Free Adam Kennedy!

by ZaBlanc on Sep 19, 2008 10:55 PM EDT

A quick post, because I haven't participated in AA so long and I miss you guys. :-)

First, I am proud to say I that I now think of Carlos Beltran as a more clutch player. I am not admitting I was wrong. I am saying he's changed. He's definitely pulled out more clutch hitting late in games and I GIVE A STANDING OVATION to it!!! Very happy with Carlos.

Though 2008 is not done yet, here's how I feel about 2009:

VERY GOOD. The Mets lineup is set. We can definitely tweak, but with Carlos Delgado himself again after one and a half years, the Mets are signed and ready to go. I don't think anything has to change, but I wouldn't mind a couple tweaks.

First, if we can bring in a good LF, I'd be game. Tatis was a surprise this year, but not sure I'll count on him for 2009. Secondly, FREE ADAM KENNEDY! I like the guy, and I think the Mets need some more character. The 2B position is a great place for that. We have crap there now and I'd like to see us stabalize. I don't want to see the Mets spend $$$ for that position. Good defense. Good hitting.

I like Kennedy.

Pitching-wise, the Mets have one of the most promising rotations in baseball. They are YOUNG and GOOD. Santana, Perez, Maine, and Pelfrey are a solid core -- good, and even have room for improvement. When Pedro Martinez is your #5 starter, that's a damn good thing.

I say forego any signings for starters, and focus focus focus on bullpen. While it'd be pricey (and obvious), go get K-Rod! The Mets are World Series contenders in 2009 with him...it's worth it. Go get him.

I'm happy with 2008 and happy with 2009...so, it's good to be a Mets fan right now. Now let's finish off these Braves!!!!

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Kennedy

Fielding, yes, he has been pretty great. To say that he would bring “[g]ood hitting”, well, that’s fairly preposterous. Kennedy hasn’t posted an OBP better than the league since 2005. SLG? 2002. Batting average? 2005 as well. Even if you grant that offense is hard to come by at 2B, Kennedy has been simply dreadful at the plate in partial seasons last season and this.

If you want to say he brings a good glove, yes, he does. If you think he brings “character”, okay, I don’t personally think that’s anything to put on your resume, but whatever. If you say he brings good hitting, well, he doesn’t. He doesn’t even bring adequate hitting. At this point in his career, Adam Kennedy is a terrible, terrible hitter. Terrible. Hitter.

by Eric Simon on Sep 19, 2008 11:31 PM EDT reply actions

Killjoy.

The real goal is to get a solid 2B for a full season for the first time since, uh, Jose Reyes was the 2B — for not too expensive — so K-Rod can ring in the new school year.

It’s the only position we really need. I’m happy everywhere else, and hoping LF either goes to Tatis or another young kid. Maybe Niese can take up the #5. I’m happy.

Save the money for K-Rod and another bullpen guy. Give me Kennedy.

The 2008 NY Mets: Reyes singles. Castillo infield single. Wright walks. Beltran lines out. ZaBlanc bitches. Delgado strikes out. Reyes picked off third. Fans boo. Padres win 2-1.

by ZaBlanc on Sep 19, 2008 11:37 PM EDT up reply actions

...

I don’t really see what problem Kennedy solves. He’s a worse offensive player than Luis Castillo, who is already under contract. Signing Kennedy doesn’t save them any money unless they can somehow unload Castillo on some other hapless team. Kennedy is a more apt defensive replacement type than Argenis Reyes, say, but is that worth the $3 million or so that Kennedy is under contract for? Not to mention what you’d have to trade to the Cardinals to get him in the first place.

Also, the year Jose Reyes played second (2004), he was half-terrible (.255/.271/.373) and half-injured (played only 53 games). Maybe we just have different opinions of “solid” and “good”.

by Eric Simon on Sep 20, 2008 12:01 AM EDT up reply actions

Adam Kennedy

The problem is he’s not a solid regular. A solid regular has to provide some offense. Kennedy’s hitting like Joe McEwing this year, and that isn’t an exaggeration. He was worse last year. A fine defender, but really a defensive replacement at this point in his career.

And to be honest, the Mets haven’t had a full-season from a second baseman since Robbie Alomar in 2002. But that doesn’t mean they’ve gotten bad production from second base. Last year, they got about 1100 defensive innings of eh defensive and good hitting from Luis Castillo, Damion Easley, Ruben Gotay. The year before that, Jose Valentin came through, providing excellent defense and offense for the position.

While I don’t see an easy answer on the roster, I don’t really get what Adam Kennedy provides that Argenis Reyes might not also provide.

by Alex Nelson on Sep 20, 2008 12:11 AM EDT up reply actions

Bwaaah?!?

While I don’t see an easy answer on the roster, I don’t really get what Adam Kennedy provides that Argenis Reyes might not also provide.

Uhh, how about a little something called grit? Or hustle? Heart? Gamerness? Am I on an island here?

by Eric Simon on Sep 20, 2008 12:15 AM EDT up reply actions

Admit it...

You missed Lenny Dykstra.

The 2008 NY Mets: Reyes singles. Castillo infield single. Wright walks. Beltran lines out. ZaBlanc bitches. Delgado strikes out. Reyes picked off third. Fans boo. Padres win 2-1.

by ZaBlanc on Sep 20, 2008 12:57 AM EDT up reply actions

who doesn't miss Nails?

Of course, Dykstra posted eight full seasons of OPS+ better than Kennedy’s career high (and only above-average year) 110, some pretty astronomically better. But you’re right, they are fundamentally similar in all the most important ways, since they’re both hearthustlewhitegrittygamers.

by anonymous on Sep 20, 2008 1:05 AM EDT up reply actions

Hell, if that's what you're going for,

why not just shoot for the moon and get Eckstein? He’s the king of grit, hustle, heart, and gamerness.

by BobbyV_Incognito on Sep 21, 2008 12:50 AM EDT up reply actions

2B for Atheists

I’m tired of having to rely on prayer for our second baseman every year.

The 2008 NY Mets: Reyes singles. Castillo infield single. Wright walks. Beltran lines out. ZaBlanc bitches. Delgado strikes out. Reyes picked off third. Fans boo. Padres win 2-1.

by ZaBlanc on Sep 20, 2008 12:57 AM EDT up reply actions

Prayers

Says the man who wants to bring in a 33 year old second baseman who hasn’t hit even a little bit in two years.

by Alex Nelson on Sep 20, 2008 1:12 AM EDT up reply actions

Ooh!

Burn!

by Eric Simon on Sep 20, 2008 1:31 AM EDT up reply actions

Let's

Make Dan Murphy our full-ish-time second baseman, sign some righty mashing left fielder to platoon with Evans, sign Fuentes, and use the rest of the money to get a front-line starter. Disregarding the budget, CC Sabathia would look pretty damn nice next to Johan Santana as our #2 starter. He’s also a better hitter than Argenis Reyes. He also has twice as many homers this season as Adam Kennedy. In nearly 300 less PA’s.

Also, character is, eh, a curse word. If you gave me a lineup with 9 Barry Bondses, a pitching rotation with 5 Roger Clemenses, and a bullpen full of John Rockers(es), we would win the World Series, every year. You know why? Clutchiness. We would bat .471/.700/1.294 in the World Series, our starters would have a 2.37 ERA, and our bullpen, well, let’s just say they would never allow a run, period.
(A side note, did John Rocker really make 0 regular season PA’s, but two in the playoffs with two walks and one run scored? Is that some kind of typo? I’m kind of wondering if his postseason record is entirely a typo.)

This team doesn’t need more character, it needs better players. More reliable pitchers, better arms in the pen, and not AAA signees who have a surprising season. Real stuff, not a “lets see if we can get anything out of him” deal. This team isn’t too far away. Main issue is adding a few strong arms in the pen. That’s why the Cubbies and Angels are looking mighty fine. Anyways, grit is not the way to go, unless we can find Scott Brosius.

Talkin' Sports

by BlackOps on Sep 20, 2008 4:04 AM EDT reply actions

+100

We've got ourselves a ball club, the Mets of New York town!

by kingcritical on Sep 20, 2008 7:00 AM EDT up reply actions

I see no reason to sign CC

Sure, in a perfect world, we get him. I’m not sure what the Mets budget will be next year…we obviously don’t need much on offense. If the brass thinks dropping 15-20 mil on another starter is desirable, I’d be happy to have CC of course!

I just don’t expect it.

The 2008 NY Mets: Pedro hurt already. Delgado still sucks. Mets still can't beat the Braves. Beltran only plays 6 innings. WTF with Pelfrey?? Mets win 60 in a row. Freakin' Wagner. PLAYOFFS, NO WAY?!

by ZaBlanc on Sep 21, 2008 9:44 AM EDT up reply actions

Beltran

Not to beat a dead horse, but doesn’t Beltran’s resurgence of late suggest that “clutch” is really just a matter of luck, as I and others here have been arguing all along?

Beltran has been on fire lately, and he’s pretty much right where I expected he’d be at the beginning of the season: .370 OBP, .500 SLG, an outside shot at 30 HRs, and tremendous defense. He’s very quietly had another excellent season.

Vote change: DePodesta/Acta in 2009!!!

by Greenpoint Ian on Sep 20, 2008 1:03 PM EDT reply actions

Not at all.

It’s a psychological thing on top of the usual rigors of hitting. I don’t think it needs explaining.

The 2008 NY Mets: Pedro hurt already. Delgado still sucks. Mets still can't beat the Braves. Beltran only plays 6 innings. WTF with Pelfrey?? Mets win 60 in a row. Freakin' Wagner. PLAYOFFS, NO WAY?!

by ZaBlanc on Sep 21, 2008 9:41 AM EDT up reply actions