Centerfield

What do I want? I want the Mets to act like they're from the city they're from. Humongous payrolls. Hanley signings, even though he might suck at the end of his contract. And when that happens, you just dump him and move on. 'Cause you're the NL franchise from New York City and that's what you do. Because you can. Because you're a fat cat and you don't just order the most expensive item on the menu of Manhattan's top restaurant. You order the three most expensive entrees on the menu even if you can't finish all that food on your plate. We used to do that stuff, and you get guys like Bobby Bonilla and Vince Coleman. And, to an extent, Pedro and Santana (though I'd argue that the Santana deal is in a different category.) The team's best period of prolonged success was built from within, and then finished off with the big trades or smaller deals. I'm sure none of the sports writers were swooning when they acquired Howard Johnson, Knight and Cone. And yes, that era was taken to the next level with the Carter trade, which is where I think Sandy is today. The difference being, Sandy won't make the equivalent of the Carter trade. I don't think the Bonilla/Omar situations apply. Those eras were characterized by spending money in a "win now" approach. You could say it was spending foolishly. Spending foolishly will not work. Basically, you have four options: 1. Don't spend money - Don't Develop Talent: Your team will suck 2. Don't spend money - Develop Talent: Possibly win, but it's much harder 3. Spend Money - Don't Develop Talent: Win maybe, but not for long. You will eventually suck. 4. Spend Money - Develop Talent: Best chance at sustained winning There have been periods of time where the Mets spent money, but it was often foolish spending, with no eye toward the future. For the first time since the Cashen era, the Mets now have a smart management team in place with a focus on developing talent. The problem is that the budget has been slashed. There are teams that spend money wisely and develop talent. Take a look at the Giants and Cardinals. It's possible. Every team should strive toward this. Some teams, as a result of their market, cannot spend money. The Mets are not one of those teams. Not only is it reasonable for Mets fans to want both, there is really no excuse why this shouldn't happen.

Put it this way, the Mets payroll was $88 million last year. If you raised their payroll to be in the top ten in baseball (Toronto was 10th with $118 million), you would automatically add $30 million to the budget. If you added $30 million to payroll, even Omar could have put a playoff contender on the field in 2013. Money doesn't ensure winning, but it makes it a hell of a lot easier.

Mets Guy in Michigan wrote: Mets Guy in Michigan wrote: Boom! You fell right into the mindset trap! Don't care with the "big teams" did in December I'm not trapped ... look, still running around mad. If the Mets can't afford to operate like a big market team they should sell the fucking team and be done with this five-year charade. That's exactly the trap! Just because the teams you perceive as big market teams hold press conferences during the winter meetings to sign contracts with players we had no interest in doesn't mean w're not acting like a big market team. We've been through the "Blow money on over-priced players we didn't need" phase. It causes long-term damage and depletes your farm system. It seems to me now they are building from the bottom up for the long haul. Which of the players signed during the winter meetings did you want them to sign? About the only one I think we had any use for would be Robertson. If the Red Sox want to blow up their infield for guys in decline, let them. Opening day roster> winter meetings roster. If the Mets were acting like a big market team, they would have been in on the Cuban guy. He's young, got potential and costs less than Granderson. Take a flyer on him and eat the contract if it doesn't work out. Big market teams try out Matt Kemp, or Jose Reyes and scoff at the contracts they carry with them. They are big market teams. They can take the hit. Small market teams sign Michael Cuddyer, and forfeit a first rounder draft pick in the process.

I didn't know there was a minor league Rule 5. How does that work? The players have to stay in the minors all year or they have to be returned? "Wow, Peavey's looking great. We'd love to call him up to the show, but that would mean losing him." On edit: Never mind. EXPLANATION RECEIVED!

Centerfield wrote: But the Cuddyer move will be the "big" move of the offseason. [crossout]We will get a lefty for the pen, a reclamation bat for the bench[/crossout], unload a starting pitcher to free up salary and that will be our winter.

Rick Porcello? Sheesh. Is he that much better than Jon Dillbar?

You know what? I'd be ok with that. Run the 6 man rotation to save Harvey innings for September. Pitch Gee and Montero out of the pen and turn Torres into an actual short man. Eventually someone will go down and need a pitcher. (Maybe even on our team.) I know that this is the thinking now, that there is plenty of pitching to go around. But with all of these arm injuries, I doubt we would even get out of April before some team comes knocking and asking for a pitcher. Besides, look at our own rotation: Harvey: coming off TJ Wheeler (healthy, we hope. Fingers crossed) deGrom (healthy, we hope. Fingers crossed) Colon: 41 years old and kinda chubby Niese: Rotator cuff concerns, elevated heart rate concerns Gee: Missed time last year, history of lost time on DL I think we can agree that it would be good to have some surplus here.

Seems like the 39 HR's was more of a career year than the norm.

Edgy MD wrote: Do you think it'll be minor league talent or a living player for the starting pitcher? I have no idea. I guess it depends on which pitcher (Colon brings back less, Gee brings back more) and what roles Sandy is able to fill via free agency. Gun to my head, I'd say prospect in the low minors who has some potential to be good. If I had my way, I'd go to camp with all my starters then start shopping them when pitchers start catching Tommy John Disease in March.

I know that there is a contingent here who are card-carrying members of TiTTS. The TiTTS philosophy is exciting and fun, but sometimes you can get carried away with TiTTS, and make decisions you regret later on. I have heard that management is getting pushback from FuPA (Future Planning Association) to hold on to their prospects and pursue a consistent "high end mediocrity" that will keep the franchise on the verge of contention year after year. Sure, FuPA is not as sexy as TiTTS, but in the end, more sustainable.

batmagadanleadoff wrote: If the Mets are World Series contenders, it's only because qualifying for the playoffs in 2015 baseball is markedly different than what it was 30 years ago. I can assure everybody that this Mets team, put back in time to 30 years ago, would not have sniffed a World Series even if you could replay the season Monte Carlo style, say 1,000 times. Jeez, the '85 Mets, featuring the Great version of Dwight Gooden and three offensive superstars, couldn't even make the playoffs. And interestingly enough, I think this is part of the reason that a trade like this won't go down. Back then, you had to be great. 88 wins wasn't going to get you anywhere. But now, an 88 win team can make the playoffs. And with the 18 rounds of playoffs that now exist, every post-season is a crapshoot. So now, I think the philosophy is not to go big any one year, but to go kinda sorta every year. I wonder if we have seen our last dominant Mets team. As gwreck said, as constructed, the Mets need a lot of things to break the right way in order to be one of those 88 win teams. I think 84-85 wins is probably a bit more realistic. But who knows. That's why you play the games. I'm not as sold on Tulo as gwreck is. My move was to get the Joses (Bautista and Reyes) from Toronto. I would have even given up Wheeler to make that happen. But the Cuddyer move will be the "big" move of the offseason. We will get a lefty for the pen, a reclamation bat for the bench, unload a starting pitcher to free up salary and that will be our winter.

Edgy MD wrote: December 10 kinda roxx: New York Mets traded Hubie Brooks, Mike Fitzgerald, Herm Winningham and Floyd Youmans to the Montreal Expos for Gary Carter on December 10, 1984. If they pulled off a trade like that this post-season we'd be World Series contenders in 2015.

Saw a blip this morning on how the Mets might be willing to trade Noah for a guy on Texas. Hey Sandy... DON'T TRADE SYNDEGAARD FOR A GUY WHO IS NOT GOING TO HIT MORE THAN FLORES.

Big leg kick. Fly ball hitter. I see a lot of balls dying on the Citi warning track. The fence in one of those clips says 118 meters. That's about 387 feet.

I don't think anything will happen. As far as I can remember, Sandy hasn't made any moves that caught us completely off guard. Maybe the Cuddyer move was the most surprising, but even that was rumored beforehand. All of his trades have materialized after a certain level of expectation had been established. I am not expecting anything this week. As to his job performance, I think Sandy has done a very good job. He has rebuilt the farm system, but he has had the luxury of being handed some very valuable assets in order to do so. People put a lot of blame on Minaya, but Harvey, Familia, Mejia, Murphy, Lagares, Duda and Davis were all Minaya products. Sandy was also given some very valuable pieces to unload to help build the system in Beltran, Dickey and Reyes. Two of them he turned into gold, one of them he badly muddled. Sandy's biggest strength, I feel, has been his patience, and his ability to wait out a trade market until the deal he is looking for develops. And as he did with Davis, to carry that player if that deal never materializes. I also think he did a great job with the Marlon Byrd sign and trade. We ended up with Dilson Herrera for almost nothing, which helps to soften the blow of losing Reyes. So, in general, I think he has missed a few opportunities, but is a bright guy. I trust his judgment.

Fman99 wrote: These are way more fun when you don't have a player in mind. Keep em guessing! Did anyone get this one?

Lefty Specialist wrote: Can't get the Applepill Scratchyback one. I tried, honest. Can't figure out the Spice Girl either. But these are backing up in my inbox..... JJ Putz. Love it.

Hi. We are the New York Mets. We are doing absolutely nothing. Nothing is imminent. Nothing is being discussed. In fact, nothing is even being rumored. There is nothing for you to read about or discuss this morning. We realize you are back from a long weekend and feeling unmotivated, but we feel like you should just concentrate on your work instead of surfing the net. That is all.

Certainly less risky. Especially since Cuddyer played in Colorado, which is almost the equivalent of playing in the Major Leagues. Still, for a guy who scouts say has so much raw power, it's disappointing they didn't make a run. He costs about as much as Granderson.

6 year, $68 million. Pretty reasonable. At that price point, it's disappointing that the Mets were not in play.

Stop it FK. It totally lets them off the hook. I think they should keep doing it. In fact, they should sign A-Rod to an extension. Jeter too.

I vaguely remember our "plan" joke being associated with a hot dog wrapper on the ground. I am sure someone here will remember the details. In any event, I really like the way Sandy Alderson has played his cards this post-season. I don't like losing the draft pick, but the Cuddyer signing is a very sensible one, and one that ensures we have reached the bare minimum to upgrade the lineup. I like that he is being patient on the shortstop market. I agree that all of the candidates have their flaws (some good defenders, others are good hitters, few are both. Some are old, some are expensive, some are both). And of the guys who are available, I don't think any are worth giving up deGrom or Wheeler. Or Syndegaard. He will be the 2015 ROY. I think he will ultimately unload Colon, but given his salary, we will not get much back. I think we start camp with Harvey, Wheeler, deGrom, Niese and Gee. Montero goes to the pen, Syndegaard and Matz start in the minors. I think Sandy will monitor the SS market to see if any bargains present themselves but will ultimately break camp with what we have. I think it's 50/50 whether we keep Murph. I guess that depends on the budget given to him. I think we add a lefty in the pen, and add a right-handed version of Bobby Abreu for the bench. I think we keep Plawecki around through spring just in case Travis looks bad or is hurt. Ultimately we will go into the season with Plawecki, Murphy, Niese and Gee all as tradeable chips. If a team gets hit with injuries, they may have much more value then. I don't think Sandy will trade them for less than value just because he has redundancies. I like that we don't have to worry about this kind of dumb move from our GM.

Yes, agreed on that. But I view that as more about having to move the railing than having to move the wall. In a perfect world, I'd also get rid of that notch in the RF. Maybe I'm boring but my idea of an ideal outfield wall is one that is 8 ft. tall (no railings), fair distances (such as Shea) and symmetrical all around. Has anyone taken a look at the original dimensions recently? I had forgotten about that high wall in the Modell's cutout. Those were just such stupid dimensions. I can't believe Jeff Wilpon would take the position that they don't need to be moved.

I think this is a great move. I like how Sandy Alderson stresses that this makes the field a "fair" ballpark, and compares it to Shea Stadium. I think this will have some impact on the results, but I think this will make more of an impact on the mindset of our hitters. Hopefully this move, which I don't view to be drastic, will finally put all talk of the Citi dimensions to bed.

Mine are too easy.