Monthly Archives: August 2004
Mets GM Jim Duquette appeared on WFAN’s Mike and the Maddog with Christopher Russo late this afternoon.
Duquette had the following to say regarding…
Cliff Floyd’s comments about there being “no light at the end of the tunnel”, retirement and a desire to play in the American League as a designated hitter…
Duquette says that he was alarmed at first, but after speaking with his right fielder, he understood the comments came strictly out of frustration from an isolated game. In the end, Duquette says he’d take a guy like Floyd on his team any day. Russo followed this up with asking why Duquette has to approach Floyd, insinuating that it should be the responsibility of Art Howe, the team’s manager. “Art addressed the issue both with Cliff and the players,” Duquette responded. “Art went first,” he concluded, “and I ended up going back after the game.” When asked about Floyd’s hinting that he’d be better of in the American League, Duquette said the media strictly caught Floyd at a bad time, adding he has no desire to leave the organization and plans to be here the next two years.
Bob Klapisch’s comments regarding an inside source saying Howe’s future with the Mets is in question…
When asked to comment on the remarks made by a source who said that playing for Art Howe is like playing for your grandfather and that Howe is “weak”, Duquette said, “I’m not even sure what that means.” Duquette denounced that any such meeting, as Klapisch claims, ever occurred between Howe and Jeff Wilpon. Regarding Howe’s future, he said that he believes Howe will “survive this,” adding, “I say that with the one caveat that we’re all evaluated here on a very regular basis.”
Piazza next season…
Duquette concluded a lot of standard comments, such as discussing knees, lots of playing time, and a learning curve, with saying Piazza, if with the Mets, will play only one position next season.
Victor Zambrano and whether or not the Mets investigated his injured elbow before making the trade for him…
The general manager was adamant in stating that due diligence was done to its fullest by all parties involved, noting, “we knew he had tendonitis.” Duquette said, speaking for himself, as well as all his advisors, “In retrospect, we’d still make the trade.”
whether or not Al Leiter, Tom Glavine and John Franco play a roll in player evaluation and the acquisition process…
“In general, [players] are not great evaluators. What I’m asking the players many times is, and what most general managers ask is: are they guys you want to have in your clubhouse, are they foxhole guys, are they guys that when the games on the line, that you can count on. I weigh their opinion accordingly.” Duquette later noted, when the topic of Leiter and company was revisited, that, “I didn’t have a conversation with any of those guys about Kazmir. They weren’t even around. They’re being falsely accused for something they didn’t even do.” When pressed on whether Duquette put too much stock into the philosophy of pitching coach Rick Peterson, with regards to Peterson’s minor league inning pitched policy, Duquette said, “Rick Peterson played a,” at which point he coughed and stumbled slightly with his words, continuing, “part in the decision making when trading Kazmir for Zambrano, but so did every other person in the organization that I spoke. “ He concluded, touching on the elusive accountability issue that he surrounded the team the last few weeks, “I’m not going to tell you who, but I weigh certain guys [opinions] more, that’s just the way things operate in this organization and other organizations. In the end, we made the decision as a group, but I’m the one to be held accountable, because I’m the one who pulled the trigger.”
SP Kris Benson, and whether the Mets put themselves in a bind regarding the pitcher’s free agency…
“When we made the trade, we made it to help us this year and next,” Duquette said, claiming he believed the Mets were one strong win streak from taking over first place. Duquette, once again, stated his belief that Benson would have signed with the Braves had he been traded there.
OF Richard Hidalgo, and whether he’ll be on the Mets next season…
“I hope so,” Duquette said, proceeding a string of clichéd compliments that bordered on patting himself on the back for making the trade in the first place.
whether he is disappointed about the season as a whole…
“I’m pissed off about it,” Duquette said. “I feel terrible for our fans, I feel terrible for the people that work here, I feel terrible for the players are in there gutting it out every single day,” he continued to rant. Initially saying he wouldn’t blame it on injuries, he concluded the rant by saying, “but at many times this season we were significantly under-manned.”
Also of note: Duquette mentioned that he expects Jose Reyes to be back within seven to 10 days. Also, Duquette alluded that he drinks Vodka Tonics.
Metsblog.com’s Matthew Cerrone speaks with the Press and Sun Bulletin’s
B-Mets reporter Scott Lauber about the Mets farm system, the speed of
Wayne Lydon, the club’s reaction to the constant roster shifts, the
emergence of SP Jason Scobie, and the AA debut of Yusmeiro Petit, this
afternoon, at Metsblog.com…
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The Game…
Damion Easley hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the seventh inning off of
Heath Bell, and the Marlins beat the Mets 6-4 on Monday night at Shea.
For the second straight season, Mike Piazza hit a home run on Italian Night.
Armando Benitiez ahs saved nine games against the Mets this season.
Tonight...
The Mets continue with their four-game set against the Marlins tonight
at Shea. Steve Trachsel takes the hill for the Mets, as he looks to
bring his record to .500, at 11-11. Trachsel is 0-1 with a 9.45 ERA in
three starts against the Marlins this year. Jose Beckett pitches for
Florida, who are now five games over .500 and surging in the Wild Card
race. Of all the current Mets, only Cliff Floyd has an extra-base a hit
against Beckett.
The [Really Long] Quote…
Mike Piazza, regarding his position switch, future with the Mets and his health,
while speaking with reporters
before last night’s loss: If they want to keep doing what we’re doing,
fine. If they want it to be half and half, it is what it is. I’m just
very accepting of whatever the plan is. Until it’s laid out, I’ll
continue to learn the position and continue to work behind the plate.
It’s been a little tough this year, catching the first month and a half
and then playing a month at first. It’s up to them, I really do
believe. I think it’s important for them, for the organization, to
figure it out what they want to do and just communicate with me. From
the start, I don’t know why there was sort of a belief that I didn’t
want to be a good team player. That was misunderstood. Basically, I
told them I want to be a good team player. Things change. I’m not
looking for a defining role, but it would probably make it easier to
prepare whether I’m behind the plate or at first. I’m not running from
that [age], I never used anything as an excuse but I’m not 100 percent,
physically. When you’re not 100 percent, you start doing things you’re
not accustomed to doing. I’ve always sort of been reliant on being
strong and having that strength and being able to wait back to that
last second to recognize a pitch. When you lose a little bit, you start
anticipating. I’ve never hit like that in my career, so there’s no way
I was going to be successful at it.
The Race for Last Place...
| Player | W | L | GB |
| Mets | 60 | 70 | - |
| Expos | 55 | 76 | 5.5 |
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The News…
Atlanta Braves OF Chipper Jones named his new son
after the New York Mets’ ballpark Monday — Shea Logan Jones. “I love
playing there,” Jones told the Associated Press. “Check the numbers.”
Jones has hit 17 home runs at Shea, his highest total at a visiting
park, and his first major league homer came there on May 9, 1995. He is
a lifetime at .314 hitter at Shea.
Kris Benson will miss his upcoming start
on Friday in Philadelphia due to a “tired shoulder.” “This is the first
time this has happened in a long time,” Benson told MLB.com. “I haven’t
thrown enough innings to get a tired shoulder. I had a dead arm in
Spring Training, but this is more wear and tear. Nine or 10 days off
should help. I mentioned something to the trainer a couple of starts
ago. It just caught up to me. For the most part, I’m not feeling any
better today, tightness- and tired-wise. It’s nothing structural.”
The Mets finally placed Mike DeJean on the disabled list Monday,
following 12 days of hoping the injury would get better while DeJean
occupied a roster spot on a team full of more injuries.
The Notes…
Bob Klapsich
writes,
in an article for ESPN.com, that the “word is, owner Fred Wilpon will
consider firing Howe if the Mets finish with another 90-loss season.”
The Mets will send
superscouts Al Goldis and Bill Livesey to the Dominican Republic today
and tomorrow to watch Cuban free agent Kendry Morales. Morales,
21, is a switch-hitting outfielder/first baseman.
According to the New York
Post,
‘an industry source’ says that the Mets will not sign Kris Benson if
they believe they could use the money to lock-up “other premier free
agent pitchers.”
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Metsblog.com’s Take…
on Benson…
We’ve knocked the Mets public relations team quite a lot here at Metsblog. However, they appear to be playing
their hands rather well in the media with the Kris Benson-contract drama.
By sending signals that the team will accept cutting ties with
Benson, and his wife, in favor of a better option, while considering
Benson’s poor performance with the Mets and his current injury, the
possibility of signing him to a reasonable deal becomes more likely.
on Chipper Jones…
A variety of disappointing seasons, watching the Yankees celebrate a
world series at Shea, Vince Coleman, and any other disaster moments you
can think of when recalling the Mets, Chipper Jones eternally mocking
us with the naming of his baby could actually be my worst moment as a
Mets fan.
I almost can’t believe it is true. Yesterday, Sperts.net,
the Onion of sports news, wrote a great satirical piece on the Mets
trading Jae Seo for Charlie Brown. Reading about Chipper and his
son this morning, I couldn’t help but think it was a joke as well.
Sadly, it isn’t.
It’s true.
And I think I am going to be sick.
Question of the day…
Is Chipper Jones naming his son after Shea Stadium a sign of the Mets apocalypse?
For more
Mets coverage, check out:
Up Next…
Mike Piazza is expected to be back in the Mets lineup during the the
club’s upcoming three-game set with the Florida Marlins, begining
tonight at Shea Stadium. Al Leiter, who once again leads the league in
ERA, takes the hill against Dontrelle Willis.
The Weekend Quote…
“It’s certainly not a mind-set that we’re going to accept around here
and it will be addressed with the people that feel that way. I can
understand that it would be said out of frustration, but the main thing
we’re going to make sure is that mind-set doesn’t set in.” –
Mets GM Jim Duquette, regarding demoralizing comments made by Mets
players, namely Cliff Floyd, in the media following the Padres sweep of
the Mets
Floyd’s
response:
“I’ll tell you one thing: I’m not losing sleep over it. Y’all ask me a
question, I speak how I feel. I’m not beating around the bush.”
The Weekend News…
The Mets sent reliever Dan Wheeler to the Astros on Friday for minor
league OF Adam Seuss. The Astros selected Seuss, who will turn
24-years-old tomorrow, in the 34th round of the 2000 First-Year Player
Draft. He hit .283 with seven HR, 20 2B and 64 RBIs in 104 games for
Class A Salem of the Carolina League. Seuss will report to St. Lucie of
the Florida State League.
Cuban defector Alay Soler officially joined the Mets organization on
Friday, signing a three-year Major League deal. Soler should have his
visa in time to attend the Mets Florida State Instructional League,
which begins Sept. 17 in Port St. Lucie, Fla. MLB.com suggests
that Soler could see time in the Arizona Fall League this year,
and will begin next season at Binghamton. The hard throwing righty was
10-4 with a 2.01 ERA, 102 strike outs over 125 innings in 18 games for
the Cuban National Team last year.
Yusmeiro Petit tossed an impressive 4-hit, 10-strikeout performance in
his AA-B-Mets on Saturday night. The 19-year-old didn’t walk a batter,
helping Binghamton clinch a playoff spot for the first time since
2000.
Metsblog will be interviewing Scott Lauber of the Press and
Sun-Bulliten later today to discuss Petit’s performance, among other Mets minor leaguers.
The Weekend Notes…
“We made good progress,” Greg Clifton, Kris Benson‘s agent, said regarding his weekend meetings with
Duquette, according
to the Star-Ledger.
“I’m still optimistic.” Multiple reports indicate that Benson is
seeking a three-year deal worth $21 million, with a fourth-year vested
option. The reportedly offered Benson a two-year deal worth $12 million
last week that was quickly rejected by Clifton and his client.
Jon Heyman of Newsday
reports that, contrary to traditional Fred Wilpon’s school of thought,
the Mets owner would be willing to eat the remainder of Art Howe’s
contract should the team choose to fire their manager. Heyman also
suggests that the Mets have soured on entertaining free agent Carlos
Delgado due to his lack of interest in playing for a contender at the
All-Star break.
Ken Rosenthal of the Sporting News
reports that the White Sox will entertain trading trading LF Carlos Lee
or 1B Paul Konerko this off-season. Lee, 26, will make $8 million in
2005 with an $8.5 million option for 2006. Lee is on pace for his
second straight .290 AVG, 30 HR and 100 RBI season. Rosenthal believes
the Sox would be looking to receive “multiple parts in return,
including a quality young pitcher.”
Art Howe openly admitted, as quoted by the New York
Post, that Victor Zambrano is likely done for the season. “It’s iffy,” Howe said, regarding the pitchers potential return.
The New York Post
seeks to assign ‘blame’ for the trading of Scott Kazmir. In the end,
although the Post reports that the decision was a “group effort”, it
insinuates that Rick Peterson played a heavier roll than he painted
during his press conference last week.
Scott Kazmir pitched just
three-plus innings, allowing six runs and nine hits with a walk and two
strikeouts, against the A’s this weekend.
“Did you know that if you give a police department $1,200 to buy
bulletproof vests, the feds will match that grant?” Anna Benson, wife
of Kris Benson, told the New York Post.
“They’ll get two-for-one, and that kicks ass. Cops have the hardest job
in the world, and they need to have the right equipment.” Anna and Kris
created the Benson’s Battalion charity to benefit police departments when they lived in Pittsburgh and plan to re-create a New York version as well.
Note…
The MetFans Confidence Rating has
fallen through the floor. It will seize to exist in its current
“meaningful games” form. We will, however, return with a series
of Ratings, including a long-term and short-term confidence rating, as well as
individual player, coach and general manager ratings, to debut in the next few
months.
Question of the Day…
Kris Benson allowed five runs in four innings yesterday against the
Dodgers, and is 2-3 with a 6.24 ERA in six starts for the Mets.
Most would say: The Mets HAVE to sign Benson because it would be a
public relations disaster for them based on all of the prospects they
gave up to get him. However, isn’t that the definition of “cutting off
your nose to spite your face.”
Why follow up one bad move with another?
If he continues to struggle, would the Mets be better off to not
re-sign him, put the entire incident behind them and move on in another
direction?
The Game…
Adam Eaton allowed just two hits in seven innings, retiring 19 of his
last 21 batters in the San Diego Padres’ 10-3 win Thursday, which
completed a four-game sweep. Steve Trachsel (10-11) retired his
first 12 hitters before Phil Nevin opened the fifth inning with a
double (Associated Press). It was all down hill after that.
Tonight…
Tom Glavine steps to the mound tonight as the Mets begin a three game
series with the Dodgers, as they look to stop a five game losing
streak. Despite a 2.96 ERA, Glavine is 8-10 on the season.
The Dpdgers will throw all lefties in the three game set, Wilson Alvarez, Odalis Perez and Kazuhisa Ishii.
The Quote…
“It’s the same old song, the same old story. We had three hits
until the ninth. We never led and played from behind in all four games.
You should be tired of hearing it. I don’t even know why you come to
talk to me. It’s the same story” – Mets manager Art Howe,
regarding the four-game set with the Padres.
The News…
RHP Mike DeJean reported that his bruised right ankle and shin have
improved. MLB.com suggests he might be available to pitch on Thursday.
According to Lee Jenkins of the New York Times, Mets officials will
meet again today with Gregg Clifton, the agent for Kris Benson, and
continue negotiations on a long-term contract. Jenkins believes
Benson is seeking a three-year deal worth $20 million.
Scott Lauber of the Press and Sun Bulletin reports that Yusmeiro Petit
will be promoted today from Single-A St. Lucie and will start Saturday
night for the Binghamton Mets against the Trenton Thunder. Petit
was 11-5 with a 1.98 ERA and 184 strikeouts in 127 1/3 innings for
Capital City and St. Lucie.
Bartolome Fortunato experienced shoulder discomfort during an
appearance Monday. Adam Rubin of the Daily News reports that an MRI
revealed inflammation and that Fortunato may not pitch this weekend.
The Notes…
Former Mets GM Steve Phillips strolled through the team’s locker room
on Thursday. It was the first time he’s been to Shea since he was
fired in June 2003. Philips was in the clubhouse as part of his
new job with ESPN. According to the New York Post, Phillips made
a visit to the manager’s and coaches’ offices, and chatted with Al
Leiter, Tom Glavine, Vance Wilson and David Wright, among others.
The Mets never held a lead during the four games against the Padres and were outscored 28-6.
The Philadelphia Daily News, already looking towards off-season
acquisitions and departures for the Phillies, reports that OF Carlos
Beltran will be looking to receieve $15 million per season.
Three seasons of 14 wins would give Glavine 300 for his career.
The B-Mets are nearing a playoff birtt – yet, this hasn’t stopped the
Mets from jerking around the minor league club’s roster. Angal
Pagan, a top hitting outfielder, was removed from the AA roster and
promoted to AAA to replace Prentice Redman, who was put on waivers when
he was cut from the organzition’s 40-man roster to make room for the
Major League club’s signing of Brian Buchanon, a player who will most
likely not even at Shea in 2005. Pagan is batting .289 with a
B-Mets-leading 63 RBI and 37 extra-base hits.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports the Phillies could be nearing a
“housecleaning” this off-season, including all coaches and some players.
B-Mets OF Wayne Lydon stole two bases last night, moving him to within
one of tying Esix Snead’s franchise record of 66 set in 2002.
According to Bob Klapisch, Art Howe has been berated more than once by
Jeff Wilpon in recent weeks. Klapisch writes, “The club’s COO told Howe
to his face, “You’re too weak.” Howe has two years and $5 million
remaining on his contract.
The only people who know of this link are a few New York and Houston writers and national journalists covering the Beltran Sweepstakes…
What team do you think OF Carlos Beltran will sign with?
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The Game…
Brian Lawrence allowed just six hits in a complete game shutout that handed the Mets their fourth straight loss, 4-0 to the Padres at Shea last night. Lawrence looked sharp, never cracking 85-mph on the radar gun.
Al Leiter surrendered all four San Diego runs spanning 6.2 innings of work, raising his ERA to 2.76, good for fourth in the National League. It was Leiter’s first loss at Shea since June 2003.
Today…
The Mets conclude a four-game series with the San Diego Padres this afternoon at Shea Stadium. Steve Trachsel will be looking to snap a personal two-game losing streak when he takes the mound. He is 8-4 with a 2.40 ERA while pitching at home this season.
Adam Eaton starts for the Padres. Though he is 8-11 with 4.94 ERA this season, the current Mets team is a combined 3-for-19 against, with Richard Hidalgo accounting for two of the three hits.
The Quote…
“You can say it’s hexes and curses and black clouds, but it’s just harder here. You deal with a lot of external forces here that you don’t in a place like San Diego.” – Al Leiter to New York Times reporter Lee Jenkins regarding the way the Padres have groomed young, home grown pitchers, such as Lawrence and Jake Peavy, whereas the Mets seemingly trade it away.
The Standings…
| Position | Teams | W | L | GB |
| 4th place | Mets | 59 | 66 | - |
| Last place | Expos | 54 | 72 | 5.5 |
The News…
Heath Bell was recalled from Norfolk on Tuesday and pitched two scoreless innings against the Padres, only to be returned to the Mets Triple-A affiliate a day later. he is replaced by free agent 1B-OF Brian Buchanon, a career .259 hitter in 344 major league games with Minnesota and San Diego.
The Mets signed second-round pick Matt Durkin yesterday. The righty received an $800,000 signing bonus and will reportedly go to the Florida Instructional League next month at Port St. Lucie. According to MLB.com, he will not play in the Arizona Fall League this season. The Star-Ledger writes that the Mets are “not even close” to signing first-round pick Philip Humber. If Humber decides to return to Rice University for his senior year, the Mets will lose all rights to him.
The Notes…
According to the New York Post, if the Mets cannot sign Kris Benson to a contract extension by mid-September, the right-handed pitcher said he will likely test the free agent market. “Oh, yeah, without a doubt,” Benson told The Post yesterday. “I know this opportunity doesn’t happen all that often. It’s something that’s always going to be in the back of my mind until things are where they need to be at [with the Mets]. It’s something that I’ve been kind of looking forward to for the past couple years: getting to a position where I can pick whatever team I want to be on.” Benson’s agent, Greg Clifton, will meet with GM Jim Duquette this week. It is believed that Benson is seeking a guaranteed three-year deal worth $24-27 million.
Appearing on ESPN’s Baseball Tonight, Peter Gammons said he believes Mike Piazza will be in the American League next year.
Jayson Stark, of ESPN, names his All-Back From The Dead team, listing Todd Zeile, Eric valent and Ricky Bottalico as reserves. Also making the team are former Mets Armando Benitez and Roger Cedeno.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the White Sox have their eyes squarely focused on pitching this off-season, and not on OF Magglio Ordonez. The paper suggests that Ordonez will be forced to settle for a one-year, incentive-heavy contract in the range of $8 million to $10 million, due to questions surrounding his injured knee.
Mets GM Jim Duquette indicated to reporters after last night’s game that Mike Piazza could return to the club at the conclusion of the current road trip. Adam Rubin of the Daily News writes that Piazza will “primarily play first base in September, so the Mets can gauge his ability at the position before finalizing off-season plans, and to limit stress on the knee.” Duquette also remains hopeful that Jose Reyes can return before the end of the season.
Jae Seo will replace Aaron Heilman for Saturday’s start against the Dodgers, reports the Daily News.
Kaz Matsui, who is not likely to re-join the Mets until mid September, began taking ground balls at second base yesterday. However, Kevin Czerwinski of MLB.com points out that “the grounders Matsui took were not traditional grounders off the bat but rolled balls by infield instructor Edgar Alfonzo.”
According to Lee Jenkins of the New York Times, Bob Watson, Major League Baseball’s vice president for on-field operations, is not expected to suspend Braden Looper for hitting Colorado’s J. D. Closser with a pitch last week. A fine could still be an option, however.
New York is 14-6 on Thursdays, and 21-21 in day games.
Metsblog.com’s Take…
So there it is. While we scurry to figure out ways to make positive trades and promote prospects, the real answer to a successful Mets season is begging the schedule makers to arrange for all games to be played on Thursday afternoons.
Just kidding, of course.
Poll…
After reading today’s post, on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being most confident, how confident are you that the Mets will play meaningful games in September?
To chat with fellow MetsBlog readers, simply enter a username below, click connect and enter the chat room. Although the chat room will always be open, we suggest keeping your discussions for in-game chatter, or for arranged set times, as we imagine dialogue will be thin during business hours.
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Enjoy.
With Fred Wilpon and Jim Duquette ducking WFAN’s calls, Mets
manager Art Howe was forced to face the music alone in his obligatory interview with
WFAN’s Mike Francesca.
Howe had the following to say regarding…
his comment to the press last night that the fans only
get mad because the media sets the agenda for them…
Howe avoided answering the question directly, and instead
discussed his views towards the Kazmir-Zambrano deal, saying that he
“understands” that the fans would be upset given Kazmir’s recently successful
outing and Zambrano’s injury. He did
mention that Tampa Bay was in a different situation than the Mets are in,
stating, “They can afford to bring a young player in, because that’s what they
are doing with all of their players.
They’re trying to build for the future, like five to six years down the
road.” Basically, Howe defended the
trades, as he should, but did nothing to address that the fans have minds of
their own, which is what Francesca was trying to get it.
Howe’s opinion of Kazmir during spring training…
“We definetly liked him,” he quickly commented, but noted
that Kazmir was simply too many years away, and that the Mets “weren’t going to
rush him.”
Matsui playing second base in practice, but not during
games…
Howe says the Mets plan with Matsui is to simply get him
“acclimated” at second base and to have him begin learning the double play
pivot, which was severely inspired by what happened to Joe McEwing last
week.
Whether not the Mets need to turn away from the veteran
players of the late-90’s and turn the club over to the Wrights and Reyes’s of
the team…
“I think it’s inevitable that you eventually start going
with your youth,” Howe responded.
Before Howe had a chance to finish, Francesca interrupted and asked
about the future health of Jose Reyes.
Howe continued, claiming that the Mets have “modern medicine” on their
side, and with it, “hopefully” a solution for keeping Reyes on the field will
present itself. “We tried some things
this year,” Howe noted while chuckling, “but they obviously didn’t work
out.” To wrap up his original thought,
along the lines of a great politician, Howe concluded, “along with David
Wright, [he and Reyes] are positive steps towards the future, as far as the
core of this team is concerned, and as time goes by, obviously the older
players will be weeded out, and hopefully good young players will be coming
onto the season for us.”
Hidalgo, and whether or not he likes it enough in New
York to stay here…
“I think he does,” Howe believes. He continued to compliment Hidalgo’s work ethic, and believes he
has a lot more “big hits to give to us.”
Benson, and whether or not he likes it enough in
New York to stay here…
Howe basically said the same thing as he did about
Hidalgo. Replace “hits” with “wins” and
there you have it.
Vance Wilson, and whether he can be an every day catcher…
After a short pause, Howe said, “I think he has the physical
ability.” Howe expressed concerns that
Wilson has never caught a full season, and without that frame of reference, it
would be hard to say.
Jason Phillips, and his M.I.A. status…
Howe chalked Phillips’ struggles up to a “sophomore jinx.”
Jeff Keppinger, and what his future roll will be…
Howe sees Keppinger as a utility infielder, and sounds very,
VERY, excited about the youngster’s bat.
He noted the team’s plan is to have him practice at shortstop, as
well.
again, moving past the Piazza-Leiter era into a
Wright-Reyes era…
“I think that’s something we’re going to sit down and
evaluate this off-season, and make wise decisions about the direction we’re
going in,” Howe frustratingly said.
“Parting with players that have helped you win throughout the years is
always a difficult time for an organization, but it’s also a time that every
organization has to deal with.”
Cliff Floyd, and his suggestion that he would play first
base…
“That’s something we’ll look into during the spring,” Howe
said, though he was surprised Floyd said it, because of the injury he suffered
there once before.
the one thing he would like to see on this team at the
start of next season…
“A big bat” Howe quickly responded, further replying that a
“left-handed good bat” would be even nicer.
whether or not the club has direction, starting from the
top down, from upper management to the manager…
“Definitely,” Howe said sternly. He continued, “I think we’re definitely on the same page. We’re going with the pitching and defense,
and we added the youth with the two pitchers [Zambrano and Benson], and with
the young third baseman. We’re going to
start building a good young nucleus that the fans are going to be proud of.”
the shift of direction that the front office seems to go
through all of the time, in other words: the team’s confusing message…
Howe responded, “The bottom line is, we know where we’re
headed, and that’s the main thing. It’s
going to take a while; it’s not going to happen over night. But, if we continue to get the right moves,
and bring the right people in, we’re going to be okay.”
Metsblog.com’s Take…
First off, I give Howe credit for coming on the radio and
dealing with Francesca, who is notorious for pressing controversial issues into
his Mets related guests.
As for his comments: is he watching the same team the rest
of us are. Can the view from the dugout
be that much different than that from the stands or my sofa?
He says, “But, if we continue to get the right moves, and
bring the right people in, we’re going to be okay.”
Continue? When did
it start? Did I miss something?
In each interview, it becomes more and more obvious that
this team realizes they misread the veterans they have, how much of the load
they can pull, and where the next chance at a pennant is going to come
from. It appears they are beginning to
understand that while Piazza, Glavine and Leiter can still be valuable, they
are not the answer. The problem is they
are being paid like problem solvers, not assistants. There in rests the trick for Jim Duquette: either finding a way
to win with inexpensive newcomers while continuing to pay the has-been
veterans, or finding a way to trade the has-beens and suppliant them with new
talent.
It
will not be easy.
Listen To Your Customer Base
By Matthew Cerrone, creator and lead writer for Metsblog.com
The majority of questions to come into the current Metsblog Mailbag have asked whether or not I am for or against the Mets’ current plan.
My answer is: I’m neither.
The reason I say this is because the plan has failed to take into consideration the constituency of which I am proud to be a part of: the fan base – or customer base, as I like to say; because, after all, baseball is a business.
The current fan backlash seemingly centers on the team not taking responsibility for the failures of the last four seasons. However, the real root of fan’s frustration comes from being ignored.
The Mets upper management are trained professionals. They shouldn’t be asked to consult their fans every time a runner is on first and can steal second, and they shouldn’t need a man-on-the-street consultant every time an opportunity to make a trade presents itself. After all, fans are just fans, what do they know about running a Major League franchise. I understand this, as do most.
In all businesses, though, the customer base is surveyed. It is consulted from a buyer’s point of view. For instance, in any form of business, be it an inventor with a new product, an author with an idea for a book, or a large corporation with a new product design, the market is analyzed to determine whether or not there is a demand and a consumer for the product. The Mets have either not bothered to do this research, or have ignored the results.
While reading message boards, be it our own or others, listening to callers on talk radio, discussing the team with family, friends and fellow fans, and simply sifting through the storm of fan editorials I receive every day as editor of Metsblog.com, the fan base of the New York Mets appears ever loyal, and increasingly hungry – and not hungry for results mind you, although that is important, but hungry for legitimate hope and direction.
The Mets have provided neither, though; because it appears they have no idea what direction they should be going in. Go with youth or veterans? Be the Yankees or Twins? Pitching and defense, or big hitters with decent gloves? And so on.
They refuse to commit in any one direction. And therefore, they straddle the fence. They go with some youth, and some veterans, and some mid range talent, and some roll players, and some defenders, and some stop gaps – all held together with the hope that the program breaks in the right direction. When it doesn’t, however, it is impossible to fix, and they run from the media, looking for ways to patch up their mistakes for next season just in time for a new round of ticket sales.
This time, however, the fans are on to them. The fans realize that in the end, what matters most to the Mets is selling tickets; and they know this can’t be done without the Average Joe’s hard earned dollars – money that could be better used at this point for things like food, or rent.
My suggestion to the Mets is as follows: When this off-season rolls around, listen to your customer base. Ask whether or not they will tolerate a full-blown youth movement and a few losing seasons in exchange for real direction. Don’t assume one or the other.
My guess is they will choose the youth movement, and will pay to see it.
Ask if what they really want is All Star talent, or a World Series championship – and explain to them, intelligently, that the two do not always go hand in hand.
My guess is that they’ll side with the championship.
Most importantly, after asking your customer base these questions, believe what they say and ask them to work with you as well. After all, the fans can’t have it both ways. If they agree to want one thing, and it doesn’t pan out, they can’t then change their minds halfway in. In other words: don’t be skeptical. It doesn’t mean you must do what they ask; it just means you are considering their point of view. Your fans want to win more than you do, believe me – because, at the end of season, when you’re counting receipts, they are counting pennants, or the lack there of.
Like it or not, your fans are part of the team – please treat them as such.
If you don’t ask these questions, or you do ask them, but ignore the responses, your loyal customer base will stop being loyal. They’ll become more skeptical than they already are, and will stop believing your hype. Ticket sales will evaporate, nobody will come to your games, and everybody will lose…except George Steinbrenner.
The saying goes, “New York fans are the most knowledgeable in the world.”
If that is truly the case, ‘listen’ to what they have to say. You may actually learn something.
Matthew Cerrone is the lead writer and creator of Metsblog.com. When he is not writing content for Metsblog, he is looking for a other writing work, studying for a journalism degree, or eating Sour Patch Kids.
Note: If you would like to receive an email whenMetsblog is update, email us at: updates@metsblog.com
The Game…
David
Wells continued his road dominance Tuesday night, taking a shutout into
the ninth inning and pitching the San Diego Padres past the New York
Mets 3-1. Trevor Hoffman came in and struck out Mike Cameron on
three pitches for his 32nd save (Associated Press).
Kris Benson
allowed three earned runs on seven hits over six innings. Benson
is 2-3 with a 5.80 ERA during his time with the Mets.
Heath Bell arrived two hours before the game from AAA-Norfolk and pitched two scoreless innings.
Tonight…
Al
Leiter takes the hill for the Mets tonight, as they look to stop a
three game slide towards last place. Leiter is 9-0 with a 0.95
ERA at Shea since the 2003 All Star break. Brian Lawrence, 2-1
with a 3.79 ERA lifetime against the Mets, starts for the Padres, who
are now two games out of the Wild Card lead.
The Quote…
“How
can I? I don’t know what it is. I haven’t seen him pitch. I saw Kazmir
pitch two innings.” – Rick Peterson, When asked specifically by Newsday
if he had warned the organization about Scott Kazmir‘s potential for a
physical breakdown.
The Standings (for last place)…
Mets 59-65 —-
Expos 53-72 6.5
The News…
According
to the Star-Ledger, Rick Peterson acknowledges that he told the Mets
front office that the team was “ready to win now,” that they were still
a legitimate contender at the trade deadline, and that he could fix
Victor Zambrano in a short amount of time. He denied, however,
that he was the person in the organization who said Kazmir was an
injury risk.
Richard Hildago banged up his knee while running out a fly ball last night. He is listed as day-to-day.
The Notes…
As
reported yesterday, Kaz Matsui will officially begin his shift to
second base whilerehabbing in St. Lucie. However, he will not
play the position during any game this season. He will only
practice there.
Metsblog.com’s Take…
This
is tough. We sit here every day and talk about ways that the Mets
can trade for a power hitting first baseman, or whether or not a guy
should pinch hit, and so on. But it appears the real debate should
be: how do we take this team back and change the direction of the ship
ourselves?
I’ll tell you what, if the fans don’t, I don’t know who will.
It is obvious this
organization’smanagement can’t be trusted to make a rational, logical
decision that everyone can be confident about.
I
understand that every team makes a bad trade, or signs a player they
come to regret. The difference here is that the Mets play in New
York. There is no excuse to be confused. And that is how
they appear: confused. If the ship is going to sink, atleast be
man enough to say so, and then fight like hell to save it.
In
one artilce, Peterson mentions that it is customary to make decisions
by committe, then in another he denies having influence over the
trades. Bob Klapisch, of the Begern Record, quotes two general
managers in four days as asking, “who exactly is in charge over there?”
Nobody on this team wants
to take responsibility. Nobody understands the market it
appears. And nobody understands the desires of the fans, their
customer base, without whom they’d be nothing.
Therefore, the
question of the day, which will indicate how tolerant, or intolerant,
we are as fans is: what do expect from this team over the next few
years?
Poll…
After
reading today’s post, on ascale of 1 to 10, with 10 being most
confident, how confident are you that theMets will play meaningful
games in September?
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