Monthly Archives: September 2008
According to Buster Olney at ESPN.com, David Wright is one of the tangible things that the Mets need to fix for the 2009 season.
In the report, Olney writes:
“They need to help him work through his apparent anxiety in high-pressure situations … He cares so deeply that he puts enormous pressure on himself, and this trait seems to wreck him in big spots. He seems to leap at the ball when he’s trying to hit with the game on the line. They need to address this.”
“I don’t know how they do it. Maybe they get Wright to start talking to a sports psychologist, someone who might get the kind of help that has aided John Smoltz and Matt Garza and others. Wright is a cornerstone player who will be an MVP candidate in most years of his career, so the notion of trading him is silly. But they have to help him find a way to relax — and if the team’s best player relaxes, this will, in turn, take pressure off the rest of the team.”
…i can’t imagine the pressure put on this lineup when you know that no lead, or small deficit for that matter, is safe…granted wright hasn’t been clutch with RISP, but suggesting the guy needs a shrink is a little much…
If you miss Chris Russo on the New York air waves, then click play below to watch his latest Mad Dog Minute.
…i always loved chris’ energy, and frankly, afternoon sports talk radio hasn’t been the same since he left, but jeez, this is a bit much, isn’t it…
Tagged Mike Nichols |
Earlier today on WFAN, Mets GM Omar Minaya was asked whether he needs to ‘fill in around his core-group of players,’ or whether he needs to trade a core player to ‘shake things up,’ to which he responded:
“I do believe in them, and we need to put some guys around them, but we also have to consider do we have to shake the tree. We have to consider all those things…Look, this town and our fan base is about championships. They don’t want to hear we won 80–something games. They don’t want to hear that we got to the first round of the playoffs…This is not a young-team town. Those days are over. This is a town that pays, (pause), that’s invested in their ballclub, and ownership is committed to investing back, and winning, and getting to the playoffs, even in 2006, that’s not good enough here. I understand that here. We don’t start the year thinking, ‘OK, we’re just gonna get to the playoffs.’ That’s not what this town is about, and I can tell you as a General Manager that that’s not what I’m about. Our goal is to get to the World Series, win the World Series, and continue to win it, but the bottom line is we can’t even get to the playoffs so we need to find a better way to work hard at this.”
…frankly, i don’t know whether to be scared to death by this statement, or totally encouraged…bold…
Meanwhile, the following video clip is Minaya, speaking to reporters today from Shea Stadium, during which he said he will likely make an announcement about Jerry Manuel’s future in the next few days:
To watch Carlos Delgado speak with reporters from Shea Stadium today, courtesy of SNY, click here.
Also, to hear all of Minaya’s interview on WFAN, click here.
Tagged Omar Minaya |In the Daily News, Adam Rubin frames out the off-season road ahead for Omar Minaya.
According to Bob Klapisch of the Bergen Record, Minaya must part ways with Aaron Heilman, Scott Schoeneweis, Luis Castillo and maybe even Ryan Church, while also giving serious thought to trading a player like David Wright or Jose Reyes.
Frankly, I need more time to think about a definitive strategy, which I will offer up in more detail over the next few weeks.
That said, thinking off of the top of my head, most important, the Mets need to field a team we, as fans, can be excited about and enjoy cheering for again. There are now too many people on this current roster who lots of fans just do not like. There are too many people who we do not trust. What’s more, the Mets need to look in the mirror, think about what has excited this fanbase in the past, and play to their base.
My hunch is that, in our heart of hearts, fans do not want to trade Wright or Reyes. These are our players, our home-grown stars, and, while Reyes was booed last September, and Wright this September, I do not think fans have totally soured on them. At the same time, they are not the reason the Mets have failed, and I believe their best seasons are still ahead of them.
Instead, as I said this morning, I believe the team must turn the page and re-fuel, not by trading Wright and Reyes, but by propping them up in to leadership roles. Make this their team. If they’re so great, let them prove it. The time has come to let them either lead this organization to the top of the mountain, or in to the abyss – either way, they’re the Captians.
In Wright and Reyes, along with Johan Santana and Carlos Beltran, and John Maine and Mike Pelfrey, and eventually Daniel Murphy, the Mets will have a tough, exciting, young nucleus with experience, who I believe are ready to take over this city.
At the same time, I believe the Mets should cut ties with Carlos Delgado, Orlando Hernandez, Castillo, Heilman, Schoeneweis, Damion Easley, Marlon Anderson, Oliver Perez, Moises Alou, Pedro Martinez, and others.
In their place, the Mets need to focus on filling in with role players with a reputation for being consistent and hard-working, even if they do not have the best stats on the market. This is not fantasy baseball. The ability to accumulate salary, age, on-paper talent, ticket sales and ratings will only get you so much loyalty – at some put, living up to your potential is necessary.
Also, like Gary Cohen, Mike Francesa and Ed Coleman have all said in the last 24 hours, Minaya should look high and low for a player like Pete Rose, who was the final piece of leadership for the Phillies in the early 80s, or Keith Hernandez and Gary Carter, who played the same role for the Mets a few years later, i.e., a gritty, win-at-all-cost veteran, who may be on the back-nine of his career, but who can push this team – not pull it – through the finish line. If you’re curious, just ask the Rays and Cliff Floyd and Troy Percival.
Again, though I need more time to think through a strategy, my gut tells me that Jerry Manuel and Minaya should stay on – although anything more than a guaranteed two-year deal would be foolish. I do not want either men to operate as a lame-duck manager, but too much security will limit ownership’s options.
I would look to free-agent talent like Orlando Hudson and Derek Lowe, players who are known to have a winning mindset, who work hard and fight. This off-season, Minaya needs to value reputation as much as statistics.
Lastly, from ownership to the GM down to the last man on their roster, the Mets need to get over themselves. You are not ‘a playoff team,’ if you do not make the playoffs. Stop over-selling yourselves. It does you no good – not from the media’s point of view, and certainly not from our point of view. You are not the team to beat – and even if you think you are, zip it and, instead, prove it on the field. Stop talking about meaningful games in any month, let alone October, and, instead, play hard, play smart and be consistent…right to the end.
Lawrence P sent in the following e-mail, which made me laugh:
“Every one is looking for a jinx and a scapegoat and I think I found it.
“On August 7, Giuseppe Franco took batting practice at Shea Stadium. The team went 27–10 in their next 37 games. On September 13, Franco’s fan-favorite Precede ad stopped airing on SNY, and the team went 7–10 in their final 17 games.”
…so there you have it, folks, SNY, your local cable provider and Procede are responsible for the Mets not making the playoffs, because franco was removed from the air…
According to MLB.com, Jeff Wilpon told reporters, “I think we overachieved,” considering where the team was earlier in the year, and considering all of the injuries they had to deal with.
…you have got to be kidding me…
…i mean, whatever had been the case, be it injuries, fourth place in june, etc., the facts are this: a) his team was three games in first place in September, b) they were two games up in the Wild Card, and c) they controlled their own fate up until the last 30 minutes of the season…
…so, while i understand what he’s trying to say, please, spare me the overachievement nonsense…especially today…
Starting at around noon, Mets players will return to Shea Stadium, where they will pack up their stuff, say goodbye and leave for home to begin the start of a long off-season.
Marlins C Paul Lo Duca, speaking to reporters following yesterday’s season-ending defeat of the Mets, said:
“Let’s put it this way, I’ll sleep well tonight…I have a lot of friends over there, I feel for them and for their fans. But, I feel nothing for their upper management.”
In 67 games for the Nationals and Marlins this season, Lo Duca hit .243 with no home runs and just 15 RBI.
…i heard an unconfirmed story yesterday that, on Friday night, in front of Mike Piazza, Tom Seaver and other Mets notables, Marlins SS Hanley Ramirez proclaimed, ‘There will be no post-season in New York this season, gentlemen.’…like i said, i don’t know that this is 100 percent true, but does it matter…seriously…
…what’s interesting is that, despite the Phillies winning the NL East for the second-straight season, and despite all the agony that has been caused by Bobby Cox and the Braves over the years, it is the Marlins who i hope to go 0–162 next season…
Tagged Paul Lo Duca |…from what i can gather, David Wright and Jose Reyes appeared to be the most depressed and in-shock players following yesterday’s loss to the Marlins…
…i heard reyes just stood at his locker, back to reporters, not moving much for quite a while, while people 
waited to speak with him…wright looked like some one had died, while talking to reporters with a blank stare in his eyes…
Reyes, when finally speaking to reporters after the game, said:
“I mean, it’s tough – it’s tougher now because of what happened last season. This season we’re going to go home early again and that’s not easy, because in spring training we had a good feeling about this team. This is not easy. It’s going to be a tough off-season for us.”
Wright, talking to reporters following the game, said:
“I’m disappointed, frustrated, you know, it’s a failed feeling. It’s something that when it hits you it hits you hard…We failed. We failed as a team. There is no pointing fingers, no excuses, we, as a unit, didn’t get the job done…
“We need to get better. We need to get better individually, as a team and all 25 guys need to really look at themselves in the mirror and do whatever they can and whatever is possible to be ready in spring training…
“It’s frustrating as a player. The fans are obviously frustrated. We went out there, we didn’t get the job done, we played with heart, we played with passion and we just were not good when we needed to be good.”
…i know these two dropped the ball in some key spots down the stretch, but they were fairly consistent and productive all season long…to suggest either of these two players need to be traded is ridiculous…if anything, they need to be given more responsibility…
…the time has come to turn the page…
…turn the page from Carlos Delgado, Orlando Hernandez, Luis Castillo, Pedro Martinez, Damion Easley, Marlon Anderson, and others, and make this the team of David Wright, Jose Reyes and Johan Santana, with Mike Pelfrey, Carlos Beltran and John Maine standing quietly right behind them…
According to Jon Heyman at SI.com, ‘the Mets will retain manager Jerry Manuel in 2009.’
Manuel was 55-38 as the team’s manager after taking over for Willie Randolph in May.
Mets GM Omar Minaya, regarding Manuel, while speaking to reporters following yesterday’s game:
“I sat down and talked to him. I’m going to sit down with ownership and give them my recommendation, because he is an interim manager. But I told him the same thing I’m telling you guys: that I was very pleased. The job that he did, I thought, was a very good job. I think if you talked to the players, they would tell you that he did a very good job.”
David Wright, regarding Manuel, said:
“What Jerry’s done here has been remarkable. You won’t find a guy in this clubhouse that doesn’t look up to Jerry, doesn’t respect Jerry, and think that Jerry’s one of the best baseball minds in the game. I’ll forever owe Jerry quite a bit, not only for this year but for what he’s taught me since he’s been here. Jerry has my utmost respect.”
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