Another loss to Philadelphia mimicking those of the most recent variety, and the first month of evaluation will truly come to an end for the Mets.  Welcome to the part of the calendar when GM’s around the League have a better sense of what they need and what they have to do going forward.  Sometime by the end of this month, there will be multiple trigger-happy GM’s looking to draw conclusions about their seasons and act upon them.

Do you want to know why Sandy Alderson, so far, has never been short for answers in the face of such Mets’ organizational adversity?  Answer ~ Because he’s usually beating the Media to the punch.  He’s answering questions after he does something.  Omar used to fumble for answers while still formulating an ever-tardy plan after situations went awry and the Media baked him on it.

In a month in which the Mets had a six game winning streak against the lowly Astros, D-Backs, and Nationals, they still finished the month with an 11-16 record.  And it’s my guess Sandy Alderson will make many-a-writer hit delete on stories they’ve been preparing two or so weeks in advance because the Mets used to be that predictable.  So, instead of snooping around and looking for dirt in the club house, which has been many a writer’s want over the last few years, if for lack of a better story waiting to be written, scribes are now filling their time writing about Sandy doing this, Sandy cutting that, and what his next move will be.

Recognize the condition and know the cause.  Sandy has been faced with the toughest questions I’ve listened a GM have to answer.  And yet he gives the Media nothing until after he writes the story first.  April was all about research and fact checking.  Now, listen for his cracking knuckles, because Sandy is about to starting penning a new story in METropolis.  And he has the Media right where he wants them, which is not running wild. 

He has them sitting obediently waiting for their next bone. 

They know they have a new Pack Leader now.

Minus Johan Santana, Sandy Alderson has seen everything he’s needed to see out of his 1A team.  If you didn’t think he came aboard the S.S. Wilpon to steer his own ship, you are mistaken.  His first month of being an in-season GM reaffirmed what he probably already felt coming in.  And now it’s just a matter of time before he starts issuing floatation vests.  You thought the waters off Flushing Bay got choppy before?  Sandy Alderson is going to pilot this thing right into a storm that will make us all puke!  He’s just sitting back and waiting for the phone to start ringing before he sets sail.  And it will ring; like the phone at Chicken Ridiculous on a Friday night after work.

Reyes and Wright WILL get tossed-out in the regurgitation or be put in the frying pan; your choice.  And Sandy won’t have to do a thing.  So for everyone who thinks we are going to get ripped off, think of it this way; teams will raise their offering price as more teams want them.  Sandy is not desperate.  Omar was.  Sandy is in a position to NOT make a deal. 

Other GM’s may not have the luxury of patience and newly invested job security as Sandy Alderson now enjoys.

Embrace the idea of trading Jose Reyes and David Wright.  With them, the Mets continue to be a Baseball metaphor for bumper cars in a dark-lit China Shop.  It’s something I think Sandy Alderson recognizes and will eradicate. 

Sandy Alderson went to Harvard.  And one of the first things they teach you at the Harvard School of Business, is - There’s A Sucker Born Every Day.  As part of a class lecture on Trade, folklore has it, a popular teacher’s aid is a depiction of the scene when then Canadian Representative Omar Minaya signed a treaty with Cleveland Indians, sending Lee Stevens; Brandon Phillips; Grady Sizemore; and tonight’s starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies against the New York Mets, CLIFF LEE…, away in return for Bartolo Colon; which effectively, along with the 1994 Strike, ended National League Baseball in Montreal.

See?

They also teach you to Sell High; and Buy Low.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A/O Tuesday, May 4th

 

 From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR.MET

NEW YORK METS:  The Big Club Is Turning The Buffalo Bisons Into An Endangered Species.

 

But when it comes to current and former Brooklyn Cyclones, Back Off!

 

 

In an unfortunate development for both the Mets and Buffalo, pitcher; Henrry Mejia is going under the knife due to a busted elbow.

 

Sandy Alderson is on record as saying he doesn’t think the Mets have any high-quality skill at AAA (nor at AA-level for that matter).  I believe he used the word “Mediocre” to describe the state of affairs.  And if you remember, Buffalo was upset at Omar Minaya because they felt the Mets lacked enough quality prospects that could draw fans out to Bison’s games and therefore wanted to escape their contract with the Club.  With Mejia headed for surgery, Sandy Alderson’s observations about Buffalo just received some validation.  The Mets officially no longer have a pitcher they can retrieve from Buffalo to step in and provide effective innings.  And now the Bisons will be without one of the few players who was capable of filling

seats in Buffalo.

 

As for either team, SP-Chris Schwinden is still an unproven neophyte.  He’s off to a pretty good start.  But after him, the cupboard is dry.  Pat Misch anybody? 

Buffalo says we can keep him.

 

If what we have here are two independent assessments of the Mets’ high-level prospects arriving at the same conclusion… - Then there’s something to that folks.  Hmm?  So, I’ll say Buffalo and Sandy were right.  The Buffalo Bisons are abysmally staffed.  Just look at their roster.

 

Mejia was supposed to join Dillon Gee on the big club at some point this season.  But the Mets hoped that would happen later rather than sooner in the season.  Circumstances, namely Chris Young, caused the Mets to call-up Dillon Gee from Buffalo and now for Henrry, it’s see you next year.

 

I’m already on record as saying I do not agree with Dillon Gee pitching out of the bullpen.  For that I’d rather have him pitch in Buffalo.  And so would the Bisons!  But my point is, Dillon Gee pitched his way onto the big-club based upon his merits as a starting pitcher.  So, Let him start!…Or, send him down.

 

I know this goes against my pragmatism and better grasp of Baseball, but sometimes it actually rubbed me the wrong way when Sandy criticised the system.  But then that would be because of the bias I have towards former Brooklyn Cyclones.  So it’s better that he’s calling the shots instead of me.  Because, I’ll admit to you now, former Surf Avenue Sluggers are my kryptonite.

 

Dylan Owen is one of those former Brooklyn Cyclones now pitching for Buffalo.  I had high hopes for this kid.  But he’s been somewhat slow progressing through the farm.  His start to this season  is additionally leaving something to be desired.

 

Off the mound and on the field, Justin Turner has been taken from Buffalo where he was batting an even .300 after 40 at-bats.  And while Lucas Duda has been first choice this season with regards to outfield call-ups and also being a former Brooklyn Cyclone favorite of mine, another former Cyclone outfielder; Kirk Nieuwenhuis has quietly been enjoying a good start to his season.  After him, it’s really slim pickings.

 

On more than one occasion I over estimated a player or two because I see many of these players come through Brooklyn first.  And the Cyclones are a totally different frame of mind for me.  So when it comes time for these players to make a leap to the big club, there’s some pre-existing sentimentality there.  Outside of that, the Mets’ situation is dire.

 

J.P. Ricciardi and Paul DePodesta can only do so much in the up-coming amateur draft.  And the picks they make will be years away from answering any questions about them.  What I have learned over the last ten years attending Cyclones Baseball is that the N.Y.P.L. is not a clear indicator of the organization’s over-all developmental health because after all, the Cyclones play A-Level Short Season which starts on the heals of the draft.

 

In the mean time, Buffalo is in shambles, and may very well ask to get out of their contract with the Mets again if things don’t turn around soon.  That’s just an opinion.  Buffalo has a business to run also and has expressed the sentiment before. 

 

And for reasons still unknown to mankind (can you say Slotting System – because this is when spending a little extra cash on prospects starts to pay off), Double-A Binghampton remains to be a dead-end for many Mets’ low-level prospects.  Over the last two and three years, there have been marked changes in Binghampton.  But there is nothing Ricciardi or DePodesta can do over the next three months that will restock the high level minor league system. 

 

But the Trade Deadline can!

 

This was just another way of me saying, “Let Go!”

 

 

 

 

Mike.BTB