Peterson

[Frayed Knot]

The topic of the pitching coach came up during NYDN Met reporter Adam Rubin's appearance on Patchy's radio show the other night.

Coming up is the 3rd and final year of the initial deal Peterson inked w/the Mets, which becomes even more significant when you remember that his tenure pre-dates both Willie & Omar. So the question is where Rick sits with those he works for even though they didn't hire him.

Rubin's comment was that if asked a year ago he would have sworn there was no way Rick would be back mainly because there are/were those in the front office "who absolutely hate him". No names were named of course but the critics are in that layer of advisors that exist between the manager and the Wilpons. But he also thinks that at least a portion of that venom has died out even though Peterson will probably remain a somewhat divisive figure who not a whole lot of folks are wishy-washy about.
There's also the notion about how Peterson meshes with Willie. Rubin didn't think they "clash" a lot per se, just that the numbers-oriented coach isn't always on the same page as his by-gut-feeling manager.

And finally there's the question of whose call it'll be. You get the idea that Peterson was originally a Wilpons-by-way-of Howe hire (not sure how much input Duqe had), one that they wanted not just as the ML PC but also as a organization-wide "CEO of Pitching". At this point, under the "full autonomy" regime of Omar, the call whether or not to re-hire will theoretically be his to make in conjunction with the manager.

It all could make for an interesting sideshow to follow during the season.

[Guest Bret Sabermetric]

Totally out of line, FK.

It's too soon to know. All the facts are not in yet. We'll see what's going on behind the scenes in a decade or so, and maybe not then. Don't jump the gun. Wait and see. How do you know your "facts" to a medical certainty?

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Bret's grumpy today.

[metirish]

Yeah it will be an interesting year for Peterson, organization-wide "CEO of Pitching" sounds like a long term job so if he were replaced as pitching coach after the season I would not be surprised to see him take that role full time, working with young pitchers seems to be what he likes.

[Zvon]

I dont know how, but Peterson always comes off like guru when things are goin good and when things are goin bad the press sharks ignore him and go after others blood.

I dont really think he's all dat.
He hasnt proved it to me, anyway.
The only thing he's proved to me is that he never thinks he's wrong.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

I'm hoping that his presence will lure Barry Zito here as a free agent after the 2006 season.

For similar reasons, I see Glavine as an Oriole in 2007.

[Frayed Knot]

Zvon wrote: I dont know how, but Peterson always comes off like guru when things are goin good and when things are goin bad the press sharks ignore him and go after others blood.

That doesn't explain why he took the lion's share of the blame for the Kazmir trade even though it's illogical to think that the pitching coach is dictating major trades.

]The only thing he's proved to me is that he never thinks he's wrong.

This is the part of his rep that I don't get. I can't think of anyone who is more soft-spoken, more media-adverse, and blows his own horn LESS than Rick Peterson.

[seawolf17]

Yancy Street Gang wrote: I'm hoping that his presence will lure Barry Zito here as a free agent after the 2006 season. For similar reasons, I see Glavine as an Oriole in 2007.

Because he's following Mazzone, or Anna Benson?

[Guest vtmet]

Well Kris does look an awful lot like Tom...

[smg58]

Like I've said before, the pitching staff has outperformed my expectations for two years, so I see no reason to be critical of Peterson. The fact (is it even a fact, or just a reported rumor?) that he said he could get more out of Zambrano than anybody had seen to that point doesn't mean the Kazmir trade was his decision, and I don't see why people blame him for every questionable trade involving a pitcher.

As for next year, if the staff has another good season the Wilpons would certify themselves as idiots if they let him go.

[Frayed Knot]

But, of course, that's part of the question; whether the Wilpons are going to have a say in any potential re-hire or if Mr. 'Full Autonomy' will make that call independantly.

[smg58]

If the staff has another good season and Minaya drops him, then Minaya could be certified as an idiot as well.

[Guest Edgy DC]

As well as who? Randolph?