Category: Latest News

Mets To Announce 2011 Coaches This Week

New York Mets coach Chip Hale talks to Angel Pagan (16) at the end of the fourth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field in New York City on May 27, 2010. UPI/John Angelillo Photo via Newscom

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsIf you take a look at the Mets website coaches page, it’s pretty empty right now except for Terry Collins and bullpen catcher Dave Racaniello. That should change drastically this week. It has been widely reported that Sandy Alderson and Collins will name the rest of the coaching staff.

Expect Dan Warthen to return as pitching coach and Chip Hale to return at third base. Other than that, it’ll be a new group coaching the Mets next season. Here’s what the staff will likely look like:

Manager: Collins

Bench coach: Ken Oberkfell will be promoted from managing at Triple-A Buffalo

Third base: Hale will return

First base: Mookie Wilson after Moises Alou turned down the job

Pitching coach: Warthen will also return

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Mets Sign Paulino, Carrasco

June 06 2010: Marlins' catcher Ronny Paulino (29) strikes out at bat during MLB action between the New York Mets and the Florida Marlins at Citi Field in Flushing, New York. The Mets beat the Marlins 7-6.

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsThe Mets signed two free agents to big league deals today at the winter meetings. No, it isn’t Cliff Lee and Carl Crawford. It’s Ronny Paulino and D.J. Carrasco. A backup catcher and a middle reliever aren’t much to get excited about. But for the Mets, it’s about all we’re going to get.

Ronny Paulino should split time with Josh Thole behind the plate. But I would guess that it won’t be a straight platoon situation. I think Thole should get about 70% of the playing time with Paulino playing occasionally against lefties. Paulino is going to be here on a 1-year/$1.3 million contract and still has a few games on a steroid suspension from last year to serve out. He’s not bad offensively so he won’t be an automatic out coming off the bench.

Year Age Tm Lg G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS OPS+ TB
2005 24 PIT NL 2 5 4 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 .500 .600 .500 1.100 195 2
2006 25 PIT NL 129 481 442 37 137 19 0 6 55 0 0 34 79 .310 .360 .394 .754 96 174
2007 26 PIT NL 133 494 457 56 120 25 0 11 55 2 2 33 79 .263 .314 .389 .703 83 178
2008 27 PIT NL 40 130 118 8 25 5 0 2 18 0 0 11 24 .212 .277 .305 .582 56 36
2009 28 FLA NL 80 266 239 24 65 10 1 8 27 1 0 25 48 .272 .340 .423 .762 99 101
2010 29 FLA NL 91 344 316 31 82 18 0 4 37 1 0 25 51 .259 .311 .354 .665 76 112
6 Seasons 475 1720 1576 157 431 77 1 31 192 4 2 129 281 .273 .328 .383 .711 86 603
162 Game Avg. 162 587 537 54 147 26 0 11 65 1 1 44 96 .273 .328 .383 .711 86 206
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table Generated 12/7/2010.
D.J. Carrasco is working on a 2-year/$2.5 million contract. He’ll be 34 years old in April and is a middle inning replacement for some lost arms in the bullpen this season. He generally keeps the walks to a minimum and consistently has a WHIP in the 1.3-1.4 range.
Year Age Tm Lg W L W-L% ERA G GS GF CG SHO SV IP H R ER HR BB IBB SO HBP BK WP BF ERA+ WHIP
2003 26 KCR AL 6 5 .545 4.82 50 2 21 0 0 2 80.1 82 44 43 8 40 4 57 7 0 6 355 102 1.519
2004 27 KCR AL 2 2 .500 4.84 30 0 11 0 0 0 35.1 41 22 19 5 15 3 22 3 0 2 163 100 1.585
2005 28 KCR AL 6 8 .429 4.79 21 20 0 1 0 0 114.2 129 67 61 11 51 2 49 6 3 7 511 92 1.570
2008 31 CHW AL 1 0 1.000 3.96 31 0 6 0 0 0 38.2 30 17 17 2 14 1 30 5 0 0 158 117 1.138
2009 32 CHW AL 5 1 .833 3.76 49 1 11 0 0 0 93.1 103 42 39 5 29 4 62 2 0 3 405 125 1.414
2010 33 TOT NL 3 2 .600 3.68 63 0 8 0 0 0 78.1 68 39 32 5 34 3 65 5 0 6 330 113 1.302
2010 33 PIT NL 2 2 .500 3.88 45 0 6 0 0 0 55.2 50 24 24 4 22 1 45 4 0 4 232 105 1.293
2010 33 ARI NL 1 0 1.000 3.18 18 0 2 0 0 0 22.2 18 15 8 1 12 2 20 1 0 2 98 135 1.324
6 Seasons 23 18 .561 4.31 244 23 57 1 0 2 440.2 453 231 211 36 183 17 285 28 3 24 1922 106 1.443
162 Game Avg. 6 5 .561 4.31 62 6 15 0 0 1 112 115 59 54 9 47 4 73 7 1 6 489 106 1.443
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table Generated 12/7/2010.
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Mets Won’t Be Active At Winter Meetings

NEW YORK - OCTOBER 29: Sandy Alderson answers...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

This week Sandy Alderson has been trying to get the fans excited about the prospects of activity at the MLB Winter Meetings this week. I don’t know about you but it’s not working on me. I know the reality of the Mets situation. They have $5 million or less to spend on free agents within the 2011 budget. That’s not good enough to bring back Cliff Lee, Carl Crawford, Jayson Werth, or any other player remotely as skilled as they are.

Frankly, I would more excited if the Mets were able to dump Luis Castillo or Oliver Perez on another team. That’s the best possible scenario. And that’s a pretty sad state of the team.

Alderson was talking pretty tough to reporters this week when he said:

“I can guarantee you, we’ll come back with some good players,” Alderson said. “I can’t guarantee how high-profile they will be. Or how many. If nothing else, we’ll pick in the Rule 5 draft, just to say we brought a player back.”

We’re smart enough to understand the reality though. Alderson is trying to find a low-budget starting pitcher like Chris Young or Jeff Francis. They’re guys coming off injuries or severely under-performing seasons looking for a short-term deal until they can get back to a more “normal” performance level.

The Mets are also looking to add some bullpen help with the recent losses of Raul Valdes, Pedro Feliciano, Sean Green, and Hisanori Takahashi. Middle relievers signing doesn’t generally get the fan base out in mass to buy tickets.

There is the outside chance that Jose Reyes could get traded. The one team that I think would be a good trading partner for Reyes is the Reds. I don’t think the Reds want to start 2011 with Paul Janish as their plan for the season at shortstop. They won the Central Division with 91 games and are bringing pretty much everyone of value back again except Orlando Cabrera. By the way, Brandon Phillips is making the exact same salary as Reyes in 2011, the last year of his contract with the Reds. Although the Reds do have a club option for 2012 at $12 million. Keep that in mind.

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Mets 2011 Hot Stove – Trade Bait

New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes (L) and center fielder Angel Pagan celebrate their 4-0 win over the New York Yankees in their MLB inter-league baseball game at Yankee Stadium in New York, June 18, 2010. REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL IMAGES OF THE DAY)

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsThe Mets are strapped with a high payroll and a lot of baggage. Sandy Alderson feels the proper course is to wait out certain expiring contracts. Therefore, the Mets will look to get creative this hot stove. This will require signing some lower priced free agents to be brought in to compete to win jobs. It will take low risk-high reward players possibly coming off down or injured seasons. It may take a trade or two to import some exciting new talent and shake things up. Here is what you can expect to hear from analysts during the upcoming hot stove.

Possible Trade Bait:

Jose Reyes SS

Profile

The catalyst for almost half a decade has been a popular topic of trade conversation. Reyes is coming off a few injury plagued down seasons, and could become a free agent after the 2011 season. It will take a boatload for a team to convince Sandy to deal the explosive shortstop. Shortstops who hit and field as well as Jose make him a commodity. When he is healthy he can spark an offense and infuriate pitchers. Continue reading “Mets 2011 Hot Stove – Trade Bait”

Mets Introduce Terry Collins

New York Mets manager Terry Collins shakes hands with Mets owner Fred Wilpon (L) after being introduced as the Mets' new manager at a news conference at Citi Field in New York, November 23, 2010. Looking on is Mets' co-owner Jeff Wilpon (R) and Mets' general manager Sandy Alderson (2nd L). REUTERS/Mike Segar (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsThe Mets had their press conference for Terry Collins this morning. Dave Howard and Sandy Alderson had very brief introductions followed by some comments by Collins and questions from the media.

You can hear the full press conference here.

The overriding theme of Collins’ comments was that he wants his players to have attention to detail and “play the game the right way”. To me, that’s code for playing disciplined, old school baseball. We’ll see how well that flies with a high-priced, veteran team. It may work for teenagers and guys trying to make the leap from double or triple-A to the big’s, but I have a feeling he’s going to get a different reaction from guys that joined the Mets as high-priced free agents.

It’s also interesting to note that Collins is working on a two year contract with a club option for a third year. Clearly, the Mets learned from their mistakes with Art Howe and Willie Randolph not to get locked into long term deals for managers.

After the press conference Alderson and Collins made the rounds to all the local media outlets. Here are some audio samples for you.

ESPN- Collins with Michael Kay

ESPN- Alderson with Michael Kay

WFAN- Collins with Francesa

WFAN- Alderson with Francesa

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Mets To Name Terry Collins Manager

TOKYO - MARCH 08: China Team Manager Terry Collins attends a practice session before the World Baseball Tokyo Round match between China and South Korea at Tokyo Dome on March 8, 2009 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Koji Watanabe/Getty Images)

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsPretty much every media outlet is reporting this afternoon that the Mets have hired Terry Collins to manage the Mets. It’s disappointing to me and, I’m sure, to many Mets fans that wanted to see Wally Backman get the job. But I’ll keep an open mind about Collins going forward. I certainly won’t be as fired up and ready to run out and buy tickets as I would have been if Backman was in the dugout.

Collins has already failed twice as a manager in Houston and with the Angels, finishing 10 games over .500 overall. His Angels team was a mutiny in ’99 and Collins resigned before the end of the season crying at the press conference at how he lost the team. Sure, it’s been 11 years since that happened but he sure wouldn’t be the guy that I would want running my team.

Collins also has deep connections with Paul DePodesta when they both worked for the Dodgers. DePodesta wanted to hire Collins in 2005 to manage the Dodgers but Frank McCourt was unhappy with the managerial candidates and fired DePodesta.

This is one of those critical decisions that better be right for Sandy Alderson and company. If not, there could be a mutiny at a much larger scale this time by the fans.

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Mets Managerial Search Foreshadows Decision Making

New York Mets new general manager Sandy Alderson responds to a reporter's question as the MLB National League Mets introduce him at a news conference in New York, October 29, 2010. Long-time baseball executive Alderson, 62, succeeds Omar Minaya, who was fired earlier this month along with manager Jerry Manuel after the team's second consecutive losing season. REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.jsDecisions made by upper management are their decisions to make with good reason. The opinions of sports talk gurus are only slightly more knowledgeable than the “Average Joe” getting bagels at the deli. The media covering the Mets poke blindly at who is the “obvious” or “necessary” pick for manager. The finalists for the Mets managerial job should tell the media and fans one thing “back off”. The new front office has an idea of what they want to do and they’re not going to be bullied by the masses who have little to no expertise on the subject matter.

Bobby Valentine has been left off the list and Wally Backman is looking destined for Single A. In the past I have lobbied for Backman, but I have to admit I just like my managers to be more Earl Weaver than Joe Torre. I like the Lou Pinella types who throw a tirade. I even like when players pull a Paul LoDuca and get in A-Rod’s face after a second too long pose down following a homer. In these situations, it’s best to see Alderson conducting his interviews without input from fans and the media know-it-alls.

Truth be told, the outcry from New Yorkers over unpopular decisions needs to be ignored continuously. Don’t pretend you weren’t looking for a tall building to scale after R.A. Dickey was signed. Continue reading “Mets Managerial Search Foreshadows Decision Making”