What A Mets

Citifield was supposed to symbolize a bright new era in New York Mets history, but the future is as murky and dreary as the 2009 baseball season. Promise interrupted by bad luck.

Last Saturday, David Wright was struck in the head by a 94 MPH fastball delivered by San Francisco Giant pitcher Matt Cain. Wright landed on the 15-day disabled list. He was diagnosed with a concussion.

Wright joins a lengthy list of Met players on the disabled list, but he was the last of the four core players to succumb to injury – joining shortstop Jose Reyes, centerfielder Carlos Beltran, and first baseman Carlos Delgado.

Injuries are a part of the game is a cliché often recited, but a baseball team cannot overcome the loss of their leadoff, third, fourth and fifth place hitters.

The Mets lacked the depth to overcome these injuries because of a weak farm system, and the general baseball trend of stacking the roster with 13 pitchers at the expense of quality backup position players.

The latest injury insured the New York Mets will not play meaningful games in September. Their window to win a championship with these core players has officially closed.

Sadly, the Mets appear to have peaked in 2006 when they won 97 games, lost 65, and lost game 7 of the National League championship series (NLCS) to the St Louis Cardinals.

The Mets decent started in 2007 when they blew a seven game lead with 17 games left to play, allowing the Philadelphia Phillies to win the division.

Willie Randolph was the manager in 2007. He was fired in mid season in 2008 because the Mets were not performing to expectations.

In 2008, the Mets had a 3.5 game lead over the Phillies, but the Mets lost 10 out of the last 17 games they played – including the last game of the season, the last game ever played at Shea Stadium.

Ownership will have to decide if General Manager Omar Minaya will be entrusted with rebuilding the franchise. Mr. Minaya was given a three-year contract extension worth $1.1 per year at the end of the 2008 season. The contract expires in 2012.

I will not rehash points made in an earlier essay (Class Dismissed) blaming Mr. Minaya for the state of the Mets team. Most of his personnel decisions, free agent signings, trades and players drafted were failures. He put this team together, and he should be held responsible for the Mets failure to reach the post season.

Sources in the Mets organization indicate assistant General Manager John Ricco will replace Mr. Minaya after the season.[i]

The next general manager will have the opportunity of rebuilding a franchise that is in trouble.

The Mets are in transition. Fortunately, the Mets have $41.35 million in expiring contracts. Theoretically, they should be able to restock the team with quality players.

The contracts for first baseman Carlos Delgado, catcher Brian Schneider, shortstop Alex Cora, utility man Fernando Tatis, leftfielder Gary Sheffield, and relief pitchers J.J. Putz and Billy Wagner will expire at the end of the 2009 season.

But the Mets are operating in an national economy in the midst of a recession. Furthermore, the owners lost millions of dollars in the Bernie Madoff ponzi scam. The Wilpons have not disclosed how much money they lost. The Mets may not have enough money to restock the franchise.

The Mets will need a catcher next season. Omir Santos is a career minor leaguer who is having a decent year, but he is strictly a backup catcher. The Mets will have to obtain or sign a full time catcher.

Ivan Rodriguez (38) should be considered. He will be a free agent after the 2009 season He is still a productive offensive player, and would be a defensive improvement over Schneider.

Josh Bard (32), Jason Kendall (36) and Bengie Molina (35) are three other aging free agents catchers the Mets can consider signing, but eventually the Mets will have to develop their own catchers.

First baseman Carlos Delgado is the power threat in the Mets lineup. He is 37 years old and is recovering from hip surgery earlier this year. The Mets should not resign Carlos Delgado. Finding a comparable player in the free agent market will be difficult.

First basemen Russell Branyan (34), Nick Johnson (31) and Adam LaRoche (30) will be free agents after the 2009 season. Branyan is a home run threat, but he strikes out often. Johnson is a solid fielder with a high on base percentage, but Johnson is injury prone. The Atlanta Braves obtained LaRoche in a trade in July. The Braves may decide to keep LaRoche.

Daniel Murphy is currently playing first base. He could audition for the full time role next year, but the Mets should buy him a first baseman’s glove. It might help his fielding.

The Mets cannot upgrade the second base position because Luis Castillo signed a four-year $25 million contract in 2007. To trade Castillo, the Mets will need to find a team that needs a second baseman, and can afford Castillo’s salary.

The Mets are set at third base with David Wright. He is the cornerstone of the franchise. Hopefully, he will make a full recovery from his injury, but Wright has hit fewer home runs in 2009. Citifield’s spacious dimensions have impacted Wright’s power.

Once upon a time, Reyes was argued to be a better baseball player than the Yankees Derek Jeter – mostly by deluded Mets fans. He was more dynamic, and appeared to have unlimited potential. The Mets will have to decide if Jose Reyes is worth the aggravation.

The leg injuries that plagued him earlier in his career have resurfaced. He has played in only 36 games in 2009.

Reyes often sulked during Willie Randolph’s tenure as manager. He disappeared in September 2007 and September 2008. His exuberance often angers opposing teams.

Florida shortstop Hanely Ramirez is debatably having the career Jose Reyes should be having.

The Mets can obtain multiple prospects for Reyes, but they would need two players to replace Reyes – a shortstop and a leadoff hitter. It will be difficult finding one player who can fulfill both roles.

Alex Cora and Fernando Tatis are utility players. Tatis could be resigned, but he is strictly a backup. The Mets should not count on Tatis duplicating his 2008 statistics. The Mets have enough middle infielders in the minor leagues to replace Alex Cora.

The Mets do not have a left fielder. Last year, they were counting on 41-year-old Moises Alou to bat fifth in the lineup, and provide protection for Carlos Delgado. He appeared in only 15 games.

Daniel Murphy was selected to play left field, but the career infielder proved to be inept in the outfield.

Gary Sheffield is the current left fielder. He is 41 years old, and is injury prone. Ideally, he is a designated hitter. Recently, Sheffield asked for a contract extension, but was informed by Mets management that he was not in their plans for the future, thus angering Sheffield for the twentieth time in his career.

Leftfielders Jason Bay (31), Matt Holliday (30) and Manny Ramirez (38) will be free agents.

Matt Holliday is a Scott Boras client. Boras has the tendency to use large market teams as leverage to meet the salary demands of his clients. The Mets probably will avoid a bidding war.

The Boston Red Sox will probably resign Jason Bay. The Red Sox are happy with his production, and have the resources to resign Bay.

Manny Ramirez is also represented by Scott Boras. Ramirez opted out of a multi million-dollar contract hoping to score a four-year contract at $25 million per year. He is another baseball player the Mets cannot afford.

Carl Crawford (28) could become a free agent if Tampa Bay decides they cannot afford him. Crawford would be the prize of the free agent market. If he becomes a free agent, then the Mets should make every effort to sign him. He would strengthen the Mets offensively and defensively. He can hit first or second. He is an all-star player who he can hit for average, steal bases, and score runs.

Imagine Crawford hitting after Reyes and before Beltran with Wright hitting fourth. This team will not have a problem scoring runs.

Fernando Martinez is one of the few prized jewels in the Mets farm system, but he appeared overmatched this season. He played in 29 games before getting hurt. His batting average was .176. He is 21 years old. He may need at least one more full season in the minors.

Centerfielder Carlos Beltran will be entering the sixth year of the seven-year contract he signed in 2005. He will be 33 years old next season. He will be a free agent after the 2011 season. Scott Boras is Beltran’s agent, therefore it is unlikely Beltran will sign an contract extension with the Mets. Beltran will reenter the free agent market after his contract expires.

If the Mets are willing to make the financial commitment to sign free agents in the off-season, then the Mets should keep Beltran.

But if the Mets do not have the financial resources to restock the franchise, then the Mets should consider trading Beltran for prospects. However, Beltran’s contract will limit the number of teams that could afford his salary.

Jeff Francoeur was obtained in a trade with the Atlanta Braves for Ryan Church. Barring another trade, Francoeur will be the Mets starting right fielder in 2010.

The Mets strength will be the starting pitchers. The dimensions of Citifield appear to favor the pitchers. They have some depth with Johan Santana, John Maine, Mike Pelfry, rookie Jonathon Niese, Fernando Nieve, Oliver Perez.

Perez could be a commodity on the trade market, but he is erratic and inconsistent. His trade value is low.

If Maine, Niese and Nieve recover from their injuries, then the Mets could have a solid starting rotation.

The Mets are set at the closer position with Francisco Rodriguez. Most of the other relief pitchers are under contract for 2010.

The Mets have positions to fill, but have a barren farm system incapable of restocking the franchise. The Mets are a large market team, but may not have the financial resources to sign free agents.

The Mets cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of the recent past, poor choices in the draft, signing aging free agents, and depending on players with histories of injuries.

Because it will be a shame to waste such a beautiful new ballpark on an aging, tired and unsuccessful baseball team.


[i] Adam Rubin, “Mets Have A Plan Post-Omar,” New York Daily News, August 11, 2009.