Daily Archives: October 25, 2007
In a recent update to its Arizona Fall League notebook, Baseball America quotes a scout as saying of Mets 1B Mike Carp…
“I don’t believe in the power at all. He doesn’t make good, hard contact, he’s inconsistent in his approach and swings and misses too much. And he’s not going to play anywhere else but first base. His performance here defines what he is for me.”
Carp is hitting .256 with a .333 OBP inluding with 10 strikeouts in 45 at-bats during this year’s AFL.
Carp hit just 11 homers with Double-A Binghamton this year, as he missed time with a broken hand. He hit 17 homers last season in the very pitcher-friendly Florida State League, and 19 the year before in just 313 at bats in Low-A Hagerstown.
…hand injuries are among the most damaging injuries for a power hitter, and they tend to linger and hamper hitters for a long period of time…as such, next season, whether he’s back in binghamton or in triple-a, should help reveal his true power potential, whether it’s in line with his earlier performances or this year’s struggles…
Tagged Mike Carp, Minors |
At Amazin’ Avenue, Eric Simon throws a much-needed bucket of cold water upon the Legend of Kaz Matsui, which is being propagated by FOX’s Joe Buck and Tim McCarver.
Simon explains that the current myth is as follows…
“Delicate flower (Matsui) arrives from Japan, ill-
prepared for the suffocating media crush and the quick-to-judge fans of big city New York. After three miserable years of this, the sad, oppressed robin flees to the freedom of Colorado, spreads his wings and sprouts into full-blown baseball glory.”
According to Simon, the problem with the above story, “is that Matsui hasn’t really gotten any better (since leaving the Mets)…but the media has taken his performance over a span of seven games and spun a fabulous yet fanciful yarn about his miraculous rebirth as an offensive force. Simply, it isn’t true.”
…i’m happy for kaz, but eric is right…i mean, in all of these mythical write-ups with romantic storytelling i don’t recall people revisiting his paycheck and mysterious, chronic injuries, which ranged from bad nights of sleep to stiff necks to missing contact lenses…i wish this guy the best, like i do most all people in life, but, to eric’s point, let’s not make kaz out to be something that he isn’t, and by that i mean so we, and the team included, don’t look like total jerks in the process…
In 104 games this past season for Colorado, Matsui hit .288 with four HR and 37 RBI, while stealing 32 bases.
The ‘Mets fan documentary,’ Mathematically Alive – A Story of Fandom, will be shown as part of the NJ Film Festival at Rutgers University on November 9, 10 and 11.
The film explores why sports are such an integral part of American culture; what the affects are of following a team; and, more importantly, why fans continue to invest so much emotion, time and money into their team.
Tagged MetsBlog |In the ALCS, the Red Sox came back from a three-game-to-one 
deficit to beat the Indians in Game 7 and advance to the World Series.
Indians GM Mark Shapiro, when asked about his team’s ‘collapse,’ as quoted by the Associated Press…
“We won three in a row. They won three in a row. The best two teams played in the ALCS, it went seven games and the best team won.”
…hmmm, sort of like the way the Mets played great in April and May, while the Phillies didn’t, and how the Phillies played great in August and September, while the Mets didn’t…and so it came down to the last day of the season, and the best team won - and then got embarrassed in the first round of the playoffs…
…like i said before, ‘collapse’ is a metaphor…it doesn’t apply to a baseball season…last i checked, Shea Stadium didn’t crumble to the ground, killing all the players and personnel…sorry, but there is no such thing as a collapse…
…and yes, i’m still in denial…
At MLB Trade Rumors, Tim Dierkes features a review of Japanese free agents OF Kosuke Fukudome, RHP Hiroki Kuroda and RHP Masahide Kobayashi, written by Bob Bavasi of the great JapanBall.com.
Regarding Kobayashi, Bavasi writes…
“He may be the best available reliever on the free agent market…During the recent playoffs in Japan, his manager, Bobby Valentine, noted that Kobayashi keeps ‘looking better every time out.’ True enough, and a reason I like him.”
The following clip is of Kobayashi pitching in 2005…
In the last three seasons, the 32–year-old Kobayashi struck 20 percent of the batters he has faced, while walking just four percent, during which he is 10–11.
In a post for Mets Fever, Ed Ryan makes a case for replacing Rickey Henderson with Mets Triple-A manager Ken Oberkfell, who has been 
coaching in the Mets minor-league system for seven years.
As Ryan points out, “He has coached or managed every Mets farm hand that has come up through the system for the past seven years and any vets who have been on rehab assignment.”
…it’s an interesting idea, and the man is certainly worthy of a promotion…the thing is, if the main job of the first-base coach is to advise and direct a player on how best to advance to second, how can any one in baseball be better at that than rickey…frankly, i think reports of rickey’s negative influence in the team’s clubhouse are way, way overblown…also, from what i can gather, willie actually likes him, and finds him to be a great resource…
…however, a case can certainly be made that rickey’s popularity and insight may be best served in his old job of roving minor league instructor, helping the team’s youngster talent prepare for big league base running…at the same time, minor-league people seem to love and respect oberkfell…
Last off-season, the 51-year-old Oberkfell interviewed with the Nationals for a position on Manny Acta’s bench. He also interviewed along with Gary Carter to fill the first-base coaching job for the Mets, which ultimately went to Howard Johnson, who later switched to batting coach.
Oberkfell was named Minor League Manager of the Year by Baseball America in 2005.
According to Wikipedia, he was part of the ‘Bearded Braves’ in 1985, during which he told the Houston Chronicle that, “the beards make us stand out from the clean cut Dale Murphy types. Consider us a modern era House of David team.”
Tagged Rickey Henderson |In the Daily News, Adam Rubin writes that free-agent 2B Luis 
Castillo underwent knee surgery and will be 100 percent by spring training.
Rubin adds: “The Mets are expected to make a strong push to re-sign him.”
…well, lord knows he needed to have his knee cleaned out…his ability to run hard, slide, get up, look to be in total, unbearable pain, then seconds later sprint to third as though nothing was wrong, which was followed by more wincing and hobbling around, only to dash home without missing a beat was amazing to me…he’s a perfect solution for second base, in that he plays great defense, he works well with Jose Reyes and can bat second…i just worry about those knees…
Rubin also reports on Paul Lo Duca, and whether the Mets intend to re-sign him; Duaner Sanchez, who will pitch in Winter Ball; as well as Tim Tuefel, who may get a minor-league promotion.
At MLB.com, Braves beat writer Mark Bowman explains why it 
will be very difficult for the Braves to bring back 1B Mark Teixeira on a long-term contract when he is eligible for free agency following next season.
For what it’s worth, the Mets can make Carlos Delgado a free agent after next season, while the Yankees will most certainly cut ties with Jason Giambi, meaning both teams could be in the market for a new, full-time first baseman.
By the way, Teixeira is represented by Scott Boras.
Paul Lo Duca…
…i’m so torn on this…i like lo duca a lot…but, in talking with people connected to the team, i sense ownership and some coaches and players have soured on him, as they feel he was too negative during September, i.e., the team looked to him as an emotional leader, during which he was down and out and depressed…to me, he was probably just reflecting his honesty, which is a good thing to some extent…what’s more, i keep hearing that the team wants a catcher who works better with the pitching staff…and while i’m not totally sure what that means, the guy who is referenced as a better example is O’s C Ramon Hernandez, who is rumored to be available through trade…
…if i had to guess, at this point, i’d say the Mets will pursue other options at catcher, while considering lo duca a fall-back position, knowing how badly he wants to return…personally, i’d just re-sign him…i think his heart, pride and intensity is something this club should be built around…
