Joe Soriano
O.J. LewisNY Mets: Rebuild What?
May 20th 2010 19:12
Manager Jerry Manuel has been on the hot seat since last year, and the team that plays for him has continued to flounder. Even with the addition of Jason Bay to the line up, by way of an off-season signing, the Mets continue to struggle at the plate.
Coming into this season there was much speculation on the viability of a starting rotation that has produced in the past, but has underperformed due to injuries in the previous two seasons. However, with the exception of Oliver Perez, the starting staff has been relatively effective through the first quarter of the 2010 season.
It has been the offense that has failed to get the “big hit” in almost every opportunity. The Mets are batting a paltry .169 with runners in scoring position (RISP). Lets take a look at the line up that has been the most productive this season.
1) Jose Reyes SS
2) Luis Castillo 2B
3) David Wright 3B
4) Jason Bay LF
5) Ike Davis 1B
6) Jeff Francoeur RF
7) Angel Pagan CF
8) Rob Barajas C
9) <Pitcher>
In all actuality this is a very potent line-up. Jason Bay and Wright both have 30 homerun seasons. Jose Reyes and Angel Pagan bring an enormous amount of speed to the line-up and Rod Barajas currently leads the Mets with nine homeruns.
When people talk about rebuilding a team, they usually refer to breaking down the core players and trading them to contending teams in order to pillage that team’s farm system. In many cases it is because the core has reached an age where they are no longer being productive and it does not make sense to keep them around based on past statistics.
In the case of the New York Mets, it hardly seems like a “rebuild” should be in order. Wright, Reyes, and Davis are all in their 20’s and are beloved by fans due to their status of being “home grown” players.
While we know that Pagan is filling in until a healthy Carlos Beltran can return, Pagan has been the catalyst for this team all season. So much so that Jerry Manuel has indicated that even when Beltran returns (probably after the All Star break) he will find a spot to use Pagan on an everyday basis.
Francoeur has been a very streaky player both in Atlanta as a member of the Braves and as a New York Met. But his ability to carry a team when he is hot has been well documented.
There is not much to say about Castillo this season other than that he is doing what he is supposed to be doing. He is moving runners over, he’s slapping the ball all around the field, he’s stealing bases, and he has been solid in the field. In the past fans have called for his removal in favor of Orlando Hudson or a younger second baseman. While I do believe that his contract is a bit inflated, he is the only player on this team who has done his job year after year.
This leaves the weak spot being… (Drum Roll) the coaching staff.
Sometimes GM’s and owners replace coaching staffs on teams that need a jolt. It shows the players that even in Major League Baseball there is no such thing as job security. But I think the Wilpons should go a step further and release the GM (Omar Minaya) as well. It is unconscionable that Minaya would be allowed to hire his third manager in five years. Obviously there is a major flaw in his screening process.
It is time that the Wilpons give walking papers to the following coaches:
1) Jerry Manuel – manager
2) Howard Johnson – hitting coach
3) Dan Warthen – pitching coach
4) Razor Shines – first base coach
With the attendance at Citi Field down almost 18% from last year it is time for the Wilpons to rejuvenate the fan base and bring back Bobby Valentine and his own coaching staff. I’m sure he would be relieved to leave his stuffy roll on ESPN in order to turn this ship around.
Again, we are only one-fourth of the way through a 162 game season but unless the NY Mets decide to rebuild from the top on down, the season might as well have ended after the bus headed north from spring training.
Coming into this season there was much speculation on the viability of a starting rotation that has produced in the past, but has underperformed due to injuries in the previous two seasons. However, with the exception of Oliver Perez, the starting staff has been relatively effective through the first quarter of the 2010 season.
It has been the offense that has failed to get the “big hit” in almost every opportunity. The Mets are batting a paltry .169 with runners in scoring position (RISP). Lets take a look at the line up that has been the most productive this season.
1) Jose Reyes SS
2) Luis Castillo 2B
3) David Wright 3B
4) Jason Bay LF
5) Ike Davis 1B
6) Jeff Francoeur RF
7) Angel Pagan CF
8) Rob Barajas C
9) <Pitcher>
In all actuality this is a very potent line-up. Jason Bay and Wright both have 30 homerun seasons. Jose Reyes and Angel Pagan bring an enormous amount of speed to the line-up and Rod Barajas currently leads the Mets with nine homeruns.
When people talk about rebuilding a team, they usually refer to breaking down the core players and trading them to contending teams in order to pillage that team’s farm system. In many cases it is because the core has reached an age where they are no longer being productive and it does not make sense to keep them around based on past statistics.
In the case of the New York Mets, it hardly seems like a “rebuild” should be in order. Wright, Reyes, and Davis are all in their 20’s and are beloved by fans due to their status of being “home grown” players.
Francoeur has been a very streaky player both in Atlanta as a member of the Braves and as a New York Met. But his ability to carry a team when he is hot has been well documented.
There is not much to say about Castillo this season other than that he is doing what he is supposed to be doing. He is moving runners over, he’s slapping the ball all around the field, he’s stealing bases, and he has been solid in the field. In the past fans have called for his removal in favor of Orlando Hudson or a younger second baseman. While I do believe that his contract is a bit inflated, he is the only player on this team who has done his job year after year.
This leaves the weak spot being… (Drum Roll) the coaching staff.
Sometimes GM’s and owners replace coaching staffs on teams that need a jolt. It shows the players that even in Major League Baseball there is no such thing as job security. But I think the Wilpons should go a step further and release the GM (Omar Minaya) as well. It is unconscionable that Minaya would be allowed to hire his third manager in five years. Obviously there is a major flaw in his screening process.
It is time that the Wilpons give walking papers to the following coaches:
1) Jerry Manuel – manager
2) Howard Johnson – hitting coach
3) Dan Warthen – pitching coach
4) Razor Shines – first base coach
With the attendance at Citi Field down almost 18% from last year it is time for the Wilpons to rejuvenate the fan base and bring back Bobby Valentine and his own coaching staff. I’m sure he would be relieved to leave his stuffy roll on ESPN in order to turn this ship around.
Again, we are only one-fourth of the way through a 162 game season but unless the NY Mets decide to rebuild from the top on down, the season might as well have ended after the bus headed north from spring training.
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