No Yankees

[Guest Edgy DC]

Based on the New York Mets current rroster, 2006 could be the first season that the Mets are former-Yankee-free since 1997.

Now, a lot is going to change before opening day, and there are some Mets, like Victor Zambrano, who signed with the Yankees originally, but the situation looks clean for now.

Moreover, unless/until the Yankees re-up Al Leiter, they have no former-Mets on their roster. Although I'm told on good authority that the Mets had and lost Alex Rodriguez.

[metirish]

That's good work,Tom Gordon figures to screw with this I would think.

[Elster88]

I see no reason why this team should touch Tom Gordon. I hope Omar agrees.

[Guest HappyRecap]

Although with Willie at the helm, who knows what castoff he has worked with in the past that he would give a shot at Shea.

Please, no Al Leiter or something of that ilk.

HAPPY RECAP

[Elster88]

HappyRecap wrote: Although with Willie at the helm, who knows what castoff he has worked with in the past that he would give a shot at Shea.

Completely unfair to Willie, and not true. Other than Miggy Cairo (who is perfectly suited for the backup second baseman role he was originally brought in for), what player, that Willie has worked with, was given an opportunity that he didn't deserve?

[metirish]

Gerald Williams, although he was hardly given an oppertunity but some felt he was taking a roster spot a younger lad should have had.

[Elster88]

Ice got his playing time because of injury. The faceless "younger players" were never (as is usually the case) given names. Ice was the best candidate as an emergency starter back when we still had a chance to make the playoffs. (Some would have you believe otherwise, but one game out of the wildcard in the last week in August counts as being in the playoff race.)

I don't remember when Ice and Willie were together before this year, maybe I'm just forgetting.

Not being critical of you, irish, I'm guessing you're just citing and not espousing reasons.

[Guest mlbaseballtalk]

Elster88 wrote: (Asshead would have you believe otherwise, but one game out of the wildcard in the last week in August counts as being in the playoff race.)

Okay, who be Asshead?

[Guest Edgy DC]

Williams' greatest sin on the field was buckling early pursuing the hit that ended Pedro's no-hit bid. I think it was something like his first or second game in center all year.

When he was added to the team, Willie expressed respect for his role as an excellent teammate, and gave at least one example of a young player he saw Williams mentor with the Yankees.

I didn't think he was a good choice, feeling that he Mets needed a power-hitting outfielder/firstbaseman on the bench (Valent or Daubach, perhaps)but, on the other hand, his performance in the role of "excellent teammate" is hard to measure, so I'm left with little to indict Randolph with. I'm glad he didn't play Williams very much.

Williams, to his credit, seemed like an affable guy who kept in great shape. And it's not like Pedro deserves no blame for giving up that drive to the fence or the home run that followed.

[metirish]

]I don't remember when Ice and Willie were together before this year, maybe I'm just forgetting.

you are correct, I don't think they ever were team mates but Williams was drafted by the Yanks in 87 and he and Willie are tight,I'm not saying that's why he was on the roster, just trying to answer the quesation you posed.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Randolph was a Yankee coach for 11 years --- enough time to share a bench and a locker room with Williams during Ice's two Yankee tenures.

[seawolf17]

How could Willie favor guys who he knows?!?! What kind of nepotism crap is this?!?! He should be dragged outside and shot immediately.

Gimme a break. I didn't like Ice any more than any of you, but fact is, veteran guys who have been there, done that are usually going to get the benefit of the doubt over some random scrub rookie when it comes to bench spots. Sometimes it works (Roberto Hernandez, Marlon Anderson), sometimes it doesn't (Kerry Robinson, any one of the Mel Rojas Memorial Roster Spot holders).

[metirish]

I've nothing against Williams, from all I've read he's a great guy, however Elster asked a question ...

] what player, that Willie has worked with, was given an opportunity that he didn't deserve?

Williams came to mind straight away,I can remember plenty of complaining about him being on the roster, hell he didn't play for what seemed like weeks at a time, Willie being his friend could have played a part in that, some speculated that's why he wasn't cut.

[Elster88]

mlbaseballtalk wrote: ="Elster88"](Some would have you believe otherwise, but one game out of the wildcard in the last week in August counts as being in the playoff race.) Okay, who be Asshead?

That was a very mean name, which I'm not sure why I used, for a poster who doesn't post here much anymore. I don't actually think he is an asshead, just a cantkerous fellow who enjoys causing dissension, no matter how ludicrous his arguments sometimes get. I will remove Asshead from the post.

[Elster88]

Edgy DC wrote: I didn't think he was a good choice, feeling that he Mets needed a power-hitting outfielder/firstbaseman on the bench (Valent or Daubach, perhaps)but, on the other hand, his performance in the role of "excellent teammate" is hard to measure, so I'm left with little to indict Randolph with. I'm glad he didn't play Williams very much.

I didn't like Williams as a choice either, but I think either Valent or Daubach would have been a train wreck starting in center (as would Diaz or the Clifftster if we had put Valent or Dauback in left or right)

[Guest Edgy DC]

Well, sure, but they recalled Williams on June 21st (after Matsui was disabled). They didn't really need a centefielder until their two best crashed into each other on August 11th.

They needed a firstbaseman with power most of the season.

[metirish]

It must be a slow day if Williams is getting this much ink...Faith $ Fear in Flushing were not happy when Gerald was recalled..

http://faithandfear.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2005/6/20/958632.html

[Guest SI Metman]

Omar could also mess it up by trading for Sorianus