metbaseball

Did the Phillies goof?

2009-12-18T18:19:00.003-05:00

The Philadelphia Phillies trade of Cliff Lee could backfire on them. Lee has a year and $9 million left on his contract, so it wasn't as if Ruben Amaro Jr. had to trade Lee now. He had time to try to sign Lee to a new deal.

Imagine if he didn't. The Phillies would then begin the 2010 season with Halliday, Lee, Hamels, and Happ as four of their starters. That would give them one of the best starting rotations in baseball. Instead, their starting four will probably be Halliday, Hamels, Happ, and Blanton, a far less impressive group.

The Mets can be thankful for what Amaro did. It's too bad that Mets fans can't be thankful for anything that Minaya's done this off-season.

Minaya misjudged both Bay and Collier in 2002

2009-12-11T17:12:00.004-05:00

Today's New York Times contained an interesting story by writer Ben Shpigel titled "Power-Starved Mets Make a Bid for Jason Bay." Here's its opening paragraph:

In his first trade after becoming the general manager of the Montreal Expos in 2002, Omar Minaya shipped a promising Class A outfielder to the Mets as part of a package for a utility player named Lou Collier. Collier played 13 games for Montreal and was out of the majors in three years. The outfielder blossomed into a three-time All-Star and is one of baseball’s premier sluggers. His name is Jason Bay, and now Minaya wants him back.

That paragraph says something about Minaya's ability to judge talent.

Mets sign Henry Blanco

2009-12-04T08:50:00.002-05:00

The Mets have signed another backup catcher. It appears they're stockpiling them. The newest addition is Henry Blanco. Last season with the Padres, the 38-year-old Blanco hit .235.

Mets sign Chris Coste

2009-12-01T18:38:00.006-05:00

The Mets have made their first signing of someone who wasn't on their roster last season. They signed catcher Chris Coste, who played last season for the Phils and Astros. He'll replace Brian Schneider, who signed with the Phils.

Last season, Coste hit .224. His slugging average was .317. Obviously, the Mets didn't sign him for his bat. In comparison, last season Schneider hit .218 and had a slugging average of .335.

If Coste's signing is an indication of the direction the Mets will be taking this off-season than next season could be as disastrous as the past one.

Mets fail fans again

2009-08-19T19:12:00.003-04:00

It amazes me that the Mets failed to sign one of their top 10 draft choices because they waited too long to increase their offer and then still offered too little. All the draftee sought was $200,000. The Mets last offer, which was for $185,000, wasn't made until the draftee had already moved to his college campus. This fiasco typifies the mess that the Mets organization is in, a mess that has to start at the top.

What's Jerry Manuel doing?

2009-08-14T08:38:00.004-04:00

After spending his season as a reliever, Bobby Parnell started his first game for the Mets. He was allowed to throw 68 pitches. (Why?) In his second start, Jerry Manuel will let Parnell throw up to 85 pitches. (Way too many.) That contradicts what a New York Daily News article reported that Parnell said after his last start:

My arm strength was good, but obviously it's going to take a little while to keep building it up. I think we're just going to take gradual steps and build it up slowly."

It doesn't appear that Manuel intends to gradually let Parnell build up his arm strength. Hopefully, Manuel's plan won't damage Parnell's arm.

Mets make another mistake

2009-08-09T10:41:00.004-04:00

I'm not surprised that Bobby Parnell lasted only seven outs in his first start. To try to convert a reliever into a starter in August after he's been a reliever the whole season is a BIG mistake. But then, this season the Mets management keeps on making mistakes. And Jerry Manuel compounded the latest error by allowing Parnell to throw 68 pitches. That's a good way to ruin a young pitcher's arm. Hopefully, the Mets will regain their senses and return Parnell to the bullpen, replacing him in the rotation with Figueroa.

By the way, the two runs Parnell surrendered cost the Mets the game.

Manuel leaves another pitcher in too long

2009-08-08T17:08:00.001-04:00

Eleven games out of first place and seven games below .500, it appears the Mets are preparing for next season. Tonight, Bobby Parnell starts his first game against the Padres. His removal from the bullpen will weaken the Mets middle relief; however, that doesn't appear to concern the team. Hopefully, he'll be on a strict pitch count so he won't injure his arm.

On the injury front, Castillo is out of the lineup due to an ankle injury suffered when he tripped on a dugout step. To replace him, the Mets traded for ex-Met Anderson Hernandez, who must have become out of favor with the Nats. The Mets had to make the trade because their farm system is so weak.

In yesterday's game against the Padres, Jerry Manuel once again erred in leaving a pitcher in a game too long. This time the pitcher was Francisco Rodriguez. With the Mets up 2-1 entering the ninth, all Rodriguez had to do was to get three outs. He couldn't do it. Instead, here's what Rodriguez did:

• He walked the first batter he faced.
• The next batter doubled, scoring a run.
• He walked the next two batters, the second intentionally.

At this point, if I were the Mets manager I would have removed Rodriguez from the game. Manuel didn't do that and the next batter hit a grand slam.

Manuel left Rodriguez in despite the fact he was having control problems. In his brief stint he threw 28 pitches; only 12 were strikes.

I expect that this will be Manuel's last season with the Mets. I wouldn't be surprised if Minaya, if he's still around, hires Manny Acta to replace him. Another mistake, but Minaya can't seem to avoid making them.

Figueroa's 53 pitches cost Mets the game

2009-08-03T21:58:00.002-04:00

How a manager could allow a starting pitcher to remain in a game long enough to surrender 10 hits and a walk in just 1.2 innings defies explanation. Among the 10 hits were three home runs. Unfortunately, it's not the first time that Jerry Manuel has left a pitcher in far too long. The six runs that starter Nelson Figueroa gave up were just enough to cost the Mets the game. They lost 6-5.

Moves I'd make if Mets GM

2009-08-02T19:00:00.002-04:00

If I were Mets GM, before the 2010 season begins I'd make these moves:

1. Trade Oliver Perez. We've seen the best he can be, and it's not good enough.

2. Trade J.J. Putz for a starter to replace Perez.

3. Trade Luis Castillo for prospects, and move Alex Cora to second base.

4. Acquire a better catcher than Santos and Schneider. This season, I would have tried to trade for Victor Martinez.

5. I wouldn't re-sign Delgado; instead, I would acquire a first baseman who can hit with power if Ike Davis isn't ready. Then, I would use Daniel Murphy as the backup at both first and third.

6. Trade Mike Pelfrey for prospects. He's too inconsistent.

Mets, yawn, win

2009-07-26T18:00:00.006-04:00

Salvador Aguilar, a 27-year-old pitching for the Gulf Coast League Mets, may have had the worst start today of anyone in the Mets organization this season. In three innings he yielded 10 hits and 11 runs.

On the plus side, the B-Mets Ike Davis has upped his batting average to .308. He's hitting right-handed pitching well, batting .346 against them; unfortunately, he's only batting .222 against lefties. What the Big Club doesn't need is another platoon player.

The Big Club won on the road, beating the Astros with Hernandez on the mound an a patchwork quilt of players behind him. Unless a miracle happens and the Wilpons stop playing ostrich and pull their heads out of the ground, this team will be lucky to finish above .500.

Madden nails Mets problems

2009-07-25T15:34:00.005-04:00

Today's New York Daily News contains an article written by Bill Madden titled Fred and Jeff Wilpon need to completely overhaul the Mets, starting from the top. In it, he nails the Mets problems and says what the team needs to do to get back on the right track. For Mets fans dissatisfied with the current situation, it's a must read.
***
If hope is on the horizon, don't expect it to come from Binghamton. Yesterday, the B-Mets got pummeled 16-3. I read recently that if you combined the won-lost record of each team's Double-A and Triple-A affiliates, the Mets top two Minor League teams would rank last.
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One of the few bright spots in Binghamton is Ike Davis. His OPS is .901. Only two current Mets have a higher OPS, Beltran and Delgado.
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Why is Daniel Murphy still starting? His OPS is only .660. Even Brian Schneider, not known for his hitting, has a higher OPS.

Still waiting for good news

2009-07-17T20:47:00.001-04:00

I wish I could find kind words to say about a Mets team that fits together as well as a shirt with sleeves too long, pants with legs too short and baggy, and a belt with just one hole. But that’s the team that Minaya’s built, supported by a farm system overstocked with players who reach their level of incompetence while in the minors.

Another Minaya head-scratcher

2009-07-12T10:28:00.003-04:00

Minaya made another one of his strange trades, once again trading an outfielder he previously traded for. This time he traded Ryan Church. The last time it was Xavier Nady. It makes you wonder how well he's scouting players he's trading for. In return for Church, the Mets acquired Jeff Francoeur. Let's see how long he's with the Mets before Minaya trades him.

Francoeur is five years younger than Church and has a better arm, but what's the real reason Minaya dumped Church? We might never know.

No Mets minor leaguer among the best

2009-07-07T21:23:00.002-04:00

Baseball America has published their midseason list of the best Minor League players. Not one is in the Mets farm season. That's why it's so important for the Mets to trade one of their veterans for a few very good prospects.

The hockey Rangers recently did that, trading Scott Gomez for Montreal's top prospect and three other players. The Mets need to do the same thing.

No July 4th celebration for Mets fans

2009-07-04T12:20:00.003-04:00

As the Mets slide continues, there's no reason to celebrate on this July 4th. The likelihood that the Mets will win the pennant is low. Many blame the team's decline on injuries, but it's more than that. It's also poor player selection. Castillo is no longer a top-notch second baseman, Perez is an overrated pitcher — at least by Minaya, and neither Santos nor Schneider is an All-Star-caliber catcher. Worse, the farm system is not one of the better ones. So, if you're a Mets fan, forget about the team today and go somewhere and enjoy some real fireworks.

Mets miseries continue

2009-07-01T11:27:00.004-04:00

Baseball America just released its list of the best and worst Minor League teams. One Mets team was listed: Buffalo. It was ranked as the second worst team in Minor League baseball. Overall, the Mets farm system is ranked 17th.

Yesterday, the Mets lost again with Santana on the mound. The whole team is falling apart. Sure, some players are injured, but Santana isn't. And Minaya seems unsure about what to do. There's nobody in the minors he can call up who'll make a difference, and a trade would appear to be an act of desperation, especially if he gives up some good prospects for a second-line player. Minaya's backed himself into a corner and, right now, is just sitting in it.

In last night's lineup, Fernando Martinez was again in the starting lineup. Why? Despite his lone hit, he's hitting .186.

Minaya should follow Sather's lead

2009-06-30T18:24:00.003-04:00

Mets fans, there's hope. All Minaya has to do is follow the lead of Rangers GM Glen Sather who just dumped his largest contract (five years left on a deal signed in 2007 for seven years and $51.5 million) by trading 29-year-old Scott Gomez to Montreal for three players, including the Canadians #1 prospect and their #11 prospect.

So who can the Mets trade? Castillo? He has no trade value. Reyes? I'd trade him but I doubt Minaya would? Putz? I'd trade him for prospects. Perez? Sure, but who wants him? It's amazing how few veterans on the team have trade value. Maybe the Mets can get a few good prospects for Pelfrey.

Mets management making poor decisions

2009-06-29T12:29:00.003-04:00

If the Mets had just about any other owner, I'd have some hope that he would undo the damage that Minaya has done to the Mets; however, the Mets have one of the worst owners in sports, so I'm not optimistic.

I can't believe that Fernando Martinez is still on the Mets roster. He's hitting .169, yet he was in the starting lineup yesterday against the Yankees. Why? In Buffalo, Cory Sullivan is hitting .279. More important, he has four seasons of Major League experience. In 927 Big League at-bats he's averaged .279; yet Sullivan remains on the Bisons roster while Martinez is roaming center field for the Mets. Why?

Given the Mets need for another right-handed bat, it puzzles me that they didn't make a serious attempt to get Mark DeRosa. St. Louis got him for a reliever and a player to be named later.

Yesterday, the Mets were so bad they made Chien-Ming Wang look good. His successful outing against the Mets lowered his ERA for this season to 10.06.

Some sportswriters were raving about Oliver Perez's rehab outing yesterday. He pitched well, but he was pitching for the Brooklyn Cyclones. I take his performance in that outing as seriously as I take the fact that Fernando Martinez got a single in four at-bats yesterday. Doesn't prove anything.

Newsday writer nails the Mets

2009-06-28T11:00:00.005-04:00

Newsday writer Wallace Matthews has written one of the best pieces I've read about the Mets in a long time. Here's a sample:

"The Wilpons and Minaya have let down this team and this town, not by not spending enough money, but by wasting the money they did spend."

You can read his whole article here.

After yesterday's loss to the Yankees, I've come to the conclusion that this is going to be a loooooooong season.

If anything positive happened in the Mets system, it was that Ike Davis continues to hit well in Double-A. Yesterday, he went 2-4. His two doubles upped his average to .438. Unfortunately, teammate Brad Holt couldn't make it through the first inning. Who's teaching the Mets minor leaguers how to pitch?

Starting rotation not off to good start

2009-06-27T09:23:00.003-04:00

Aside from Johan Santana and Livan Hernandez, the Mets starting rotation needs to be revamped. Pelfrey, Maine, and Perez all appear to lack the mental makeup needed.

Unfortunately, Mets management has failed to develop a farm system capable of producing quality starters. Aside from Pelfrey, Scott Kazmir, whom the Mets gave away, and Brian Bannister, who has a .500 record with KC this season, the Mets starting rotation has been primarily made of pitchers acquired from other teams.

In the Gulf Coast League, newly-drafted catcher had the best game of his short Mets career. Nelfi Zapata went 3-3, drove in two runs, and threw out a runner trying to steal second. In that game, the starting center fielder for the GCL Nationals was Lastings Milledge, who walked twice.

Are Mets discovering an identity?

2009-06-25T08:26:00.003-04:00

In his third at-bat upon returning to the Mets this season, Nick Evans blasted a hanging curve into the left field stands. He finished the game 2-4. Yet in Triple-A, he struggled to hit .200. Did he not want to play in Triple-A?

Evans blast was one of the Mets 16 hits, more than enough support to earn starter Fernando Nieve his third win. He's yet to lose this season. When Perez and Maine return, it would be a big mistake if the Mets return Nieve to the bullpen. But it wouldn't be surprising. Minaya makes strange moves, such as signing both Castillo and Perez to three-year contracts.

Though they won, the Mets continue to struggle to find an identity. It seems that they're a bunch of individuals still trying to figure out how to play together to win games. For awhile it seemed they were suffering from an identity crisis. It's interesting that when some of their biggest names are on the bench they're starting to jell.

The Cyclones also had a big day, plating 10 runners. Newcomer Alex Gregory went 3-5, driving in two runs. And down in the Gulf Coast League, 18-year-old catcher Nelfi Zapata got two hits. Remember that name. Drafted 19th this year, I think he'll be one of the few draftees to make it to the Big Club.

Parnell fizzles again

2009-06-22T15:40:00.007-04:00

The Mets bullpen is melting down faster than an iceberg that drifted into Florida waters. Yesterday, Bobby Parnell's inability to get batters out caused the Mets to carve another notch in the loss column. And as bad as the loss was, the comments that Jerry Manuel made to MLB.com writer Marty Noble were even stranger:

"Manuel explained his call for Parnell oddly, saying he didn't want Parnell in the 'pen fretting about his recent shortfalls, and, "I was looking forward to getting Parnell back on the mound," Manuel said. "I was probably overanxious in that. I could have gone the other way."

Is Parnell another Mets pitcher with a fragile ego?

Of the last 28 batters Parnell has faced, he's retired only 12. Yet Manuel is eager to get Parnell "back on the mound"? What he should be eager about doing is returning Parnell to the minor leagues. When Ollie wasn't getting the job done, he was sent down. Why is Parnell still on the Mets roster?

In Buffalo, the Bisons, who lost another game today, have a reliever with a 2.56 ERA. Sure, he flubbed his first shot with the Mets last season, but so did Fernando Martinez this season. That shouldn't prevent him from getting a second chance. The pitcher: Eddie Kunz.

Finally, the Cyclones did yesterday what the Mets haven't been able to do lately on a consistent basis: Win a series. But that's not surprising given that their roster contains players who are not in their first professional season. In fact, at least one is in his third minor league season. It used to be that short-season ball was for new signees, but the Mets changed that rule. Whoever is running the Mets minor league organization (Tony Bernazard?) seems confused.

There was good news in baseball today: Donald Fehr is retiring.

Met hitters asleep at the plate

2009-06-21T10:20:00.002-04:00

Johan Santana lost another game yesterday because the Met hitters took a day off at the plate. They managed just four hits off three Tampa pitchers, including no hits off ex-Met Dan Wheeler. To worsen matters, Bobby Parnell's struggles continue. He faced two batters. One walked, the other singled. Is he suffering from arm fatigue?

Brooklyn and Binghamton were rained out. St. Lucie didn't play. Savannah lost. The lone bright spot: Buffalo. Fernando Martinez got two hits including a double, and Jon Niese shut out Charlotte for seven innings, giving up six hits and a walk while striking out eight. In his last three starts he's limited the opposition to two earned runs and five hits. Maybe Niese is finally figuring out how to win in Triple-A.

Mets top two farm teams not producing

2009-06-20T10:29:00.006-04:00

The Mets continue to stock their Triple-A club with journeymen. The latest addition is pitcher Arturo Lopez, whom the Mets claimed off waivers from the Padres. A career minor leaguer, this season with San Diego Lopez appeared in four games. His ERA was 19.29 and his WHIP 4.286. No wonder the Padres released him.

Yesterday, Buffalo won its 23rd game, pounding out 16 hits. The winning pitcher, Tobi Stoner, is one of the few Mets prospects having a good season.

In Double-A, Binghamton got clobbered by the Yankees affiliate, 12-2. One of the team's few bright spots, Josh Thole, went 2-3, increasing his average to .354. However, like the Bisons, the B-Mets loiter in last place.

In Brooklyn, the Cyclones opened their season, defeating a Yankees affiliate. The short-season team is well-stocked with players whom the Mets signed before this season.

And the Big Club won another game, thanks to Fernando Nieve. He won despite the fact that Bobby Parnell's decline continues. Yesterday, in two-thirds of an inning, he surrendered a walk, single, and double. In his last 10 games his ERA has ballooned from 2.11 to 3.67. In those games, he's pitched 6.1 innings in which he's given up 11 hits and six earned runs. Don't be surprised if he's soon returned to Triple-A and replaced by Arturo Lopez.