Bleacher Report - Articles by Eric Brenner

Omar Minaya: Offense Was Not The Team's Problem Last Year

Eric Brenner — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 17:31:40 -0500

I figure I'd share my opinion on Minaya's comments at today's press conference.

According to Metsblog, Matt Cerrone says that when questioned about any additional moves to address the offense, Minaya responded by stating that last year the offense was not the problem.

I have a lot of problems with this statement. Firstly, prior to the All-Star game, offense WAS the problem with this team. They came out as flat as they left 2008. I guess Minaya doesn't remember firing a guy named Willie Randolph because the team couldnt hit the ball or score any runs.

Secondly, why does Omar Minaya insist on assuming the team will produce as well as it did in the second half of 2008? Is he serious when he believes that Delgado will continue to hit the ball the way he did, or that Tatis will continue his magical comeback (and that's not considering the damage done to his shoulder from his injury)?

Does he really believe that Luis Castillo will hit .300 again? Does he really believe that Ryan Church will be the same player he was before all those concussions?

I can't say that he will be wrong about all of these players; I actually think Church will have a nice year. But as for the rest of them, banking on these types of guys will only lead to trouble. I could understand if there was no one on the market to make a play for, but I can think of three names when it comes to offense, and two of them start with Manny, and another with Orlando.

Omar needs to stop treating the fans like idiots. We know that these hopes you have for the team are bogus. To expect the same production as last year is pure silliness. None of us believe this team is any better than last year; just ask anyone on this website, or any one of the members of the Million Manny March. This team needs a new bat.

And there is plenty out there.

Just ask yourself one question: is this team, as a result of the acquisitions this year, better than the Phillies?

Carlos Delgado Will Determine The Mets' Success in 2009

Eric Brenner — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 17:03:22 -0500

Maybe you will call me greedy, but I think I'm just thinking smart.

While this offseason began with a bang for the Mets with the signing of Francisco Rodriguez and J.J. Putz, the remainder has been a disappointment. I say this because while these additions have improved our bullpen, I feel the team is not any better overall.

GM Omar Minaya has shown he is fully capable of landing the big star, and he's proven it over the years. But, recently, his game plan for improving the club has been merely plugging the holes rather than planning ahead.

Here's why:

Let's go back to last offseason. The Mets clearly lacked a No. 1 starter, as Pedro Martinez had fallen off quite a bit and was battling multiple injuries. The addition of Johan Santana quickly filled that hole. But every Mets fan knew the offense was going to be a problem.

The previous year (the first collapse), the Mets could not score a run down the stretch. Carlos Delgado had disappeared and the other run producers, namely David Wright and Carlos Beltran, were not performing. Oh, and Moises Alou was hurt as well.

Despite Alou never staying healthy, Minaya tried to convince us that he would be a major contributor in 2008.

So while the rotation added a key member, there was still uncertainty regarding the rest of the rotation, as well as the lineup. Minaya assured us that he was confident Delgado would rebound and the other pitchers in the rotation would step up. In hindsight, he was right about the pitching, as Mike Pelfrey truly took some major strides and had a great year.

But, at the time, this was a significant gamble. Instead of taking measures to remedy any problems with pitching or offense that could have arisen, he decided to trust the team he already had.

The result was an injured Pedro Martinez in the second game of the season with no significant replacement lined up, as well as an injured John Maine later in the season. Also, Alou's playing time was minimal due to injury.

This offseason, Minaya has filled the holes in the rotation, signing Freddy Garcia and Tim Redding as fallback options as well as competitors for the fifth rotation spot. But, essentially, the Mets have the same rotation as last year.

Fine.

Maybe we can make up for it with the bullpen additions. While Billy Wagner drove us crazy at times, he was a decent closer and I came to appreciate his skills more after he was injured and the bullpen circus act ensued. Wagner is expected miss all of 2008 after undergoing Tommy-John surgery last September.

This offseason, Minaya filled the closer hole with two additions (K-Rod and Putz), so essentially we are back to where we were when Wagner was healthy and effective. I'm assuming the effectiveness of all the closers is equal at this point.

But remember, the Mets need to be winning for these guys to save the game in the ninth. Let's look at the additions to the offense...that's right, there are none. We have the same team.

Once again, like last offseason, while Minaya is plugging a major hole, he is assuming the team will play equally as well as they did last year, if not better.

That's a lot to ask from this team. Maybe not so much from the Phillies, but when you are banking on Delgado to have the same production as last year when we know how poorly he has played at other times, that's a large gamble.

Luis Castillo is nowhere to be found, Ryan Church is a very big question mark, and Minaya is assuming Fernando Tatis and Daniel Murphy will produce like last year. So if Delgado returns to his can't-hit-the-broad-side-of-a-barn hitting style, the Mets are, once again, relying on Wright and Beltran to carry the team.

Personally, I am not convinced. This team will not score enough runs.

I refuse to believe that this team will be good enough offensively to outscore the Phillies on a nightly basis. At this point, the pitching staffs are essentially equal and it's possible the bullpens have also come to the same level.

I know it's not my money to spend, but Manny Ramirez would change the whole team. A cheaper option is Orlando Hudson, who plays a Gold-Glove second base, can hit, and has publicly stated he wants to play in New York (last night on the MLB network).

So Omar and Fred Wilpon, I beg you, do something to make this team better, not just the same as last year.

Philadelphia: A City Obsessed

Eric Brenner — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 13:36:31 -0500

Well, it's been quite some time since I've written here. After much distress and disappointment yet again at the end of this season, not to mention the Phillies' irritating, yet deserved, success this postseason, I needed some time to collect my thoughts.

I have a lot of things floating through my head, and I guess the first place to start is to address the World Champion Phillies situation.

Yes, the Phillies outplayed the Mets—once again—down the stretch. They came through when it mattered and they clearly, without a doubt, were the best team in the postseason this year (although, I thought the Cubs would have given them a run, but we all know that's another story for another nation of fans).

Recently, there has been a great animosity and increased hatred here in the city of "brotherly" love. I have felt great frustration and anger from watching the Phillies do what I hoped the Mets would have accomplished. Also, the incessant screaming and celebration in the streets of West Philadelphia right outside my apartment window became quite annoying.

But one thing has struck me to an even greater extent. The extreme hatred of the Mets and their fans has grown exponentially, and it has gotten to the point where this city, and its affiliates, have lost all their class.

I couldn't put my finger on why this hatred has grown so much. If the celebration rituals of one player on the Mets is the cause of this, then this city needs to re-look its priorities. But recently, Matt Cerrone of Metsblog.com described my question perfectly. "Why is this city so desperate for New York's approval?"

Let us take a quick walk down memory lane. Five years ago, as a freshman here at Drexel University, I remember going to Phillies-Mets games at brand new Citien's Bank Park. It might as well have been Shea stadium, because the "Lets go Mets" chants so prevalently filled the park.

In those days, there were no "diehard" Phillies fans, barking at us Mets fans as we paraded through their territory as if it were our own. Nor did we bark at them. There was no animosity (although, at the time, being a Giants fans here was a different story). Jose Reyes was never booed, nor did anyone make any comments about his celebrations.

Now, all of a sudden, newly appointed "diehards" are crawling out of the woodwork. It's amazing how many people simply become fans overnight when their team starts winning. Since then, the fans have made it their life goal to stick it to the Mets and their fans.

The funny thing is, despite our disappointing year, we never had a problem with the Phillies nor their fans. And now, the fans must "prove" their team is better in every possible way, including off the field. In this time of celebration, fans are more concerned with zinging the Mets fans and destroying their own city in crazed mobs. Yes, fires, overturned cars, and completely collapsed bus shelters were commonplace last week.

I guess what I'm saying is that I don't understand the infatuation this city has with New York. If the fans think Mets fans are completely heartbroken by the Phillies championship, think again.

Growing up 18 years in New York, where everyone I knew was a Yankees fan, set the bar for me. Mets fans have battled the Yankees for the back page since our inception in 1962. And, apparently, we'll always be considered the "other" baseball team in NYC. So, honestly, Philadelphia, this is nothing new. It's a shame that no one here has ever heard of the old saying, "METS = My Entire Team Sucks." I've heard them all, so quit while you're ahead.

In conclusion, Mets fans are upset they did not perform. And yes, I am upset the Phillies won the series, but honestly, they deserved it. I'm not going to ramble on with ridiculous excuses and claims about how the Mets are better, because this year they weren't.

I just don't understand why this city must insist on gaining New York and Mets fans' "approval." Your team won the World Series. You should be celebrating. An obsession with the Mets at this point is just embarrassing. Especially to a Mets fan.

Therefore, I suggest for everyone to cool their jets. I've heard comments from everyone regarding the Mets, including players, fans, and announcers. It's becoming annoying, to the point where people are beginning to hate the Phillies. Being that the players and their affiliates are so opinionated, I would love to know how they feel about other teams in the MLB. They are making more enemies than friends, maybe that's why the ratings on this year's series were record low.

Anyway, I hereby give my congratulations to the Phillies. You completely deserved it. Now, in the words of every Phillies fan here, I say quit the trash talk and just play. It goes both ways, because while hand gesturing and celebrations may be disrespectful to you, your words that come back are of equal weight, even when they come from Hall of Fame announcers. Yes I'm talking to you Harry Kalas. New York will be "seein' you" real soon.

In The Words Of Joe B, "Oh, The Pain"

Eric Brenner — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 05:08:29 -0400

I have just one question:

Why cant the Mets just lose normally?

Why does it always have to be some extravagant, anguish filled, monumental collapse-type loss to these Phillies?

But anyway, when I came to BR.com today, I noticed that there were no articles by our many Mets columnists about last night's game. And I understand why.

I feel exactly what you feel. I couldn't sleep last night, despite staying up until 1 AM watching the horror unfold. So today I drag around at work, kind of in a daze.

But fellow Mets fans let us not lose faith. It's hard to do after last night, but we've got our ace on the Mound tonight, a game in which I will be attending.

So I will stand my ground and defend our team with all I've got against those Philadelphia fans. I ask that you do the same. Because Jimmy Rollins, we Mets fans are not front runners.

So lets stand by our team, no matter what. We all know the saying, 'Ya Gotta Believe.'

Lets do this Mets.

New York Mets Using a Very Young Lineup

Eric Brenner — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 09:20:46 -0400

After reading the starting lineup posting from Metsblog.com at work today, it actually amazed me to look at the infielders. The entire infield was homegrown.

Wright at third, Reyes at short, Reyes at second, and Evans at first. Even Dan Murphy was in at left field.

Looking at the box score today as well, the young guys got the job done, especially Murphy. This guy has really shown me something in the first few games he's been called up. If anything, he's at least proven he can compete here. He may not keep up his.400+ average for much longer, but I like what I've seen so far.

I have a feeling this is the kind of lineup we may become familiar with next year and in the years to follow. Despite the fact that I have assumed Delgado will be gone next year, his resurgence this second half may sway the Mets into picking up his option. I'm still very nervous about that, but I feel better knowing what we have in the way of young talent.

Now if they can truly help us win this year is another story. I can only hope...

July 2008 and the New York Mets: A Look at the Numbers

Eric Brenner — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:23:17 -0400

Yes, the Mets have had a great July. They have potentially turned their season around. Johan is pitching great as he has done all year, Pelfrey is finally pitching the way he's been hyped the past three seasons, and Oliver Perez has come back to Earth—at least for while. All that combined with a resurgence of the offense equals wins. But here's a look at the actual numbers. They might surprise you.

We'll start with Pitching:

April 2008 June 2008 July 2008

Win Percentage: .520 .464 .708

Walks 104 99 76

K's 178 198 193

BAA .247 .267 .235

OBP .334 .343 .306

Hitting

Average .248 .254 .306

OBP .339 .325 .378

OPS .708 .703 .863

Runs 112 120 144

RBI 105 115 134

I must mention that currently the Mets have had approximately 100 fewer at bats in July than in June, and about the same number of at bats as in April. The Mets have also just recently begun hitting more home runs, so I have omitted that stat right now.

Lastly, lets just do a quick comparison of July 2006 and July 2008:

July 2008

W L AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BA OBP SLG OPS

17 7 870 144 266 47 8 31 134 .306 .378 .485 .863

July 2006

W L AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BA OBP SLG OPS
16 9 861 157 237 49 7 33 154 .275 .352 .463 .815

So there you have it. Let the numbers speak for themselves. I just want to point out the record of the team in 2006 compared to 2008. If we can keep this up, we'll be in good shape. And I'll be the first to say that I never thought numbers like this were possible this year. Carlos Delgado, I owe you an apology...

**Thank you to ESPN.com and their useful "splits" tool for the data.**

Jose Reyes: Loved in NY, Hated Everywhere Else

Eric Brenner — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 05:18:00 -0400

As I was watching the Mets-Phillies Game last night on Comcast Sportsnet, I finally decided that I will never watch the Mets on that station ever again. It's sometimes a nice break to actually watch a game in HD instead of on my computer screen through my sling box back in NY, but after comments last night made by a Phillies announcer I may boycott the station forever.

After Jose Reyes' home run that put the Mets up 6-3, Reyes rounded the bases with his index finger pointing to the sky, a symbol possibly to thank the Lord, or to signify the Mets superiority. Once reaching the dugout, the infamous handshakes and "dances" ensued.

As a Mets fan I have become accustomed to this sight. Jose Reyes has always shown his enthusiasm for his and his teammates' play. But others seem to dislike it. Chris Wheeler, for one, provided his comments last night on Jose Reyes and his behavior.

Without a direct transcript available, his comments revolved around the fact that while it was great that Jose hit a home run for his team, all the other "crap" he does is unnecessary. The use of the word "crap" was prominently and clearly used.

Now, Jose has had issues with possibly showing up other teams with his handshakes and dugout antics in the past, but he has toned down his behavior and limited it to the dugout. But apparently other people, outside of those who watch him every day, feel the need to make somewhat "incriminating" comments.

This is who Jose is. He means no personal harm to other players, but merely has a different way of expressing his excitement. I had no problem with the way he rounded the bases; it was a big hit, and it was time for someone to stand up to these Phillies. After all, I lost count on how many times a Mets player was hit with a pitch in only two days.

Not to mention, if Jose's gestures were of religious significance, much like Fernando Tatis, then Jose most definitely deserves an apology from Mr. Wheeler.

I guess it just bothers me how much freedom some guys have on the air to say whatever they want. But being raised a Mets fan and listening to the great voices of Bob Murphy, Gary Cohen, and Howie Rose, I know those kinds of comments would never be uttered.

Despite the problems with behavior that Jose had had, I stand behind him. He's my shortstop, and I wont stand for anyone criticizing anything but his play.

$140 Million=1.5 All Star Selections

Eric Brenner — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 05:59:42 -0400

Since every team in the Majors nowadays must be represented by at least one player in the All Star game, the Mets had to send someone. This has not been a problem in the recent past, with 6 players being sent to the show in '06 and 4 in '07.

But this year was a much different story.

I found myself refusing to vote for any Mets players not because I'd been angry with the team's play, but simply for the reason that I felt no one deserved it.

No one was having an all star caliber season. Yes, David Wright was hitting around .280, but the clutch hit has eluded him all season and his throwing from third base has taken somewhat of a nosedive. His injury replacement is why I consider his selection as the .5 selection. Billy Wagner had been having a nice season until he proved once again he cant save a big game, so now his selection is quite questionable.

And as I looked around the rest of the team, no one stood out above and beyond any of the other alternatives on the ballot. (The ballot also made its first appearance in the first week of May, which is ridiculous and a topic for another story in itself)

But for once I think this will do more good than bad.

I feel the majority of the players made the team by default last year. People voted by names and not by performance. This year is different. Many fans realized that certain guys, like Ryan Braun and Evan Longoria, have produced much better results in the first half of the year.

These guys play to win, and not to collect their money.

Its time that certain players on the Mets, all stars or not, realized they must play to prove themselves once again. Too much was taken for granted with this team, especially last year. These guys expected to make the All Star team because of who they are. And they did. They also expected to win the division because they were all stars. And they didn't.

So maybe this 9 game streak is a function of the team playing with something to prove. Something we all saw in 2006. I can only hope it carries over into the second half, because if not, the other teams who play to show the world what they can do will run away.

It May Be Time for "The Kid"

Eric Brenner — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 05:29:13 -0400

Yesterday on The Fan, Joe and Evan brought up an interesting point regarding the corner outfield spots for the New York Mets. There is a lot of uncertainty about the health of Ryan Church these days, and Moises Alou will be hurt again after seven at-bats, guaranteed.

So, with all of this, I agreed with Joe and Evan that it might be time to give F-Mart a chance. I don't want to hear any trade rumors regarding bringing in a corner outfielder. What a waste of time, money, and players that would be. The Mets have no shot at landing any big-time outfielder, or even a guy who could help us in the least.

So I say forget about bringing in Matt Holiday, and let's give the kid a shot, especially if the rumors of Ryan Church being shut down for the year are true.

If the Mets see themselves without Church and Alou goes on another DL stint, I don't see how they can't do this.

Any opinions?

New York Mets=Unwatchable

Eric Brenner — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:25:06 -0400

Well, I haven't written a Mets article for some time, and it has been for a few reasons. The most relevant, though, is for the simple reason that there is nothing left so say. There is so much negativity with this team that it honestly depresses me to write about them. I have such love for the game and for this team it truly hurts me.

Some may say that I'm a bad fan for not watching the team through the bad times, but honestly it's because I care too much. And also, these aren't bad times, they are embarrassing times. This is not baseball that we are all watching, it's a circus.

Yes, the firing of Willie Randolph was necessary. He wasn't inspiring his dead team. But the organization found a new way to embarrass themselves and more importantly their fans. By firing Willie the way they did, I was, for the first time ever, embarrassed to be a Mets fan. Willie did not deserve that treatment any more than the average guy. No one should be treated like that, and I would like to personally apologize to Willie, for what it's worth.

But as I write this, minutes after turning off the 10-0 mess that has unfolded on my computer screen through my slingbox, the team is a disaster. Even with Manuel protecting his players, something I can guarantee Randolph would not have done, the team cannot seem to focus on a consistent basis. With such inconsistency, it becomes apparent that the team does not have the talent to win.

Every team goes through an inconsistent stretch, like the Phillies this past week. But enough is enough with the Mets. They are old and finished. I feel that the rest of the season rests on the next two weeks. With four against the Yankees this weekend, four against the Cardinals and then a trip here to Philadelphia, I feel the season will simply slip away very quickly. I wish I had more hope to lean on, but this team just does not give me any. It's a shame.

So, once again, I can only hope they pick it up. At least against the Yankees, because I am one of the many who were suckered into buying tickets to the Subway Series by Omar Minaya. His belief that Moises Alou would play most of the season is a joke, almost as funny as his belief that Carlos Delgado is still a power hitter.

So please Mets, focus. You played well against the Angles and in Colorado. But now you can't beat the last place, last in runs scored Mariners. I just don't understand.

Why the New York Mets Won't Make the Playoffs in 2008

Eric Brenner — Wed, 21 May 2008 03:42:21 -0400

Abysmal. That's all that can be said about the Mets dropping a twin bill to the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday.

It seems like it's back to the old ways for the Mets. Not only for this season, but historically. Inconsistency plagues the team this year, and once again, the Mets cannot win in Atlanta.

The inability for this team to hit is astounding. Their offense is terrible.

I'd like to say that this team has talent, but its coming to the point where I'm realizing that the talent has run out. Carlos Delgado is not in a slump. When a player who has a career .300 average cannot his above .260 for two straight seasons, that means he is deteriorating, not in a "slump."

For those who defend Delgado (*Cough*Willie) repeatedly, and say that he will come out of this slump, they must be kidding themselves. He is finished. His bat speed is completely destroyed, epitomized by his performance against two "flamethrowers" yesterday.

While David Wright is hitting for a decent average, he has not been able to come up with the big hit this year. But this is only a temporary problem, not a "lack of ability" type of situation.

Similar arguments can be said of Jose Reyes. It's astounding how many times he swings at pitches in the dirt, and completely takes his eye off the ball when he does it. Jose, when you swing, please look at the ball. But with these guys, these are fixable problems.

Moises Alou is a hitter in the lineup, but his presence cannot be counted on in the long run. Even with him in the lineup now, the Mets cannot score runs consistently. What happens when his bat is no longer there?

I can't wait for Endy Chavez and Marlon Anderson to bring their stellar averages to the plate on a regular basis. But that might be sooner than we think.

With Church going down yesterday with a concussion, it would shock me to see him in the lineup in the next week. Now the Mets are missing their best player, the ONLY consistent bat in the lineup.

Carlos Beltran is a good player, but in my opinion, he's not worth the money the Mets paid him. I keep hearing every year that we are going to see Beltran take it to "another level", but I have yet to see anything of this nature.

He is a great player to have, and very valuable to the Mets lineup, but he really needs to step up his performance, especially as a cleanup hitter. So far this season he hasn't cleaned anything. But it may very well be that he is only a .250 hitter.

Luis Castillo can't get the ball out of the infield. His knees are shot, even with his uneven legs. My knees hurt just watching this guy run. He had a nice year last year, but clearly he is on the downside now. And there's only three more years on his contract. Great.

So in my opinion, it all comes down to the offense.

The pitching wasn't stellar yesterday, but the damage was limited in both games. Considering that John Maine pitched poorly, he only gave up four runs. A 4-1 game should be a winnable game. But I, like every Met fan, knew they weren't going to win the game.

While going to school in Philly, I'm subject to the Phillies, who I follow just as closely as the Mets, merely because I have to.

All I can say is that when the Phils are down 4-1 in the fourth inning, there's almost a certainty they will put up a fight until the end.

Yesterday, and for most of the season, the Mets merely lay down. Start hitting the ball boys, or else you aren't going anywhere.

Mets-Yankees: Has the Subway Series Lost its Luster?

Eric Brenner — Fri, 16 May 2008 07:54:19 -0400

For over 10 years now, the Mets and Yankees have been playing two series against each other during regular-season play. While interleague play has become a great opportunity for teams who rarely get to play against each other to meet head to head, it has deviated from that original plan considerably, most notably in New York.

Concentrating on the Mets, they are obviously a top-market team, along with the Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs etc. These large markets have become problematic, as these teams are forced to play more high-profile teams every year. For instance, the Mets last year played every playoff team from the American League in their interleague series. This also included playing their cross-town rivals, the Yankees, not once, but twice.

The competition and excitement between the Mets and Yankees during these two series are nonetheless unbelievable every year, although most fans of both teams would probably like to see this idea be scrapped. It has become more of a burden on each of the teams, especially for the perennial underdog Mets.

Fighting for the back page of the local papers is one thing, but it has come to the point where the fans are hoping their team doesn’t lose, rather than treating these games as necessary wins essential to their respective playoff races.

While the Mets and Yankees face off this weekend, the Phillies have the incredibly daunting task of playing the Blue Jays. The Red Sox are playing the Brewers, and the first-place Marlins are playing the Royals.

It compounds in the fact that the schedule makers probably assumed the Marlins would not contend this year. So they obviously felt it was OK for two bad teams to play each other. The good teams are then left over to play each other. Being that the Marlins have gotten off to such a great start, there is an obvious advantage for them. The Mets can’t get out of their own way, and yet they are now faced with additional, unnecessary pressure.

Although the Yankees are struggling, just as the Mets are, this series becomes more difficult than it should be. The Mets should be focusing on catching up to the Phillies, who will undoubtedly take off with this division if they are given the chance.

The fact is that the Mets have been forced to play much more challenging games over the past couple of years, especially when compared to their fellow division rivals. It’s safe to say the Mets will never have a year where they play the Blue Jay, Orioles, Rangers, and Royals. That schedule is reserved for the Marlins, or maybe the Phillies.

The other teams in the division do not have rivals in the American League East. There is no legitimate reason that they should. It just seems unfair that the Mets are forced to play rivalry games for the sake of selling more five-dollar hot dogs and having increased and unnecessary media coverage.

It’s time the schedule makers start thinking about these factors. Good ideas on paper sometimes don’t have the greatest effects in the season.

Overall, there is too much pressure on both the Mets and Yankees to win this weekend. However, it’s for all the wrong reasons. Both teams are struggling, and they really should not have to deal with all the intangibles of a subway series.

The Braves and Phillies don’t have to worry about that this weekend, or next month for that matter, when we do it all over again. If the Mets have to do this twice a year, then the other teams in the NL East should have to play the the Red Sox and Yankees, too.

New York Mets' Aaron Heilman Struggles Again

Eric Brenner — Wed, 14 May 2008 16:11:56 -0400

As this article is being written, Lee Mazzilli is giving his reaction to Aaron Heliman’s disaster of an inning in tonight’s 5-3 loss to the Nationals. Everything I had planned to speak of in this article was addressed by Mazzilli. It’s good to know there’s a baseball mind out there that realizes the ridiculous moves made by Willie Randolph tonight.

First and foremost, I think it is appropriate to explain the circumstances under which Aaron Heilman was brought into the game. Claudio Vargas had been cruising for six solid innings, giving up two hits and one run. That one run came on one bad pitch.

In the seventh inning, Vargas had struck out the first batter of the inning. He ended up walking the next batter, and Willie immediately comes out of the dugout. Heilman had been warming up between innings, and Willie signals that Vargas is finished for the night. It was at this point that I became quite confused.

There was no reason to believe Vargas had been losing his command or control of his pitches. With one out in the seventh and a runner on first base, this was no real scoring threat. This is especially the case as the Nationals had hit into two double plays already earlier in the game.

As Heilman makes his way to the mound, I’m nearly positive I heard the collective booing of every Mets fan all the way from my apartment in Philadelphia. I knew at that moment Heilman was going to blow this game. And he didn’t disappoint.

But at this point I don’t blame Heilman anymore. While he gets two strikes on every hitter, he then proceeds to throw his signature changeup in the dirt. All great pitches on which to strike out a batter, but it seems as though every hitter in the National League has learned that this is his out pitch. They continue to sit on these change-ups until they get to a fastball count and then proceed to smack hits left and right.

Now, there are many bigger issues I have concerning Willie's decision to bring Heliman into this game. First of all, Heilman has proved time after time this year that he cannot be trusted in close games. He pitched poorly in the first game of the doubleheader this past Saturday, but ironically proceeded to throw a scoreless inning in the second game when the Mets were losing anyway. You never know what you are getting with him.

Secondly, Willie must realize Heilman’s inability to keep inherited runners from scoring. The SNY crew had a stat during the game stating that Heilman had stranded only two of eight inherited runners this year, an absolutely dreadful statistic. Heilman cannot be the pitcher to enter this tied game, with the Mets struggling once again to score a run. Joe Smith had pitched only two innings in the last eight days, a much better option in my opinion.

Next, as Lee Mazzilli also pointed out, there must be someone else warming up alongside Heilman when he is set to come in. Heilman managed to get one out, but after giving up the inevitable go-ahead run, Heilman walked the next batter.

Willie must get Heilman out of there immediately. He has shown he cannot limit the damage this year. If Joe Smith had been warming up earlier, this would have been the best time to bring him in to get the last out. I did mention that this all happened with two out, right?

What makes it even better is that after Smith comes in, he strikes out Zimmerman on three pitches. The next inning, he threw what seemed like three pitches in a hitless inning.

I just don’t know when Willie is going to learn. It’s good to know he still has confidence in Heilman, but you cannot be sacrificing wins to help his confidence. The last time I checked, these games count and these “We’ll get ‘em tomorrow” statements from Willie after the game have got to end.

I can just see the Mets behind the Phillies by one game on the last day of the season. Then we will all look back to these early games, and wonder what could have been if the Mets would have won one or two of these games. Because, Willie, on that last day of the season, there won’t be a tomorrow to “get them.” Just like last year.

Fielding the Best Team, No matter the Cost

Eric Brenner — Wed, 14 May 2008 04:21:48 -0400

The Mets made a number of roster moves yesterday which may have seemed like no-brainers, but also clearly showed their fans their commitment to fielding the best possible team. Pitchers Jorge Sosa and Nelson Figueroa were designated for assignment while Matt Wise was added to the roster.

While Jorge Sosa is due to make $2 Million this year, they still decided to DFA both him and Nelson Figueroa. The fact that the Front Office realized that Jorge Sosa is not worthy of a spot on the roster is very encouraging. They clearly decided to eat the remainder of his contract (while also risking losing him to the waiver wire) and have him pitch in AAA.

Figueroa, on the other hand, while not making the same money as Sosa, said he is willing to remain with the Mets, provided he also clears waivers.

To any Mets fans who may be unhappy about Figgy being demoted, his numbers past his first two starts are quite unimpressive. He could not get past 5.1 innings and his ERA continued to climb over 5. More importantly, for a guy who considers himself a control pitcher, he had more walks than strikeouts in 3 of his last five appearances.

Claudio Vargas has not been stellar in AAA New Orleans, but considering what Figueroa has brought to the table recently, its worth giving him a shot.

These moves were also most impressive for an even more important reason. Joe Smith, who has seemingly found his ability to get batters out efficiently once again, was not demoted in favor of promoting Matt Wise. Wise has not pitched much this year, but is still considered a valuable part of the bullpen at this point.

While its fair to be able to give him his chance to perform and help the team, it was wrong from the very beginning to think of removing Joe Smith from the bullpen to insert Wise in his spot. To prove the point, its easy to compare Joe Smith's numbers to someone every baseball fan in NY is familiar with:

Joe Smith (2008):

16.0 IP

12H

5ER

0 HR

5BB

16K 2.81 ERA 1.06 WHIP

Joba Chamberlain (2008):

16 IP 11H 5ER 1HR 6BB 17K 2.76 ERA 1.04 WHIP

Clearly the Yankees, or any other team for that matter, would be crazy to demote someone with these numbers in favor of creating a roster spot for someone with an unknown track record so far this year.

The fact that the Mets are a better team theoretically after yesterday's moves despite losing money shows their commitment to winning. And I think that has been something Mets fans have been doubting since last season, even with the signing of Johan Santana this off-season.

New York Mets: Fielding A Winning Team, No Matter the Cost

Eric Brenner — Wed, 14 May 2008 04:14:46 -0400

Prior to last night's game against the Nationals, the Mets made a number of roster moves which may seem like no-brainers, but prove that the Mets are willing to field the best possible team this year. Pitchers Jorge Sosa and Nelson Figueroa were designated for assignment, while Matt Wise was activated.

Being that Jorge Sosa is due to make $2 million this year, they still decided to DFA both him and Nelson Figueroa. The fact that the front office realized that Jorge Sosa is not worthy of a spot on the roster is very encouraging. They clearly decided to eat the remainder of his contract (while also risking losing him to the waiver wire), and have him pitch in AAA. Figueroa, on the other hand, while not making the same money as Sosa, said he is willing to remain with the Mets, provided he also clears waivers.

To any Mets fans who may be unhappy about Figgy being demoted, his numbers past his first two starts are quite unimpressive. He could not get past 5.1 innings, and his ERA continued to climb over five.

More importantly, for a guy who considers himself a control pitcher, he had more walks than strikeouts in three of his last five appearances. Claudio Vargas has not been stellar in AAA New Orleans, but considering what Figueroa has brought to the table recently, it's worth giving him a shot.

While it's fair to be able to give him his chance to perform and help the team, it was wrong from the very beginning to think of removing Joe Smith from the bullpen to insert Wise in his spot. To prove the point, it's easy to compare Joe Smith's numbers to someone every baseball fan in NY is familiar with.