Month: May 2008

Jerry Manuel: The Next In Line To Manage

Sports Illustrated baseball writer Jon Heyman reports that if the Mets do make a change at manager this season that bench coach Jerry Manuel is likely to become the interim manager.

Manuel was the 2000 AL Manager of the Year while with the Chicago White Sox and has a career record of 500-471 .515 win percentage. He manager from 1998-2003 in Chicago.

That would be a good decision if they make the move during the season. It would minimize the disruption to the team and give the front office a chance to work on a long term strategy. If Manuel has a major success, then he stays. If not, then the Mets move on to other candidates that make a fresh start during spring training next year.

Manuel’s experience with the team would allow some continuity while driving home the message that mediocrity won’t be tolerated. Changes will be made.

Report: Minaya Talking Trades

Aaron Heilman 03:45, 19 July 2007 . . Metsfan7 . . 700×680 (428,001 bytes)

Image via Wikipedia

Paul Hagen of the Philadelphia Daily News reports that Omar Minaya has been talking trades for first basemen, left fielders, and right handed relievers. The names on his short list are: Kevin Millar, Jason Bay, and Xavier Nady.

All three would be helpful pieces for this team. Moises Alou is a great hitter, but doesn’t play enough to trust him to be on the active roster all season. He just breaks down too frequently.

Carlos Delgado is pretty much done in my opinion. So any help that we can get at first base would be a significant improvement.

Since the Mets don’t have too much left in the minors after the Johan Santana trade, the questions becomes: what do we have to give up? I don’t think that the Mets would consider moving Fernando Martinez. I would think that Aaron Heilman would have some good value, especially since he’s been getting himself together over this past week. He’d probably be the prime chip that the Mets would look to deal at the Major League level.

Thanks to MLB Trade Rumors for the tip.

Major League Scouting: An Inside Look

I wrote on May 13th that San Diego Padres special assistant Paul DePodesta had started a blog. Today he wrote an interesting post on the scouting organization that the Padres use to prepare for the Rule IV draft that’s occurring next Thursday and Friday.

The draft covers all players in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. With so much area to cover the teams have to be well organized to prepare for the draft. DePodesta says that they’ll have over 1000 players on their draft board.

It’s a really interesting read. Check it out here.

Church May Be In Lineup Tomorrow

Ryan Church could be back on the field for the Mets as early as tomorrow. He’s been on pinch hitting duty only since his concussion last week in Atlanta.

The Mets have been taking some heat for letting Church travel to Colorado and pinch hit but he tells the New York Post:

“They didn’t do anything wrong on their part,” Church said last night after returning from a two-day rest mandated by the team. “They asked me, and I was the final say. I told them I could pinch hit.”

Church’s absence has left a crater in the Mets lineup. He’s carried the team over the first two months of the season. His unexpected production has been the most consistent offense that the Mets have had all season.

Related articles

First Base Platoon Might Work

Mets outfielder Fernando Tatis during a Mets/Devil Rays spring training game at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Image via Wikipedia

The Mets might be onto something sitting Carlos Delgado against lefties. Damion Easley can play first, so can Nick Evans and Fernando Tatis. All are right handed hitters that can drive the ball. Evans may be a little over matched right now but I’d like to see him continue to get at-bats to see what he can do.

Delgado tells the New York Post that he doesn’t like the platoon idea:

“We’re gonna have to talk,” Delgado said yesterday when asked how he would respond to Randolph about platooning against lefties. “Obviously, I would not talk to you before I talk to him. I haven’t said anything, but I want to make it clear.”

“I don’t want to sound like I’m challenging anybody, but it’s true, I would have to talk to [Randolph] about that,” Delgado said.

It may not be up to him anymore. The Wilpons and Omar Minaya must’ve made it clear to Randolph that he has to do what’s best for the team or he could lose his job as manager. That means that there may be some bruised egos along the way.

Delgado Doesn’t Want To Be Here

When Carlos Delgado signed his four year contract with the Florida Marlins prior to the 2005 season, he spurned the Mets because he didn’t like Tony Bernazard’s pitch. Even Carlos Beltran talking to Delgado about what a great opportunity they could have with the Mets couldn’t get Delgado to sign here as a free agent.

Prior to the 2006 the Mets traded Mike Jacobs and Yusmeiro Petit for Delgado even though Omar Minaya knew that Delgado didn’t want to be here. Wouldn’t it be nice to have Mike Jacobs back? Hindsight is 20/20. In this case, foresight should’ve been too. That was a bad deal by Minaya. Continue reading “Delgado Doesn’t Want To Be Here”

On Deck: May 30- Dodgers At Mets

Los Angeles Dodgers (26-27) at New York Mets (26-26) 7:10pm

Clayton Kershaw (0-0) vs. John Maine (5-4)

TV: SNY Radio: WFAN

What to watch: Kershaw is a 20 year old lefty with a mid-90’s fastball and a nasty curveball. I sure hope Delgado is on the bench again tonight. He has no chance of hitting this guy. Maine went a solid six innings in his last start in Colorado despite taking the loss. This game looks like a pitching duel to me.