Let’s Give Credit When Credit Is Due

Let’s face it. There was more complaining on Mets blogs this off-season about Omar Minaya, Fred Wilpon, and Jerry Manuel than what’s being said right now about Tony Heyward. That being said, the Mets are currently tied in the loss column for first place and, though it seems sometimes this is all being done with tricks and mirrors, the fact remains that it IS being done.


We get pretty prospect crazy here, and every major Mets blog now seems to have a minor league section, but let’s take a closer look at the team Omar &Company built this year and just where all this good is coming from:


OF Jason Bay - .283/.367/.433 – yes, he could be hitting a few more home runs, but this has been a quality pickup who will be around for a long time. Great teammate, super locker room guy, team player, Met fan.


1B – Ike Davis - .262/.347/.460, 8-HR, 23-RBI – home bred… drafted by Omar, promoted by Omar. Currently projected as runner-up for ROY. Another quality character guy.


C – Rod Barajas - .257/.280/.492/11-HR – I was there the day the Mets signed him and everybody was shaking their head… except Omar and Jerry. Will never win an OBP title, but who cares. The pitchers love him and the 11 home runs sure have helped.


OF – Chris Carter - .250/.286/.500 – the Mets have finally found the quality pinch hitter they have been looking for since Rusty Staub retired. Second on the team in slugging percentage.


RP – Elmer Dessens – 1-1, 1.04 – resigned this year when nobody believed in him but management. Has especially been a plus with K-Rod struggling a little.


SP – R.A. Dickey – 4-0, 2.78 – I remember the first workout for pitchers and catchers and one of the cameramen asked me who was the guy with the beard and weird delivery. No one thought a knuckleballer would make this team, but this guy would give Mike Pelfrey a run for his money right now for player of the year.


RP – Manny Acosta – 1-1, 3.00 – another reject, Omar & Company recognized the potential here… ask any Atlanta Braves player and they will tell you that he had the best stuff on their team last year.


RP – Jenrry Mejia – 0-2, 3.38 – completely playing out of position and promoted from kindergarten straight to high school. Credit Jerry for this one and, though I and most of America wish he was still a starter, this has been a positive move by the Mets.


SP – Hisanori Takahaski – 5-2, 3.48 – can you believe that, with the return of John Maine, the Mets are actually going to drop someone from the rotation with a 5-2, 3.48 record. I credit Takahaski and Dickey for the turnaround.


I, like many Mets pundits, don’t want to speculate whether this resurgence is an aberration. I want to see the team go once more around the division before I start quoting magic numbers.


But, even the bloggers who have derogatory statements about either Mets ownership or ownership, in the title of their blog, have to admit that maybe, just maybe, everybody in Willets Point should be given kudos for what’s going on right now.