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Yesterday, in a poll on MetsBlog.com, 62 percent of voters said that Carlos Delgado is their biggest concern as the Mets move 
forward through 2008.
The next biggest concern is the Bullpen, with just 18 percent.
…i agree…and, frankly, i’m at a loss with what the Mets should do with Carlos Delgado…on one hand, i know it’s early…Mark Teixeira is hitting .235, too…the problem, though, is that delgado had a slow bat last season, and he’s now a full year older…
…as i noted on several occasions last year, he has a long history of performing every other month…last year, he hit over .320 in September and July, and .273 in May, but under .250 in April, June and August…the same script played out every other month in 2006, of course all numbers were a bit higher that season…nevertheless, he went every other month…up, then down…up, then down…
…this year, he’s sort of done the same thing, but all in April…he started hot, hitting .357 through his first seven games, but since is batting just .106…
…so, it’s not like he can’t hit…he just can’t hit consistently…and when does, the peaks are smaller and the valleys are deeper…
…as i mentioned the other day, i have noticed more and more eye-rolls, shoulder shrugs and overall frustration regarding delgado from people connected to the team, to the extent that it has me wondering just what his future holds…in short, i believe the team is discussing how best to handle delgado’s struggles…
…the thing is, based on history, the Mets are not going to cut delgado and his $16 million salary…at least not yet…however, it would not surprise me if the Mets have another every-day first baseman during the second-half of the season…for that to happen, though, he needs a replacement and his struggles must continue…
…it’s too early to realistically consider 21–year-old Double-A 1B Mike Carp, who is hitting .425 with five HR in 19 games for Binghamton…he’s got talent…every one knows this…but he’s not an adequate replacement for a pennant-contending team in New York City just yet…soon, but not yet…
…also, i do not trust Fernando Tatis – at all – despite his eight home runs for Triple-A New Orleans, where he is hitting just .238…look, if tatis really could hit, he’d have more than 56 at bats in the major leagues over the last four seasons…at 32 years old, i would hope he could hit home runs in Triple-A…the fact that he can does not impress me…
…also, free-agent 1B Frank Thomas has no business being on the Mets…he’s a egocentric headcase who would not accept splitting time in Toronto, where they have the designated hitter…what on earth makes people think he’ll accept splitting time with delgado, while being forced to take the field…no thank you…it’s not 1999…this is not a fantasy team…also, Sammy Sosa is not a first baseman…hell, he’s barely an outfielder…and people wonder if he can play first…if he can, do you honestly think he’d better than delgado, all while having to answer steroid question after steroid question from the overtly-giddy new york media…unreal…
…lastly, i am also not in favor of putting Moises Alou, Angel Pagan or Ryan Church at first base…not yet, at least…it has not reached that point…first base is not as easy as fans would like to believe, just ask Mike Piazza and Gary Sheffield…now is not the time for trial by fire, or to teach an old dog new tricks…maybe soon, but not yet…
…instead, in the short term, the Mets should just sit delgado down…seriously…call it a mental break if you have to…fact is, he’s a mess, not just on offense, but also on defense…sit down, relax, clear your mind, carlos, don’t take batting practice, just do drills, and return in a few days with – hopefully – a fresh perspective…in the meantime, let Damion Easley get some at bats and let Marlon Anderson get some time, since their action will soon be reduced when alou returns…
…in the meantime, the Mets should continue to pepper teams with ideas and questions about who is available in trade, specifically the Pirates and Xavier Nady, who, to me, is the most obvious solution…he hits righty…he has played nearly 100 games at first over the last few seasons…he succeeded in – and liked – New York a few years ago…he hits…he’s balanced…and he’s well liked in the clubhouse and among the fans…the problem is that it will likely cost pitchers such as Eddie Kunz or Jon Neise to get him…no, Jorge Sosa will not get it done…
…the other day, i speculated that the answer will instead come in the form of a player like O’s 1B Kevin Millar, who, although not much better than delgado, is at least consistent…and he’s a fighter who craves winning…
…i could see a scenario in which a guy like millar, or Scott Hatteberg, are acquired, but this, too, is not yet necessary…
…basically, as Newsday’s David Lennon said on SNY prior to yesterday’s game, delgado has roughly one week to prove himself – before alou returns…if he doesn’t, he’ll most certainly be dropped in the order, after which i assume he’ll be even more on notice…then, many of the above options can be considered…
Yesterday, Delgado was 1 for 4 with two strike outs.
[Poll=75]
can we add, ask for some money back as an option?
Do we even have room on the team for Carp.
Plus Delgado as a pinch hitter?
Let’s see him in the 6th-7th spot and then talk about these drastic measures.
This is “The Man” from Mets Prospectus. I think it would be crazy to promote Mike Carp this early in the season. Lets not forget, that three weeks ago this guy fell off the map completely, and didn’t even earn himself an invite to spring training.
Though, if your going to promote Carp, your going to need someone coming off the bench to play 1B and bat right handed. Something the Mets don’t have. I don’t care how good he’s doing in AA, he still can’t hit lefties. If your going to play him against right handers, he can hit you a .270. At least he’ll bring some energy of some sort.
Visit Me At:
http://www.metsprospectus.blogspot.com
fernando tatis.
Any chance they can trade Heilman for Nady? Maybe add a second tier prospect? Heilman can be a starter for the Pirates any maybe even flourish…. I just know I can’t stand watching him give up those gofer ball home runs anymore!
We got Duaner back and the rest of the guys don’t seem too terrible…
i wish it was just that simple. The pirates arent going to just want heilman…They are in the drivers seat so no doubt they are going to ask about Fmart. Besides the way heilman has performed doesnt really help his stock……
what on earth makes us think thomas would accept splitting time now? as opposed to before? NOW FRANK THOMAS IS UNEMPLOYED. I’m not saying they should or shouldn’t sign him, I’m just saying the circumstances are now different for him. If his other option is not being signed, he may take a chance with the Mets, versus no other option to play at all.
It would have shown us something if Delgado got benched after his “performance” yesterday … being that Jose can get benched and embarrassed … it would have been a perfect time to show that veterans play under the same rules.
he really should have been benched. at this point i think willie makes decisions for the sole purpose of coming onto metsblog and reading my complaints about them.
hahaha … “I’m really going to stick it to those Metsblog people, see how they like this”.
Too funny.
Seriously though, I think he is afraid of Delgado.
Delgado needs to go. I said it last year, during spring training and since the season started. He will not get better…. He doesn’t care or think he is doing anything wrong. How can he improve when he thinks he’s fine???
Like the Sports Nite guys said last night: he is infecting the team; he is infecting Beltran the most…….
maybe beltran should talk to delgado and tell him to be the old delgado. We ALL liked him more.
I have to disagree with the “doesn’t care” comment. Don’t listen to what he tells the media, Carlos is not going to let them know he thinks he’s struggling. The guy has been a very good major league hitter. He’s done it largely by fastidiously tracking every pitch he sees. That doesn’t seem to me to be a guy who doesn’t care.
But your point about Beltran is spot on. Beltran has no protection with Delgado hitting behind him, and will never see a pitch to hit with runners on base. Delgado has to be dropped down to 7th. I’d rather have Church or Pagan behind Beltran.
I hjavent seen Delgado with his book since the first half of 2006.
He lost the book, along with his eyesight and his swing.
and his dignity…
heh … and his paycheck. oops. No … he still remembers where that is.
Delgado should feel guilty every time he cashes a pay check!
He should but he doesn’t…. not one once of guilt.
Hahahahahahaha, feel guilty about cashing a paycheck? And this said by a bunch of guys surfing sports blogs at work? Physicians, heal thy selves.
I am with you spock….. As always, very logical….
You can add Cliff Floyd to the list of players having trouble making the switch to first. You’re right, Matt, there are no good options right now. The Mets have no choice but to ride it out and hope that Delgado can hit his way out of this rut, but Willie CANNOT hit him 5th. I don’t care who else is in the lineup. Delgado should bat no higher than 7th, at least until he gets on track.
Hey, wait, what’s Julio Franco up to?
Matt, I like the Delgado poll.
Can we get a new Willie poll? If you guys didn’t like the Approve/Disapprove options, how about
- Willie is doing fine
- Willie is a good clubhouse manager but needs in-game improvement
- Willie can only work with the pieces he is given. Omar must be held accountable
- Willie has lost this team. Make a change.
Anticipated results:
~ 10%
~ 40%
~ 25%
~ 25%
therealsince86 and I have been having this conversation on another thread.
What exactly is it about Heilman for Kendry Morales that is unsustainable? Morales is exactly the kind of guy we can lock up now and rely on for a good while. He is absurdly getting no playing time in LAA…and they need relief pitching. What more would we need to add?
heilman may be making a case for that trade but frankly i think heilman is still good but is just being used ineffectivly. If we give him away who would you trust to take on the innings that heilman ate up…Muniz? Thats the whole problem. If burgos was healthy and good id say go for it but we dont have anyone to turn to. We just signed a L brito. Maybe show will fit into the trade instead of heilman. Guess we will wait and see
I don’t think Heilman is bad. I think he is pretty good as relievers go, which is why he would actually be a reasonable offer for Morales, whereas Sosa would not be.
I think the pen–all pens–are so untrustworthy generally that there is no reason to value Heilman more than Muniz, actually.
I agree man, I Would LOVE Kendry Morales and I have been spouting it literally anywhere I can since the winter. We can lock him up for the long term, pay him pretty cheaply and get great production from both sides of the plate. He will produce with the bat similar to Tex, at a fraction of the cost. Juan Rivera is another Angel I would love to have. He is a 900 OPS waiting to happen.
Yes, exactly, and clearly the LAA organization has decided against these guys. It seems to me they must be trade bait. The question is what do they need/want.
I heard my name so I must jump in :)
Guys another great thing about Morales is that he is already locked up through 2010 for less than a million a year.
We have to be looking into him and yes I would trade Heilman for him. We will eventually lose Heilman. With Sanchez returning Heilman is a 7th inning guy that maybe able to be replaced by Smith, Muniz or Wise. It’s worth the risk. He can help us this year at 1B and in the OF and start at 1B next season saving us all of Delgado’s money. Imagine if FMart is ready for LF and Morales at 1B that frees up 28 million or so to spend on pitching. It just makes too much sense.
Hi thereal. He really is the perfect option. Hopefully Omar reads this blog.
This is a no brainer deal. Morales could help now. Of course, I don’t know any details about him! So, the question is, how much better is he likely to be (and when) than a Carp or Evans?
If Morales is the real deal, get him and dump Delgado somehow (or bench him). If the AA boys keep raking, one at least can go in a trade for something else needed.
You replace Heilman with Wise (or more accurately, Sahchez, and Wise back fills for him). That, and Muniz can be useful. But the real idea might be to bring up Kunz to serve as another power arm.
And please dump Sosa.
I could live with:
Wags
Sanchez
Wise
Kunz
Schoe
Smith
Feliciano
Doesn’t really look any worse than what they have now.
Morales is the real thing but for some reason the Angels don’t like him as a backup. I don’t know if it’s that they want him to get his AB’s or if there is another reason.
Anyone know an Angels blog that could fill us in on this?>
I like the idea of bringing in Kendry Morales, but then I think, “Wait, ANOTHER guy with a soul-patch?” I mean we are SO CLOSE to having a soul-patch-free team, the exception being Church, who I’m sure is open to shaving his. Believe me, friends, the soul-patch slope is a slippery one. One wrong move and we could end up being the Phillies. Is that what you want? 9 grade-A d-bagger supremes sporting soul patches? I’m not saying we shouldn’t consider the move, I’m just saying … slippery slope you know?
speaking of questionable facial hair growth what the hell is up with Jaromire Jagr’s hitler mustache?
I don’t really know anything about him- but how good is Kendry Morales anyway. If he is a great solution why would the Angels trade him? Who plays first for them now? (I know nothing of AL west teams)
Glancing at his stats- he was just under .300 in about 90 games last year and was sent down…why? He seems to struggle a little against lefties (but were used to that anyway).
Re-inforce positive things. I say reward Carp and bring him up for a little bit while he’s hot and see happens. When can always send him down if he cools off. The Mets rode a very hot Gregg Jeffries in the past, and this could do a couple of things -
- Provide incentive for Delgado. I’f he’s not done the competition should fire him up.
- Add youth and energy to the team. Young guys, wide eyed and new to the Show re-energize the older players who can get, sometimes, caught up in the routine.
- Can see if he’s a real answer for the team in the future and if we should be involved for a 1B at the trade deadline.
I say “bye-bye” to Clark now and bring up Carp for a week.
OFFTOPIC…any season ticket holders having HORRIBLE issues selling their extra seats so far? I have my seats for Friday on stubhub for $16 a ticket for an upper box seat ($27 face) and i can’t get a bite!!!
Try Craigslist. I hear it works well, especially for last minute sales.
Yes, try Craigslist. If I am bothering to go on StubHub and to pay their commission…I am planning to get primo seats…not nosebleeds. I use StubHub for getting field box seats when the Mets are on the road out West by me or when I am going to be in NY for a random weekend.
I used Craigslits when I lived in NY and wanted a decent price on okay seats like loge box.
Well said Matt.
There is no great solution. I’m ok with Carp coming up, but wouldn’t expect him to bat better than 260, but hey that’s an upgrade right?
I agree. Giving up more prospects at this point is probably a mistake, so I say give Carp a chance. He can’t be any worse than Delgado who can’t seem to hit for average or power anymore. If Alou can come back strong it would be a big help to have someone who can hit behind Beltran in the lineup.
neither one of those choices seems like the solution and the last one does not seem likely :( we’re stuck with this problem and we have to work around it.
how is mike carp “not an adequate replacement for a pennant-contending team in NYC”? i can’t imagine he would be any worse than delgado right now. and i’m sure he plays better defense.
also, what is this “pennant-contending team” you speak of?
i would be more patient about delgado if i saw some evidence that he realizes this is unacceptable, but i really have never seen him take any responsibility for himself with the press. which leads me to believe he is very set in his ways, which i don’t think will help him reinvent himself as any kind of productive hitter.
Delgado is finished. He’s been finished since last year … 07 was not an anomaly. Like you said … he doesn’t take responsibility.
Delgado is in denial.
The Mets have to stop being in denial too.
And it’s time to give a player like Mike Carp a chance, instead of catering to these fat cats who are taking out their retirement on the field.
While they arent playing like a pennant contending team this is still the club with the highest payroll in the NL. They are not about to bench a player making $16 mill for a kid who is having a hot streat in AA. That would be a press nightmare not to mention a shot at delgados confidance and we all know how defiant he can be. Im sure they will just stick with him and we can get a look at carp in sept.
I think we’re all tired of hearing about payroll and age dictating playing time. We want results.
I want results to, but baseball has become more of a business sport. I would like to see them give carp a shot but i just dont see that happening anytime soon.
No, you’re right. He won’t get a shot because Delgado is owed 16 million. And you’re right, it’s more of a business than anything. Too bad.
see, i don’t understand this either. it’s not like they have to pay another guy another $16M to replace delgado if we just promote someone. and i don’t even think the trade was a bad one - he was awesome in 2006.
if they don’t want to cut him, DL him and he can go hang with the rest of the town council of st. lucie west.
You know whats funny? In my finance class yesterday we were going over reasons why a business project should be accepted or declined, and the number one reason the professor was stressing was Sunk Cost. And you know what my first reaction was? Carlos Delgado.
The 20 million (16+4 for the buyout) is gone, and there is nothing we can do about it. What we can do from here though is try to maximize production from first.
And Matt, Tex is always a slow starter, he is well known for heating up with the weather.
I believe the mets are handcuffed for the year. There is no way we can afford to trade away players to fill in 1st. Theres no one to call up that can consistantly do better than delgado over the course of the year(perhaps in sept we can get a look at carp). NO WAY we should consider signing bonds/sammy/thomas(all aging players btw). I would say let him try to work his way out of it if it is possible at this point but when alou comes back, def gotta bat delgado after alou even though it may Compromise alous protection but the what if factor(what if he breaks out of his slump) can still maybe give alou some good pitches to get. I dont see omar doing anything to help 1st base this year. I think he will just eat this one and get a 1st baseman for citi next year or hopefully will promote one of the guys from AA. Tex is out the picture cause the yanks are going to throw the kitchen sink at the guy to get him. We are in for a looong year with 1st base guys, this is just the tip of the ice berg
We should be at least willing to trade one of Chavez/Pagan and one of Sosa/Heilman.
I would think Chavez + Heilman could net just as much as Jon Niese!
I seriously doubt endy is going anywhere. Omar just brought pagan back and i think we may hold on to him for next year if Fmart is not ready to take his spot. I dont see ANYBODY wanting sosa right now. Heilman would be our best shot but at what cost. Who can really take his spot. Muniz has been great but i dont think has the stamina heilman has(being thrown out there as many times willie throws him out there for). Outside of that we do not have anyone. Mets are in a tough spot as a trade aspect. Kunz is our future closer according to many people and we cant afford to give that up. We got no more bullets left to trade i think.
I have a feeling that when Endy signed a 2 year contract to be a bench player he was operating under the assumption that he would be the 4th OF. If Pagan will always be played before Endy, or Pagan + Clark (!), Endy really should be traded, likely as part of another deal.
Who needs an OF?
When Alou is back, Clark is gone. Pagan will probably be the guy who gets the start when someone needs rest, and Endy will be the bat off the bench and the defensive sub for Alou late in the game.
“NO WAY we should consider signing bonds”
Why?? Nobody ever has a good answer to this question. The guy is a masher, and our lineup is a joke. Even at full strength, it is middle of the pack and that is the truth. Because Barry is a bad influence? Because he is not a clubhouse guy? rofl. Ask Jim Leyland about Chemitry. I beleive when asked about clubhouse chemistry the other day, he replied, “chemistry is a class in highschool, all that other clubhouse stuff is bullsh**t. The bottom line is these guys are grown men and if they dont like Bonds to bad. I would like too see what my boss would tell me if he was brining in the most succesful person in my field for the last generation, maybe ever, and I told my boss I didnt like the guy and didnt feel comfortable working with him. Well if he had a resume like Bonds does, I would be fired on the spot. What dont you peopple get. This team cant score runs, and cant hit at all. This is largely because we have the worst hitter in ther major leagues batting 5th and protecting Beltran. Delgado literally has to have more negative value then anybody else in baseball. Bonds .480 OBP and 575 slg are welcome on my mets any day as far as I am concerned, and I dont really care if he does a live injection of HGH on the jumbo-tron before every home game. These holier then now dont sign Bonds guys are to funny. If you dont want Bonds, then stop complaining that the lineup sucks.
i was implying to sign bonds to play 1st as matt mentioned people apparently were contimplating on signing sosa to play 1st and i guess bonds was not going to be too far off of that discussion soon. While YOU may not care about his HGH usage or his career choices, ALOT of other people do. Its more media attention that NY does not need right now and yes his bat would probably make a differance, the baggage that comes with him makes people think twice. Doesnt he have to go to court soon for something?
With you 100% nrmax. The only problem is people are to concerned with image. Even if he can’t play first hes still an upgrade in left. can you imagine alou and bonds as a platoon? You would keep both fresh, and hammer lefties and righties alike.
Does anyone think he was doing steroids last year? Cause i don’t and he would have been the third best hitter on the team last year. And once he got here, yeah there would be a lot of bad pub at first, but eventually it would all go away, look at andy pettite, who’s talking about his HGH and steroids use now?
Unfourtantley, a move that makes this much sense and hasn’t happened yet never will
Once Alou returns, Delgado will at last have some protection. He may see some pitches to hit, rather than the steady diet of inside junk designed to force him to hit into the shift. Until Alou–the team’s best hitter in 07 (when he was on the field)–comes back, it’s too soon to anything drastic to Delgado.
Just my opinion.
um, if alou comes back and hits BEHIND delgado i’m going to run on the field and immolate myself in protest.
haha, well said…
Well, someone should bat between Delgado and Schneider to break up the lefty bats. Who do you suggest?
no one needs to bat between them because they both are bad hitters no manager is going to waste a loogy on.
but if you must, castillo.
Reyes, Castillo, Wright, Beltran, Church, Alou, Delgado, Schneider, P
- or -
Reyes, Church, Wright, Beltran, Alou, Delgado, Castillo, Schneider, P
these are the only two ‘logical’ options with Alou back soon, and I think I would prefer #1 for a trial run. Delgado & Schneider arent going to do anything anyway so having them back to back isnt bad. If the opposing manager wants to waste his best lefty in that spot then so be it.
i agree. Delgado HAS to bat after alou. Theres no indication so far that delgado can return to form.
I dont necesarrily agree. Delgado seems to get pitched in for the majority of the time, but in most at bats he gets one or 2 balls out over the plate and he nver even considers trying to hit them to left field. I think Delgado still see’s himself as a power hitter, and still thinks he is dangerous and that other teams fear him. Its really funny.We have gotten to a point where in any important spot Wright and Beltran pretty much both get the unintentional, intentional walks to bring up Carlos, who is an automatic strikeout or popup.
nrmax………..you hit it right on the head, couldn’t agree more! That’s exactly what happens almost on a daily basis. You can clearly see (unless you’re blind…..Willy?) that pitchers are carefully pitching around Wright and Beltran because they have NO FEAR of Delgado behind them. They say as a hitter you usually get one good pitch to hit in every at bat and what I see almost every single at bat with Delgado is that his bat speed has slowed down that 99.999% of the times when he swing at the “One” good pitch he fouls it off and then the pitcher has him set up behind on the count and either makes him chase a pitch way on the outside of the plate or jams him inside. Simple as that. Now if I can clearly see this and I’m sure most of the readers on here also……………why in hell can’t Willy see it. The answer…………….I’m sure he does but there is nothing he can do……………he doesn’t have the B…lls to bench him, Unfortunately.
why are they having Karp DH in B’Town when everybody knows that his future is at 1st? Shouldn’t he be playing everyday at 1st for defensive development?
there are actually other prospects down there (Evans mostly) who need to play first base as well. Carp is no sure thing, no more then Evans is. I really hope this isn’t the start of a Carp hype machine by Mets fans who think he’ll be the answer to all of our Delgado problems.
I agree Darkstar, but I think it will be. I always knew about Nick Evans and Carp and Dan Murphy, but after their hot 2 or 3 weeks you would figure them to be top 50 prospect, cant miss type of guys. The fact is they are marginal prospects, no sure things though, they are just all we have and if they continue to bat well, they willcontinue to get hyped like crazy. My biggest hope is that these guys rebuild some of the value in our system for trades, I dont really get excited thinking of any of those 3 players on the Mets for the next 6 or 7 years, but they could hold value in the trade market if they keep it up this way.
Eventually I think they’ll have to move Carp up to AAA so they can both play 1B everyday. Abreu isnt lighting it up and has already peaked as a player.
Delgado sees mostly inside fastballs and still cannot hit them. No protection can help him. He’s done. Promote Carp.
Hey Matt the thing you miss on Frank Thomas is that he has played 58 games TOTAL at 1b since 2000. He is clearly not an option.
I like Ryan Church but I would rather keep him in RF where he is a top notch defensive player. I like Angel Pagan but I don’t think he can maintain hitting the way he is now for the rest of the season to be considered a good option at 1b.
The only option I would consider is Alou. Not saying I would do it but I would like to see how he can handle 1b. It would probably keep him healthier if he can play half his games at 1b and half in LF when he is not given a day off. With Alou at 1b you could use Pagan more and you have a lot more flexibility. The question is can Alou actually play 1b.
Ultimately I wouldn’t be shocked to see DWright at 1b in the next few seasons if the Mets do not pick up texeira or can get there hands on a good 3b.
How will Alou keep healthier when he has not played an infield position in 16 seasons?
If 1B were so easy, why do we have so much trouble finding a 1B?
We do not have a problem with anyone playing 1b we have a problem with the actual HITTING we get out of 1b. Big difference.
Lets see on Alou. Instead of crashing into walls, running full speed and making head first dives to catch balls and all those things he has to cover maybe 1/10 of the ground at 1b. It will certainly be less wear and tear on his body. I am not saying he is going to be Keith Hernandez but as I said lets see if he could handle the position.
I think we have a huge problem with Delgado fielding 1B. Yesterday he made the (huge) mental error not covering 1B on the Figgy ground ball. But there was also the ball that went over his head, deflected by his glove, and a ground ball that went past him.
These crappy plays all add up to runs. When is the last time you saw a diving catch or a leaping catch from Delgado? He would throw out his bad hip.
At least if we are going to play someone out of position, it should be an athlete who isn’t frail.
be honest here. If all those plays happened and he hit 2 hr’s and drove in 5 runs with a mets victory, would still have the same feelings that we need a new 1b? Absolutely not. If he was actually hitting it would be fine and you would accept his defensive woes.
Also numerous players including Schneider and Figueroa himself have said Figueroa was at fault and should have been covering 1st base no matter what. Even still yes it was probably a mental error on delgados part so should we start looking for a new SS as Reyes has made 2 major mental errors in the past 2 days?
i agree. Delgado has become a liability at the plate and on the feild. I dont see how putting a career OF at 42 years of age at 1st base is going to be benificial or ever work out. We may have a bigger hole on defense than having delgado. Same goes to wright. Wright albiet some errors he has made is a solid 3rd baseman, why take him out of his element. Perhaps later on in his career he may take on 1st base but frankly i would rather deal with one problem not 2. I still believe we should just get or promote a natural 1st baseman.
This is the thing I DID NOT SAY put alou there no questions asked. All I said was he was the only option I would CONSIDER. Maybe Alou can handle himself around the bag. How do you know until you try it with a few MINOR LEAGUE games at 1b? He is not Mike Piazza who is too big and awkward to play 1b.
As far as Wright I like him at 3b don’t get me wrong he makes some fantastic highlight reel plays but he “worked hard” on his throwing this off-season and it seems worse then it ever has been. Everytime a routine ball goes to him I cringe at the throw because more then likely we are going to see a swipe tag. If he plays 1b he doesn’t throw as much thus cutting his errors down. Therefore he would probably become a top defensive 1b as there is not a whole lot different between 3rd and 1st aside from having to throw so much.
there’s a difference between on the decline and off the cliff.
Alou is not going to play firstbase. Period. He has never, I’ll say it again, never played any infield position in his life. An outfielder from the first day at little league, said that himself. Fielding infield grounders is not easy. The footwork needed around firstbase is not easy. Two weeks in the minors is not going to make him a firstbaseman. As for Piazza you maybe right though when he was drafted he was a firstbaseman so he actually had some experience and knowledge on how to play the position.
And Thomas hasn’t played an inning at 1B since 2004. And he was on teams that didnt have a clearly defined 1B the last two years.
At this point Thomas would be as much help in the bullpen as he would be at 1B.
Is there a legitiment reason to not bring Carp up?
Yeah his stats from last year in AA. He’s 1-2 years away if he keeps it up.
Yes - hitting .425 in 19 games at AA does not automatically translate to hitting .300 in the MLB.
If this was the 2002/2003 Mets, promoting Carp might not be a bad idea. But as we are all expecting the Mets to contend, sticking Carp into that high pressure situation would be a bad idea.
who is talking about .300 in MLB? delgado is hitting .200 with no pop and no defense. as much as we all complain about castillo, delgado is actually and clearly MUCH worse!
what makes anyone think it’s any more likely that delgado will improve, than carp will actually be good? even if they both suck equally at least carp will be getting MLB experience in an environment where we don’t really mind him because hell, at least he isn’t delgado!
Yes but you are talking about benching a veteran who yea maybe is on the decline but hit 24 hrs/87 rbi last year and is a career .280 hitter for a guy who hasnt hit in a ML game yet. No way to know how effective Carp will be. I am seriously hoping we see him in sept but until then i think we are stuck with delgado.
given how most of the Bingy lineup is mashing right now I’d be concerned that they’ve been facing a run of less than stellar pitching over these first three weeks and would prefer a larger sample before anointing any of them as legitimate prospects.
That doesnt say much for Fmart and his .245 average though does it…
We have no option but to let this old goat keep playing. It sucks but those are the facts. The kids in the minors are still far too unpolished to be overwhelmed by the circus in New York. Granted they provide the power that has escaped Delgado’s bat from two seasons ago. Let’s face it Delgado is even worse than Richie Sexson.
Give the kids some more time, let them show the front office and scouts that they have what it takes to keep up their great early season hitting. There are some good options down on the farm but they are at least a year away still. A call up at this time is too early.
I wish I didn’t have to say it but its the truth.
I pray somebody worth picking up is released.
When Alou comes back, Clark will be sent down. Who gets sent down if Carb comes up?
your 2008 third place ny mets:
reyes, ss
gotay, 2b
wright, 3b
beltran, cf
pagan. lf
f-mart, rf
carp, 1b
flores, c
bannister, p
stop wasting time at the office, omar
i was going to put endy chavez in center, but mets fans have dismissed him now that pagan has arrived.
Here is a what if question:
If the Mets bench Delgado and play Marlon Anderson instead and he continues to strike out every at bat and plays the field as poorly as Delgado, do you cut Delgado or Anderson?
I mean if Anderson can’t pinch hit (which he hasnt hit a lick so far, much much much worse than Delgado) why on earth would we not give Delgado his bench spot if/when we get a new 1B?
The argument has been made that Marlon hasnt had the opportunities yet, but give him 3 games @ 1B and if he still doesnt hit….he’s gotta go even though I love the guy he is hurting our team the same way julio Franco did last year.
I usually like your posts and respect your opinion a lot on this blog, but I disagree here. I think Anderson is the least of our worries. He has a track record of being a good pinch hitter, he is just cold right now. PH is a tough job and Marlon has a resume doing it. He will be ok. And he still has the bat speed, he is just swinging under balls right now. Give him some time he will be okay. This guy gets tons of big hits for us.
He was an awful PH with LA for 2/3 of last year… Seems like he’s the same player.
I agree with guierllNO in that Anderson should get some games at 1B so he gets more than 1 AB every other game. Maybe it will straighten him out, maybe it will allow him to clear waivers and go to NO…
anderson is still a lot better than franco. the guy is coming off a great PHing year last year. give him time.
can delgado be a productive bench player? i think he would piss and whine if he was benched. he’d probably have to be released for that reason alone.
Can we talk Shawn Green out of retirement? He seemed to handle the defensive responsibilities of 1B pretty well, and we’ll at least get a solid singles hitter in the bottom of that lineup.
Or bring back Mientkiewicz. We could probably get him for the rights to Rincon, or maybe even Bostick.
I thought about bringing back Shawn Green too. Even bringing John Olerud or Keith Hernandez out of retirement would seem to be better options than Delgado at this point. He provides no protection for Carlos Beltran, which hampers everyone hitting ahead or behind him.
As much as it pains me to say it as I couldn’t stand the guy, Green may not be a terrible idea if he was open to it. Cut Anderson and Green is the lefty off the bench when Delgado plays. This is more reasonable, I think than trading our last remaining chips, or rushing yet another guy to the majors.
I didn’t like the guy after Spezio tripled off of his glove twice in the NLCS, but last year, down the stretch, he was one of the few steady bats we had.
I didnt realize Shawn Green played for the Rockies last year…
Its rather sad that Shawn Green actually seems like the best alternative. Hopefully Delgado comes around and has a couple hot streaks. Or someone better becomes available.
I obviously meant the 06 NLCS.
Matt,
I really like the Nady idea, can you make a few calls and make that happen for us?
before you throw church or pagan out there, somebody better check with David Wright…i’m guessing he doesn’t want a ‘trainee’ 1B…Degado does seem to do a good job of corraling David’s loose throws.
doesnt matter what David Wright wants and even if he was asked Im sure he would say the right thing
Of course he would.
And then he would proceede to make 2+ more throwing errors a week.
Not that I disagree with Matt’s commentary, but just to point out, Mark Teixeira is probably the leagues most second half player in the game. he notoriously starts out dreadful and then picks it up to the point in the second half that his numbers are really good. That means two things: Delgado really does stink because he isn’t likely to pick it up in the second half, and secondly, seing as this is Tex’s second year in the league, Watch out Mets because come the second half if Chipper is healthy, that will be a scary scary one-two punch for any pitcher in the league. Right now chipper is tearing it up and Tex is supplying little support. Imagine the pitches chipper will start to see when Tex turns into the second-half-stud that he is.
Yes, true, but Chipper will miss his 30 games like he always does, although I see what ou are saying. I think the Braves are the deepest and best team in the east when healthy, and all you here is the Mets and Phils. The Braves have a lineup of lesser known guys like Kelly Johnson, Yunel Escobar and Matt Diaz, but these guys all can hit and although I think that they wil fall back because of their injuries to the bullpen and rotation, they are still a very dangerous team.
Lets get Keith out of the booth and get him a glove.
Sign Bonds to a one year deal and let him platoon with Alou at either first or LF. So we lose a little on defense but the offense should be revitalized with the addition of those two bats.
F**k Barry Bonds man. I’d rather watch a team full of Delgados and Castillos then sign him on principal alone.
Not to mention, everybody that posts here, and on the mlb boards screaming about “Willie and Omars obsession with aging Veterans. And you wanna sign this guy?
The Giants are a miserable offensive team and they let him go, nobody has signed him yet…doesnt anybody think there is a reason behind it?
The guy is an egotistical moron. Hes old, hes a criminal, and a waste of money. Plus, hes not even in ‘baseball shape’
I should have said “PRINCIPLE.”
Not ‘principal’…like the person thats in charge at school
Should have put Wright at first Arod at third. - problem solved.
I agree
Trade Endy for a reliever. Trade Heilman and Sosa for Morales.
That would be the best solution, however if not then
Bring up Abreu to platoon with Delgado and still trade Endy for a reliever.
There is your solution(s).
One benefit of bringing up Abreu is moving Carp/Evans/Murphy into his spot.
I like the looks of the B-Mets roster because at least they are all born in the mid-1980s.
I am no expert on minor league systems, but it seems odd to me that our AAA team’s average age of position players is 28. Our AAA team should be the launching pad for new players. There are very few Chris Coste-like old rookies out there (I think this is a good thing).
While I agree, the fact that it’s in N.O. and you may need those vets sometime I would look at AA as our AAA and AAA as our aging vet replacement home.
We don’t have any prospects ready for AAA to put there, maybe Carp since he’s repeating, but he’d probably be the only one.
Does anyone else still feel as though alot of his hitting woes are based on mechanics. Look at his front shoulder, it bails out on every pitch, does anyone else see the same thing?
I think we drop him in the order and see what happens if by June his still not hitting, we need to get Nady even if it costs Kunz
His mechanics may be a result of general wear and tear, however. The body can only take so much. Anyway, I foresee one of those “courtesy” trips to the DL.
I would have no problem with Millar, I like that move. He’d be a fan favorite.
I’ve suggested it before, and I think it makes sense. It might cost one of our Bingo Three, but c’est la vie. Millar would provide both “heart” and an upgrade over Delgado. You have to give to get, and this would hardly qualify as gutting the system.
Kevin Millar is a PERFECT fit for the Mets.
He’s got personality, humor, and loves the spotlight.
So yes…bring him to Shea, put a big paper meche baseball on his head, and let him be the new Mr. Met.
But keep that D-Bag the hell away from my baseball team, the diamond,a dn the clubhouse..
He’d hit about .250 with 15 HR and 50-60 RBIs. Sad to say, but there’s no way Delgado does that.
I am completely against obtaining any player who is going to start saying things like “cowboy up”.
we could bring back Mo Vaughn, he´s still on the payroll….
seriously though, there are no legit options, we are stuck with delgado and really he is not that bad. I mean he cannot stay in the fifth spot, but he is a better option than trying anybody else there. Or maybe they should move Wright to first and get a new third baseman, Tatis? The tigers just moved Cabrera to first.
Cabrera was a horrid third baseman. Wright, with all his throwing issues, is a Gold Glove winning 3rd baseman. Tatis scares me, Despite his HRs…his batting average isnt impressive. Thats also AAA pitching.
We as fans can panic, which we have every right to based on what we have seen… but the Mets front office are not going to make moves this early. They have to much $$$ invested in delgado to just bench him and he cannot be traded so they are prob going to let this play out until trade deadline… So we can complain nothings going to happen for a while.
That’s why you move him down and the order and sit him against LHP until he gets going or gone.
Yes, thereal. I love your Morales idea as well.
I would start off by bringing up Abreu to rest Delgado against LHP.
Then I would let the lineup loook like this
Reyes, Castillo, Wright, Beltran, Church, Alou, Delgado, Schneider.
I think if you did that then Church would have a career year and it splits up the LH until Delgado and Schneider and like someone said earlier it’s not a big deal. Plus if you bring up Abreu he would be hitting 7th anyway against LHP.
answer to the question….
the same thing that was done with Ruffian.
I dont understand how Mike Carp isn’t “ready”…Justin Upton is 20 years old and he’s been one of the hottest outfielders in the game so far. Jose Reyes started playing around the same age as Mike is now and so did D-Wright. All I’m saying is Carp has been in the minors for a while now and I think it’s about time we make our own Ryan Howard or Prince Fielder…
He still struggles big time against LHP. Also, if you bring him up you have to cut Delgado as they are both LH.
he may have to be cut anyway. i don’t suspect he will be happy with a benching.
Right, that is why the 1st step is moving him down in the order to 7th when Alou comes back. Then you bring up Abreu to platoon against LH. Then if that still does not work you release Delgado and promote Carp and have a Carp/Abreu platoon.
I can live with that.
I’ll take just Mike Jacobs part II.
That will due.
that assumes he has a ceiling as high as the others you mentioned, which of course he does not.
the problem with that, is that he’s mike carp, and all those other guys are all-stars. Justin Upton was the top prospect is baseball for 2 years mike carp can’t even crack baseball america’s top100.
And Ryan Howard came up when he was 27
CONSIDERING DELGADO HAS A VORP BELOW REPLACEMENT, IT DOESN’T MATTER WHO REPLACES HIM!
DID YOU GEet your caps lock stuck? Or are you yelling at us?
I’m VORPing out loud.
Is signing FA Mike Piazza to play 1B with Delgado a bad idea? We know what he has done in New York. People love him. And c’mon folks, we’re not looking for him to play every day. He could be picked up for just this season at a very reasonable cost.
Yes, it’s a very bad idea. He CANT play 1B.
Piazza at least can be a home run threat off of the bench. Our current bench is anemic and pathetic with absolutely no power. And by the way, Piazza could have been a back-up catcher instead of the garbage we have now in casanova and the injury prone castro.
Always liked Piazza, but, um, no. He can’t play catcher, either, and there’s no guarantee he’d have much power.
at this point, as far as bad 1B options go I think they are in best order: Frank Thomas, Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Piazza.
I think that should make it clear…
When the options are that bad, does it really matter what order they are in?
only when people suggest Piazza at 1B as a good idea…
It boggles my mind that a lot of people think Mike Carp is the answer. People really don’t understand the purpose of the minor league system. The Mets are not in a situation where they need to call up a Double-A first baseman. Let him succeed down there first for a long period of time, at least half the year. And Carp’s number may be a little misleading. Most of the ballparks in the Eastern League are bandboxes. The homers he is hitting now will likely be long outs in Shea Stadium. Plus, he’s not exactly facing major league caliber pitching in the Eastern League. Patience, people, patience.
Precisely. Promoting Carp to the Mets stands a better than even chance of hurting both parties. I’d be in favor of getting an expensive substitute for Delgado who could at least play some defense. At this point, I’d even take Mientkiewicz. Yeah, that’s right. . . .
Um, sorry — that’s INexpensive.
Anyone have Delgado’s baa lefties?
he’s actually been a little less atrocious against lefties in terms of avg and ops.
mlb.com
espn.com
rotoworld.com
etc,etc
thanks you are right he is just as bad from either side of the plate…
from MLB.com
vs. Left: .212 vs. Right: .205
Home: .182 Road: .231
Day: .267 Night: .167 Grass: .208 Turf: —
Current Month: .217 Last 30 Days: .208
Rays have designated Dan Johnson for assignment.
Maybe he can be low-risk short term solution until Delgado figures things out.
where is the “trade him to Japan” option?
All those in favor of bringing up Carp for this week against the Nats and Pirates to see if he can hit …say I: I
I think we really should give Piazza a shot to be a backup first baseman / third string catcher. I’d rather have him behind the plate then Casanova who should be playing in a Softball beer league. If he gets hurt or just doesn’t make it, we lose about 5mil or so, but atleast Piazza could retire as a met. PLEASE TAKE THE CHANCE OMAR!
Are you kidding?
dan johnson just got designated for asignment… again. This is a guy who cost nothing and might be able to play well, as he certainly has potential. I know they passed before because johnson is a lefty and they wanted someone to platoon with delgado, but at this point i think we need to look past platooning and just outright replace him. Johnson may not be a sexy name, but he can’t do any worse than delgado at this point.
The only problem is that he probably wouldn’t do all that much better, either.
blah blah blah… when are the Mets make the change? Answer: When it’s too late.
I’m sick and tired of hearing “it’s early… not yet.. it’s only been 20 games…etc.” MIKE CARP will never get a chance because the Mets are afraid to offend Mr. Delgado. Please… just sit him down, send him down… make him sell hotdogs.. whatever.. just get rid of him!!
I’m sick of it.. GET RID OF DELGADO NOW, OMAR! HE IS KILLING THE MET SEASON..
Jesus Christ with the Mike Piazza. Met fans cry over Mike Piazza like they were a girl he f’d really well for one night and left without calling.
He’s gone, he’s not coming back, he shouldn’t come back, it’s over.
1. The sample size for Delgado against righties (38 ABs) is too small to make any sort of judgement.
2. His OPS against righties last year–a year he struggled mightily–was .818. Not great, but adequate for a #5 or #6 hitter. Especially in a platoon.
3. Piazza is not coming anywhere near this team. He has nothing to offer.
4. If there is a first-base platoon, it will be Delgado-Easley.
5. Willie/Omar are waiting for Alou’s return. Once he’s back, the evaluation of CD can begin in earnest.
Just release Carlos Delgado I knoe he help us a lot last 2006, so thx for the 2006, but 2007 and dis yr. OMG idk what to do to him anymore….
And I think Carp is ready to play… even though he gonna make his debut on his young age I think he gonna hit pretty well this yr. even though like 80 at bats may like 2 to 5 homer 10 to 15 RBI .275 avg. compare to delgado… carlos D. cant even hit a fastball anymore…. please Omar Im from Newtown too… lol.. anyways just bring up Mike Carp…… for god sake…. I love the Mets so much… I really want them to win… u cant just watch Delgado hit a HR like once in 5-10 games and after hitting a HR will slump again for the nxt 5-10games please please mike carp… I think he can play now
Trade delgado to the pirates..bring back X man!….pay whatever it takes to get rid of delgado!
First off, why would the Mets even consider playing Pagan at first? Not thanks.
Secondly, let’s take it easy on The Big Hurt. Cerrone’s description of him is a bit harsh. The idea that Thomas couldn’t handle splitting time is just false. He was benched to prevent him from reaching the number of at-bats he needed for a contract extension to kick in. He said repeatedly that if he were being benched to help the team because his skills were deteriorating he could understand it.
However, what the Jays did to Thomas was not in the best interest of the team. It was cowardly, and Thomas is not an “egocentric headcase who would not accept splitting time in Toronto, where they have the designated hitter”. There is no basis for that statement, and it isn’t fair. If I thought he could still play in the field, I’d be all for giving him some consideration.
as a Mets fan, i almost hesitate suggesting this, but i do believe that it could be the best solution for both clubs:
DELGADO TO THE MARINERS FOR
RICHIE SEXSON AND MARK LOWE
clearly, Richie Sexson has some issues, his numbers have been down, and his contract is too big - pretty similar to Delgado. i think a change of scenery/leagues would give both guys a chance to perform better.
think about it, Sexson’s best years were in the NL. he’s right handed. Delgado’s best years were in the AL, he’s left handed - better for Safeco field. The M’s are deep with young talent in the bullpen, we could easily let a guy like Lowe, or Rowland-Smith go for a chance at Delgado.
this could work! anyone have Omar’s email address?
Why are all these options labeled “not yet”?
When then? Why is Carp a “not yet”? Does anybody seriously believe he won’t be able to improve upon a .200 average with 1 HR through the first 20 games? Delgado had all of last year and the beginning of this year to fix his swing and get out of his funk. He hasn’t. The timing is ripe, and the whole “not yet” mentality will only cost us more games at the expense of a defensively-challenged, offensively clueless first baseman.
There is no question Delgado is struggling but I don’t think the Mets should trade for a better first baseman. They should let Delgado stay in the lineup till he improves. He will sooner or later… If he doesn’t the Mets will just keep losing. I think he will pull out of his slump because he has showed signs of it here and there. In three or four years, when he is getting old, there is bound to be a team wanting a veteran hitter who will give up a first baseman and some young talented stars. That’s when you should trade Delgado.