1. I think Sandy Alderson got a quick lesson this month on the big-market press. How many times has someone asked you a question and you try and be a little funny? Well, Alderson’s innocent liner on the Jayson Werth signing was turned into bat shit by both the bloggers and beat boys to the extent that he opened his press conference today by saying “no jokes, this is serious business”. Now, isn’t that a one liner also?
2. The Mets signed two players yesterday, C Dusty Somebody and IF Russ Adams. That brings the total of new signings this month to three, the first being the re-signing of minor league AAAA infielder, Jonathan Malo. Trust me, a lot of thought went into these decisions and all three will fill a position void at the AAA-AA level, so time and expense can be concentrated on the prospects at that level playing other positions. That’s how the minors work. Not everybody is going to become a major league star. Most just fill out the lineup cards.
3. Mr. Alderson seems to making sure everyone around him knows that the Mets are not going to have the money to sign a big-time free agent. Now is not the time for a new General Manager to be making stuff like this up and then dropping an FA-bomb on everybody sometime between now and ST. No, what money is available is already penciled in for raises to key current players.
4. I believe he’s telling the truth. There’s enough money to buy one, maybe two players in the $5mil a year range, and possibly one or two more for one third of that each. Everything going on right now in Orlando is way above the pay scales the Mets are carrying right now, and we probably won’t see the first attempts to sign someone until they draft a couple of players out of the Rule V draft on Thursday.
5. The few experts out there on the Mets’ minor league system would all agree on this paragraph. There is help on the way. Not in 2011, but down the road there will be at least five blue chip players that will all be on the 25-man by the end of 2014. They, and one of the positions they may be playing for the Mets then are: SS-3B-OF Wilmer Flores, 3B-OF Aderlin Rodriquez, SP Matt Harvey, SP Jenrry Mejia, and SP-RP-CL Juan Urbina. Three of them may be in Queens by 2012. None will be traded. Mejia may even learn to spell him first name correctly.
6. The Mets will approach the baseball draft as a close relative rather than a distant cousin. You will never see a player like Billy Wagner not be offered arbitration again. Two first round draft picks are not things that should be taken lightly.
7. The top-50 talent laden 2011 MLB draft will produce at least one more blue-chipper for that 2014 team. Maybe two. Paul DePodesta is not going to use the 13th pick overall on some long shot. Look up any draft expert site and cut and paste their top 20 picks in their latest mock draft. One of them is going to be on your team next year.
8. The release of the Mets’ strength coach today is a positive sign that more emphasis is going to be spent on keeping players in shape throughout the year, not just in season. Don’t fault the doctors. Fault the doctors that the Mets sent their players to in the past. Remember, in today’s world, most doctors you see just write you prescriptions and pass you on to specialists if you complain long and hard enough about something. It’s not much different at the pro level. You’re simply going to see a better internal strength program and, an improved group of outsiders (called doctors), that the players will be sent to.
9. None of us are going to like the pace that these guys are producing right now. We’re all used to quicker decisions, without research, and a steady stream of unfamiliar players being dropped off outside the entrance to the St. Lucie lockeroom during spring training. No, there will be far less moves and much more time spent trying to make sure they are the right ones. A starting pitcher here… a couple of relief pitchers there… and maybe a half-way decent catcher to cause a little ST controversy, but that’s about it.
10. And my guess right now… a lot less injuries… a lot more games from Jose and Jason… an early and successful return of Johan… far less walk offs… and no grand slams… oh… and did I tell you about that 1.25 WHIP LOOGY the Mets got playing winter ball right now?
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