Mets wrap-up

[yendi]

So, the season's finally over for my boys. My thoughts:

The good:

Let's start with the obvious one: David Wright. After this year, there's little doubt about why no one was ever willing to trade him. Hits for average and power, and he's got speed for a third-baseman. He's shown some defensive spark (including the barehanded catch), and all signs point to him just getting better.

You've also got to like the season Cliff Floyd put together, with the numbers he'd always been expected to post finally appearing.

I loved the defensive play of the outfield. Everyone knew about Cameron, but Floyd led the majors in outfield assists, and Beltran nailed quite a few runners himself. This outfield probably won two or three games on defense alone.

The aggressiveness on the basepaths, as well, was wonderful to watch. Obviously, it was most notable in Reyes, but the entire team was running, which is why six players were in double-figures, and the team not only led the NL, but did so with 37 more steals than the next-best team. This one can pretty solidly rest at the feet of Willy Randolph.

Finally, Pedro and Glavine were both damned fine this year (and both closed out the year well), and Heilman showed some nice potential out of the pen. Seo was a nice surprise, as well.

The Bad:

Well, there was the first half of September, to start with. :-)

Then, there was the handling of the pitching. Randolph needs a lot of work there. A lot. Koo stays in the majors while Seo gets sent down? What the fuck? And Rick "Yes, trade Kazmir for Zambrano, so I can fix Zambrano" Peterson clearly isn't the savior everyone thought.

Reyes needs some serious plate discipline, or a much higher batting average.

We need someone at first base. If Mike Jacobs works out, that's great. But we need regular pop there, and good defense.

We need someone solid at second. I'm not impressed with Hernandez so far, nor with Cairo.

I think Trachsel has finally worn out as a starter, and we need someone better than Zambrano, or at least more consistent.

Mike Piazza was wonderful for so long, but it's time for a new catcher. Please. And not Ivan Rodriguez.

And, at risk of saying the obvious, Carlos Beltran was probably one of the weaker free-agent signings around. He needs to bounce back.

So, yeah. Time for the playoffs. Once again, Met-free, but we're closer than we've been in years.

Comments

[blergeatkitty.livejournal.com]

Ah, I loves me some Jae Seo. We'd better see more of him next season.

Also, next year I'd like to see them maybe think about playing awesomely BEFORE it stops counting.

(Well, that's if Kip and I are still together next year. If we break up, I reserve the right to change allegiances again.)

[yendi]

(Well, that's if Kip and I are still together next year. If we break up, I reserve the right to change allegiances again.)

Ah, the baggage that comes with relationships. :-)

[sainthuck.livejournal.com]

(Warning, you have triggered my baseball-slappy function.)

Take a wait and see attitude on Beltran. Yeah, he's being paid a king's ransom, but he'll work out in the long run, I'm almost sure of it. His batting line was craptacular this season, but there's much reason to think he'll rebound next year.

If Reyes could ever post even a .330 OBP, you'd have something there.

Wright is a freaking monster. Best young player I've seen since Albert Pujols. I'd kill for him to be manning third base in Comerica Park.

What, you don't want a sulking, never-takes-a-walk, $10 million/year catcher? Come on! We'll just ask for, yanno, David Wright and some extra bats in return. Nice and cheap!

And you guys being the Mets, you'll find a first baseman in next year's FA/trade market. The question will be, how much will you have to overpay? Maybe you can throw a few prospects at the Phillies in exchange for what's left of Jim Thome? I'm still surprised the Mets didn't snag Delgado last year - that would have been the icing on the Pedro/Beltran cake.

Could be worse. You could be a Tiger fan.

[yendi]

Oh, I'm willing to give Beltran a chance. Glavine wasn't a great signing at first (although there were enough leadership benefits with him to make it less of a problem), and he persevered and turned out well. As did Trachsel. Beltran has still shown serious spark, and he seems genuinely dedicated to his game.

See, getting Thome is what worries me. Tons of money and prospects (what few we have left) for not much in return. At least we didn't over pay for Minky. I'd rather get someone with solid, Olerud-level stats there, if we can, and pay the big bucks elsewhere.

Tiger fans are the truly proud. Sort of like Braves fans in the '80s.

[sainthuck.livejournal.com]

Tiger fans are the truly proud. Sort of like Braves fans in the '80s.

Or Indian fans of the same period. Don't care - if we ever get a run of success like either of those franchises, I will be one happy fan. At least we fired our manager today, which was the least surprising news of the day.

Thing about the Mets (and Yanks, Sox, Dodgers, and a couple others), is that you could afford to take on a Thome, just for the gamble that he's got something left to make a run at the Series. If you had to eat the salary, no biggie - tons of income means margin for error.

Plus, Piazza's salary is gone, right? Isn't that something ridiculous, like in the neighborhood of $15 million?

[yendi]

True, but aside from the fact that the Mets probably want to spend less next year, they've got enough holes to fill (catcher, 2B, pitching, possibly an outfielder) that they probably would be better off getting Mike Jacobs some off-season 1b training.

There's also a rumor that the Mets will trade for Manny Ramirez, which would wipe out anything gained from Piazza's salary dump.

[alladinsane.livejournal.com]

I still marvel how Bobby Cox managed another division title with all the kiddies...we'll see next season if my leaving GA kills the streak(streak started in 1991, the year I first arrived in GA)...

[yendi]

*nod* I may not personally like Cox, but I have to respect his managerial skills.

[stevietee.livejournal.com]

Piazza was never a really strong catcher to begin with, so now that he's getting older and his knees are going, he def. needs to get shifted to first base (though it doesn't sound likely he'll be with the Mets next year).

No love for Pudge?

[yendi]

Mike's pretty much destined for the AL and the DH. Although I think he was underrated as a catcher -- his arm sucked (which is what everone focused on), but he called a greate game.

Pudge, aside from having peaked already, is also a major clubhouse distraction. A catcher should either be a leader (a la Piazza), or a young guy with talent (a la Piazza, back when he was young).

[texmorgan.livejournal.com]

At first, I was really pissed off that Beltran got traded to the Mets, but then I saw the kind of season he was having and am feeling much much better as a Houston fan. Then again he could just be pulling an A-Rod(blowing chunks his first season then returning to normal later). Seo is a great pitcher and I have no idea what management is doing to him. Oh and remember you could always be a Tigers or Royals fan and things could be a lot worse.