Yesterday, on day one of the team’s three-day mini camp in St. Lucie, Mets manager Jerry Manuel had the following to say to reporters, when asked about his job status, and starting strong:
“I feel like, just from a fan perspective, to gain people back, or get the interest back where it was, I think it’s important that we get off to a good start. I’m a manager, so my situation, regardless of contract, is no different than anybody else’s. If you don’t perform, they make changes… I think for us, because of the troubles and the struggles we had last year in keeping people healthy and playing well, I think it’s important to get off to a good start to invigorate the people again to come out and be a part of hopefully what we can accomplish… Pitching and defense, that’s going to be the game plan. We spent a lot of time last spring on the hitting program. We think we have that in place. It probably needs some tweaking here and there, but we have to play better interior defense. And if we can do that, we feel it will make our pitchers better. That’s going to be the big emphasis.”
…i admire the confidence he has in his coaching staff, but, the fact is, it’s a talent issue, not a matter of being more or less crisp… i think this is why, for right now, i’d start Henry Blanco or sign Rod Barajas, and sign Orlando Hudson or Felipe Lopez, because, to me, though it renders castillo useless, for around $5 million, it is the best way to improve the club’s defense up the middle, which is the best way to help the starting rotation, all while hoping reyes is 100 percent healthy with the same range he showed before last summer…
To read additional quotes from Manuel, who talked about Beltran, Ryota Igarashi, Kelvim Escobar, the starting rotation, and the competition in center field and behind the plate, read Adam Rubin’s post to his blog for the Daily News.
Jerry has always had a way of throwing somewhat subtle insinuations into what he says to the media.
My hunch is that by saying the Mets need to play better interior defense, he’s saying we need someone other than Castillo playing 2B. I mean, Reyes will be the SS, and we know what we’ll get from him. He could improve off of last year when he was healthy.
But, Castillo is the part of this that isn’t solidified yet.
Jerry is also clueless, has no idea what’s going on in the front office, and is lucky to know what’s going on on the field. You can’t take anything he says seriously because he doesn’t mean it.
Really, as an outsider, with obviously zero knowledge about what goes on, your comment is totally unfounded. You don;t have an idea what Manuel does or doesn’t know.
I’ve observed him say one thing, do another, over and over and over and over again.
I’ve seen him say things opposite of what Omar says, opposite of what his players say.
I still don’t understand why Jerry Manuel had such a dislike for Church. But everytime the media would ask him (Manuel) he’d have some backhanded comment to say about him. I think Manuel is slightly better than Randoplh, but not by much.
Sometimes I think Manuel just says things to hear himself talk and nothing else. If Manuel had the talent, he would of looked just as good as the 06′ club made Willie Randolph look. Since he doesn’t have that, he’ll just sound like a guy coming up with imaginary ways to fix this team. I’d like for them to do it on top of saying it.
Agreed. Any public person talking to the press has to hedge his comments and can’t always say what he feels. Manuel probably feels the same about the lack of pitching pickups over the winter as most of the people on this blog do, but he works for the team and can’t say that, and besides, it would be lousy leadership if he did–he can’t be publicly showing anything less than confidence in his current players. But actually, I think he’s saying what he thinks here: we need better defense. Obviously, replacing a shaky 2B with a slick-fielding one would be a great thing to do, but he doesn’t make the trades, so all he can do is state the goal of better defense. If Omar forces him to try to achieve that with players who can’t play defense at a high level (Castillo, Murphy, maybe even Santos), then you can’t blame him for that. He’s got a good vision for the team, at least judging by these quotes. The trouble is that Omar doesn’t appear to be pursuing the same vision.
This wasn’t a swipe at one person in particular. The entire team defense was aweful last year. Not only that, but the baserunning was atrocious too. And someone send a copy of “Where’s the Play” to St. Lucie so they can review it.
The Mets need to sign Orlando Hudson simple as that. If Castillo is traded they will just have to eat most of his salary.
What annoys me is this, the Angels needed to move GMJ, so they ate a bunch of his salary to do so. Why can’t the Mets do the same? I know it sucks to pay money for nothing, but its better than paying him to suck on our team and block us from improving
Oh you mean like paying bobby bonilla for the next 20 years.
Except the Mets would be paying Castillo for the next two years.
Starting next year at 1.25 million per year wooooooooooow
Got him off the team which at that time was the most important thing.
Oh, so, getting rid of castillo isn’t the sane thing??
Guys, the thing I’m more worried about is how castillo if not traded or release will be.. I mean, he already sucked the fun out of the clubhouse wit his sulkiness and crying after that pop up.. is bad enough having him already, it’d be worst having a sad and upset castillo.. ugh.. can it get any worse for us mets fans..
I’d rather see Castillo sad and crying after costing the team a game than have him dancing and laughing after it.
Nah, he can laugh it off for all I care as long as he’s not on the team I can care less
I’ve wonder, if minaya and manuel r gone, would anybody else hire them??
The Brewers hired Willie Randolph. Yankees hired Larry Bowa. So yeah, they’ll end up with a job somewhere. A lower position, but it will be a job in the MLB.
Well, as manager and gm I meant?? I doubt they will.. minaya already scre-w 2 organization so he’s gone.. he might be advisor or some sort of.. I doubt he ever gets another gm position
I think teams will have a tough time finding reasons to hire Omar Minaya as a GM after his implosion with Adam Rubin and this medical incident. I see Jerry Manuel perhaps getting another chance at managing somewhere.
Adam Rubin’s next in line for a job with the Mets anyway.
I can’t see anyone hiring Manuel again. Maybe as a media relations guy. clubhouse jester? He certainly doesn’t have any useful baseball skills. Realizing his team had poor defense a year later? brilliant..
Talent evaluator, especially in Latin America.
Lmao, spot on nolrog.. spot on
Seriously, you want to play better defense and pitch better, I have an ingenious way to do that. How about having players on your team that are good defensively and having pitchers that are good pitchers. Wow, maybe that would work.
Matt,
I agree. This notion that the Wilpons have that they can’t spend money on a better second basemen because they are already paying Castillo $6M is ridiculous. Have they not heard of s sunken cost. So they rather got with an inferior player, when one that wants to be on this team and whose glove can help ground ball pitchers is on the market in the form of Hudson.
The Mets have not gameplan on how to build an overall fabric to a team and that’s clear.
This whole offseason was misplayed by chasing the likes of Molina.
I said it at the start of the offseason and I’ll say it again. The Mets game plan should have been:
(1) Sign Lackey.
(2) Sign Hudson to a 1-year deal.
(3) Sign Cameron to a 1-year deal to play LF (he now could’ve switch to CF in Beltran’s absence).
(4) Sign Laroche to a 2-year deal even if it meant he blocked Ike Davis for a year. I like Davis, but there is no guarantee that he’s going to be ready next year.
Those moves could have still left them with some money to sign Escobar and Igarashi for the pen.
Lackey would have been nice, but there’s a chance Sheets can out-perform him for the next 2 years for less money and he can still be had.
Agree on Hudson, he must be signed even if Castillo is released or benched.
Completely disagree on Cameron. At the start of the offseason, we never knew Beltran would be hurt, so I would never want this guy near my team again. Strikeout machine that doens’t produce.
I have a feeling LaRoche had no interest in coming here. He would have been a good short term fit..
I think we will all be very impressed with Bay this year.
(1) Agree, but we don’t really know that we ever had an honest shot at him.
(2) It would be up to Hudson whether he wants to sign a 1-year deal. I can’t argue with the team wanting to deal Castillo before signing a Hudson. What would we be saying if the team were competing for the playoffs and Hudson wore down like he did for LA last year?
(3) Cameron playing next to Beltran didn’t work out so well last time, did it? Do you really want to go back there?
(4) Just me, but I want to see what Murphy brings this year. You never know, it could be Murphy that blocks Ike Davis.
It looks like your plan was basically taking the plunge on Lackey instead of on Bay, which is fair enough. We need a pitcher who can pitch deep into games on a regular basis. If they can sign Garland (not Washburn, who can no longer pitch 200 innings), I’ll accept that the FO did a diligent job of improving the team given the limitations of the market.
i have a feeling that a lot of what has not happened for the Mets this off season has more to do with the Wilpons than Omar’s perceived incompetence. The Mets have targeted many of the “right” players but have fallen short in all cases except for Bay. I’m not heartbroken about missing out on any of them as long as we ended up with some people to fill our holes. I feel like the Sheets situation will be another instance of the Mets underbididng. I think the Wilpons are reigning in Omar who is essentially becoming a lame duck before his inevitable firing at this point.
He’s gone.. the wilpons didn’t fire him becoz of that stupid extension otherwise he’d be gone by now, they prepare themselves by hiring an ex gm, and backman in case they need to fire both manuel and minaya.. and I truly see them both gone together if fire this season
I think that the Mets were ok as far as this off season. Of course I would have loved to see Lackey. Yes Molina and Pinero went elsewhere, but I think its not that they “lost” out on them. I think that the Mets were cautious with “over paying” people just to make moves and fill holes. IO think its funny that we almost every move the Mets make in FA…is overpaying. If they don’t get a player the fans want the Mets are inept. I think the Mets are being cautious not to over pay for people. I can’t count the number of negative posts here over this offseason against signing Molina to a 2 year contract, which would have taken to get him, and Pinero. So if the Mets signed Molina to a two year deal. They would have been killed for overpaying. He is a 36 year catcher and the Mets must have not seen him worth the two years. While it is frustrating to see these players the Mets wanted go elsewhere, I have to believe there was a good reason. No matter what the Mets ownership and gm can’t win no matter what they do.
I for one believe that he fully intend to stress defense this year. Give the man a chance to fix things. In this country we are all about second and third chances for that matter yet Mets fans and trust me guys and girls when I say this I have been a fan for over 26 years this is by far the worst team we’ve had or the best. Everyone keeps saying the Mets front office doesn’t have a plan. Well I say they do and it’s a good one. They know this FA crop was just average so they signed the left fielder who is only in his 30′s to a 4 year deal. They also know that this team is may or may not be good enough to contend. So why trade prospects and add unnecessary salary now. If they don’t and keep some salary stores away maybe I by the grace of Satan Allah god or whoever they are contending in July they can then send a prospect for a player on a FA year to put then over the top. Thankfully at this time they are unwilling to trade away their youth. That my friends is a plan. Stay young stay young stay young. Take stock, all of you, would u trade Mejia, Fmart, and Davis for Doc if you knew he would NOT bring you a title. This team is more than Doc away from a title. Or would you rather keep the young guys and hopefully contend or win titles for years to come.
I understand what your saying and it makes sense, but I do not think this team has a plan. They might not be trading away their youth cause I dont think other teams view their prospects as high as the Mets do. Fmart’s stock has been dropping for a couple of years now, since he cant stay on the field very long and Meija has “stuff” but I keep reading his command might never come around enough to be a starter so basically you have a future closer, which is not as big of a chip as a future number 1, lets say. They’re plan seems to be lets band aid whats wrong from last year but not upgrade other positions at the same time, they take a very reactive approach, instead of being proactive like most good teams. Look none of us really know what goes on in the front office but it seems like they do not do all they can do, they have no major league ready prospects as of now, which makes it hard for major trading anyway. Just cause the FA crop isnt great this year doesnt mea they cant improve the team in some areas. I keep hearing this saving for next years free agents, when none of us know if they can sign people next year, so I dont want to throw away this year to hope for something that may never come next year, thats not the way to run a team. Your supposed to be able to field a team, try to win now while building to keep winning for the future, not one or the other
Did Jerry say that this Jan or last Jan? It sounds so familiar…
Really glad to hear that the team that hit 95 HR last year (and yes, I know about the injuries, but never let facts get in the way of solid snark) has their hitting already in place this year.
Lmao, or a year later the manager realizing the team needs the defense to improve.. ohh gotta love this team
This post is what I have been screaming about for months already. Every time I comment on getting rid of Castillo, one of the supporters keeps bringing up you cant release him cause he hit .300, or he walks and his OBS is good blah blah blah. My hatred for him spawned more for his play on the field, than the bat, and im not crazy about his offensive game either, but thats not what im more concerned with. Its scary how far he has fallen from what he once was. I am gonna say this one last time, I do not care what he batted last year, its not only about the hitting.
Please get rid of him by all means necessary. If you cant get brand new pitchers cause, well there is not much left on the FA list, then improve the defense where you can. Its an easy fix, it really is. This team racks in tons of money, your telling me it cant eat a few million? come on, its a lot of money to us fans, but its not a lot to a major league team in the biggest city in the world. Even if your sick of the whole Castillo/Hudson debate, and even I am, they didnt get some of the players they targeted this off season, so do the right thing, get what the majority wants and move on. There are players that I want to move on from, just to get new faces in here. Tatis, you did some good things, but sorry were going to someone new, Castillo been here a couple of years I appreciate you coming back but its time for you to move on, there is to much negativity around this guy weather your on the side to get rid of him or keep him. New faces hopefully brings different outcomes.
do you think the FO is afraid that he is going to “shine” somewhere else b/c of his hig avg/obp and that they will look bad for cutting him (even they can’t look much worse at this point, and castillo is not going to put up improved numbers anywhere else), or are that just that cheap?
like you, i hope they see the error of their ways and make a move to get a new 2b.
im not sure what they think, that could be part of it. They also dont seem to like to admit they did something wrong, its all about saving face with this team, even though the entire fan base and all of the league already knows they made a mistake signing Castillo for that long with that much money so im not really sure what they’re afraid of, it cant be failure, been there done that lol
Last year, luis Castillo made $6.3 mil with a WAR $ rating of $7.2.
These are the CHONE predicted WAR$ values for this coming season:
castillo: $6.1
lopez: $9.8
hudson: $10.0
I failed statistics twice, but it seems to me that if the Mets cut Castillo and signed either lopez of hudson, they probably would get the same return of WAR$ for dollars spent that they got last year–roughly a little better than 1 to 1 ratio–or the same projected return they would get this year–roughly a 1 to 1 ratio–all while increasing the WAR value of the team.
Honestly, I respect ur stats, but I can care less about uzr, war and all those stupid facts ppl who needed to do something else came up wit, all u need to do is watch thr game to realize castillo is garbage, and is not wanted on this team.. period
don’t disagree with you in the least.
it just makes the case that much more compelling when observations and stats support each other.
Some of those stats r useless, but some ppl find it nessesary.. I’m old school and watch the games, that way I have a better view of things.. hell, I can even go as far as saying that ever since castillo was brought to ny he jinxed the team..
They got jinxed when Duaner Sanchez went out late Sunday night boozin’ with his buddies in Miami and unfortunately got into that car accident.
Then we traded Nady away, ended up with Perez, and our 2006 season fell short. Then we lost Lo Duca in our 2 slot that always brought Reyes home after just two people up in the first inning and have lacked any type of spark since then.
The stats helps people make more accurate assumptions. Unfortunately the human mind (including kind and yours) is weak and prone to mistake. We put more weight on certain plays (positive or negative) based on our own emotions and perceptions than we should.
A perfect example is Luis Castillo’s dropped pop-up against the Yankees. In reality it was just an error – but because it happened at a terrible time, on a national stage, in the 9th inning, people put 20 times more weight on it than they should. Put another way, had Castillo played excellent defense all year (good enough to add 2 or 3 wins to our record), but dropped that one popup, most “observational” fans would still say he was terrible defensively.
The stats are an excellent tool to use in conjunction with what you see with your eyes. Your eyes allow you to remember that a ball was dropped that was lost in the lights, or that it was an especially windy day. The stats don’t show that, but more often than not, the stats are right and our observation is wrong.
We could use a couple of tanks and a crow’s nest to improve the interior defence (Canadian spelling)…
I 100% agree with you alex68, stats only tell one side of a story. If you just read box scores, calculate stats or compute numbers into a spreadsheet you can view a player in a different light. But if you see the player play, by watching him, you can tell all you need to know by his performance, personality and body language. His lack of range does just as much bad as whatever you get from him with the bat. Look bottom line there is a black cloud around Castillo, no matter what he does or what happens, its going to follow him here, he fights back last year after being embarrassed, got himself together, and then he drops a pop up in yankee stadium that no one will forget. He is a downer you can see it on his face, its how he reacts to things. Does getting Hudson’s personality make this team a champion no of course not, but I want to root for guys that at least look like they’re trying and caring, and if it means getting rid of someone who with all the calculations is no different than so be it
The thing is you can see things and you remember things. But you don’t remember the full picture… Like all of us remember Tatis grounding into what felt like 100 double plays… but in reality his number wasn’t as high a percentage as one would think, when you look at the stats, and his numbers for the entire year were pretty solid.
Castillo was brutal in the field, and the statistics say that as well. But offensively he’s still worth a WAR.
The problem with only going off what you see, is what you see is biased. You see what you want to see. We all hated castillo, he cost us that game. But for the vast majority of the year he was also the best and most consistent player on the team.
It’s the same approach with Matt Holliday how people said he was bad defensively because they saw the one play in the playoffs, when statistically speaking he’s slightly above average defensively every year of his career.
Or people think Fernando Nieve is going to be some sort of savior this year after 7 lucky starts last year. I know his ERA was pretty good, but he had a 1.5 WHIP and FIP shows his ERA should have been more around 4.9 then 2.5. I will say there is some upside, because he’s only 27 and now 2 years removed from tommy john, he throws pretty hard and has some nice movement… The point being if you went by your EYES with him you saw a guy who looked pretty good over 7 starts. When you look at his stats you can see that he allowed too many runners on base, didn’t strike out enough to cover those base runners, and in reality was mediocre for 7 starts but got a lucky 3-3 over that period.
Here’s my thoughts on it (Blog Post):
http://olddirtybackstop.blogspot.com
I think the Mets are weak defensively, especially up the middle. Not good for a team supposedly built on pitching and defense.
since matt closed the comments on the post about twitter:
Johan Santana (elbow) tossed a 24-pitch side session on Tuesday.
Santana didn’t throw very hard, according to reports, but we weren’t expecting much from him considering it’s still January. He underwent arthroscopic elbow surgery in September, yet he expects to be fine for the start of spring training and wants to take the mound on Opening Day.
Source: Ken Davidoff on Twitter
I hope that that was a dig at the F.O. to get a new 2B (Hudson or Felipe Lopez.) Jerry can’t seriously believe that hitting a few more fungos to Castillo that his defense will get significantly better. Castillo probably should have joined Ollie in Arizona to get a little spring back into his step.
Nevertheless, it would be sad if this is the only way that Jerry is able to give some input; softly intimating through the media. he should be able to walk into Omar’s and the Wilpons’ offices and say: this is what we need. and they should want to hear it. shouldn’t the manager know what’s best for his team? that doesn’t mean the F.O. has to provide, but they have to listen to the guy in the trenches.
On another note, i think the Mets are assuming Maine and Perez will be healthy. with that assumption, what are you going to do with 2 other starting pitchers? someone is gonna have to go to the pen. why would you put Ollie or Maine in the pen if they are healthy? you can’t put Marquis, Washburn, Pineiro, Arroyo, Garland, etc. in the pen (as long as Maine and Perez are healthy). (Maine and Perez are probably as good or better then all of them (except Sheets) when 100% which isn’t often.) True, the Mets really need to add one starter to take the extra spot. So, it looks like the most we’re gonna get is only ONE of: Garland, Washburn, Arroyo, Wang, Harang OR Sheets AND maybe Smoltz to start if anyone goes down. i’d say no matter what, Ollie AND Maine will start the year in the rotation (they’re not getting displaced by anyone.) the problem is, we know that one or both of them WILL go down. if the Mets get Smoltz, he can fill in, assuming HE is healthy when we need him to step in. then there’s Niese, Figueroa, etc, which doesn’t sound like much.
So, what i’m saying is, don’t expect MORE than one more starter (not looking like Sheets) and possibly Smoltz, (unless Maine is traded). it’s still possible we will not get another starter.
here’s a question: can you blame a F.O. for assuming that their players will be healthy? i think a little, but it seems like the Mets’ F.O. doesn’t think so.
and Omar, please sign Johnny Gomes. i had a dream last night that the Mets actually did just that. when i woke up, i wasn’t sure it was real or just a dream. so as soon as i got out of bed, i logged onto Metsblog and discovered that it was indeed just a dream.
WOW! did my comment actually get posted? Am i no longer in purgatory?!?! it seemed like an eternity! Thank you, thank you, Matt!
Well, hi everybody!
Welcome, and pretty solid arguement. Your right on that unless you sign 2 more SP maine and ollie will be in the rotation for sure…
I’ll disagree that Ollie is guaranteed to go down, outside tommy john surgery early in his career, and his knee injury last year, he’s been pretty healthy his entire career.
Maine on the other hand i don’t know about. WHich is why many of us think he could be used as a Bullpen Arm if 2 SPers are acquired. He fits the mold perfectly. he can’t stay healthy as a SP, he has a good FB, and he gets a good number of K’s. His walks will hurt though.
There is no way the Mets sign Johnny Ghomes. They have no room for him. They already have GMJ, Pagan, Beltran, Bay, Franceour… there is no room for a 6th outfielder.
hey, thanks for the warm reception.
Just to make myself clear, I’m kind of trying to put myself in the Mets’ F.O.’s heads, just as an intellectual exercise, and to try to find some logic in what they are doing. I too think Maine would be good as a long man and spot starter out of the bullpen.
Nuts. I thought Gomes had played first base before. i was wrong. oh well.
Now, on the topic of Jerry and his “interior defense” comment… that had to be directed at Castillo. is it possible he already recommended that they sign Hudson or Lopez and was blown off and now wants to cover his ass? i mean, no one can really believe that Castillo can magically rejuvenate himself… uhhh, i mean, without PEDs… no matter how much they practice. in fact, Castillo should probably take Spring Training off to save any energy (and cartilage) he has left.
OR, is the the only way Jerry can express his opinion?
OR, is it all just lip service?
what do you guys think?
do you think Jerry can walk into Omar’s and the Wilpons’ offices and say, “this is what we need”?
I am guilty of sniping at Jeff & Omar. There are many things I would have done differently. I am done sniping. These guys will never get it right. Just my opinion.
I’ve been so disappointed by management this past year and a half that I’m rooting for a complete collapse in 2010. Let the wheels fall of the bus. Let us remember 2009 as the good old days. Let the diety of high pitch counts continue to pour his blessings out upon us. May David Wright hit 6 HR by the all-star break. Let us fail miserably. May a litter of black cats take up residence in the bullpen. Bring on the glory days of the late 70′s. May the booing get so loud that the entire team gives us the Hebner salute.
I love this team too much. This group is killing us with incompetance. Crash. Burn. Rebuild this franchise from the ashes under new ownership. My only wish is that Madoff had taken more of their money. Maybe this fiasco would be over already.
I would love it if the Mets signed Felipe Lopez.
me, too. i wrote an awesome post a while back about Lopez. I said they can tell everyone and Castillo that Castillo is the starting second baseman. Start him opening day. then start Lopez from then on. when Lopez fills in for Wright, Reyes or Bay, Castillo can start at 2B and everyone can still pretend that he is the starting 2B.
Seriously, Lopez is so versatile. even if the Mets are able to trade Castillo but it takes a while, Lopez can fill in almost anywhere. but then, what about Cora?
i like the idea of just dumping Castillo. just blindfold him, drive him to the middle of the desert, and leave him there.
i don’t think they can have Lopez, Cora AND Castillo, can they? think guys, think… what can we do with Castillo? i thought the Reds might take him and move Phillips to SS. he mostly played SS in the minors.