Tag Archives: New York Mets

Feb 13

I Don’t Care If Mejia Ever Pitches Again

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Excuse me, but I really don’t care if Jenrry Mejia ever throws another pitch for the New York Mets or any other team for that matter.

Somebody asked me today if I thought Mejia would be reinstated if he applies in another year. I thought about it for a second and that was my answer. Come to think of it, I didn’t even need a second.

Mejia is 26 and blessed with an arm that can throw a baseball well over 90 mph. He was playing every kid’s dream, yet it wasn’t enough.

So, he cheated. He was caught and then he cheated again. Then cheated for a third time.

He was to get $1 million this year, which is enough to live on for the rest of your life, if invested properly. Not lavishly, but you can more than survive on it.

Yet, none of that mattered to he had to cheat. He says he’ll appeal, but I don’t care. How can it be an accident if he’s caught using the same drug?

So, if somehow Mejia does win an appeal, I hope the Mets are smart enough to walk away. Personally, I don’t care if he every pitches again.

 

Feb 04

Alderson Hints Cespedes Deal Could Lead To Bigger Things

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Mets GM Sandy Alderson hinted at Wednesday’s press conference that the Yoenis Cespedes deal indicates a change in philosophy for the organization.

Let’s hope so. Long accused of running things on the cheap, Alderson said the $75-million contract should change that perception.

”Sometimes we have a habit – we do in an organization and fans as well – of thinking about the guys we have now, but thinking more about when we’re going to lose them than enjoying the moment,” Alderson said. ”That moment hopefully lasts two, three, four, five years. But I think maybe if the Cespedes signing says anything, is that there are no possibilities that will be dismissed out of hand strictly for financial reasons.”

In particular, let’s hope that will apply to signing their young pitching to long-term contracts. The popular sentiment is the Mets can’t keep them all, referring to Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Matt Harvey, Steven Matz and Zack Wheeler.

Maybe not, but the can try to keep them for as long as possible.

”When you’re talking about long-term deals with younger players, there needs to be sort of a mutual interest in doing so,” Alderson said. ”And typically we find out about that mutual interest a little bit later, closer to spring training or even in spring training. So, we’ll just see if that happens.”

Harvey, signed for $4.325 million, will be 27 in March and a free agent after the 2018 season. His agent is Scott Boras, whose reputation is to test the market and not leave money on the table. He’ll be the first test.

Then there is deGrom, (28 in June) who will be arbitration eligible next year and a free agent following the 2020 season. Syndergaard (24 in August) and Matz (25 in May) could become free agents after the 2021 season. Wheeler (26 in May) could become a free agent following the 2019 season.

Money will be coming off the books when the contracts for David Wright, Cespedes and Curtis Granderson expire, but the don’t the Mets have to replace those players as well?

The market for pitching doesn’t seem to show a ceiling, but if the Mets’ core perform to their potential, they’ll test it.

Jan 22

Mets To Lose Cespedes To Nationals

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We can boil the Mets’ pursuit of outfielder Yoenis Cespedes to a simple conclusion: If they really wanted him they would have him. Pure and simple, he was theirs for the taking. The Mets said they wanted him, but on the cheap. They played things correctly and tried to let the market come to them, but that won’t happen.

That’s the risk one takes when you gamble.

CESPEDES: Going to Nats. (Getty)

CESPEDES: Going to Nats. (Getty)

The Mets weren’t willing to give Cespedes more than three years, but reports are the Washington Nationals have a five-year, $100-million offer on the table. There’s no way the Mets could compete with that, nor should they for a myriad of reasons, beginning with the economics and including his mercurial personality and that he faded in the playoffs. There’s also the matter of him playing with four teams by age 30.

The Nationals will be his fifth in an 18-month span. Things could be finalized today.

I agreed with the Mets’ rope-a-dope approach simply because that was the only card they could play considering they wanted to do this cheaply. Conversely, the Nationals made runs at Jason Heyward and Justin Upton, in addition to signing Daniel Murphy.

Washington has clearly been more aggressive than the Mets this offseason, with GM Sandy Alderson going on the belief his young rotation will be enough to carry them back to the World Series.

Will that gamble pay off?

 

 

Dec 07

Mets Not Players For Cespedes For Multiple Reasons

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Let’s face it, the Mets wouldn’t have gotten into the playoffs without Yoenis Cespedes. It is certain now they need to find a way to return without him.

CESPEDES: Not going to happen. (Getty)

CESPEDES: Not going to happen. (Getty)

ESPN reports Cespedes wants somewhere in the neighborhood of $125 million over six years. That’s clearly the upper East Side, not Flushing. Mets assistant general manager John Ricco said as much at the Winter Meetings in Nashville.

“It’s unlikely right now that he ends up a Met,” Ricco told reporters at the winter meetings. “I think that’s fair to say. I think we will end up meeting with his agent. Right now, I still think he’s looking at a deal that would be north of what we would consider.

“Whether we have a specific meeting to talk about Cespedes, I’m not sure. They have other players. I imagine we’ll meet with them, and as part of that conversation his name will come up. I think right now, in talking with them, and getting feedback from Sandy [Alderson], I would view it as pretty unlikely that we do anything with him. But you never know how the market is going to develop. So I wouldn’t rule it out completely.”

I would and not just because of the money.

After a torrid August, Cespedes’ bat turned silent in the playoffs and he had numerous defensive and fundamental breakdowns. There were also numerous times in which he dogged it running the bases and in the field.

The Mets saw this and must also ask themselves why Cespedes during his brief career has already played with four teams. Three of those teams, the Mets, Detroit and Boston, consider themselves contenders, yet disposed of Cespedes. The fourth, Oakland, didn’t want to spend the money.

If Cespedes’ salary demands were considerably lower and would give the Mets a home team discount, I could see it. But, as with Jose Reyes, he’s not interested in leaving anything on the table.

The Mets’ first outfield priority is a left-handed bat to platoon with Juan Lagares.

ON DECK:  Jon Niese is Mets’ best trade chip

 

Oct 07

Sandy Says He Missed On Turner

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justin turner

On December 2nd, 2013 the New York Mets decided to non-tender then-utility infielder Justin Turner. Essentially, the Mets front office decided to release Turner because he was due a raise in arbitration that would have paid him $750 thousand dollars.

However, after a tide of shock and dismay by Mets fans on social media, two days later the team leaked rumors that the real reason they cut Turner was because he was “lazy” and “didn’t hustle.” Fans didn’t buy it.

“That caught me off guard. It was something I wasn’t expecting. I’ll tell you what, that was probably the worst offseason I’ve had – not knowing where or if I was going to be playing the next year. That was hard.”

On Monday, Mets GM Sandy Alderson spoke about that decision with Bill Shakin of the Los Angeles Times,

“He was always sort of a marginal 40-man roster guy,” Alderson said. “We gave him more of an opportunity than he had elsewhere, and he did a nice job for us. But you’d have to say we missed on him.”

 

In 36 at-bats against the Mets, Turner has tagged them for five doubles, two home runs, five runs, five RBIs, a .583 slugging percentage and .938 OPS.

Since leaving the Mets Turner has emerged as one of the Dodgers’ top hitters slashing at .314/.384/.492 with 47 doubles, 23 home runs to go with a 145 OPS+ and 8.4 fWAR over 675 at-bats. With runners in scoring position this season, Turner is batting .322/.404/.556.

“He brings that college mentality of ‘do anything’ to a big league clubhouse,” said Mets third baseman David Wright on Monday. “He’s an excellent defender, can play a number of positions, give you a great at-bat, great situational hitter, good in the clubhouse.”

“I’m happy for him,” Wright said. “I’m not going to be happy if he plays well against us in the playoffs. But he’s one of those guys you genuinely root for.”

Terry Collins also weighed in saying, “He’s gotten his opportunity. A lot of times, guys who get the opportunity to be an everyday guy don’t run with it. He has. I salute him. He’s one of my favorite guys.”

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