It’s Official

In a move that really should surprise no one, the Mets annouced today that Vice President/General manager Omar Minaya and Manager Jerry Manuel have both been dismissed from their posts.

These were moves that, frankly, I felt should have been made last year, but the tremendous amount of injuries the team suffered in 2009 bought both men an extra year, and the very good first half of the 2010 season made things look like they could work out. On July 4th weekend, officially one game past the mid-point of the season, the Mets had a record of 46-36, were 2 games out of first place and held a 1/2 game lead in the wild card. Everything pretty much went wrong after that. They suffered a bad series to the Braves (losing 2 out of 3) just before the All-Star break, then stumbled out of the gate after the break going 5-11 in the remainder of July and going 17-27 through the end of August. Throughout the rest of the season, injuries to Jason Bay, Jose Reyes, Johan Santana, Francisco Rodriguez and Bobby Parnell, as well as in the inability of Carlos Beltran to get himself going all contributed to the rough ending in which the Mets seemed like a totally different ballclub than they were in the first half.

So where do the Mets go from here? Well, like everone is saying, the Mets need a strong presence in the GM chair. They need an experianced guy with thick skin and a deep rooted history. They need someone who can be straightfoward with ownership and in the ned the new GM MUST be someone with extensive baseball knowledge. This sounds almost like a given, but some times it is not.

The team needs someone to take hold of the reigns and steer this ballclub (and the organization as a whole) in a totally different direction. I also feel (very strongly) that the entire Public Relations Department needs to be let go. Those jokers have been part of the problem as well.

In the weeks ahead we’ll expore the moves the Mets need to make to create a winning environment in which the club can contend and wash the stench of “joke” off.

Where Does It Start?

The other night, when Jeff Francour was traded to the Texas Rangers, it was reported that a number of players made the loud comment “Can I go with him?”

This would be the second time this occured, as we heard the same thing happened when Rod Barajas was traded to the LA Dodgers. Jerry Manuel said on WFAN that he would address the whole team about the comments and sounded annoyed at the remarks.

I know this team has been in a bad place the last six weeks, but it’s still strange to hear this from a team that seemed to so together and upbeat in the first half of the season.

What I’m wondering is, that changed that? A lot was made of the loose and smiling clubhouse, how the players were picking each other up, how everone seemed to get along and there was a lot of positive vibes.

I’ve heard the whispers that Carlos Beltran’s return to the team was the starting point of where it went sour. Could that REALLY be it?

My guy feeling is that perception that is embedded in all media and seemingly all around baseball that the Mets organization is a total mess. A day doesn;t go by without some sort of insulting, smarmy remark being dropped about this team and the franchise as a whole. I’m sure after a while it wears on the players to the point they just don’t want to deal with it.

The way this team has sleptwalked it’s way through it’s second half, it’s obvious to me that Manuel has lost a chunk of the clubhouse. I also get the feeling that the fact that Oliver Perez is anywhere near the major league roster has pissed a lot of players off. Add in the fact that no moves were made to improve the club at the trade deadline after an offseason of little moves and the players may just have the impression the club has no faith in them.

Jeff Francour was a VERY popular guy in the clubhouse. Of that there is no doubt. I’m sure the fact his playing status went back and forth bothered players because they liked and respected him, and I’m sure his departure wasn’t something they wanted. However in the end Francour just wasn;t getting the job done. His excellent numbers from last year after the trade that brought him to the Mets never returned, and despite some timely and clutch hits this season, his overall body of work was erratic and weak enough to not merit the playing time he wanted. I’d actually be surprised if there were harsh feelings from the players that he was sat a number of times or that he was eventually traded away. As great of a guy that he was, I’m sure the players would look at his numbers and see he wasn’t having any real success… wouldn’t they?

The Mets seem to be the main punchline of almost any joke. Every time I see them mentioned on ESPN, in the newspapers or on sports radio it’s always followed by comments that are degrading or put down the team and organization. I’m not saying that backlash and critizism isn’t warranted, but holy cow everyone is relentless with the way they talk about them. I would think this goes a long way towards making players wish they weren’t stuck in the middle of it.

As I discussed way back at the beginning of the season, the Mets need to change the perception they are a organization run by the keystone kops. Changes need to be made. When you have players wishing they were on their way out. it needs to be addressed.

Should Parnell Be Closing?

With Francisco Rodriguez’s season over due to his scuffle with his common-law Father-In-Law and lousy right hook, the Mets have been using Hisanori Takahashi as their closer and he’s done a pretty good job. The Mets have actually picked up a game and half in the wildcard standings the last two days and are likely to keep things as they are as they try and see if they can somehow worm their way into playoff contention (as slim a chance it is) over the next two weeks.

However if things do not go the Mets way (and likely it will not, even if the Mets are able to lift their play to the level they were at in May and June) I have to wonder if the Mets would be better served by letting Bobby Parnell have a go at closing.

I think that the idea has some serious merit. I thought I was alone in the thought until I read a post saying the same thing from Matt Cerone over at metsblog.com. Parnell had a small period where he struggled not too long ago, but has been pretty spectaular since and overall has had a good season. The main thing is though, that the guy can bring some serious heat (he hit 101 in a recent game against the Houston Astros and 99 a number of times against the Pittsburg Pirates) and he’s young (only 25, compared to Takahashi’s 34). Looking at the volatile situations concerning closers these days, it would behoove the Mets to see if they have a very inexpensive alternative to close other than K-Rod or even just going forward for life after him.

At this point, it’s kind of obvious the Mets are looking to push forward with the idea of prospects and home grown players being a huge part of this team going into 2011 and beyond. Ike Davis is the 1st baseman. I think Ruben Tejada has the advantage on the 2nd base job for next year if he can show this season he can hit at least a little bit (with Daniel Murphy being more of a threat to him for next year than Luis Castillo is) . Jenrry Mejia is widely expected to be on the roster next year, either in the bullpen or give a shot to start. Kirk Nieuwenuis, Dillon Gee, Fernando Martinez and Pat Misch will all have a serious shot at making the team in 2011. Isn’t it a good idea to get at least a notion if Parnell has the ability to close and bounce back after a bad outing in a pressure situation?

It’s worth investigating the idea. If the Mets really are going to be a more thrifty team going forward and the young movement seems to be on the forefront of business, then they should see if they have an important cog now, and not wait until later. The Mets have a habit of putting themselves in a position to scramble, and it would be a good idea to avoid that.

No Second Guess This Time

Let me start off by saying that out of all the things about Jerry Manuel that drive me insane, his handling of the pitching staff is the most frustrating. It seems he rarely has a good grasp of what he’s doing with them .

Having said that, I’ve heard a LOT of Met fans and Media (Steve Phillips for one on WFAN this morning) say that Jerry Manuel blew it last night by allowing R. A. Dickey to pitch in the 9th inning. Dickey was nursing a 2-1 lead (after giving up a run in the 8th) and after getting the first out, gave up a tying homerun to Geoff Blum. Manuel then pulled Dickey and inserted Hisanori Takahasi, who got the final two outs in the inning.

So last night and this morning on sports talk shows, I’m hearing how that was a terrible move and Jerry blew the games, yada, yada, yada.

Which just goes to show how there are people that will second guess and complain no matter what.

Manuel leaving Dickey in the game last night was ABSOLUTELY the right move. This is the same guy who was brought back in the 9th inning of last Friday’s 1-0 win over the Phillies, which everyone seemed in favor of. Dickey is pitching EXTREMELY well. Why WOULDN’T he be left in? The Mets closer, K-Rod, is gone for the season. Dickey had given up only 1 run. There was no reason to pull him. I thought it was the best thing to do and the fact it didn;t work out doesn’t change that fact.

You Just Can’t Make This Stuff Up

Once again, the Mets are spiraling in a direction that could be best described as “Embarrassingly Chaotic”. It’s almost like this team is trying as hard as possible to make sure they are on the back pages all the time… for very last possible wrong reason.

First the manager makes another set of bizarrely bad decisions and helps a 2-1 lead becomes a 6-2 loss. After seven fantastic innings of one run ball from Jon Niese, Manuel brought in Hisanori Takahashi in the 8th. Takahashi got the first two outs and then gave up a hit and walked a batter and then Manuel TAKES HIM OUT. Manuel had made such a big deal about praising Takahashi’s work in the bullpen and said he was his “eighth-inning guy.” and ALREADY he’s pulling him with two on and two out in the inning. Instead he brings in Manny Acosta instead of bringing in Francisco Rodriguez for a four out save. Acosta uncorks a wild pitch and then intentionally walks Troy Tulowitzki and then with the bases loaded, again, Manuel Leaves Acosta in instead of bringing in Rodriguez, and he promptly gives up a grand slam to Melvin Mora.

The Mets, who scored 2 runs in the 1st inning and then didn’t sniff a run again in the game, actually at one point struck out seven straight times between the 6th and 8th inning. They couldn’t hit water if they fell out of a boat right now.

And of course, after the game, Rodriguez was charged with third-degree assault after an altercation with his father-in-law in which at least one punch was thrown and is currently in Police Custody. He had a court appearance set for today at 11:30 am and the Mets have placed him on the restricted list, without pay, and promoted Ryota Igarashi from their Triple-A team in Buffalo.

This is insane. The Mets organization is beyond a joke at this point. The inmates are not only running the asylum, but they’re as public about it as possible. How bad does this have to get before something is done? How low does this team have to sink? For pete’s sake, after the collapses, the midnight firing and terrible handling of of Willie Randolph, the concussions, the horrible Tony Bernazard situation and the embarrasing display Omar Minaya put on afterwards with the press confrence accusations towards NY Daily News reporter Adam Rubin, the insane back and forth over Carlos Beltran’s knee surgery, the horrible decisions made by the manager and his waffling, the total inability to score runs since the all-star break, and the impression the whole baseball world has that the Mets cannot spend ANY money… plus adding in the huge drop in attendence at Citifield… just what in God’s name are the Wilpon’s waiting for to change the face and the way this franchise is run?

The Wilpon’s need to fire the entire management staff from the GM, Assistant GM, The Manager and the entire P.R. Department and then need to hire someone to take over the everyday Baseball operations from Jeff Wilpon. If there is going to be any hope for this organization, it’s going to be bringing in a solid baseball mind to take over and clean house and set things on the right path. It’s not just a manager or GM change that is needed… a total change in philosphy and ideology is paramount for this team.

Things are bleak right now. After the last few years the last thing the Mets could afford was to have this sort of second half… it’s a nightmare of obscene proportions and if things don’t change, and soon, it’s going to get worse. Mark my words.

Reyes’ Batting Dilemma

Well, we’re a few weeks into the great Jose Reyes Batting Third experiment, and overall, while he has had some success there, I think the move is not the best of ideas.

One of the biggest complaints about Reyes over the years has been his lack of patience at the plate. It seems he swings at everything sometimes, especially bad pitches in the dirt.

In the number three hole, it seems to me that Reyes is looking more for the big hit… swinging for the fences, as if he needs to up his power numbers to justify batting in a position that is considered one that drives in runs.

Whether this is Reyes’ mindset or not, it at least LOOKS like that’s what he’s doing, and that is just a big mistake.

Reyes should be looking to make contact… drive the ball and make things happen. His apporch to hitting shouldn’t be any different than if he was still batting leadoff. Hit the ball, use his speed… cause havoc out there on the basepaths… that should be his main concern.

He’s not even stealing bases at his point… which is a total mystery to me.

This has been one of my biggest problems with Jerry Manual. He’s got all of this speed on his team, but he doesn;t ever seem to run wild. Say what you will about Willie Randolph as a manager… but he understood how important the running game was with his team and he used it perfectly.

Reyes has 4 stolen bases on the season. He should have had that last week alone.

At this point I would much rather Reyes return to his leadoff spot in the order. Leave Luis Castillo (who isn’t doing too bad so far this season) in the 2-hole for now and bat either Wright or Bay 3rd (I would make it Wright who seems to have had more solid at bats this season overall than Bay so far). Once Beltran is back you can bat him 3rd (IF he comes back that is).

But Reyes? But him back in leadoff and just set the light for green on him. Please Jerry… let the kid run. Enough of this experiment… it’s had it’s moments, but let’s get back to the basics here, ok?

There’s No Place Like Home…

Wow.

Incredible what a difference a week or so makes.

Now, do not get me wrong. I’m not suddenly calling the Mets “the team to beat”… but the way they have looked on this 8-1 homestand (and the series before it) has been nothing short of mind blowing.

Despite the struggles of John Maine and Oliver Perez, the team is getting lights out pitching… and thriving.

Does that mean all is perfect in MetLand though? No.

First off, I still feel Jerry Manuel is playing with fire by not letting his starters go a little further in games. The bullpen has been great, but overuse them and you’ll burn them out by July.

I also would really like to see him use the speed on the team more and run. With the speed on this team there should be three to five stolen base attempts and more hit and run situations every game.

Far be it from me to critize though. With this run the Mets are obviously in a good groove. The 20 inning win over the Cardinals was a plus. The promotion of Ike Davis has been a jolt of energy (one where I was wrong, since I was not sure Davis was ready for the Majors yet). The elevation of Mike Pelfrey’s game has been nothing short of miraculous. Hisanori Takahashi and Jonathan Niese have been a much needed shot in the arm for the pitching staff… looking just great in their appearances. Things are clicking all over.

But here come the Phillies.

This weekend will be disected as a huge weekend… but I don’t think it is. At least, not as much as it will be made out to be.

The Phillies are hurting right now. Losing seven out of their last ten, and seeing a number of their team hitting the DL… something they barely had to deal with last year. This is still a dangerous team that, frankly, is still better than the Mets right now… even if they are not playing like it. I think a series win is more important to the Mets than the Phillies at this point of the season. I don’t think either team should get too high or too low on what happens over the weekend series, since there is a lot of baseball to be played.

Winning this series would be great for the Mets though. I will say this… you cannot win a division championship in April… but you sure can lose one.

In any case, the Mets are playing like gamebusters. Here’s hoping it lasts. With a smart move here and there, and eventually getting Beltran back… I think it can. The Mets ARE a good team and CAN contend. They are not the best in the NL, but they are solid enough to play good baseball all summer. Let’s hope what we’re seeing now is closer to what the team is than the first 11 games or so of the season.

Showing some heart

Just a quick observation about the 8th and 9th inning tonight in the Mets/Rockies game. The Mets showed some grit late to force extra innings. Nice job. And if Francour keeps swinging the bat like they way he has so far he’s going to find himself in the cleanup spot very soon.

I liked what I saw from Niese tonight. His first start in the high mountains of Denver wasn’t as bad as the line looked. His only REAL mistake was the two out homerun ball. Overall he kept his composure and battled. He’s going to be a fairly solid starter. Not a #2 guy… but someone you can count on to keep you in a game.

UPDATE: Not sure what Jerry Manuel was thinking when he pinch ran Fernando Tatis for Mike Jacobs. That left only Henry Blanco to counter LHP Randy Flores and he was the last man on the bench. So Alex Cora stayed on to face Flores and lined a weak shot to 2nd base, leaving runners at 2nd and 3rd. Tatis would have been the perfect guy to bring up in that spot.

UPDATE #2: And just like that the game is over. Putting the rookie in there like that was not the best of ideas. I think this one may prove to be the first of the nails in Jerry’s coffin. We’ve already discussed Jenrry Mejia’s being pushed up too soon… and Coors was not the place to put him in position for his first major league loss. The team battled back tonight, but the result was the same. Not leaving a good feeling around the team here folks. I could see the Mets getting into panic mode quickly. It’s way too early to say a game is a must win, but… hey… tomorrow is a must win.

It’s Getting Late Early…

Ok Met fans… repeat after me.

“It’s only seven games. It’s only seven games.”

Try extending your arms, close your eyes and breathe deep. Repeat your new mantra and rotate your arms in a small circle.

Does that feel better?

Ok, no, I didn’t think it would.

I’d like to tell people to relax… that it is WAY too early to get those feelings of despair. That there is 155 games left in the season. That a 2-5 start isn’t actually a season killer.

And while all of this is true, it’s hard to believe it, isn’t it?

Listen, as much as I’m all for patience and understanding, at some point the Wilpons need to take a seriously hard look at the way their franchise has performed and has been run. Right now, confidence is at an all time low. Except for two blowout wins, the team isn’t scoring runs, and the guy they have tagged as their number two pitcher followed up a rather lackluster start last week with a downright horrible one last night.

So is there a simple solution? I don’t think there is. The Mets are in a very bad spot here. It’s too early to panic, but their past history shows a string of bad decisions and uneven play. The Phillies are already 6-1 and despite the likely loss of Jimmy Rollins to the DL that offense is not going to struggle too much to score runs in his absence. The rest of the division is struggling also and most of the NL is looking average at the moment. However, at this point the Mets need to face facts… they are a franchise that is not taken very seriously and is regarded as being the modern equivilant of the Keystone Cops. Two straight year end collapses and last year’s injury nightmare was followed up by an offseason of indecision and inactivity for the most part. Well, it might be time to change that.

While rumor has it that pitchers like Adam Harang and Roy Oswalt are on the market (both who I think would be good fits in Flushing). Both are making some good money and likely can be had without trading any real talent if the Mets would be willing to take on the contracts. It’s time for the Mets to make up their minds on something… they either want to win or they want to save money. They have the fourth largest payroll in baseball (behind the Yankees, Red Sox and Phillies) just ahead of the Cubs and Tigers. At this point they are not getting a return on their investment. As much as I like John Maine, the leash on him cannot be long. He needs to show some improvement in his next start in St. Louis or the Mets need to start thinking about a replacement and one that can handle a front half of the rotation role.

They also need to rectify the 1st base situation. Forget that Ike Davis is hitting over .450 in AAA. As much as I like the kid, he needs some time in AAA. Don’t rush him. Get Chris Carter up here and send Mike Jacobs packing.

As far as I am concerned, Jerry Manual needs to get this team going. The situational hitting is not there. They need to be aggressive. You have to start thinking about batting Angel Pagan second in the order between Wright and Reyes and starting to use the speed you have by pumping up the running game two fold. For a team with so many guys who can steal, the Mets are hardly running.

I’m not in panic mode, but the Mets should be prepared to go in a different direction if things do not start to change in the next week to a week and a half. It’s early, but it won’t be for long.

Not a Mets Game until…

So sitting here watching the Mets game and what could have been a nice comback in the bottom of the 7th was stimied by a baserunning blunder… Fernando Tatis, not exactly known for his speed, was thrown out at the plate to end the 7th on a passed ball that only went about five feet away. Granted the catcher made an outstanding throw to the pitcher, who was in perfect position… but still… two runs were in… the bases were loaded and David Wright was up. You want Jose Reyes or Angel Pagan to go in that spot? Ok, that I could maybe handle… but anyone else needs to see that ball roll a hell of a lot further away to commit going home there.

In any case, I got a txt message thirty seconds later from my friend Chris… whose txt read: “It’s not a Mets’ game until there is a terrible baserunning error. What the hell was he thinking?”

This brings up the current mindset of the basic Mets fan. We’re always waiting for the one big mistake to happen that kills the rally or opens the floodgates for the other team. It’s not a fun place to be.

My Summer Family blogger Taryln Cooper commented that the Mets are basically Johan and the four rainouts. In other words, pray for four days of rain to get Johan on the mound more. While I am willing to give John Maine, Ollie Perez and Mike Pelfry a few starts each to show what they can do, tonight’s start by Maine was not encouraging (Four earned runs in 5 innings)… something I’m sure the gloom and doom Mets fan will be ready to lament about tomorrow.

However, no matter what the condition of the starting pitching, the Mets cannot give away oppertunity like the did here. Smart baseball… it’s what Jerry Manual needs to pound in these guys heads.

Biggest question marks: Mets

Yeah I know, the Mets have a LOT of question marks. However instead of this being a sixteen page post, let’s keep it to the largest ones, shall we?

I’m going to limit this to five (with a bonus one!). I’ll do the Yankees next.

1. Can this team win with this starting rotation?
Well… yeah. It can. Is it likely? I guess that is a harder question. Listen, Mike Pelfrey, John Maine and Oliver Perez have ALL had good seasons in the last few years. If the Mets get the 2008 Pelfrey and the 2007 Perez and Maine then the Mets starting rotation suddenly looks pretty strong. However the odds of all three doing that aren’t the best. The one I have the most faith in is Pelfrey. I think he is a very legit starting pitcher and can rise to the top and be a solid #2… but the defense needs to improve behind him and he needs to have his head on a little straighter. Perez is an enigma. He’s been almost lights out against teams like the Braves, Phillies and Yankees for most of his Mets career and fairly terrible against the Pirates, Marlins, Nationals of the world. The guy makes no sense. Odds are, without an addition to the rotation via trade at some point in the season, the team’s starting pitching will be a weakness.

2. Will the offense be ok without Beltran for the first month of the season?
If we’re only talking a month into the season then I think the offense is ok, that is if everyone else is healthy. If we’re talking longer (like two to three months or more) then, no… the offense will need a more solid link in the chain than an Angel Pagan/Gary Matthews Jr. platoon. Listen, Pagan can hit. He’s not going to give you power, but the guy CAN get on base and create some extra base opportunities out there. A month of him would be ok (with the occasional Matthews afront I suppose) as long as the other players are pulling their weight. However, Pagan is a very solid and useful #4 outfielder overall at this point in his career. From what we have seen of him, he’s not going to be able to be a full time centerfielder for a full season. Too much time out there will expose him. In other words, Mets fans need to pray that Beltran is back in May.

3. Is Reyes healthy enough to become the force he needs to be?
Everything I have seen and read leads to to belive that YES, Reys will return and be REYES. This offense is dependant on Reyes being the MAN. He needs to get on base and cause total havoc on the basepaths. He can only do this if he is 100% healthy. I know many naysayers point to his early career injury history as a reason to feel he won’t get through the season healthy, but before last year’s debacle, Reyes had a number of healthy seasons in a row. He should be fine and with him the offense will greatly improve.

4. Who’s going to catch?
Well, from what it looks like it’s going to be a platoon of Omir Santos and Henry Blanco. Neither one will strike fear into opposing pitchers, with Santos being the better hitter of the two. Both are decent defensively, with Blanco being the better of the two. I myself would like to see them offer free agent Rod Barajas a one year $2 million dollar deal. The guy plays decent defense and has some real pop. However, suddenly it seems the Mets are done spending. Count on the Santos/Blanco platoon being it for the year making the position neither a plus or minus… just being about average.

5. Will Omar and Jerry make it through the season?
My first thought is to say no to both… but then upon reflection it really comes down to this: Will the Mets contend? If this teams starts off 13-25 then yeah I think both are gone and rather quickly. However, if the team fights to a record around 17-17, 18-16 or even a 16-18 start with Beltran on the way back and positive signs like close games and no little mistakes that drove us all crazy last year (not stepping on third base anyone?) then they’ll get to the all-star break. If the team is within five games of a playoff spot, then they’re likely ok for the year unless they fall completely apart in late July (like losing 13 out of 15). All in all, if the team contends it will be hard to dismiss the GM and manager. I do believe that short of a playoff spot they’re both likely gone at the end of the season however. The fear here is that the NL has a shaky year and the Mets manage to blunder their way into a wild card spot and both Omar and Jerry get three year extentions.

BONUS QUESTION: So, will they contend or what?
Questionable starting rotation spots #2-5, your best player on the DL for at least a month to start the season, a lot of important players returning from injury, your GM and manager on the hot seat before the season even starts, an organization seemingly in chaos… how in God’s name CAN this team contend? Well… believe it or not. They can. Consider this: They have one of the best pitchers in all of baseball, a top five player at three positions (that would be Wright, Reyes and Beltran… with a top ten player at a 4th positon in Bay), a pretty decent offense and a top notch closer. Plus, the Mets often seem to traditionally do better when they are NOT favorites. This team is NOT as good as the Phillies. They don’t pitch as well as the Braves. They don’t seem as brash or confident as the Marlins. But you know… who in the NL outside of the Phillies is really a powerhouse? The Cardinals? The Dodgers? Nope. There is going to be a lot of scrambling for that wildcard spot, mark my words. A playoff spot is not out of the question for the Mets, abeit it’s not likely either… but this is a team that should be able to fight to about 83 wins and a few bounces their way that 83 could be 86 or 87. With a trade for someone like Broson Arroyo that number might be close enough to put the wild card in their sights. Hey, you never know.