Comments on: Read: Optimistic Oliver

By: jamie

jamie — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 18:09:38 +0000

I’m not talking about how well he speaks english, and while I’ve read that he’s a funny guy, funny doesn’t mean witty. I am not talking about his ability to communicate in english.

I know what you meant by “smarts”, and that’s exactly what I was speaking to, and I disagree with you. Last year, I don’tthink he showed much in-game adjustment at all, his slider was either working or it wasn’t. And when he lost his feel in-game, he tended to not be able to recover. Maybe he just can’t reign in his emotions.

Again, I love him and his slider, and while this increasingly seems like I’m saying he’s an idiot, I’m not…I just happen to think that he’s not a very cerebral guy – and like stickguy said, it’s the catcher’s job to think, anyway. Ollie throws, that’s it. And him doing that consistently well is all I really care about. If you’re taking it personally, or think that I’m attacking Ollie or something, I’m not.

By: MetsWrightNow

MetsWrightNow — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:55:56 +0000

It’s also possible that F-Mart takes a step back this year and doesn’t become anything we’re hoping for. Hate to be the glass half empty guy, but those are the facts. There will be a lot of questions to answer after this season, however answering them will, as usual, depend on how this season goes, who performs, and how far we make it into October.

By: CaseStreet

CaseStreet — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:50:19 +0000

This’ll be his third year in the Minors. Plus, even if we brought him up to platoon with someone and bat him 7th to relieve any pressure, he could have a good year. I’m just saying that if salaries become a concern, he’s a cheaper option than some FA.

By: MetsWrightNow

MetsWrightNow — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:31:30 +0000

I really hate to say this, but I’m pretty sure one of the following with occur with Teixeira. Either Atlanta will find a way to coax Boras and his client into signing long-term with the Braves during (unlikely) the season, or the more likely scenario, Boras uses the Mets and Yankees against one another to drive up the price and Mark eventually signs with the Yankees as to follow in the footsteps of one of his idols, Don Mattingly. Even though he’s not with the Yankee organization right now, I’m sure Tex wouldn’t mind occupying the same position on the same team of a player he looked up to.

By: phoola

phoola — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:08:02 +0000

I’d like to see what your interviews sound like in some country where you learned the language as an adult. Ten cent head, jeez. He has a reputation in the clubhouse as a witty and intelligent guy. But when I said he has the smarts it has nothing to do with his English language skills. It means he knows what is working for him (and what isn’t) on any given day. He knows hitters and how to get them to lunge for the outside slider and to pop up in most any situation. As a fly-ball hitter I expect he will benefit from an improved defense behind him.

Game 7 2006 NLCS: 6 IP, 1 ER, 4 H. Effing genius in my opinion.

By: jamie

jamie — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:06:00 +0000

yeah, he did say that. And it’s funny, because though that remark comes off as unseemly, sometimes that’s exactly what pitchers need to do to be successful. Whatever, I just hope whatever he does works.

By: jamie

jamie — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:01:27 +0000

I totally agree

By: Mister Koo

Mister Koo — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 16:54:52 +0000

You would think that, but Boras has a reputation for brainwashing his clients into thinking that their team doesn’t want them and convinces them to go after the big bucks. He did that with ARod until Arod had enough.

By: stickguy

stickguy — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 16:54:11 +0000

Well, the debate about being able to sign Pedro and OP to extensions (major $) really points out how important it is to work home grown young talent into the mix. Especially if you want to add a guy like Tiex.

Every Martinez (replacing Alou) lets you spend money elsewhere. Same in the pen if you can fill out the back end with cheap guys.

Basically, if you save money on the situational guys, you can pay more for key guys.

Saw a good summary on the Delcos blog. In a nutshell, you have core guys, role players and supporting cast.

Reyes, Wright, Beltran, Santana, Wagner, etc. are the core guys, and eat up a big chunk of payroll.

CHurch, Schneider, Castillo, Duque and Pelfrey are more role players, and get paid relatively little.

The bench and back end of the pen are situational guys and shouldn’t eat up lots of salary.

So, every time you can slot in a role player (or ideally a core guy) that doesn’t make much money, it frees up the $$ to use elsewhere.

Martinez and Pelfrey as regulars in 2009 will help. Church too, if he deserves the job still.

By: Nate W.

Nate W. — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 16:42:46 +0000

I would be surprised if FM is ready to be the full time LF in 2009. He still needs 1.5-2 years in AA and AAA by most normal courses of promotion.

I think they’ll fill 1B or LF with a solid middle of the order bat, and fill the other position with someone lesser.

It would make the most sense to sign Tex and just wait for FM to be ready for LF. Assuming Church can be a 6th hitter on 2009 I think that will be fine. Not sure how they can sign him without getting up to or past that 155 threshold unless they let Perez and Duque go and replace them with Pelfrey a low end signing.