Bleacher Report - Articles by Phil Hoops

Elmer Dessens to Return to New York Mets In 2010?

Phil Hoops — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:53:50 -0500

According to FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi, the Mets are interested in bringing back reliever Elmer Dessens for the 2010 season.

In 2009, Dessens was quite the bargain for the Mets, as he had his best year in the big leagues since 2005, posting a 3.31 ERA in 32.2 innings.

His K:BB ratio wasn't the best (14:10), but he was still able to manage to get hitters out.

The 13-year veteran has compiled a lifetime record of 48-62 throughout his career and has an ERA of 4.53.

According to Bill James' projections for next year, Dessens should expect to see his ERA inflate a bit to 4.11.

I have no problem with the Mets trying to bring back the 38-year-old, however, I think that offering anything above a minor league deal would be a huge mistake, as the team should work on building around younger players, especially in the bullpen.

To me, the ideal role for Dessens would be a spot in the Buffalo Bisons' bullpen, only to be used in the event that one of the relievers on the big league team gets injured.

Miguel Cabrera or Adrian Gonzalez: Who Fits Better into New York Mets' Future?

Phil Hoops — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:15:30 -0500

Before you read any further, I would like to issue a disclaimer of sorts. Despite all the buzz around the Internet about Adrian Gonzalez and/or Miguel Cabrera, I don’t believe that either will be traded this offseason.

Furthermore, I would like to go out on a limb and say that even if they were to be traded, I don’t see the Mets on the receiving end of either of the potential deals.

Think about it, either of these moves would essentially go against the two fundamental principles that the Mets seem to be working under lately.

One of which is the fact that a trade for either of these guys would pretty much wipe out the farm system in its entirety. As of late, there seems to be a desire in Mets camp to build from within.

Also, regardless of what has been said, management has clearly been acting as if they were in cost cutting mode.

Similarly to what has been stated here on Mets Merized over the past week, "actions speak louder than words," and the team’s actions have given off the aroma of slashing expenses.

However, given that the past few days have been relatively slow in terms of Hot Stove news, let’s take a closer look at these two superstar first baseman and see which one would be a better fit in Flushing.

Miguel Cabrera

The Mets are very familiar with Cabrera from his days with the Florida Marlins. Despite being only 26 years of age, he has racked up an impressive resume over his six year career in the big leagues.

During his tenure in Miami, Cabrera was elected to the National League All-Star team four times in four consecutive years spanning 2004 to 2007.

When looking at Cabrera’s stats from both Detroit and Florida, the thing that impresses me the most is his consistency. Year in and year out, you know what you’re going to get with this guy.

Injuries have never been a large concern for Cabrera, as he has missed no more than five games in the past five seasons.

Obviously, having a player that can stay healthy, like Cabrera would be important in helping the Mets bounce back from a year in which the team was riddled with injuries.

Not only has he stayed consistently healthy following his rookie season in 2003, Cabrera has driven in at least 100 runs in every season since.

It also goes without saying that the first baseman is a legitimate power threat in any lineup. Last season alone he hit 34 home runs and the year prior he hit 37.

However, like anything else, you have to take the good with the bad.

Cabrera’s character has been questioned on numerous occasions. The most recent incident in which his character came into question was during the final days of the Detroit Tigers’ playoff run.

In the midst of a pivotal matchup to win the division against the Chicago White Sox, Cabrera partied and became intoxicated with members of the opposition. To make matters worse, he got into a physical altercation with his wife, which lead to him being detained in prison for a few hours.

Needless to say, the Tigers were not able to capture the division crown and thus did not make the playoffs. While the blame certainly does not lay solely on Cabrera, his incredibly poor judgment did not help his team.

On top of that, he has nearly $130 million left on his contract, which could potentially pose a problem to the Mets, especially if the team is as strapped for cash as they have been reported to be.

Still though, despite his personal flaws and high salary, it is hard to argue against the fact that Cabrera would bring an enormous amount of power that the Mets were missing in 2009.

Adrian Gonzalez

Like Cabrera, Adrian Gonzalez is another one of the most powerful and most consistent hitters in the game today. Since 2007, he has posted at least 30 home runs per season.

Gonzalez, who is one year Cabrera’s senior, hit six more home runs last season than Cabrera for a total of 40 dingers. The 99 runs batted in by Gonzalez were also comparable to Cabrera’s 103.

Like Cabrera, Gonzalez is a very durable player and rarely misses any playing time. As a matter of fact he did not miss a single game in 2008 and only sat out two in 2009.

Once again, if the Mets are serious about contending next year they are going to need durable players that can produce game in and game out. Clearly, both of these two players fit the bill.

One category in which Gonzalez lags behind is in batting average. Last season he hit .277, which is by no means poor, but it fails in comparison to the .324 average that Cabrera hit.

As a matter of fact, Gonzalez has hit over the .300 mark only once in his career, and that was in 2006 when he hit .304.

While he may not hit for as good of average, Gonzalez makes up for it with a great clubhouse demeanor. Unlike some stars in the game today, Gonzalez acts as if he is just one of the twenty five guys on the roster and brings to the table a team first mentality.

This is exactly the kind of player that the Mets need, as he would fit right in with the mindset that current leaders, like David Wright and Johan Santana, have.

Most importantly, if the Mets truly are tight on finances, it is important to note that next season Gonzalez will make under $5 million, which is more than four times less than Cabrera’s salary of $20 million.

Conclusion

While I maintain my belief that the Mets will not acquire either of these sluggers due to the lack of room for substantial salary growth and willingness to give up prospects, in my opinion, Adrian Gonzalez would be the better fit in New York.

While he may not hit for as good of average, his offensive stats are still very good and last year he showed that despite playing half of his games in Petco Park, a ballpark favorable to pitchers, he could still put up a very impressive home run total.

To me, the thing that seals the deal is not a statistic but rather an intangible characteristic. In the past Miguel Cabrera has shown to me that his attitude is not the best. This dates back to when he was on the Marlins and got into a physical altercation with fellow teammate, Scott Olsen during a game and has continued to his most recent drunken episode.

While these kinds of things may be able to happen in Detroit and Florida, in New York, these incidents would turn into a media circus that would distract the team.

On the other hand, Gonzalez has shown himself to be a good player, who leads by example and doesn’t draw unnecessary attention to himself.

Who knows maybe Omar will surprise us all with an early Christmas gift by acquiring one of these stars or someone else of comparable talent, but until then I wouldn’t hold my breath.

2010 New York Mets Bullpen Breakdown: Bobby Parnell

Phil Hoops — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 15:58:15 -0500

Prior to the 2009 season, Bobby Parnell knew that he was by no means guaranteed to make the Opening Day roster. Nevertheless, he worked hard and pitched very well in Spring Training, which earned him a spot on the 25-man roster.

His role with the team was supposed to be the seventh inning bridge to J.J. Putz and Francisco Rodriguez, and for the first half of the year that's exactly what occurred.

Parnell embraced his spot in the bullpen rather nicely, and in the first two months of the season he compiled a very impressive 2.13 ERA, in addition to a respectable K:BB ratio of 19:9.

After getting roughed up a bit in the month of June, Parnell returned to form in July by pitching 10.1 scoreless innings.

What impressed me the most about Parnell was his velocity. At times, his fastball was clocked at 100 mph, and normally hovered somewhere within the 94 mph range.

Unfortunately for Parnell, he was thrust into somewhat uncharted territory mid-way through the season—just like many other teammates—when he was called upon to join the starting rotation.

To be fair, Parnell had spent his minor league career as a starter, but he never really showed that he was more than an average in the role. During his four years in the Mets farm system, his ERA generally hovered near five.

On Aug. 15, Parnell made his first start for the Mets, going up against the San Francisco Giants. His debut was stellar, as he pitched six scoreless innings while striking out seven batters.

The success was short-lived as Parnell was rocked in his next three outings against division rivals Atlanta and Philadelphia, as well as the Cubs.

In those three games alone, Parnell was clobbered for 22 earned runs in only 12.2 innings. In simpler terms, he gave up nearly two runs per inning.

Despite not having much success—aside from another shut-out performance—Parnell remained in the rotation until mid-September due to the team not having any other options.

Upon being sent back to the bullpen, he finished the year strong by hurling 6.1 innings and only allowing one run.

One of the main reasons behind Parnell’s lack of success last year was the fact that many of his secondary pitches were unpolished and he ended up relying too much on his fastball.

While a pitcher may be able to get away with throwing fastball after fastball for an inning or so, it just doesn’t work when they face the same batters two or three times in a game.

I know it’s been suggested before, but Parnell really needs to develop secondary pitches in order to become an effective starter. Surprisingly, when the Mets wanted to send him to winter ball to work on these pitches, the righty declined, citing fatigue.

Until he has better command of his “other stuff,” Parnell should remain in the bullpen where he has shown he can flourish.

Final Verdict

Unless he is shipped out in a trade, Bobby Parnell should be in a New York Mets uniform next year, and rightfully so. Despite not having much success as a starter in 2009, he did prove to be a very effective reliever.

On top of that, Parnell made the league minimum of $400,000 last year, which is cheap when you consider that even with his struggles his performance was valued at $2 million.

Next year, I envision Parnell taking the spot that once belonged to J.J. Putz, which was setting up for Frankie Rodriguez. Depending on how well he performs, it wouldn’t surprise me if one day he took over the role as closer after Rodriguez departs.

2010 New York Mets Bullpen Breakdown: Brian Stokes

Phil Hoops — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:29:15 -0500

While the 2009 season as a whole was a lost cause for the New York Mets, it did hold some significance for certain players on the team.

One of those players was reliever Brian Stokes .

Last season, Stokes, 30, appeared in a career-high 69 games and pitched 70.1 innings, which were also the most in his four-year career.

All the while, the hard throwing right-hander was able to maintain a 3.97 ERA, which isn’t all that spectacular, but certainly is acceptable.

The main concern with Stokes was that he was inconsistent at times. During the start of the season, the young pitcher was lights out, as he did not allow an earned run throughout his first 12 innings pitched.

He continued his successful run well into the middle of May, where he accumulated an ERA of 0.52. Unfortunately, he took a couple steps back on May 24th against the Red Sox, in which he allowed five earned runs in only 1.1 innings.

From there, aside from similar meltdowns against both the New York Yankees in June and the Chicago Cubs in August, he pitched relatively well until the month of September.

September was by far Stokes’s worst month on the mound, as he was roughed up by the Rockies, Cubs and Nationals. In total, for the month, Stokes allowed 10 earned runs in 11 innings pitched, which equates to a nasty ERA of 8.18.

It seems as if September is not the month for Brian Stokes. Even in 2008, his ERA was nearly two runs higher in September than it was in August.

One reason behind this is that the pitcher may be tiring out. Nonetheless, when looking to build a contender, you need players that can step up their game for a playoff push.

I had read recently that Stokes could be under consideration to be the team’s setup man next season. Despite the fact that I am a fan of the pitcher, I do not think this role is appropriate for him.

Setup men generally are power pitchers who throw hard and strike out batters frequently. While Stokes may be a power pitcher, his strike out numbers could use improvement.

Last year, he had a 45:38 K/BB ratio, which is OK for an average reliever, but you would want more out of a setup man.

To me, Stokes is an average, to slightly above average, middle reliever. Keep in mind though, unlike other positions, a 30-year-old relief pitcher is still considered very young. Thus, there is a lot of time for improvement.

This season, Stokes made somewhere just north of $400K, which is hardly anything in terms of baseball money. He should be looking at a similar salary next season before he heads for his arbitration year following the 2010 season.

Final Verdict

The fact that Stokes is still young and has had success under the tutelage of pitching coach Dan Warthen, coupled with the fact that he earns a relatively low salary, makes Stokes an ideal choice to round out one of the final spots in next year’s bullpen.

As in the case of Sean Green , if Stokes struggles, the team can afford to let him go and replace him with someone else, without having to suffer a significant financial burden.

Forget Orlando Hudson, New York Mets Should Pursue Brandon Phillips

Phil Hoops — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:56:41 -0500

With the Winter Meetings already underway, Mets GM Omar Minaya (or according to some, Jeff Wilpon in disguise) is faced with the daunting task of building a World Series-contending team for 2010.

Aside from the obvious needs of a left fielder and a top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher, Minaya has made it clear that the team will be looking to upgrade at second base.

This past week, there have already been rumblings about a potential deal that would send the incumbent, Luis Castillo , to the Chicago Cubs.

If Minaya is able to move Castillo, the talk is that the team will pursue the guy they let get away last season, Orlando Hudson .

Hudson seems to be a pretty good fit for the team. He is noted as being a good clubhouse guy, has produced consistently over the past five years or so, and according to numerous sources, wants to play in New York. However, what if the Mets could do even better than Hudson?

According to Ed Price and Jeff Fletcher of AOL Fanhouse [Hat tip to MLB Trade Rumors for the link], the Cincinnati Reds are in cost-cutting mode after a large drop-off in fan attendance. As a result, in an effort to remain financially sound, the team is looking to unload some of their pricey veterans.

At the top of the list is All-Star second baseman, Brandon Phillips , who has two years and $17.75 million left on his contract along with a $12 million club option for 2012.

To a struggling small market team like the Reds, this contract looks horrendous. However, to the Mets, the contract doesn’t nearly look so bad, especially when you consider that they owe Castillo $12 million for his two remaining years of service.

The question that still looms is that if the Mets can trade Castillo, which second baseman should they pursue?

To answer this let’s take a look at how both Phillips and Hudson performed last season.

Both players totaled roughly the same amount of at-bats last year. Both of their averages are similar, with Hudson having slightly better numbers.

However, the power numbers are where Phillips really shines. Last season alone, Phillips hit more than double the amount of homers that Hudson hit and drove in nearly one-third more runners.

Phillips is also a speedster, which would compliment lead-off hitter, Jose Reyes nicely.

Acquiring Phillips would give the Mets a legitimate power threat in the number two hole, which is something they haven’t had in quite some time.

It would also compensate the lack of power at first base, assuming that they stick with Daniel Murphy , as they are interested in doing.

The only downside to taking Phillips over Hudson is that a deal involving Phillips will require the Mets to give up prospects, whereas, Hudson would only cost the team cash. However, you’d have to think that due to this potential trade being a salary dump that the return would not include any elite prospects if the Mets agreed to take on all of Phillips’s salary.

It should be interesting to see which direction the Mets go throughout the next few months, but if they do, in fact, look for a new second baseman, Brandon Phillips should be their guy.

Former New York Met Victor Zambrano's Mother Kidnapped

Phil Hoops — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:17:37 -0500

Some sad and alarming news to report this morning out of Venezuela.

According to the Associated Press , the mother of former Mets pitcher Victor Zambrano was kidnapped from the pitcher’s property late last night.

Details of the incident are still very sketchy.

Over the past few years, Venezuela has been the target of kidnappers, who look to extort money from the many sports stars that live there, by taking their loved ones hostage.

Back in April, the son and brother-in-law of catcher Yorvit Torrealba were snatched, only to be released a short time later. Hopefully there is a similar outcome in this scenario.

Zambrano will forever be known in Mets history as being involved in one of the worst trades in team history that sent future star Scott Kazmir to the Tampa Bay Rays.

Zambrano spent two and a half years in a Mets uniform, compiling a record of (10-14) before sustaining an injury that would ultimately end his tenure as a New York Met.

His last appearance at the big league level was with the Baltimore Orioles in September of 2007. Last season, he bounced around both the Rockies’ and Yankees’ farm systems, but never was able to crack either of the team’s Major League squads.

I would personally like to wish Victor Zambrano nothing but the best in what has to be an extremely difficult time.

Update (9:38 am EST): Sports Illustrated’s Jon Heyman passed along a report by Andrew Marchand on Twitter that states that Zambrano’s mother, whose name is Elizabeth Mendez Zambrano , was taken from her home by a team of eight armed thugs.

2010 New York Mets Bullpen Breakdown: Pedro Feliciano

Phil Hoops — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:50:07 -0500

Through all the twists and turns the New York Mets have taken over the past four years, one factor has always remained constant.

That particular factor is relief pitcher, Pedro Feliciano .

Feliciano, who has been a mainstay in the Mets bullpen since his second tour of duty with the team began in 2006, has proven to be one of the most reliable relievers in the National League over the past couple of years.

The 2009 season was no exception.

Feliciano appeared in 88 games, which broke his already impressive career high of 86, that was set in 2008.

Despite the fact that he also pitched six more innings than the previous season, Feliciano managed to lower his ERA by more than one full run to 3.03.

The question here is not whether or not Pedro should be back in 2010, but rather whether or not he is worthy of a multi-year contract extension?

It wasn’t all that long ago that there were rumblings of Feliciano seeking a three year contract extension that would buy out his final arbitration year next year, and cover two years of free agency.

This past season, Feliciano received $1.6 million for his services. According to Fangraphs , his performance last year warranted him $2.9 million.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see that number jump over at least the two million dollar mark next year when he is due for one final raise before he is set to hit the open market.

The contract may seem a bit excessive considering that there are tons of quality relievers available every year during the offseason. However, it is never a guarantee that they are going to perform as advertised.

Just look at Will Ohman last season with the Dodgers, who finds himself a free agent yet again after being plagued by injuries all year long.

With so many question marks heading into next year, the Mets cannot afford to have a weak bullpen or else it could be a repeat of the dreaded 2008 campaign.

All things set aside, the dollar amount is very reasonable considering that Feliciano is arguably the second most valuable asset in the bullpen next to Francisco Rodriguez .

Final Verdict: I am not a proponent of giving out long-term deals, by any means, especially for relievers. However, it is quite evident that Feliciano’s success with the organization is no fluke, as he has been very solid year in and year out.

If given the option, though I would shoot for a two-year extension, worth five or six million dollars.

Keeping the contract length reasonable enables the contract to be moved in the event the team wants to trade the reliever.

Also, at the conclusion of the deal Feliciano would be 35-years old and the team could then make a determination on what to do from there.

2010 New York Mets Bullpen Breakdown: J.J. Putz

Phil Hoops — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 06:40:27 -0500

As I had mentioned in my previous post, it has been nearly a year since the Mets acquired J.J. Putz from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for a bevy of players.

When they acquired the hard-throwing righty, the Mets envisioned having a proven closer that could fill the closer's role if needed.

However, as usual, things did not work out as planned for the Mets.

Throughout his brief season Putz found himself filling in for closer Francisco Rodriguez only four times. He was able to successfully convert two of these four opportunities into saves.

On top of that, Putz never seemed to be completely healthy. In April, he posted a lackluster 4.09 ERA in 11 appearances.

During his second full month with the team, in May, Putz began to settle down and had an ERA of 3.63 in 17 games.

Putz also improved his K:BB ratio to 15:12, which is by no means good, but it was definitely an improvement of his April ratio of 4:6.

Just when things appeared to be turning around for the better, Putz's season took an alarming turn in only two appearances. Both were against the Pittsburgh Pirates, who were by no means a powerful team.

In the first game that he pitched, Putz surrendered four runs, three of which were earned, before being lifted without recording an out.

In the second game of the series, Putz didn't fare much better. This time around he was able to get through the inning, but not before giving up two runs.

By the end of these two nightmarish performances, Putz nearly doubled his ERA to 5.22. Before long, the fears regarding Putz's struggles were confirmed...he was hurt.

In mid-June it was announced that Putz would need elbow surgery to remove a bone spur but that he would return to the team later on in the season.

Unfortunately that day never came, and he ended up requiring additional surgery. Putz ended up finishing what was one of the worst seasons in his big league career on the sidelines.

As has been discussed a countless number of times, the Mets hold an option worth $8.6 million for the pitcher's services in 2010.

All indications are that Putz will be ready to pitch by the time spring training rolls around next year. However, is that enough of a reason to bring back the veteran pitcher?

It is an interesting case, as despite the fact that Putz is coming off a terrible injury-ridden season, it is hard to ignore his impressive track record. An All-Star in 2007, Putz has had numerous successful seasons in the hitter-friendly American League.

Final Verdict

While I believe it is fair to say that 2009 was not an accurate gauge of whether or not J.J. Putz will be an effective pitcher in the future, there are just too many question marks to commit nearly $9 million to.

Turning down Putz's option is a no-brainer. However, I believe the team should pursue him as a free agent and try to sign him to a one-year deal at a significantly lower salary to help rebuild his value.

Keep in mind, this year's free agent pool will be filled with numerous potential closers, so Putz will not be able to command as high of a paycheck as he would if the pool was shallower.

If the team is unable to come to terms with the pitcher, then I wish him well, as he brought a sense of spunk that no one else on the team seemed to have last season.

2010 New York Mets Bullpen Breakdown: Sean Green

Phil Hoops — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 08:27:43 -0500

Last offseason, I started writing a series of columns that profiled each member of the Mets bullpen and analyzed their performance in the previous season.

At the conclusion of each article, I would make a determination on whether or not I thought the pitcher should be brought back.

The articles, for the most part, were met with solid reader reception so this year we will continue the tradition.

To kickoff the offseason we will analyze the most criticized member of the 2009 bullpen, Sean Green .

Green, who was acquired in the J.J. Putz trade, was supposed to provide the team with solid middle relief and replace the void left by Joe Smith .

Needless to say, Green wasn’t as spectacular as ownership was presumably hoping he would be.

After getting off to a rough start in April, in which the righty posted an ugly ERA of 8.49, Green seemed to begin to find his groove in June and July posting two straight months of an ERA in the mid-to-low threes.

However, the pitcher regressed in August and his ERA for the month was nearly double its predecessor (5.91). There came a point that many fans, including myself, began to turn green at the very sight of the pitcher (pun intended).

It seemed as if Green was becoming Aaron Heilman 2.0.

After hearing a chorus of boos over and over again, Green recognized a change needed to be made and he tweaked his delivery to more of a side-arm style in an attempt to throw off opposing batters’ timing.

The change proved to be effective, as he had a 2.79 ERA for the month of September, along with two shut-out relief appearances in October.

To be fair the sample size with the new delivery is a rather small one and it isn’t wise to judge a player based on their September performance.

Having appeared in 79 games for the Mets last season, Sean Green’s final line consisted of a 4.52 ERA and a (1-4) record.

While these numbers are certainly far from ideal, keep in mind that they do not stray far away from Green’s past seasons with Seattle. Also, it is important to note that Green only took home a salary of $471,000, which isn’t much more than league minimum.

Final Verdict: Although, I am not a fan of Sean Green, personally, I do believe the Mets should bring back the reliever because he is a low risk option that offers the potential of solid middle relief at a rather affordable rate.

All 'Hale' the New York Mets New Third Base Coach

Phil Hoops — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:52:49 -0400

Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News is reporting that the New York Mets are close to naming former minor league manager and Arizona Diamondbacks base coach, Chip Hale, as their new third base coach.

The 44-year-old Hale, spent parts of seven seasons in the big leagues. Over the span of 575 career at-bats, he hit .277 along with seven home runs and 78 RBI.

One can only hope that this move will decrease the number of Mets players getting thrown out at the plate, which was a problem for the team last season.

Being that Hale was also a minor league manager, he could work well with the younger players on the team, such as Bobby Parnell and Daniel Murphy .

Another interesting note that Rubin points out is the Mets are considering bringing in ex-Arizona manager Bob Melvin to be the Jerry Manuel’s bench coach.

Melvin held the managerial position in Arizona from 2005 up until May of last season, when he was let go due to the team getting off to a weak start.

Melvin’s highlight with the organization was leading the Diamondbacks to the NLCS in 2007.

You have to wonder where Razor Shines, the former third base coach and friend of Jerry Manuel, ends up after all this considering the fact that he had been rumored to be the leading candidate for the bench coach job next year.

Personally, I wouldn’t be all that upset if Razor was let go because despite the fact that he brought a positive dynamic to the team, he simply wasn’t a very good coach.

More importantly, though, is that if Bob Melvin does indeed come to the Mets, it is definitely not a good sign for the Mets skipper, who already was on a very short leash for next year.

Now with a proven major league manager waiting in the wings, Jerry Manuel may not be able to escape a prolonged losing streak.

All in all, I am in favor of both of these potential hirings, as these two individuals bring a bevy of major league experience with them and could help work on the team’s fundamentals, an area that needs a great deal of work.

Does Aubrey Huff Make Sense for the New Mets?

Phil Hoops — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 06:52:35 -0400

With the news coming out over the weekend that the Detroit Tigers do not intend on bringing back slugger, Aubrey Huff , next season; the Mets now have another potential candidate to play first base next season.

The soon-to-be 33 year-old first base seems like a perfect fit to bridge the gap between the incumbent, Daniel Murphy , and the youngster, Ike Davis .

Last season, Huff was rumored to be linked to the Mets a number of times; however, once the team fell out of contention, he was shipped to Detroit.

Upon joining the Tigers midseason, Huff’s numbers took a nose dive. In 106 at-bats, Huff hit only two home runs and compiled a .186 batting average. By the season’s end, Huff’s final line consisted of a .241 average, 15 home runs, and 85 RBI.

The most significant drop in production came by way of batting average, which was nearly 40 points down from his career number (.282).

As a matter of fact, the last time Huff hit in the .240s was back in 2001 during his second season in the big leagues with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Still though, it is hard to ignore the fact that Huff has hit over 30 home runs and driven in more than 100 RBI on numerous occasions.

Most recently was back in 2008, when he clubbed 32 homers and drove in 108 runs.

If the Mets were to add another slugger into the lineup, along with Huff, they would have quite an imposing lineup.

A lineup card consisting of (Reyes, Castillo, Beltran, Wright, (Holliday/Bay/etc.), Huff, Francoeur, Santos, Pitcher) looks very appealing and would certainly help improve the team’s chances of competing with the likes of the Phillies next season.

Despite the fact that Huff is not a golden glove first basemen, he is rather defensively sound at the position and would almost certainly be an upgrade over Murphy.

One concern I do have about Huff is the fact that he has had a couple of questionable moments off the field, to say the least, which weren’t publicized much due to the fact that he was playing for a small-market team, the Orioles.

Unfortunately, in the City That Never Sleeps, these types of things wouldn’t be given a free pass by the media.

I will not go into great detail about what these things were because they are not appropriate for this site, but if you run a Google search of “Aubrey Huff Deadspin” you’ll see what I’m referring to.

In the end though, I believe the key to whether or not to pursue Huff is money. The fact that the slugger is coming off of a down year can work in the Mets favor because he will probably be in a line for a smaller salary then what he is currently being paid.

However, the recent lack of production also raises concerns over whether or not Huff can turn things around next year.

If Huff could be had for a one-year deal worth $4 million or so, then the Mets should at least consider taking a closer look at him.

While he is certainly not the long term fixture for the position, my guess is he could provide a good amount of pop in the Mets lineup, which is something the team was lacking greatly in 2009.

Ex-Met Pitcher, Hernandez, No Longer Livanin' The High Life

Phil Hoops — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:40:12 -0400

It seems 2009 has been a year to forget for former-Met Livan Hernandez , from a personal standpoint.

I had reported back in August that Hernandez was being sued over damage done to a rental car.

Unfortunately, now the pitcher’s troubles have hit closer to home…literally.

Robert Snell at the Detroit News , who also broke the two IRS cases against Ron Darling and Darryl Strawberry, is now reporting that the former Mets pitcher is in danger of having his home in Miami, Florida foreclosed.

According to the report, that on top of his home being foreclosed, Hernandez owes a considerable amount of debt to numerous organizations.

Apparently, the pitcher owes more than $6,000 to two different property management groups. The pitcher is even accused of stiffing his pool maintenance guy of more than $1,000.

And, yes, to top it all off the IRS claims he owes more than $300,000 in unpaid taxes. As Snell points out, the right-hander has made over $50 million in his career, so you’d like to think that he will be able to pay off these debts, but who knows.

The 34 year old pitcher had expressed interest in returning to the Nationals next season, but you have to wonder if these financial woes will deter the team from bringing him back.

What is it with all these Mets not paying their taxes?

Granted, I understand that numerous celebrities are involved in similar issues, but it just seems that as of late these celebrities are somehow connected to the Mets.

New York Mets Would Be Smart to Look in DeWayne Wise's Direction

Phil Hoops — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 06:45:17 -0400

DeWayne Wise will forever be known for the spectacular catch that he made on July 23, 2009, which allowed pitcher, Mark Buehrle, to earn the second no-hitter of his career.

Despite enjoying two of the best years in his career in Chicago, Wise declined an assignment to the club’s Triple-A affiliate recently and elected to become a free agent.

As a veteran journeyman, Wise has spent time in Toronto, Atlanta, and Cincinnati prior to joining the White Sox in 2008. While his career numbers at the plate are rather unimpressive (a lifetime .216 hitter), Wise is able to make himself a useful player due to his strong defense.

In 371.1 innings this season, the 31 year-old Wise compiled a fielding percentage of .990. This is directly in line with his career number of .989.

Along with this comes a stellar attitude, which was something his former minor league coach, Rick Sweet, emphasized in an interview with the Courier Journal . In it, Sweet describes Wise as a “hard worker who always took pride in his defense.”

Sweet later adds that “he [Wise] always made great catches for us.” After a year in which fundamentals cost the Mets almost as much as injuries the team could use a breath of fresh air when it comes to players that can field their position.

To me, Wise is an ideal fifth outfielder, in the sense that he can be relied on to provide solid defense in the latter innings of tight ball games.

This is more than the Mets can say about the man, who currently fills the position, Jeremy Reed , who really didn’t seem to do much of anything during his time in Queens.

As Amazin’ Avenue’s James Kannengieser points out , Reed is a likely non-tender candidate, which would open up a spot on the roster for Wise and possibly others to compete for out of spring training next year.

Wise reminds me of ex-Met Endy Chavez , a bit, in the sense that both men have a knack for making highlight reel catches while providing consistently good defense throughout the season. Both players also bring with them a positive attitude.

To be fair, however, Endy, has a bit more pop in his bat than Wise does.

Still though, Wise would be a valuable asset to the ball club, especially if they pursue either Jason Bay or Matt Holliday , who are both noted for having less-than-stellar defense.

Also, Wise could spell Carlos Beltran in center-field from time to time in an effort to prevent Beltran’s knees from giving out on him midway through the season.

The question still remains, could the Mets afford to fill a spot on the 25-man roster with a guy, who brings practically nothing offensively to the team?

The answer is probably not, especially when you consider that in all likelihood the team will bring back Alex Cora , who is another defensively-orientated bench player that does not pose much of a threat at the plate.

However, if the team adds a bat or two, then the team could certainly allocate two bench positions to defensive specialists.

Regardless of what the team does this offseason, it couldn’t hurt to at least offer Wise an invitation to Spring Training, perhaps the team could catch lightening in a bottle.

Colorado Imports Could Be Mile-High Mistakes for New York Mets

Phil Hoops — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:05:06 -0400

When it comes two building a championship team for next season, the names Matt Holliday and Jason Bay usually spearhead the list as essential additions the club must make.

However, the Mets will need more than just a single free agent slugger to be competitive in the National League East.

The free agent market, as a whole, isn’t very deep this season, so Omar Minaya and the Mets will most likely look at acquiring new talent via trade to try to patch the team’s numerous voids.

Colorado is an interesting trade partner as they seem to be segueing in a new generation of younger and cheaper stars, including the likes of Dexter Fowler. By doing so they are also looking to shed some of their more expensive stars.

The two in particular that would seem most likely to warrant a look by the Mets are Garrett Atkins and Brad Hawpe.

Atkins is coming off a year where he hit for career lows in the average, home run, and RBI department. There is talk that the once-powerful third baseman will be non-tendered, which means the Mets could acquire him without losing prospects.

This looks like an attractive option to buy low on a productive player that could platoon at first base and spell David Wright at third on days where he needs rest, right?

Wrong.

Atkins, who is already in the midst of a prolonged slump would suffer greatly away from Coors Field.

Let’s look at 2007, a year in which Atkins hit .301 and clubbed 25 home runs cumulatively. Atkins hit the ball extremely well at home and posted a .349 average at Coors Field. However, his average plummeted to .254.

This is a trend that can be seen when looking at the past two years as well.

Certainly, a pitcher’s friendly park, like Citi Field would do a number on Atkins’s performance.

Atkins’s teammate, Brad Hawpe’s, name has come up numerous times in rumors connected to the Mets. Unlike, Atkins, Hawpe is a very consistent player, who has hit 20+ home runs and driven in 80+ runs in the past four seasons.

Hawpe also doesn’t suffer nearly as badly from the Coors Field effect, and in some cases has actually hit better on the road than at home. Unfortunately, Hawpe has his flaws as well.

Hawpe is a pitcher’s best friend in the sense that he is a strike out machine.

Last year, alone, in 501 at-bats, Hawpe struck out 145 times. That is a very high percentage of punch-outs, and is five more than the Mets’ 2009 strike out leader, David Wright, had.

Throughout his career, Hawpe has never been able to grasp hitting left-handed pitching. Last year, he hit only .243 against southpaws, which is in line with how he hit them in the previous three seasons combined (.245).

Now if the team went out and acquired a slugging first baseman, such as Prince Fielder, Hawpe wouldn’t look so bad in left field because he does in fact have good power.

He could even platoon with Angel Pagan on days when the team faces a left-hander.

However, if the Mets decide not to acquire a big bat at first base, electing Hawpe to be the full-time left fielder over Bay or Holliday would be a mistake.

All in all, it is pretty clear that neither Colorado bat is an ideal fit for the Mets.

A Blast from the New York Mets' Past Could Help in 2010

Phil Hoops — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 06:55:56 -0400

Flash back to Aug. 21, 2005. It was a hot late summer afternoon at Shea Stadium where the Mets were hosting the Washington Nationals.

By the fifth inning, the Mets found themselves trailing 7-0. All appeared to be lost until a rookie came to the plate by the name of Mike Jacobs.

Jacobs, a highly ranked Mets prospect, made his major league debut and promptly hit a three-run home run on the first pitch he saw. The Mets went on to lose that game 7-4, but Jacobs continued his torrid hitting streak and homered in each of the next three games.

After only 100 at-bats in 2005, Jacobs finished with 11 home runs, which is a rather incredible feat. It appeared that the 24 year old would be anchoring the right side of the infield for many years to come.

However, that was not the case and in an effort to improve the team’s playoff chances for 2006, Jacobs was shipped to the Florida Marlins along with Yusmeiro Petit in exchange for Carlos Delgado.

Here we are nearly five years latter, and the Mets find themselves, again, searching for a first baseman to help them secure a playoff spot in 2010.

Now with the Kansas City Royals, Jacobs is coming off quite possibly his worst season in the big leagues. In 128 games last season, Jacobs hit only .228.

The bright side is he did hit 19 home runs and drove in 61 RBI’s. Nonetheless, numerous media outlets have reported that Jacobs is an almost guaranteed non-tender candidate given his lackluster performance combined with $3 million-plus salary for next season.

Assuming he hits the open market, the Mets would be crazy not to at least entertain the idea of bringing back the slugger. Keep in mind, this is not an unproven player. Jacobs is only one year removed from a season in which he hit 32 home runs to compliment the 92 RBIs.

I see a little bit of Jeff Francoeur in Jacobs, in the sense both are gritty, hard-nosed players.

These are exactly the kind of players the Mets want to fill the locker room with next year. Maybe their style of play will rub off on their teammates as well.

Jacobs has a passion for the game that rivals even the most dedicated players in the sport today. It is worth pointing out that despite what has only been a brief stay in Kansas City, the first baseman made quite the impression on Kansas City beat writer, Joe Posnanski.

Posnanski, citing Jacobs’s superb work ethic, went as far as calling Jacobs his favorite Royals player, even though he struggled greatly throughout the year.

This speaks volumes, especially when you consider that the probable AL Cy Young award winner, Zack Greinke, is also a member of the Royals.

Signing the slugger to a one year deal worth $4 million or so would be beneficial for both parties

For Jacobs it would be an opportunity to establish himself as a big-time bat, and to help justify a club signing him for big bucks down the road.

For the Mets, Jacobs would be a good bat in the lineup, who could help them increase their home run totals and provide the trio of David Wright, Carlos Beltran and Jeff Francoeur with some added protection in the lineup.

His presence would also allow prospect, Ike Davis, to adequately develop in the minor leagues, instead of being rushed up to the major league level.

Obviously, Jacobs comes with his flaws. His defense needs improvement. Also, along with his powerful free-swing approach comes the tendency to strike out a bit.

Am I suggesting that Mike Jacobs is the solution to the Mets offensive woes? Of course not.

What I am suggesting is that signing Jacobs for a reasonable amount of money could allow the Mets to allocate more resources to pursue a slugger for the outfield or a number two pitcher. Both of which are areas where the Mets could use vast improvement.

Could It Be the End of an Era On SNY?

Phil Hoops — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 10:10:40 -0400

Bob Raissman of the New York Daily News is reporting that there is some speculation going around that the SNY announce trio may not be back in full next season.

Raissman, who always does a stellar job covering the network, reveals that there are some rumblings going around that Keith Hernandez may not be back in the booth next season. This speculation is fueled by comments made by the former All-Star first baseman following Sunday's game win against the Houston Astros.

Following the game as Gary Cohen was addressing Mets fans one last time before the off-season, Hernandez stated that, "I've enjoyed the four years and, hopefully, I'm in the middle of negotiating my new contract, hopefully I'll be back. If not, it's been a great four years."

To me that sounds more like a final farewell then just a simple goodbye for a few months.

The news, according to Raissman, also seemed to take his broadcast colleagues by surprise, especially Ron Darling, who was dumbfounded that Keith would publicly discuss his contract situation on-air.

When approached by Raissman, SNY executives stated that they it is corporate policy "not to comment on contract status or negotiations". It seems to indicate to me that the door is being left open for the possibility that Hernandez will not be back in 2010.

He did, however uncover that Darling has multiple years remaining on his contract and that Gary Cohen "ain't going nowhere".

The often quirky, Hernandez is no stranger to notable on-air moments. In 2006, he drew the ire of then-San Diego Padres manager, Bruce Bochy, for stating that women do not belong in the dugout. It was later revealed that the woman he was referring to was actually one of the team's trainers.

Still though he comprises one third of arguably one of the best MLB broadcast teams in the game today. He brings a great sense of humor, but at the same time outstanding knowledge of the game, which cannot be said for many announcers in the game today.

This is certainly something to watch over the next few months or so. It would be hard to imagine SNY not making a great effort to retain Hernandez, who is quiet the most popular broadcaster not only in the booth, but on the network as a whole.

Raissman theorizes that the negotiations over the contract maybe over the number of games called for next season, but acknowledges that in the end it all comes down to money.

The network couldn't have been too thrilled that Keith took his grievances to the airwaves Sunday afternoon. In the end though, I doubt that will have an effect on whether or not the beloved, Keith Hernandez, will be back.

New York Mets At An Organizational Crossroad: How Do They Improve For 2010?

Phil Hoops — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:59:26 -0400

As we approach the final four games of the 2009 regular season, any hope of spinning a positive ending to an otherwise dreadful season is pretty much lost.

Despite the writing on the wall since mid-summer that the Mets would not be involved in postseason play for the third straight year, Mets fans clung to the hope that they would at least get a glimpse of the team’s future.

However, like the stars they were replacing, the young guns themselves began to drop off the radar due to injuries.

By the end of September, the only two bright spots on the team were getting a sneak peek at the potential future catcher, Josh Thole, and the privilege of watching Jeff Francoeur make strides at becoming the star player Atlanta once thought he could be.

Before the Mets begin wheeling and dealing this offseason, a meeting must take place between the Wilpons, Omar Minaya, and Jerry Manuel.

On paper, the team will have glaring holes at catcher, first base, and left field. Those needs alone will be hard to fill, especially if the team will only have between $15 million to $25 million to spend on free agents.

On top of the three vacant positions, it is safe to assume that the team will also be in the market for another starting pitcher and an arm or two for the bullpen.

From there, the Mets must decide whether this team can be competitive next year given the limited financial resources. Or they must decide if it is time to rebuild. I feel now is the worst time to attempt to deal any members of the core, especially David Wright, Jose Reyes, or Carlos Beltran.

For starters, all three are coming off down years in terms of production. Moreover, each spent at least 15 days on the disabled list. Their stock is very low right now and would not return adequate talent in a trade.

Assuming the team chooses to go for it in 2010, they will need to be creative in filling all its voids.

The key for Minaya this offseason will be to not get caught up in buying high on players. This applies directly to the free agent catcher market where every available catcher is over the age of 32.

This is a position that the Mets should not commit more than a year or two to, especially with Thole and Santos waiting in the wings.

Moving on to the first basemen and outfielder’s market, outside of the superstars (Matt Holliday and Jason Bay) there is nobody to build a team around.

Thus, the Mets must take a similar approach and only offer players one year incentive-laden deals and possibly include some sort of option for 2011 that vests when the player reaches certain milestones.

Unfortunately, guys like Bobby Abreu and Russell Branyan, who accepted one year deals last year, will be commanding more years and a bigger chunk of change after the solid years they put up in 2009.

Another intriguing position that the Mets will have to make a decision on is second base. If they are comfortable that this year was not an aberration then they should be set, otherwise they’ll have to look for a replacement.

For more information on the market check out my colleague Dave Landon’s superb article, in which he looks at who the Mets should and shouldn’t pursue at second base.

Lastly, the Mets have to entertain the idea of bringing in a starting pitcher, preferably a top-of-the rotation guy, as their projected 2010 staff is a question mark.

This is an area where the Mets really need to come up big in my opinion.

They already have a couple average starting pitchers in the rotation. They need a stud who can take some of the pressure off of Johan Santana. They need a pitcher like John Lackey or Brandon Webb.

The dilemma there is that signing a pitcher of this caliber would almost surely deplete most, if not all, of the financial resources for 2010—if the monetary estimates are indeed correct.

Would adding solely a number two starter be enough to cure the Mets woes?

The answer is probably not, but it certainly would make them more of a threat in the National League.

Beyond additions to the team, there are a few potential contract extensions that could take place over the next three months. One could be Jeff Francoeur, who is rumored to have been offered a three-year deal.

This is a tough call.

On one hand Francoeur has done an admirable job during his short time with the Mets and really has a passion for the game. Yet, this is the same player, who hit .239 in 2008 and .250 in the first half of 2009.

It would best suit the Mets to give him another year in the Big Apple to ensure that he doesn’t regress. If he performs well next season, then it would make sense to approach him with a two to three-year deal.

Another player rumored to be getting a contract extension is Pedro Feliciano. Feliciano has been a rock in the Mets bullpen ever since he returned to the team in 2006. 2010 will be Feliciano’s final arbitration year, after which he will hit the free agent market.

It wouldn’t be unreasonable for the Mets to offer Pedro a two-year deal to cover his last arbitration year, as well as one year of free agency. Keep in mind that if such a deal were made, Pedro would be 35 years of age by the contract’s end.

This is around the time that some player’s arms begin to wear down. This is definitely a concern, especially for a guy who has appeared in 86 games in back-to-back seasons.

Thus, if Feliciano were willing to go with a two-year-deal then it would behoove the Mets to lock up one of the game’s best middle relievers.

With the Mets’ offseason beginning in only five days, it should be interesting to see how they construct their team for 2010.

Chris Carter To The Mets... Not So Fast

Phil Hoops — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 21:21:15 -0400

The word around baseball is that Chris Carter, whom the Mets were allegedly going to receive as the player-to-be-named-later in the Billy Wagner trade has been designated for assignment. This is significant because if you can recall, Carter was previously placed on waivers over the summer with the intent of shipping him to the Mets.

However, the Yankees claimed him in an effort to cause roster management issues for the division-rival Red Sox. Being that this is the second time, the Red Sox only have two options.

They can either release him, which would make him a free agent or they can put him on waivers.

If the Red Sox took the first route then the Mets would have just as good of a chance of acquiring him as the other 28 MLB teams, potentially vying for his services.

If the Sox were to take the latter route, which involves placing Carter on waivers. The Mets would have to wait for every team in the American League, as well as National League teams with a worse record then theirs to pass on a waiver claim.

Either way there is no guarantee that the Mets will be able to get him.

This seems to indicate one of two things to me. Either Carter was never actually involved in this trade or Omar Minaya made yet another roster management blunder. More details regarding the situation should be made available within the coming days.

To be honest, while I do not endorse making poor trades, the truth of the matter is that this trade was done solely to shed Wagner’s remaining salary.

No offense intended to Carter, but the career minor leaguer is not all that great of a player and probably wouldn’t have fit into the Mets’ 2010 plans anyways. However, it certainly wouldn’t have hurt such a depleted organization to have some depth at the Triple-A level.

David Wright Not Doing the Wright Stuff

Phil Hoops — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 23:38:20 -0400

Over the past five seasons, David Wright has emerged as the face of the New York Mets franchise and assumed the role of unofficial “captain.”

For the most part he has filled this role rather nicely and has always brought a positive vibe to the team.

Over his five year tenure with the Mets, Wright has been through the highs and lows. What has always impressed me was regardless of how the team was performing overall, he always brought his “A game.” This held up true until the previous two weeks or so.

Since then, David has become a different player. For starters, he no longer looks energized to play baseball, which is very uncharacteristic of him. His performance on the field is also indicative of this. Since returning from the disabled list on September 1st he has only hit .220, which has caused his average to drop nearly 20 points (.324 to .306) and is in danger of finishing with a sub-.300 average for the first time in his career.

I am sympathetic with his struggles because this has been a particularly disappointing season considering all of the fluke injuries. On top of that Wright went through a traumatic experience in mid-August when he was concussed by a fastball to the head.

What is unacceptable is the the lack of hustle that he has shown recently. In the past two games Wright’s play on the field has been inexcusable. Looking solely at the box score it could be assumed that I am referring to the seven punch outs in ten at-bats, however I am not.

I am referring to the sluggish and downright careless play that has become blatantly obvious during the final road trip of the 2009 season.

First, during last night’s game, Wright chose not to run on a ball that was dropped by Florida catcher Ronny Paulino.

Luckily, Brian Schneider’s head was in the game and he was able to score what would become an important run in the team’s 6-5 victory before Wright was tagged out. At first the issue didn’t concern me as players, like any human being make bone-headed moves at times.

Unfortunately during tonight’s game, Wright’s lack of motivation became apparent and in this instance cost the Mets a run when he choose not to run at full speed while rounding third base, which enabled the Marlins to tag Jeff Francoeur out at second base before the run could score.

This is disturbing because through all the heartbreak, David Wright was one guy you could always count on to give it his all, and now even that is up in the air. The team’s fans deserve better than this.

While I can understand Jerry Manuel giving Wright a reprieve yesterday and not pulling him from the game, pulling him from today’s game should have been a no-brainer. Instead, Wright remained in the game for all nine innings.

Decisions like these promote the sense that giving up and not playing hard is acceptable. What kind of message does this send to players like Nick Evans, who was regulated to watching the game from the bench while a player with questionable effort is allowed to play?

Now I am not yet ready to give up Wright because he has done a lot of good for this franchise over the past half decade, but a conversation certainly needs to take place between the manager and player and it must be reiterated that this kind of attitude will not be tolerated.

At the very least Wright should be given the day off tomorrow to collect his thoughts and then go from there. Under no circumstances should Wright be given so-called “superstar treatment” and be allowed to let this situation go away.

What do you, the Mets fans, think? Am I being too hard on Mr. Wright?

New York Mets Continue To Add Arms For 2010

Phil Hoops — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 00:15:52 -0400

Now that the Mets have accepted the fact that their 2009 season is all but over they are looking to rebuild their roster with hopes of returning to the post season. Over the past year we have seen them add names such as Pat Misch and Lance Broadway to help bring some youth to their beleaguered farm system.

Today the Mets continued this trend by picking up pitcher Jack Egbert off of waivers from the Chicago White Sox.

Egbert was a top pitcher for Rutgers University from 2002 to 2004 before being drafted in the 13th round by the White Sox. Egbert joins David DeJesus and Jason Bergmann as byproducts of Rutgers to make it to the big leagues.

Egbert’s career in affiliated baseball started rather promising. In 2006, he was solid with both the White Sox’s Class A and Class AA affiliates, posting a combined ERA of only 2.67 in 161.2 innings.

In 2007, he followed up with another solid season, this time exclusively in Class AA. In 28 games started, he pitched to a 12-8 record and an ERA just a hair over 3 (3.06).

Upon being promoted to the Class AAA Charlotte Knights in 2008, Egbert could not find the same success he had in his previous two seasons in the lower levels of the farm system. His earned run average nearly doubled to 4.65, and he had a disappointing record of 4-12.

Not wanting to give up to quickly on their young pitcher, the White Sox opted to give Egbert a second season in Class AAA to work out the kinks. However, he soon found himself in the majors pitching out of the bullpen. Unfortunately for him he gave up eight earned runs in only two appearances before finding himself back in Charlotte.

He did not fare much better throughout the rest of the season and ended up with a 6-11 record and a ERA over five.

The numbers suggest that Egbert’s chances of becoming a major league caliber pitcher are relatively low. However, it is important to recognize the fact that prior to the 2008 season, he was ranked the No. 3 prospect in the White Sox farm system.

The Mets have found themselves relying on players like Egbert to sure up their bullpen over the past few seasons. Guys like Pedro Feliciano and Brian Stokes were both acquired in low profile moves and now both players play a large part in the bullpen.

This is an intriguing pickup for the Mets, and it should be interesting to see how Egbert fares in Buffalo next season.

How the Internet Has Changed the Game of Baseball

Phil Hoops — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:47:15 -0400

Over the past two decades or so, the Internet has revolutionized the way people live their lives. People are able to reconnect with those old high school buddies from 30 years ago, while browsing their favorite stores all from the palm of their hand simultaneously.

More specifically, the Internet has changed the fan’s experience with the world of baseball.

In the past, fans had to rely on sporadic television and radio coverage in order to follow their favorite team. However, now due to services such as Twitter, fans are relayed this information almost immediately.

Gone are the days of waiting for the morning newspaper to arrive to check if your team traded for your favorite player. As a matter of fact, now, fans are able to get a feel for who is likely being dealt and who is staying put.

Surprisingly, there are some cases in which fans know the fate of certain players before the players, themselves do.

Still though, there are some deals that seem to catch everyone by surprise, including the Jake Peavy deal earlier this year.

The aspect of the game that has changed most is how baseball fans view prospects. In the past nobody really talked about prospects. Sure there were one or two "can’t miss" players, but the public’s attention was generally centered on the Major Leaguers. Nowadays, prospects play a huge role in a baseball fan’s life.

This is because baseball fans are able to not only track the minor league affiliates of their favorite baseball teams, but they can watch the games if they so desire.

In this season, alone, the spotlight has been on players like Matt Wieters and Tommy Hanson. As if it weren’t difficult enough to make the transition into the big leagues, Wieters and Hanson came up with the expectation that they would perform from day one.

These expectations stem from the constant buzz on the net. Whether it be fans having a casual discussion or sports analysts, the pressure is still there. Both have handled this burden quite well and are having particularly good rookie seasons.

In Wieters’s case, the Baltimore catcher started out slowly but has been red hot this past month or so. To the contrary, Hanson has been stellar all season and currently has double digits in the win column and a sub-three earned run average.

The Mets, themselves have a player that found himself in a similar predicament as Wieters and Hanson. That player is Fernando Martinez. Fernando’s name has been a mainstay in Mets forums ever since the team signed him as an international free agent back in 2005.

However, to say that the promising outfielder lived up to the Internet-induced hype this season would be inaccurate. Martinez hit a mere .176 with little power before injuring and later receiving season-ending surgery on his right knee.

Granted, Fernando still has a ton of potential and he should see more success in the majors as he matures. However, it must be discouraging for a player to know that they did not perform in the manner the fans expected him to after reading all the Internet propaganda. Is it possible that this could hinder a player’s development?

I don’t necessarily think so, but this added pressure most likely contributes to those blunders we tend to see from time to time out of the young guns in the game.

The players that I really pity are Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper. Neither player has appeared in either a major or minor league game, yet both still are considered the future of the MLB. Fans have good reason to be excited about these players as they certainly are special talents.

But are they jumping the gun a bit? It concerns me that the general consensus among many baseball fans is that Stephen Strasburg will miraculously turn the Washington Nationals into a winning ball club. This type of thinking is poked fun at by the Washington Post’s John Kelly.

My stance on Strasburg is to give the kid a chance. Don’t rush and hinder his development in an attempt to garner ticket sales. Let him pitch at the big-league level for a full season before making any determinations on whether or not he is the next Cy Young. Although unlikely, it may end up that those 23 strike-out performances in college don’t translate into big league success.

Even more ludicrous is the buildup that has been all over cyberspace surrounding 16-year-old Bryce Harper. Harper, who was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated earlier this year, can seemingly do it all on the baseball diamond. Many speculate that Harper will be the crown jewel of the 2010 draft if he chooses to enter it.

As NJ.com’s Michael Fensom reported back in June, Harper has obtained his G.E.D., which would seemingly indicate that he will pursue the majors next year. Was this the best move for Harper?

Personally, I don’t believe it was. Firstly, Harper is sacrificing his education in order to get a head start in the big leagues, which could prove to be a career blunder down the road.

Also, is a 16-year-old mature enough to handle the pressure that comes with being a professional athlete? I don’t believe he is. No teenager, in my opinion, has the mental toughness to deal with the spotlight being on them 24/7.

Unfortunately, with the Internet expanding these kinds of things won’t go away anytime soon.

In all fairness, the web has done plenty of good for baseball. Through its web site, Major League Baseball is able to stream every single one of its games every year for people all over the world. This has contributed to a very large and diverse fanbase.

Also, the worldwide web has created a much more educated baseball fan. Fans get a sense of how their players are doing off the field. It can make them go easy on a struggling player if they know he is injured.

It also makes you appreciate guys like Jeff Francoeur, who is playing out the remaining 11 insignificant games of the season with a broken thumb. Even more impressive is that he is hitting over .300 with the Mets while essentially swinging one-handed.

The web has certainly added a new level of depth to the game of baseball and it should be interesting to see how the game changes as technology continues to advance.

The Fish Are Frying: How To Fix The Florida Marlins For 2010 and Beyond

Phil Hoops — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 22:06:01 -0400

At the start of the 2009 Major League Baseball season, it appeared as if the Florida Marlins were the real deal. For the better part of April the team sat in first place of the National League East.

It had also appeared that the team had gotten a steal in the speedy infielder, Emilio Bonafacio, who was torrid for the first month or so of the season.

However, by mid-May the mirage was over. The Philadelphia Phillies had taken over the division and Bonafacio's numbers plummeted back to reality.

Over the course of the season, the Marlins revealed their true colors: a highly talented young team that couldn't escape the middle of their division. Currently, the team sits five games out of the wild card.

Surprisingly, though, the Marlins are not as far away from playoff contention as many would assume. The Marlins have a very solid, young core that is highlighted by shortstop Hanley Ramirez, outfielder Chris Coghlan, and pitcher Josh Johnson.

With a few tweaks here and there, I believe the Marlins could be a legitimate contender in the National League East. Here are some suggestions for General Manager, Larry Beinfest:

Trade Dan Uggla

Dan Uggla is quickly becoming the elephant in the room when it comes to the Marlins clubhouse. His name has come up in Marlins' trade talks for the past couple of years, and with his salary likely exceeding $5 million it does not appear likely he will be back in a Marlins uniform.

The question is who would be interested in acquiring the 29 year old second baseman that has hit .245 and belted 29 home runs? The answer is a lot of teams.

Fox Sports analyst, Ken Rosenthal, listed the Orioles, Twins, Giants, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, and Cardinals as potential suitors for Uggla. This is mere speculation on my behalf, but you'd have to think the Tigers would be interested as well if they are unable to retain their current second basemen, Placido Polanco.

Not only would this move free up cash, but it could also open up the doors to the Marlins acquiring yet another big time prospect, especially when you consider that the Orioles, Giants, and Cardinals were all featured in Keith Law's top 10 farm system rankings earlier this year.

Dab Into Free Agency

Ideally, you would like the Marlins to pursue the likes of Matt Holliday and John Lackey in the free agent pool. Unfortunately, the reality is that the team most likely will not attempt to acquire any big names and that's OK.

The team needs to focus on the low key signings, similar to the ingenious Kiko Calero signing this past offseason.

If they do look to add an impact bat to the lineup I would suggest a player along the lines of Xavier Nady. Nady is coming off of Tommy John surgery, but should be ready to play again by the middle of next season.

He would provide the Fish with some flexibility as he can play both the corner outfield positions and first base. Keep in mind in 2008, this is the same player who hit over .300 and slugged 25 home runs and nearly 100 RBI.

This is a low risk, high reward signing as Nady's value has considerably dropped since the start of the season. I believe he could be had for an incentive-laden one year deal to rebuild his value before attempting to restore his value before re-entering the free agent pool in 2011.

Lock Up Josh Johnson

This should be a given. The Fish need to sign Josh Johnson long term. The 25 year old right hander is the kind of player you want to build your team around. He has been rock solid in his Major League career, posting a cumulative ERA of 3.32.

This season has arguably been Johnson's best, as for the first time in his career he has become a 15 game winner and is in contention for the National League Cy Young award.

Not only would the signing Johnson now give the Marlins a bit of a discount for his services over the next couple of seasons, but it would also give fans in 2012 something to see when the Marlins open their brand new ballpark.

Let's not also forget about Cameron Maybin, who has struggled in the Majors thus far. I think that he has the ability to really put it together next year and contribute to the big league club, even if it is by means of a midseason call up.

Clearly the sky is the limit for these young Marlins and with a few additions and some subtractions, 2010 could be the year for Florida.

Former Met Bobby Ojeda: Sounds Off On Team's Mental Mistakes

Phil Hoops — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:10:11 -0400

It’s not very often that a late night Post-Game show on a Sunday has any significance. Tonight was an exception.

Following the Mets loss to the Phillies on Sunday night, SNY analyst, Bobby Ojeda unloaded on the Mets for their inexcusable play this season during Lincoln Mercury’s Post Game Live.

Unlike many sports shows on TV today, there was no yelling or screaming or obscenities. Instead, Ojeda in a calm demeanor proceed to voice his displeasure with the Mets for a number of their shortcomings this season.

He acknowledged that the team’s large number of injuries resulted in a lost season, however he maintained that the injuries were no excuse for the crucial mental mistakes players such as, Angel Pagan and Daniel Murphy have been making.

He went on to say that while covering the team in Port St. Lucie, Florida back in Spring Training, he 'saw a lot of players having fun, and not stressing the fundamentals of the game’.

This news is not earth shattering, by any means, to anyone who follows the Mets closely, especially when you consider Jerry Manuel’s laid back attitude. However, it was nice to hear this coming from an ex-player and a respected member of the media.

Ojeda also went onto discuss that the mental mistakes that have plagued the Mets this season could very well carry over into next year and cause the Mets to miss the playoffs once again. He suggests that the Mets get 'serious’ in Spring Training and show that they are fired up to try to capture the World Series.

Unfortunately, I, personally, think the members of the team have a long way to go in this area. As The Star Ledger’s Brian Costa tweeted earlier, in between yesterday’s doubleheader, numerous Mets players surrounded a television. Rather than watching game tape to prepare for the game against Pedro Martinez, they were tuned into Fox’s telecast of the New York Giants football game.

What is the end result you ask? The Mets get shut out by their former ace.

Once again, I understand these games don’t mean much in the grand scheme of things, however the Mets have fans who are still paying top dollar to see their games. I find it very disheartening that there is so little effort being put into these last few weeks of the season.

Anyways, if there is one reason to watch the last remaining three weeks of the season, it is Bobby Ojeda’s stellar work on both the Pre and Post-Game shows.

Despite this being his first year broadcasting on SNY, Ojeda comes off as a seasoned TV veteran and doesn’t sugar coat what can sometimes be a harsh reality. Kudos to Bobby Ojeda.

The New York Mets Need To Consider Carlos Delgado for 2010

Phil Hoops — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 08:44:13 -0400

At the start of the season, it appeared that 2009 would most definitely be Carlos Delgado's last season in the Big Apple.

As we wrap up the final month of the season, Delgado appears to be as good as gone, especially after missing a majority of the 2009 season after undergoing hip surgery.

However, the idea of bringing back Delgado to the Mets organization has to at least be considered.

When looking at the upcoming free agent class, names like Jason Bay, Matt Holliday and Vladimir Guerrero stand out. Unfortunately, beyond those names and a few others, this class of free agents is relatively weak.

The Mets have been dropping hints all season long that they probably will not make a major splash in the free agent pool due to their tough financial constraints. This would most likely indicate that they don't intend to pursue the likes of Bay, Holliday, and Guerrero.

If healthy, Delgado could bring a great deal of power back to the Mets' lineup. He's the type of player that makes everyone around him better because he has such strong leadership skills. Also, Delgado being in the lineup means that David Wright and Carlos Beltran would see more hittable pitches.

Keep in mind that Delgado is only one year removed from a season in which he hit 38 home runs and drove in 115 runs. Also of note is that Delgado's career home run total currently sits at 473.

It would not be out of the question for Delgado to reach the 500 home run plateau next year, as he only needs 27 more homers to do it. For a team that is currently hurting in home attendance, having a milestone like that may help get people back into the ballpark.

Delgado has had mixed results since joining the Mets in 2006. In the three full seasons that he has spent with the Mets, two have been very good and one has been dreadful. In 2006 and 2008, Delgado hit 30-plus home runs and 110-plus RBI. In 2007, which was his down year, he hit only 24 homers and drove in only 87 runs.

Let me be clear, the Mets should only pursue Delgado in the offseason if he can be had for a reasonable one-year deal with incentives.

I am getting the sense he can be had for the right price. Take Bobby Abreu, who signed with the Angels this past offseason for only $5 million dollars. Prior to signing this deal, Abreu was coming off a year in which he hit 20 home runs and 100 RBI.

Now I understand the economy has improved somewhat since last offseason, but if a player of Abreu's caliber could be had at $5 million, then I’m guessing the Mets could get one more year of Delgado at a similar price.

Yesterday afternoon I asked Bart Hubbuch about the chances of Delgado returning to the Mets in 2010 during his weekly chat. Hubbuch replied saying that a return is "highly doubtful" and that there are "just too many health questions".

I, too, agree that it isn’t very likely that Delgado will wear a Mets uniform next season. However, I don't agree that his health is an issue because the Mets can setup a platoon where both Carlos and Daniel Murphy can share time playing first. In essence, this would allot Murphy more time to familiarize himself with the position, and allow Delgado the adequate amount of rest he needs to remain healthy.

So I ask management this, if you don't have the funds to acquire the top names on the free agent market, give Carlos Delgado a chance to restore some faith back into Flushing.

Batman Returns: Carlos Beltran Revisits Gotham When Team Needs Him Most

Phil Hoops — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:09:59 -0400

Carlos Beltran returns to the Mets' starting lineup tonight for the first time in more than two months, reports Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post.

While his return will not help the Mets avoid missing the playoffs for the third straight year, Beltran’s return should bring some legitimacy to the Mets' lineup.

Prior to his injury, Beltran was tearing it up, hitting at a .336 clip with eight home runs and 40 RBIs.

Even more impressive is that of his 81 hits, 39 of them were for extra bases.

Finally, there is some upbeat news to report. Hopefully John Maine is next in line to return.

Should the New York Mets "Fab Three" Stay or Should They Go?

Phil Hoops — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 00:03:57 -0400

This season the Mets have seen many new additions to their big league roster in order to compensate for their injured stars. Some of these roles have been occupied by career minor leaguers, while others have been filled by seasoned veterans, who have shuttled between teams throughout their career.

In particular the starting pitching staff has been decimated by injuries. Three of the team’s top pitchers (Santana, Maine and Perez) are all currently on the disabled list, and only one of them (Maine) has any chance of coming back by the season’s end.

The replacements for this trio are the tandem of Nelson Figueroa, Tim Redding, and Pat Misch—or, as Ron Darling has coined them, “The Fab Three.”

Let’s take a look at these players and examine whether or not they are worthy of a role with the team in 2010.

Nelson Figueroa

In the words of SNY personality Adam Schein, Nelson Figueroa is “my guy.”

Despite riding the Heath Bell express throughout his two years in the big apple, Figueroa has generally been reliable to make a spot start or a long relief appearance.

He may be 35-years of age, which makes him no youngster, but Figgy has shown this year he can still pitch effectively at the major league level.

As a matter of fact in his one of his recent starts against the Chicago Cubs, Figueroa pitched one of the best games in his career when he struck out ten batters and held the opposition to only one run.

In 38 innings pitched this year, Figueroa has maintained a 4.74 ERA, which is just a hair above his career average (4.62).

One thing to keep in mind with Nelson is that he is not a lights out pitcher, and he generally does not pitch very deep into games.

What makes Figueroa so attractive is the bevy of international experience this player has. He has pitched all over the globe and has found success pretty much everywhere he has been.

Verdict:I like what Figueroa has done for the depleted ball club this year, however I would not give him a guaranteed major league deal, which he has been seeking the past few seasons. What I would offer him, though, is another minor league deal that way he could possibly help the club later on next season if injuries strike. The rest of the decision would be left in his hands.

Tim Redding

It’s been a rough year for The Honeymooners star, Joyce Randolph’s grand-nephrew, Tim Redding. Sidelined by a foot injury in Spring Training that resulted in arm trouble later on, Redding has had a tough season to say the least. To add insult to injury had it not been for the rash of injuries, Redding would have been released a couple of months ago.

Luckily, for him he has strung together three strong outings in his past three starts, including holding the potent Philadelphia Phillies lineup to just one run over five innings. Redding brings to the table veteran experience and has had some success at the major league level with both Houston and Washington.

This year with the Mets, Redding has appeared in 25 games and started 12 of them. Over that period of time he has pitched to a 5.70 ERA with a 60:37 K:BB Ratio.

Looking solely at the stats it would appear that Redding is an easy candidate to be let go at the year’s end, but he does make a case to stay.

Despite, being ridiculed by both the fans and the media, and even being shunned by his own teammates Redding has still kept his head up and remained professional.

Also, as field reporter, Kevin Burkhardt, pointed out, Redding is still arbitration eligible, which could improve the chances of him being brought back.

Verdict: Even with a strong showing down the stretch I don’t see Redding pitching in a Mets uniform. It’s a shame because he seems like a good guy overall and a good teammate, but it is what it is. I think he will find work at as back-of-the-rotation starter on another NL team.

Pat Misch

Pat Misch has been quite a bargain for the Mets, since they claimed him off of waivers from the Giants earlier in the year. Before joining the Mets, Misch had spent two seasons as both a starter and reliever in San Francisco. At that time it appeared Misch did not have big league stuff.

However, Pat has put all that behind him and cherished the change of scenery from one coast to the other. In his brief Mets tenure Misch has been rather impressive.

In 17 games this year with New York, Misch has posted a 2.48 ERA. This includes two appearances as a starter, both of which lasted seven innings.

Misch is not a hard thrower and doesn’t strike out many batters. As a matter of fact his K:BB ratio with the Mets is practically 1:1 (18:14). Instead of trying to baffle hitters he pitches to contact and induces many fly outs.

His pitching style fits Citi Field rather well because the ballpark does not yield many home runs due to it’s deep dimensions.

Although Misch is pitching very well as a starter right now, I do not see that being his role with the team for the long term.

As Ed Ryan at Mets Fever points out, Misch’s career numbers as a reliever (2.85 ERA) are far better than those in the twelve games he has started (6.32).

Thus, I see him as a long reliever, who can also take some of the burden off of Pedro Feliciano when it comes to getting left-handed hitters out.

Verdict: Misch should absolutely be brought back next season. He’s cheap, young and has good stuff. The Mets cannot count on him to be a starter, but I think he would be very successful out of the bullpen. In the event of an injury Misch would be available to slide in and provide the team with a player, who has the ability to pitch quality outings.

Why Tholmir May Not be the Answer to the Mets Catching Situation in 2010

Phil Hoops — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 09:53:50 -0400

Ask just about any New York Mets fan nowadays about who will be behind the plate in 2010, most will have no idea. And, I can’t really blame them, the Mets have not made getting a quality catcher a priority in the past few seasons, unless you call Brian Schneider and his .189/.272/.318 line quality.

If you ask anyone connected to the Mets, they’ll most likely say Josh Thole and Omir Santos, a tandem I dubbed Tholmir.

This makes sense, both players are young and their combined salaries most likely wouldn’t even crack $1 million, which is perfect for the suddenly cost-cutting Wilpons.

Lately, the only positive hype surrounding the Mets, besides injuries and surgeries has been the talk of calling up catcher, Josh Thole. And for good reason, since the beginning of last season Thole has done nothing but hit at the minor league level.

The Mets selected the 23-year-old catcher in the eighth round of the 2005 draft, which was the same draft where they picked Mike Pelfrey.

Last season, in Class Single-A ball, Thole hit for .300, which is impressive since in his prior season he only hit .267. This year, his progression continued and he hit .328 at the Class Double-A level, which features generally better, more major league-esque pitching.

He is also said to have a great demeanor when it comes to the game and is extremely hard working and passionate about what he does.

However, when I read articles by some of the game’s best beat writers I get the sense that he is being overvalued. There are some who suggest that Thole could be the best catcher the Mets have had since Mike Piazza departed the team back in 2005. And the truth is, he very well could be the next big thing.

Personally, however, I am a bit skeptical about how Thole will perform at the big league level. Consider this, Thole grew up in rural Illinois and learned to play baseball in a barn. Now he will be expected to perform in front of thousands and thousands of New York fans, who are not always the most forgiving when it comes to a player’s shortcomings.

Also, Thole is not a power hitter by any means. This is evident by the fact that he only hit one home run in 384 at-bats this season. According to Eric Simon of Amazin’ Avenue, who profiled Thole yesterday, Thole does not hit very many line drives, which begs the question is his high average sustainable?

Even more surprising is that using computer generated statistics, Simon shows that Thole projects as only a .254 hitter in the big leagues. That’s less than what Omir Santos is currently hitting.

In all fairness, projections are not always accurate and it’s entirely possible that Thole could blow those away.

If anything, it concerns me that Thole will hit .300 in the final month of the regular season, and that will be enough for Mets management to warrant starting him next year.

The last Met player that was thrust into a starting role following success in such a small sample size was Daniel Murphy, and he’s had his share of troubles at the plate and on the field this season.

The other half of the Mets projected 2010 catching tandem is Omir Santos. One of the few feel good stories this year, Santos came from out of nowhere to become a pretty decent backstop in the big leagues.

His hit for a .263 batting average and clubbed six home runs, which isn’t anything to sneeze at. He’s even had some clutch hits, including one dramatic go-ahead home run off of Jonathan Papelbon earlier this season.

To me though, Omir is more suited to be a backup at the big league level as he has gone through a pretty brutal slump from mid-June that lasted into early July.

My suggestion for the Mets would be to let Thole spend a month at the major league level and see how he handles it. Then in the offseason, try to acquire a veteran catcher that is capable of starting like Ramon Hernandez.

This would enable Santos to slide into a backup role, which is better suited for him. This would also allow Thole more time in the minor leagues to collect more playing time and allow Mets officials to see whether or not he is the real deal.

David Wright Taking the Right Precautions

Phil Hoops — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 21:00:25 -0400

Let’s rewind back to Aug. 15, 2009. It was a warm, sunny afternoon at Citi Field. The Mets and Giants were in the midst of a pitcher's duel between two of the best starters in the game - namely Johan Santana and Matt Cain.

All was going as planned, and both pitchers were in the midst of a shut out until the fourth inning. It was then that disaster struck. After throwing three consecutive fastballs to the biggest bat in the Mets lineup (David Wright), Cain let one get away.

That's when it happened, a 95 mph fastball collided with the helmet of Wright. Had it not been for the helmet, Wright could have been killed. Luckily, the injury was not life-threatening and Wright was able to leave the game under his own power.

Still, Wright did not walk away unscathed, he suffered a concussion and was sidelined for nearly two weeks. The full extent of his injury will not be known until he can go out onto the field and show that he can produce the same way he could prior to the injury.

Tonight at Coors Field, Wright is scheduled to make his return to the Mets lineup, but he’ll be using some different equipment. Wright will be one of the first players in the Major Leagues to wear the Rawlings S100 batting helmet.

Mets fans may have already caught a glimpse of this new helmet if they tuned into Fox's Saturday telecast of the Mets and Cubs game, in which Ryan Dempster wore Rawlings' newest creation.

Now to the average baseball fan, this doesn’t mean a whole lot. However, this is a monumental step for the safety of baseball players.

The helmets, which are significantly bigger and bulkier feature much more padding and are thicker than their predecessor, the Rawlings Cool-Flo helmet, which was introduced in 2006.

The helmet is also being marketed as being able to withstand a 100 mph pitch, while still providing adequate protection to the player.

Granted, even if he had been wearing the new helmet, Wright still would have been injured, but that injury might not have been as severe as it was with the limited protection of the current helmet.

Also of note is that Major League Baseball is mandating the use of the S100 helmets for every minor league player starting next year.

This new piece of equipment is certainly a step in the right direction in preventing what have proved many times to be career-changing injuries.

Angel Pagan: NY Mets Outfielder Is Still Flying High

Phil Hoops — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 09:25:59 -0400

In the words of the legendary 1990s grunge band, Soundgarden’s lead singer Chris Cornell, the Mets have “fell on black days.”

This season has been one filled with injuries, heart break, and disappointment. There haven’t been many bright spots as we head into the final full month of the regular season. Even the younger, unproven players, who were called up, such as Jon Niese and Fernando Nieve, have been disabled by injuries that will sideline them for the rest of the season.

Other players, whom the Mets thought would be mainstays on their roster, have yet to pan out, such as Daniel Murphy, who had to change positions mid-year due to horrendous defense in the outfield.

However, in my eyes, one player has really stood out and embraced his role as a starter quite well. That player is Angel Pagan.

Pagan, who spent many years in the Mets farm system before having a cup of coffee with the Cubs, was not projected to have a role with the team beyond a possible fifth outfielder spot. As a matter of fact, he didn’t even begin the season at the Major League level.

However, after the rash of injuries that brought down star center fielder, Carlos Beltran, Pagan got his big break.

As my colleague here at Mets Merized Online, Ed Leyro pointed out back at the end of July, Pagan had just begun his fine season. One that I think few people would have expected to continue. Well, here we are in September and Pagan is still looking strong.

Since July 10, Pagan has appeared in 44 games. Over the course of the season, he has amassed 221 at-bats, which is by far more than he has had in any of the prior three seasons in his career.

He has also surpassed his previous career totals in hits, doubles, triples, and home runs. The most significant increase in these categories falls in the triples category.

Prior to this season, Pagan hit a total of six triples throughout his entire Major League career. On Sept. 1, with still over a month of baseball to be played, Pagan already has seven triples in this season alone.

It should be noted that Pagan did not start off as well as he would have liked. He suffered some injury setbacks, and as I had reported back in May, spent some time in police custody for not paying numerous traffic violations. Like many of his teammates, he also spent some time on the disabled list.

Those struggles make his accomplishments this season even more impressive.

I would, however, like to issue a disclaimer of sorts on Angel Pagan. While he has certainly exceeded expectations this year, there is no reason to believe that he is capable of being an everyday outfielder in the 2010 Mets lineup.

In his almost four year career, Pagan has only had 630 at-bats. That may sound like a lot, but consider this last season, where Mets shortstop Jose Reyes had 638 at-bats. What troubles me more so is that in every season that Pagan has played at the Major League level (including this one), he has spent at least fifteen days on the disabled list.

While I look forward to seeing him next season, his role within the team should be as a solid bench player, who plays the outfield every once and a while, and not someone who is an everyday player.

Former NY Mets Pitcher Livan Hernandez Being Sued

Phil Hoops — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:34:58 -0400

Just days after being released by the New York Mets, pitcher Livan Hernandez was handed a $16,000 lawsuit, TMZ reports.

The lawsuit, which was filed by a man named Luis Vizcaino, states that Livan had used him as his personal driver throughout the 2009 season for when he was in New York.

According to the suit, Hernandez owes Vizcaino $7,500 for his services as a driver. The suit also alleges that the pitcher totaled Vizcaino’s Lincoln Navigator when it was loaned to him, which is where the other $8,500 is coming from.

If the lawsuit is in fact legitimate, shame on Livan. Here’s a baseball player, who this year alone made one million dollars, and is trying to skip out of town without paying off the debt he owes.