N.Y. Mets ~ Sandy, Sandy, Take My Team..., Please

From the desk of:   HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

Pack Up the Truck Ma!

It's Time to Head to Florida.

NEW YORK METS:

Eastbound and Down; Loaded up and......Joking?

So our General Manager has jokes , huh?  Hey Shecky, Shecky - Take my Owner..., Please!



He's actually been trying to crack jokes ever since he got here.  Don't lose sight of that.  So the fact that he's tapping into his inner Rodney Dangerfield from his car shouldn't take anyone too far a-back.  It's just that he's perceived as quite the drab one, so his humor doesn't translate too well.  I actually think Twitter has enhanced his humor by keeping his mummy like face isolated from the punchline.



I wonder how the Wilpons are taking all this.  After all, they don't like their players reading the papers in the clubhouse for fear of reading the negative things written about them.  And we know they've always been paranoid about bad publicity in the past.



I'll say this much, this is a side of Sandy Alderson I never expected.  On the one hand I like it.  You know why?  Because it's a lot of the things we say all the time.  But here's the rub.  In light of the team slashing the payroll with a machete, I'm not so sure I appreciate this coming from my General Manager right now.  I hope his dogs enjoy the ride down to Florida though.  And for some reason, I see a speeding ticket in his future.  Karma.



Pitchers and catchers are six days and a wake-up away.  And what we have so far are jokes and a busted owner.  If this is an omen of things to come this season - If the old saying is true, then we still have a chance if  - In Spring, Hope really does Ring Eternal.



This is an interesting way to start Spring Training to say the least.






Mike.BTB

N.Y. Mets ~ State of METropolis Report; Part V

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

METropolis:  Year Nine A.D. - (After Doubleday)

"THE AGE of WILPONianism"

State of METropolis Report:

PART IV - Fans and Tradition

PART III - Positional Players

PART II - Pitching Staff

PART I - Ownership; Front Office

PART V - The Saul B. Katz Dilemma...continued.

If you follow my blog then you know what's coming.  If you're new to my site and Head-Butting Mr. Met; the Mets portion of my blog; then allow me to explain first. 


THE SAUL B. KATZ DILEMMA - is the catch-phrase I've given to the continuing folly emanating  from the local Roosevelt Avenue Mets-R-Us, which is the direct result of sole ownership under Fred and Lil' Jeffery Wilpon; or just the Wilpons if you will; since 2003.  Poor Saul Katz sits idly-by while his in-laws flush his investment into the Mets down the toilet, while at the same time disenfranchising a Fan Base, and running our beloved Metropolitan BBC into the ground - ...Just like Nelson Doubleday said Wilpon would do upon his own exit from the Mets' hierarchy.  You may now consider yourself updated.  So with that said.....,


HAPPY GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY MET FANS!!  You're owner basically jettisoned one of this organization's best players in all it's fifty year history because (see above) ...because he couldn't afford it even if he wanted to.  I myself am not mad Jose Reyes is gone.  I have a problem with not trading him last season.  But if I may, I think I can speak somewhat for my fellow Met Fans who are furious our beloved shortstop is no longer a Met.  And we are equals in that respect; I loved Reyes too.  But my particular frustration lies with this organization's impotence and it's inability to operate like a large market team.

*   *   *

Nolan Ryan was traded from the Mets before he became Nolan Ryan.  No foul there.  Tom Seaver and the organization grew to hate each other.  So Seaver demanded a trade....and got it.  That remains to this day the single most incredulous gaffe in Mets' history.  We did it to Jerry Koosman too.  And now the fact that the Mets effectually sent Jose Reyes packing for South Beach most certainly earns a spot in the conversation regarding Met stars who for one reason or another, never get to stay.



Let's see.... Darryl Strawberry said, "I wanna be the richest!" - and decided to play before the home crowds in Los Angeles.  Doc Gooden forced his exit out of Flushing by sticking his career up his nose.  Mr. Wilpon was quite sympathetic towards Dwight the first time around when he came up "hot".  Not so much the second time however.  Strike two resulted in Mr. Wilpon suggesting it was perhaps better if Dwight and the Mets parted ways.  That was fair.  Just for fun - David Cone was the victim of a rebuilding effort.  And for Mike Piazza, his time had come.  For me personally, trading Rusty Staub and Tug McGraw were killers.  And I know Lenny Dykstra was a biggie for many fans too.



Again, as to not mislead you, I would have traded Jose Reyes last season.  And if you really, really follow Head-Butting Mr. Met, you'd know I would have traded Jose Reyes back in 2007, along with everyone else.  Yes, I would have gutted this team then.  But that's for another day.  You're welcome to question me about that.  But forget about what I want, or what I would have done.  Forget me.  For there are still matters of "state" to be addressed in this now YEAR NINE of WILPONianism.  Let's figure out why Jose Reyes is not a Met today for all METropolis to know.



With even a fraction more success between the years 2007 through 2009, it's safe to say Omar Minaya would still be here and Reyes would have been locked up long term.  I think we can assume Omar would have pushed for that (then).  And with just one more win in 2007 or 2008; with just a smidgen of more luck; with one more playoff appearance, the Wilpons would have most certainly agreed on the spot.



After several stints on the DL since then with bad hamstrings, then add the Madoff mess into the equation and what you have is a quandary.  Sandy Alderson has been trying to make it clear his intention to scale down payroll is independent of Wilpon's financial situation and pending litigation in the Madoff case.  Not signing Reyes he reasoned, wasn't necessarily worth the monetary risk based on dollars, years, and Jose's compromised lower appendages.  The GM also points directly at ticket sales and fan dollars not being spent at the park recently, or anticipated to not be spent next season as salary trimming factors.



In this case, the singing of Jose Reyes by the Miami Marlins was precipitated by no action taken by the Mets.  They never offered Reyes a contract extension prior to this winter.  And without any sense of want, the Mets did not make their former shortstop a free-agent offer.  That, in itself, is not perturbing to me.  The fact that the pilot light on the Mets' Hot Stove is out and the owner of a major league baseball team in New York City couldn't foot the bill.....is!



And so Jose Reyes has gone FISHing.



I just hope.... I hope! ...Sandy Alderson did not come here to be Fred Wilpon's spin-doctor.  Because that's what it's starting to sound like around here; at least to my ears.  I have no reservations regarding Sandy Alderson's ability to point this organization in the right direction.  In that regard, I still believe there are still more player purgings to be made.  Yes, I believe David Wright should be next.  That's for a follow-up posting.  But for right this minute, I'm not appreciating the "Spin-Control" I'm getting from the Front Office.  Met Fans have gotten their full share of spin over the years from the former Day Manager of Mets-R-Us; Lil Jeff Wilpon...thank you.

Mike.BTB

N.Y. Mets ~ Club Pays-Up For Nimmo

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET



NEW YORK METS:  Action Speak Louder Than Words.

The Wilpons have either lost their minds and are just silly; numb; or both; with the whole Madoff thing by now, or, Sandy Alderson really has taken charge of operations with; ONE - full autonomy; and TWO - a completely new organizational philosophy.  That mind be stating the obvious, but yes, this has everything to do with the signing of Brandon Nimmo; and a few others from the draft.


In a major departure from the past; at least for the Wilpons; they went above and beyond the Slotting System MLB advises with regard to draftees.  Paul DePodesta went as far to say the Mets went over Slot for many of the Mets' newest prospects.

Bravo!


Who knows if these guys ever pan out.  But the shift in attitude by this organization should be duly acknowledged and applauded.



Mike.BTB

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

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

Santa Just Left the CITI....What did he leave under the Met Tree?

Man-Cave - Brooklyn - Christmas - 12:30a.m.

Santa came to Citi Field tonight and left those Wascally Wilpons a little something.  At least it wasn't coal.  Omar Minaya is reportedly signing Kelvim Escobar to a one year minor league deal.  Not bad.  I've been killing the Mets all week for their hybernation this winter.  That twitch the other day that resulted in R.A. Dickey maybe was an indication the Mets are waking from their slumber.  Really?  Nah!  But this signing isn't bad at all, and if it is a minor league contract, even better.  The twitch has graduated to a full spasm now.  Maybe we can get some real motion going soon?  Aye?

Escobar pitched one game last year - DL'd since 2008.
2007 - 18 wins 7 losses  3.40 era  160 strikeouts/66 walks in 195 innings.....in the American League.
If he can stay healthy this guy is better than decent.  He can come out of the bullpen, but he already qualifies as the Mets' #2 starter (remember...Pray for rain, instead of Perez and Maine).  No one associated with the Mets, no fan, no doctor, no clairvoyant or psychic knows what Perez or Maine will be capable of in 2010.

Escobar is 101 - 90 lifetime splitting his career between Toronto and Anaheim of Los Angeles of Orange County of Southern Cali of the West Coast of the counrty.  Since 2004 he has been sporting an ERA under 4.00, again, in the American League.

Verdict?  Omar did good this time.  The Mets have nothing to loose, pending a minor league contract.

Escobar is conditioned to being on a winner.  The Angels are a good environment to come from.  Coach Scioscia runs a tight ship.  It's a step in the right direction.  If we was kicking a '3.change' ERA in the A.L., I'm hoping Escobar can get better from there.  This signing could work out very well for us.

BUT..........I'm not letting this MESS off the hook just yet.  This is just another example of the Wilpon's operating model.  There is no plan in place.  This was what you call opportunistic feeding.  The Wilpons are not predatory creatures.  This is akin to being a bottom feeder waiting for the next whale carcass to gently make it's way down to the Ocean Bottom Diner.  The sun shines on a dog's behind at least once a day too.  Could my judgement be clouded by fustrations with this club?  Could we just call this an astute GM move by Minaya?  I'll answer that.  Omar?  OK, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.  Those 'Wascally' Wilpons?  My mind is clear about them.

Mets operating model?  Flawed.    Signing Kelvim Escobar?  Not bad at all, regardless of how opportunistic it was.