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2012 MLB Team Preview: New York Mets

Posted by on 3 April 2012, 2:34 am

New York Mets logo.

Since their infamous 2007 collapse, the New York Mets just can’t seem to get a break.

Last season the Mets finished fourth in the NL East winning with a 77-85 record, which is not so bad considering the team was riddled with injuries.

The Mets and their fans have to believe that things will get better as I don’t know what else could go wrong.

So, can Mets fans start believing again or will 2012 prove to be another bust in Queens?

Let’s take a look….

THE POSITIVES:

Skipper Terry Collins could not be more perfect a leader for the Mets. Collins truly believes in the team and he manages with passion. The players respect and want to win for Collins because of the energy he brings day in and day out. As Collins heads into his second season in New York, the Mets will once again look for him to be their guide and he wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. As ex-Met Carlos Beltran once said, “He is a good man.”  And the Mets could not be luckier for it.

Welcome back Johan Santana! The Mets finally have their ace back and the even better news is that Santana has looked good in Spring Training. The last time Mets fans saw the two-time CY Young winner was September 2, 2010 so it will be a treat to have him take the mound at Citi-Field on Opening Day vs. the Braves. If Santana stays healthy and is pitching like he is capable, the Mets have a certified star at the top of their rotation again and he will win games.

Also take note that first baseman Ike Davis is back too after missing almost all of 2011; and this kid can rake. Baring that his ankle holds up and his Valley Fever doesn’t become an issue look for a big year from a seriously talented Davis.

THE NEGATIVES: Continue reading ‘2012 MLB Team Preview: New York Mets’ »

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A New York Yankees Fan Take On Mets Losing Reyes To Marlins

Posted by on 5 December 2011, 2:07 am

The New York Mets ownership could take a lesson from the their neighbors in the Bronx.

New York Mets SS - José Reyes

Ex-Met Jose Reyes....Image via Wikipedia

A team doesn’t let their best player go without a fight, but when your owner is broke and too selfish to sell a team he can’t afford, guess who is going to suffer?

The team, and that is exactly what happened to the Mets when the news broke via FOX’s Ken Rosenthal tweet that shortstop Jose Reyes signed a 6-year, $106 million contract with the Miami Marlins, pending a physical.

Mets fans will be livid with this news and knowing that no offer was even on the table to Reyes in the first place, but what could they really expect.

See, when current Mets GM Sandy Alderson took the job last off-season, owner Fred Wilpon was still an upstanding citizen with a lot of money.

Now Wilpon is broke, with a pending lawsuit against him for being involved in his childhood buddy Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme.

In essence, leaving the Mets and Alderson hogged tied with zero money to spend; but according to a recent article I read on Mets Merized Online this was not a surprise for Alderson, as he knew this coming into the job.

Still, regardless of the Mets financial history, it doesn’t change that their best player has gone to a division rival; along with the promises Wilpon made to give Mets fans a winning team, which is clear by the payroll being lowered to under $100 million.

To a fan this just seems like more lies out of a selfish man’s mouth. Continue reading ‘A New York Yankees Fan Take On Mets Losing Reyes To Marlins’ »

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Red Sox Hire Bobby Valentine

Posted by on 30 November 2011, 9:52 am
Red Sox Nation

Image by acme401 via Flickr

If you had not heard yet, ex-New York Mets skipper, turned ESPN analyst Booby Valentine has been named the new GM of the Boston Red Sox.

Valentine will have his hands full in Beantown, as he will have to crackdown on the Red Sox players who preferred hosting keg parties and eating fired chicken to cheering on their teammates.

Valentine knows that Boston fans are still stewing, and rightly so considering the level of betrayal they felt by their beloved Red Sox.

Luckily for Valentine, ringleader and pitcher John Lackey is already out for the entire 2012 season. Lackey was deemed injured about a week after the September collapse. The Red Sox declared that Lackey needed Tommy John surgery, which approximately has a 12-15 month recovery. Continue reading ‘Red Sox Hire Bobby Valentine’ »

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MLB Trade Rumors: Red Sox + Mets = Screw Yankees

Posted by on 18 July 2011, 5:31 pm
New York Mets SS - José Reyes

Image via Wikipedia

The Boston Globe recently featured a story by Nick Cafardo that suggested the Red Sox should have interest in New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes; as acquiring Reyes talents would put Boston over the top.

Fact is no matter the team, if any, were lucky enough to trade for Reyes, they would without question get better. On a team as skilled as the Red Sox his addition would be lethal.

No doubt the Red Sox’s weakest link is Marcus Scutaro at shortstop. Still, one would think that Boston’s off-season acquisitions of Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez would suffice when added to a line-up that already has Dustin Pedroia, Big Papi, Kevin Youkilis and Jacoby Ellsburyto breed enough confidence but I guess Mr. Cafardo doesn’t agree.

The Mets price mid-season for Reyes would and should be huge. So, is it worth it for Boston to cripple their already depleted farm system and possibly plus another significant player?

My guess, if anything the package that could entice the Mets would have to include the likes of a Papelbon and a truckload of prospects. Boston skipper Terry Francona can rotate around Daniel Bard, Dan Wheeler and Alfredo Aceves in the closing role.

Who knows if Paps’ contract has a no-trade because you can bet he will pass on going to queens and wait to hit the free agent market at the end of 2011 instead. He is not the same closer he once was that is for sure.

That is just my thoughts on the situation, but according to Cafardo the Red Sox need for a better shortstop is grave.

Any team with a player as talented as Jose Reyes is getting more than just a good shortstop, as he is a five tool player.

The Globes Cafardo’s idea of the Red Sox obtaining Reyes would defiantly stick it to the Yankees.

Hopefully this was like the idea I had last week, when the Yankees were trading with the Phillies for Roy Halladay. Kidding…..

 

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MLB Trade Rumors: K-Rod Heading To Milwaukee Not The Bronx

Posted by on 13 July 2011, 12:34 am
A picture of Francisco Rodriguez I took Openin...

Image via Wikipedia

Sports Illustrated just confirmed via tweet from writer Jon Heyman, that New York Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez, also known as K-Rod, is starting the second-half in Milwaukee, as a Brewer.

K-rod got traded to the Brewers about five minutes after Brewers Prince Fielder hoisted the All-Star Game’s MVP Award, as the NL beat the AL 5-1 and for the second year in a row.

So, what did the Mets get in return?

Two players to be named later, as they had to send cash to the Brewers to help eat some of K-rod’s remaining

The Mets did not want to be stuck with the $17.5 million option on K-rod’s contract for 2012 if he clocks 55 saves, a road that K-rod was heading down.

How the Mets players will feel about what message this sends with half the season left is how skipper Terry Collins and GM Sandy Alderson handle it in the next few days. What it tells me is that the Mets are vending but are not sellers, so don’t go thinking Jose Reyes or Carlos Beltron are next.

It gives the Mets needed financial flexibility, so cheers to GM Alderson for continuing his cleanup in Queens.

What are the Brewers getting?

A 29-year-old closer who is posting a 3.16 ERA with 23 saves, in just over 41 innings in total.

At one point K-rod had 19 saves in a row, but how the Brew-Crew will use K-rod remains a mystery as John Axford is already well cemented as Milwaukee’s fulltime closer.

Well, guess that means K-rod is not going to be a Yankee, even with his new agent being Scott Boras jamming him down their throats.

Let’s see how well K-rod can handle being a set-up man, as if he does the Brewers will be a tough team down the stretch.

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MLB Trade Rumors: K-Rod Moving From Queens To The Bronx

Posted by on 5 July 2011, 2:08 pm

The New York Yankees have been spoiled.

Not because of their paychecks or where they play, but for having the ninth inning locked up for 17 straight seasons.

Mariano Rivera is without question the greatest closer in the history of baseball. Named to his 12th All-Star earlier this week, the 41 year-old is hasn’t missed a beat.

It was brought to our attention on Monday night, following the Yankees 6-3 loss to the Cleveland Indians, that Mo was not available for the game.

This was confirmed, but played down by Yankees skipper Joe Girardi in his post-game press conference that Mo had soreness in his right triceps.

Not knowing the true severity of this injury, it certainly makes you think whether the Yankees need to go get some insurance. Most of the bullpen is on the DL (Joba, Feliciano, Soriano), and even though David Robinson has flourished in the 8th inning role, I would hate to rush him into filling Rivera’s shoes if he was unavailable.

Looking around at the trade market, one name from the other New York team, the Mets have a pitcher named Francisco Rodriguez (aka K-rod) who the Yankees are supposedly eying.

Does trading for K-rod make sense for the Yankees?

Here are my first three thoughts on this whole scenario:

  1. Rafael Soriano was supposed to fill that eighth inning role and that certainly hasn’t worked out. Soriano has been sitting on the DL for almost two months, but even when the 2010 AL Saves leader was active things were very up and down. He posted a 5.04 ERA, with 10 strikeouts in 15 innings pitched. Soriano’s attitude has seemed to be even more of a problem, as he is very feisty, not a great clubhouse guy and has already made two apologies since wearing the pinstripes for remarks he made to the press. K-rod has a temper. In case you forgot and need a refresher, read Dan Martin of the New York Daily News article about the 2010 assault on his baby-mama’s dad, at Citifield following a loss. Regardless how K-rod is preforming, attitude is everything and his antics have to be considered after not listening to the warning given from the Tampa Bay Rays regarding Soriano clearly laid out in NYDN Bill Madden’s article.
  2. If the Yankees were ever to have to go without Mo for a period of time, the team would be in trouble and K-rod can clearly fill the role if needed. The 29-year-old already has 21 saves this season, pitching 40+ innings, with 44 strikeouts and a 3.32 ERA. K-rod is happy to pitch more than one inning when asked, which is more than can said for Soriano. K-rod also spent seven years with the Los Angeles Angels, so he has plenty of experience with AL teams. Continue reading ‘MLB Trade Rumors: K-Rod Moving From Queens To The Bronx’ »

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MLB Trade Rumors: How The Yankees Bullpen Could Actually Get Better

Posted by on 11 June 2011, 2:27 am

New York Yankee trade rumors speculating whom GM Brian Cashman should go after to fix the team’s decrepit bullpen are keeping the sports media busy.

The suggestions that make sense to me are going with what has worked in the past; and the three foremost things that popped into my head were:

  1. Call Chicago Cubs GM Jim Hendry ASAP; first Hendry has to give a nod that the Cubs want to make a trade with the Yankees. If it is a go, start begging Kerry Wood to wave his no-trade clause and come back to the Bronx. Wood, better known as one-half of the infamous CHICAGO HEAT, was traded last season to Yankees, where he flourished as the bridge to Mariano Rivera. I thought the Yankees would keep Wood in 2011 season, but he was another causality overlooked during all the Cliff Lee drama. Still, if Cashman can somehow obtain Wood again things would straighten out really fast. In his short Yankee career, Wood went 2-0 posting a 0.69 ERA, allowing just one home-run, two earned runs, while striking out 31, in 26 innings pitched…translation go get him Cash!
  2. John Harper of the New York Daily News makes a valid argument that the Mets should trade closer K-Rod to the Yankees. The Mets need to dump the big contracts to free up some money and the Yankees need bullpen help, which they will trade and pay for. Could this possible deal work? Certainly, but the extenuating circumstances might prevent it, like the Mets fans. Mets fans have been dragged through the mud, so helping the Yankees would seem a tad ludicrous. Last time the New York teams made a deal was on December 3, 2004, it was one has-been given, and a never-was obtained, so not harm no foul. Getting Francisco Rodriguez off the Mets payroll takes $18.5 million for 2012 and K-Rod makes any bullpen lights-out.
  3. Dellin Betances, Manny Banuelos and Andrew Brackman known, as the Killer B’s are the Yankee top three pitching prospects that Yankee fans might never see. The talk about the three has been endless; especially Banuelos who fans got a taste of in Spring Training and displays the stuff of an ace at just 19-years old. The babying of these guys is getting ridiculous. Cashman needs to look at how Hughes and Chamberlain were handled and where they are now. Enough with the “RULES” just let the guys pitch and learn. I know this is a pipedream but Cashman might be left with no other choice. Joel Sherman of the New York Post agrees that it is time to give the youngsters a chance.

Cashman, unlike the majority of GM’s in baseball has endless resources at his disposal, which certainly allows him more breathing room to get the right fit. I have faith this will get fixed and probably with back-ups just in case.

The Yankees beat the Cleveland Indians on Friday night wit a final score of 11-7, so maybe this whole not beating the Red Sox thing is mental and more like 2009 than I initially thought.

Regardless, I have not thrown this team under a bus just yet. There is more then half-a-season left to play and so much is going to happen all around baseball.

Believe me, throwing in the towel on the Bombers in the past has never done anything but make the Yankees hungrier to win it all.

Cashman has my utter support and confidence that he will plug these holes and the Yankees will be playing in October once again.

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