Geritol anyone?

by LOUtheMETandNATSfan on Sep 2, 2008 12:47 AM EDT Comment 13 comments

Reading this story makes want to cry. It's like reading a list of ailments in an old folks home.

El Duque, Ayala, Schowenweis, Wagner.

I don't know how we are in the position we are in now with all of these physical problems.

This team is basically put together with chicken wire, spit and bubblegum. I seriously wish us the best. This off season, the front office is going to have to work their tails off to fix the club.

See link:

http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/ny-spmnotes315824026aug31,0,3648276.story

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Fix this club?

Last time I checked this team has a 2 game lead in the division at the start of September. I’m not saying that it doesn’t have a few holes, but it doesn’t need the major overhauling that you suggest.

The time has come for someone to put his foot down. And that foot is me.

by sireric on Sep 2, 2008 6:54 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Well

I think Lou’s point is that the 2009 team has a lot of question marks. For instance:

Left field
First base
Second base
Catcher (I hope)
Starting pitcher x2 (at least)
Relief pitcher x3 or so
Manager

They may be in first place now, but they’re not a great team by any means, and were they in any division but the NL East or NL West they wouldn’t be in first place, and in most cases they’d be quite a ways back.

by Eric Simon on Sep 2, 2008 10:14 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

NL central teams get to play the pirates and the reds all year

their records are kinda inflated. the braves suck now, but that wasn’t the case earlier in the year.

by gogomets on Sep 2, 2008 11:46 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

NL East teams get to play the Nationals and Braves all year

The Pirates were a decent team before they unloaded Nady, Bay and Marte at the deadline. I’d say it’s something of a wash.

by Eric Simon on Sep 2, 2008 12:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

"the braves suck now, but that wasn't the case earlier in the year"

our run differential is better than the cardinals, and within 10 runs of the brew crew (negligible). the only team that would beat us more often than not is the cubs. we’d be fine.

by gogomets on Sep 2, 2008 1:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

- Left field: I was pretty sure Omar wanted to stick F-Mart out there next year, and even if F-Mart proves not to be ready, Evans and Murphy will get first crack at a platoon me thinks.

- 1st base: picking up Delgado’s option is the easy fix. I wouldn’t spend tons of money on Dunn or Tex.

- 2nd base: Castillo is half the answer. I know he sucks but he isn’t going anywhere with 3 years left on his deal, Reyes or another year of Damon is the other half.

- Catcher: How many years does Schneider have left on his deal? if he isn’t a free agent I don’t see him going anywhere. (I’m with you on wanting to see him replaced, but I think Omar loves him too much to see him go)

- SP: Johan, Pelf, Maine, are all locks for the staff next year. Pedro will be back because Omar loves to give money to aging players. If Ollie gets too pricey then they will go another way, but either Ollie or Pedro will return.

-R(i)P: Agree 3 or more. Of course I thought the same thing after last year and Omar’s big fix was Matt Wise.

- Manager: With the way the SNY booth praises Jerry, you would think that he single-handedly turned the Mets season around. Why would the Mets not bring him back?

The time has come for someone to put his foot down. And that foot is me.

by sireric on Sep 2, 2008 12:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

SP: Maine is a lock if he’s healthy, and there are no guarantees that he will be. Even if Pedro comes back, he’s hardly a sure thing to provide league-average production. You’re still at least one spot short, with two up in the air to varying degrees.

C: Schneider has a year left after 2008, but that hardly means this position isn’t a problem.

2B: Still a problem.

LF: Even if Martinez is the starter, he’s no sure thing to produce.

RP: Either in addition to or with inclusion of the three, Billy Wagner is a question mark now because of his health.

There are answers to all of the questions, but they may not actually be feasible/reasonable/appropriate ones. The Mets have a lot of holes and a lot of unknowns for 2009. Wright, Reyes, Beltran, Pelfrey and Santana are great, but most else is up in the air.

by Eric Simon on Sep 2, 2008 12:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

SP: I was going on the assumption that Maine will be healthy. Pedro will be back and he will miss at least a month to the DL, but that is where kids like Niese, and Parnell come in.

LF: I agree that F-Mart may not be ready, but as I said you still have Evans and Murphy to fall back on.
2B: Is a problem but I don’t see a fix as long as Castillo is still on the team and sort of healthy. The Mets are going to have to live with him next year.

The time has come for someone to put his foot down. And that foot is me.

by sireric on Sep 2, 2008 2:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Starting pitchers

Even if Pedro is brought back, isn’t he still a pretty big question mark with the way his body appears to be falling apart? It would be like eliminating half a question mark, at most. That still leaves a spot and a half in the rotation, assuming the Mets don’t end up throwing gobs and gobs of cash at Ollie. It’s not an area I’m particularly terrified about (the bull-pen is certainly gonna demand a lot of attention in the winter) but it needs adressing.

'Catsmeat!' he cried. 'I see it all. It was that chump, Catsmeat.'

by Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright on Sep 2, 2008 12:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

remaking the team

A little early for the offseason hot-stove thread, isn’t it?

If it were up to me:
1B: Delgado and Dunn
2B: Castillo and Murphy (he came up as a 3B, ought to be able to handle it)
LF: Murphy, Evans, Dunn
C: Castro, backed up by Schneider

The addition of one premium bat to the starting lineup, and the removal of the non-hitters who’ve been playing 2B much of this season, makes run production no big problem. Better to spend beaucoup dollars on a hitter like Dunn than try to patch things together with replacement-level hitters at several positions. Plus, I have a hunch Dunn’s low average and high K numbers may make him a relative bargain. The catcher spot may have to be a wash (aka Schneider) next year.

The pitching situation is really much, much more of a challenge. First there’s the Ollie question — I’m for re-signing him, but whether it makes sense depends entirely on where the salary negotiations end up — and then there’s a need for at least one more starter, and effectively an entire replacement bullpen. I have no idea how to go about fixing this (other than the usual bullpen prescription of making a lot of low-risk, high-reward deals with slumping or previously injured arms and sorting it out in spring training, which doesn’t really sound like enough this time around).

by anonymous on Sep 2, 2008 12:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks E.

You were able to convey my point better than I was. Yes, I am looking at the long term prospects for the METS. I do plan on being a fan past this year.

Yes, the team is 2 games ahead right now. Where are they gonna be next year at this time w/this crew? Thanks for conveying my concerns in a coherent manner.

Yours always,
A METS fan

"Phenomenological ontology? The Dude abides."

by LOUtheMETandNATSfan on Sep 2, 2008 3:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

2009 predictions

this thread got hijacked in a hurry

LF – Murphy/Evans/Fmart – i see the season a least starting with some sort of platoon of those 3
2B – we’re stuck with castillo for at least 1 more year. hopefully he doesnt suck and then just retires in the off season
1B – i prefer teixiera, if not then dunn, but im guessing its another year of delgado
SP – pedro should retire, but if he doesnt, theres no friggin way in hell he should be brought back. he signing was a fine move at the time but its been a disaster after his one year. whatever omar does hopefully it doesnt involve a Silva-esque fiasco a la the twins. sign a bunch of cheap arms with potential and see what happens. Johan, Maine, pelf is a good nucleus to start from.
RP – NO 3 YEAR CONTRACTS. other than that, do the best you can.

the only impact FA signing that makes ense to me is a tex or dunn, which i think they should do since its not my money and that gives the team the best chance to win. after that, just dont pile excess years on aging players like they did with castillo and plug the holes as best you can and they SHOULD be able to compete in 2009.

Touchdown mets.

by kendynamo on Sep 3, 2008 9:57 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs