After the loss to the D-Backs last night the Mets announced that Abraham Nunez was designated for assignment. There wasn’t a corresponding addition to the roster but Omar Minaya told reporters that it would probably be a position player.
There’s been some speculation that the player added to the roster may be Jose Valentin. He went to Triple-A New Orleans a few days ago to continue his rehab from a neck injury.
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The Philadelphia Phillies are starting to pull away from the pack in the National League East. They’re now 6.5 games ahead of the fourth place Mets. Actually, the Mets record is closer to the last place Washington Nationals than it is the first place Phillies.
Despite the Mets early season problems, I’ve been telling myself “It’s still early in the season” and “We’re still within striking distance of first place”. But neither of those statements is true anymore. It’s not early in the season anymore, and we’re not within striking distance of first place.
The Phillies are 8-2 in their last ten games and the Mets are 5-5, a microcosm of their season. Just wading along waiting for some player to catch fire but it doesn’t happen. The Mets have scored 54 fewer runs than the Phillies this season, and the Mets dismal 13-20 road record is the mark of a team going nowhere.
Two weeks ago the Wilpons met with Willie Randolph and Omar Minaya to discuss the state of the team. There was a brief surge and blast of energy by the team, mostly by bench players including Fernando Tatis and Endy Chavez.
But the bench players have been exposed as who they are. Good bench players that are better off seen in small doses. The Mets regulars just can’t get anything going on a consistent basis offensively.
Without changes made, this team will continue to scuffle along at or near .500. It’s time for Minaya to make a move, whether it be letting hitting coach Howard Johnson go or bring in an offensive player like a Kevin Millar. Or maybe it’s time to get more drastic and let Randolph go… Before the season is completely lost.
The baseball amateur draft starts this Thursday and the Mets have plenty of needs in their farm system. Obtaining Johan Santana from the Minnesota Twins this off season drained several of the Mets top prospects. That trade included the Mets numbers 2, 3, 4, and 7 prospects. I still like the trade and the contract for Santana. I think he’s got the right stuff and fluid motion to avoid long term injuries enough to be successful over the next seven years.
That said, the Mets need to re-stock young players. Bob Klapisch wrote a good column today on the Mets strategy for this draft. Continue reading “New York Mets Amateur Draft Strategy”
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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.
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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.
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”
WFAN audio with Willie Randolph doing his weekly spot with Mike and the Mad Dog. Wally Backman and Davey Johnson talk to Boomer & Carton.
Randolph talks about his meeting with Omar Minaya and the Wilpons on Monday. Wally Backman talks about his desire to get back to the big leagues after the D-Backs let him go after four days in 2004. Davey Johnson talks about being the Mets manager when things aren’t going so well
The Mets Report 