Going the Ultra Cheap Route Badly

[rdg515]

While we understand this is a rebuilding year, unless SA's goal was to have the third pick in 2014, the guys the Mets pulled from the scrap heap....Cowgill, Byrd, Ankiel....still surprises me. I was rooting for Nate McClouth...and though he is another lefty bat the guy can be a leadoff hitter. For $2m he is batting .288 with 11 SBs and 17 walks in 32 games for Baltimore and is one reason their lineup is humming. And while Scott Hairston isn,t doing much in Chicago he should have been re-signed. Want a good two year deal on a former All Star starting pitcher? No talk about Oswalt of course...he just signed. Pittsburgh created an innovative deal to lure Francisco Liriano....$1m guaranteed but based upon games started...meaning healthy and effective...a contract worth $14m if he returns to form. With Johan on the team I wanted the Mets to get him here. Low risk high reward contract....what a concept! Liriano had a strong debut for PIT vs the Mets...another smart feel good story for lowly Pittsburgh. Except for Harvey, Wright and Rice we have had little to feel good about. Wait for Wheeler, TDA, Flores and Montero to debut and wait til next year.

[Dugmet]

While we understand this is a rebuilding year, unless SA's goal was to have the third pick in 2014, the guys the Mets pulled from the scrap heap....Cowgill, Byrd, Ankiel....still surprises me. I was rooting for Nate McClouth...and though he is another lefty bat the guy can be a leadoff hitter. For $2m he is batting .288 with 11 SBs and 17 walks in 32 games for Baltimore and is one reason their lineup is humming. And while Scott Hairston isn,t doing much in Chicago he should have been re-signed. Want a good deal on a former All Star starting pitcher? No talk about Oswalt of course...he just signed. Pittsburgh created an innovative two year to lure Francisco Liriano....$1m guaranteed but based upon games started...meaning healthy and effective...a contract worth $14m if he returns to form. With Johan on the team I wanted the Mets to get him here. Low risk high reward contract....what a concept! Liriano had a strong debut for PIT vs the Mets...another smart feel good story for lowly Pittsburgh. Except for Harvey, Wright and Rice we have had little to feel good about. Wait for Wheeler, TDA, Flores and Montero to debut and wait til next year.

Oswalt isn't an All-Star pitcher. If Hairston isn't doing anything (.125 AVG), then how do you justify saying he should have been resigned? The Mets came off a season where they cut a minor league team to save $1.5 million. They were that much in debt. As of this spring cash flow is apparently at a level that can support this team appropriately.

I'm not too worried because I think Alderson will sign at least one quality OF free agent, and trade for a second this winter. Sweep 2014 under the rug. Let's just get through it.

[fanofclendennon]

There's a scene at the end of the movie It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World where all the characters who embarked on a high speed car chase in search of $350,000 ended up in the hospital's intensive care unit due to and endless series of injuries like broken bones, concussions, etc.

They're all quietly bemoaning their fates and the fact that their dream of wealth is over and finished when one of them starts imagining how much each could have ended up with if only they were able to find and keep the money.


The rest of them quickly shush him up, frustrating by their fates and the hopelessness of it all.

That's kind of what I feel like reading this post.

It's pointless.

[acerimusdux]

Not signing Hairston was one of Sandy's better moves this offseason.

That said, Sandy hasn't done much to impress, overall.

But, it's only his third season, give him a chance!

Besides, he's really focused on improving the drafting, which is now nearly as good as it was when Omar was here.

[GottaBelieve]

Not signing Hairston was one of Sandy's better moves this offseason.

That said, Sandy hasn't done much to impress, overall.

But, it's only his third season, give him a chance!

Besides, he's really focused on improving the drafting, which is now nearly as good as it was when Omar was here.

Quoted for truth.

Dose of reality for anyone who keeps Alderson on a pedestal, immune from any criticism whatsoever by replying to that criticism with "But, but.. Omar is to blame!"

The media world is all buzz about the clock now on Terry Collins because of his losing record and stupid remarks directed at the fanbase. Not that I care much what happens to Terry Collins, but at what point does the front office and GM get asked about their own accountability for assembling one atrocious roster after another?

[fanofclendennon]

Quoted for truth.

Dose of reality for anyone who keeps Alderson on a pedestal, immune from any criticism whatsoever by replying to that criticism with "But, but.. Omar is to blame!"

The media world is all buzz about the clock now on Terry Collins because of his losing record and stupid remarks directed at the fanbase. Not that I care much what happens to Terry Collins, but at what point does the front office and GM get asked about their own accountability for assembling one atrocious roster after another?

That's what pissed me off about the Francessa's interview with Sandy the other day. Sandy went on about how this player has underperformed and how that player has been disappointing. And at no point in the interview, at least not that I heard, did Mike say, "Hey Sandy, did it ever occur to you that you were bringing in garbage players?"

This isn't Terry's fault. It isn't the players' fault since they are who they are. This mess is all Sandy's. For what it's worth, he should have just told MLB that the Mets were taking the season off, forfeiting all games, but that he hopes to be back in 2014.

After all, if you're not gonna put a real team on the field, why bother?

[Claymation]

Quoted for truth.

Dose of reality for anyone who keeps Alderson on a pedestal, immune from any criticism whatsoever by replying to that criticism with "But, but.. Omar is to blame!"

The media world is all buzz about the clock now on Terry Collins because of his losing record and stupid remarks directed at the fanbase. Not that I care much what happens to Terry Collins, but at what point does the front office and GM get asked about their own accountability for assembling one atrocious roster after another?

That's a good question.

[GottaBelieve]

I hated the wait and see approach while all the payroll had to be cut, but I understood what was happening and as a fan just wanted to see things fixed. But I have hoped that this very well paid front office would be able to still put together a solid roster year in and year out.

I have not expected pennant winners, but I have expected complete major league rosters with a team that competes night in and night out. A team that was worth watching and rooting for, even if we all knew we were just biding time for some of the younger talent to come up.

All we have gotten is woefully incomplete rosters and teams that just roll over and die.

That goes beyond payroll. That goes to the heart of organizational culture. And as long as the Wilpons want to keep themselves teflon, the buck stops with the GM and front office for these failures.

[YoungStuna28]

Not signing Hairston was one of Sandy's better moves this offseason.

That said, Sandy hasn't done much to impress, overall.

But, it's only his third season, give him a chance!

Besides, he's really focused on improving the drafting, which is now nearly as good as it was when Omar was here.

The drafting still has a lot of room for inprovement. I want to see them draft big tools.

[rdg515]

I would not have gone into this season without a leadoff hitter like McClouth. Once is was determined that Bourn would cost a draft pick they didn't want to lose to ATL they should have had a plan B using a major leaguer. Any team with Hefner and McHugh and a collection of AAAA players isn't worth watching. Marcum was a reasonable risk but why not Liriano? Is PIT's GM better than ours? And why is Davis batted like he's already in mid stride---tell Hudgens he need to stand up straight! Everyone can see that newfangled stance isn't working. Do we have to be 35-52 when he fixes it? As for the starters...if they are healthy and getting bombed in the fourth I say leave them in and let them get pounded but throw at least six innings. Sacrifice that game but save the bullpen for when it matters. Let the pitcher work out his problems on the mound during garbage time. Four innings just aint cutting it. And when Wheeler is promoted in June and Montero in July I may tune into a game not started by Harvey. My new routine is watch the first inning to see if the starter has anything...check in the sixth to see if the game is close and if it is stay and watch. If they are down by more than three runs then go watch something on the DVR. August in May. Wait til next year. Will SA spend the $50M in savings? The only mystery left.

[MLB2K10King]

I would not have gone into this season without a leadoff hitter like McClouth. Once is was determined that Bourn would cost a draft pick they didn't want to lose to ATL they should have had a plan B using a major leaguer. Any team with Hefner and McHugh and a collection of AAAA players isn't worth watching. Marcum was a reasonable risk but why not Liriano? Is PIT's GM better than ours? And why is Davis batted like he's already in mid stride---tell Hudgens he need to stand up straight! Everyone can see that newfangled stance isn't working. Do we have to be 35-52 when he fixes it? As for the starters...if they are healthy and getting bombed in the fourth I say leave them in and let them get pounded but throw at least six innings. Sacrifice that game but save the bullpen for when it matters. Let the pitcher work out his problems on the mound during garbage time. Four innings just aint cutting it. And when Wheeler is promoted in June and Montero in July I may tune into a game not started by Harvey. My new routine is watch the first inning to see if the starter has anything...check in the sixth to see if the game is close and if it is stay and watch. If they are down by more than three runs then go watch something on the DVR. August in May. Wait til next year. Will SA spend the $50M in savings? The only mystery left.

I do the same thing.

[Coupon]

The drafting still has a lot of room for inprovement. I want to see them draft big tools.

Alderson himself is a big tool. His bosses are even bigger tools.

[acerimusdux]

The drafting still has a lot of room for inprovement. I want to see them draft big tools.

Agree. I'd like a HS guy like Travis Demerritte at pick #48, and maybe guys like AJ Vanegas and Jacoby Jones at picks #76 and #84. In round 1, Renfroe looks good if he's there, but otherwise I wouldn't mind them going for a guy like Austin Wilson, or going for a high ceiling toolsy HS guy like Reese Mcguire or Phil Bickford.

[MetsFlunky]

Much is Wilpon's fault on this, regardless of what we think Sandy was more than happy to play money ball with real money, but that real money is a facade.

How about let one lineup play for two weeks straight. Should have left Buck in the order where he was comfortable where he was accustomed at the back end, left Duda where he was, he is horrid with RISP. Does much better with noone on. Tejada does a better fit at 8th, stop the freaking carousel of OFs.

Also, not sure who is responsible the Wilpon's or Sandy Alderson (I think Wilpon's) D'arnaud and Wheeler should have started with the club especially after Johan ruled out and then Marcum. Let's save some money by not allowing super 2 status, that alone reeks cutting costs and not rebuild...

I feel bad for David Wirght, he bought into Sandy's plan that would never come to fruition due to Wilpon's giving false hopes of spending, without the actual spending. Sandy is a professional and it wouldn't surprise me if there was a book after this stint with us. I think he is doing great with the minors and I also don't think he will renew his contract with the Mets upon completion. He may not write a book due to his professionalism, but I would love to read it, if he did. I hope he does, really do and I would love to see the inside story to his challenges.

[MetsFlunky]

Look at our minors real quick AAA and AA are still after products of Omar and it doesn't look good, what does look good in these organizations is what Sandy brought in.

Look at A ball both High and low, we are going to have some really nice pitchers and there is potential with the bats, none really stand out as can't miss, but Plawecki, Nimmo and a few others don't look that bad with more upside to them. But, the records of both A teams is much better then our upper echelons, which will soon be rectified.

Can't spend what you don't have to spend, until you didn't spend, then all of the sudden it is available to spend? That makes sense to me and I do believe the Wilpon's are the biggest tools, but with the draft I hope Alderson goes for some bigger hitters, whether high risk or not.