Mets will look for a LOOGY..

Photo by Michael Baron

It sounds like Alderson isn't sold on Daniel Herrera and will look at the lefty market this off-season. It seems like part of the revamping of the bullpen is to find a second lefty to go with Tim Byrdak.  In the past the Mets have settle on one lefty and a cross over righty which hasn't always worked out in their favor, I'm glad to see them at least evaluating their options.  The NL east has too many good lefty hitters not to try and get the match-up in your favor...



The expectation is the Mets will attempt to sign a second southpaw too, even with the potential for Capuano to re-sign and be a part of the bullpen. Despite Daniel Herrera's initial success upon joining the Mets, the belief is that his screwball becomes less effective with familiarity, which is why the NL Central has particularly enjoyed success against the former Cincinnati Reds/Milwaukee Brewers lefty. source ESPN NY

Are There Reasons For Optimism In Flushing?

So the Mets completed the 2011 season with 77 wins, solidifying their fourth place finish for the third consecutive year. On paper, the 2011 Mets were two wins worse than their predecessors, but I believe an argument can be made that this team has actually improved and for that reason there should be optimism moving forward.

The 2011 New York Mets had to navigate the season without their ace, Johan Santana. Now while there is no telling what type of year Santana would have had, its reasonable to think that 12 to 15 wins would be in reach, thus giving him the team lead in that category. Furthermore unlike 2010, the 2011 Mets had to work around a putrid Mike Pelfrey, who came into the year as the designated 'ace' and exited the season having exhausted what little faith the fan base had left in him.

Position players were not spared the wrath of the injury bug either, as the team's budding young power hitter, Ike Davis, would lose the majority of his season after a seemingly innocent collision with David Wright in early May. Wright himself would soon be lost for more than two months falling victim to a stress fracture in his lower back. Two trips to the disabled list for Jose Reyes, and another severely depressing year for Jason Bay outline all the good reasons why the team struggled yet again.

However, with all of that the team managed to shed only two wins over its previous campaign. Only time will tell whether it was the fill-in players such as Justin Turner and Dillon Gee or the change in the team's attitude spurred on by new manager, Terry Collins. As always, there are no answers set in stone, but there is reason to believe that the direction of the team is better than its been in years.

There are no easy turn arounds in baseball and they still have plenty of work today, but this time I'm not sure if the numbers are a fair representation of the product. If fans can look past the numbers, there are reasons to be optimistic. Unfortunately, at times like this thats all we have left.

Follow me on Twitter @RobPatterson83

Big Success Is Not Dependent On A Big Payroll

A good piece of information from MetsBlog's Matt Cerrone. It would appear, at least this year, that spending an obnoxious amount of money is NOT a prerequisite for success (paging Dr. Pomes). That's good to hear with the news yesterday that Sandy Alderson expects the Mets' 2012 payroll to fall in the $100-$110 million range. It makes sense that a portion of the fan base would be nervous. If the Mets can't manage to make the playoffs with one of the higher payrolls in baseball, what can we expect going forward?

The truth is there is plenty of talent, good talent, to be had in the lower salary ranks. Its also important to remember that baseball, more so than any other sport is a team sport. Having the right mix of players is just as important as having the best players.

The Mets may not make the playoffs again next season, but it won't be because of the payroll. This team is in the process of getting younger. Gone are the overzealous contracts to aging veterans. As prospects transition into major league players, the Mets hope to have a plethora of talent that is not only young, but cheap as well.

Its important to build around stars and understandably, those stars are going to cost money. Therefore, its reasonable to see where the David Wrights and hopefully, the Jose Reyeses of the world fit in going forward, however the pieces that are put in around them don't have to be as expensive. Don't get caught up in the numbers.

As Matt points out, there is no magic payroll number that will ensure a ride to the world series. Give Sandy some time to get those pieces in place and the Mets will make a run at the hardware without needing the biggest wallet in baseball. Money isn't everything..and as Mets fans should have learned over the past decade, it certainly can't buy championships.

Follow me on twitter @RobPatterson83

Alderson payroll 100-110M for 2012

Photo by Michael Baron

Sandy Alderson told reporters in his end of season conference that he envisions the payroll for next year to be somewhere between 100-110M. 

At least it isn't 80M like was rumored yesterday but it had been said many times it would be around 120M, so maybe attendance cost us 10M. 

I completed this post last week, on where the budget stood; basically, there is 68M already committed to veteran contracts, approx. another 14M to 1-6 year players and then six arby players to decide on who if all were picked up could cost approx. 14M ( org. post left out Acosta).  Which totals somewhere around 96M, leaving them 14M for free agency.

Now that doesn't take into account possible trades or players signed at min. cost with incentives who will replace players who I considered in that 14M 1-6yr. players.  It also tells me they have to make some very tough decisions on guys who are arbitration eligible, they could save significant money non-tendering Mike Pelfrey and Angel Pagel but do they feel the replacement players comparable.

Alderson said that they can afford Jose Reyes bu once again they won't have payroll flexibility, needless to say it's going to be very interesting to see how this plays out...

Oh What A Night!

There are some years when the Mets frustrate me to the point when I simply forget about baseball once they're eliminated from the playoffs.  The 2007 and 2008 campaigns are good examples.  Following those heartbreaking exits I didn't watch a single inning of post season play.  Luckily for me this is not one of those years, as last night was without question one of the best nights in major league history.

As most of you probably know, the Cardinals and Braves entered the day in a dead heat for the NL Wild Card.  At the same time, the Red Sox and Rays were in the same position in the AL.  The Cardinals took care of business early, punishing the Astros by a score of 8-0, but the other participants would not go out without theatrics.  To set the scene for anyone who wasn't paying attention, the Braves and Phillies played to 13 innings, the Rays and Yankees played to 12 and the Red Sox and Orioles game was delayed by rain which lined everything up...perfectly, with all three games carrying well past midnight.

1) Braves could not tie the game in the bottom of the 13th, following a Hunter Pence RBI single in the top half of the inning for the Phillies.  The loss eliminated the Braves from playoff contention and completed the then largest September (8.5 games) collapse in MLB history, a crown previously held by the 2007 Mets (7 games).

2) The Red Sox entered the final day of the season 77-0 when leading after eight innings.  Therefore, when Jonathan Papelbon entered the bottom of the ninth staked to a 3-2 lead, everyone assumed the Sox would hold on, but that wasn't the case.  Down to their final out, Nolan Reimold would hit a ground rule double to drive in Kyle Hudson and tie the game for the Orioles.  Robert Andino then immediately dropped a two out single in front of a sliding Carl Crawford to complete the comeback for the O's, turning the Red Sox to scoreboard watchers with the Rays still playing in Tampa.

3) All you need to know is that the Rays trailed the Yankees 7-0 entering the eighth inning.  They would get six back in the 8th and would ultimately end up tying the game on a two out, two strike home run by pinch hitter, Dan Johnson.  Playing into the twelfth inning, Evan Longoria would hit a playoff clinching home run that just cleared the wall in the left field corner within two, yes TWO minutes of the Red Sox loss.  The Rays win quickly stripped the Braves of their unwanted collapse crown, as the Red Sox had blown a 9 game September lead.

It was as if this was all scripted, in what I can only describe as the MLB equivalent of March Madness, as everything happened within the tiny window of maybe ten minutes.  The silver lining to this for many of us is that the Mets would exit the night with the third worse September collapse in baseball history.  Still not a great stat to have, but now not as depressingly bad.  The Mets may have fallen short of October baseball yet again, but I'm glad that I was able to catch history elsewhere this year.  It should be a good playoffs and after last night, I'll be certain to tune in!

Jose Reyes Wins NL Batting Title, But Upsets Fans

Make this one down in the history books.  On Wednesday, September 28th, 2011, Jose Reyes became the first Met in franchise history to win a batting title, finishing the season with an impressive .337 batting average.  However, as is often the case when it comes to the New York Mets, Reyes did so with controversy.

Entering the day with a slight lead over Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers, Jose Reyes chose to pull himself from the game following a first inning bunt single.  Doing so meant he would end the year with his .337 batting average and ensure that Braun would need to go a minimum of 3 for 4 in order to track Reyes down.  Was this a business decision on the part of Reyes?  Was he hedging his bets that Ryan Braun would come up short?  Maybe... but what it the right call?

Wednesday's game wasn't merely the last game of the season or the culmination of a month long sprint to the finish in the batting race.  It was quite possibly the last time Jose Reyes would suit up in a Mets' uniform.  So was it fair to the 28,816 (paid attendance) at the game or those watching at home that his potential finale lasted only a half an hour?

His departure from the game quickly drew the ire of Mets fans both at the stadium and around the internet.  There was no standing ovation and no chants of Jose's name.  There was only Justin Turner replacing Reyes at first base and Jose Reyes trotting into the dugout.  If Wednesday's game was the last time we see Jose as a Met, it seems unfair to nearly everyone that this is how it ended.

If Jose skips town he will get to take his batting title with him, and some of the fans he'll be leaving behind will only be left with the image of him removing himself from his final game...eight innings too early.  Are the fans, myself included, who have taken exception with this decision over reacting?  Maybe...But as a fan who still cannot fathom this team without Jose Reyes, this just didn't seem right.

Despite his remarkable year amidst the mediocrity that was the 2011 Mets, I am left with a "half empty" feeling as the countdown to doomsday begins.  Will he resign?  I hope so.  I even think so, but this is still not the way I wanted to see it end...

Collins Yes but Warthen no...

This week we have learned that the Mets picked up the option on Terry Collins, the first year manager absolutely deserved the endorsement. It also gives the club stability entering the off-season and I don't believe it will go un-noticed how much players have enjoyed working under TC.

I feel the exact opposite about Dan Warthen, I know the organization's mantra is that he's gotten more from what he had to work with then should be expected. I just don't see it; in my opinion several players have regressed and I haven't seen one player excel under Warthen. Under Peterson you can list players who substantially improved and after his departure regressed; Maine, Ollie and Pelfrey to name a few.

More important to me is that Dan Hudgens has implemented a hitting plan in which the Mets have the best OBP in the league and with each minor leaguer that has been called up we've seen them come to the plate with that same methodical, patient pitch selection. I don't see any such plan with the pitching staff, beyond the generic throw strikes. 

By reports Warthen isn't officially returning but most feel it would be a surprise if he leaves and he has Collins support.

Mets will weigh options for bench -impact Harris & Hairston

Photo by Michael Baron

It says something about the organization when veteran players who only ended up with part time positions despite multiple injuries and a losing season want to come back.

Harris played in 124 games with 234 ABs in which he hit .255 with an OPS .689. Harris has been very versatile playing all three outfield positions along with 2B and 3B.  He's really come on strong to end the year, in the month of Sept. he's had 44 ABs in which he's hitting .295BA / OBP .446 / SLG .409 / OPS .856.

Hairston ended the season on the DL, prior to that he only played in 79 games with 132 ABs in which he hit a mere .235 but had a solid OPS of .773 and slugging percentage of .470.  He played all three outfield positions and even filled in at 2B. 

According to the Daily News the Mets will see whats available through free agency before deciding on whether to bring back either player.  I know I'd like to see an entire youth movement on the bench but managers seem to like having a veteran on the bench, if for nothing else then their leadership in the clubhouse.

Team insiders say that the Mets will weigh the entire free agent market for bench players before deciding whether to retain their own free agents. If the club offers Harris and/or Hairston the chance to re-sign, it will not do so until later in the offseason. source Daily News

Say it aint so Jose....

Photo by Michael Baron



As I watch tonight's game and hear the "Jose, Jose, Jose" chant, the reality that this might be Jose Reyes last games as a Met is sinking in and it sucks.  It seems like just yesterday that Jose unseated Kaz Matsui at SS and a star was born.  I hope they work something out...

The Lasting Impact Of Decreased Dimensions At Citi Field

As previously mentioned by Ed Ryan earlier this week, Sandy Alderson has indicated that there are changes coming to the expansive outfield of Citi Field.  In addition to the elimination of the "Mo Zone", plans are being discussed to not only lower the walls in left, but to also bring them in several feet.  I'm in favor of both of these changes and would anticipate that that each will have lasting favorable results for the Mets and their fans.

When I say favorable results, I don't mean that bringing in the walls will lead to more wins.  The fact is that both teams have to play on the same field.  Therefore, by making Citi Field a more hitter's friendly ball park, the long ball will be more prevalent..for both teams.  For the Mets, a franchise lacking traditional power hitters and reliable starting pitching, they may be at a disadvantage..at first!

Bringing in the walls at Citi Field is the right decision because despite the initial risks, it will make playing at Citi Field more appetizing.  It doesn't take a set of controversial quotes to know that David Wright isn't happy with the layout of Citi Field.  The look on his face when he arrives at second base after hitting a double that would have landed in the 10th row at most other parks is more than enough to know there is a problem here.  Its reasonable to think that other players, including potential free agent signings, would be aware of such a problem.  Will a decrease in the Citi Field dimensions be the reason for a major free agent signing, absolutely not!  However, it will eliminate one potential hurdle for Sandy Alderson going forward.

In addition the potential on-field changes, bringing in the walls at Citi Field will also make for a more fan friendly experience.  As ESPN said more than a decade ago: "Chicks dig the long ball!".  Home runs sell seats...doubles off the wall do not.  Another feature of lower walls that isn't often discussed is the ability for outfielders to make plays on short home runs.  Neither the "catch" made by Endy Chavez in the 2006 playoffs or the home run stealing catch by Jason Bay only weeks ago could ever happen at Citi Field as it sits today.  Although such plays may only happen a few times each season, such opportunities are exciting, and thats what fans come to see.

The Mets franchise that Sandy Alderson took over nearly a year ago, had more than roster problems.  Citi Field, for what its worth, is a state of the art stadium that should be used to showcase the game, not detract from it.  This decision, while probably not exclusively his to make, will aid in Sandy's retransformation of the team going forward.  For all the discussion of the organization's financial concerns, bringing in the walls will to some extent aid in the acquisition of  new talent and ultimately inject more excitement at Citi Field.  Each of those will help to put butts in the seats.  Hopefully those will lead to wins, and thats why changing the Citi Field dimensions is the right decision to make.

Follow me on Twitter @RobPatterson83.

A review of the outfielders and look at 2012

With four games to go it appears that the Mets starting outfield is done for the season.  Jason Bay is struggling with a sinuous infection and both Duda/Pagan are experiencing residual headaches but haven't been diagnosed with concussions. 

Angel Pagan had a very disappointing season in terms of expectations, this was suppose to be the season in which he took over center field and not just served as the fill-in for Carlos Beltran. In 2010 Pagan played in 151 games while hitting .290 and playing solid defense.  He seemed to have erased all those concerns over mental errors which plagued him in Chicago and the injury concerns which hindered his first two years back in NY. 

But instead of expanding upon what appeared to be his breakout season, he has regressed and it now appears that 2010 was the aberration.  Pagan hit a mere .262 which when averaged with his .290 from the year before makes him a .275 hitter ( which coincides with his career average).  Now a .275 switch hitting center fielder with speed isn't such a bad thing but Pagan hasn't just struggled at the plate.  He has once again had mental lapses where he's taken bad routes to balls or pulled up when it appeared that he could/should have made the catch.  At times Pagan has appeared to be playing it safe and/or conservative which is the opposite of what got his nickname "Crazy Horse". 

What's been more profound then his offense or mishaps catching the ball is his throwing, he has been absolutely atrocious throwing the ball in every aspect of the game. From inaccurate throws, short throws, missing the cut off man, throwing to the wrong base, and hesitating to the point where the runner advances.  He's been so bad throwing the ball that you almost wonder if he's hiding a shoulder injury, while that would give him a pass for his throwing issues it would bring back the injury concerns.

In my opinion at 29 y/o Pagan is what he is and will cost between 3-5M through arby.  I think he has too many holes to pay that much and is more of a platoon partner or 4th outfielder then a full time starter.  The more he plays he becomes an average hitter, who doesn't use his speed as effectively as he could on the bases and is possibly an injury risk.  More importantly I'm concerned with his mental lapses, at times it appears that the game is moving too fast for him but for a team trying to change a losing/lackadaisical culture these fly balls where he's pulled up when it seemed like a dive would have made an out is disheartening.  I would non-tender Pagan you can find this type of performance from a multitude of players on minor league invites while taking a look at several center fielders in-house.

In Bay's case were stuck with him, unless we trade for another equally bad contract in the hopes that a change of scenery will help both players.  Bay and A.J. Burnett are owed almost identical money and have struggled equally as much with their current teams, these are the only type of deals you could make for him.  At least Bay has been a solid corner outfielder, who makes good plays and has a good mentality for the clubhouse.  Also in the second half his bat has shown signs of life hitting .313 in Sept. and maybe the changes to Citi will help his power numbers, which will hopefully get him to stop the constant tinkering he's been doing to his approach at the plate.  There were rumors that earlier this season he was having trouble with his peripheral vision post concussion, Bay's not one to use excuses so we'll never know but his pitch recognition seems much better.  Next season I'd put Duda behind Bay in the line-up, give Bay the protection of a home run threat and hope pitcher's are more aggressive to Bay allowing him to get his bat going early ( Bay#3, Duda#4, Wright#5).

Lucas Duda has given himself a shot for next season, I'm reluctant to consider these one dimensional guys legitimate power threats until we get a bigger sample pool.  It seems like every few years a Butch Huskey comes along but don't get me wrong I'm intrigued by Duda and want to see more.  If I'm tepid about his offense then I'm outright concerned about his defense for a full season in right field.  There was a report that the outfield maybe less strenuous for Ike Davis' injured ankle, if thats the case I'd much rather see them flip Davis to RF and Duda to 1B.  Davis was drafted out of college as a legitimate corner outfield prospect, it was the Mets who decided to make him exclusively a 1B.  I would think 1B would be easier on the ankle but there was at least one reference that indicated just the opposite.  If Duda is our starting RF then your going to need a late inning defensive replacement, which also means you will be pulling your biggest power threat out of the line-up regularly late in games...

An early look at the roster moving into the off-season

The Mets currently have 45 players on the 40 man roster, including five players on the 60 day DL.  Here's a look at the roster heading into the off-season, the Mets also have some decisions to make on who to protect from the rule V draft; here is a list of eligible players via Macks Mets.

Reese Havens, Brad Holt, Juan Lagares, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Robert Carson, Collin McHugh, Rhiner Cruz, Stefan Welch, Rafael Fernandez, Pedro Zapata, John Lujan, Raul Reyes, Brahiam Maldonado, Kai Gronauer, Allan Dykstra, Sean Ratliff, Eric Beaulac, Eric Campbell, Mark Cohoon, Brandon Moore, Alonzo Harris, Dylan Owen, Juan Centeno, Roy Merritt, Richard Lucas, Brant Rustich, Eric Niesen, Jeff Kaplan, James Fuller, Francisco Pena, Scott Moviel, Nick Carr, Adrian Rosario source Macks Mets

There are (6) veteran players under contract for 2012 totaling 68M : 
Santana (24M), Bay (18M), Wright (15.2M), Dickey (4.7M), Carrasco (1.2M), Byrdak (estimated 1-2M)

The Mets have (6) free agent players:
Jose Reyes, Chris Capuano, Scott Hairston, Chris Young, Willie Harris, Miguel Batista


There are (5) arbitration eligible players: 
Mike Pelfrey (Arb. 2), Ronny Paulino (Arb. 3), Bobby Parnell ( Arb. 1).  Two players were super twos and have a fourth year of Arby Pagan and Buchholz


All other players on the roster are under control because they're in there first three years of their major league career, meaning they have options and will cost the team a salary of somewhere between 400k-600k.

I do recall reading somewhere that after this season Nick Evans was out of options which would also make him Arby 1 eligible but he's not listed that way at Cots contracts which is where I referenced this post.  Ryota Igarashi, although he was on a two year major league contract he only has two years of service time, if they choose to keep him but  there maybe an out clause at the end of the deal like Takahashi.  


I'm not sure what the average settlement is for arbitration players but last off-season Angel Pagan coming off his first full season and solid numbers (BA .290) recieved almost a 60% increase ( 1.45-3.5M). So despite taking steps back if the Mets were to keep their Arby eligible players I think a 40% increase is a safe budget number. If the Mets kept all four and gave them a 40% increase it would cost them 12.8M ( below is there projected salary after increase).

Pelfrey (5.46M), Pagan (4.9M), Paulino (1.8M), Buchholz (840k), Parnell (660K)


This would commit the Mets to 11 players costing 80.8M. Now add in 14.5M which is 500k for the other 29 spots on the 40man roster and is rounded enough to include minor league contracts and signing bonuses that go against the MLB budget.  This puts the Mets at 95.5M and Alderson said the budget would be around 100-120M.


I would non-tender Pelfrey and Pagan which would free up around 7-9M, giving them overall somewhere between 10-30M to spend (conservatively).  

They could either go after several reasonably priced parts or go all in on Reyes and look for bargains to fill the rest of the holes.

Will Warthen be back next year...

As the Mets complete another losing season, there are rumors abound about what changes will be made to improve our beloved club.  Sandy Alderson helped kick off that discussion by bringing up that the organization is seriously considering changing the outfield walls, I think with any new park you have to play in it for a while and then make adjustments.  Three seasons doesn't appear to be a knee jerk reaction, in my opinion and I would welcome the changes we've heard. 

Of course, with the off-season we'll spend countless hours discussing players and the roster, there will be a different looking team come March of 2012. 

But there appear to be some grumblings about the coaching staff, after only one season minor league pitching coordinator Rick Tomlin was let go.  Mike Silva of NYBD has some interesting thoughts on what the implications of that firing are, while Mack has heard some scuttlebutt as to what happened.  Meanwhile, without being specific Adam Rubin says it's not guaranteed that the entire staff will return next season.

Another thing to consider was Pedro Beato's diminshed results were blamed by the young pitcher on fatigue, which drew critcism from Collins because he has continued a strenuous side routine.  But there was Beato a day after getting shelled in the pen throwing a side session during yesterday's game, which lead the booth to discuss who should be controlling Beato; Dan Warthen...

What does this have to do with the firing of Tomlin? The Mets brought Dave Hudgens last winter at the big league level to establish a hitting philosophy. The Mets have been a team that gets on base and works the count. It seems like the young hitters have improved under the tutelage of Hudgens. I think you have seen the organization mirror similar type of teachings throughout. This type of vertical instruction is the way to build an organizational philosophy so that players come to New York already bought into what they will be taught. It starts, however, with how the big league club plays. source NYBD

Word I’ve gotten is he had a hard time doing what he was told to do by the people above him. He also liked to pitch favorites, though I don’t know who they were. I will say this… I found it very strange that pitchers like Kyle Allen, Robert Carson, and Tobi Stoner were still in the rotation in August, after pitching poorly for more than two seasons. source Mack's Mets

Sources told ESPNNewYork.com that team officials are not ready to guarantee the full coaching staff will be back, which will lead to speculation about Dan Warthen. The News continues to speculate third base coach Chip Hale might bolt to join friend Bob Melvin's staff in Oakland, which could land Triple-A manager Tim Teufel or Double-A manager Wally Backman on the staff. source ESPN NY

Sickels Q & A full of Mets info...

Photo by Michael Baron

On Tuesday Jon Sickels of Minor League Ball and minor league guru did a question and answer.

The thread is full of Mets information, including his projections for Duda, thoughts on Reese Havens, whether FMart will even bloom and who is a sleeper in the Mets system.

I thought the most interesting part was his rather bold opinion of Reese Havens.  He didn't clarify whether he thought Tejada would be at short replacing Reyes or Havens would beat out Tejada...

Reese Havens
What do you see in store for him? Is he playing 2B for the Mets next year?
by EinNH on Sep 20, 2011 1:02 PM EDT

IF HE CAN STAY HEALTHY, yes
by John Sickels on Sep 20, 2011 5:19 PM EDT
source Minor League Ball

.

Duda leaves game early with dizziness...

Lucas Duda slammed into the wall attempting to catch an Albert Pujols, it was the first time in a while Duda looked bad in the field and he really slammed his head hard into the wall.  Hopefully, Duda doesn't have a concussion as we've seen how long those side effects can last. 

Citi Field changes would impact direction with Wright...

Photo by Michael Baron

After Sandy Alderson stated that there was the potential for dimension changes to the outfield walls at Citi Field during an in-game interview, it seems like it's all anyone can talk about.

I've supported the idea of lower the left field wall since the inaugural season, I'm in the minority since I like the quirky Mo Zone but agree that right center should be rounded off. 

It seemed like they were moving towards making changes but what surprised me was that Alderson said that if there were changes they wont be subtle. 

Adam Rubin has more specifics in this article on what the Mets are looking to do to the walls.

In a Star Ledger article Andy McCullough believes that the changes will not only impact David Wright offensively but could be an indication that he's sticking around...

With the park likely to be altered, a trade involving Wright appears even more remote. Wright’s contract contains an option for 2013, but that option disappears if he is traded. So the Mets would require a package that is more valuable than two seasons of Wright plus potential compensatory draft picks. source NJ.com

Closer from outside organization...

Photo by Michael Baron

I thought the most interesting part of last night's game was Sandy Alderson's interview, in which he discussed the closer's position.

First of all, as I said in a post yesterday I'm glad he sees the closers position as an important role.  My novice concept of moneyball is that they're all just interchangeable pieces and after seeing relievers struggle to fill-in for both Wagner and K-Rod I wouldn't have agreed with that philosophy.  But Sandy has cleared that up by making it pretty clear he feels the team needs a legitimate closer.

Secondly, I was glad that his assessment of the current bullpen is consistent with mine in that none of the pitchers who have auditioned for the role have been overwhelming and the org. needs to look for alternative options.  It's quite refreshing and unique to have a GM admit with ten games to go, that in the off-season he will be looking for someone to fill a role that currently three guys are trying to win ( Parnell/Acosta/Beato).  I know some will say he just crushed those three pitcher's confidence, however if it were me, my personality would try to be proving him wrong for the rest of the season.

The free agent market is deep so some veteran could conceivably sign at a reasonable price, but our next closer could be so unheard of prospect who's log jammed with his current team and is now trade bait...

Wright has lost range ?

Photo by Michael Baron

Andrew Keh of the NY Times takes a look at David Wright's disappointing season, one of the more interesting tidbits is that an anonymous scout believes he has lost range in the field.  We all know Wright has his throwing issues and they have gotten worse since his return but I haven't noticed him missing balls I thought he should get to...


One major league scout, who has watched Wright frequently this season and was granted anonymity so he could speak candidly about another team’s player, said that Wright looked somewhat tentative, both in the field — he has 18 errors in 93 games — and at the plate since returning from the disabled list, and that he thought Wright had lost a full grade defensively, with greatly diminished range. source NY Times

Sickels views Diehl as a sleeper...

Photo by Michael Baron

Jon Sickels at Minor League Ball takes a look at each team's potential sleeper from this year's draft.  His criteria was that they needed to be drafted after the 6th round and not get paid a large over-slot signing bonus.  For the Mets, Sickel's selected catcher Jeff Diehl as their potential sleeper...



NEW YORK METS: Jeff Diehl, C: Drafted in the 23rd round from high school in Rhode Island, Diehl signed too late to play so we have no stats to look at, but he qualifies as someone to watch in '12. He's considered raw but promising, with a strong arm, plenty of bat speed, and good power potential. His $135,000 bonus could be a real bargain if he reaches his maximum potential.
source Minor league ball


Pelfrey not completely ruled out for closer

Photo by Michael Baron


Alderson wouldn't completely rule out the possibility of converting a starting pitcher such as Mike Pelfrey into a closer, but said it's not the preferred solution.
source NY Post


I'm glad that Alderson recognizes the closers role as more then a reliever being assigned to the last inning and that the in-house options haven't sparkled in their auditions.  As Bobby Parnell has shown, just because someone is an effective reliever it doesn't mean they are a closer, of course; you can't spend 16M on the position for just three outs.

The best candidate during this brief audition period would be Manny Acosta, his 3.61 ERA and two saves have been solid.  But it's a small sample pool and Acosta had several runs with the Braves where he looked like a potential closer, only to fall apart.  Would I be comfortable handing the closers job over to Acosta, not without a safety net.

While I'd welcome Izzy back at the right price I wouldn't consider him my safety net, he'd be more of my 7th inning guy who could be pressed into the set-up role and occasionally close if someone was ineffective or hurt.  Izzy is too much of an injury risk at his advanced baseball age to be relied upon as the back-up closer. 

There are several players who were potential closers and/or set-up men that will now be free agents at the end of the season, who could back-up Parnell/Acosta. Guys like Juan Cruz, Jeremy Affeldt, Todd Coffey, John Grabow and Danny Baez to name a few. These guys wont cost as much and don't have the ego expectation that might make for bad chemistry. 

I don't think this idea of Mike Pelfrey being converted to a closer would be success at all and I don't think it has anything to do with his 200 innings being more valuable in the rotation. In looking at Pelfrey's splits he doesn't seem like closer material at all and that's without ever considering his hand licking tendencies when the pressures on. 

In his first inning of work his BAA balloons to .302, in games where it's late and close his BAA .407, high leverage situations it's at .306 with RISP they are hitting .297, man on third .318, 1-2nd .343 and  1-3rd .364 all those numbers that a closer would be faced with are drastically higher then his overall BAA of .275. 

Of course the Mets could sign an actual closer, I don't expect a K-Rod type deal but the market is deep and one might come at a reasonable cost...

"You've got to have balance. You've got to have younger players coming on all the time. You've got to have guys going off all the time. Sometimes you get into -- and we all fall into this trap, and I'm not referring to any particular team, all of us -- that we try to keep guys around too long and their contracts grow beyond their everyday value." As for Parnell, he still is young -- even among comparably aged peers. So even if closing is not planned for 2012, it is not forever precluded. At 27 years old, Parnell still is learning to pitch. source ESPN NY

Wright: It's not about who replaces but what you can get...

Photo by Michael Baron

Let me start by saying that I'm not advocating trading David Wright but I also don't think the Mets are in a position where they can deem a player like Wright untouchable.  A superstar, in the prime of his career and under reasonably costing control for two more years ( including the club option); now those same reasons would be why they may opt to keep him. 

But a team that is rebuilding, that maybe seeking financial and roster flexibility shouldn't be deeming any player untouchable for some sentimental reasons such as being the face of the franchise. 

Again; this post has nothing to do with my feelings about David Wright as a Met, I will be very happy with this team returning to the playoffs with or without Wright. 

I've heard many fans say that when you show me a cheaper option who can replace Wright's production at his position then I will advocate moving him, I would counter that sound argument with the concept that it's not about replacing Wright but what you can get for him.

If Team Alderson can get a prospect like Zach Wheeler for Beltran an aging rental player with injury issues and K-Rod's albatross contract can be flipped for a decent LOOGY, then I can only imagine what they could get for Wright. 

In this post, I discussed the same concept in regards to Jose Reyes prior to this season.  In that post I reference an article from the Detroit Free Press, the Tigers traded the face of their franchise in Curtis Granderson, after the initial backlash the fan base has embraced the trade as the four players they recieved have all contributed to their resurgence.

So while Nick Evans, Dan Murphy, Zach Lutz or any of the free agent 3B aren't inspiring replacements, if Wright could garner the type of package Garnderson did ( a #2, two relievers and a starting CF) that would be inspiring. 

Sometimes you have to take a step back to move forward, if they consider 2012 to still be a rebuildng year then the package they could recieve for Wright might put us on the fastrack back to the post season...

Insightful old interview of Depodesta...

Photo by Michael Baron

While doing some research for another post I came across this interview of Paul DePodesta at Beyond the Box score.

The interview is from 2008 when Depo was working in San Diego under Kevin Towers.

Last off-season we really didn't get to see the front office working at full capacity, not only were they working under financial constrictions and the lack of roster flexibility left to him but they also needed to learn the system they were inheriting.

While they still may not have the budget a NY team should be expected to have, there will be plenty of financial and roster flexibility for them to put their fingerprint on this team.

I thought it would be interesting to take a look at this old interview to possibly get a bit of insight into what input Depo may have on the roster. The entire interview is very interesting but I was surprised to see the below answer where this Moneyball guy placed such an emphasis on an intangible like chemistry...



QUESTION: As a Rays' fan, I've seen my share of talented players with attitude and character issues - and we've seen Milton Bradley with both the A's and Pads, so I ask how much does make-up play into the scouting process and overall desirability of acquiring players?

DEPODESTA: I think makeup is critical. This game is a grind, and consequently it takes tremendous mental toughness to succeed. Makeup is often what separates the Championship players from the rest of the pack. Nobody on talent alone is a Championship player. The chemistry element, which I think you're hinting at, is much trickier. I don't know that anyone has figured out the alchemy involved there. I don't think many people would doubt its' importance, but I for one question our ability to manufacture it. You're talking about very complex interactions. source Beyond the box score



Byrdak close to an extention...

Photo by Michael Baron

Mike Silva of NYBD is reporting that his sources say the Mets are close to a one year extension with LH reliever Tim Byrdak.  Not only has Byrdak been effective but I've heard many times during interviews with players, that the lefty is one of the guys who keeps this lose and fun down in the pen which is very important with a young staff. 


Sandy Alderson confirmed that the two sides are in negotiations...

Mets have several players to protect for rule V

As the season comes to an end the Mets need to decide who to protect before the rule five draft at the winter meetings.  College players drafted in 2008 and high school players from 2007 have to be added to the 40 man roster or will be venerable to the draft. 

The Mets currently have 44 players on the 40 man roster with 5 players not counting because they are on the 60 day DL.  They will have plenty of spots, ten players on the current roster are free agents at the end of the year and that doesn't include arbitration eligible players who maybe non-tendered.

New York Post Tim Bontemps takes a look at a few of the prominent prospects who need to be protected, I believe all three have a chance of being on next year's active roster.  Brad Holt in the pen, Reeses Havens at 2B or on the bench and Kirk Nieuwenhuis could become the centerfielder. 

Kirk Nieuwenhuis (Mets third-round pick in 2008): Nieuwenhuis was tearing through the International League for Triple-A Buffalo this spring when he was lost for the second half of the season with a shoulder injury. Like Havens, expect the center fielder to be kept, and possibly have a shot at winning a starting job for the Mets next season. source NY Post

Mets wont wait for Reyes

Photo by Michael Baron

Jayson Starks reports that he has heard, that if Jose Reyes thinks he'll shop for the best offer and then bring it back to the Mets, that the Mets wont be waiting for him. I wonder if Reyes has had one too many hamstring issues for the Mets this season, for them to consider the number of years he expects to get. 

Two trips to the DL and shutting down his running game should make any team leery of giving him a multi-year deal.  I expect someone will go at least five years and while there might have been a point in this season that the Mets may have, I'm not sure if they will now...

The buzz coming out of Flushing is that the Mets have very little interest in waiting around this winter for Jose Reyes to decide whether to stay or bolt. One source who's tight with the Mets brass tells Rumblings they're "either going to be in or out real quick." source ESPN 

Sickels takes a look at Schwinden

Photo by Michael Baron

In his prospect of the day post Jon Sickels takes a look at Mets pitcher Chris Schwinden.  Schwinden has often been referred to as a Dillon Gee type pitcher and it seems like Sickels describes him in a similar fashion.

A pitcher who flew under the radar and kept getting promoted based on success, instead of prospect rankings.  He relies on controlling off-speed pitches, looking for the corners and hitting his spots.

 Similar to Gee he looks like a fifth starter and/or long reliever...

There is nothing special about his velocity, his fastball is just in the 86-90 range. He mixes in a cutter, curveball, and changeup, relying on sharp command of his secondary pitches to succeed. He has little margin for error and needs a strong defense behind him, but there are pitchers with worse stuff who have made careers for themselves due to superior command, and he's shown the ability to make adjustments to higher level competition.

Schwinden really snuck up on us this year, but I don't see him as a total fluke. I think he projects as a fifth starter or long relief type as long as his command remains strong. Source Minor league ball

One good thing about the slide...

This isn't the type of fan I am, I get frustrated even when they lose these meaningless games.  It's important to me that they come as close as possible to .500 for the season and I was annoyed today when they slipped out of 3rd place.  So being happy if they tanked the rest of the season, even if it meant an excellent draft pick wouldn't be a good idea to me.  But as it stands right now the Mets are in a position to draft a solid player...

No help left for the pen...

Photo by Michael Baron

After dropping two to the Cubs, in which most of the fault fell upon the bullpen for not holding the small leads that the offense was able to muster.   I asked Mike Harrington, beat writer for the Bison's if there was anyone over looked for a promotion who could have contributed.

I've heard several fans, including myself wonder if Justin Hampson or John Lujan could be those extra arms in the pen.  Harrington seemed to think Dale Thayer was the last of the contributors left in the minors.

Since those tweets the Mets have been swept by the Nationals in which the pen has continued to struggle, it looks like Collins and Warthen will have to just figure it out with what they have...

Franco to mentor Parnell..

Photo by Michael Baron

Bobby Parnell has struggled since being named the closer, it's as if a switch went off and he's become a different pitcher.  In less then a month he's already blown five games while his ERA and WHIP continue to climb.

I'm not sure Parnell is a closer but I do know he's better then he's been pitching.  If this is mental, then who better to attempt to help build his confidence then a former closer who got by more on guile then stuff...


"The more that [Parnell] can understand it's an attitude, that you've got to believe that everything is going to work your way and you've got to choose your battles, the better he will be," Warthen said. "I think John Franco can help him in that respect. He's a good, name guy and I try to use all the people I can."source NY Post

Is there reason to be concerned about Wheeler...

You could say that the Giants are pitching rich and could afford to give up Zach Wheeler for an aging, balky kneed rental player or you could be concerned that they knew something. Don't get me wrong, regardless of what happens with Wheeler, the fact that Sandy Alderson was able to get that type of prospect for Beltran is a major win...

The other day I was doing a post on Johan Santana coming back from shoulder surgery and Mark Prior is one of the few pitchers attempting the same comeback  ( along with last night's pitcher Wang).  In looking into Prior I found this break down by Chris O'Leary of Prior's mechanics.  Prior was said to have the perfect mechanics, however; in O'Leary's break down he feels it's it's his mechanics that caused his injuries.

A few days after that post Metsblog posted this video of Zach Wheeler's delivery and it struck me how similar Wheeler's delivery was to Prior's.  Now in O'Leary's break down he compares Prior to Nolan Ryan, the pitcher's seem to have very similar deliveries but where they differ is in the positioning of their pitching elbow through the delivery.  To my layman's eyes Wheeler's elbow looks strikingly similar to Prior's, hope I'm wrong or at least the health results are different...

The most important Position to fill this off-season...

Photo by Michael Baron

It's not Jose Reyes...

It's not a big stud pitcher or a home run threat bat...

Don't get me wrong all of which would be great but moving forward for the long term I believe what the Mets really need is pitcher oriented catcher.

 A catcher who's basically a coach behind the plate, someone who not only frames a pitch well but can calm a young pitcher down and move away from a pitch when he sees it's not effective even if it was in the game plan.

Josh Thole is not that player, this season has shown me Thole is not a starting catcher but even if I'm wrong he isn't going to be that type of catcher for at least the near future.

With this staff composed of youngsters and fragile pitchers I believe it becomes essential to find that catcher, not only if they are to have any chance to contend next season but also long term.  

Mike Pelfrey, Dillon Gee, Jon Niese, Bobby Parnell, Josh Stinson, Chris Schwinden, Pedro Beato, Manny Acosta and Daniel Herrera all would benefit from a strong mentor type.  Johan may need someone who sees something off before the hitters do and the same can be said of Cappy if he returns. 

They really don't have a staff that just needs a guy who catches the ball and as the saying goes pitching wins, which is especially true in Citi even if they change the dimensions.

I'm not sure who that catcher I'm describing is but here's a list of what catchers are free agents this off-season; courtesy MLBTR

Rod Barajas (36)


Josh Bard (34)

Henry Blanco (40)

Ramon Castro (36)

Ryan Doumit (31) - $7.25MM club option for 2012, $8.25MM club option for '13 with a $500K buyout

Ramon Hernandez (36)

Jason Kendall (38)

Gerald Laird (32)

Jose Molina (36)

Yadier Molina (29) - $7MM club option with a $750K buyout

Dioner Navarro (28)

Ivan Rodriguez (40)

Brian Schneider (35)

Kelly Shoppach (29) - $3.2MM club option with a $300K buyout

Chris Snyder (31) - $6.75MM club option with a $750K buyout

Matt Treanor (36)

Jason Varitek (40)

Reyes hamstring...

Photo by Michael Baron

I just keep thinking with each hamstring concern the Mets get one step closer to keeping him, but at what point do the Mets also become too concerned to re-sign him....

He's been on the DL twice this season and has only one stolen base (8/30) since returning from the last DL stint.  

So as he attempts to be the first Met to win the batting championship, will it be enough to get him that Crawford type deal he was looking for entering the season.

Or will  the guy whose game is built on speed have a hard time finding that sweet deal when he's not stealing bases and raising concerns about his his legs.  At what point do even the Mets start to consider that they maybe better off with Ruben Tejada at short...

Mets players too meek in response to league

I'm having a hard time with the Mets players today and their meek reaction to the leagues ridiculous decision to not allow them to wear first responder hats last night.   I fully admit that the tenth anniversary has hit me harder then the last few, not that I've ever forgotten a single moment from ten years ago but I'm a shutter downer, lock it out and press on type. This is the first year I've actually watched some of the shows on Sept. 11th, I'm probably a bit raw and taking it out on the Mets...

I know logically it's a stupid hate that means absolutely nothing and this is a young group of players that probably struggled with a decision against an authority like the league.

It's funny had they taken the field with the hats and the leagues' blessing it would have simply been a nice gesture, for me it became an issue when they were told "no".

Wearing the hats in NYC was the right thing to do as a gesture of support for those first responders who sacrificed so much. The Wilpon's got it right with their ceremony, while the league completely botched it but for me so did the players.

It was nice that David Wright wore his in the dugout until they took it from him, but it wasn't enough for me. I wish this team was more like the 2001 team, you want it your going to have to wrestle it from me on the field in front of the Nation.

Back then there were so many guys who refused orders because they felt they had to be there "this is what we do", while others meekly followed the rules with a shrug "we tried what can we do".  And while some will dismiss this as just a silly symbolic gesture, it would have meant a lot to at least this fan especially after they were told not to. 

An old Gunny once told me; sometimes orders and the right thing aren't always the same, an NCO isn't worth his salt if he hasn't been busted down at least once over a tough in-the-heat-of-the-moment decision that was the right thing to do for his men but went against orders ....

Anyhow I vent all this wearing a green Murphy T-shirt and looking forward to watching tonight's game, just as they were Sept. 21th, 2001 and as much as they infuriate me at times the Mets are my sanctuary...

Isringhausen aching back, Thayer up...

Jason Isringhausen has a bad back and will be out indefinitely, many are speculating that Issy wont be back this year.  Issy hopes to pitch for the Mets next year, he hopes that getting in better shape and losing some weight will help his back...

He said the herniated disk issue has surfaced throughout the season and been managed. Isringhausen finally got it thoroughly examined Thursday, with rosters expanded and him comfortable that his workload could be absorbed by minor league call-ups.
source ESPN NY


Photo by Michael Baron

With the news of Issy's injury the Mets promoted Dale Thayer, the 30 y/o right handed journeyman reliever appeared in four games earlier this season to a 4.50 ERA.  In two previous seasons Thayer made 12 major league appearances for the Rays in which he posted an ERA of 7.47.

This year in Buffalo, Thayer posted a 2.66 ERA in 54 appearances including 21 saves...

Are we expecting too much for Johan in '12'

Photo by Michael Baron

As I've said before, the surgery Johan Santana is attempting to comeback from is rare in sports medicine and therefore, there isn't much to base how he will progress or his chances for a full recovery as the ace he once was.

But I just finished reading an article on Chien Ming Wang, it took the former back-to-back 19 game winner two years to comeback from the same surgery as Johan and he may struggle to find a contract next season. Wang has made 8 starts this season to a 4.43 ERA and averaged 5.2 innings per start, but is still struggling to warm up.


Wang’s biggest issue in his return, then, has not been what happens at the end of starts. It’s what happens at the beginning. He cannot warm up as easily as he once did, and it has led to slow starts.source Washington Post

Another pitcher to have the surgery was Mark Prior, he has also missed the last two seasons as he attempts to recover.  Prior has only pitched 24 innings (12innings TX / 12innings NYY) in the minors since being cleared to pitch again at the end of last season.  For Prior he hadn't been in the majors since 2006 and had shoulder surgery in 2008.  Chris O'Leary believes Prior's mechanics are the cause of all his injuries.

Mark Prior's pitching mechanics were never as good as people thought they were, and that Mark Prior's pitching mechanics are largely responsible for his injury problems. source chrisoleary.com

So should we expect Johan back in 2012 or is all this discussion about the return of the ace zealous optimism.   It is a small sample pool and different pitchers have different repertoires/deliveries which place different degrees of stress on their shoulder, but it would seem that the recover time is two years...

Will Wheeler be the Giants Kazmir...

There are some striking similarities between the two teams situations and I was left wondering whether the Carlos Beltran for Zack Wheeler trade will be viewed upon in the same light as Victor Zambrano for Scott Kazmir.

To the Giants defense; at the time of the trade they were in first place, the reigning world champions and received one of the best clutch playoff hitters of his era.  With that said, there are those who will say that the Giants were a surprise winner in '10', overpaid for a balky kneed rental player and made a desperation move much like the Mets in 2004.   

What has made the Mets trade so infamous was that they were never really in the race to begin in 2004 and Victor Zambrano was not worth Scott Kazmir, even if you knew the outcome of Kazmir's career to this point. 

Still the similarities are striking, both teams gave up their top pitching prospect currently in A+ ball and a former #1 draft selection, neither team made the playoffs and in the end have nothing to show for the deal. 

Kazmir was the trade many Mets fans just couldn't let go, to the point where they wanted to see him signed earlier this season when he was let go by the Angels. 

Will the Giants feel compelled to resign Carlos Beltran and if they do, will their fans watch him waiting for failure much like the other Zambrano ( as he was referred to) was. More importantly is Wheeler the one that got away, injuries aside Mets fans love to lament in the fact that Kazmir was a double digit winner for five straight major league seasons. 

How Santana goes, so goes the off-season ?

Photo by Michael Baron

I believe that what will dictate how the Mets proceed this off-season will have less to do with economics and more to do with Johan Santana.  I think the Mets have shown their hand in reference to the Madoff clawback, in playing hardball with Einhorn they showed that they're truly not that desperate which coincides with many reports that the momentum has shifted away from Picard.

Sandy Alderson understands how hard it is to find a true staff ace, so the reports of how good Santana looked during his bullpen session maybe an indication as to what direction this team takes this off-season.  If in fact Santana is back to ace form, I don't see Alderson wasting a year of a truly great Ace's career when he is already 32 y/o.

So more then anything I think Jose Reyes' future as a Met  hinges upon how Johan fares in his rehab.  It's true that the free agent class is weak and the Mets will be scaling back their payroll but Alderson has already shown the ability to find something from nothing and with the Mets having very little financial commitments next season, there is payroll flexibility. 

Warthen said Santana’s recent pitching has been better than the second half of last year.

“Better velocity. The arm has the same slot each and every time. He wasn’t searching for a place that it didn’t hurt,” Warthen said. “He had multiple things with his body that hurt (last year) -- back was a little sore, knee was a little sore.”source ESPN NY

Is Collins handling Parnell properly...

Photo by Michael Baron

Is two blown saves in three tries enough to know a pitcher isn't a closer, after Jason Isringhausen's 300th career save it was suppose to be Parnell's time to be groomed as the team's next closer. 

Since taking over as the closer on August 15th Parnell has blown four saves in nine attempts; he's walked eight, given up nine hits and allowed six earned runs in 11.1 innings of work.  In fact Bobby hasn't had a clean inning in his last eight outing, which dates back to August 23rd. 

Parnell's produced a 2.92 ERA (24 appearances) in the first half of this season and a 2.83 ERA in 41 appearances last season, along with an under 3 ERA in four of the six months of the '09' season.  Based on that track record it would be easy to surmise that Parnell was pressing since his promotion and the course of action should be to stick with the youngster. 

That's exactly what Collins said three days ago when Parnell blew his first save of the week but after last night's blown save it sounded as if he was already wavering on the young pitcher. 



And tonight with a one run lead Manny Acosta is summoned in the ninth instead of Parnell, to complicate matters Acosta is really in a groove and I'm sure some fans will be clamouring for him to be the closer.

Did Parnell simply need a rest and Isringhausen looks out of gas or has the hierarchy seen enough and are moving on with the auditions for next year's closer. What of the younger pitcher's psyche, which is more devastating being rolled out their every night, getting shelled and second guessing your stuff or being demoted for a journeyman reliever. 

There are those who think Parnell was more of a ROOGY then a closer and that this was a doomed experiment to start.  He's only has two pitches and his fastball is too straight, while his slider isn't good enough.

So the immediate question is whether using Acosta tonight was the right move, while the long term question is whether Parnell has been given a long enough look and the Mets should be looking at the alternatives at closer...

Are The Futures Of Pagan And Reyes Linked?

Courtesy Of Michael Baron

Angel Pagan reminded Mets' fans last night why he may be headed out of town. Another misplayed ball in the outfield, combined with what has ultimately been a step backwards at the plate this season leaves his future in Queens in question. I wonder however, if his future may be tied to some extent with that of Jose Reyes.

If there are two positions on the diamond that are difficult to fill, it is shortstop and center field. Jose Reyes has added value in the fact that he is a legitimate lead off man... probably the best in baseball. Angel Pagan does not provide such a luxury, however as we've seen this season, he becomes the default lead off man when Reyes is on the shelf. With that in mind, do Pagan's chances of staying with the team increase should Reyes head elsewhere?

The Mets as a team currently rank second in the National League with 115 stolen bases. Despite his injuries, Jose Reyes leads the team with 35. Angel Pagan, playing in just two more games, ranks second on the squad with 29. Third place on the roster is currently shared by David Wright and Jason Bay, with a grand total of ten a piece.

If Jose Reyes departs via free agency this winter, the Mets will certainly experience an irreplaceable hit to the team's overall speed. Should both Reyes and Pagan end up with other teams next spring, potential lead off men, as well as stolen bases will be few and far between. It's for that exact reason that Pagan's future with the Mets may be directly tied into the retention...or departure of Jose Reyes.

Courtesy Of Michael Baron

The Jose Reyes free agency dilemma will be decided long before the Mets have to make a decision on whether to offer Pagan a contract or not. If Reyes lands elsewhere, Pagan would become the de facto lead off man and comprise the majority of the speed on the roster. If Reyes remains a Met, Pagan may be more expendable as the development of a center fielder with better instincts and poise at the plate may then become a priority.

Pagan's future remains in question as the season comes to a close. Ultimately, it may be the Met's misfortune of losing Jose Reyes, that benefits his chances of staying put. Pagan cannot replace Jose Reyes in the lead off position, but with other options limited, he remains the best option to do so. And so the question remains... And I ask you...Is Angel Pagan's future in Flushing directly related to that of Jose Reyes?

Follow me on Twitter @RobPatterson83

O'Connor DFA

Photo by Michael Baron

The Mets hoped Mike O'Connor's funky delivery would deceive left handed batters and he would be a LOOGY in the bullpen, much like Feliciano was when he was teamed up with Bradford in '06'.

He called up in early May and was effective in his first seven appearances, in which he did not allow a single run.  But in his last two appearances he allowed a run in each and couldn't record a single out. 

In AAA he struggled posting a 5.22 ERA and never got another shot at the majors, now he's a victim of the roster crunch...

Buchholz to the 60day DL

Photo by Michael Baron

I'm rooting for Taylor Buchholz, it takes a lot of courage to admit that your struggling with depression, especially as a major league ball player.  What will most fans say, what does he have to be depressed about he gets paid to play baseball, of course; most of those people don't understand that depression is a legitimate illness.

For those interested in reading about what Buchholz has been going through, this is an excellent article at AbingtonPatch.

On Sept. 1st. the Mets moved Taylor from the 15 day Dl to the 60 day DL, making room for call-ups but also ending the reliever's season.  He appeared in 23 games posting an ERA of 3.12 before shoulder fatigue landed him on the DL and then depression set in. 

He has one more year of arbitration before free agency and he seemed very happy with the Mets handling of his situation...

“I had to apologize to him,” Taylor said. “Alderson gave me a shot when a lot of teams passed up on me. He gave me the chance, and I kind of felt like I let him down. I remember meeting up in his office and having a five-, 10-minute conversation about it. I was upset and I apologized to him about it. I felt I like let him down, and the team down. He just wanted me to get better. I have so much respect for him.” source AbingtonPatch

Schwinden to get a start

Buffalo's lone All-Star was Chris Schwinden and the youngster was rewarded for his fine season in Buffalo with a call-up to the Mets. It appears that he will get a chance to at least audition for the Mets hierarchy by starting one of the games against the Braves during a double header.

I completed this post earlier this season about Schwinden who seems a lot like Dillon Gee.  My post was more in reference to the course of their career's but I've heard that their pitching styles are very similar as well.  Schwinden went 8-8 with a 3.95 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP in 26 starts with the Bison's.

Val and others get the nod...

It's appears the Val Pascucci along with Michael Baxter and RHP Chris Schwinden will get Sept. call-ups to the big leagues. 

Over the past two years many of us have said that Val should get a shot, the 32 y/o only got one chance in the majors back in 2004 with the then Expos where he appeared in 32 games and only hit .177. 

He's spent seven seasons in AAA where his lifetime BA is .274 with a .508 Slg. pct., he has a career 234 minor league home runs. 

Mike Harrington of the Buffalo news brings up a good point about giving guys like a Val a call-up...

Pascucci, 32, deserves the call. He's done nothing but produce here for two years after the Mets rescued him out of the independent leagues. He wasn't on their radar at all this year but forced his way in. And it's good to see the Amazins recognize that, both for Pascucci's sake and the view of future six-year free agents signing to play for them in Buffalo. source Buffalo News

Has Nick Evans shown enough

Photo by Michael Baron

Has Nick Evans shown enough to be kept, Evans is arbitration eligible and will tie up a spot on the 40 man roster.

For several years Evans has looked more like a AAAA type player then someone you would want on your bench. 

But with Collins in his corner Evans has seen regular playing time since his August recall and he just might have shown enough to compete for a spot next season. 

In keeping Evans the Mets would give themselves one less spot to protect six year players from the rule V draft or may impede them from signing a free agent.

I don't expect the Mets to be big free agent players, but is there a player who may require a major league deal that the Mets will pass on because they have a spot tied up in Evans and Collins believes in him, while that player would have been a better fit on the bench. 

In 36 games this year Evans is hitting .268 but more importantly for a bench position, he's hitting with power which has been missing in his prior major league appearances.  Evans always showed power potential in the minors but that never equated to the majors.  Last season he came up for 20 games and hit for a solid average of .306 but only 1 HR, 3 doubles and 5 RBIs.  This season he already has 4 HRs, 2 triples, 4 doubles and 14 RBIs.

So the question for this front office will be whether Evans has proven himself worthy of a roster spot...

Mets complete K-Rod deal...

I think the Mets did pretty good considering the circumstances, K-Rod's contract was an albatross and he had just signed with Scott Boras. The fact that he waived his option and now says he would have for the Mets is hindsight in my opinion.


If the Mets got anyone who could contribute to the major league club is a plus, getting rid of K-Rod's deal was the important. In return for K-Rod the Mets got two guys who could potentially help the bullpen, in Daniel Herrera and Adrian Rosario.

Herrera has already had some success in the majors as a left handed reliever, here's what was said about him when the Brewers claimed him from the Reds.

Herrera is generally known for being only 5-foot-6 -- which is obviously an oddity amongst big league pitchers -- but he also has handcuffed left-handers pretty well at the plate throughout his career. Lefties have only hit .206 off Herrera over his three years in the big leagues, and the Brewers do not have a LOOGY to handle quality left-haned hitters in high-leverage spots. source JS Online

While Rosario the younger of the two and still in the lower levels of the minors is called a potential sleeper...

Mets call up the two Josh's

The first two players to receive Sept. call-ups maybe getting an early look to see how they can handle the major leagues. 

About 10 days ago Terry Collins was clamouring for bullpen help and Josh Stinson was the player he specifically named.  The youngster struggled in AAA posting a 7.44 ERA in 13 appearances but in AA he's been solid with a 3.99 ERA in 27 appearances. There have been relievers who make the jump straight to the majors but usually they are killing the lower minors like K-Rod and Chad Cordero, I think Stinson is a stretch but maybe he'll surprise me. 

Another option next year at second base is Josh Satin, the prospect made a name for himself this year by racking in AAA.  Satin hit .317 in 38 games at Buffalo and .325 in 94 games with Binghamton, he played at 2B, 3B and 1B where he made 10 errors in 129 chances ( 3B seemed to be a struggle).  If the Mets don't re-sign Reyes, Satin could be competing with Turner for 2B.

Mets have to complete K-Rod deal today...

For those of you wondering and for those not bear with me for a paragraph Mets stuff is below, this is the longest hiatus from the site since I started it in 2006.  Where have I been, two words Hurricane Irene.  I was basically on lock down from Fri-Mon. as a first responder, while my wife kept the sub-pump and shop vac. going in our own basement.  By Mon. it was clean-up time at that little side gig store we own, didn't lose anything mechanical/equipment (which is a miracle - thank god for snadbags) but everything had to be thrown away and started from scratch. So it's exactly a week since I started prepping and things are back to normal; aside from the big hole in my financial pocket, no phone/internet/cable at the house and the fatigue/exhaustion setting in. 

The Mets have until today to pick two players from a list of five players to complete the K-Rod deal, there has been a great deal of speculation over who the players will be and I'm a bit intrigued over who they will be acquiring.  This front office group is very good at finding diamonds in the rough, so even though the names aren't believed to be high name prospects I still think they will find players of value.