I’ve always prided
myself of having the minor league kid’s backs so I thought the interview had gone
well. We wrapped up with a few follow-up questions and then I was asked if the
interviewer could send me one more. I said sure.
The question basically
asked why I was so down on the Mets, in general, and Sandy
Alderson, in particular. I actually felt insulted. I love the Mets and I
think Alderson has done a great job at
securing Zack Wheeler, Travis
d’Arnaud, and Noah Syndergaard. I can’t
believe this guy thinks I’m dissing the Mets, in general, and Alderson, in
particular.
At this point, I was
reminded of a great book I read back in the 1970s, “How To Negotiate Anything”,
by Herb Cohen. Cohen said “forget the forest
and the trees, sometimes we get stuck on the knot holes.”
I took a mile walk in
the woods (we have woods in South Carolina) and went back to my computer to
read what was said in the interview.
I had pointed out my
general disappointment in Alderson’s first draft in 2011. I did say some nice
things about a couple of the picks, but, in general I said I was very
unimpressed with it.
I got back up on my
Nimmo-horse (boy, this kid must think I hate him), pointing out once more that
you just don’t use a pick that early in the draft on a player with basically no
proven talent.
I said that I didn’t
see one player in the 2012 draft that would make it to the majors someday. It
was pointed out how harsh of a statement that was, giving me the opportunity to
tone it down, which I didn’t.
Internationally wise, I
was equally critical, pointing out the lack of quality signings over the past
two years. I also pointed out what I felt was the absurdity of paying the
number one international bonus in the league to “another shortstop”, Ahmed Rosario, when, at the same time, you under-slot
your first eight picks in the Rule 4 draft.
I reminded everyone
that the team has remained a fourth place club.
And lastly, I spent
time on the debacle we call the 2013 Mets outfield.
I did finish the
interview and, for the sake of honesty, agreed with the writer that my grade
for Alderson would just be passing at this point. I’m not sure when it will
come out, nor am I proud enough of it to link it here.
Look, my hopes over the
years for Mack’s Mets were that other writers would handle the parent club
while I would write exclusively about the kids in the minors. For years, MMs
was just me and the minors.
It’s obvious to me that
I have gotten caught up in all this Fred Wilpon –
Sandy Alderson – Bernie
Madoff bullshit and I need to get back to doing what I do best,
analyzing the kids down on the farm and letting all of you know who you may be
seeing some day. We’ll let the other writers here at MMs talk about Queens and
Company.
This will begin today when I get a chance to see the exhibition game against Washington.
Thank J.P. for the
wake-up call.
9 comments:
i read the interview and thought you were just being honest. Its no secrete that people have an issue with Sandy's drafts. Its funny, in your interview if Kevin Burkhart, you asked him what he felt about the Mets top prospects all coming via trade and none through Sandy's first two drafts...
Kevin replied that he felt it didn't matter. I disagree completely. The closest thing the Mets have to a sure thing from a Alderson draft at this point is Fulmer. I recently looked it up and found that 35 of MLB's top 100 prospects were drafted in the last two years.
Obviously, not all of those prospects were available when the Mets picked, but a bunch were. Some were no brainers like Courtney Hawkings, Matt Barnes, Lucas Giolito, Jackie Bradley, ect...
My point is that if Sandy didn't trade Beltran and R.A. Dickey, then right now people would being going hysterical and rightfully so. He has had two drafts and after over 60 picks he hasn't produced a single player above single A that looks to be a solid major leaguer. Nimmo and Cecchini could changed that perception, but by then, Sandy might not even be the GM anymore. It could take another two years before either one of them reaches double A.
So, if anyone is a loyal reader here, we all know where you stand. We know that you think Sandy has done great in getting the most out of the trades he's made, but also we know that his first two drafts have been complete head scratchers.
With two different first round picks, the Mets could easily have a top five minor league system. Just add Courtney Hawkings and Matt Barnes. Boom...top five minbor league system. You think they have a lot of pitching now, add Barnes to that.
Suddenly, trading jon Niese after this season wouldn't be that big a deal and now you could've gotten a few top outfield prospects or something like that. Theres just no question, with two better drafts, or even just an average 2012 draft, the Mets would've been much better off.
Shit, swap Cecchini for Hawkings and sign Teddy instead of feeding him and his family the b.s, and its a whole different ball game. That underslotting crap is ruining the drafts.
Charles, I agree with your draft assessments 100%. A lot of people like to throw the hindsight is 20/20 argument when it comes to draft picks, but I think all of us here were, (I know I was) were hoping to draft Barnes & Hawkins. Ill even admit I wasnt a huge fan of Harvey when Grandal was one the board and the lack of catching depth in our system, but at this point that one seems to be in our favor. I didnt even mind the under slotting if they truly were going to use that additional money to sign players that slipped (Gallo, McCullers, etc) but they didnt sign Teddy S and basically pocketed the money as well.
If they drafted someone like Phil Ervin with the 11th pick and signed him for undershot and used that money to draft a guy like Kohl Stewart with the 46th who may drop due to sign ability (football) and go overslot with him to get him in our system, that would make us very happy. I'm not saying Stewart will be around at 46, but you get my point. Someone that normally would have been drafted will slip there (Josh Bell, Lance McCullers, Zachary Lee) can drop for various reasons and if they were going underslot at the 11th pick, I'd hope it was to get some big time players later in the draft.
Kohl now has some ticky-tacky injury problems, but I think he'll be gone in the first round.
If you read the interview I did, and checked out the numbers the Mets handed out, it simply made no sense to me.
8 underslots to sign Oswalt for, what, $400K above slot?
I know nothing about Oswalt, but you're right, it makes no sense at all. I've argued numerous times about that damn 2012 draft. What the heck were they thinking? Forget Cecchini; Pawlecki, Reynolds, and Kaupe??? KAUPE!!! You must do better with your first five rounds then that.
Who am I somewhat excited about? Nido, Flexen, and maybe Koch, but that's it. They shit all over this draft. They had Ruben Tejada who was 22 at the time of this draft. A young and damn good SS who's getting better every year. Why the hell pick Cecchini unless its ALL about saving money.
This draft was a disgrace and it better be much different in 2013. I think at the time they really must have been hurting for funds. It's the only reason you'd make such a safe pick money wise and the only reason to let Teddy go over 60,000 bucks. Money was an issue, they couldn't afford to take a chance signing a player like Hawkings and have him demanding a tremendous over slot bonus and yet also could t afford to not sign the first rounder because even though you get the pick back in the next draft, you only get a portion of the allotment money.
So they went safe, signed a kid for under slot, and let the second rounder walk instead. Luckily, because if the blogging community and fans being increasingly aware of the draft now, they'll be forced to make a solid pick this year; especially after the Bourn situation.
Charles:
Teams would kill to consistently develop three draft picks a year into successful 25-man players.
Just three.
Sandy Alderson is running the club like a true businessman. Via trades, and lack of boneheaded, long-term contracts, he has put the club in a position to compete for a long time. The past 2 years drafts currently are not showing much promise. But at the same time I feel that could potentially change in a year or 2 if some of these guys develop the way they are hoping they do. With that said I feel it is too early to give a grade on Alderson's first two drafts as a lot could change in the next couple of years.
Your so right. It's early, very early, to make a definitive judgment on his two drafts. That said, that does not change the fact that there was better choices.
well said, JHernandez
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