Mets Make Me Shake My Head

My Room, Brooklyn - I'm currently listening to sports radio. Apparently the Mets have an interest in bringing Pedro Martinez back, as is being reported by Jayson Stark.

Apparently the Mets have shown interest in bringing Pedro back.

The METS....WANT To brING Pedro BACK?

I still can't believe what I'm hearing. I still can't believe it after typing it 3 times. The Mets want to bring Pedro Martinez........, back.

Let me tell you exactly where I stand, post haste. The biggest reason John Lackey is not a Met today is because Fred and Jeff, Jeff and Fred, the Wilpons, don't have the gumption to operate as a New York entity should. We are the largest market in the country. The Metropolitans' enterprise rakes in money. Period. But the Mets continue to be run like a small market club. They sported a $140 million dollar payroll last year, good for 3rd highest in baseball and tops in the NL. The Wilpons have been agreeable with regards to payroll for the most part. But the Wilpons must be feeling over extended. How else can you explain the Mets' inaction this winter? It's been reported the Wilpons actually made money off the Bernie Madoff ponzi scheme scandal. So what gives? I call it timidity. Yes! Good word....TIMIDITY. The Wilpons just don't seem to have the convictions, and the acumen to run a sporting entity. Remember in a previous post I told you it was Doubleday who knew enough to re-up Piazza after aquiring him in the trade with Florida. Fred Wilpon didn't want to cut that check. They, Fred, is a mawkish owner. There!! I said it! He knows real estate, but he don't know Didley (a little Brooklynese for ya) about running a sporting enterprise. That's where I give Boss Steinbrenner all glory. He understood it takes money to make money, and you can't be afraid to fail. The Wilpons operate terrified! The Wilpons made it a policy this past season or before last, NO NEWSPAPERS IN THE CLUBHOUSE. They didn't want the team to read all the bad press they thought the Mets were enduring. What does that tell you?...About paranoia? It's not the money that concerns me. Like I said, the Wilpons have been agreeable, for the most part. They did make Duquette operate on the cheap though. That was indeed a mandate. I'm just saying the Mets need to hire someone from the outside who the Wilpons can't set a mandate upon, someone whom the ownership is virtually unfamiliar with, someone who will take it to the Wilpon's wheelhouse and TELL them what's in their best interest. As long as the Metropolitan Club is profitable there will be little preventative maintenance. That's the Wilpon's undoing. They'll wait till things start going sour in the stands and inevitability in the wallet, then they'll get reactive. There in lies one of my biggest criticisms about the Wilpons; Pro-active vs. Re-active. The Wilpons are the latter.

How can you not call him mawkish when his highest, loftiest stated goal to his fan base was a want to play meaningful games in September. That's it, no more no less. That is a Limbo Bar a jelly fish couldn't wiggle it's way under. - Talk about setting low standards. Nothing ventured nothing gained Mr. Wilpon. This is so far beyond Omar Minaya.

Their biggest need this offseason was a number 2 pitcher. Lackey filled that need perfectly, someone who was big game but who could shotgun Johan Santana. The Mets made minimal efforts to pursue him.

When the trade deadline passed and the Mets made no improvements (for arguement sake), Omar tried painting a silver lining on this club's black cloud by telling us he learned how highly other organizations thought of our prospects. Really?! When the Phillies completed their deal for Roy Halladay, Omar reasoned and I paraphrase - I guess other teams had better options than we did. Uh......DUH ! OK, not getting Halladay isn't anyone's fault really because better chips were found elsewhere. But not pursuing Lackey with verve is inexcusable. However I kept that sentiment in the backround of my mind.

Today, first off, I hear the Nationals...Yes the NATIONALS are signing Jason Marquis. Jason wanted to pitch for the Mets...! He said as much. It's not that I wanted him in earnest, but then I'm not running the club. I'm just a fan right? So, Halladay? - Mets get a pass. John Lackey? Inexcusable. Marquis could have been very useful. He's very servicable and a nice pitcher. Nothing, nein, nyet, nada !!

Strike one, two ,three strikes........YER OUT!!!! (think Bugs Bunny when he played the GasHouse Gorillas).

So their grand master plan is to talk to Pedro's agent? Really? Really. Really!? I suppose Ben Sheets is in their cross hairs too?

Nothing ventured, nothing gained Mr. Wilpon. Timidity. Yea, that's it.