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By the way, nice job by David Lennon in Newsday, who recently took a comment from Jerry Manuel and created the term ‘Team Tightrope,’ as a way to describe the 2008 New York Mets.
This is a perfect name, David. Well done.
Seriously, what a year? Regardless of how it ends, it will no doubt end up being nothing short of entertainment. The next three weeks I will obsess over the ups and downs of winning and losing and the standings. So, I’d like to take a minute to acknowledge just how hectic and dramatic this season has been so far.
Think about it, there was ‘the Collapse,’ then the improbable Johan Santana trade, followed by an easy-going spring training, then Ryan Church suffered a concussion, the regular season started, Pedro Martinez got hurt, fans were called out for booing and blamed for the team’s failure, Willie Randolph entered the crosshairs, which put a constant pressure on the team, who were labeled lifeless, Carlos Delgado was hitting .220, Randolph was fired, Jerry Manuel was hired, every one exhaled, Ryan Church suffered another concussion, the Mets won 10 in a row, Billy Wagner got hurt, and John Maine got hurt, and the Mets took back first place, among a whole host of other storylines that were repeated over and over and over again…
…and there is still three weeks left to play.
For more, check out Brooklyn Met Fan, where Adam looks back at the Then and Now of this season.
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Sounds like a lesser version of 1987 with much more media coverage.
Lets not forget this team dropped four straight in early August to go just 5 games above .500 and looked to be on the verge of roasted and toasted before making hay of two big road trips and homestands.
once again, i disagree
they dropped 4 straight…
for lack of a better term…$hit happens
they were still within 1st place with plenty of time to go and they had a bad series..
IT HAPPENS
…and thank God Willie was fired.
Here Here!
I was actually a Willie supporter, but by seeing how Manuel operates I have now found the wisdom to know that Willie was horrible.
I was a Willie I don’t care guy. But eventually Willie stood for everything bad about the collapse and the mood was effecting the players. Thus, he had to go.
You hit the nail on the head, Mikey. I don’t think the turnaround happens with Randolph at the helm.
remember also that the 5th starter position was up for grabs on that last spring training game. el duque went back to the old windup for the first time all spring, outpitched pelfrey, got hurt and pelfrey became the 5th starter.
Sometimes you just have that feeling when a season is meant to be or not. Last September, even when they had the lead, I never felt it was meant to be. Especially not after the two Phillies sweeps and the multitude of errors and mental mistakes. Considering this team having been to hell and back this year, it just has that certain feel that hasn’t been there since 2006.
Does not fit here but interesting informaiton over at Mlbtraderumors.
Four starters project to have Type A status: C.C. Sabathia, Kyle Lohse, Ben Sheets, and Oliver Perez. Lohse and Perez are solid pitchers, but they’re less attractive given the loss of a draft pick. Teams like the Mets, Astros, Cardinals, and Yankees may be searching for starting pitching and may have unprotected first-round picks to lose.
Type Bs: Randy Wolf, Randy Johnson, Derek Lowe, Brad Penny, Jamie Moyer, John Smoltz, and Greg Maddux. You have to like Lowe not costing a draft pick.
Odalis Perez, Braden Looper, Livan Hernandez, Tom Glavine, Pedro Martinez, and others you’d expect are not Type A or B. No one loses a pick, no one gains a pick.
So maybe that will hold Perez’s price down a little and can work for the Mets. Sign Ollie and you don’t lose picks or gain picks.
Also, we would be silly not to go out and try and get Lowe on a 3 year deal. In that time Niese could be ready or we will have a handle on Maine. Lowe won’t cost that much.
Johan, Pelfrey, Perez, Lowe, Maine. That’s a very stable rotation with a lot of innings in it. That would have to be the best rotation in the NL and maybe MLB. There is no need to go out in a week market and spend a ton of money on offense. Get pitcing.
We have about 40-50 million to spend.
Sign
Perez, 13 million
Lowe 10 million
Delgado 12 million
KRod 15 million, if you can trade Wagner (getting him to waive his no trade clause for a chance to close in a place like Cleveland) then you save 10 million more.
That’s 50 million and money very well spent.
you really like Lowe don’t you.
I just have a feeling Krod wont be pitching for us next year, but personally I am not opposed to going after him.
my only concern with your scenario is that you are not addressing the biggest weakness of this year’s team, the bullpen before wagner or krod in your scenario.
btw, I wouldn’t touch krod with a 10 foot pole. the angels wore out his arm. signing him long term would be a big mistake.
Check his stats again, KRod’s that is. Even though he has a lot of saves he is not being used any more than Aaron Heilman. He and Wagner were right on pace with each other before he went down in terms of innings. It’s just that the Angels only seem to play close games I guess. LOL>
As for Lowe, the guy consistantly pitches 200 innings with a WHIP of around 1.20. What’s not to like. He won’t cost as much as others who put up those numbers and will have a shorter commitment.
I agree with all your signing suggestions, thereal, but am hesitant about committing to K-Rod, who really seems like TJ surgery waiting to happen.
Even at 14 million/year, Perez is young and has the stuff to be worth it, and this price will seem like a bargain a couple years down the road. Especially if you use the 10m/year for Carlos Silva as a ridiculous “:benchmark”.
And who woulda thought that signing Delgado would seem like a no-brainer at this point?
I don’t see a point to pay a closer in excess of $14MM per year. I tend to agree with the BIlly Beane strategy on that.
If only because there are no others available and will not be any that hit the market for a while. If it’s 15 million what’s an extra million. Do you think Kunz will be ready to close next year if Wagner is still getting injured and having dead arm. Even in 2010 Kunz will most likely not be ready. So it’s either trade for a top closer costing a top prospect and 10 million or sign Krod for 15 million costing the money and 2 picks. Tough decision.
Personally if I could trade for Street that would be the road I would take.
I like the Street idea.
I know it’s a pipedream, but if the FO focuses all of their efforts on CC, you can live with the current bullpen next season. (Sign Ollie too.)
Johan
CC
Perez
Pelf
Maine
WOW
We would still have a hole in left field, but the current platoon should be good enough for one more year (Murphy/Evans/Tatis). Just sayin
I would love to have CC but you are not getting Perez and CC. Omar would never commit to 2 5 year plus contracts for the rotation next season.
I hear ya. Lowe makes a lot of sense. Beef up the pen.
I only hope they do not overpay for an aging left fielder. The market is thin and these kids Murphy and Evans, while not the organization’s jewels, are proving to be tough outs. Their ability to work the count deep every time up cannot be underestimated. Paul O’Neill was a master at it and I see the same ability in Church. It definitely sets up nicely for the rest of the lineup.
If we did make a huge splash in left field, it’s really unfortunate that we’re stuck with Castillo (who was hobbling on Wednesday by the way). Murphy could be a nice fit at 2B.
The beaten dead horse cliche that there’s “something different” with this team is so true. Knock on wood, I don’t expect too many “downs” the rest of the way. With Beltran finally scorching the ball, the lineup could be the most dangerous in the NL and our starters are getting it done. Wright needs 2 or 3 days off is the only small issue we have IMO. The bullpen still stinks, but Billy is returning and we only need them to be average (versus atrocious, though that will have to change in October at the risk of looking ahead).
2 of 3 would be outstanding this weekend, but I’m confident they can sweep. Let’s bury the Phils one more time this year.
didn’t churchy get his 2nd concussion prior to Willie being fired?
Hey, is that a still from the Mad Men opening credits? I love that show.