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In a post to his blog for 1050 ESPN Radio, Rich Coutinho writes, “Well, 
Met fans you have now seen what life is without the core and it has not been a pleasant ride.”
…well, yes, but, if the Mets were to break up the core, they’d also acquire new players in trade and sign other free agents to fill in… so, yes, this is life without the core, but it’s also life without replacing the core…
In a post to Mets Merized Online, Joe D wonders if the Mets, again, are the worst team money can buy, noting, “Even with the $80 million dollars worth of product on the field, they still make more than two-thirds of the teams in their league.”
Similarly, Adam from Brooklyn Met Fan thinks this may be the worst Mets team ever, saying, “Taking into account our new stadium, lots of all-stars, and a resolve to beat the Phillies, this year was supposed to be quite a ride… instead what do get? Snake-eyes.”
There are 82 games left in the season, yet Jason Fry from Faith and Fear in Flushing is ‘throwing in the towel.’
Andrew Beaton of Hot Foot looks at the team’s stats at the half-way mark.
John from Metstradamus writes of this weekend’s sweep by the Phillies, “Forty years ago, the Mets beat the likes of Dave McNally, Jim Palmer, and Mike Cuellar in the World Series. Forty years later, the Mets can’t touch Rodrigo Lopez, Jamie Moyer, and Joe Blanton. Your predecessors must be proud. I know I am.”
In a post to Mets Fever, Ed Ryan argues that acquiring just one bat can make a difference, despite popular opinion.
…well, of course it can make a difference… the thing is, how much of a difference… is one bat enough to overcome three missing bats…
Lastly, our old friend D.J. Short got a gig writing for NBC Sports, where, today, he lists five breakthrough first-half performances from around MLB.
By the way, in case you missed it from earlier today, to vote in this week’s Fan Confidence Rating, click here.
How much can one bat do? I have one word MANNY! Look at the Dodgers since they got him. One bat can and does make a difference. It gives the team a sense of infusion and changes the team dynamic. Remember a guy named Mike Piazza, that joined the METS in 1998? We went to game 6 on the NLCS in 1999 and game 5 of the WS in 2000. I sat get someone!!!
Granted, Manny and Piazza are not out there now, but an Adam Dunn CAN be that type of player for two weeks. He could hit 210 with 2 HR, sure, but he could also hit 290 with 8 HR in two weeks. He COULD be a difference maker while we wait for our core to come back, he could protect Wright, and he would stay on the team when they get back to strengthen us later too, AND he will be our 1bman in 2010.
Not only does he protect Wright, but when guys like Delgado, Beltran, and Reyes come back, they protect him…
Dunn has been surrounded in the lineup by trash all his life…only know does he have ZImmerman hitting either before or after him, but that’s it. Put him in a lineup between guys like Beltran and Wright, and he is going to MASH…
Not too many guys will pitch around him with Reyes and/or Beltran on base, and Wright and Delgado following him…think about it:
Reyes
Castillo (should be Hudson, ugh)
Beltran
Dunn
Wright
Delgado
Sheffield/Church (Church mostly for defense)
Schneider
That’s hands-down the deadliest lineup in the NL.
And then thinking ahead to 2010, perhaps:
Reyes, ss
Hudson, 2b
Beltran, cf
Dunn, 1b
Wright, 3b
Evans, lf
Martinez, rf
catcher (not sure who…maybe Thole?)
pitcher
Still a great lineup…Dunn is not a rental like Holliday would be. He needs to be SERIOUSLY considered.
exactly, the reason they need holliday or dunn is because A. nobody knows if delgado is even going to be able to play this season and B. theyve been lacking a bat in LF for what…5 years now? Floyd was hurt towards the end of his career with mets…alou…fail…….now murphy failed in LF….
I personally would be fine with both…but holliday is a better defender, hits for higher average and has good pop…and much like dunn…his team this year sucks…giambi is his protection….do u know how good holliday would be with beltran and wright infront and behind him. I know, I know, holliday is a rental but if the mets traded for him, omar is going to sign him to an extension, he wouldnt give up good prospects then let him walk, i also read the A’s are looking for 2 prospects with great upside…fmart and a lower level could probably get him, and quite frankly id do that. Also, hes right-handed and this team has been looking for right-handed bats it seems..or at least was in the offseason which is why they had interest in holliday from what i read
I also dont necessarily agree with your 2010 corner OFers….i dont think that will be the corner OFers and actually i wouldnt be surprised if neither of them are on the major league squad, or in the mets organization next year. But as far as this year, Sheff goes back to the bench and gives u major right handed pop off the bench
Reyes
Murphy 1B
Beltran
Dunn/Holliday LF
Wright
Church
Schneider
Castillo
evans and martinez? come on learn the lesson of murphy from this year. With that lineup we could live with martinez but we would need a legit OF for the other corner.
Really? Because Im pretty sure the Dodgers were knocking the cover off the ball during Manny’s 50 game suspension. Enough with the Manny talk, it’s old….
he did have a big impact on Andre Either last year though. and that obviously carried over to this year.
Not only does he improve the lineup when he is in it, but he can also help improve the other hitters whether he’s playing or not.
Exactly right. And does anyone still think a starter who has the same ERA as Livan now is worth $16 million/year for 4 years? Does anyone seriously still pine for Lowe?
id still rather have lowe than Oliver perez. And i hope Olive can prove me wrong.
Seriously, I wouldn’t. Let’s face it, they were both bad contracts. But Lowe’s was for more money/years.
If Lowe is going to start declining due to age, it only gets worse for the Braves. At least there is still upside for Ollie. Or perhaps the status quo (’07 and ‘08 performance).
There are two people to blame for the Mets being in their current mess. 1) Omar Minaya and a distant #2 is David Wright.
Omar Minaya tried to sell us on this Murphy/Tatis platoon in LF. Now I was as pro-Manny as anyone but lets just say that the Wilpons did not want to shell out 20 million for Manny. There were plenty of available leftfielders: Raul Ibanez, Adam Dunn, even Garret Anderson, trade market.
Omar hasn’t done what is necessary to get this team over the top since 06. In 06 they desperately needed a starter and he didn’t get that done. In 07 the bullpen was a major weakness and the lineup wasn’t great because Sean Green wasn’t hitting his weight, Lo Duca wasn’t hitting, and Valentin got hurt. So Omar brings in Castillo (sigh) and no bullpen help. In 08 the bullpen was a MAJOR weakness and Omar did nothing.
Now with the major injuries you would think that the only healthy member of the core would step up. Instead David Wright being the mental midget he is (06 playoffs, September 07 and 08 as evidence) has become the guy I want up least with the bases loaded. It is amazing how bad David Wright has been this year… I know I know you Wright apoligists will tell he that he has 42 RBI’s and his hitting .330 but anyone who watches this team on a consistent basis will tell you that Wright has been purtrid this year. The worst thing about Wright has been that he has a knack for making big outs in big situations.
you do realize that Wright had big numbers in september 2007 and 2008? As in one of the few guys on the team to hit?
Or do you just remember 1 AB last year against the cubs that didn’t quite end well?
Like I said earlier, bashing Wright is the easiest thing to do right now because you can’t really bash guys on the DL…
That being said, this guy has no clue what he is talking about. Wright carried this team through 07 and 08 down the stretch, and he hit the cover off the ball in the 06 NLDS as well…as a guy playing his first full season in the big leagues, asking him to produce under the spotlight of the NLCS is outrageous…especially with the bats he had (and will still have when healthy) around him.
for real.
Wright actually had strong Septembers in 2007 and 2008, statistically.
The problem with Wright, is that he is in a posistion that we need him to come through every time he has RISP, for us to have a chance. and that is unrealistic. First off, the guy is struggling, secondly, this is a game that getting a hit 5/10 times is great. so then why do we expect him to go 10/10 every time a RISP and when he doesn’t, we bash him.
What Im saying is, he is in a “damned if I do, damned if I dont”, situation. and theres really not much we can do about it, other than hope for the best.
He needs to help, I do agree, but we really need to him to be great right now, and he’s in a very tough situation to be able to.
I agree that those who watch the team on a consistent basis know who’s not performing. The season is definitely not over, but the club needs to have a plan communicated to their fans. In addition, the Marketing department needs to get in sync with that plan, because sending out emails like they did today with a caption telling us “All-Star David Wright unleashes a two-run tater vs the Brewers on Tuesday…” is insulting to the true fan. (a) The homer came in a game they lost and (b) He is mired in another of his dismal slumps against the Mets key rivals.
If they want to get fans into CitiField, how about telling fans “If you haven’t been into new, beautiful CitiField, come now at a 20% discount” or better “Come meet some of the 1969, 1973 and 2000 Mets”.
Asking knowledgeable baseball fans to spend $500+ for their families to see Tatis hit another ground ball double play is delusional.
Omar needs to be front and center now, as Jerry is running out of things to say.
If you are first blaming Omar for misjudging what he thought the players he had could accomplish, then you are equally to blame for thinking David Wright was something other than what he really is.
I blame Omar far more than I blame Wright. Omar needs to build the team with David Wright not around him. David Wright is not a star player, he is just a nice complimentary player. On a championship caliber team David Wright is a 6 hitter and maybe a 5 hitter with a deep lineup.
Do you live in NY? David Wright IS a star player…it’s just that one (or even two) star players don’t win championships by themselves.
This team actually has six star players in Reyes, Wright, Beltran, Delgado, Santana, and Frankie…but only one of them is able to play every day no matter the situation. Santana can only do so much every five days, and Frankie can’t have much of an impact unless the Mets are winning in the 9th.
You can’t blame Omar (or Wright) for injuries to the guys surrounding him. While they are all star players, they complement each other, which is key to winning championships. I stand by my argument that had Reyes, Beltran, and Delgado gone down to serious injuries, the Mets would be five or six games in front right now…
disagree on Wright. He is a star player. But he shouldn’t be the only star in a lineup. He has the potential to be a very good #3 hitter IMO. He just needs to get more consistent in his at-bats first. He should be an all-around offensive player. That is ideal for #3. He has been that player at times in the past few years. Right now, he is not though.
I like him better in the #5 hole with Beltran hitting third…that was the lineup in 2006.
thats fine…I’m just saying, when he puts it all together, as he has at times the past few years, he can fit that #3 spot. A guy that can hit for average, with pop in his bat, and can run a little.
Can’t argue Beltran at 3 though. He’s a great all-around hitter as well. I’m hoping Wright can reach that level.
I think Wright is that good of a hitter right now, but he has no protection. With Tran, Reyes, and Gado surrounding him, he is MUCH better (and who wouldn’t be?).
Totally agree. Wright is already a good #3-4-5 hitter. I think he’s been hurt by revamping his swing,
Citi Field, not getting good pitches to hit, the pressures of having to do it all virtually alone in the lineup, and not getting enough mental and physical rest.
There was a study done that of all the Mets hitters, Wright has been hurt the most at Citi Field. IOW, he’s lost more HRs in the part than any other player.
” … in the park.”
yea I heard that stat a week or 2 ago, and it was 6 HRs at the time that he has lost.
Yup, and no other Met had lost as many.
I also think his revamped swing has ultimately done him more harm than good. I think they need to tell the hitters to go back to the way they were. And then bring in the fences or lower them just a little after the season is over.
How has David Wright been “great” this year and when has he been “clutch”? I can think of ONE clutch hit and that was the bases clearing double in San Fran.
Sure there are 82 games left from this date?
How many games will be left when we start getting players back?
How many games will be left when we get all our players back?
Many people say we wont get any one back until August 1. How many games will be left on August 1? 60 (and by then how many games will the Mets be out 10 or more)?
If one bat can get us one more “W” then it may be enough. Look at last year…the longer Omar waits the longer the odds at making the playoffs.
One bat is not enough to make up for three bats, but it certainly is more than no bats. The season is going down the toilet and we’re left to watch it because instead of fixing some of the problem, we are content to throw our arms in the air and do nothing.
I will say this about Matt — he is reading and reciting his morning notes from SNY a lot more than Manuel seems to be.
And another thing:
This is a second place team when 100% healthy. We’ve seen that the last two years. Maybe they can overcome and with the revamped bullpen eek it out this year. Minus one major bat, they are a second place team. Minus two major bats, they are not making it to the final week as they normally do, and are probably a .500. Minus three major bats, they are not even a .500 team.
Adding a bat now (or two weeks ago when we wanted it) would bring us from being a sub-.500 team to a .500 team, treading water. And if the three bats come back, you are now a better team than originally constituted. The one bat does not replace all three bats, but it replaces one and gets us better, which is desperately needed now. And sure, that costs more, but that’s life. It’s only money, right Wilpon? If your Rolls Royce was in the shop for two months and they gave you a Saturn to drive while it was getting fixed, would you go out and rent another Rolls for two months? Yes. I wouldn’t, I don’t have that kind of money. He does. Or did. Did he lose all the new money from the new network to Madoff? That could be the case, because it just makes too much sense to do this.
I think the Mets management is acting like the unreal number of injuries will get them a “hall pass” and deflect blame. The problem with that thinking is that (a) fans are being asked to fill more expensive seats in a new park, and (b) the performance (i.e., mental toughness: getting runners in, catching pop flies, etc.) of the remaining players is not up to major league levels.
If you were a company, raising your products’ prices while having quality problems would lead customers and shareholders to the exits. In that case, management would be called on the carpet for its plans. Let’s hear more about team meetings, extra batting and fielding practice, progress of minor leaguers.
completely agree with you.
That said, we still have no idea what financial constraints Omar has or had, and what the true extent of the Maddoff hit was on the Wilpons. They could be broke, for all we really know.
Bu there does seem to be mounting evidence against the regime. Infighting, conflicting progress reports, etc. Despite the inevitable injury excuse (from the top on down, no doubt), I wonder if these guys last past Sept.
I agree we need another bat, but I also think with a revamped bullpen, this team is a first place team if healthy. In 2007 they were a second place team because of starting pitching and bullpen woes. In 2008 they were a second place team because of bullpen woes. Now they are a third place team because of injuries (which Omar can’t do much to fix).
When this team needed SP, Omar went out and got Santana. When we needed BP, he went out and got both K-Rod and Putz, while getting rid of players like Heilman and Schoeneweis.
Now this team needs a bat, and whether it be this season or this offseason, I’m willing to bet Omar will get it. Not even Miss Cleo could have predicted our number of injuries, though (Ollie, Maine, Putz, Reyes, Delgado, Beltran, Church, Pagan, Cora, Schneider, and now possibly F-Mart?…wow).
I’m a fan of the “one bat”
Get ‘er Dunn Omar!
lol, 100% agreed. How many people on here would be more excited than they are now if Dunn was acquired without giving up F-Mart, Holt, Mejia, and Flores?
I know I would be…so imagine how the guys in the clubhouse would feel knowing that help is on the way and the FO has their back? Right now they feel the weight of the world on their backs, and that’s not a good thing…they need to be playing loose and easy.
totally agree…but I dont know if we can get Dunn without giving up one of those players.
The Nats are in a good position with Dunn, and while people say, oh they can clear cap for Stratsburg, Dunn is very affordable, and they have him for next year. If he helps bring fans to the park to watch a horrible team, and they can make money in this economy while having a horrible team, then I cant blame them for asking for good talent. Combine that with the fact they everyone in the league knows we are desperate. We’re not in a good position to negotiate.
I’m pretty sure he can be had without giving up those guys…although none of us can be TOO sure. Even if guys like Evans, Murphy, Niese, and Kunz don’t get their attention, maybe a big-league bat like Church would? The Milledge deal blew up in their faces, and Church is playing good ball right now…I’m sure they’d love to give him a second chance, and he wouldn’t exactly break this team by losing him. It would be better not giving him up, but if that’s what it takes, so be it.
BTW, is Church a FA after this season or next?
Yea, Church is signed to a one-year deal. That would hurt is value alittle bit, compared to Dunn.
Like you said, I would like to make that deal without him involved.
We need as many major league hitters in our lineup as we can get, so Church needs to stay.
I have no idea what the Nats want, but probably good young talent that can play right away.
I’d certainly trade Kunz, Evans, and Niese, for Dunn…but I have no idea what the Nats think of that.
church is under the mets control until 2012 i believe
that makes sense…arbitration eligible. Thats why he signed a one year deal in Jan.
Anyone who thinks this is the ‘worst Mets team ever’ knows nothing about the Mets and should not be writing about them, anywhere, in any capacity.
That said, I hope the Dodgers are excited to come see their stadium this week!
well, we have $80 million playing on the DL. and the current $60 million roster, compared to the league, we have the worst team money can buy in 2009. Take Johan and Krod out, we have ~$28 million playing everyday.
I am with you dave. I have been a die hard met fame since the eighties. I have see my fare share of bad teams. This team is still in striking distance to the wild card and first place with backups on the way. this by no means is the worst. hahahaaha
LOL at the Dodger line…very funny
Omar should have realized a month ago that this team needed a bat. It is mind boggeling that they have stuck with a AAA team for a month. Not only do the Mets routinely have 5 minor league caliber bats in the lineup. On top of that the Mets have no hitter that strikes fear into the opposing pitcher. Maybe Sheffield but he is 40 and doesn’t play everyday.
I’ve been on the Dunn bandwagon since the off season. Omar dropped the ball bigtime on that one. Could have had him on the cheap. We didn’t get him because of his defensive shortcomings, but we then put Dan Murphy in LF who never played a game out there at any level.
On the job training here in NY. Just what us fans deserve paying big money in our new stadium.
I think it might be too late. I think the best moves are made in June
I was against Dunn in the offseason because I figured with Delgado, Beltran, Wright, and Reyes, this team would have enough fire power offensively to compete…the pitching staff put them over the top, IMO. I also felt it necessary to save some money for mid-season acquisitions (which we need now, LOL).
However, I am willing to admit that you were right and I was wrong, and that Dunn’s bat would be greatly appreciated now. I’m sure the Nats have some interest in guys like Murphy, Evans, Niese, and Kunz…
I, too, am starting to believe we may have to make a move, perhaps just to give our guys a boost. I am not a big Dunn fan, and the Nats are going to want us to pay through the nose, but let’s trade Niese (while he’s hot), Reese Havens and cash for Dunn.
Way too much
I keep Niese. I think he can be a solid middle-rotation lefty.
If the mets acquire Dunn or Holliday its going to be for prospects, actual prospects, not guys who are “role” players on the MLB team….and it would have to be for it too work out for the mets….i keep seeing people say they wonder if church can help get a big bat….now im not by any means comparing church to dunn or holliday…but how are u really upgrading ur team if ur replacing 1 hole with another? With Beltran and Reyes back in the lineup…u have a solid, professional hitter in CF, RF, 3B, SS…and the catching platoon is solid…if u trade church and some mediocre prospects for dunn….which i dont think the nats would take anyway….ur creating a hole in RF while fixing one in LF/1B….and if u get dunn and put him in LF…u NEED church…what are u gunna do…put dunn and sheff on the corners? i dont even think beltran can make up for that terrible defensive OF….and isnt everyone complaining about defense?
On the TBS broadcast of the cubs game yesterday the broadcasters were talking about matt holliday and saying the mets have had interest of late….i’d trade fmart to get him, why? Fmart looks like hes still easily 2 years away, why would u wait for the future when by adding a guy like holliday to wright, reyes, beltran, maybe even delgado u can win this year and maybe next year too….If im gunna give up good prospects for a big bat…id go with holliday because hes not just a slugger which is really all dunn is…holliday plays good D, plays hard(dunn got questioned about not playing hard in the past), hes right-handed…hes pretty much almost equivalent to what wright does on his good power years…
Also, fmart is no sure thing, look at Justin Upton…hes 21, granted hes played an extra year or so in the majors…but hes 21..u can tell hes the real deal and is gunna be a star….fmart is 1 year younger(or so we think, i read a while back that people in the industry think hes older then 20.) Hes 1 year younger and isnt even a quarter of the player upton is…just because hes the gem of the mets terrible system doesnt mean hes a cant-miss…if he can get u a huge upgrade in LF u do it…and as i said…people say well holliday is a rental and all that…if fmart goes for holliday does anyone really think omar isnt working on an extension just weeks after he gets him?
NO CHANCE Omar signs him to an extension before next season. One word, Boras.
no omar can, he’d just prob have to over pay a bit…but he’d have to overpay if he got into FA anyway…with the yanks…maybe sox….
You would have to pay something ridculous like 18 million.
actually probably 20 million each year for 6 years. NO THANKS.
your way off from what i read on mlbtraderumors a while back…they said holliday would be looking for like a 3 year 40-45 mil deal…thats like 12-15 mil a year…dont know where ur pulling those numbers from
What i am saying is Boras wouldnt have his client accept a “market” price to avoid arbitration. $20 million is a lot and actually the numbers you give are about what he should get.
Any Met fan who is saying this team is a 2nd place team full healthy or trying to blame Omar or trying to blame Jerry (who I do think sucks) need to have their head examined. Look at this:
Lead off hitter and heart of the team, DL
#3 hitter, DL
#4 hitter, DL
Backup outfielder in Pagan (who was hitting well), DL
#3 starter, DL
#4 starter, DL
Setup man, DL
Come on guys!! We are losing because 75% of the core is on the DL!! What team can win that way? what team can bring up players to produce to replace that kind of production??? Jeez, we have done a great job with what we have in the minors considering everything.
And stop with the trades already. If it was that simple and teams like the Nats and Bluejays were willing to take players like Neise, Murphy or Gee we would have made a deal already.. Truth is, they can’t bring back the kind of player we want. Our minor league system is bottom heavy with great prospects who are not ready.. Most teams are looking for players who are read to step in. why? because it looks like all of baseball is in a penant race. So if you want Dunn, its going to cost you Martinez +.
Chill out. 2nd half is coming and so are the recuits. Lets just enjoy it and hope we can turn it around. Its not like we are 10 game out of first place!!!
PS – David Wright has been great this year and CLUTCH. Anyone who has been watching and doesnt see that is blind.
I think Niese can get you Dunn. A 22 year old lefty who is pitching really well right now in Triple A. I just think Omar wants to hold onto all of these guys like they’re gold.
I think you are wrong. They would have traded Niese already if he had that kind of trade value.
After firing a complete game shutout on Sunday, Niese is 4-1 in his last six starts with a 1.04 ERA. In those 43.1 IP, he’s stuck out 39 and walked 10 while allowing just 30 hits and one home run. Opponents’ are hitting a paltry .196 against the lefty. His key ratios over this stretch: 8.1 k/9, 2.1 BB/9, .2 HR/9.
I highly doubt Niese is being called up unless there is an injury. Nieve deserves another start and no way Livan gets released/traded unless he gets shelled his next 3 starts.
One bat but at what price? If you can get Dunn for practically nothing that’s one thing but if it is going to cost you at least two top prospects, forget about it. It is too high a price for someone who has never really made that much of a difference anywhere he’s played. Didn’t anyone learn anything from Jason Isringhausen for Billy Taylor and Scott Kazmir for Victor Zambrano? You don’t trade top prospects for the likes of Adam Dunn or Mark Delarosa. It’s a bad risk. You trade top prospects for the likes of Johan Santana. Proven All-Star commodities.