The Mets Owe the Core a Trade
Posted by trs86 on 2:00pm, Thursday July 9th 2009
Delgado, Beltran, and Reyes.Photo: Getty Images
I stole this idea from Mets Fever Do the Mets owe Beltran & the rest of the core more… who have a completely different view on this. Their point is Omar and the Wilpons hoaxed the core members into either resigning or coming to the Mets and have done them a disservice by telling them we were trying to win now. It’s a great read so check it out. I however look at this title in a completely different way.
Earlier in the off-season and even at the beginning of the year, the Mets were questioned for their grit. After an incredible May those talks diminished. Hmmm, something about winning that makes you gritty. Now after a terrible slew of injuries and a bad June and early July the Mets are trying to hold on or “tread water” as we have heard over and over. So now lets look at the core, Beltran, Reyes and Delgado are all injured and working hard to come back. Beltran played through what turned out to be immense pain before he could no longer go and is working hard to return as quickly as possible. Reyes has tried many times already to rush himself back, perhaps to his detriment. Many players after having as many set backs as he has had would shut it down for the season. Delgado is even ahead of schedule on his return and could be back early August. What about others? Wagner was ready to pitch in June by his standards. He is pushing himself to be a factor this year. Putz also is working hard. I do not have an update on Maine but one would assume he too is seeking to return as quickly as possible. Wright has not seen a pitch to hit in 2 months and has stepped up as a leader in the clubhouse. Santana and Krod are both going through rough patches and still are fighting to get the job done. Sheff, Castillo and Cora are playing everyday when their body tells them no.
So where am I going with all of this? I think now is the time that Omar and the Wilpons show grit and heart themselves and step up to reward all of these players for their hard work by doing what it takes to keep them in the race. How pissed would you be if you done all this only to be too far back of the playoff race by the time you return? Now obviously I don’t want Omar to do anything stupid, however, he is paid to make a difference. He is not paid like a guy who should stand back and say his hands are tied. The Wilpons do not own a team that should be able to stand back and say their hands are tied. It’s time for them to man up and make a difference themselves. Show some of that clutch ability that your players are so often accused of not having and come up with something out of the box that will allow all of these hard working players the chance to be in the race in September instead of thinking what might have been.
Update from Ed Ryan over at Mets Fever: I don’t think he hoaxed them as much as he hasn’t followed through and I agree it’s time to make a move and keep this core in the race until they return. IMO Omar’s biggest mistake is he has not built enough around the core, he’s just done enough to keep them competitive but never given them the piece to get over the top. Now one move would keep them in the race and be the piece they need when they return to get over the top. I keep hearing well if they were done for the season then you make that trade but with them coming back no need, I say the opposite with them coming back it only makes the team stronger but if they were done then so is the season…
What have you done for your core lately?
Good points in both articles.
Not only that but everyone that want the Mets to win deserve a trade. After the past 2 years, we just can’t accept another early off-season. We have to do whatever it takes to make it to the playoffs.
Especially with the way the division is playing!
Be a Buyer! Fred, Jeff and Omar!
Great post! And all those reasons you list are the reasons I am unable to completely give up on this team and stop watching. They deserve some effort from Omar same as the effort they are all giving to somewhat stay afloat and to come back from injury…in some cases maybe before they are fully healthy.
I find it a perfectly reasonable sentiment to ask the ownership and front office to step up in the same way they have been asking their healthy, active player roster to do. Hopefully the ownership and front office will perform better in stepping up than the Wilson Valdez’s and Ken Takahashi’s of the world. They should, considering Omar Minaya is not a minor league callup and the Wilpons are not stop gap owners.
If this is to truly unfold, the more I think about it the more I conclude that it’s going to have to involve the Cleveland Indians. Omar Minaya has demonstrated a cordial, working relationship with the Cleveland organization and the Indians have lost 3 in a row, 8 of their last 10 and are 19 games under .500, 13 1/2 out of 1st place.
Whether there is truly a match between the two teams remains to be seen, but it is up to the GM of the Mets to, as you stated, think outside the box, and make it work. He is, after all, not injured and out of action like so much of his roster is.
Lee and Martinez?
I really don’t see that we even need Lee in some ways. He is not Halladay and will be expensive. So will Vmart but to me he and Halladay are difference makers and Lee for his price is not.
Good post but frankly his hands are tied BECAUSE he doesnt want to do anything stupid. There is too many teams in the race right now and they think they all have a shot(except the pirates). Im sure omar is not happy with not being able to do anything but unfortunatly that is his reality. We dont have many pieces to begin with and now we are talking about aquiring major talent. The fact that philly has kept everybody in it makes omar sleep better but im sure omar is working the phones hard. The Mets have been taking on water for quite some time and its begining to show now….
Eh, you know we differ on this one. I say we make a move now that can impact this year and next. Go out and get Vmart from Cleveland as Grave is suggesting. Let go of some of those prospects and make a move to show the players and the fans that you think we can win.
The indians dont want to move Vmart tho. Its got to be someone that is on the trading block. I agree it should be someone that can impact this year and next. Rios and Lee would be a good bet. Our problem is we dont have many prospects to begin with…
And Dirty you know I am a big Omar and even Wilpon supporter. However, they are making the big bucks and are in charge of a major team. They need to step up and do something creative and smart. If Omar is a good GM then he can find a deal to make that will not be “stupid”.
You dont think hes trying?
also by the time the front office decided it could add payroll it was too late, omar needed that OK during FA.
Well at the time Omar even said they had some money but were saving it for inseason additions.
hmm? seems like Omar knew half the team would go on the DL. I smell a conspiracy
There’s a second GM on the grassy knoll, all we know is the name “Tony B.”
maybe we are giving Tony a bad wrap. WHo knows, maybe he is really the GM savant we are all hoping for? And once Omar is out of the way, he can lead the franchise to greatness?
OK, hitting the beer at 2:30 might not have been a good idea…
Admitting it is the 1st step…
Perhaps useful in this thread’s discussion:
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/07/trade-candidates-outfielders.html
Thankfully I said “perhaps” which gives me an out, because now that I’ve actually looked at the list I don’t really find it useful at all.
I love the sentiment of this article, but I think you have to ask: Does Omar owe the core the ability to compete next year when they actually have a good chance? Buying now might be the exact wrong move in that regard. If we get a Victor Martinez or a Halladay then okay, great move. But if we get Luke Scott, why?
agreed. and much less wordy than me!
lol, yeah I read yours and felt like saying…”See below”
I agree. Omar has never done enough. He didnt add pieces in 06, 07, or 08 when 1 player could have made a huge difference. Right now, if Rios wont cost much in prospects, go get him. Then trade some prospects to add another piece so that when everyone returns this team will be stacked.
What does Rios do to this team? He’s very expensive and he gives you production on par with Ryan Church.
You can put Rios in LF with Church in RF. Church may not be here next season and Rios has a higher ceiling IMO. I think sheff is really struggling out there and is better suited to starting vs lefties only.
I would also like to add, that if getting Rios means that Halladay doesnt go to the Phillies then that is all the more reason to do it.
Wait? How would it do that? They dump salary so they can afford Halladay longer? Perhaps, but they would probably still like to move Halladay because they’d still be saddled with Wells’ contract.
Just going by what I have been reading that if they can dump Rios they can extend Halladay. Personally I would trade whatever prospects it would take to beat the Phils offer for Halladay. A rotation of Halladay-Santana-Pelfrey-Maine-Perez is good to go for many yrs.
Absolutely agree that no prospect is worth getting in the way if we could land Halladay.
I’ sure I’ll get hammered for something I say here, but heck, I’m used to that by now!
1st, I do agree that Omar should be doing something to help in the ST. But, it has to be with an eye on 2010+.
But, the Mets (wilpoin, Omar, etc.) are really responsible for the Mets, not individual players.and sometimes tough decisions have to be made, even to the extent of punting the current sesaon, to give them a better shot for many years after that. And sometimes there is collateral damage (wasting the shot of a few players).
I guess this is no different than the debate about gutting the farm to try and win in any given year, vs. trying to plan to be competetive every year. That, and the owners setting a payroll cap, and fans thinking they should spend whatever it takes.
And also, what do the owners owe the fans? Really it is just to play all 162 games on the schedule. Of course, the risk they take is if the product sucks and the fans see no hope, they will stop coming, which is really the only thing that keeps them honest.
I have agreed with TRS all along that Omar should have at least gotten some legit ML quality players to fill the gaps, instead of F Mart, etc. But, only if it didnt cost the good prospects.
Or even better, filled one of the big holes coming up this off season.
The Phils IMO are way more in a win now, but short 1 piece situation (Halladay). If we were debating them, I would say yes, they “owe” it to the fans, but only because that 1 move could make them a favorite for going deep in the playoffs. And, they need him next year even more, and will have no off season holes to fill (other than SP). Really it is a perfect fit for them.
anyway, to wrap up, the Mets core IMO was always 1 bat short. It was the 5th Beatle (Scott Muni?) that was missing the last few years that prevented the offense from being unstoppable. Or at least 2-3 better support players. And next year, the big 3 will be back, so where is the 4th guy (if not 5th) coming from?
Billy Preston is the guy I always thought of as the 5th Beatle. Listened to Scott Muni growing up, was shocked when I finally found out what he looked like.
Wright has not seen a pitch to hit in 2 months and has stepped up as a leader in the clubhouse.
Is this what you say about Wright in 2009? How about the errors? How about the lack of hustle? How about the STRIKE OUTS?….. What leadership? Anybody can do the talking but has he backed it up on the field? I think not.
Agreed..he is having an awful year in my opinion. His .320 avergage is prob the most garbage .320 average I have ever seen minus the west coast trip he hasnt done anything!! I am certainly not buying his power numbers are down because he is adjusting to Citi Field! First off. He’s not hitting any HR on the road. Also, If this was the case his K’s would be down. We all know power hitters strike out significantly more. Very concerning where is power went and if he is adjusting his swing for line drives why so many K’s. Either way its bizarre and close to becoming an issue!!
Thanks Chip.
Thanks Bud.
I don’t think the ownership owes the 2009 team anything.
One big trade isn’t going to do it. If Delgado, Reyes, Beltran and Maine don’t come back before the book on the season is already written, it won’t matter if the Mets trade for Roy Halladay or Roy Orbison.
Agreed, but if they think they are going to come back and want this group to tread water until they get back then they do owe them something.
A halladay-rios trade would make a big difference.
abso-freaking-lutely!
For the next 2 years it’d be:
Santana
Doc
Pelf
Perez
Maine/Livan
Reyes
Castillo
Beltran
Wright
Rios
Church
Murph/Evans/FA 1B
FA C
The problem is that Rios has one of the worst contracts in all of baseball — about 12.5m/year through 2015. He’s good but he’s not that good. More importantly, his salary will prevent the Mets from filling those vacancies at 1B and C (along with Halladay’s too).
This talk is ridiculous. Omar is doing his best and so are the players for the most part. Omar has a career, a job, etc. Its based on performance. He works in NYC. He hasnt won the past few years when we were suppose to!! The pressure is on. He knows it. He is trying. No one owes anyone anything. Stupid conversation imo. Believe it or not Omar, most of the players, and WE THE FANS want to win a WORLD SERIES. WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE!!
Now talk trades, and maybe a move or two you think was bad but who owes who what is insane!!
I admire the time it took and thoughtfulness that went into the 2 articles both on this page and the other blog but all it is, is ppl trying to make themselves feel better. Almost like a therapy session. The are trying to win and not figuring out who owes who what. I think we all are just searching for something this year because our worst fear is coming closer and closer to fruition. The Mets may not be contenders shortly.
but, why is that so scary? Most years, the Mets really werent legitimate contenders, and it didnt kill us.
As long as they are strong again next year, given how bad everything went so far this year, I am good with that.
Now, I would be more bummed if they were in a death spiral this year, and had no talent projected for next year either!
Look at Cleveland, they are probably 5 games worse than the Mets.