CJsCorner

Real Cap Exchange

2005-05-19T15:10:00.000-04:00

The Mets have missed the boat on an excellent PR opportunity. This weekend the first 5,000 fans that attend the Mets-Yankees subway series at Shea can exchange an old Mets cap for a new BLUE Mets Cap. I intend to take advantage of this offer on Sunday as will several members of my family.

However, my son has played little league ball for the past two years and the name of his team is the Yankees. This has cause significant confusion and we’ve collected a few Yankee caps as a result. For example, last week we went out to dinner after one of his games and the chef almost refused to server him a special dish because he was still wearing his Yankee uniform (no kidding). Over the years our children also receive the occasion gift included a few pieces of Yankee branded clothing. “You mean you’re not a Yankee fan?”

With this in mind, I wonder why the Mets didn’t make this offer:

“We’ll exchange any Mets or Yankees cap for a new BLUE Mets Cap.” I’d much rather clean out some unwanted Yankee caps (our kids also have Phillies, White Sox, and a Reds cap from previous little league campaigns). More importantly, this would also provide an opportunity for the fence sitting crowd to smoothly make the transition back to the blue and orange (and black).

Imagine if the Mets ran this promotion and then had a contest between the 5th and 6th inning to guess how many Yankee caps had been collected!!!

Pedro and pray – Starting Pitching Early Season Reviews aren’t Encouraging

2005-05-02T19:05:00.000-04:00

Remember during the off-season when the Mets starting pitching was projected to be one of the “strengths” of the team? Well it was a nice fantasy while it lasted. After Pedro, the rest of the staff has proven average at best. To put this in perspective, Aaron Heilman’s start last night (3 earned runs in 6 innings) was the best performance in nearly a week. There is no stat that I can share to put a positive spin on this group. Tom Glavine has helped win as many games for the Braves as he has for the Mets. Do you think he’s tipping his pitches and the Braves know what’s coming? Just a thought.

Victor Zambrano isn’t even up pitching as well as he did in Tampa Bay. He was supposed to improve, not regress, coming to pitcher friendly Shea Stadium. Is he’s ready for the Steve Traschel treatment? A couple of years ago when Traschel struggled he was given some tough love and sent down to Triple A. It worked wonders for Steve maybe it’s what Victor needs. Sure it’s encouraging to hear that Kris Benson will return soon. But am I the only one that got the ‘Willies’ that the Mets will rush back Kris Benson before he’s ready?

What can be done? Not much until July. By then we’ll know if Steve Traschel will pitch this year and which other starters are available. Let’s hope that Rick Peterson is a magician because if he’s not, we’ll have to wait to next year for a meaningful game in September.

Pitching Woes

2005-04-22T18:21:00.000-04:00

It’s hard to believe that 17 games into the season, the Mets are struggling to identify starting pitchers. Currently no starting pitcher has been “announced” for Saturday. Ishii, Benson, and Traschel are all on the disabled list. Tommy Glavine can’t find the strike zone. Aaron Heilman is back to his old (hittable) self and Victor Zambrano is still not making anyone forget a certain lefty going against the Red Sox tonight. Since none of the triple A starters have distinguished themselves, it seems that the best case scenario for tomorrow is a rain out. Oh yeah, Looper has yet to save a game!

With all these pitching problems the Mets are within a game of first place. What does all this mean?

I don’t know, but hopefully Rick Peterson can patch things together. It would be nice for Tommy Glavine to show up tonight with his “stuff.” I know he’s not a #1 or #2 starter anymore but is it asking too much for him to make a few quality starts in a row? That would demonstrate some veteran leadership on a team that desperately needs some stability.

Let’s Go Glavine

Bring the Kiddies and a Jacket

2005-04-11T22:54:00.000-04:00

We got to the stadium very late because our normal drive was extended by an amazing amount of traffic. For this home opener I had to park so far away that we needed to take a bus to the stadium. By the time we made our way to our seats we had to chase away some squatters. I’ve got a feeling that I’m going to have to leave a lot earlier for Met games this year.

Andy Pettitte and Tom Glavine were throwing some nasty change-ups and breaking balls. These guys both looked sharp. By the 5th inning shadows from the overhang blocked the sun across all but the closest field level seats. It was cold and windy and the Mets were trailing 1-0. To make matters worse, the new rotating billboard in center field stopped working and the game was delayed for 15 minutes. The wind seemed to have picked up and my youngest son was so cold (he left his jacket in the car!) that I bought him a blanket in the dugout store.

The malfunction must have iced Pettitte because the Mets ran their way to a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the 6th. The new Mets “energy” was on display and the fans caught it. Fans in my section began chanting the Mets player names as they came to the plate – ala the bleacher bums at Yankee Stadium. Miguel Cairo was given a rousing cheer when he stepped to the plate for Tom Glavine. BAM – he delivered an RBI hit and the high fives started to fly. Within minutes a new Mets model was on display: SPEED. First, Victor Diaz and Miguel Cairo executed a delayed double steal. Then, Kaz Matsui’s drag bunt and head first slide allowed Diaz to score the go ahead run. Shea was rocking.

As the 7th inning began Manny Aybar came in from the bull pen. My older son asked: “who is Manny Aybar?” I said: “he’s a 30-something pitcher that’s been knocked around the majors and minors.” He was silent. I leaned into to my wife and said, “the bull pen is terrible.” A guy sitting in front of me turned and said: “Aybar hasn’t given up a run in three games.” I said hopefully: “he looked good in the Spring.” That sealed his fate as Manny got pounded. The Astros were hitting ropes. If the ground rule double that was hit over Cliff Floyd’s head had hit the wall instead of bouncing over, it might have made a dent in it.

When the Astros took the lead in the 8th, a good number of fans left along with Tom Glavine's chance for a win. By the time that Roberto Hernandez took the mound, my younger son was pleading that we should leave. He was relentless (and no he wasn't cold). Surprisingly, my wife wanted to stay and we witnessed a memorable bottom of the 8th.

Shea erupted for a second time when the Mets speed was put on display. A great takeout slide and speedy running by Reyes allowed Victor Diaz to score, again. Reyes then stole second and he scored on Matsui’s single. A special Shea Stadium wind had a hold on Ramon Castro’s pop-up and it seemed that Lane and Biggio were having trouble hearing each other. I definitely was with my wife screaming: “miss it, miss it” as the fly ball swirled in the cross-currents. A flood of noise filled the stadium when they collided.

Moments later the clapping gave way to boos as Johnny Franco took the mound. But a new realization took hold of me, Johnny Franco, Floyd’s gonna get a hit. BANG. Cliff Floyd’s shot eliminated a potentially nail biting 9th inning. The crowd thanked Johnny with a serenade of Franc-o… Franc-o…. Franc-o… and boos were replaced by cheers as Franco left the mound, sealing the victory for the Mets.

My son stood up and said: “now can we go?” It was a long happy walk to the car.

WRIGHT NOTES:
Still no David Wright Jerseys in White, Black, or Pinstripes. I went to the clubhouse store at Shea and all they had was a Kaz Matsui home white and a Wright road Grey jersey.

MIKE PIAZZA got some underwhelming applause. It must be his sub-200 BA.

VICTOR DIAZ must be faster than he appears, can hit, but is a liability in the field. He made a terrible relay throw from the right field corner.

David Wright Jersey is Sold Out

2005-03-30T22:13:00.001-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I made the decision to purchase a David Wright jersey. I learned the hard way that Modell’s doesn’t stock his jersey and the Mets store is sold out. Of course, my purchase decision predated the “batting order” controversy, or did it cause it?

Mets manager Willie Randolph has made comments about batting David Wright eight in the Mets batting order. Maybe Willie’s trying to lower expectations for David Wright. Or maybe it’s something more. Maybe Willie hasn’t been co-opted by the Mets PR department. Suppose he walked into the manager’s job, like any manager in any other business or situation and says: “Rookie, prove it.” What has David Wright proven as a major league hitter anyway? There’s a big difference between a future star and an all-star.

Last year, I had a hard time listening to Mike Francessa’s opinions regarding a proposed Jose Reyes for Alfonso Soriano trade. Francessa made some solid points that pierced through my inflated expectations of Reyes. I believed that the Mets would be foolish to trade Reyes. As a Mets fan I “believed” that not only would Reyes would become a star – much like I believed that Kazmir would become a star – but that Reyes was already on the verge of stardom. And no, it was only partly because Mike is a Yankee fan and smug that his comments stung. Alfonso Soriano was a solid major league player that had already hit 40 home runs and stolen 40 bases in a year. Jose Reyes hadn’t proven anything, least of all, that he could stay healthy.

I’m glad the Mets didn’t trade Reyes. Yet today, I have the same difficulty evaluating David Wright that I had with Jose Reyes last year. I want David Wright to become a star. I know that he needs time to develop as a player. Yet part of me projects his success as if he’s already an accomplished major league player. Of course, he’s not. He’s a rookie that hasn’t demonstrated that he can play at a consistently high level. The same is true for Reyes. The same was true of Gregg Jeffries and a litany of other Met prospects.

The part of me that recognized the truth of Mike Francessa’s evaluation of Jose Reyes also appreciates Willie Randolph’s treatment of David Wright. I might want to anoint David Wright as the best Met third baseman of all time, but Willie’s job depends on David Wright becoming a solid major league player first. So I’m supportive of Willie’s efforts to bring management techniques back into the organization.

The other part of me still wants to find a David Wright jersey.

David Wright Jersey is Sold Out

2005-03-30T22:13:00.000-05:00

Leaving the Dead Zone

2005-03-16T12:03:00.000-05:00

We’re about to leave the Dead Zone. This is the no news black hole that starts after the first full week of Grapefruit League play. Mike and the Angry Puppy long ago left Port Saint Lonely. A stretch of meaningless games is about to end. With the apparent loss of Steve Trachsel to a back injury, we can ponder the important issues (5th starter and bullpen). Be prepared for trade rumors to begin anew. We leave behind the story lines du joir that kept us warm over the past few weeks. In case you missed it these are the memorable stories:

Daryl Strawberry as a special instructor to the Mets. As part of his media rehabilitation, Daryl is quoted as having spent time in Spring Training in 1997 speaking with Jeter about the pressures of being a young star in New York (Jeter said he spoke to Darly for 15 minutes once). We also learned that Daryl had a big positive impact on Mike Cameron agreeing to stay with the Mets – although Mike denied that Daryl played a big part. Now that Daryl has been welcomed back in the fold, Doc, Nails, and Wally can’t be far behind.

Mike Cameron’s wrist is healing “ahead of schedule.” This news isn't even in reaction to potentially losing the starting job in right field. Is Victor Diaz in Camp? The lack of Victor Diaz stories is a story.

Cliff Floyd is a happy camper. He has a bounce in his step and believes he’ll steal 20-25 bases this year. I’d have Cliff set a goal of 130 games played and no DL time in September.

Carlos Beltran is a fitness freak and has taken Jose Reyes and David Wright under his wing. So much for the rumor that he’s not a team leader.

Mike Piazza is happy and dull. He's married and no longer the center of attention. His only complaint is that all his friends are off the team.

Carlos Delgado chose the Marlins because the Mets made their first offer in Pesos. Carlos also didn't want the distraction of playing in front of a lot of loud fans and answering questions in English and Spanish. His agent’s email address has been added to the spam filter list at most NY newspapers.

Aaron Heilman has been offered to Congress as a witness by the MLB. He’s proof that hitters don’t need steroids to hit home runs.

Cablevision continues it’s slide into sports programming oblivion and tries to sabotage the new Mets network in the process (continuing saga).

Willow Doesn't Sway

2005-02-21T15:42:00.000-05:00

New manager Willie Randolph made waves during the first organized practice. His first address to the pitchers and catchers set the early tone of a much more rigorous training camp: “You call yourselves professionals. By the time camp is over you pansies will be in the best shape of your lives. No more walking around. I want to see you sprint to your next assignment. Now get down and give me 50! (Randolph blew his whistle)”

Randolph’s first practice was spirited. “I’ve been waiting all my life for this opportunity.” Mets insiders said that Randolph is in better shape than a few of the players. After watching Kaz Matsui take grounders at second, Randolph commented that “I’ll work the same magic at 2nd with Matsui that I did with Alfonso Soriano.”

After addressing the troops, Randolph had some time to speak with reporters. “I’m just applying the lessons I’ve learned from some of my mentors. For instance, Billy Martin taught me to work hard and play hard. We’re enforcing a 1 AM curfew to toughen the guys up. Anyone that can’t find what they need by then doesn’t deserve to wear the uniform.” In an obvious reference to the steroids scandal, Randolph added: “since it’s not healthy to mix drugs and alcohol, we’re banning all liquor from the clubhouse.”

Offseason Jobs

2005-02-08T14:18:00.000-05:00

I’ve done my part this off season:

I wrote a couple of letters to Mets management and I started this blog.
I visited my share of Mets sites (ad revenue $$) and paid for a few subscriptions for Mets-oriented content.
I purchased tickets to Mets games for my family - a six pack for 4 - and will no doubt come to a few more games with friends.
I will encourage my employer to purchase Mets tickets to balance their Yankee purchases so I can bring clients AND enjoy the experience.
Plus I’ve made the usual arguments with Bombers fans that their shrine in the Bronx hasn’t always been the mecca of NY baseball and may not be in the future.

The Mets are doing their part too. Fred Wilpon admitted his past mistakes by hiring Omar Minaya, a baseball man, to run the operation and gave him an open wallet. Omar made the team better and more interesting by signing Pedro Martinez, Carlos Beltran, Philip Humber, and resigning Kris Benson. He continued the process of turning over the roster by cutting ties with Al Leiter, John Franco, and Mike Stanton. Plus the Mets didn’t add players like Sammy Sosa or Carlos Delgado that would have alienated large blocks of fans, even though Omar wanted both guys.

As for the future, maybe Omar Minaya will make some good trades like Frank Cashen did in the mid 80’s. We could use updated versions of Gary Carter, Keith Hernandez, Sid Fernandez, and David Cone. Who knows, Doug Mientkiewicz may rediscover his swing and remind fans of John Olerud, sans batting helmet. Is it too much to ask that Reyes, Floyd, and Piazza all stay of the DL?

As spring training is around the corner, let’s hope for a happy and healthy ’05.

Steeling Away the Years

2005-02-03T15:43:00.000-05:00

So the owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates is upset. I intend to leave his name out of this blog since he’s already gotten more ink than he deserves (let's refer to him as Mr. Pitts or THE Pitts).

THE Pitts is upset that big market teams (the Mets) are driving up the costs for “average” talent. Lets see if I understand, THE Pitts pays Kris Benson $6.5 Million a year and decides that he’s “overpaid” so he trades him to the Mets for one of their top prospects (plus an everyday major league player). Then THE Pitts criticizes the Mets for resigning Benson to a contract that basically pays him the same amount of money plus a cost of living increase for moving to New York.

Most people that get transfered from a smaller city to NY, Boston, SF, Washington expect to receive a 'cost of living' adjustment. Benson will be making between 10-15% more in NY than in Pittsburgh. How is this driving up the costs, Mr. Pitts? Plus, Benson is under 30 years old and not yet in his prime. Did you expect that the Mets could sign Benson for less money than you paid him in Pittsburgh? Or did Benson become “average” the day he left your Pirates.

But that’s not the real point. THE Pitts is upset that Arizona, Florida, and Seattle are spending money and this exposes the lousy job he's done building a winning team. It’s been mistake after mistake. Jason Kendal for $10M per year? And who decided that Pittsburgh is a small market anyway? “The Steel City” actually has one of the largest concentrations of corporate HQs in the US. That’s a lot of deep pockets to pick for luxury boxes at the new PNC. This gives Pittsburgh a financial advantage over Cleveland or Cincinnati and yet the Pirates have never had the fan base or loyalty of other Midwestern cities. Lashing out at the Mets gives THE Pitts a convenient scapegoat for their inability to market baseball.

So now that Pittsburgh is going to enter rebuilding mode, again, it’s no surprise that THE Pitts will lead the charge to decry the outrageous spending by big market clubs. Why not? It will be three or more years before the Pirates will be able to rebuild a respectable team. That’s three lean years. So it comes as no surprise that THE Pitts will be lobbying baseball for a bigger handout (revenue sharing) and become a militant leader of the “salary cap” committee.

Big Hole in the Middle

2005-01-27T23:40:00.000-05:00

Okay, I'm working on a funny post ... give me a day or two. But in the mean time, I'm struck by the giant, gapping, moon crater sized hole, in the middle of the Mets lineup. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE all the moves the team has made. LOVE, not like, every last one of them. I can't second guess a single decision. I was so moved I went online and BOUGHT tickets (lots of tickets) and will witness this turnaround first hand.

But I'm still left with this vision. It's June and Mike Piazza needs to rest, every other day. Reyes singles, Matsui singles Reyes to Third, Beltran walks (never sees a strike), and who comes to the plate ready to blow the game open... Cliff? David? Dougie? Yikes.

Every time I try to get excited about Magglio Ordonez, I think about how great Mo Vaughn must have looked in that batting cage in Connecticut. Allan Houston still has a sweet jump shot, he just can't jump high, move laterally, or play back to back games - all because of bad knees. I think the Mets have to pass on Ordonez. They've been down that road before and it got some big pot holes.

Sammy? Last time we saw him, he struck out 5 times and watched Victor Diaz hit a ball over his head. Oh yeah, Sammy was also batting 6th behind Moises Alou when the Cubs season was on the line. Exactly how many times did Sammy put the Cubs on his back and carry them through the playoffs?

I've lobbied in this space for Alfonso Soriano before so I'll leave that one alone. I'm just left with a big question... Besides him and Manny, is there another guy under 32 that's won't cost the rest of the farm system to get?

Short Takes

2005-01-25T19:17:00.000-05:00

Fear Factor

“Daddy I heard about a great player named Sammy Sosa. Is he any relation to the guy on the Mets?
“No.”

Quick Web Searches
Web Search: First Base + Free Agent + Top 20 in League at Postion
No Results
Web Search: Small Market + First Base + Big Salary + No Chance for Playoffs
Results:
Sean Casey
Phil Nevin
Mike Sweeney
Web Search: First Base + Good Defense + Available via Trade
Nick Johnson
Doug Mientkiewicz

It Ain’t Over ‘Till the Fat Lady Sings

2005-01-24T23:17:00.000-05:00

Carlos Delgado's agent David Sloane has made a request that no one queue up Kate Smith’s rendition of God Bless America just yet.

Delgado is well know for his numerous political and charitable causes and now Mr. Sloane has introduced a new wrinkle in the ongoing negotiations for his free agent client. Baseball insiders are saying that the choice of music during the 7th inning stretch is now a key sticking point in the negotiations and may cause his client to delay signing for a few more days. In an email to MLB.com, Mr Sloane wrote:

“It’s about respect and multiculturalism. For too long the 7th inning has been used to promote a political agenda of crass commercialism and imperialism. Carlos is opposed to glorifying a song that humiliates and denigrates. He’s requested that ‘Take me out to the Ball Game” be barred because of the offensive sales effort to promote peanuts and cracker jack. These products are not indigenous to Carlos’ native land and are a clear sign of the negative effects of Globalization.”

Shortly after the email statement, the Florida Marlins distributed a press release indicating that they have suspended playing ‘Take me out to the ball game.’ The club reserves the right to play the song for home games outside the state of Florida. The Marlins will be sponsoring a web site to allow fans to vote for a replacement from a selection of the Miami Sound Machines Greatest Hits.

Officials from the New York Mets and Baltimore Orioles have refused comment. However unnamed sources have indicated that both clubs are reviewing their positions. An MLB spokesman said: Major League Baseball does not have a formal policy regarding 'Take me out to the ball game' or the playing of any specific music between innings. This is a club issue. League officials did mention that the Yankees have exclusive rights to the song 'YMCA' and the use of 'YMCA' by other clubs is prohibited.

New Mets, New Fans

2005-01-23T14:03:00.000-05:00

During negotiations for Carlos Delgado the Mets sent a “low ball” offer and just like last year the fan reaction was… was….maybe it’s not just like last year or even last month. No “sign Delgado web sites,” petitions, letters to management, no cries of despair. What’s wrong with this picture?

Nothing.

Amazing what a few weeks can do the psyche of the Met fan base and the perception of the Mets franchise. So while we wait for Carlos Delgado to wring every possible dollar out of his last big free agent contract, I thought I’d share a few experiences I’ve had over the last couple of weeks:

The day after the Carlos Beltran press conference in New York, I was flying home and connecting through Houston. I was wearing a worn black Mets hat. When I went through security to re-board the plane, I got my first taste of life as a “new” Mets fan. One of the screeners asked, “are you a Yankee fan?” Immediately two other screener’s jumped in and said: “that’s a Mets cap.” I just smiled and then the oldest guard shook his head and said: “First Pedro and now this – I still haven’t gotten over losing in ‘86.” I smiled brighter and the other guard said: “Carlos Beltran will light it up NY. If the Mets ever got Manny I’d be a fan for life. I love Manny.” As I left to find my gate, they were arguing about why the Astros never won (or will win- their opinion) a championship.

Last week in Modell’s as I was standing in line at the cash register I overheard a ‘new’ Met fan talking. His mother pointed out the Derek Jeter jersey’s hanging behind the counter. The boy was maybe 9 yrs. old and in a single run on stream he said: “I really think I like the Mets better.” He then rattled off a list of current players Reyes, Matusi, Wright, Piazza and finished by telling his mother the players he wanted the Mets to get Ordonez AND Delgado. She took this all in and said: “they sell Mets stuff too, right?”

Finally, I was walking across 6th Avenue when a guy came up to me and asked me to turn around. He pointed up at my Mets hat and yelled out to a vendor on the corner: “see.” He then walked next to me for a block and said he and the hot dog guy are Mets fans but they rarely see Mets hats in Manhattan. All the tourists buy Yankee caps because they think it’s the “ultimate NY gift” to bring home. He vowed to start wearing his Mets gear again.

Plan C: Cosmic Justice

2005-01-16T14:10:00.000-05:00

If Plan A is dumping payroll to land Carlos Delgado (Cameron to the As for Byrnes)
and Plan B is moving Floyd in a package for Manny or Sammy,

Then let’s label this Plan C - "Cosmic Justice."

First, some background… several players represented the hope of Met fans in the late ‘80: Gooden, Strawberry, Cone, and Jefferies. It’s no accident that the three best have ties to the last championship run by the Yankees. One by one, George picked up the fallen Mets and added them to support roles on the Yankees. Do I have to remind Met fans what David Cone did to the Mets in the 2000 WS?

Suppose the Mets can't land Delgado. What if the Mets returned the favor and pulled a page out of George's play book?

Again, I'm all for going after Carlos Delgado but what if.... the Mets trade Mike Cameron plus Texas native Royce Ring and cash for Alfonso Soriano. This could be directly to the Rangers or in a three way deal with Houston. Soriano fits the mold of players the Mets are building around, adds swagger and to a Mets lineup that lacks an edge, and has championship experience. Offensively, he is similar to Cameron but is younger and more dynamic. Soriano should be at least an adequate outfielder and in right field he’d be no worse than Rusty Staub, Dave Kingman, or Daryl Strawberry.

Second, in keeping with the spirit, trade for Nick Johnson. He’s an Omar guy with a very reasonable $1.45 M contract. Heck, Omar traded his ace for him once. A back of the rotation starter like Heilman or Seo could headline a package of second tier prospects. Johnson’s back is a concern (huge concern for any reading this in the greater DC area) but a healthy Johnson solidifies the Mets infield for the rest of the decade. Worst case is that Heilman “blossoms” into a .500 pitcher and the Mets need to add another veteran first baseman before August. Somehow, the Mets luck has changed and this deal becomes the steal of the offseason - especially if Johnson can touch his toes on 140 days without pain.

The “new” New York Mets keep payroll flexibility for a trading deadline deal (Zito? Hudson if the Braves fold?) and their lineup becomes some variation of:

Reyes SS
Matsui 2B
Beltran CF
Soriano RF
Piazza C
Floyd/Diaz LF
Wright 3B
Johnson 1B

Of course this won’t happen because the Mets will sign Carlos Delgado :-) but there is no reason not to have a plan C.

January 16th Quotes we long to hear

2005-01-14T16:43:00.000-05:00

"Manny ain't goin' to no Mets." - David Ortiz as quoted in the Sunday edition of the Boston Herald after rumors of a potential three team deal surfaced. Met officials were in meetings late Saturday night in Queens. Jim Duquette would only say, "we do not comment on players on other teams."

"I want to win. This Loria guy is gonna sell his team. I'm a business man and it's not a good situation." - Carlos Delgado explaining why he broke off negotiations with the Florida Marlins in the Ft. Lauderdale Sun.

"I'm a Ranger but I have a special place for New York in my heart. I'd have to consider it." - Alfonso Soriano in the Ft. Worth Telegram after being asked if he'd switch positions to replace Bernie Williams in centerfield. Brian Cashman was also quoted as saying, "our prefence is to improve our defense. Bernie Williams is our centerfielder but the Yankees will certainly explore every option to replace the position vacated by Kenny Lofton with another major league player with centerfield experience."

"Negotiations between the Orioles and the Cubs over Sammy Sosa have intensified because Commissioner Selig has pledged MLB money to Baltimore." - unnamed source in the Washington Post.

"Omar has not presented a final budget, so I really can't comment." - Fred Wilpon in Newsday responding to questions about the Mets intention to spend for additional free agents. "I can confirm that we are meeting with Carlos Delgado and his agent Tuesday in San Juan."

"I like what Omar's done too." - Alfonso Soriano in the same interview when told about Brian Cashman's comments.

We'reeeee Back!

2005-01-09T19:41:00.000-05:00

"Forget how the Beltran thing plays itself out. The fact is, for the first time in forever, it's possible to be a Mets fan in New York City and not have to apologize for it. For the first time since the Mets became all-Wilpon, all-the-time, there is a sense not only that the Mets want to be competitive with the Yankees, but are willing to recognize what the cost of doing that kind of business is." - Mike V, NY POST

No apologies necessary.
Beltran in Center.
Wright at Third.
Reyes at Short.

Let's Go Mets.

Long Ride South of the Border

2005-01-09T09:16:00.000-05:00

In August of '69, my father loaded up the car and drove the family from New York to Florida for a vacation. (No sick jokes please!)

Somewhere in the Virginia area signs began appearing for: "Pedro's South of the Border." Each sign featured a goofy sombrero, a cute picture, and THE WRONG distance to the place. It was a runing joke. The first sign said: "900 miles to South of the Border." We'd go 100 miles and the billboard said "1200 miles to South of the Border" and so on. By the time we crossed the Border into South Carolina this place had grown into mythical proportions and maybe the orginal source of a kids lament: "are we there yet?"

Met fans awake this Sunday to find that we're not there yet and that we might not be as close as we think. Some of the signs say we're close and other indicated we've got the KLAP!

The Mets are locked in their biggest battle since the 2000 World Series. Like the 2000 series, this outcome will be decided early in the contest. The Mets have a lead and Omar has to find a way to close this one out. If we stumble, the Yankees will hit a home run to win this game and we'll be doomed to watch Piazza fly balls die on the warning track for another year. Yet, unlike Steve Phillips and the Great Armado, Omar is battle tested and has already delivered in the clutch with Pedro. Phillip's Mets team never had to face down the Braves in 2000 and a fragile Armado drove that team off the road. After that series the team took a series of wrong turns and has been lost in the backroads, looking for the freeway, ever since.

In '69 I had no game boys, DVDs, (blogs), and other electronic distractions on that ride and signs for South of the Border spiced up a long, dull trip. Pedro's South of the Border was a fun place with food, souvenier, fireworks, and maked the 'midway' point on the journey. When I got home from that trip, the Mets were in their first ever pennant race. Like that long drive to South Beach, sometime time soon our journey towards landing Carlos Beltran will end.

I'm hoping that Carlos joins us at Pedro's South of the Border for our version of fireworks this year.

Bring the Kiddies Back

2005-01-05T19:36:00.000-05:00

“Bring the kiddies, bring the wife, guaranteed to have the time of your life…” – meet the Mets.

Thank you for making the effort Mr. Wilpon. Now close the deal.

Met fans filled the seats at Shea through a series of teams – the lovable losers, miracle Mets, “gotta believe” Mets, ‘86 Mets, and Bobby V’s Mets. Even on the darkest day, after Tom Terrific was exiled to Cincinnati, we came. A visit to the park could still bring a Kingman moon shot or simply Maz mugging for the cameras.

But lately the park seems hollow. Yes, it’s like the scene from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom: a village filled with weary adults and no children. The Evil Empire stole the children and Indy must save them! If only some outside force was responsible.

This was an inside job. We lived through dark days but this was much worse. It started with Saturday day games – no Mike Piazza, guaranteed. Imagine that. We paid $15 for kids to have Piazza tee shirts and they filled stands, waiting to cheer for their hero. Instead, his name was left off the lineup card. No “General” or manager thought: why not rest Mike Friday night instead of Saturday afternoon? Kids don’t matter we’ll give them a Robby Alomar bobble head.

Ask any 8-12 year old who their favorite Met player is today and you will get a blank stare. Piazza? They have NEVER SEEN him play well. Think about this: when you walk into ANY school in the NY area you will be confronted with numerous Yankee hats and jerseys.

I’ve got $15 set aside for a Carlos Beltran T-Shirt – kids Medium. Will you let me spend it?

Big Cats, New Cats, Black Cats, Cool Cats

2004-12-30T13:18:00.000-05:00

Omar has invited the Big Cat to his house.
With his newest friend Pedro, he’s ready to douse.
All the fires that were lit when Al moved away;
One more run is all he needs for a very big day.

Hats for Cats named Carlos abound;
Fitted for an owner that plans to stick around.
O the corners need filling with abundance and flair;
David needs Goliath so balls loose their air.

Stray arms bring relief for emergency workers;
Like your big Uncle Sammy, the rest are just lurkers.
Not since his little black friend came in September of 6-9;
Have our rumblings caused Cubs such a bad time.

And now with those Cats welcomed back in the fold;
Our Big Red Dog is looking quite old.
So grumpy, slumply, and frail;
Looking like our Captain. without a pennant to tie to our rail.

A new wind is blowing in the park know as Shea;
That even could lift Mike’s balls back out to Flushing Bay.
No more slinking in weeds to keep bombers away;
Cool cats are welcome to keep coming our way.

Payback Time Mr. Wilpon

2004-12-23T22:18:00.000-05:00

Mr. Wilpon, wipe the slate clean.

You watched as George Steinbreener handed former Mets David Cone, Doc Gooden, Strawberry, and Lee Mazzilli (and Joe Torre) Yankees Championship rings. It made you mad, didn't it?

You've listened to the critism about A Rod and Guerrero and being "cheap" when you've had one of the highest payroll in baseball. Enough veiled slurs. You're not a baseball guy! It's wasn't your fault.

But there is an opportunity - right now - for you to strike. The Yankees are vulnerable. They are "the biggest chokers in the HISTORY of baseball." They don't believe they can win without Randy Johnson and guess what? They didn't close that deal. So they're stuck with Jason Giambi AND Kevin Brown AND Javy Vasquez and the highest payroll.

BUT they don't believe they can win, not without Johnson. This is as close to panic as you will see in the Bronx. Yes they want Beltran but they believe they need Johnson. That's your advantage.

Before they have time to move out their dead wood, come up from the weeds, and strike now. Don't get into a bidding war, take out Beltran with a swift and massive first strike: SHOCK and AWE. Tell it to the newspapers.... "we won't be outbid for Carlos Beltran, not by the Yankees or anyone else." Then offer $15M for 2005 and $20M per year for 6 more years with a club option for the 8th year: $140M guaranteed. You can do it, Mike's comin' off the books next year.

Get Mayor Bloomberg (a Met fan) to make Carlos Beltran the grand marshal of the Puerto Rican Day Parade when he signs.

Party Crasher Braves New York Cold to Spoil Met Party

2004-12-17T11:54:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was Mr. Met’s New Year’s Celebration and the “in” crowd came. He gave out party hats and served the best food and liquor on his finest china and crystal. Everyone loved it. There was salsa music, dancing, excitement, drama, and buzz. Yes, Mr. Met was kissing a Latin beauty as the ball dropped and the music played. A few hours later, a bright New Year’s day sun awoke Mr. Met to nasty hangover and flat Champaign. News spread on both sides of the Hudson that A pitcher was stolen during his party by a Brave and brazen thief. “Must have been some insider trading,” his buddy from Wall Street said.

It wasn’t any ordinary pitcher and Mr. Met knew he’d need to do something. After 13 years of eating tomahawk chopmeat, Larry’s chipped beef, and picking grits from his teeth, Mr. Met spent the big bucks on a bash with gourmet food. All that was left was a large bottle of Southern Comfort and a bag of pecans. The gang left on connecting flights from Atlanta to the sports book in Las Vegas. World Series odds would be posted in a couple of days.

What should he do? Answer the ad in the paper offering every Randy and Carlos an all expense paid trip to the YMCA in the Bronx? Spend time at the B&B in New EngLand? He heard the place wasn’t haunted anymore and he wondered if they’d put Baby Ruths on all the pillows. Join the Latin beauty and fly AirTran for a long vacation in Caribbean?

Vegas baby! Mr. Met called his travel Agent. His number was on the speed dial. “I want to stay where all the high rollers are going to be.” Mr. Met arrived at the casino with a pocket full of dough ray me. He walked right past the roulette table where we’d won a couple of times and he bumped into the geek from Boston that used to date the Latin girl. "I've got a fool proof system called blackjack 86. What to buy the book?" "No thanks, I still haven't finished the one by the guy in Oakland on powerball lotteries. I'm came alone but don't want to leave that way. Do you have another Latin number to join me on the trip?" The geek answered, "pay my bar tap and I'll let you know."

Mr. Met walked to the back and entered the glass enclosed poker room where he’d always gotten fleeced in the past. He vowed on the flight he wouldn’t play, yet here he was taking out a stack of bills. A bunch of the small rollers, rubes from Cincinnati, Kansas City, and Pittsburgh with their cheap suits, had their noses pressed to the glass just to watch. All around the table were the big boys in their pinstriped suits. The other players stopped talking as King George of Bavaria walk in with a Scottish Terrier under his arm. The dealer turned to Mr. Met and said: “ante up.”

I was wrong - Omar's trip PAID dividends

2004-12-14T00:09:00.000-05:00

Never let it be said that I can't admit when I'm wrong. Maybe Thanksgiving dinner tastes better with Mango sauce. Now let's close the deal and get Pedro a nice apartment on the upper East Side.

Omar continues to adjust the pitching staff and I can't complain with a single move. I'm okay with having overpriced players that are productive. Pedro is the best pitcher on the market. The Mets stink so they have to overpay. In three years we'll only moan about the money IF the Mets aren't a contender. Mike Mussina is overpaid but Yankee fans don't hate him because he's productive (not an ace but productive). They hate Kevin Brown because he's overpaid, unproductive, and can't be moved easily. If Pedro performs as well for the Mets, as Mussina has for the Yanks, then I'll be satisfied. By 2007, the Mets will sign a new ace and Pedro can slip into the 3rd spot in the rotation.

We've still got unfinished business in Flushing. We need to add three players to be a contender (in order):
1. A relief pitcher that "owns" the 8th inning.
2. A Keith Hernandez clone --- okay okay --- how about a professional hitter that doesn't strike out alot, hits lefthanded, and plays a solid first base. Nick Johnson comes to mind.
3. A marquee player that plays any of the outfield positions.

Mets to Flex Muscles?

2004-12-13T11:36:00.000-05:00

It makes soo0000 much sense – trading Cliff Floyd for Manny Ramirez. What’s the holdup? Money? Come on guys that’s shorthand for “we still think we can land Pedro.” Pedro’s going back to Boston and its time to move on (see my last post).

There are only two position players that are available and can immediately and dramatically change the Mets lineup: Manny Ramirez or Carlos Beltran

Now, I’m all for signing Carlos Beltran (see last post again!). But if the Red Sox are willing to accept back Cliff Floyd for Manny Ramirez, then you've got to do it before Theo changes his mind.
Why?
1. A key difference between Manny and Carlos is that you know that Manny will handle the “pressure” of New York. It’s an open question if Carlos will react well to a big contract and media attention. We already know that the contract doesn’t effect Manny.
2. Mike Cameron is a better defensive center fielder than Beltran.
3. Manny takes over from Mike Piazza as the second best hitter to play for the Mets. Willie Mays gets that nod.
4. It makes it possible to drop Piazza to 6th in the line up (the team will want to break up “all the right handed hitters."
5. It kills the need to bring any of these guys in: Sexton, Alou, or Sosa to the Mets. I don’t want to see any of these guys on the team.
6. It allows the team to fill first base with a defensive oriented player: Olerud, Johnson, or Mientkiewicz.

Quote of the Day: John Harper, NY Daily News
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/story/261541p-223993c.html

The Mets do have competitive offers out there to Pedro and Carlos Delgado, but they need to do more to distinguish themselves from other clubs. In case they haven't noticed, players aren't dying to play in a bad ballpark for a bad team. They're in a position where they have to overpay if they want to make a splash.

What's love got to do with it Omar?

2004-12-11T12:08:00.000-05:00

Dear Omar –

It’s been fun to read stories about you jetting off to meet Pedro for Thanksgiving Dinner in the Caribbean. Away from your family. Exotic locations, intrigue, perhaps… dare I say sex… oops that was a different Mets GM. But now you wake up with a hangover. Were my friend’s right? Was Pedro out of my league? Did he use me to get his true love jealous?

If it’s over, so be it. You gave it a shot and it wasn’t good enough. Now that you went after the top prize and fell short, it’s a steep drop. We’ve been here before Omar, we feel your pain. PLEASE don’t explain. No rationalization. You’ve loved and lost. No comments about fighting the “good fight” or about upper limits, blah blah. You lost the prize.

So now what? Settle? No. Never!

You stuck out. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and get back in there. No more romance: fancy dinners, expensive wine, rich desserts. Your team plays in NEW YORK and that means power breakfasts. Get beyond the fear. You are now a big sugar daddy and can set them up for life: apartments, cars, … every free agents dream. They want what you have, Omar - the penthouse view. Give them Park Avenue!

Take a deep breath and make an obscene offer – something so sick that it will draw the ire of the commissioner and all your fellow GMs. This is lust not love: offer Carlos Beltran 10 years and $200 Million. Plus a giant billboard of Carlos in a Mets uniform on 8th Avenue - just like the one that Nike gave Doc Gooden. Remember?

No negotiations, no justifications, a massive offer... you are OMAR, be bold.

If you don’t make an offer like the one I just described then we probably be reading a different story about you. Ten years from now you’re working as a scout and happy to be back in the game after several years away. You finally can talk about your experiences with out the hurt. You even spent a few days in Queens visiting with family and friends. Then you tell a story about how you just signed a kid that you think could be the next Carlos Beltran. Touching.

This town is yours. It's all there for the taking.

Regards.
CJ

Open Letter to Al Leiter

2004-12-10T18:13:00.000-05:00

Dear Al:

Thank you. You gave us some great memories. I will choose to recall the first half of your stay with the Mets and allow the second half to fade away.

After listening to your interview last night on the FAN, I offer some advice: Next time you are in an important negotiation with a deadline, it’s a good idea to respond with some words. Even asking for more time is a response. Allowing your deadline to pass without a response … IS a response. I'd classify it in the same category as a Bronx cheer.

Good luck with your new team. I sincerely hope we see you on the mound at Shea for another memorable playoff game very soon.

Regards.
CJ

Poor Little Yankees Cry Foul

2004-12-02T10:45:00.000-05:00

Gasp, the Diamondbacks are trying to "hold up" the Yankees. How dare they ask the Yankees to send back talent! According to George King http://www.nypost.com/sports/yankees/32284.htm Arizona wanted Vazquez, $19.5 million, and the Yankees to acquire one of 10 major league pitchers and include them in the deal, and four or five of the Yankees' top prospects.

None of this really matters because the Yankees are the only game in town, right George?
The deal has hit a wall even though the only place Arizona can move Johnson is to the Yankees, who are willing to trade Javier Vazquez and aren't against extending Johnson's contract for 2006 at the cost of $16 million.

Hey George, are you sure the Yankees are the only team? If players on the Yankees don't interest the Diamondback, what's to stop some other deep-pocketed team with more talent to jump in?

Now that the Red Sox have finally pierced the Yankees aura of invincibility, joining the Yankees and wining a championship may not be as easy a sell. If the Red Sox lose Pedro to the Mets, wouldn't they have the finances to pull off a deal? What about the Angels? They have a few starters including Washburn of comparable value to Vasquez that make far less money.

Regardless, stories like this make us weep for the poor maligned Yankees.

Omar's First Pitch to Turn a Profit

2004-11-30T09:04:00.000-05:00

Omar has stepped up to the plate with a 3 year offer to Pedro Martinez. In his post, Shawn Powell argues that this is a big mistake and the Mets should be buying off the value rack:
http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/ny-sppow304060284nov30,0,6503160.column?coll=ny-sports-headlines

Value rack? That's what you have a minor league system to develop: young and cheap talent. Free agency should be used to land impact players. For too long the Mets misused free agency to shop at the B rack: bargains, never-beens, beyond their prime players. They used free agency to compensate for their failure to invest in a good minor league system and bought the "above-average" players they should have developed in house. Good systems identify and develop their share of Cliff Floyd's: .280 players with some power or .500 winning percentage control pitchers. There is never a good reason to sign these guys in the market.

Before we go into the specifics of Pedro as a player, lets remember something - this is NEW YORK. So what if we overpay for an aging star or two. I can overspend to see an aging star as part of a championship team, like Willie Mays in 1973. Was he the Willie of old? Hell no. I was happy to watch Willie Mays hit .250 and contribute to an NL championship team. While he isn't the same caliber of player, Yankee fans will get the same privelege watching Bernie Williams. Not the Bernie of old, vastly overpaid, but still a part of the team. Notice the Yankees haven't marketed Bernie as a key part of their team. They add a nice new player every year.

NY fans won't pay for a boring, average, non-descript product. Last time I looked there was no salary cap in baseball. I know, you don't want to waste money... blah blah blah. It's crap. Ed ( NYFS) points out that the Knicks are rebuilding in NY with young exciting players. The only thing Ed forgot to mention is that the Knicks still have the highest payroll in the league, have a star point guard, and a $100,000,000 role player. It's not rebuilding "from the value rack."

It's only a mistake if the Mets waste money on Pedro if he's the only player on the team (think Junior in Cincinnati). Small market teams need to make every move pay off. For too long, Mets fans have been conditioned to believe that there is a "fixed" pot of money to spend on players. This is a fiction.

Lets shatter this false argument for all: the Mets don't have a "small fixed budget." This is wrong on many levels.

1. The Mets are about to launch a television network and will have a major share of the profits. It's no coincidence that the Yankees and Red Sox payrolls have sky rocketed at the very time they lanched TV networks. A network means that the Mets own their programing and will generate ad fees not just from the inital baseball telecast in New York but anywhere that content is distributed. Still think MLB is a U.S. only product? It's no accident that both the Mets and Yankees signed popular Japanese players.

2. A good product will sell tickets and concessions. There is no magic cap on the amount of money the Mets can generate. Teams make more money on advanced sales (they bank your cash) and a better product allows the team to raise prices. The Mets have never been afraid to spend money, they haven't always done it well. They need a better product (e.g. better team, more interesting players). If the team wins (or interests people enough to attend games) then revenue increases. Even in the middle of a season, the Mets can spend more money if management identifies that adding talent will further drive wins and more ticket sales. This is called a "virtuous cycle" where good behavior gets more good results.

So what does this mean? First of all, you need to grow your revenues to add payroll. As a fan, we want to have a team that wins and entertains. It's the difference between the triple A, the major leagues, and "the big stage." This is the biggest basebase stage. It's big enough for two (MLB toyed with the idea of moving the Expos to NJ so they believed it might support three teams).

It means that you can outspend your mistakes provided you consistently add a few players every year that sell tickets, allow you to raise prices, ads, or TV subscriptions. Obviously a slew of bad/mediocre players with high prices and long term contracts will cause this all to collapse. The Mets made the mistake of adding too many players all at once through free agency in the early '80s vs. one or two top players a year. Then they topped it off by backing out of the market completely. The key is to attract top talent and replace one or two marquee players every year regardless of the price. Imagine if they followed up Piazza and Hamption with a consistent group of top free agents or overpaying for top talent other teams couldn't keep: Mussina, A Rod, Shilling (twice), Vlad, .... The benefit of playing in NY is that you can afford to buy free agents and you don't have to trade top minor league talent unless it's for an impact veteran.

Heading into the 90's there was little difference between the Yankees and Mets franchises. Both had strong fan bases, played in less than desirable stadiums (remember all the trash talk about Yankee stadium), and had similar income streams. Yankee ownership used their successful run to break their TV deal with MSG, began international marketing, and created tiers of special ammenities that made up for the lack of luxury boxes to generate $$$$. The Yankees will make a profit with a >$200,000,000 payroll and a hefty luxury tax.

Do the Mets need to make a profit? Yes all businesses do. But no business does this by only managing costs. For too long the Mets have watched their sales decline and they've spent money on players that can't play AND can't sell tickets. It's time for Met fans to realize that the only difference now between the two franchises is that the Mets brass missed the revenue boat.

Mike Piazza sold tickets for the Mets, extra tickets for a year or two. Pedro will sell extra tickets for a year or two. Selling more tickets means more revenue for better players. An individual player star player will give the team a revenue bump from the causual fan (e.g. your buddy the Yankee fan that comes to boo Pedro next year).

Too often I read blogs from well meaning baseball fans that fail to understand the value of these sales. Yes, from a 'pure' baseball standpoint not all moves make sense. But baseball is a business and business need to make money. Suppose Pedro gets the same number of wins as Matt Clement but the Mets sell an extra 200,000 tickets with Pedro during his first two years and sell a bunch of Martinez shirts. We can argue over the math and the break even point but don't make the mistake of believing that equal performances on the field equals financial benefits for the team.

Is adding Pedro a risk? You bet. Not all of your trades or signings will work out.

Is Pedro a second tier player? No, he's the premier pitcher on the market, he's better than any available option, is instantly recognizable, sells additional tickets, and thus puts fans in the seats. Some of those new fans become Mets fans for life.

Is Pedro the player he was three years ago? No.

Is there a chance his performance will decline? Sure, there is little chance he will be better than he was a few years ago. That's not the point. The Mets need a power pitcher to top their rotation. There is no other player that is available that will likely give the Mets the overall benefits (wins and sales) that Pedro will deliver and all it takes is money.

I think this is this a "win -win" situation as Mike Lupica describes:
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/story/257429p-220484c.html

and Murray Chass seconds: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/30/sports/baseball/30chass.html

Let's hope that the Mets get their business back on track. Spend their money on the best available free agents and play to win on and off the field. A health Mets business will have the means to put an increasingly better product on the field.

Mets Magic Formula

2004-11-29T10:42:00.000-05:00

For my inaugural blog, I offer a magic formula for Mets success: power pitching, power pitching, and did I mention power pitching. (Also required are a couple of gap hitters, good up the middle defensive and a closer).

Original? Hardly - it's simple Mets history.

The Mets have had a few championship runs and two World Series victories. These teams all featured power pitchers at the top of the rotation in a 1-2 punch. The two WS champions had magical righty/lefty strike out combination at the top: Seaver - Koosman ... (with Ryan and then later Matlack), Gooden - Fernadez (with Darling and then Cone). The last team to get to the WS had part of the formula with Leiter and Hampton (no righty power pitcher for balance).

Maybe its the slope of the mound at Shea, or the wind, the airplanes, or the backdrop. Whatever the reason, homeruns die on the warning track at Shea. All you had to do is watch a frustrated Mike Piazza (or Rey Ordonez) to realize that it takes a monster player in his prime to hit more than 35 HRs while playing for the Mets. It was Gooden's right arm, more than a Strawberry moon shots that drove the Mets in the 80's. Tom Seaver wasn't called "the franchise" by accident.

If Mets history is a guide, the current collection of Mets starters won't get it done. Where is the righty/lefty one-two punch? Is there a pitcher on the current Mets staff that could be penciled in at the top of the rotation? Maybe. But none of the current group is a clear strikeout king. That used to be a Mets stable - a pitcher in the top 5 every year of strikeouts.

So before we start the equivalant of this year's get Vlad web site for Carlos Beltran, why not refocus on what wins at Shea? Sign, trade, or steal power pitchers.

So here's a vote for signing Pedro or Pavano. It also wouldn't hurt to make a few calls to the BOB and find out if the Mets make a better trading partner than their cross town rivals. Beane calling Oakland lately?