Mets 2013 Awards Pt. 2

Last week, I gave out some awards to Mets players in the 2013 season for reasons both good and bad. Here is part 2.

The Rising Star Award- Zack Wheeler

Another no brainer. Half of the 2013 season was spent waiting for Wheeler's Super 2 date to pass and when it did, we weren't disappointed. Now, Wheeler wasn't demolishing opposing lineups and making us forget about Matt Harvey. He gave up 10 homers and struggled with his location at times. He also has to reign in his off speed pitches to make sure he isn't just a fastball or 2 pitch pitcher. But a 3.42 ERA is pretty good and you can tell that this kid belongs. With Matt Harvey now getting Tommy John Surgery, Wheeler becomes the only young ace in Queens. Look for him to take the leap next year and give the #2 starter this team needs to make any noise in 2014.

The Good Riddance Award- Frank Francisco

Terrible teammate, terrible signing and a terrible pain in our collective behinds. The best thing he did this year was  stay away for as long as he did. The bullpen performed better than any of us could have imagined this year. With contributors like Scott Rice filling in a spot where Frank Francisco might have occupied had he been healthy. Bobby Parnell was also free to handle the 9th all on his own without the fear of being yanked for Francisco. Sandy Alderson has expressed interest in shoring up the bullpen. Let Frank Francisco be a lesson learned. Stay away from goons like this.

The "Where Did You Come From?" Award- Jenrry Mejia

It is odd how we sort of forgot about Jenrry Mejia. He was supposed to be the next big thing years ago and he has been overshadowed by Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler. Until he got his shot to pitch this year. Mejia, though cut short by bone spurs in his arm, was pretty amazing. His pitch location looked miles ahead of where it was when we saw him struggle in the bullpen all those years ago. Hopefully, Mejia removes the lost cause mindset some might have had for him and stays healthy to contribute to a roster that seemed to forget all about him.

The "You're Killing Me, Smalls!" Award- Daniel Murphy

Something strange happened at the beginning of the season. We praised Daniel Murphy for his defense! He actually looked like a competent fielder at a position that seemed impossible for him all of 2012. Well, the other thing that happened was that Murphy regressed and put up 16 errors and a -16 in defensive runs saved. Not exactly signs of improvement. What I find interesting is that no one tries harder than Murphy and he struggles in the field, whereas Robinson Cano seems indifferent to his fielding and makes some very effective plays. Ironic, no? There were some plays that certainly had all Mets fans shaking their heads. His only saving grace is that the offensive numbers are there. It is certainly possible that the Mets try to deal his bat to improve the outfield, but the options behind him are found wanting on defense as well.

 

Mack Ade – AM Report – 8-1-13 – Trade Deadline, Jenrry Mejia, Frank Francisco

So, wasn’t ‘Trade Deadline Day’ fun? Did you notice the title included the word ‘dead’?

I want to reiterate something I have brought up a number of times over the past couple of years.

I had the pleasure of working as a local sports reporter here in South Carolina and covered the high schools in both Beaufort and Jasper County. In addition, as most of you know, I have written about potential high school seniors and college juniors eligible each year for the baseball draft.

I’ve watched this game change over the past ten years in so many ways, but, there are two areas that stand out as major changes in a sport that basically went down the same path for decades.

First, the African-American athletes have begun to return to a sport that they seemed to have abandoned after the 1960s. I first saw it here in rural high schools that, ten years ago, had a hard time finding nine players to even show up for tryouts. The dreams of stardom and big money were always through either basketball or football and the limited coaching staffs that doubled and tripled up coaching different sports at these schools, pointed their best athletes in the direction of the sports that were more attractive to the administration, the family of the players, and the community in general.

Remember… I live in the south. This is ‘Friday Night Lights’ territory.

Baseball has made a comeback for a number of reasons. One, is the potential of bigger money than either football or basketball. Another is, two baseball players never run into each other on purpose, and smash each other head to head.

The injuries for high school football alone have changed the direction of how families plan their more talented son’s extra-curricular activities will be and the winner of this new direction is now sports like soccer, track and field, and baseball.

I’ve also watched baseball itself change regardless of race. Coaches are defining talent as early as grade school on teams usually coached by one of the fathers of the more gifted players. The one constant you see is the most talented (and tallest) of these ballplayers are sent to the pitcher’s mound rather than become positional players.

How does this translate into what happened… or in the case of yesterday, what didn’t happen, on Draft Day?

Well, the talent base for this sport has simply become more as a pitcher. The 40-home run, 120-RBI stud has frankly always been the exception rather than the norm, but he’s now almost an endangered species.

Ballplayers aren’t coming out of high school as talents pitchers… they’re going into their schools already with trophies on their bedroom dressers. Every neighborhood team only has so many great athletes and, if coaches direct that talent in the direction of pitching, that’s where the team’s talent will lie.

The domino effect is better pitching, less hitting in, first, high school, and then, college and now it seems that everybody over the height of 6-2 is a pitcher (actually, at last count, there were only three right-handed starters in baseball under 6-1).

Every professional baseball team is now building their future around, first, young pitching, and secondly, draft picks and international free agents that they have financial control of for a number of years. Teams simply are not giving up their young prospects as easily as they have in the past and the result is less deals on days like yesterday.

There always will be trades and there will always be an off-season you can sign a free agent, but the success of your team will primarily be based on how well you stock your team in the beginning, rather than on days like yesterday.

 

From Andy Martino –

“When I came here in September last year, Dan Warthen showed me how to throw a slider,” said a beaming  Jenrry Mejia, back in a major league clubhouse. “Then I threw it in winter ball. And now I throw it perfect.” That might read like a boast, but he said it with glee, not swagger.  After posting a 5.62 ERA last September, then missing most of the first half this year with discomfort in his forearm and elbow (he needs offseason surgery, but does not consider it major), Mejia seemed cooked for good.  And, according to organizational sources, he had Frank Francisco advising him to stay in Port St. Lucie and collect his big league D.L. money, rather than work to return and be optioned to the minors. It impressed the Mets when Mejia opted to tune out Francisco.  At one point, staff down in Port St. Lucie began mentioning Wheeler and Harvey as motivation; “three years ago, you were the guy, not Harvey and Wheeler” coaches told him.  “Show us you’re still in that league.”

Is this true? Can someone check this out and get another source on Francisco? I know I have been told that he just dogged it through the extended camp all season, plus another ‘source’ told me he has been a very bad influence on prospect pitcher Hansel Robles. Why do you release a team player like Shaun Marcum and keep this piece of roak kill in your camp? Just write him a check and take him out to I95 and send him on his way.

 

One more thing about Mejia, especially if you are unhappy with the results of the MLB trading deadline day. The addition of Jenrry Mejia on the 25-man has come out of nowhere and, frankly, it would have cost this team at least one quality player to get someone with this kind of talent. Everything gets easier once this rotation is completed. Mejia would be the 3^rd starter that sits 95+ (Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler) and would leave only two slot left for the (Jon Niese, Dillon Gee, Jeremy Hefney, Carlos Torres, Jake deGrom) five guys that will come to camp next April. Then, around July, both Rafael Montero and Noah Syndergaard could be ready and able. It seems to me that Niese and Syndergaard are the favorites to finish out the ‘dream rotation’ (can you find a better SP5 in the league than Niese?) we have all dream about. Yes, there is still plenty of work to do regarding the other 20 players, but seven of them will be relieve pitchers that will also be dominated from this talent pool. Now, all you have to do is start spending some of that $40-50mil you’ll have laying around in the off season on every day players.

Kip Wells, Frank Francisco, 2014 Draft, $1 for Facebook Post?

The Mets are interested in signing RHP Kip Wells to a minor league contract, reports Evan Drellich of MLB.com.

Kip Wells?  Is this the same Kip Wells that has a lifetime 4.71-ERA while giving up 635-BB and 151-HR in 1338.1-IP? And, he only produced 963-Ks. Wells would pitch 2013 as a 36-year old and went 4.58 last year for San Diego. He’s consistent ff he’s one thing.

I know I keep playing the same song, but, if 2013 is the set-up year for 2014 (which looks like the beginning of a new era for the Mets) than why not pitch Jenrry Mejia so we can see what we have?

If not, fine… but at least sign someone that had an ERA below 4.00 later than 2003.

Dan Martin  wrote:

Sandy Alderson isn’t making any promises about making any significant additions before Opening Day, but he also didn’t give a ringing endorsement of Frank Francisco as the Mets’ closer this season. When asked yesterday if he was confident in Francisco going forward finishing games, the Mets general manager paused before answering. “Confident? I’m willing,” Alderson said. “There’s still a lot out there and we’re looking.”

You’d like to think that the back end of the Mets bullpen is set with Francisco and Bobby Parnell; however, regardless how well he does, Francisco is gone come 2014. I’d like to think that the future closer could come from the organization and we need to keep an eye on pitchers like Jenrry Mejia, Jeurys Famila, Ryan Fraser, Jeff Walters, Adam Kolarek, and Jack Leathersich. These are the pitchers that have the chance to make the 2014 pen.

For the record, Fernando Cabrera led Buffalo with 22 saves, while Robert Carson led a bunch of guys in Binghamton with nine.

I don’t have to remind you that there is very little going down regarding the Mets these days. I used to have five different subjects in my 8am post every day. I’m now down to four and that’s getting hard to even do. I also write for www.bigleaguefutures.com which is draft related. I’ve been working on the upcoming draft and talking to some of the pundits out there regarding which team will do what and the word is that the 2014 draft is going to be an outstanding one for pitchers. Remember what I said.

What just happened?  I was sending one of the baseball prospects a message on Facebook and when I clicked on “send” it asked me if I wanted to proceed for the cost of $1. Is sending a message on Facebook a money making venture now? Did I miss the memo? And, since it was being sent to an amateur baseball player, does this violate his amateur status (just kidding)? Of cource I didn’t send the buck so I have no idea if the money would have gone to Facebook or the person I was emailing. Can someone explain what this is all about?

I May Be Wrong, But… Frank Francisco, Chris Young, Johan Santana, Vinnie Rottino

I May Be Wrong, But… Frank Francisco, Chris Young, Johan Santana, Vinnie Rottino 

 • I’m just not sold yet on Frank Francisco. He looks a lot like K-Rod on the mound, but the ball just doesn’t get to the plate as fast. He admits that he’s currently not 100%, but who says they are at this point in the pre-season? He told a New Jersey newspaper that he likes when the opponents have a big inning because that means he will be coming in. First, that’s bullshit. Closers come in when opponents don’t catch up and you have the lead. They also come in mostly when an inning begins. Someone needs to sit Frank2 down and explain what his job is.

 • I’m thrilled that reports say that Young may sign with the Mets sometime next week. I assume it is a minor league deal that would allow him to attend camp in April and rehab in May. This could be the replacement for Mike Pelfrey come June. Monday’s Matt Harvey outing has slowed down the chants of his arrival, and Miguel Batista and Chris Schwinden could hold down the fort in April. Young also brings an immediate upgrade in your rotation and sets up a 2013 opening day rotation of Johan Santana, Jon Niese, Young, Harvey, and Jeurys Familia. Sweet.

 • I never thought the world would ever see Johan Santana throw a baseball 86 times on the same day. That alone is a victory, but his rebounding from a bad start was old-Johan. I don’t know what Coach Dan said to him when he came to the mound, but it sure worked. Big, big news. Much bigger than the return of David Wright.

 • Vinnie Rottino had two more hits on Monday. This is my kind of utility player. He can play either corner outfield position, third, first, and he can catch.

New York Mets Spring Training: 10 Players to Watch - Part Two

In the first portion of this three part series, we examined three starting pitchers that need to be monitored closely this month. For the second part, we take a look at four more players. They will be divided into two bullpen pitchers and two bench players.


4) Bobby Parnell- Last season, Parnell was supposed to be the closer of the future. He had to share the job of ending games with Jason Isringhausen after the team traded K-Rod in July. He still may have the triple digit fastball to get the job done, but the 2011 season proved that he lacks the edge a closer so desperately needs.

With six blown saves in twelve chances last season, Parnell showed he doesn't have the metal to be the dominant closer. The team brought in two pitchers (one will be discussed in a minute) to try and fill that very big void. So what happens to Parnell? It will depend on how manager Terry Collins decides to use him.

If he platoons him with Jon Rauch as the setup man in the eight inning, it will most likely be when Rauch fills in for the new closer Frank Francisco in the ninth, when Rauch needs a rest or when the match up favors Parnell and the Mets. Otherwise, his 3.64 ERA, 60 hits and 29 runs in 59 innings pitched earned him a shared role this season again.


5) Frankie Francisco- The new acquisition to fill the ninth inning role left behind from the departure of Francisco Rodriguez is aptly named Frankie Frank. With the same name twice, the Mets hope he is twice as good as their options in the second half last season. Francisco had 17 saves last season in 21 opportunities for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2011.

He shared the role with Jon Rauch last season. Therefore, sharing it again this season with the same pitcher but for another team should not be that different. His comfort level should be solid entering this year for that reason alone. Normally, when a player enters a new clubhouse, there will be a period of adjustment. In this case, he will see at least one familiar face.

The issue to watch with him in March will be his health. He has missed 94 games in the past three years, including last season. He has not pitched a full season in a very long time. The Mets coaching staff will be trying to get him better conditioned to prepare to handle a full-time closer role as healthy as possible.


6) Josh Satin- Last September, the Mets and their fans were enamored with the arrival of Josh Satin. It was almost a Lee Mazzilli-esque type scenario in that Satin was embraced immediately. The trouble is that he did not do too well in that debut. The former minor league player of the year hit .200 with five hits, three RBI and one double in 15 games.

Hardly impressive. Still, it was just a small sample of his ability. He did well in the field and started to pick it up offensively at the end of his stint. This season, he is expected by many to make the team as a bench player when they break from Spring Training. If he has a bad month, he very well may not make the cut.

If he has a great showing, he can solidify himself on the roster and perhaps compete for a starter spot later in the season. With all that said, Satin is a players capable of fielding multiple positions and is the type of player Terry Collins cherishes.

The main question with him this month will be how he has matured as a hitter. Will that experience last season help his confidence or hurt it? Time will tell but we will find out in the next few weeks.


7) Kirk Neiuwenhuis- After a shoulder injury shut him down last season in Triple-A, Neiuwenhuis is healthy and eager to prove he is ready to live up to the comparisons to Jim Edmonds. That is not too unfair of a comparison. He has tremendous athleticism and range in the field to go with solid gap power at the plate.

The problem is that unless Andres Torres falters in Spring Training and he explodes onto the scene, he will most likely begin the year in Buffalo. Reserve outfielder Scott Hairston is still battling his oblique injury, but even if Haiston misses time, Neiuwenhuis will not be a backup.

The team wants him to get used to playing full-time as he will most likely have that role at some point in Queens. Therefore, Triple-A makes the most sense. The future is not too far off, however. We could be talking about him this time next year as the starting CF.

His only job this March will be to make the Mets decision that more difficult.




****Look for the final part tomorrow****

Mets: Frank Francisco, Michael Fulmer, Gary Carter, Matt Harvey

Frank Francisco - Let's welcome Frankie Frank to the team, especially since he saves us from the heartburn Captain Fastball was set to provide us. Now Bobby Parnell isn't even second on the bullpen depth chart. Suddenly, the team has a capable closer, and an obvious handcuff in Ramon Ramirez. It's the perfect setup for a late-draft strategy. Draft Francisco late and enjoy his dominance of the weaker league -- and his first time calling a non-bandbox home -- and keep an eye out for Ramirez, who will be interesting when Francisco takes his yearly vacation on the disabled list. He's going with the 234th pick (ranked 317th) and should rack up 30 saves and nice ratios. http://www.amazinavenue.com/2012/2/14/2795663/fantasy-mets

 2-10-12 - http://seedlingstostars.com/2012/02/10/s2s-2012-team-prospect-lists-new-york-mets/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter   - Starting Pitcher #4 : Michael Fulmer. The 44th overall pick in 2011, Fulmer is a high school righthander with a solid fastball/curve combination. For what it’s worth, he struck out ten of the 31 batters he faced in the GCL in his pro debut. He’s far away from the majors and doesn’t project as a front-of-the-rotation guy, but if things go well, he could be a mid-rotation workhorse. Grade: B

Howard Johnson remembers Gary Carter standing on the dugout steps in the 10th inning of Game 6 of the 1986 World Series before he sparked the Mets’ famous rally against the Red Sox. “He said, ‘There’s no way I’m going to make the last out of the World Series,’ ” Johnson said after the Hall of Fame catcher died yesterday at 57. “And with Gary, more than just about anyone else, you believed him. He was the ultimate competitor.” And it was that fighting spirit that he brought to his battle against the brain cancer. “If you could mold yourself after one person, both as an individual and an athlete, it should be Gary Carter,” said another former Mets’ teammate, Wally Backman, now the manager at Triple-A Buffalo. “He was the guy. He was the perfect combination of a great player but an even better person. There was no one I would rather have as a teammate. … He was like a big brother to me.”  http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/mets/remembered_as_warrior_on_the_field_4OevssOLDncHIcP1reKDXO#ixzz1mdvhHs1U

Matt Harvey wants to take it slow this spring: Keep the expectations modest and hope for the best. Cracking the rotation is not an option for the Mets’ 2010 top draft choice, but showing the organization enough to maybe earn a promotion to Triple-A Buffalo isn’t out of the question. Whatever the case, Harvey is out to demonstrate that his struggles last summer, after jumping from Single-A St. Lucie to Double-A Binghamton, were more about nerves than ability. “I think I put a little too much pressure on myself moving up,” said Harvey, who finished 5-3 with a 4.53 ERA in 12 starts at Double-A. http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/mets/harvey_measuring_his_expectations_2tuNFZ39HjzOMhhlLYXw6M#ixzz1mdwDPnt7

Mets: Mets Payroll, Frank Francisco, Albert Cordero, Chase Huchingson, Matt Harvey

Late last month, ESPN New York's Adam Rubin reported that the Mets are facing the largest one-year payroll cut in major-league history, at least in terms of total dollars. With owners Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz deprived of the profits they derived from decades of investing with Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff, and struggling to find minority partners willing to provide a quick infusion of capital, the team is hemorrhaging money and facing a growing mountain of debt. According to general manager Sandy Alderson, the Mets lost $70 million last year, and made no real attempt to retain pending free agents Carlos Beltran (who was traded in midseason) or Jose Reyes (who departed for the Marlins in December). Barring even one additional midlevel signing, they could become the first team to drop $50 million in salary from one Opening Day to the next http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=15956

Frank Francisco was brought in to be the Mets' closer, and Jon Rauch made the trip from Toronto with him to set-up. At 32, Francisco still has a lively fastball and can rack up the strikeouts, though home runs are a bit of a problem. Rauch and Ramon Ramirez, the other guy in the Andres Torres trade, will compete for 8th inning duties. Ramirez has the better stats across the board and could be a value pick in leagues that count holds. 27 year-old fireballer Bobby Parnell, who was viewed as the closer-in-waiting before Alderson acquired Francisco, is still an intriguing option if you're chasing strikeouts but don't mind taking a hit to the rate stats. http://www.faketeams.com/2012/2/6/2769925/2012-fantasy-baseball-mlb-real-teams-preview-new-york-mets  

C Albert Cordero - Obviously I’m a big fan of Cordero after his impressive 2011 season. Although, to be more specific I should say his wildly impressive second half. In fact, at the all star break the 21-yr old backstop was batting an anemic .219 with a .585 OPS and a K% nearing a brutal 23%. That’s when the Venezuelan native made some adjustments to his approach, utilizing a more conservative plan of attack at the dish. Suddenly he began making modest gains in walks while making much more significant cuts in strikeouts. This allowed his excellent natural power to begin coming through as his SLG rose each month as his K% fell. And while his all-around performance at the plate blossomed, his excellent defensive potential continued to shine through behind it. He would gun down 40% (24 of 60) base stealers while displaying excellent footwork/quickness. http://www.amazinavenue.com/2012/2/6/2768128/2012-amazin-avenue-mets-top-50-prospect-15-11

2-6-12: - mlb  - Chase Huchingson, LHP: The 22-year-old converted outfielder produced a strong year in the South Atlantic League, posting a 1.82 ERA in a swingman role that saw him compile 84 innings in 27 appearances (eight starts). At 6-foot-5 and 200 pounds, Huchingson's outfielder frame translates very well to the mound where he works with a low-90s fastball and a rapidly improving breaking pitch. Huchingson also kept the ball in the yard, allowing just one home run all season

2-6-12: - http://www.faketeams.com/2012/2/6/2775041/fantasy-baseball-spotlight-new-york-mets  - Rookie Watch: Matt Harvey, SP - The Mets have been famously impatient with prospects and that process may have ruined guys like Fernando Martinez or Jenrry Mejia. That shouldn't be a problem with Harvey who will be turning 23 just before the start of the season. He was the 7th overall pick in 2010 and last season was his first in the minor leagues. He was dominant at high-A, throwing 76 innings and striking out 92 batters while walking only 24. He moved up to AA Binghamton and while he wasn't as dominating (more walks, less strikeouts) he was still pretty good, especially for his age. The Mets are starting a youth movement and Harvey and Zach Wheeler (acquired for Carlos Beltran last year, 6th overall pick in 2009) are at the forefront of that movement. I personally like Wheeler more, but the right-handed Harvey should be up first... maybe soon enough to be worth rostering this season.

Mets: Jeurys Familia, Robert Carson, Frank Francisco, Matt Harvey, John Maine

1-26-12: - http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/prospects/watch/y2012/index.jsp?partnerId=aw-6182194846943667814-996  - Scouting report: As the strikeout rate attests, Jeurys Familia has one of the best power arms in the Mets’ system. He runs his fastball easily into the upper 90s. He’s still more arm strength than anything else, but his success in Double-A shows that his secondary pitches are improving. His breaking ball should be an average pitch and his changeup, while clearly his third pitch, can keep hitters honest at times. He improved his walk rate, and the hope is his overall command will continue to get better.

1-23-12 - http://www.amazinavenue.com/2012/1/23/2693134/2012-amazin-avenue-top-50-mets-prospects  #45) LHP Robert Carson - Was I happy to see the AFL radar gun hitting 97mph this fall? Of course. Do I love his combination of size and power stuff from the left side? Who wouldn't. But ultimately, Carson has got to do something to stay up on these lists and frankly, in the past three seasons he hasn't. While it's fair to say that he was likely moved too fast, a couple of 5+ ERA's the last two years paired with consistently high walk rates, surprisingly low K-rates and ballooning opp. averages doesn't add up to a top prospect regardless of velocity or handedness. Add in the fact that his secondary offerings haven't developed as planned and it's hard to stay high on a guy who is pretty much hanging his hat on one superb season in rookie-ball almost five years ago.

Frank Francisco was, of course, signed for two years by the Mets to be the team’s closer, a role which he filled briefly in both Toronto and Texas. The fact that he doesn’t have a long track record of saves doesn’t bother me in the least, and there’s not much reason to believe he’ll struggle in the role over the next couple of seasons. It’s worth noting that Francisco held a 126 ERA+ over the past four years thanks in large part to the hitter-friendly environments in which he pitched. As a 32-year-old relief pitcher, he also figures to be a potential trade chip either this season or next since the Mets picked him up for a reasonable $6 million per year. http://www.amazinavenue.com/2012/1/27/2752625/2012-mets-player-profile-frank-francisco

1-27-12: - http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=6509  - 1. RHP Matt Harvey -Baseball-Reference Player Profile - Harvey was a 2006 PG/Aflac All-American and potential first round pick out of a Connecticut high school in 2007 but turned down a chance at a seven figure bonus to pitch for North Carolina. He was immediately tabbed as the potential first overall pick in the 2010 draft but struggled with consistency and command for his first two years at UNC before regaining his prospect status as a junior. The Mets picked him seventh overall and signed him to a $2.525M bonus just prior to the deadline. As should be expected (but doesn’t always happen) for a polished top college draft pick, Harvey started 2011 in Hi A and cruised through the Florida State League, then performed almost as well in the second half of the season in AA. He finished with a 13-5, 3.32 record in 135 innings, with only 47 walks and 156 Ks. Harvey throws a heavy low to mid-90s fastball and does a very good job of working down in the strike zone with the pitch. One of his distinguishing traits is that he’s able to hold his top velocity all the way through pitch counts and will often hit 95-96 mph late in games. Harvey’s top secondary pitch is a low-80s slider that has good depth and bite and is his primary strike out pitch. His curveball is primarily a show me type pitch for strikes and his change up is beginning to develop.

Honestly, we are trying to be positive. But, day after day, the Red Sox are making it very difficult not to be at least puzzled by these off-season moves. Tonight, the Red Sox signed journeyman pitcher John Maine to a minor league contract. Are you kidding me? This guy was jettisoned by the Orioles and the Mets. Maine does have fewer hits than innings pitched over his seven-year career, but he's a mediocre pitcher with a 4.35 ERA and is injury-prone. His career WHIP is 1.339. Come on. http://www.fenwaynation.com/2012/01/forget-maine.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Ignorance can be bliss for the Mets brass

The New York Mets are a team that is in transition. The only problem is that everyone knows it except them. Off the field, they added a financial consultant this week, but claim this is not an indication of a pending bankruptcy or sale.

On the field, they are just as oblivious. While teams around them in the division continue to get better, they make small, under-the-radar type moves to "tweak" their roster slightly. It's almost as if they feel their team is just a set up pitcher or two away from glory.

They added depth in the bench this past week by re-signing Scott Hairston and adding Ronny Cedeno. They made a big trade last month when they dealt Angel Pagan for Andres Torres and Ramon Ramirez. In addition to this, they added free agents Jon Rauch and Frankie Francisco all in an attempt to secure that bullpen.

Depending on the report you believe, Johan Santana may or may not be ready anywhere between Spring Training and  the All-Star game. Ike Davis is returning healthy. along with Daniel Murphy and David Wright. This trio could be potent. In fact, the offense with them, Lucas Duda and an improved Jason Bay could score some more runs this year since the Mets brought the fences in a little more over this off-season.

With all of this, the Mets must be banking on a resurgence of health and improved play from their embattled roster and, therefore, must feel they don't need to make a big splash to improve things. With Sandy Alderson rebuilding the farm system and working with such limited funds, it falls on the executive administration to recognize that this team is in rebuilding mode.

If that is the case, they need to be doing more than trading a disgruntled outfielder like Pagan or refuse to re-sign a spark plug player like Jose Reyes. They need to admit they are rebuilding and trade other key pieces to their roster.

Players like Mike Pelfrey, R.A. Dickey, Jon Niese, Daniel Murphy and David Wright are all players they have to dangle to other teams. They all have trade value and can get some good talent back for the club right now. The fact that they are not interested in dealing any of these players says that they want this team to be competitive this year. There's a very fine line there.

If they want a competitive team this year, they need to spend on more than a Scott Hairston or a Jeremy Hefner. They need to go after a Ryan Madsen or a Coco Crisp. They have to spend money on talent. Otherwise, they are publicly admitting they think they are "good enough". If that's the case, this Mets brass is delusional.

A team that finished 25 games behind the Phillies needs more than Ronny Cedeno. They need more than a healthy Ike Davis too. They need to be deep and talented at every position. That's not the case here. This roster still has holes on the depth chart.

If the Mets brass truly believes they are a healthy Johan Santana away from contention, then a baseball I.Q. test may be required. That and a senility test. Either way, they have to know they are not close to a pennant. If that is the truth, why not just admit they are rebuilding and go full force into that plan?

If they do that, the fans would respect them a little more for their honesty. Also, they would be in a better position to build their system up for the future based on the players they would be giving up. It would force them to use younger players that may be ready for the Majors as well.

Their main fear for not doing this would have to be that they think it will lose fans and cause seats to be even more empty. Last time I checked, an average Mets game last year had a few thousand empty seats. That really will not be as much of a factor as they think.

In the end, the Mets seem deliriously blissful to be digging in the bargain basement bin for their next bench or bullpen option. After all, they must be a lot closer to the playoffs than the rest of us think.

Frank Gray - Mets Aren't Fruits or Nuts, They're Bargain Hunting

The New York Mets were recently described as the "fruits and nuts" of the league by Scott Boras. It was a description that resonated in a bad way with some optimistic fans. What he was saying is that they used to be big time spenders in the Winter Meetings and free agency but now they are reduced to making questionable and cheaper moves.

I don't think his analogy was all that bad, as it does hold a measure of truth, but I choose to think of the Mets in a different way these days. They're shopping in the giant, overloaded cheap bin of the store. Let me explain. Free agency is a lot like shopping.

These days, we can all relate to that. With the holidays upon us, it's a time to spend money we really don't have and don't want to part with on people we rarely see and will end up not liking the gift anyway. Sound familiar Mets fans?

A team decides to address needs. They don't have the money and their fans are not showing up to the brand new ballpark. So they go bargain hunting for the best deal they can afford. They have to buy so much for so little that there is no possible way they could know where to start.

When they get what they need the most, the people they are buying for (aka the fans) don't like it. They say "I loved Pagan, why those dumb owners trade him?". And "Frankie Frank? That's our upgrade?" They are relatively never satisfied. But to gain a better understanding of the presents, let's see where the Mets are shopping at, shall we?

They go to the big bin in the middle of the store. You know the one. It's bigger than your kid and almost bigger than you. It's overflowing with everything you can imagine: toys, games, makeup, appliances, remote controlled gadgets, etc. The really cool stuff (and the most expensive) is at the very top.

Sitting atop the massive heap of holiday joy. The Mets can't afford a $15 million toaster, so they dig deeper. There are movies, can-openers and stuffed South Park dolls in the next layer. The Mets can't afford a $10 million Cartman doll so they keep digging.

Finally, they get to the bottom of the bin. Everything is marked with a bright red "clearance" sticker. There's Halloween candy from 2009, cans of cat food with expiration dates from last month and box of band-aids. The Mets can afford a box of band-aids for around, oh let's say, $3.5 million.

This accomplishes two things for them. They have a present and they didn't break their piggy bank to get it. While fans would love for them to have gone after the toaster (a top player like Jose Reyes or Jonathan Papelbon) or the Cartman doll (a middle salary player like Grady Sizemore and Joe Nathan), the Mets had to financially settle with a box of band-aids (Frank Francisco or Jon Rauch).

These aren't bad purchases. They do stop the bleeding of a terrible bullpen, after all. But fans will always see this offseason as the day we lost our beloved Jose Reyes and Angel Pagan.

They will view Andres Torres and Ramon Ramirez as the pink bunny suit in "A Christmas Story". Like Ralphie, fans will never like it or accept it, no matter the thought that went into it. Let's remember as fans that the Mets are in bargain hunting mode these days.

The era of breaking the bank for that brand new car with a big red bow on it are long gone. Of the last two new cars they bought, one is on the DL and the other can't hit home runs as frequently. While they are both good players, they aren't helping the team in their current state.

Don't look for the Mets to go down that road under its current administration. In fact, this Mets brass will be clipping coupons and diving into clearance bins. That's the way it's going to be for a while.

All we can do as fans is be thankful we're still getting presents.

Taking a Lap Around The Pen

The 2012 Mets are a bit of an enigma right now. Are they rebuilding? Are they trying to compete? Are they just treading water? One area I'm not terribly concerned with is the bullpen. Sure we don't have a closer and the most steady arm is over 37 years old... I think they'll be fine.

Current Depth Chart:

1. Bobby Parnell (R)
2. Manny Acosta (R)
3. Tim Byrdak (L)
4. Taylor Buchholz (R) [Non-Tender Possibility]
5. Pedro Beato (R)
6. D.J. Carrasco (R)
7. Daniel Herrera (L)
8. Josh Stinson (R)
9. Pat Misch (L)

What are we missing? Assuming that Byrdak and Herrera are both fine for 2012... a closer. The 8th inning can fall to a mix of Parnell, Acosta and Byrdak (Pressure lefties) and the Mets wouldn't be bad off. Carrasco can continue to be wonderfully mediocre and if he can't... Misch can be the long reliever (Or Gee, Schwinden, or Cohoon) and step in. That still leaves the Mets 1 closer shy of a bullpen.

And The Candidates Are:

1. Heath Bell (34) - We all remember the promise of Heath Bell when he WAS a Met. He wasn't yet a star. Seems all he needed was a little West Coast mellow to take his game to the next level. As a Padre he's been ELITE. There are two things working against Bell's contract: 1) He's 34 and 2) He's been protected by Petco. Even with all of that he's likely to be looking for $14 Million per year or more... and 3+ years. I can't see that happening.
   
2. Francisco Rodriguez (30) - Let's all groan at the idea of bringing Frankie back. Now let's grow up and realize that he wasn't BAD when not abusing the elderly and being injured. So... We re-hash a little K-Rod in the bullpen. Now... I don't think he's going to sniff $12 Million but I do think he'll be trying for 3+ years. I think a realistic offer would be 3 years and $28 Million (TOTAL). Would he even WANT to come back to Queens? I don't know.
   
3. Francisco Cordero (37) - Cordero has been pretty sweet for the Reds. At 37 and with a pretty good bullpen, I think the Reds are likely to allow him to walk. (Maybe not?) If Cordero is looking for a contract at 37 he'll be hard pressed to get over 2 years. I think 2 years at $10 Million per year is not a bad deal for a closer who has been as remarkably steady as Cordero has. Now that I've said that we'll watch him implode.
4. Ryan Madson (31) - At 31 he's still among the younger closers and I happen to think in terms of skill he's probably among the most talented. Prior to Phillies poorly budgeted signing of Jonathan Papelbon, I just have to worry over the projected price of what Madson would be. I also have this lingering doubt that Madson is a setup man and NOT a closer. His 2011 success aside, I have watched Ryan be thrust into the closer role a few times and fail. Phillies were talking 4 years and $44 Million. I don't think he'll get that but I think 3 years and $27 Million should be easy.
   
5. Frank Francisco (32) - Francisco is never the guy you WANT to have as your closer. Teams always seem to look at Frank as the ideal 8th inning guy, who gets THRUST into closing situations and can handle himself. I look at his numbers and I see him as the poor man's Francisco Cordero. He's got pretty good stats (Not great) but gets the job done. He'll likely be shooting for 3 years and $20 Million which isn't too bad for a pitcher like this.
   
6. Matt Capps (28) - Capps is one of the interesting names on this list. For one thing... he's only 28 and has 4 years before I typically worry about arms declining. For another he's been a successful closer. His 2011 will likely keep his overall value pretty reasonable but I do think he'll earn over $6 Million a year and seek a contract 2-3 years in length. Given his age, durability and success... he'll likely get it. I wouldn't be surprised if the Mets had him on the radar.
   
7. Joe Nathan (37) -Now... I think this WILL be Alderson's #1 target... BUT I also think there will need to be a safety net. He's 37 and coming off a BAD season (after being hurt for a long time). It kinda reminds me of the J.J. Putz situation but hopefully we'd get the second year back numbers. At 37 and coming off a bad year he's only going to want/get a 1 year deal and even inflating the price to match his former stuff... $8 Million? I can live with that.
   
8. Jonathan Broxton (28) - Allow me to introduce the safety net that EVERYONE wants. Broxton needs a change of scenery and that's fine. I'd LOVE to get he and another risky closer a shot in Queens... I really would. I simply think that because he's 28 and has a REAL upside, if he can regain his footing. He will want a 1 year deal with a player option. He will get over $6 Million from some team. I don't think the Mets would be willing to pay that for an insurance policy.
   
9. Jon Rauch (33) - Now... the safety net I think the Mets COULD afford. You can give a guy like Jon Rauch multiple years because at best... he's a closer and at worst... he's a setup guy. ALSO... if Chris Young and Jon Rauch are on the same team we'd have the tallest pitching staff in the majors. 2 years and $10-12 Million. Whether he's our closer or our setup guy/insurance policy I think I'm willing to do that.

Then The Phillies Ruin EVERYTHING:

Jonathan Papelbon (31) - Signs a 4 year $50 Million deal that throws all of my numerology out of whack. Sure... it adds Ryan Madson into the mix but it also pumps up closer values a good bit. Bell (Who would still be a better signing then Papelbon should get more annual money than Jonathan (at 34 I don't know about years). The deal is bad for the Phillies and I'm happy they made it on one hand but on the other... it adds $1-4 Million to each one of my projected yearly salaries.