8 Nights of Presents

This off season has not been Christmas for Mets fans. We didn't get one GREAT-BIG present, like the Phillies, who got Lee. The Mets got lots of smaller gifts this off-season.

Night 1 - Omar Minaya Demoted:
October 4th 2010

The Mets started their off-season with the ability to make a number of additions via subtraction. The first I credit to the Wilpons. On October 4th Minaya was demoted from his role as GM and the Mets fans knew from that moment that things would change.

Night 2 - Mets Hire Alderson:
October 27th 2010

The Mets then went out and got a GM who was skilled at working on a budget. Somebody who would not extend bloated (long-term) contracts to aging players to find a quick fix. From here on out... it was Sandy's show and I think it's been a good one to watch.

Night 3 - Mets Hire Terry Collins:
November 21st 2010

The Mets opted to not back the fan favorite Wally Backman and instead go with the more moderate Terry Collins. What do I mean by moderate? The Mets wanted someone who would inspire the Mets and get them motivated, but Backman is a little TOO fiery and lacks experience.

Night 4 - Mets Sign Ronny Paulino:
December 7th 2010

Two reasons this makes my list. 1) Paulino is a good catcher and a strong hitter. 2) This said to me that the Mets were going to let Thole become the starting catcher. I really believe that Thole will be a PLUS player and that Paulino is the right type of COMPLIMENT player the Mets needed. Had we gone with Buck or Martin then Thole is back to being a backup.

Night 5 - Mets Sign Chris Young:
January 19th 2011

I harassed Matt Cerrone for weeks begging him for word on Young. I knew that he was the best of the realistic options for the Mets this off season. He had the best floor to ceiling ratio in terms of safety and potential for large reward. Thus far he looks like he could be the #2 pitcher behind Niese.

Night 6 - Mets Release Luis Castillo:
March 18th 2011

The Mets made a tougher call then you might think releasing Castillo. They didn't have a lock on who would replace him, he had had a good spring, and they will end up paying him millions no matter what. Yet the thing Alderson needed to do was to distance himself from Minaya's mistakes and move on to new blood.

Night 7 - Phillies SIGN Luis Castillo:
March 21st 2011

Now... Castillo is probably not going to drop a pop-up vs. the Mets and turn the tide of the Phillies season into the gutter. Though... he might. What this means to me in a metaphoric way, is that the Phillies have attached themselves to a player who has a lot of negativity attached to him and limited things he can bring to the table.

Night 8 - Mets Cut Oliver Perez:
March 21st 2011

I said the day that Alderson was hired, "He has to do two things to earn respect from Met Fans. Release Ollie and Castillo." Now... where Castillo was simply no longer helping... Perez actually HURT the team with his continued presence. I'll also admit that I was one of the people who didn't think the Mets over-payed for him when they signed him. HOWEVER, I've apologized for that already and have been calling for his release since last off-season.

Up This Week:

Dream Ownership: I fantasize about some fantasitcal Mets ownership options.

Shake Your High Knee: I'll interview Carlos Beltran's bum knee and get his take on Carlos' 2011.

The Key-Master: Who is the Vinz Clortho to the Met's Zuul?

And They're Off: Maybe by Friday I'll be able to call the rest of the races?

It's ACTUAL Baseball

Break out your graphing calculator... baseball is back! That means I can get down to the only kind of math that I can stand doing... Saber-metrics and Box-Score Analysis. Good news is that the Mets new pitcher might be able to check my work to make sure I carried the 2.

Notes:

O' Jenrry - Jenrry Mejia looked very sharp in his spring debut but I do have a complaint. He did seem to get ahead of hitters but he seemed to consistently let them back into the at-bat by letting the count go to full. I think that the Mets will certainly be thinking about him in the rotation sooner than later.

Beato My Own Drum - Pedro Beato got into trouble but also displayed his electric stuff. I think that he's certainly someone to watch.

Attention F-Mart Shoppers - I watched Fernando look like an eternal prospect and also... turn on a pitch and take it yard. Fernando by no means needs to WIN a job this spring but he does need to prove he can be healthy. He's likely to be called up if there are injuries but the key to his season is health.


Valdespin Cycle - Jordany was the player who impressed me the most. (Besides Castillo and Hu who I'm still trying my best to hate.) Valdespin looked sharp playing 2B and at the plate he really looked like he was far more developed then I thought he'd be. I would say he looked like he was ready to be in the running for the 2B competition.

The Young and the Tall - Chris Young is tall... we get it. I'm getting a little bored with people pointing it out. Can we trade for John Rauch so people stop mentioning it? Anyway... yeah... he looked like he might be good enough to sit closer to the front of the rotation... but it's early.

Ollie Still Ollie - Perez looked bad, but nobody was surprised. I'd say he get's one more chance to start and then MAYBE two chances to relieve.

What Might Ultim-Utley Kill the Phils - Utley's knee is hurt and he's looking at a cortisone injection. This isn't like Wainwright's injury but he will put some questions in regards to an offense that some writers mistakenly deem a given. Let's look at facts: Victorino is good but not GREAT, Rollins looked like a shell of his former self last year, Utley has health concerns, Howard has some health issues (don't buy that he's declining), Ibanez is old enough to be Brown's father, Brown is ENTIRELY un-proven, Polanco is a giant health risk, Ruiz is only pretty good and the bullpen isn't the best I've seen. The Phillies are hardly as much of a lock to hit as you might think.

This Week:

Prospect Review: Let's go over some of the names in Mets camp to keep your eyes on.

Phantasy Island: Are There Fantasy Bargains on the New York Mets?

Beast of the East: Let's look at the 5 NL East teams... shall we?

The Amazing Race: Updating Everyone on the 2B, Bench, Rotational and Bullpen races

Waiting For Lefty

Pedro Feliciano is a Yankee now and the biggest vacancy left by his absence is from the left side of the mound. The Mets have Parnell and Acosta and Alvarez and Beato and Iggarashi and Isringhausen but something that none of them can do... is pitch lefty.

The Contestants:

Oliver Perez: Perez is about as popular with Met fans as Miguel Cabrera is with MADD (Mother Against Drunk Driving). He's basically been a 36 Million dollar void since signing two off seasons ago and the Mets REALLY wish they could get that money back. Reports thus far from camp are that he's pitching well. Now... he's going to get a shot to win the #4 or #5 rotation spot, but looking at Perez and all his stuff, if he can throw strikes... he really might make a pretty good LOOGY.

Chris Capuano: Like Perez, Capuano is fighting to start. Unlike Perez he's pitched relief and shown that his skills lend themselves to being a lefty specialist. Add to this a desire to protect his arm that is still referred to as recovering and you might have the perfect candidate to be that LOOGY. Or... as he has some stamina... maybe he'll be the second lefty in the pen and be the Long Reliever? Either way I have to think that Capuano will be in the pen.

Taylor Tankersley: Tankersley is young-ish and has a good arm but I think he's looking at a fight. Capuano has the edge if he doesn't make the rotation and most people point to Byrdak as the more likely LOOGY if the Mets opt for a PURE RP guy. I'm hoping Taylor will be fine waiting in AAA if they don't need him right away because I think he WOULD get called up when the need does arise. That said, he could just flat-out win the job this spring.

Tim Byrdak: Byrdak is the current favorite to be penciled into the role. He's a veteran and is that SAFE option. Byrdak has 4 straight seasons of sub-4.00 ERA to back his candidacy. Also in his favor are his FAR superior numbers purely against left handed hitters. If I were asked to bet, I'd bet on Tim winning the LOOGY by a good safe margin.

Pat Misch: Misch isn't a great LOOGY guy. He's not so superior vs. lefties than righties and he's not that impressive a pitcher overall. With all of that said I think Misch is going to join Gee in AAA and be playing for time as the #6 pitcher while Santana is hurt. I happen to like Misch more than Gee but I might over-value lefties.



Mike O'Connor: You probably have never heard of this guy. He's a minor-leaguer who the Mets got last year and someone who showed some talent towards the end of the season. He needs to pitch better than any of the numbers I've seen on him indicate that he can to win the job, but the Mets insist he's in the running to don't count him 100% out. If there ever was a dark horse... it was Mike.

Survey Says: Tim Byrdak as LOOGY (Capuano as LRP)

This is Phlavio Phega and, if it relates to the Mets, I have an opinion.

The 18 Million Dollar Question

In 2010, the Pittsburgh Pirates total payroll was just south of $35,000,000. If Luis Castillo and Oliver Perez were Pirates they’d account for over 50% of the teams total budget. As it is their 18 Million is a substantial 12% of the total Mets payroll. Consider that they are only a drop in the bucket for the Wilpons who have allegedly lost $500 Million to Bernie Madoff but it’s not like as a working adult I can look at those contracts and say, “Drop them, I would.”

I’m not a multi-millionaire and even if I were I don’t know if I’d be willing to let $18 Million go to waste. Oliver Perez has already refused to even help the situation by accepting a demotion to the minors so if he’s healthy and NOT a free agent he has to be on the 25-Man Roster. The same has not been asked of Castillo, but Castillo isn’t exactly going to get younger by returning to the minors. I bring Castillo up in this regard because I am disgusted by Perez’s refusal to make a sacrifice to help the team and I don’t know if Castillo would be willing to be creative. Rather than part with the Mets, perhaps the Mets allow Castillo to become a coach or special instructor or anything within the organization. Maybe the fact that he’s only a 3^rd of the cost made me a 3^rd as unhappy with him but I think Castillo has not been quite as negative an influence with the Mets… minus that one pop-up.

The question ends up being: What makes more sense? Let those 18 Million little pieces of paper float down into the sewer or to see if cheaper talent is also BETTER talent?

The Media has made up their mind. Perez and Castillo must go and will likely go. Baseball is a business but at a certain point winning means more than getting value out of poorly spent money. Not to mention all of the misdirected fan anger. Dropping the pair will earn Alderson a bump in the approval ratings from Met fans. However is it the player's fault they are being paid so much? I'll admit that Perez has dug his own grave here, but I think Castillo has been wrongly blamed for Omar Minaya's mistake.

What is the right course?

At this point I think Castillo and Perez just need to be dropped, but that won't happen until after this spring.

This is Phlavio Phega and, if it relates to the Mets, I have an opinion.