader thriving this year, full of swagger? But not last year? Why did Zack Wheeler become great in Philly….why?
ReplyDeleteMindset raises so many questions. I’m a data junkie - I run my business based on data & appreciate all the insight that data provides. That said, data alone cannot ensure success. We are humans. Effort, heart, inner strength all matter. It’s the combination that bakes the cake - so to speak.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the answer lies in the “order of operations” Character (mindset, effort, inner strength, etc) aided by data trumps data with character sprinkled in? Idk, searching for answers here…
I wish I know SteveCohen, but I’d bet my whole nest egg that he is first & foremost a killer shark that happens to be brilliant- not the other way around.
ReplyDeleteMy mind is never far from music so after last night's debacle it went to Petty's Free Fallin and You Wrecked Me and then to The Doors The End which unfortunely kinda sums it up. Not signing Wheeler was Wilpons parting gift to us Thanks alot Fred and Jeff. Bader was making too much $$$ and Siri/Taylor was then the answer yeah right. The big problem is as old as Baseball itself they kicked our asses because they out pitched us and out hit us it works everytime. Now Stevie has a big question to answer WTF do you do? I don't see him firing DS this quick but he can't be the only final decision maker as his star has fallen faster than his team and does he reset or patch holes again? I hate the last option.
ReplyDeleteThere's just no energy in this team. Not even just about the stats at this point. Jas anyone noticed Drew Gilbert the madman on Giants? I've noticed he was terrible, then hot at plate then slumping again but look at his energy and look at fhe teams results. We always joke online about teams and their. 290 hitters or 6 ERA dominating Mets. Maybe its ne wide they work hard and try to bring their S game against Mets and when they see Mets going through the motions they pounce.
ReplyDeleteI wish baseball went back to one year contracts. No going thru the motions in that scenario.
DeleteSome thrive under pressure. Some wilt. I recall when I was in a bowling league years back…I’d tighten up in very tight games. Free throws? Same thing. I admit that. Maybe if I was good enough to have been a major league hitter, I would have choked when the situation got tight.
ReplyDeleteMy brother Steve was a beast when he was pitching before he blew out his shoulder. He would NEVER get tight. Close situations RAISED his game.
The Mets need to find and develop players who weren’t like me, but are more like my brother Steve. Simple as that.
The Mets have not won a single game this year where they trailed going into the 9th? That is a sign of chokers. It is unfathomable that with a Lindor, Nimmo, Alonso, McNeil in the line up, that should happen. No way. If they are tough. The 1986 team came back in the last inning so many times, as I recall. Tough.
ReplyDeleteThe comments this morning sadden any Mets fan, but they are irrefutable. However, while we can’t fire the players I believe management had a part in this, specifically Stearns.
ReplyDeleteWanting very hard to make year five work for Cohen, Stearns was wasteful in his trades. The guys are busting their ass, the pitching sucks, and he brings in a CF when they were getting by with what they had when he needed a starter. He got Soto for not much but instead of Bedard got Helsley whom he can’t even control for another year. And he gets rid of two years of Butto and Tidwell and Gilbert for two months of a sidearmer?
Then Mendoza. People ain’t stupid, they can comprehend when a team is a popularity contest. Players come off the IL and immediately into the middle of the lineup? Slumping players are benched or moved down? Players busting their ass are sat?
I don’t blame the players completely, but I will say that some of these veteran team leaders are going through the motions, and I wrote that a few weeks ago.
Finally, PLAY THE KIDS! They are your future!
Oh, I have more! McLean should have been up in July, not trying to save a year. Sprout should have been up in August. Why is Holmes still in the rotation? Nimmo is a #6 hitter. Alonso is a #5 hitter… but the team would rather lose than hurt feelings… so they lose.
DeleteAny dialog or questions for moi?
ReplyDeleteGood morning, Mack. Among other things, last year’s team seemed to enjoy playing together a lot more than this team does. Or at least, enjoy playing. It’s almost the same team. Yes, the pitching collapsed en masse this season, but I also wonder what impact Soto has had on team chemistry. He’s put up great numbers, but it was 4 months before he got his first clutch hit (and hasn’t had a “signature” clutch moment all year). I wonder how he and Lindor/Nimmo get along? Soto, for all his talent, doesn’t seem to be as serious about the game as those two (or Pete, or McNeil). Any thoughts on the lack of chemistry we’re seeing this season after all the great vibes last year? It cannot just be about Iglesias.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion it's just not there and it will influence greatly what Alonso and Diaz choose to fo
Deleteto do
DeleteI’d go to tonight’s game but my nephew is getting married. Tong v. deGrom. Wow.
ReplyDeleteGus, I agree. McLean in July, tongue and sprout in August. Pardon my tablets misspellings.
ReplyDeleteMack,
ReplyDeleteDo we need Stearns to add a GM for player evaluations for trades, call-ups, and reassignments to the minors. Let Stearns handle the operations of the team as president? Is that area to address with Cohen?
My guess is that Stearns signed on with contractual assurances that this totally was his show
DeleteMack that's a problem Absolute power corrupts absolutely. SOMEONE HAS TO ANSWER FOR THIS! Not making the playoffs is unacceptable go tell em Steve!
ReplyDeleteI still believe in the Hedge Fund manager
DeleteHe won't sit too much longer on the sidelines though there is a good chance he will wait until the end of the season to fully evaluate this mess
Take a long look at the club House but the team needs to do more than just fire Mendoza. Remember though, there is a real chance at a lockout at the end of next season over a salary cap and the team might not be able to throw money at the problems if hard salary cap is in place, for that would force the team to trade real prospects away in order for another team with cap flexibility to take on Lindor if he is having problems with Soto (for example).
ReplyDelete