By David Rubin
Well, fellow Met fans, it's mid-August and our team is on the cusp of once-again being rendered irrelevant - at least going by traditional standings, with a sub .500 record and major injuries once again having played a huge role in the team's downward trend. However, there IS, indeed, something special about this team, something that hasn't been in evidence since, well, possibly, the 2000 season: GRIT! (No, Charlie Samuels hasn't grabbed soiled, gritty uniforms to sell yet again- think MOXIE!!) Led by manager Terry Collins, a choice that most fans revolted strongly against (you know who you are), this team doesn't quit, doesn't back down, and leaves everything they have on the field, each and every day. This "grit" is not just in evidence on the field - it trickles - no, strike that- it erupts outwardly from the baseball operations team on out, a tribute to the team's reorganization led by General Manager, Sandy Alderson.
There's no need to list the many ways that this team, this organization, is different from those of recent vintage- after all, the season is almost over, and we've all probably read more words about baseball then we'd care to remember. What this time of year DOES bring is three-fold; first, the August 31st Waiver Deadline is a little over 2 weeks away, and it will be interesting to see if Alderson & company are buyers, sellers, or not involved. If they are "buyers' then perhaps a valuable piece for the bullpen can be acquired as part of a cash-dump; if they're "sellers" then there are a few assets that a contending team might want, but I can't see that we'd be able to gain anything useful in the way of players back, so it would signify a minor salary-dump; if they do nothing, then it simply means that there was nothing positive to be gained. We have to give "Team Sandy" great leeway here, as their decent success in the Rule V Draft brought Beato for practically nothing (as well as a good look at a potential bat/second baseman in Emaus) and their aggressive stance in this years recent Amateur Draft (which we'll discuss shortly) provides an excellent insight into their long-range plans. (A few minutes before I began to post this, ESPN's Buster Olney reported that Met starter, Chris Capuano, had cleared waivers and was potential trade-bait for a contender).
Second, the September call-ups are practically packing their bags and headed for "the show" - and that group is rumored to include pitchers Chris Schwinden, Robert Carson and Josh Stinson; catcher Mike Nickeas; infielders Josh Satin (he of the super-hot offensive hand) and Zach Lutz (a perfect Met, seeing as how he is injured all the time, much like Satin); and outfielder Fernando Martinez (who??? - LOL). Unlike in years' past, this is an interesting group of call-ups because a.) it provides some useful parts to add to the already over-taxed bullpen and b.) offers the team a chance to look at Satin in the bigs, where his bat belongs and where, I hope, he finally finds a home. He might be an even better-hitting version of Daniel Murphy, and at worst, if the Mets can't find a place for him in the majors, at least he will be showcased to potentially grab a job with perhaps an AL club (although I truly hope he remains a Met.) Also, what's exciting about this group is that the team isn't rushing any of their top youngsters, like Familia or Harvey, and is allowing them to continue to develop at the proper level, which in itself is very refreshing!
Third, and final, tomorrow marks the last day a team can sign their draft picks from the recent (June) Amateur Draft. Of course, the Mets top pick, Brandon Nimmo, who came from nowhere to become the first top pick from the state of Wyoming (where baseball isn't even played at the high school level), has yet to sign, as have most first rounders as of today. Tomorrow will be a different story, as I have no doubt that the brain-trust is 100% confident that they won't allow the first top draft pick of their regime to head to college, so I'm not really worried about his inevitable signing. What I'm upset about, from a personal standpoint, is that we won't get to see Nimmo (who's been compared to everyone from Von Hayes to Bryce Harper) play for the team this season, something I've been looking forward to greatly since draft-day. Tomorrow will be interesting, as hopefully we'll finally see Nimmo in Met-gear and can start the countdown until he hits the majors, some time around 2014, at best guess.
So take heart, Met fans- we might not be in contention right now, but the organization is in great hands for the first time in many years, the team is fighting still, and remember- the last 3 times that a New York team hired a leader at the urging of their respective commissioners, George Young took over the Giants and the team won 2 Super Bowls; Frank Cashen took over the Mets and won a World Series and contended for many years; and currently, the team hired Alderson and one has to surmise that NY teams are about to be 3 for 3!!
Second, the September call-ups are practically packing their bags and headed for "the show" - and that group is rumored to include pitchers Chris Schwinden, Robert Carson and Josh Stinson; catcher Mike Nickeas; infielders Josh Satin (he of the super-hot offensive hand) and Zach Lutz (a perfect Met, seeing as how he is injured all the time, much like Satin); and outfielder Fernando Martinez (who??? - LOL). Unlike in years' past, this is an interesting group of call-ups because a.) it provides some useful parts to add to the already over-taxed bullpen and b.) offers the team a chance to look at Satin in the bigs, where his bat belongs and where, I hope, he finally finds a home. He might be an even better-hitting version of Daniel Murphy, and at worst, if the Mets can't find a place for him in the majors, at least he will be showcased to potentially grab a job with perhaps an AL club (although I truly hope he remains a Met.) Also, what's exciting about this group is that the team isn't rushing any of their top youngsters, like Familia or Harvey, and is allowing them to continue to develop at the proper level, which in itself is very refreshing!
Third, and final, tomorrow marks the last day a team can sign their draft picks from the recent (June) Amateur Draft. Of course, the Mets top pick, Brandon Nimmo, who came from nowhere to become the first top pick from the state of Wyoming (where baseball isn't even played at the high school level), has yet to sign, as have most first rounders as of today. Tomorrow will be a different story, as I have no doubt that the brain-trust is 100% confident that they won't allow the first top draft pick of their regime to head to college, so I'm not really worried about his inevitable signing. What I'm upset about, from a personal standpoint, is that we won't get to see Nimmo (who's been compared to everyone from Von Hayes to Bryce Harper) play for the team this season, something I've been looking forward to greatly since draft-day. Tomorrow will be interesting, as hopefully we'll finally see Nimmo in Met-gear and can start the countdown until he hits the majors, some time around 2014, at best guess.
So take heart, Met fans- we might not be in contention right now, but the organization is in great hands for the first time in many years, the team is fighting still, and remember- the last 3 times that a New York team hired a leader at the urging of their respective commissioners, George Young took over the Giants and the team won 2 Super Bowls; Frank Cashen took over the Mets and won a World Series and contended for many years; and currently, the team hired Alderson and one has to surmise that NY teams are about to be 3 for 3!!
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