Mets Fire Coaches, Players Next

NEW YORK - DECEMBER 02: New York Mets chief o...

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The Mets had a press conference today to announce that they’re firing Sandy Alomar Sr. and Luis Alicea. They’re also re-assigning Razor Shines and Sandy Alomar Jr. Apparently, Alomar Sr. has been asked to stay with the Mets in another job.

I always think it’s interesting that the coaching staff is the first to take the fall after a miserable season like the one the Mets just finished. Sure, a 70-92 finish means that changes will be made. Honestly, how much difference does a coach really make at this level? It’s the players that make or break a team.

I don’t have a problem with these changes. Clearly, Shines wasn’t the right man for the third base coach job. He just doesn’t have good judgment there on close plays. But he seems like a well-intentioned guy that could have a positive impact elsewhere.

The real news will come after the World Series when free agency begins and the Mets can make some meaningful player moves.

You can hear the audio clips below from the press conference today.

Jerry Manuel audio

Jeff Wilpon audio

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Mets 2010 Catcher- Youth Is The Way

Omir Santos

Image by Keith Allison via Flickr

Now that I’ve written about what the Mets should do at first base next season, I thought it was time to move on to catcher. The 2009 season was filled with dichotomy at catcher, Brian Schneider was a complete bust in his walk year and Omir Santos emerged as a viable everyday player. Then September rolled around and we got a look at a good-looking young player in Josh Thole. There certainly is hope for the future at the catcher position.

I want to start by writing that Schneider has absolutely no shame to be cashing the paychecks that the Wilpons gave him this season. He seems like a good guy but for him to accept $4.9 million for the performance he put up this season is criminal. It goes without saying that there isn’t even the slimmest of chances that he’ll be back next season at 33 years-old and coming off a season in which he hit .218 with 3 HR’s and 24 RBI’s in 170 AB’s. That line is disgusting… It’s even painful to write it! When you talk about the problems with the Mets poor performance this season, you can blame it on injuries but don’t forget to point the finger squarely at Schneider.Enough about Schneider, he’s done here.

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Mets 2009 Season Disaster Finally Ending

NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 28: Carlos Delgado #21 of...

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The 2009 version of the New York Mets will finally disappear into oblivion this weekend. And I can’t wait for them to go away. There’s a chance for the team to wind up losing 94 games this season, the most losses since the Art Howe-era 2003 team that finished with 95 losses. In case you’re wondering, you can find a complete list of the Mets season records here. In a dreadful season, it’s worth taking a look at some past horrible seasons.

Sure, the Mets announced that they’re lowering ticket prices for next season. But don’t mistake that move as benevolence on the part of Mets ownership based on the torturous team they subjected us to this season. Reducing tickets prices is actually a calculated move to fill more seats for more games to meet revenue goals. The team likely didn’t meet their revenue goals for Pity (Citi) Field this season. So they used mathematical projections to determine the most likely pricing scheme to deliver their goals based on price/attendance correlation. Thanks Mr. Wilpon.

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Poll: Mets 2010 First Base- What To Do?

Now that I posted my thoughts on the Mets first base situation for next year, it’s time to hear from you. What the heck should they do? You’ve had a couple of days to think about what I wrote and comment. Now it’s your turn.

For those reading a feed reader, there’s a poll embedded in this post.

Mets 2010 First Base- The Daniel Murphy Conundrum

NEW YORK - JULY 08: Daniel Murphy #28 of the ...

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I haven’t written much recently for a variety of reasons. For those of you that know me, I recently started a new job and haven’t had as much free time to devote to the Mets. In addition, you may have noticed that the 2009 version of the Mets are awful. If not, I don’t know where you’ve been. The brand new stadium is near empty. Mets interns are running around the upper deck handing out free upgrade tickets to the Ebbets Club seats so they don’t look so barren on television. It’s a sad state of affairs this September in Metsville.

My attention is turning to other things now that the painful, ugly season is winding down. One of the thing that I’m turning my attention to besides the start of the NFL season this week is what the 2010 Mets will look like.

In this edition I’m thinking about the first base situation for next season. There are several assumptions this will based upon that will be debatable. And I’d like to hear your thoughts on these in the comment section. First, Carlos Delgado won’t be back next season. He’s old, he’s hurt, and his contract is over. Good riddance. Second, the Mets can’t survive another season with Daniel Murphy’s meager offense at first base. A first baseman hitting .259 with 9 HR’s and 53 RBI’s in September doesn’t work unless you’re the Pirates. Third, the Mets have about $40 million in contracts coming off the books this offseason. That means there’s plenty to spend if the payroll is static.

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Mets News Aug. 31, 2009 Santana, Beltran, Perez, Thole

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Image by ddoyle1112 via Flickr

The Mets are flying from Chicago to Colorado today. There’s no game but still plenty of news. Today is also the deadline for any trades of players that cleared waivers to play on the acquiring team’s postseason roster.

Anyway, here’s the news:

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Mets Cancel Fall League To Save Money

Multiple media reports today are covering some comments that former Mets GM Jim Duquette made on Sirius XM Radio. Duquette says that the Mets canceled their fall instructional league to save roughly $300,00. That’s the cost of running the league and housing and feeding the players and coaches.

Duquette says it’s a big mistake to reduce costs by cutting instructional time for the team’s young players. Of course, this adds credibility to the stories that we’ve heard about Fred Wilpon experiencing serious financial problems. So serious are those problems that it’s reported that he may be forced to sell the Mets next year.

Besides the obvious concern about the financial condition of the Mets, there have been serious questions about the quality of players that the Mets are developing. The Mets spent the least money of any team in Major League Baseball on their high draft picks this season. And Jeff Wilpon recently went to Buffalo and Binghamton to apologize to fans for fielding teams that weren’t even close to competitive this season.

The writing will be on the wall in the off-season if the Mets reduce the payroll from their current $140 million. That will be the tell-tale sign of financial trouble for the owner. In a brand new stadium, with new sources of revenue, there’s no reason to cut payroll. Until the free agency period gets going in a few months we’re left to speculate and have plenty of reason to be concerned.

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