N.Y. Mets ~ The Curious Adam Rubin-Sandy Alderson Exchange

From the desk of:   HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

NEW YORK METS:  As a Fan, I Like To Know My Team's Deputies Are In Full Control at All Times.



After this season's non-waiver trade deadline came and went with no activity by the Mets, ESPN.com reporter, Adam Rubin, touched a sensitive chord with yet another Mets' General Manager during a conference call between Sandy Alderson and the Media.



In July of 2009, when Adam blew the doors open on Bernazard-Gate, Omar Minaya shot back with a scathing assertion Adam Rubin's motivations were born in part from a greater effort to nefariously secure a position within the Mets organization.  To my untrained ear, it sounded like Omar insinuated Adam Rubin was cozying up to Jeff Wilpon, and engaged in reporting designed to get Tony Bernazard fired.  As far as the resulting fallout, I do not believe anyone (fans, or colleagues) found fault with Adam Rubin's reporting.  But the incident effectively sparked the beginning of the end, for the Omar Minaya era in Flushing.



Fast forward; Tuesday, July 31, 2012 - almost three years to the day later, Adam Rubin questioned why the Mets couldn't perhaps entertain the idea of concurrently be sellers as well as holding on to the possibility of being buyers during this season's trade deadline.  That line of questioning inspired this response from Sandy Alderson:

"Well, maybe you're not a Mets fan, Adam. Or you're not a Mets employee.  Or you're not a Mets observer.  You're certainly a Mets reporter.  It's not clear to me you have the same mindset as all the other constituencies that relate to the Mets.  It's a good question, but if we're just going to get marginal talent, and I'm talking about let's say maybe not even top-30 prospect status in an organization, then we have a choice to make."

For further elaboration by the General Manager and for context sake, read Adam Rubin's own article on the matter.  Otherwise, I believe Rubin's inquiry was fair.  I wondered the same thing myself.  On the one hand, I find it amusing how Adam landed a clean punch, and Sandy jabbed back.  On the other hand, I'm very satisfied Sandy Alderson took a clean hard hitting question to the body, and responded with conviction; of you get my drift.  It is now time to separate Adam Rubin from this post, and talk solely of Sandy Alderson and his engagements with the Media.



The trade deadline in no way reflects poorly on Sandy Alderson's handling of the Media.  The current General Manager of the Mets is an Alpha-GM, and will not be taken aback by even the savviest scribe.  Bernazard-Gate withstanding and towards the end of his tenure, Omar might have resorted to donning his tap-dancing shoes in an attempt to shuffle away from such lines of questioning.  As Minaya's METropilis started to crumble around the former GM, his ability to convey a message, much less explanations, deteriorated as well.  That dilemma had absolutely nothing to do with language, and everything to do with thinking on the fly.



The first portion of Omar's reign was free of such incidences or dilemmas.  Instead he was widely respected, and deemed as being on the right track.  After Carlos Beltran looked at strike three one night in Octobers-past, the relationship between Omar, Willie, Randolph, then Jerry Manuel, and the Media radically changed.  Gallons of fuel were added to an already raging fire after infamous collapses during the 2007 and 2008 seasons.  In their respective ways, the three gentlemen all lost their ability to negotiate the Media.  Instead of merely engaging in post-game Q and A, they were subjected to a nightly trial by jury and executioner.  The verdict always turned out the same way; against them.



Aside from what afflicts this 2012 Mets team, I am very contented with Sandy Alderson's and Terry Collin's confident, and intellectually strong handling of the Media.  These guys give it to you straight and hold back no punches.  Their tact has contributed greatly towards influencing, and even directing, if not deciding, a given reporter's next question, where as the previous regime fell lame after continually getting run over by the Media's big bad New York City bus.  Too often the old regime tried tip-toeing around and through issues.  Before long, they all tripped and fell.  This is not to say Sandy hasn't tap-danced around an issue or two himself.  He's just better at it and seems to have mastered, tact.



OK.., Sandy and Terry sometimes resort to utilizing the stomp method.  But I like it.  I like to know my team's deputies are in control.  Their overall exercises in control, are another matter.



Follow Adam Rubin on Twitter @AdamRubinESPN




Mike.BTB

N.Y. METS ~ Give Terry Collins Today's Game Ball

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET


NEW YORK METS:  Can I Get a Buffet Table Please?

I wouldn't exactly use the word glib when describing Terry Collins' handling of the Media.  But if you're practiced in the art of Mad Libs, oh what fun it is super-imposing; replacing; transposing; tramping; and imagining the words we think Terry Collins really wants to use when trying to explain bizarre re-occurrences of Met Baseball such as the likes of Tuesday and Wednesday night's losses to the Pirates.


There's been more plain speak oozing out of Coach Collins than we've received from a Met manager since 2002.   In a much more broader sense, I'm tired of all managers who, when dealing with a microphone in their face, take the scenic route in telling us nothing.   Only the really good Tricknologists make themselves worth listening to.  Terry Francona is a guy like that just to name one.


Other managers have rolled their eyes towards the sky when bombarded with redundant questions after a loss and have even cost themselves jobs by not cooperating with Media interrogations when delving into the reasons for ineffectiveness and futility.  Other times, in managerial attempts to  rationalize every detail for a pack-mentality Media, they just become more ensnared by the unforgiving web of Q and A's.


The Mets?


After a couple of weeks, no one was listening to irrelevant Art Howe anymore.  He was as exciting as a yawn.  Willie Randolph kept feeding us a steady diet of "My Guys" this and "My Guys" that.  He was stone faced with the Media and it cost him.  They tripped him up so badly, Willie practically called his boss, Fred Wilpon, a racist on his own network.  Bad move Willie.  That's the real reason why the Mets whacked him in the middle of the California night.  But that's just me and my opinion.


Jerry Manuel had 'em all laughing.  He got out of sticky situations with jokes.  It paid off too - depending how you look at things.  But if you're like me, the Media took it too easy on the Mets during Jerry Manuel's days in the dugout and couldn't see the tidal wave of problems headed the Mets' way......because their eyes were too teary and they were all too busy getting rubber legged with laughter after every orgasmic witty line the Jerry Lama uttered.  So it's not until 2011 that so many of them woke-up and realized the Mets had problems.


Anyway, I like the way Terry Collins cut the Media off at the pass last night.  He just said "I'm running out of things to do!" and gave 'em the old "What do you want me to tell you?".


It's like telling someone to go....


Again, if you're like me and are just waiting around for the Sandy Alderson Trade Deadline Fire Works Extravaganza, then Terry Collins can be an maniacal as he wants to be.  I say, ...Good for him!  He's saying things that need to be said and more importantly, need to be heard!  Managers usually pay a price for speaking their minds in this manner.  But g'head Terry, I'm on your side now.  Because I wasn't always.  You're not a "Stinking Fool" Terry.  The questions the Media ask over and over again make managers look like fools if they can't negotiate them well enough.  Handle them the way you did Wednesday night, and the next writer will reconsider a stupid question.  At least it worked for a night right?  Loose lips might cost you your job down the line, but isn't being a manager transient in nature anyway?


Yea Terry!  Rip em a new one.


I think we can all see why Terry's players mutinied on him out in Anaheim.  He gets hot.  But I don't think we've really seen that Hot Terry; not by a long stretch...yet.  However, after last night's game, I thought his reaction was appropriate.  Or maybe he just got me on the right day.  But I think not, because I've liked him more and more as the season has progressed; even as the Met roster is regressing due to injury and impotence in yet another season.


I don't care much for things like, "this was the biggest comeback in 11 years"....STUFF.  It's just another needed regular season win.  Too bad the Mets couldn't get graded on a curve right?  Then you could throw out games like the last two as if they were their two worst grades in grammar school (because they play like Little Leaguers sometimes).  But we can't; and the Mets can't, and so finally a manager calls players out the way they needed to be.


Terry Collins is too old to play for them.  So he did the next best thing on The Day After;  He stole one.


Just make sure someone gives Terry today's game ball for taking it upon himself to seize a moment and a game, but not until after his players finally responded to their scolding and got him close enough to win for them; because what he spoke last night was truth.  They struggle to do it themselves.





I'm Not Breaking Out The Party Hats And Noise Makers After Today's Win.

.....Because Mike Pelfrey couldn't handle The PIRATES! 


That's why I'm only playing marbles with Jon Niese and Dillon Gee for now.  I've been talking about our young pitchers learning how to be a staff instead of just being pitchers.  I've been speaking about doubling-up and tripling-up on effective starts.  And when I mean our young staff, I speak directly to Niese, Gee and Mike Pelfrey.


R.A. Dickey, in spite of the Mets' implosion the other day, provided a stellar start within a sequence of good starts by the Mets and is starting to show more consistency himself.  If he pitched the way he did with a bad heel, break his foot and he might throw the Mets' first ever no-hitter.  But he's not part of our young staff; not of the future anyway.  But right now, yes, we'll take him, obviously; hands down.


But even in the Mets current situation, there's still a case to be made for stringing together quality starts and playing sound defense.  Timely hitting is third in the equation.  The Ol' Amazins proved that out once before.  But today, Mike Pelfrey is becoming problematic in that age old Met formula.  We have absolutely zero indication which direction his mind; pitching; season; and career will go at this point.  As if by choice, he remains an enigma.  Where are we with Mike Pelfrey?

He above all pitchers on the Mets was supposed to be taking a huge step forward this season.  There's foolish expectations; slim expectations; and then there are logical expectations.  Pelfrey fell into the latter and he's failing like a broken umbrella in a monsoon.


The Mets surged back to beat the Pirates this afternoon in dramatic fashion.  Whoo-Hoo!  But Mike Pelfrey suffered another personal mind-blowing and debilitating loss.


Ponderous.





Mike.BTB

N.Y. Mets ~ Sunday Morning Read; Managers

These are the managers of my lifetime.  There have been 15 men appointed the task of leading the Mets since I was cruelly brought into this world and became a Met Fan.


Gil Hodges
I never saw him manage the Mets.  So why start with Gil Hodges? 

Back in the early and mid-70's I lived on a block (a dead-end block as we call it ~ GREAT For Stick Ball!! - I digress..) that bordered Holy Cross Cemetery.  I don't remember being there (I was), but my neighbors in the years after 72' told me of the incredible sight of his funeral procession bringing Gil to Holy Cross.  It passed our block. I was 5 yrs old when he left us.

Growing up in Brooklyn, I played games at Gil Hodges Little League Field on Shell Road.  I used to hang out as a teenager and "actually Bowl" (just because it was close to the house I suppose) at Gil Hodges Lanes when it was still located on Ralph Avenue.  Upon entering the Bowling Alley immediately on the left was a display case with some memorabilia including one of Gil's Gold Glove Awards.  I still enjoy going to Jacob Riis Park/Beach in the Rockaways.  It's just on the other side of the Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge. That bridge connects Brooklyn with the Rockaways.  So, as you see, Gil Hodges still remains a tangible part of our lives in Brooklyn.  Drives down Bedford Aveneue, renamed Gil Hodges Way reaffirms that.

Joan Hodges, his wife and still the First Lady of Brooklyn, manages to attend a Brooklyn Cyclones (NYM-A class) game in Coney Island every once in a while. Gil Hodges' number 14 is proudly retired and displayed over the 2nd level boxes at MCU Park along with some other of Dem Bums.

As a 5 year old and a 6,7,8 and 9 year old, quite literally in a sense, I couldn't have been any closer to him or him to me.  And he remained a part of my life as I previously explained as is the case with many Brooklyn boys.  Growing up here, there is no escaping his impact still felt by the Borough.  This will forever be home of
The Quiet Man.


Yogi Berra
Not so much 1973, but by 1974 and 1975, the images are clearer for me.  I remember Little Yogi fairly well.  The Met uniforms were a little bluer, a little bit more orange and were a bit more ivory.  The Mets' coaching staff was a quick lesson in the city's baseball history back then.  With the help from neighbors on the block, I came to learn quickly about them.  Lindsay Nelson, Bob Murphy and Ralph Kiner were my teachers and I hung on their every word.  ...And then I learned about Yogi Berra's Yankee past.  I didn't understand, but I was probably better off.  Then I suffered my first bout of anger as a Met fan when Tug McGraw and Rusty Staub were traded away.

Joe Frazier ~ 1976
Joe presided over my first "Most Favorite Years".  By 1976, as a baseball fan, I had everything clicking by this time.  I was nine years old now.  I was collecting and flipping baseball cards in the school yard and reading the newspaper and Baseball Digest.  I watched every game on TV and learned how to tune-in out of town games on the radio at night.  A third place finish for the Mets that year wasn't necessarily such a bad place to be for me back then.  The season was a thrill for me and I was going to a lot of games.  The team was still gloriously Amazin' to me.  Seaver, Koosman, Buddy, Grote, Garret and Kranepool were still around.  Felix Millan, Jon Matlack. John Milner, Dave Kingman and Skip Lockwood were big time favorites of mine.  As a Met fan, life was great for me.  I loved this team and Big Beautiful Shea with all the colored panels decorating the outside of the Stadium.

Joe Torre ~ 1977-1981
The darnedest thing happened; Joe Torre was named Player/Manager.  I didn't know you could do that; not yet anyway..  I remember when he called upon himself to pinch-hit for his last MLB at-bat.  I also didn't know why they had to dismantle the team I fell so in love with over the last three years.  But who's trying to hear anything when you're 11 years old?  If you made it through these years and were one of the 7,000 people there any given game like I was, First ~ I'm sorry; and Second; We should receive medals for our Courage and Loyalty.  You have my unyielding respect.  From this era, my favorites were of course Lee Mazzilli.., John Stearns and Joel Youngblood.  But there was no mistaking these years for anything other than the Dark Years they were.  Joe Torre was managing a team mandated to not spend any money on free-agents or make costly trades.  The team was stripped bare and being prepared to be sold.  Joe Torre did get the team to .500 one mid-summer day.  It really was a big deal.  Then they fell to the bottom of the division like a rock.  That's as far as they got during the Torre years.  There was nothing he could do to make those teams better.



George Bamberger ~ 1982-1983..
He was Frank Cashen's bud from their Oriole days together.  He was asked to mind the store while the farm worked on growing some players.  Bamberger did it more as a favor to Cashen than anything else.  He only lasted (less than) two years because he grew too tired of the losing and at his age, who needed it?  But from these days, came a great little bunch of back-ups who earned a nickname for themselves; Bamby's Bandits - their Leader was none other than Ron Hodges.  However impatient he seemed on the outside, I actually thought Bamberger could be a very good manager for us at the time.  But he just wanted to go home and retire so he quit.  Health problems didn't help.

Frank Howard ~ ..1983
Hondo was such a big guy, and such an old-time, fun loving but hard-nosed Baseball guy.  He actually did a rather good job and garnered much respect for his efforts finishing up the 1983 season for the Mets.  Of course by that time, he was penciling Kieth Hernandez and Darryl Strawberry into the line-up and Jesse Oroscoe was emerging.  Many of the prospects former GM Joe McDonald left behind were starting to show their worth and some would be used in key transactions.  We all knew,  for a bad season, 1983 finished off on a good note and things were turning around for us.


Davey Johnson ~ 1984-1990...
He was another one of Frank Cashen's guys from their Baltimore days together.  He was down on the farm with the prospects Cashen drafted and acquired, and were all promoted to the big club together in 1984.  He was a man of few rules and probably the cockiest of that group; telling his team they would dominate the League before games ever got started in 1986.  Other than Gil Hodges, he is the only Mets Manager to guide us to a Title.  That being said, his teams also underachieved.  The Mets should have plunked down at least one more title during that span.  And thank him...!  He's one of the people most responsible for the 5-man rotation Baseball employs today.

Bud Harrelson ~ ...1990-1991
BUDDY!  He seemed like a natural and I really liked him.  1990 was a fun season, all be it a season that started to change the face of the Mets.  They never could over take Pittsburgh that year.  But that was in no way Buddy's fault in my opinion.  1991 was another story.  Things were starting to go sour in Flushing and Buddy was taking a pounding in the Media.  It never did get better for us when the club decided to fire him.  I was just happy Buddy didn't have to go through a meat-grinder anymore.

Jeff Torborg ~ 1992-1993...
Jeff Torborg, GM Al Harazin, the team, and these two years were unmitigated disasters!  Jeff Torborg was a human study in the Art of The Meltdown.  That Cat literally came apart at the seams.  Like a cheap sweater, he got snagged once and just unravelled in a continuous Media undressing.  He just could not help himself from sticking his foot in his mouth it seemed on a daily basis.

Dallas Green ~ 1994-1996...
I liked Dallas Green.  I thought he'd be the right guy for GM Joe McIlvaine's plan to thoroughly rebuild the club through our farm system.  This was all hinged on the three pitchers dubbed, Generation-K.  I was totally on board with the rebuilding process.  I was thrilled Joe McIlvaine instituted a real plan.  The plan turned out to be an unabashed failure for numerous reasons, including injury to all members of Generation-K.  It turned out to be the last REAL plan any GM (minus Alderson) has had for this team since.  Then Joe McIlvaine developed a habit of disappearing during tough times and not returning the Owner's calls.  He in essence became a Front Office Rogue.  Once, when he actually showed up to the office one day, he was booted out the door, and the crusty and cranky Dallas Green was asked to follow close behind.

Bobby Valentine ~ ...1997-2002
There are few smarter Baseball minds in the Milky Way.  He certainly got the very most out of his players for several years before things went rotten for him too.  He is every bit Good, Bad, and Ugly.  He was even in disguise once.  He was as responsible for the Mets winning a N.L. Title as he was responsible his own unemployment.  His act wears thin.  Just ask Fred Wilpon.  The two do not "like" each other; - No secret there.  That's why I laughed anytime someone clamoured for his return.  Bobby and Steve Phillips forced the Wilpons to decide who gets to keep their job.  Initially Phillips won that battle and Valentine was let go.  Then the Wilpons re-thunk the situation and told Steve Phillips to beat it too.


Art Howe ~ 2003-2004
WTF?! C'mon!?  What was that all about?


Willie Randolph ~ 2005-2008..
Poor Willie.  He was too paranoid.  Then, he delved too deeply into a racially-tinted opinion he held regarding Fred Wilpon on the Boss' own TV Network.  That was his biggest and last mistake.  Shortly after his comments, he got axed in the middle of the night, in a hotel room on the West Coast.  Michael Kay flat out accuses Carlos Delgado of laying down on Willie over a mutual dislike for each other.  Forget what I think.  I think those bold words should stand on their own and let Kay deal with that.  Many said Willie was wound-up too tightly and it caused friction in the dugout.  That is fair.  But the tension was never more thicker and snippy than with the Media.  Willie always referred to His Guys when speaking of the players.  But His Guys apparently didn't always have his back.  There came a point when they heard him.  They just weren't listening.  And no Met Fan will ever forget Willie's decision NOT TO BUNT!  You know what I mean!

Jerry Manuel ~ ..2008-2010
The Rodney Dangerfield of Managers; he didn't get no respect and he kept the Media laughing.  He more-so than Willie was deprived of a completely healthy team for most of his tenure as manager.  His record aside, his future was tethered to Omar Minaya's fate anyway.  If Omar was gone, surly Manuel would follow.  If Manuel was gone, surly Omar would follow.  They were both doomed.  The fan uproar and apathy were two forces that caused the Wilpons to enact changes at the conclusion of last season.  Jerry had his moments; just not enough of them.  He and Willie both are proud owners of Major Chokes, but only Willie brought the Mets to the Playoffs.  Jerry Manuel watched the Mets fall and hurt themselves.., but left the Media in stitches.


Terry Collins ~ 2011 -
This guy wasn't exactly my first choice...Or my second choice.  It's still hard to gauge how much stock Sandy Alderson puts into managers when you take the MoneyBall aspect into account.  Truth is, we just don't know yet.  Collins has proven adept at 2nd place finishes and even has a Player Mutiny against him to his credit.  That's impressive.  His favorite word to describe himself is ENERGY.  I wonder if he spells energy with one trouble or two?  I can't wait for the first player to not run-out a pop-up or the player who jogs down to first-base.  I'm curious to see Terry Collins' Energy at work.  And I'm dying to see his Energy wow the Media during Q&A's!  For better or worse, it's going to make for some great nights of Head-Butting Mr. Met.



** Roy McMillan, Mike Cubbage.  There!


Let's Go Mets!




Mike.BTB

The Saul B. Katz Dilemma; Son of PON, cont...

NEXT UP....THE MANAGER ~ JERRY MANUEL


He did express interest in managing while Willie Randolph was still serving in that capacity. Jerry Manuel has been accused of throwing Willie Randolph under the bus, or, being subversive towards the same end; Willie's job.

Jerry Manuel went down yapping some negative Ghandi'isms in Chicago all the way to the bus station when Kenny Williams released him of his duties there. Jerry Manuel did win a Manager of the Year though. Jerry Manuel was also a coach on the 1997 World Series Champion Florida Marlins.  He's been around the block and his resume is somewhat on the credible side.

There are worse managers and there are certainly better managers. But way more than most likely, Jerry will not be asked back as manager for the 2011 season. At this very moment, Jerry is still managing and trying to win now as if a playoff spot was still attainable. But he's smart and realizes we wants to salvage some respectability for himself and this team.

There's a saying ~ when you can't dazzle people with brilliance, baffle them with bull$#!t. If that doesn't work, make jokes! Somehow Jerry Manuel has kept the more blood thirsty media satiated with humor and jocularity. Jerry has played it masterfully to his credit. He figured out never leave them angry, always leave the media laughing. Brilliant! Brilliant because look at any other manager or head coach in whatever sport in this town, and the relationship between the media and him is pacifying at best. Jerry has many of them eating out of his hand pecking at his next joke. That is perhaps the single most biggest reason why the calls to have his head chopped off haven't come sooner or more vehemently.

However, for right now, for September's sake, Jeff Wilpon must immediately tell Omar Minaya and more specifically Jerry Manuel, "It's over Johnny"!  Jeff Wilpon must hand down the directive now, - Jerry, stop trying to win and get back in the race.  The focus is now on the youngsters being farmed up to the big club.  Jerry Manuel is presently engaged in self preservation.  That is on conflict with the newly initiated rebuilding process.  It's incumbent upon Jeff Wilpon to get his General Manager and his manager on the same page of music he is on for the remainder of this month.  The money for salaries is already spent.  The money is committed and will be doled out regardless whether the higher priced players on this team play or not.  Sit these players and play any and all prospects we call up.  Not intentionally because that's not where the front office's mind set should be, but just possibly a good benching of the old establishment on this roster may find them time for self-reflection and lend an opportunity to find inner gumption to play this game in a different state of mind other than melancholy.

But Jeff needs to hand down that dictate to Jerry and do it now.  There is no plausible reason in Flushing why any, if not all the prospects are not playing on a given night.  What needs to happen on the part of Jeff Wilpon for this dictate to be followed, is....Commitment.  In the absence of a Team President to navigate this for him, Jeff must be committed to a process with strong conviction and a determination to stay the course.  For too long this has been a reactive administration and the time for a proactive mentality is now.  In the absence of a Team President Jeff Wilpon must act with conviction on the plan and COMMIT.

Jeff Wilpon must commit wholly, not just in parts, not in spurts of whimsy, not in time of reactive damage control; NO ~ Commit to the complete rebuilding of this team and make it the Mets' business to correct, in every business sense of the word; CORRECT the expensive and insipid players signed to negative yielding contracts.  You know who you are!  But first what must happen post haste is Jeff informing Jerry Manuel that Dean Wormer has dropped the big one.  It's over.

We all share an understanding Jerry Manuel will not be manager next year.  His contract will expire and it's unlikely the Mets will ask him to return.  He will most likely be dismissed with an inordinate amount of the blame for the Mets' woes this season.  A manager can only put the best players he has in the best possible positions to succeed.  The General manger is responsible for procuring those players.  At some point the players need to be held with ultimate responsibility.  But you can't fire a whole roster and you can't fire the Owner or his Son.  The Mets have been-there-done-that with firing coaches, using them as sacrificial lambs.  So the only logically certain deletion from the Mets Media Guide will be Jerry Manuel's.  He done some "not so smart" things.  What manager hasn't?  But when a role player has to ask why pitch to Jeter with Mariano Rivera on deck during an Inter-League Subway Series Game?..C'mon.

One barb is enough.  I don't choose to kick him while he's on the way down.  But I do want a new manager next season.  I'd like to say I never ever said, Fire Jerry Manuel.  But today it is very safe to say I don't want him back.  I'll say this about him; he's gutsy, strong minded, he was never hesitant to shake things up and if you got beyond the jokes, he wasn't afraid to say what he felt and it was usually said with tact.... Although there was that one time when.....

I have some possible candidates for the Mets to choose from.  I will get to all my possible solutions I have in mind for the team's manager, GM and a Team President shortly.


Mike.BTB

A/O  September 13, 2010
Possible Managerial Candidates for the Mets:

Tim Teufel is the one most familiar with the prospects the Mets are farming-up. He had many of them in Coney Island and more recently in Binghampton. He just may be the best choice (like Davey Johnson's graduation to the big club with many he managed below). There are certain Baseball people who speak very highly of Tim. Me personally, I don't share that opinion, but I'd be willing to be dead wrong about him.


Another possibility I was thinking about was John Stearns. He most recently managed in Harrisburg for the Nats system for a couple of years. I believe he's scouting for the Mariners right now. He played and coached here before. He's right up the Wilpon's alley and they don't call him the DUDE for nothing. He won't tolerate many shenanigans from the peanut gallery.

I think Larry Bowa and Tony Pena are definite options as well. I've thought about Mazzilli, and heard him mentioned around. Mazz got screwed in Baltimore as we know. Like Teufel, I'm not warm to the idea.

But if I were wagering, and if the Mets wind up keeping this all in house (Again) Teufel may be their man. Internally and organizationally it makes the most sense; Not to me, but maybe to the Wilpons. If I'm ranking preferences...I'm going with Pena one and Stearns two.


Mike

Reyes the Most Important To Mets' Future?

Nope.

Numbers can be misleading and make one believe false truths sometimes.

In the Mets' more competitive years lately, Delgado, not Reyes made the line-up lethal. 

How we handle Reyes will not determine our future.  The direction of our future rests in the hands of Jeff Wilpon.  He will dictate the course of the S.S. Wilpon.  The formulation of and commitment to a plan is more pressing than Reyes.   In his 8th(?) year maybe it's time to question his value.   Speed doesn't last forever and he's proving to be injury prone.   Better to trade someone too early than too late.   I didn't say that; Branch Rickey did.  

It's all up to Jeff to not blow 2012 for this organization. 2011 should be the final purge of the last era. Corrections need to be made concerning Castillo, Ollie, Frenchy, Beltran and KRod. That's one fifth of your roster no Met fan wants a part of AND the team has no role for them to boot. Commit for the rest of this season and next to the rebuilding process!  Tell Jerry stop trying to win now and commit Jeff..commit to the rebuild and stop fooling yourself.  because you have a manager and a general manager spinning chasing their tails in circles.

JEFF WILPON is the singular most determining factor the the Mets future success. 

The clock is ticking.


Mike.BTB

MET Moves

The Mets exposed Rod Barajas to waivers and the Dodgers are now the new owners of the CaliNative Catcher.  Good to see him go home.  He seems happy about it.  I'm elated with the move because the Mets, on the outside at least, are pledging their confidence in JOSH THOLE to be the regular catcher with Henry Blanco serving as back-up for the moment.

Thank you New York Mets for a smart transaction.   And to MY GUY ~ JOSH THOLE...,

Yeah baby!  Go get em....with confidence now.

The Mets called up JESUS FELICIANO from AAA to fill an outfield spot in the absence of Jason Bay.

How do I say this? - You guys are jerking FERNANDO MARTINEZ around!  That outfield spot should be his.  C'mon!  After 18 official and 21 at-bats over all you jerked him like a yo-yo!  Is that how we conduct youth movements?  Do better Omar, and JEFF!  Do better by FMart!  Jesus Feliciano is/was having a tremendous season for the Bisons-AAA.  But he's not the target of my point here.

You alleviated the glut at catcher and improved the situation by subtraction.  But you dropped the ball on FMart by yo-yo'ing him.

Moving forward, second base must receive the same treatment.  Luis Castillo's presence on the roster must be corrected; He must be!  Remove him and eliminate the trepidation to committing second base to a youngster; be it RUBEN TEJADA or other prospects of the near future, Jon Malo and Reese Havens.

Do it because you can't have Oliver Perez, Castillo and Francoeur all not wanting to be here or having no role.

Forget Ruben Tejada's poor showing at the plate.  Forget FMart's poor showing at the plate.  The sample sizes are nothing to work with.  Just commit to the movement JEFF!!! ~ Because Jerry Manuel is managing in the RED ZONE.  He is not a manger with the future in mind.  He is job preservation mode now and the two philosophies are in direct conflict.  Either tell Jerry what's going on now, or remove him for sake of getting the rebuilding done right from the get-go.

I'm not calling for his removal per say.  I'm just saying the team philosophy is in conflict right now and somewhat undetermined.

Ruben Tejada was playing in the Little League World Series in 2003.  See what I mean?


Mike.BTB

Five Years Later

Five seasons and four playing months ago, former Mets front office employee Omar Minaya was "begged" by the Wilpons to return and run their team.  Jim Duquette was actually the GM; but a lame-duck one at that.
The Mets, in Wilponian fashion, had two GM's as 2004 came to a close.  Jim Duquette was subsequently relieved of his post and the S.S. Wilpon set sail from that moment with Omar at the Helm.

The Wilpons ordered Omar Minaya to take the team out of the holding pattern they imposed upon Jim Duquette.  Two years later the Mets were a 96 win team and came within one strike or hit of making it to the World Series in 2006.

Two very frustrating seasons ended in defeat for the Mets on their last day of play.  Twice needing a victory to gain the playoffs; twice they failed to defeat the Florida Marlins when they need ONE GAME.

The 2009 season fell apart like wet toilet paper due to injury and compounded by very fundamentally poor play by whomever was on the field any given day.

Omar fired Art Howe to end the previous era he inherited.  Omar then totally botched, but none-the-less, still fired Willie Randolph on the West Coast under the cover of NYC night.  Today Jerry Manuel sits, and has for some time now, and will remain, on the hot seat.  Why?

Because after getting defeated tonight by the first place and newly rebuilt Atlanta Braves by a score of 4-1, which followed a drubbing at the hands of a woefull D-Backs club the night before, at home by the way, the club Omar Minaya appointed Jerry Manuel to guide is officially, as of August 2nd, a .500 team.

Five seasons and four playing months later...the Mets are a .500 team.

That's just the way it has played out folks.  I didn't really inject my opinions into that.  Did I?  How we got here and what happened along the way is a different conversation I've been having.....No?

(that was yesterday's post ~ tonight they are currently tied 1-1 with the Braves in the 5th inning.)

Mike.BTB

http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.blogspot.com/

SAFE !! And Finally HOME

New York Mets

Chief Operating Officer

or as I prefer

Baby Jeff over at Mets~R~Us:

JEFF WILPON

Through his puppet, Omar Minaya, pseudo GM of the Mets,

 handed down his directive concerning the coaching staff and status of the manager.

The Mets have announced there are no plans to fire the manager or Manuel's coaching staff.

Howard Johnson, who has come under intense scrutiny this season, and Dan Warthen, whom many will say isn't nearly as effective as the last pitching coach the Mets fired ~ Rick Peterson are still on the payroll.

(Jerry shows press what he might have contemplated

had the Mets fired him after the Left Coast trip)

ALL THREE ARE SAFE.

For now.

My opinion?

I'll surprise you and say I agree with the decision.  It's too late to make that decision now (actually not really ~ any time is a good time).  Even Jeff Wilpon admitted earlier in the year last off-season would have been the ideal time to make changes.  But the Mets decided to maintain the status-quo.  And trust me, I am in no rush to see Bob Melvin in the dugout as a Mets manager. 

NO WAY!

But I agree with not doing anything now either.  Omar Minaya should not be allowed to make another managerial hire.  That would be his third.  Omar and Jerry should be and I think are joined at the hip.  When Jerry goes, Omar will have a bus ticket out of town also. 

But that's just me talking.

Ultimately, Omar's hands have been tied behind his back by the Wilpon's Super Secret plan to hide their alleged financially unstable situation.  It's the Wilpons themselves who have not been truthful with the fan base this year.  A little more forth-rightness on their part might go a long way towards garnering some empathy from us and quieting the derisive chatter coming out of all parts of Metropolis this season.

But as hard as it may seem to believe, even to myself, I am defending the Mets' decision to retain the manager and coaching staff.  They really blew it last time they faced this situation with Randolph.  I think they are just trying to be a little more prudent right now.

(Without going into a digression...but doesn't that still sound like making decisions for the wrong reasons?  Just a thought.)

We fired Willie Randoph.  We fired Rick Peterson.  We can have a separate debate as to whether or not they deserved it.  But it was clear then, the Mets totally mishandled Randolph's release, to the point of embarrassment.  Rick Peterson was made unemployed for the wrong reasons.  Like Milt Thompson, the Phila Phils batting coach,  getting fired in Philadelphia was a shot across the bow by Rubin Amaro Jr and a totally symbolic gesture, so too was firing Rick Peterson from his post.  And today we can not say his replacement, Dan Warthen is doing a better job, much less as good a job as Peterson did; especially as it pertained to Oliver Perez (but there will be no digression about Ollie here!).

A concern of mine is the potential of Jerry Manuel to over work and effectively burn out Bobby Parnell out of the bullpen....AGAIN!  It's my claim Jerry burnt out Fernando Nieve with overuse earlier in the season and now he's been designated for assignment.  Last year Bobby Parnell set the Mets Rookie record for most appearances.  Parnell was over used and was still not fully recovered this past spring training.  Today he is popping the gun at 99 mph and I'd keep an eye on Manuel's usage of my guy; our kid...Bobby Parnell.

So....Yea; Jerry Manuel, Howard Johnson and Dan Warthen are all still employed today by the Metropolitans.  After that disastrous West Coast trip that was a 2 win - 9 loss nightmare, most people expected the worse for them this afternoon, especially after hearing there was a Mets meeting of the minds...i.e.; Omar and Jeff, yesterday on the Mets' off day.

It's time to hold the players accountable in this one.  The coaching can only do so much.  They don't throw from 60 feet 6 inches away and they don't stand in the batter's box.

Yea, Jerry isn't the greatest tactician around Baseball. 

But I would hire Famous Amos to manage the Mets

before I want Bob Melvin at the helm.

In the Mets' first game upon returning from that dreadful road trip, against the Cardinals tonight

Frankie Rodriguez just closed out an 8-2 victory.  The Mets took the pesky approach against St. Louis pitcher, Adam Wainwright, who surrendered a 3 run Home Run to Jeff Francoeur.  The Mets banged out 9 hits and Jose Reyes also homered tonight.

Maybe there is something to this Citi Field phenomenon and the Mets.

They can win at Citi in bunches but are completely inept on the road.  I do believe they are still in the single digits in road wins with 9.  Don't quote me on that.

So they're home again. 

Dan Warthen is safe and John Niese gets a well deserved win tonight.

Howard Johnson is safe and Francoeur and Reyes homer; Mets pound out 9 hits and 8 runs.

Jerry Manuel is safe and is home again where the Mets can potentially have a good home stand and distance themselves from the .500 mark again and hopefully gain a little ground on Atlanta.

This is it folks.  I don't believe the Mets will be serious players at the trade dead line.  So it looks like this is what we're going with.  I can't say I am happy because you know about my want for a complete rebuild.  I am not totally down on them or the season because....there's always hope...and that's why we root.  We always root.  So why hide it in spite of my issues with this team.

See?!  I can be somewhat positive. 

And it's not just because they won tonight.  You know me...that has nothing to do with it.  I just think Jeff Wilpon has a very precarious situation on his hands and for a day, I agree with him taking a more patient approach with the coaching staff and manager.  I think even Jeff realizes they are not the entire or glaring problem here.

And before I forget, Jerry Manuel served his one game suspension tonight;
the one he earned out in L.A.  All I can say is good for him!  I like the spunk.

Now beat it!

Mike.BTB

http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.blogspot.com/

Another Arm Burnt Out by Jerry Manuel

UNBELIEVABLE!!

Fernando Nieve has been designated for assignment by the Metropolitans. 

Nieve was ridden like a mule up and down a Grand Canyon path.  Jerry Manuel is squarely to blame for the ruination of Fernando Nieve.  Of course this is just all my opinion.  Past practice?  Yep!  Bobby Parnell.  He abused Bobby Parnell in 2009 to the point that he could not make the team this year out of spring training.  Bobby Parnell's arm strength only now seems to be fully recovered.  Ruination may be knocking on Parnell's door next...again.  Jerry Manuel is a desperate man right now making judgements in an effort to save his job.  Sometimes that is not always in the best interest of the player or the club.  Sometimes; not always.

Two relievers in two years Jerry Manuel conscripted to hard labor; the record is written.

Be afraid Bobby.  Be very afraid.

mike.BTB

Two Minutes To Midnight

Two minutes to midnight?  Well...not exactly.  It's actually 1:22a.m. and I'm still trying to formulate words that describe this Left Coast trip.  After tonight's loss to the Dodgers and yet another shut-out to ponder, the Mets are now losers of 7 out of 8 games on this swing.  If were not for The Umpire that Giveth and Taketh and Whatever'th...Mr. Cuzzi, we'd be win-less.  Remember the gift he gave the Mets in San Francisco by blowing the call at home?  We then went to Arizona and got dusted there.  In L.A. things are starting out status-quo.  The Mets coming out of the All*Star break, are misfiring on all pistons.  But the Mets were failing before the break also.  They are losers of something like 12 of 15 lately.

Two minutes to midnight means they are two games above the .500 mark now.  That is an 800 lbs. gorilla placed squarely on Jerry Manuel's shoulders.  Suck it up Dude!  Just like your GM said today in passing as he viewed you getting grilled by the media earlier in the morning...He said, "Welcome to New York".  Of course he said it in jest and as he was running away with his briefcase in hand.  This was Jerry's media time and I guess Omar didn't want to take away from that.  Jerry was good with the jokes earlier today in the reporters circle.  I wonder if he needs a good scolding of the likes Alex Cora gave Big Pelfry and some of the beat writers the other night for laughing too much after another loss.

Jerry shook up the line-up tonight.  He's trying what he can with what he has.  Omar was captured a short time later and endorsed Manuel very plainly.  Omar said he is happy with the job Jerry is doing and he's the manager.  Well the manager could have put the line-up in a blender tonight but even that wouldn't have been enough to shake the Mets out of this offensive funk.  The Mets offense has score like 4 runs in their last 1,000 innings or something.  They've been wasting quality starts that we've been fortunate to get.

Two minutes to midnight refers to the dreaded Left Coast Vote of Confidence.  Remember how the Mets fired Willie Randolph out there under the cover of NYC darkness?  I'm not saying Manuel is getting fired; any time soon.  But his clock is set at two minutes to midnight.  There is only one bright spot I can find for the Mets and Jerry right now.  That silver lining is that this road trip WILL end.  That's it.  That's all I can say.  They can't stay on the Left Side for ever.  I don't know if the results will change once they leave but at least we can't pick on them while they're there.  We'll just have to do that when they get back!

That piano falling out of the sky has a Mets logo on it.  Look out!

Mike

http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.blogspot.com/

Done and Done(er)

ONE came over as a throw-in, in a trade that sent Xavier Nady to PITT for reliever Roberto Hernandez because Duaner Sanchez went out looking for Spanish food in the middle of the night in Miami and the taxi he was in was involved in a traffic accident.  Sanchez, who effectively "broke" the Mets' season in addition to his shoulder that year because we were forced to ride Aaron Heilman in the playoffs of 2006, hasn't been heard from again.

The OTHER came over in a trade as a throw-in when the Mets traded Chris Benson to the Orioles to get his wife Anna Benson as far away from Flushing as quickly as they possibly could.  But the trade was really intended to bring back former Oriole closer Jorge Julio; who there's little to speak of.

The first ONE I referred to is Oliver Perez.  The OTHER to which I refer is John Maine.  You have often heard me refer to them and HAIL and RAIN, respectively.  After their 2010 sub-par efforts thus far, they have done everything with-in their power, not to work out their problems, not acquiescing to the club's wishes as with Ollie, not being forthright and honest with regards to pain or discomfort as with Maine; No!
They have done everything with-in their power to introduce themselves to the MLB populace as not only the Flushing version of DUMB and DUMBER...But more accurate to the Mets' situation:

DONE and DONE(ER)

...as in finished.

John Maine couldn't get the SMURFs out right now showing no gumption or velocity while failing miserably in AAA-Buffalo.  Ollie?  I don't even know where he is.  These silly jokes are nothing compared to the barbs manager Jerry Manuel has been ripping to the press about those guys.  I'm not going to get all quote happy here, but when asked if one of the pair might see some innings as a starter again or even relief, Jerry replied with something to the effect of, "yea, on our next off day" - Don't quote me but that's the gist.  I'm lazy and don't feel like getting the paper.

R.A. Dickey and Hisanori Takahashi have made Met fans all but forget Maine and Perez.  There are too many to mention who would be contented to just see the "weather" system bringing RAIN and HAIL upon Citi Field just blow off to sea.  In the big picture I think the Mets see Nieve and Mejia as starters but I'm getting into the future.  The present is very bleak for Ollie and Maine.  It's clearly evident Jerry Manuel has no practical use for either one of them.  Nor does he see a need to treat them like men anymore when both have pouted and acted childishly throughout their individual ordeals.

To both their credits, we rode them like mules down the stretch and through the playoffs in 2006.  They came through with flying colors; they rose to the occasion admirably!!  I, as a Met fan had far more confidence in these two, hoping that we had caught magic in a bottle with young untested, unproven pitchers, than I ever had hoping Tom Glavine could win a big game for us.  That's being honest.  That is why perhaps I, and many other Met fans have stood by their side, supported them, protected and defended them from criticisms since that playoff run we made.  They came through in huge ways for us.  Ollie pitched masterfully in game 7 of the 2006 NLCS.  But like I mentioned earlier, we were left placing our bullpen trust in Aaron Heilman because Duarner Sanchez was no more.

It's time to face facts here folks.  These boyz' time in Flushing have arrived to their Law of Diminished Returns.  There is no more from or for them; Not for this team.  Maine is an easier situation to deal with because of the contract the Mets gave Ollie Perez.  The Mets still owe Ollie $24 million for two more years after 2010.  The Ollie Chronicles are something you won't want to miss because A) - you just can't have someone sitting around counting millions for sucking and not pitching and  B) - Jerry Manuel wants nothing to do with him anymore.  This is a great drama in the making.

John Maine?  Ollie?  We liked them.  We used to.  We're finished and they're DONE and DON(ER).

A fair question to ask is Omar Minaya's riding the backs of two trade throw-ins over the last few years.  That argument only carries so much weight because at one time or another we all found ourselves on the sides on Ollie and Maine.  Unlike today we used to think very differently about them.  What further mutes the "riding-the-back" debate was Omar's trade for Johan Santana and the emergence of Pelfry.

Johan and Pelfry were much better stable mates for Ollie and Maine than Glavine and Trachsel ever were.  But Maine and Ollie could never maintain or improve upon the early success they had here.

Separation anxiety is never easy for players, clubs or fans.  Life in Baseball can be a real "stitch" sometimes.

In other transactions out of METropolis:

Bobby Parnell is UP; - and Jenrry Mejia is DOWN.  Bobby Parnell who last year set a rookie record for appearances as a Met and perhaps was so burnt out after 2009's over-use by Jerry Manuel he couldn't make the club this year, is back on the big club swapping roster spots with Jenrry Mejia.  The idea is to start stretching out Mejia for Starting Pitching duties maybe by the end of July.  It's no big point of contention but I would have liked for Mejia to remain at AA/AAA as the club broke Spring Training.  He would be ready today for insertion into the rotation.  I know...hindsight is 20/20.  Like I said...No biggie.  I would have kept him down but he pitched well enough to earn a bullpen job with the club back in April.

One last bit of METrospection before I go.  Yes the Mets finished their road trip with 7 up and 2 down and good job by them in doing so..  Yes they've played to the tune of something like 19-9 (whatever it is) in their last 28 games or so.  So many "experts" are pointing to the last round of Inter-League when the Mets and Yanks squared off in CITI as the point where the Mets turned things around and played like the hottest team in Baseball since. 

My question is why look there?  Why not look and just a few days prior to that series when Jeff Wilpon went down to Atlanta to talk with the care-takers of his Father's baseball club.  In a very "Brian Cashman-esque" move as when Brian went down to Atlanta to give his faltering Yankees a visit last year, Jeff Wilpon had more than good enough reason to want to talk with his executive employees that day in HOTLanta about the state and direction of his Pop's baseball company. 

As someone who is one of the biggest critics of the Wilponian Way...Let's give him/Jeff some credit instead of the Yankee series at Citi for getting this team on a better path.  Maybe his mere presence was a message in itself, that professional Baseball players read loud and clear.

Jeff, I give you the benefit of the doubt on this one.

Mike

http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.mlblogs.com/

http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.blogspot.com/

Maelstrom of Discontent

"Well,  I still have my uniform on?"

That's what Jerry Manuel does.  He makes the "beat guys" feel like they're all his buddies.  Every QandA with Jerry is a Bud-Lite moment.  Jerry embraces them and makes em all feel good about their jobs because he makes jokes and feeds them just the right blend of corn-meal and grass-mix by-product to satiate their sensationalized article writing their editors demand.  Effective?  It's especially effective for Jerry Manuel.  If it weren't for Jerry holding the Media close to his bosom with humor, jocularity and random acts of gangsta sarcasm, the maelstrom to have Jerry Manuel would have gotten him fired long ago.  That maelstrom is usually whipped up by the Media first; not the fans.  The only reason Jerry Manuel is still manager of the New York Mets is because Jerry outsmarted the media this long.

Keep your friends close; but keep your enemies closer.

The media never created a maelstrom to have Jerry Manuel fired.  Sure they've had the burner on simmer and it even got HOT for Jerry once in a while; - as is the current situation after a 90 minute meeting with Met Brass in Atlanta of all places.  When Jerry Manuel emerged from that meeting his Maenad's were there to greet him.  When the Chorus asked of their Bacchus what happened in the meeting, their deity squeezed a grape into this goblet of wine:  "I still have my uniform on?!"  ...And because they're all buddies, the on-site Media nod their heads in a collective, "yea...we got your back dog!"...and then go write their spin.  Take care to understand I'm talking about the beat writers here.  Through wittiness and with an acknowledgment by the writers Omar assembled these players, Manuel gets a nice slice of slack in the daily(s).  When a guy like Mike Lupica decides to chime in about sports these days it's only when the fishing is good.  Today he served up this big plate of obvious  ...- I say be gone with you and go continue chasing your political aspirations.  I used to read his articles all the time but he's slowly turning himself into a writer's Howard Cosell of his later angrier years.

Allow me to digress.  For two years Manuel has floated the idea of batting Reyes third in the order.  Jerry thought it was part of Jose Reyes' natural progression as a hitter.  This year, due to circumstances that dictated alternative measures, Jerry got his way and Reyes was inserted into the third slot (he has recently been returned to batting lead-off again).  Before I go on a tangent, here's my question.  If Jerry felt so strongly about batting Reyes third, why does he ask Reyes, his three hitter, to bunt in two consecutive games?  These are just moves to ponder.

The 90 minute meeting between Jerry Manuel, Omar Minaya, Asst. GM John Ricco and Jeff Wilpon was as Jeff puts it, "...just Baseball talk."  He stated he didn't come to Atlanta to fire anyone.  He admitted if he was happy with the current situation he wouldn't be having this meeting.  When pressed, Jeff offered he would have made a change last year regarding a manger and or a General Manager, but he did not act.  So today he explains they are assembled together in an effort to "work this out".  Jeff Wilpon reminded the assembled media about his expectations of Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel and about his lack of satisfaction so far.  But it appears the Wilpons are more committed to keeping Omar under contract than entertaining issues of being penny foolish-dollar wise.  Jerry Manuel is a lame duck manager which ever way you look at this.

I have been through all this before.  I've been doing it since December.  My displeasure with the way this organization is run is pretty well known by now.  But here we go again anyway.

If the Mets fire Manuel and replace him with Bob Melvin, I will be highly upset.  I'd rather let Manuel finish the season.  I am not in favor of Omar Minaya specifically, hiring Bobby Valentine.  I do not believe that relationship will work.  Omar Minaya was a Steve Phillips front office import.  Bobby Valentine and Steve Phillips could not get along.  Valentine wanted more say in personnel matters.  Phillips was strongly opposed.  Valentine will want as much input now as he wanted then.  Valentine has a very strong character and his baseball intellect is of superior quality.  But Valentine will exercise every bit a savvy and cunning intellect against Omar Minaya who has himself been looking over his shoulder at John Ricco.  To also put a very dead-spin on that relationship, Valentine will out think and counter Omar at every turn.  Valentine will spin circles around Omar.  A Valentine/Minaya duo will not work in my opinion.  And I'm not even so sure Omar deserves to hire a third manager.

There is only one situation I am agreeable with regarding the hiring of Bobby Valentine.  If Omar is allowed to hire him, the Wilpons must turn and fire Omar outright and do one of two things; promote Bobby Valentine to General Manager and let him hire his own manager; OR seek permission from the Tampa Rays for the services of Jerry Hunsicker to be GM with Valentine managing under him.  The two are very familiar with each other dating back to more stable and successful days in the Mets' organization.

That is my Bobby Valentine scenario; a path which I am not inclined to follow but I would be agreeable to.  The Wilpons have been there and done that with Bobby Valentine.  Valentine was critical of the Wilpons and they have memories like elephants.  They do not take criticism too well.

Of course my ultimate pipe-dream is for the Wilpons to do what it takes to get Larry Beinfest in the Mets' fold.  He is the guy I want.  I said it before.  I say it here again now.

I believe Jerry Manuel and Omar Minaya should be joined at the hip.  Another terribly kept secret of mine is my total vote of no confidence in Asst. GM John Ricco.  If he is indeed named the next GM of the Mets, like the Bob Melvin situation, I will be highly upset!  No John Ricco!  No Bob Melvin!  If those are my choices for change I will stick with Omar and Jerry!  Thank you but no thanks Mr. Wilpon.

I have stated my support for Omar Minaya in the past.  I cling to him because he is the last resource Frank Cashen directly or indirectly left behind (Cashen brought in many executives the Wilpons have exhausted and through Steve Phillips, a Frank Cashen import, we arrived at our last two GM's in Duquette and Omar.)  Omar is the last executive familiar to the Wilpons and vice-versa over the course of 30 years.

The next General Manager of the New York Mets must be an off-campus hire.  Period!  The cycle of inbred thought and a watered down if not diluted executive staff must be infused with new blood if not now, when Omar is relieved of his duties.  Anything other than what I posted here will not make me happy.

Met fans need to give me more names other than Bob Melvin and Bobby Valentine (for reasons I stated above) before I say fire Jerry Manuel.  Who are the replacements Met fans are contemplating?  All I hear is fire Manuel.  I'm cool with that, but who's the replacement folks?

Here's another old line of mine.  The S.S. Wilpon just turned into the iceberg!  I dropped the life boats a long time ago.  I'm not about to raise them back up.

Mike  BTB
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.blogspot.com/
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.mlblogs.com/

Manuel on Manuel Crime

If for some crazy reason I want to have my wife followed because my bank account is disappearing and she suddenly signed up for tennis lessons, remind me not to hire this guy.

She can have the $13.26 by the way. This guy was like Wile E. Coyote peering down the cliff with his ACME binoculars while Road Runner was behind him the whole time. Apparently the Colorado Rockies are accusing Mick Billmeyer, Phillies bullpen coach, of stealing signs with the help of binoculars. Read here for the NY Daily News article  and read here for The New York Times' take.

Just to let you know, I don't really care as it applies to the Mets as you will soon see. In-game hi-jinx is OK. But binoculars from the bullpen? Nah.. C'mon. Be better. As a batter if you want to try and sneak a peak. Fine. If the catcher nabs you in the act and has a problem with it? Fine. If the runner on second base is looking in and gives signs to the batter? Fine. If the pitcher dots that guy next time up? That's fine too.

Binoculars from the bullpen? C'mon. I'm not going to get too crazy about this but...C'mon. Be better than sitting on your duff with binoculars. Just be better dude. Heck, he might have only been watching the positioning of the catcher. Sure. C'mon. Be better.

But what makes this story truly amazing and humorous to me is Charlie Manuel's response to the accusations against the Phillies. He pulled the classic 'Ol Okee-Doke! He donned his rubber vest and bounced the sign stealing controversy right on the Mets!! How Philthy is that? Accuse Me? Check the Mets!! Now I know that Charlie is and old hand at the double-speak. If I were the reporters in the room I'd be trying to soothe away the slap Charlie just took pleasure in delivering to them all. All Charlie was saying was the Phils and the Mets have the same home record and both are struggling on the road. Well done Charlie. It was a classic move right out of the ART of WAR. But you're still a chump! That's right Philly! Your Manuel is a chump for saying what he did. My Manuel's butt might be on fire this year but your Manuel just proved himself to be a pimple on it.  I'll tell ya what I'll do Charlie.  Here's where you can get a quick refresher on The Ethics of Sign Stealing by Mike Silva

So here we are. The trumpet charge in the latest battle in the War of I-95 was lead by Ol Rooster Neck himself, FogHorn LegHorn, Chuckie- M. What used to be verbal Wrestlemania among the players like Hamels, Rollins, Wright and Beltran has taken a strange turn towards something much weirder. Jerry, my team's Manuel, laughed it off as if to acknowledge the very page of the Manager's Manual, Charlie Manuel spoke from.

Spies Like Us? No Chuck. You're hardly the Spy Who Loved Me type.

No, this Philadelphia - New York Rivalry has become something more like:

Beware of pianos falling out of the sky.

BTB

http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.mlblogs.com/

http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.blogspot.com/

Current Homestand METrospections

a/o April 23
Reyes is saying the right things and displaying the right attitude with regards to batting third...Now. He's let his feelings about batting 3rd be known in the past. This is not a criticism. But Reyes does seem to be back and if I didn't know any better, I dare say he is stepping up as a leader and elder statesman of this team in attitude and deeds. There's a sense this team is rallying around their manager because of the grumblings in METropolis this early in April. A 26 yr old Reyes is behaving a little differently that the 23 or 24 year old Reyes did. Maturity? Injury's way of reminding one of their mortality? Whatever it is, this Reyes will be better for it.


a/o April 24
You can't win pennants in April, but you can loose them. You can blame '07 on a September choke. I blame it on a poor first half. Getting to .500 showed some gumption by this team. And I dare say they are rallying around their manager. It's nice to see and who are we to be kill-joys right now. With 6 days left in the month, the Mets can actually polish this month to a shine. Let's Go Mets.?!

a/o April 25
And the Mets not only gained the elusive .500 mark, they're a game above it now.  Just as things seemed to be getting mighty ugly awfully early around here, it seems the Mets are riding the other side of extreme right now.  That's right.  I'm not going to get crazy because this is what inconsistent teams do.  But I'm not going to be a kill-joy today.  So here are some thoughts at face value.

Jose Reyes ~ Re-capping what I said the other day....His demeanor is different since he's back.  If I didn't know any better, I'd say he's growing into himself now and he's recognizing he needs to take his rightful place as a Mets elder statesman now.  He's 26 this year.  I have noticed a different Reyes so far.  It may be simply because Reyes is not the 22 or 23 year old we sometimes chided for too many theatrics.  The reason could be he realized his mortality after loosing two almost complete seasons to leg injuries which book-end his career.  Maturity and injury have a way of shaping a players perspective.  It looks like Jose will be better off for it.  He is saying all the right things with regard to batting third and it seems as if he has taken the lead in rallying around Jerry Manuel.  Other players like Jeff Francueor and Pagan are echoing sentiments about their manager.  Reyes is clearly having a quick effect on the Mets.

Jerry Manuel ~ No one is screaming for his job today.  I stress today.  I've already expressed my position on the manager of the Mets.  I'll say this much about him; he's pro-active.  If he's going down, he's going down managing.  He's making logistical decisions about his players and taking chances.  These decisions and chances might be born from desperation, but again, I am not pooh-poohing the day today.  Manuel was never a consideration long term for me.  He was a good and logical choice to replace Randolph.  I thought we'd have moved on over the winter.  Having said that, I am in no hasty rush to replace him with Valentine.  I think you all know my concerns weigh heavier when speaking of the GM and my front office.

David Wright? Howard Johnson?
WTF?
This is the third stance in three years for David Wright.  Each one has resulted in worsening results.  His strikeouts the last 3 years are through the roof and climbing like a bean-stalk.  In his earlier years he was striking out to the tune of 115 per 600+/- at-bats.  The last three years he's averaging about 50 less at-bats and striking out at a 150 per clip.  He's gone 12 consecutive games with at least one strike out.  He's not just striking out.  He's going 0-2, 1-2 in the count regularly!  His legs are like boiled spaghetti at the sight of a curve ball.  He's missing fastballs right down the middle by huge margins.  He's swinging at worm killers and guessing wrong on almost every pitch.  He is completely out of his mind right now.  He's got IT real bad.
For this one particular player, Howard Johnson the Met's hitting coach, has to be working against what is right for David Wright.  These two guys need to clean the slate and start over with a new plan.  Trying to scape-goat Hojo is foolish but obviously what he and David are doing is clearly not even close to being effective.  And maybe, just maybe, getting beaned in the head is still fresh in David Wright's memory.  Something like that can haunt a player.  If you watch him jelly-leg the curve balls, it's fair to think.

THE WEATHER BOYZ!!!
The WeatherBoyz?  I hear-by release every and all Mets starters from their weather related nooses I kept around their necks.   ALL EXCEPT, Mr. RAIN.  Yep.  He's taking the term "April Showers" to new heights.  John Maine and his Rain Act are enough to make Noah and the animals say "Oi Vey!"  Jon Neise and Big Mike Pelfrey have been doing well and Better.  Pelfrey has been nothing short of great so far.  Niese has been a hard luck starter been has been very very effective.  Johan is always the battler and needs little words on my part.
Snow, Sleet and YES HAIL TOO!!  You are hereby released from your cumulonimbus bearing duties.  Oliver Perez's efforts, like Niese's could reflect better in the win/loss totals.  But his 3.50 (rounded) era is OK with me and it's good enough to warrant some respect.

There!....A post about my Mets with almost a complete lack of negativity.  See?  It's possible.
But now the truth...I have not wavered from the way I feel about the changes I want from this organization.  I still, as I always will, stand by my criticisms of this organization.

After taking the series from the Cubs, and finishing off the Braves yesterday, tonight's opening game of the Dodgers series was rained out.  Tomorrow will be a truely classic Twi-Night DoubleHeader at Citi Field.
There will be no day/night nonsense.  Tomorrow is strictly two for the price of one starting at 4:30pm.  Good Job Mr.Wilpon!!  Good job indeed.

This concludes my METroSpections for the home stand thus far.

BTB  a/o April 26

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Most Met Fans Clamouring for Bobby Valentine

The following is actually a comment I made to a post by a great author in the BloggerHood on
The Prince of New York's Baseball Blog (on Blogspot).

He makes a cogent case for the immediate hiring of Bobby Valentine as manager for the New York Mets.  Visit and show him love .  You'll be rewarded with a great read.

I am not averse to bringing Bobby Valentine back to METropolis and the reasons Paul touched upon pretty much explain why it looks to be the right move.  Being that my comment below covers everything I wanted to get out in a post concerning the on-going Mess in Flushing, Omar, Bobby V and the Front Office anyway, I figured I'd just present things to you in it's original answer form.

as of: April 17
theBrooklynTrolleyBlogger said...


I'm not opposed to Bobby V. Here's the rub.  Does Omar get to hire him and stay on as GM?  I'd disagree with that.*  Bobby V and Omar will not get along.  They may have Texas in common but Omar is still a Phillips guy imported into the Met fold.*  Their Met experiences are quite different.  Bobby's personality will cause friction with Omar because he will want personnel input again, and because Valentine can verbalize much better than Omar can, I see nothing good coming from that relationship.  I believe it can only get ugly.  John Ricco?  Bobby will eat him up too.  At least Steve Phillips played in the minors.  Ricco is a corporate guy and Bobby will have little respect for that.  If we continue down this road Omar will hire Valentine and Omar still has to be fired.  Bringing in Valentine only works if you bring in Hunsicker from T.B. to be GM in the same whacking of Manuel and Omar together.  Hunsicker is the other half of the Valentine equation.  They have a better working understanding of each other from their earlier Met experiences than Omar and Valentine will ever have.   Then both of them can put Wilpon and his paranoia to bed and get this organization back to health.   If Valentine is hired and we fire Omar and Hunsicker doesn't come here to be GM?...promote Valentine to GM and find another manager.

ALL this is if the Mets do not ask permission to talk to Larry Beinfest.  You have to think if the next GM doesn't like Valentine...the Wilpons will not eat another contract for a manager they aren't employing.  And I'm thinking what if Larry Beinfest doesn't like Bobby Valentine?  We won't know until the Wilpons get it together and ask Jeff Loria for permission to speak with Beinfest and Mr. Wilpon compensates Mr. Loria handsomely.  WAIT; Obviously not too long, but wait.  See if Beinfest and Hunsicker are available.  Then if you want to, whack Manuel.  Acting hastily with Manuel just for the sake of hiring Valentine now, without certainty of the GM may be counter-productive.  I know Valentine won't be out there forever, but that's why the Mets need to ACT quickly and see if these options are available.  Again, I have mad respect for your word, but we can't act on Manuel without lining up Omar's replacement at the same time unless you can see V as our GM or, the Wilpons plan on forcing Bobby V on the new GM.*

Mike
BTB

post script ~ Bobby Valentine has a great managerial mind.  But a fish rots from the head and the upper management of the NYM has my attention a little more that the field manager right now in spite of  my not wanting Manuel to continue here much longer.  We don't have much time because the players are starting to behave in open defiance of their manager.  It's not a full-blown situation but it's getting chippy.  We could use Bobby Valentine and we could use him now.  But we also need to get this right and factor in a/the GM into this mess we call the Mets.

* sentence slightly modified from original comment for diction.

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A Leap off the SideWalk into an OnComing Bus

The knock on Jerry Manuel in Chicago when he managed the White Sox was that as soon as things got a little bit hairy for him, he started throwing players under the bus.  He pointed fingers so fast in Chicago's SouthSide that he looked like Neo in the Matrix.

: D        ...don't mind me.

Fast forward to 2009.  I or anybody else never understood what Ryan Church did to Jerry Manuel to get himself in Jerry's doghouse, but Church was a permanent resident.  He did have a game where he failed to touch third as he rounded the bag...etc etc.  The real rub stemmed from Church's post concussion syndrome.  Manuel interpreted the symptoms otherwise if at all and basically viewed Ryan Church as a malingerer.  If you're asking me, Church was being scape-goated for the team's troubles.  Ramon Castro, back-up catcher, was also being scape-goated by Manuel, if you're asking me.  He was suffering nagging injuries and it rubbed Manuel the wrong way.  But in a year lost to injury all around, Church and Castro were identified by Manuel as malcontents because they showed a backbone against Jerry, who  instigated Omar to trade them.  Regardless of opinions about the trades, that's the way it went down.

Just in this last week alone, there are three current Mets that if they're not finding themselves under a bus, are speaking in open defiance of their manager.

A leap off the side walk into an on coming bus ~ CASE ONE: 
John "RAIN" Maine; -  After John Maine's performance Tuesday night, among other things broached by reporters, and offered up by Manuel, was John Maine's status in the starting rotation needed to be re-evaluated.  It warranted concern and perhaps a change may be needed is the way I summarize it.  He said they needed to have a discussion.  Things started going terribly wrong that same night with the "He said, She said".  A Mets' beat reporter, kept Manuel's comments in mind and yesterday asked John Maine if he was feeling better about Jerry Manuel's decision to keep him in the rotation.  (revised decision = Jerry decided Maine should pitch when his turn comes around again.  He hinted maybe a change was warranted Tuesday night, then decided Maine would stay in turn yesterday, all before or ever saying anything to John Maine since Manuel made his comments the previous night.)  John Maine was taken back by the reporter's question saying he didn't even know taking him out of the rotation was even an option!

Uh - OH!  A short time later on the Wednesday afternoon, John Maine was seen making a B-line into the manager's office.  The team said it was a scheduled meeting.  So now guess what the latest plan is?  After pitching coach Dan Warthen and Maine looked over tapes and "stuff" (yea STUFF - because these guys are ponderous!)  John Maine insisted he was going back to his old way of pitching and reverting to his style and abandoning the team's edict of concentrating on throwing strikes to minimize the big inning.  It's their thinking folks...Not Mine!  He said his style is fastballs high in the zone.  John Maine must know something we don't because he needs to make up about 4 to 5 mph on his fastball to be taken seriously.  Does he think those 5 mph are just going to come because he's abandoning the old plan?  The team's concept is low in the zone and strikes.  For a change I don't think it's the club's fault this kid is coming in at 88mph, but the lack of communication is.  But John Maine has stated he is done with the Met's plan and he practically said it in those words.  Me?  I like the attitude, but no one is going to like the results.  His 88 mph fastball looks like a grapefruit right now.

And lastly....Dan Warthen?  C'mon with this guy.  I wouldn't trust him to mail a letter for me.  Rick Peterson was arrogant and instigated the Scott Kazmir trade, but we replaced him with Dan Warthen?  And he's still here?  Someone...Please?

CASE TWO:  Jose Reyes ~  has stated over and over his reluctance to hit third in the line-up.  Jerry Manuel has flirted with that idea for two years now has said Jose Reyes will be batting third when they open the series with the Cardinals in St. Louis.  These two still have not seemed to reach a middle ground and Reyes continues to verbalize his displeasure with the idea.  It appears to be item number two where a player is in open defiance of the manager.

CASE NUMBER THREE:  Johan Santana ~ Monday the 12th was an off-day/travel day.  Jerry Manuel flipped the rotation for the upcoming St. Louis series choosing to start HAIL (aka Oliver Perez) Friday, thereby giving Johan an added day off and not having him pitch after his normal 4 days off.  Manuel said the extra day off would serve Johan well.  Johan Santana responded to this move by saying, "There are times when you feel a little beat up and need the time to rest.  This is not one of those times."   This isn't something I would classify as an incident.  It's just a drifting scent in the air of something that is turning sour.

I'm not hinting at anything.  Am I?  I'm just bringing you up to date on what's been going on and the reputation that followed Jerry out of Chicago.  That's all.  This is not a Fire Manuel Rant....is it?  I think not.

Buses?  Dangerous.   Trolleys?  Safe.


****Elsewhere in METropolis****

Remember that Great January the Mets had?  Yea!  Neither do I.  In January the Mets signed two pitchers; Kelvim Escobar and R.A. Dickey.

R.A. Dickey.   *sigh*



****The very latest in METropolis****

Sleet (aka - Jon Niese) pitched unimpressively Wednesday night to a no decision after the Mets got him off the hook by tying the game in the 9th inning.  They wound up loosing the game on a walk-off HR in the 10th but what the hey...  Unfortunately he did separate himself from his name a little more with this outing and the Mets ensured they'd loose their third straight series to start the season.  Sorry kid.  It's the WeatherBoyz (starting rotation) that concern me, not blowing Wednesday's game in extra innings.

Here's the SLEET line:
5 innings pitched
9 hits
5 runs, 5 earned
1 walk
2 strikeouts
1 home run
99 pitches
6.55 era
He's a youngster and I'm taking it easy on him.  Keep at it Rook.

Today!  The Colorado mound was the EAST and MIKE PELFREY was the Sun!!  He was marvelous.  He threw 7 shut-out innings today salvaging one game for the Mets in the last game of this series.  He struck out 6 and walked none, gave up 5 hits and earned his second victory in as many tries.  Atta' boy Mike!

They head to St. Louis now sporting a 3-6 record for the season.  If they want to finish this road trip at .500 they need to take two of three from the Cardinals.  Let me see....Next in line are HAIL, Johan and another dose of RAIN.  But Rain promised he's going to be new and improved this time.  I'll get back to you on that.  We may have to re-name him yet again to REBEL.


****Tonight's Final Words of METrospection****

Assistant General Manager John Ricco had more to say this week and has gotten more press and face time than I care to see.  He dealt in minor issues but it shows the Wilpons are forcing this guy into the mix.  I am terrified by the prospect the Wilpons might be grooming this guy to be our next GM.  Please JOBU No!  Please tell me it isn't so.


That is all.  Go back to your homes.  There's nothing more to see here.

BTB

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