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?

Academic Probation?

How well has the great guru of Money Ball, Sandy Alderson, done since taking over the Mets? I'll be looking at how well he's crossed the T's dotted the I's and make sure that he showed all his work. Hopefully I won't have to give him in school suspension for cheating off another GM's test.

A wise blogger pointed out the lack of need for a GM report card in Mid-March. I responded with the lack of need for blogging in general. Enjoy it for what it's worth.

Who He Got:

Chris Young - Young is getting an A+ from me. He was in-expensive and looks like he could be a front of the rotation starter again. He gives me confidence and that is HUGE. Sandy looks pretty smart. This deal gets an A for Sandy.

Scott Hairston - With Beltran likely to spend 50%+ of the year watching baseball... Hairston's ability to be a starter combined with being able to platoon him with Harris or Duda makes Sandy look smart again. He's got another A in my book.

Taylor Buchholz - This was a low-risk move but at the same time it looks like a solid one. Buchholz is currently fighting it out with Accosta, Isringhausen, Beato and others for a middle reliever job. Sandy gets a B but it won't hurt his average.

D.J. Carrasco - I understand why Sandy took D.J. but I'm not liking what I see too much. He seems to be hittable (not unlike Mike Pelfrey) and the two-year deal reminds me of Ryota Iggarashi's. Sandy Gets a C- from me.

Chris Capuano - When Capuano was signed I thought for sure he was going to be a lefty specialist / long man. If that's all he was... I'd give Sandy a B+. HOWEVER, it looks like Chris will be good enough to start so I'll up that to an A-.

Willie Harris - I don't love Willie Harris. Is he really better than Jesus Feliciano? I don't know. He has shown the ability to be clutch (vs. the Mets) and can play 2B in a pinch. I guess I'll give Sandy a B-.

Tim Byrdak - Byrdak is old and not the most exciting guy in the world but he is a heck of a LOOGY. That's a compliment... in case you are reading the blog and don't follow baseball... MOM! Sandy gets another A for Byrdak.

Chin-Lung Hu - One of the only trades Sandy made. It's a low-risk trade and it's also low reward. The biggest plus to it, is that the Mets can keep Ruben Tejada in AAA even if Jose Reyes gets hurt. So... B.

Ronny Paulino - Paulino is what he is, a catcher with some power who hits lefties pretty darn well. It was the perfect guy to get to platoon with Thole. Alright... John Buck's splits were even better but Paulino was still pretty good. B+.

Jason Isringhausen - Can we credit Sandy with this? Not really. Izzy came to the Mets and auditioned. All the same, Sandy will reap the benefits of happy accidents. If Jason stays healthy he's a 6-pitch reliever and a part of Mets history. B+.

Pedro Beato - Beato was Alderson's 2nd Rule 5 nab. He looks like he's also pretty slick on the mound. He has a hard fastball with a lot of movement. I could see Beato progressing into a setup guy and I think he'll stick with the team. A.

Brad Emaus - Emaus seemed like a great idea. He was a contact oriented hitters, who could play 2nd base and share some time with Murphy in the role. He hasn't hit that much this spring and is looking up and Castillo and Luis Hernandez. He did get a big double yesterday but color me un-impressed thus far. D+.

Sandy's Final Report Card

Math - Sandy has done his homework and selected guys who aren't big risks. He has made good additions and Met fans are hoping he's equally willing to make a few subtractions in the near future. He seems to check his work and make sure he hasn't made any miscalculations.

Science - Alderson has shown a willingness to experiment, but it hasn't worked out so great at 2B thus far. He needs to make sure he has a more stable control group in place in case his future experiments become volatile.

English - Sandy has proven he is good with the media. Not only in about how he handles his dealings but also with dealing with the intrigue surrounding the clowns who currently own the team.

History - Willie Harris always killed the Mets. Isringhausen was part of a failed second coming of Gooden and Seaver. The depth of the relief pitchers also shows that he's watched previous seasons of Mets baseball.

Gym - When his academics are put on the field there have been mixed results. He found pitching, but hitting seems less easy. Does this remind anyone of some of his earlier teams?

Overall: A-, Sandy has done a pretty great job doing a lot with not a lot of money. I'm excited to see what he can do with 30 Million to spend.

Extra Credit: I'm excited to see what happens with Sandy Alderson and a couple of trade candidates. Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes, Francisco Rodriguez, and even Mike Pelfrey, Chris Young and Chris Capuano. A lot of what Omar was bad at was not his off-season dealings but his inability to act on the fly during the season.

The players Sandy has brought in have yet to fully "evolve" as it's been put to me. This judgement is purely based on what they've shown thus far.

Mets of Tomorrow

I decided to just have a day of pure fantasy speculation. As many know, the Mets are in a bit of a financial situation and have a big name player approaching free agency. I'm going to take a glass half-full look at this and future off seasons and make some roster guesses. I think playoffs in 2012 and World Series in 2013 and 2014 is totally attainable. Right?

2012 New York Mets:

The Mets do decide to re-sign Jose Reyes who agrees to a lucrative three year deal, with a vesting option for a 4th and 5th. Alderson uses the rest of the money the Mets clear to sign Edwin Jackson and Jonathan Broxton to two year deals. Lastly the Mets promote Fernando Martinez and Reese Havens from AAA to fill the gaps at RF and 2B. Jenrry Mejia continues to pitch well after his mid-season promotion in 2011.

Lineup:
1. Jose Reyes, SS (S)
2. Angel Pagan, CF (S)
3. David Wright, 3B (R)
4. Ike Davis, 1B (L)
5. Jason Bay, LF (R)
6. Fernando Martinez, RF (L)
7. Josh Thole, C (L)
8. Reese Havens, 2B (L)
Rotation:
1. Johan Santana, SP (L)
2. Jonathan Niese, SP (L)
3. Jenrry Mejia, SP (R)
4. Edwin Jackson, SP (R)
5. R.A. Dickey, SP (R)

Bullpen:
CL: Jonathan Broxton, RP (R)
SU: Bobby Parnell, RP (R)

Notable Losses:

Carlos Beltran - Beltran leaves the Mets and catches a 1-year deal with Boston. He replaces David Ortiz as the DH and fills in occasionally in the OF. Francisco Rodriguez - Francisco Rodriguez signs a contract with Philadelphia and has two 30+ save seasons before losing the job. Mike Pelfrey - Mike Pelfrey catches on with Milwaukee and wins 10 games.

Notable Acquisitions:

Edwin Jackson - Jackson comes to New York but never amounts to a front-line starter. He does prove to be reliable in the second half of the rotation.
Jonathan Broxton - The Dodgers let Broxton go after two consecutive down seasons and the Mets sign him to compete with Parnell for the closer role. Broxton wins the role in camp.

2013 New York Mets:

Angel Pagan and Santana leave town and the Mets again build from both within and without. Caesar Puello is promoted after crushing AA in 2012 and takes over in center. The Mets re-sign David Wright during the season after using their 2013 option. Mark Cohoon has a mediocre year as the Mets #5 starter but the Mets do find success with their front 4.

Lineup:
1. Jose Reyes, SS (S)
2. Josh Thole, C (L)
3. David Wright, 3B (R)
4. Ike Davis, 1B (L)
5. Jason Bay, LF (R)
6. Fernando Martinez, RF (L)
7. Caesar Puello, CF (R)
8. Reese Havens, 2B (L)
Rotation:
1. Cole Hamels, SP (L)
2. Jonathan Niese, SP (L)
3. Jenrry Mejia, SP (R)
4. Edwin Jackson, SP (R)
5. Mark Cohoon, SP (L)

Bullpen:
CL: Jonathan Broxton, RP (R)
SU: Bobby Parnell, RP (R)
Notable Losses:

Angel Pagan - The Mets decide that they can't afford to give Pagan the contract he is seeking. He signs with Seattle. Johan Santana - The Mets let Santana out of his option and he signs a two-year deal with the Cubs.

Notable Acquisitions:

Cole Hamels - The Mets take advantage of their fiscal conservative 2011 and 2012 and sign Hamels to a four year deal.

2014 New York Mets:

The Mets offer Edwin Jackson arbitration and he accepts. Clearing out Jason Bay and Broxton allows the Mets the financial freedom to make a big trade for Felix Hernandez. King Felix extends his contract with the Mets for 4 additional years. Wilmer Flores after converting in 2013 to the outfield finds his place in right field.

Lineup:
1. Jose Reyes, SS (S)
2. Josh Thole, C (L)
3. David Wright, 3B (R)
4. Ike Davis, 1B (L)
5. Wilmer Flores, RF (R)
6. Fernando Martinez, RF (L)
7. Caesar Puello, CF (R)
8. Reese Havens, 2B (L)
Rotation:
1. Cole Hamels, SP (L)
2. Jenrry Mejia, SP (R)
3. Jonathan Niese, SP (L)
4. Felix Hernandez, SP (R)
5. Edwin Jackson, SP (R)

Bullpen:
CL: Bobby Parnell, RP (R)
SU: Juan Urbina, RP (L)
Notable Losses:
Jason Bay - Bay's option is not exercised and he eventually signs a 1-year deal with the Tigers.

Notable Acquisitions:

Felix Hernandez - The Mets acquire Hernandez from Seattle who could not afford his $20 Million contract and wished to re-build.

Fantasy can be fun sometimes. Sadly... that's all this is.

The Mets of the Future

The Mets have a new man at the helm and he likes to keep the wallet from opening too frequently. That is good in general, but does it mean that the Mets payroll will dwindle to the ranks of the middle 20 teams of baseball or does it just mean that the money the Mets typically spend (bottom of the top 5 payrolls) will just be spent better?

2012: We know the story, 40 Mil comes off the books (as long as K-Rod doesn't close a certain number of games...) yes whatever. 40 Mil is good, but what can it buy us? The Mets will likely be letting Jose Reyes reach free agency, this means that if the Mets don't have an in-house backup plan, almost half of that is going to Jose. Add in the raises for a number of the players and the Mets could be left with 10 or so million to spend on NEW talent. That isn't SO bad, it's just not SO good either.

The Mets COULD go a different direction with Jose. Move Ike Davis into the outfield and have God awful defense... or something of that nature. Actually let's get it out there... If you want Pujols... know this: The Mets will trade Davis to make room and fix the actual problem of no pitching. That isn't an awful solution as no great free agent SP's are available this winter. Know also that Pujols might mean no Jose and that it would require the exact kind of contract Sandy Alderson opposes.

2013: Almost no additional money comes off the books in 2013 but do you know what DOES happen? David Wright enters the option year of his contract. That means David Wright goes from making 16 million to upwards of 20. That's another giant contract but one I assume Alderson will be forced to hand out. It will also likely be the last Met year for Johan Santana who has proved a little too injury prone for his contract's terms.

2014: Basically all the big money on the table today can be off the books for 2014. If the Mets wanted to cut all ties with major players and get their payroll below that of the Pittsburgh Pirates they could manage it by 2014. Jason Bay comes off the books, Johan Santana is gone... this would mean that quite a few other players also left and the Mets failed to retain Jose Reyes, David Wright, and other young players currently on the Big Club. Hopefully by 2014 the Mets can roll out the HOJO-BOT 5000 and the laser pistol and super shoulder I equipped him with.

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

2011 Mets: A New Hope

Somewhere in a galaxy only a borough away my favorite franchise is under attack. However as I am not exactly of the opinion that anyone as wealthy as the Wilpons are worthy of sympathy (at least when it comes to money) I am not THAT worried. Let me re-state that. I'm not worried as long as they sell the team to anyone but Jim Dolan.

Instead I wanted to focus on the positive. The upcoming season and the upcoming Spring training. The Mets have a number of intriguing story lines and a number of competitions in the works.

Who will play second? Luis Castillo Daniel Murphy, Brad Emaus and Justin Turner all have legitimate chances of impress this spring and win the starting job.

Oliver Perez, Luis Castillo and the 18 Million Dollar Black Hole: Will Perez and Castillo FINALLY be cut? Met fans have been itching for this for a while. Should they be cut? Will they be cut? Equally interesting quandaries.

How will the bench shake out? The Mets brought on Ronny Paulino, Scott Hairston and Chin-Lung Hu. Does this mean that Lucas Duda, Justin Turner, Nick Evans and others will need to be sent to the minors?

Despite critics, the Mets farm looks like they'll be good (at hitting): I will look at the Mets AAA, AA, A+ and A league rosters and evaluate the talent there in.

What happens to Jose? Does he get traded? Does he come back?

A look at 2012 and beyond: What lies ahead for the fiscally responsible Sandy Alderson and the Mets?

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