Many factors led to the New York Mets' embarrasing meltdown in the fall of 2007. The Mets, as we all know by now, botched a seven-game lead with 17 games left to play. It was the worst collapse in Major League Baseball history.
Poor starting pitching, an ineffective bullpen, sloppy play in the field, a lack of clutch hitting, inappropriate on-field behavior (i.e., Lastings Milledge's suspension for continuously arguing with an umpire), a lack of clubhouse leadership, and even some questionable dugout decisions made by Willie Randolph, all factored in New York's dramatic downfall.
Omar Minaya ought to share blame for the Mets demise last season, too. He amassed an old pitching staff and made some bad personnel decisions that adversely effected the overall depth of his team. He also has a tendency to be too close to his players, and not give Randolph enough support when the stars like shortstop Jose Reyes fail to run out grounders.
It's somewhat surprising, given all these problems, that the Mets were even in contention at all.
Luckily, Minaya has made some interesting moves this offseason to address the Mets needs in 2008.
By now, everyone has heard that the Mets have surprisingly acquired Johan Santana (assuming he agrees to a contract), arguably the best pitcher in baseball, to bolster their solid staff. He traded the talented but immature Milledge for two solid "young" veterans; let the egotistical Paul Lo Duca, the aging and infeffective Tom Glavine, and the unproductive and slipping Sean Green leave via free agency. These moves were simply additions by subtraction.
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However, another player the Mets ought to have said adios to was Carlos Delgado.
Aside from the fact that Delgado has been prone to injury, the veteran first baseman showed absolutely no leadership skills in guiding this talent-laden team to the playoffs. Where was Delgado and his close friend, center fielder Carlos Beltran, after a tough loss? Both would quickly leave the clubhouse after a New York defeat, leaving youthful third baseman David Wright to be clubhouse spokesman.
At least Beltran put up good numbers.
Sure, Wright emerged as the Mets best hitter, perhaps even their best all-around player, but is he really ready to be a leader, the kind that Beltran and Delgado ought to be?
I realize that Delgado was injured down the stretch, but his frequent habit of leaving early after a loss clearly created a vacuum in the clubhouse.
Delgado's continous ups and downs at the plate, and the fact that the quality of his defense has slipped considerably, should have led Minaya to move Delgado to the American League, where he belongs.
At least this way, he could perform as a designated hitter, play spot first base when a fly ball pitcher is on the mound, and focus on hitting (though even that seems to be slipping).
The Mets acquired Ryan Church (along with catcher Brian Schneider) from the Nationals in the Milledge trade. Church is a solid acquisition, who mainly plays in the outfield, but also plays first. However strong the Church pickup is, it might have served the Mets better to have acquired Nick Johnson, instead.
True, Johnson is coming off of a serious injury, but he's a great fielder with a high on-base percentage, much like the Red Sox first bagger Kevin Youkilis and the Rockies' Todd Helton. Of course, this doesn't necessarily address the leadership problems the Mets have, but at least Johnson will solidify the infield, especially from the wild throws from Wright and the howitzer arm of Reyes.
The problem with the Delgado situation is that he is one of Minaya's guys. Omar's loyalty to some of his veteran players was one of the reasons New York crumbled late last year.
The good news is that the Mets, now with Johan Santana, a power pitcher on the mound—replacing the ground ball pitcher in Tom Glavine—may not need a gold-glove caliber first basemen.
In fact, the staff, with the likes of John Maine, Oliver Perez, and of course the crafty Pedro Martinez, is made up of fly-ball pitchers.
Nonetheless, Delgado's problems with his health, his inconsistency at the play, lack of leadership, and, even yes, his iron glove, could hurt the New York's National League entry somewhere down the line.
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7 months ago
Bleacher Report Should Have Dumped Andrew Schiff.
7 months ago
Hey, thanks for being a great fan!
7 months ago
Hey, thanks for being a great fan!
7 months ago
Hey, thanks for being a douche bag!
7 months ago
Whatever you say Mr. Anonymous.
7 months ago
Whatever you say Mr. Hair Plugs.
7 months ago
And you probably, I would guess, are fat, over weight and, and most likely have an eating disorder. No doubt you are bald and most likely never went to college or read a book in your life.
You probably sit at home and watch Jerry Springer and have nothing interesting to say and don't have the guts, nor the talent to actually write an article and put your name out there.
You probably don't have a job either.
7 months ago
How bout a serious comment...
Even if they wanted to it would have been impossible for the mets to trade Delgado.
You don't mention that he owed 16 Million for 2008 and also a club option for 2009 and if they dont exercise the option they have to pay him 4 million buyout.
Please tell me what american league team would want a guy they would owe 20 million for one season that is coming off the year he had last year. 258 average with 24 home runs and has all the character issues that you mentioned?
No chance they could get anyone to take him off their hand unless they cover a whole lot of that contract, so might as well keep him and hope he has a big year in the last year of his contract like a lot of mlb players do.
from 6 months ago
Why, players with loaded contract never get traded?
The Mets could trade him and offer to pay for most of the money.
I said he's not a leader; I didn't say he was a cancer.
Some team would be interested in him, not everyone feels the way I do. That's why teams make trades.
7 months ago
What a load of crap article on degado he is a great team player ! tHE WHOLE PIECE WAS SHOULD HAVE COULD HAVE WOULD HAVE! Andrew you are a j.o.
7 months ago
Andrew your articles suck!
7 months ago
i said over at www.getsbybuckner.blogspot.com that the mets should have dumped delgado and picked up nick johnson many a month ago. delgado will bat .250 this season. they cold have paid half of delgado's salary, and acquired nick johnson's and it still would have been less ofa cost than paying the full delgado salary for 08.
from 6 months ago
Great minds think alike!!
7 months ago
You two should get a room. I'm going to assume anonymous is a friend of yours just busting your balls.
The Mets are stuck with Delgado. That may not be a bad thing, providing he had the hole in his bat fixed over the winter.
He will have to do, at least for this season. He should be dropped to the 6th spot in the order, though. I see a lineup this season that goes something like this...
Reyes, Castillo, Wright, Beltran, Alou, Delgado, Church, Schneider, Pitcher.
If Delgado put the bat the ball to the tune of .280-.285, he'll drive in a ton of runs.
7 months ago
I agree with anonymous, all of them. Love, Steve From Yellowstone. Hoo hoo! I invented anonymous posting!!!!
7 months ago
LOL!! You gotta love an anonymous guy baiting the author into a pissing match!
Can't disagree with the article tho...Delgado has been a major disappointment as a Met.
from 6 months ago
Well, I wouldn't say he was a disappointment. He had a wonderful year in 2006, but he's become an AL player. He was a disappointment last year and it looks like he's not getting any better.
from 6 months ago
Well, I wouldn't say he was a disappointment. He had a wonderful year in 2006, but he's become an AL player. He was a disappointment last year and it looks like he's not getting any better.
from 6 months ago
Well, I wouldn't say he was a disappointment. He had a wonderful year in 2006, but he's become an AL player. He was a disappointment last year and it looks like he's not getting any better.
7 months ago
bite me andrew and your zoisa plugs
from 6 months ago
No thanks, I'm a vegetarian.
6 months ago
Great article Andrew, I couldn't have agreed more about Delgado being past his prime and really being a liability to the Mets organization. As a Met season ticket holder, I can say I spent the majority of the 2007 season witnessing first hand how his bat has really struggled and the collapse may have partially been avoided (I still think the pitching in the last month was the source) if his bat had been there. Good points though.
from 6 months ago
Yeah, thanks for your feedback. Delgado was awful. It just wasnt' meant to be last year. Maybe he'll bounce back, but i think he's an AL player now.
6 months ago
i wouldnt be too hastey in getting rid of delgado. He did have the worst year of his career last year, but cant a guy have a bad year? Give the guy a break. You guys are treating him like trash, dont forget he still hit 24 homeruns in a year considered by most to be terrible. He had the 3rd most HR's on the team. Would you really get rid of that guy, and bring in someone whos a chance? get real guys.
from 6 months ago
As I said before, they should have gotten rid of him. So there.
5 months ago
his homers came in chunks. meaning he dsappeared for a month at a time creating a major hole in the lineup. i don't think his 24 homers is some good baramoter or argument point on keeping him. yes they won't get rid of him, but for conversation purposes, they should have, itf it meant getting a guy with more consistancy and better hitting disclipline like a guy on the better side of 30 named Johnson. he had an off year, much like al great players eventually do. i see no reason for ecpecting a bounce back effort. his hip is bothersome, and who knows what the deal is with his hand. his raction time and eyesight also dop off due to age.
his numbers were also atrocious with runners on and in scoring positon. his best#'s were with no one on, which isn't exactly too helpful. he isn't reyes. that means it took 3 singles to drive him in.
from 5 months ago
Rightto.
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