CerroneSays: Pick a Team and Go With It
If this season gets to the point that it is beyond repair, then this team must ask itself a question: when the Mets return to the winner’s circle, who will be its stars, and where will they be playing on the field and in the lineup?…
Whatever the answer, it is how the team should look now…
If David Wright is going to be Scott Rolen version 2.0, then bat him third now. If Jose Reyes is going to be the team’s leadoff hitter, bat him leadoff now. If Heath Bell is going to take over the closer roll, or be set-up man, use him as such now. Is WillieBall going to be the style of play? If so, play it now…
Look around the league and notice the teams that are winning, especially take note of the teams who’ve won Championships. For the most part, all of them have playing together for several years. Stability is one of the most unspoken ingredients to a successful baseball team. Willie Randolph knows this, almost too well as he refuses to accept the realistic limitations of several players. However, when it comes to the young guys, the second generation of successful Mets, plugging them into a roll and letting them learn from their own mistakes while becoming comfortable with their teammates will reap rewards down the road unseen in a stat line…
If David Wright is going to be asked to drive in Jose Reyes repeatedly over the next few years, Wright needs to be comfortable with how Reyes runs the bases. He needs to know how long he can prepare in the on-deck circle and it will help Reyes when thinking about stealing to know how Wright hits in certain counts. This may all seem overwhelming, but it’s a significant part of the game. Why do you think high-priced teams that are built overnight rarely succeed? And yet, quite often, teams comprised of players who know one another’s habits do? Because they are comfortable with their teammates actions and know, with confidence, nothing will change – they can relax and just play ball. The same goes for the manager…
Obviously, this theory must be finessed. If all evaluators believe Victor Diaz just can’t handle the responsibility of batting fifth in the order right now, then he shouldn’t be. But as soon as he can, he needs to be in there.
And so on…and so on…
