When Sandy Alderson became general manager of the Mets, he begged us fans to be patient. It would be a long road to “changing the culture” of a dysfunctional, losing clubhouse, full of bloated contracts and outsized egos. Disaster seemed to follow this franchise like a parasitic twin. If it wasn’t a shirtless minor league coordinator challenging his charges to actual fisticuffs, it was a medical and conditioning staff that didn’t appear to know how to go about keeping key players on the field. The relief ace beats up his future father-in-law. The highest ranking baseball executive throws a beat reporter under the bus. The owners are caught in the largest financial scandal since the Teapot Dome. To trot out a hackneyed phase, meet the Mess. Alderson – the newest highest ranking baseball official – promised better days ahead, but made it plain that there was no way this fumigation process would happen overnight. It seemed like a too-long tunnel before any of us would see any light – and it seemed to grow longer with each passing year. We’d see results in 2012…no, 2013…make that 2014… It’s funny. Now that the Mets woke up this morning as the 2015 National League pennant winners, it seems like that went by pretty quickly.
The foundation for results we were promised was actually put in place in rapid order. It started with the jettisoning of two symbols of Metsian futility, Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo. Then, the trade of Carlos Beltran – injured off and on and out of favor since 2009 – brought in Zack Wheeler to supplement the arms already ripening, Matt Harvey and Jacob deGrom. Then the pugnacious Francisco Rodriguez was basically given to Milwaukee and Jason Bay faded into the darkness. These were all the preliminary moves, the clear-cutting of the Mets’ deadwood forest. It was unfortunate that Jose Reyes was allowed to leave, but looking at it four years removed, he would not have had a place on this team – Wilmer Flores has twice the heart Reyes has shown in recent years. Then came the haul for R. A. Dickey: Noah Syndergaard, Travis d’Arnaud, John Buck and Wuilmer Becerra, two of whom became major cogs in the 2015 pennant machine. We can see now that the timetable completely hinged on the pitchers. It came down to when it was deemed that Harvey, deGrom and Wheeler were ready. And while there have been setbacks – obviously the time lost for Harvey and Wheeler due to respective Tommy John surgeries – these pitchers have matured beautifully. In late 2014, the glimmers of this year’s fun team became clear. deGrom was the Rookie of the Year. Harvey was about to begin his rehab. Slugger Lucas Duda matured into a genuine 30-home-run threat. Daniel Murphy discovered consistency at the plate. Incumbent Captain David Wright continued to exert his own brand of leadership.
It was this mix, plus the return of Harvey, that started this pennant winning campaign on a high of enthusiasm that almost never waned. Case in point: the final exhibition game of the spring, days before opening day. Normally, the late stages of this game are farcical. Usually, everybody just wants to get the heck out of there and get the season started. The Mets found themselves facing the Texas Rangers in Arlington and were down by four runs in the top of the ninth. But rather than make the customary break for the exits, this team rallied to tie the score on a grand slam by backup catcher Anthony Recker, who got a giddy round of back slaps and high fives. Met teams of the past would have given him a cold shoulder – how dare you delay our flight back to New York? – but this team loved it.
It was the strong pitching and this attitude that kept the team afloat through mid-July, in the face of losing Wheeler before they left Port St. Lucie, weathering the loss of d’Arnaud for months due to a broken finger and despite Wright’s spinal stenosis. Syndergaard finally arrived in May, young Steven Matz at the end of June. By the trade deadline, it became clear that nobody had to wait for anything anymore. The year had arrived, at long last. And at that point, Sandy Alderson saw that this team would benefit from an offensive supplement. Whoo, boy, did it ever.
So now, it’s on to the World Series. The ultimate future is two weeks away.
Follow me on Twitter @CharlieHangley.
Great post, Charlie. I was so hard on Sandy earlier in the year because I really did not like his off season moves. His patience, long range plan and brilliant mid season moves won me over and I now have to give credit where it’s due. Perhaps some of his best moves were the ones he opted not to make. We may not be able to bring back Cespedes or even Murphy, but we’ll have the flexibility to keep this fledgling team intact for a sustained run.
This praising of Sandy Alderson is utter bullshit.
First and foremost, just how we don’t use W-L records to judge a pitcher anymore, there’s no reason to use W-L records to judge a GM or manager.
It took him 6 freaking years to build a winner, when many other GMs probably could have competed in the first 2 years while simultaneously rebuilding the roster with just 2-3 years worth of downtime.
.
-He still sucks at signing Free Agents.
Exhibit A: Michael Cuddyer. Exhibit B : Bartolo Colon, Exhibit C: Chris Young (and to some extent he overpaid on Granny)
-We’ve identified that SS was a problem for 2-3 years now and he’s yet to do a single thing about it.
-And of course he continues to employ the idiot known as Terry Collins
So in the end, it could have been done in a better way, and in a faster way. It’s like we’re congratulating the kid in school who never studies, failed 4 times on a test, and then decides to finally put in a little effort on the 5th try, and passes. And we’re supposed to praise him for that? Give me a break.
It’s also funny and ironic that the same fans who are preaching how big of an impact one player, Cespedes, made for the Mets this year were also the ones who were dismissing the idea that one or two trades wouldn’t have made much of a difference in 2010 (and to a lesser extent 2011) when the club was in a similar situation around the All star break and Alderson did absolutely nothing.
The only on his mind was saving the team for the Wilpons, not winning. This was a happy coincidence of the Nationals floundering so they said, “What the heck”? I am glad for what is going on, but I don’t think if those loans weren’t refinanced we have Cespedes here.
I look at it as Lady Luck smiled on a bunch of nice guys and some really great fans.
2012 is the year that I really wanted to see an upgrade.
Me too!
i wish you would stop beating around the bush and just get to the point.
i, for one, would like to know how you really feel about the job alderson’s done so far…..
The foundation was laid by Aldersons predecessor. Take a look at the roster and tell me how many were drafted by SA? If it weren’t for Gomez failing his physical (The Wilpons nixing that trade) were would this team be? Cespedes wasn’t even his second choice! I seem to recall Harvey, Duda, deGrom, Familia, Murphy are all Minaya signings and I’m not the first to say it. Read this the other day on CBSLocal
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/10/20/keidel-omar-minaya-deserves-a-world-of-credit-for-whats-happening-in-queens/
Hope the Mets can win it, because next year’s team seems to be as offensively challenged as this year’s was.
Outfield: Conforto, Lagares, Granderson, Cuddyer, Neuweinheis.
Infield: Duda, Herrera, Flores, Wright, SS (probably a cheap backup, Reynolds?), Johnson/Uribe
Catchers: TDA, Plawecki.
Looking at a lineup of Herrera, Granderson, Wright, Duda, TDA, Conforto, Flores, Lagares doesn’t thrill me.
Gus I don’t think it was a what the heck why not as much as Wright’s insurance money and Mejia’s suspension allowing the Wilpons to use their new found wealth. It means there was no money to begin with. Alderson would of said we tried to make some deals but we were not going to mortgage our future. Isn’t that a frightening thought? SA claiming there was money if the right opportunity came along? Knowing as usual the coffers were empty? If Wright stays healthy and Mejia isn’t a world class idiot Aldrson would still be sitting on his hands telling fans our time is nearly at hand..
David wright stinks. He’s the highest paid 3b in the league and hits less than home runs when healthy. This bum needs to retire so we can sign some Latino stars like cespedes, soler, abreu, moncada I have spoken
And Michael crappyer should be arrested for stealing 20 million dollars
Regarding the above post, allow me to quote that best of sources, my Mom:
“Some people just aren’t happy unless they’re miserable.”
Not me, though. Let’s Go Mets!!
Right on, DED!
Dear Mr. Fley,
You’ve made multiple posts at this site about your feelings regarding David Wright. That’s great and I’m glad you’re contributing here.
But you’ve got to bring something to the table besides grumbling about players using third-grade humor. Otherwise you’re just distracting from the adults at the site.
You have three choices: Step it up, leave or have your posts deleted.
after a restless night with very little sleep, i realized this morning that i have multiple concerns that are causing my current insomnia. in no particular order
1. will cespedes sore shoulder limit his playing time in the world series?
2. is matt harvey risking yet another tommy john surgery pitching this late into the year?
3. will degrom be 100% going into the world series or is he starting to show tired arm / fatigue?
4. which team i should root for to win the ALCS, based on who i believe the mets have a better chance against.
5. has terry collins really been kidnapped and replaced by wally backman and a clever hollywood make up artist?
6. does Fley get wi-fi service in his mother’s basement?
well, thank god at least one of my concerns has been addressed this morning thanks to Mets360……
Too much negativity for me so soon after winning the pennant. Why so bitter?
It would of been classy of the organization to thank Minaya as well. Though things didn’t work out for him here In NY. He did not leave the farm system as barren as they would like Met fans to think. No bitterness. I’m a Met fan first and foremost. The praise being bestowed upon Alderson is just a bit over the top. I’m only disagreeing with Charlie for saying that Alderson laid the foundation for this teams success.
Certainly it’s true that Minaya did sign many of the players carrying the Mets today, and he should, and frequently does get credit for it.
But, and it’s a big but, Pee Wee: there’s more to developing players than signing them. Some teams, the Cardinals and the A’s for example will produce a continual stream of quality major leaguers over an extended period. It’s not hard to imagine some other organization — the 1990’s Mets, say — failing, with the same group of signings. There is the teaching of skills; there’s conditioning training, and prudent placement within the system, and grow-up-to-be-a-man training, and how-to-succeed in English training, and how to live on minor league money….and who knows how many other things. You need it all if you are to succeed over the long haul, and some organizations are better at imparting all this than are some others.
I don’t have to guess this to be true; I’ve followed the Mets systems over the decades, and it runs more productively today than at any time in recent memory. And that is not by accident, it’s by leadership and work, work, work.
“, it seems like that went by pretty quickly.”. I can’t agree with that statement.
It has come together this summer because they added five roster players using their deep minor league system to obtain them and drafted a potential star in 2014 that made it to the majors in 2015. Alderson and his staff get credit for that. On July 23rd, Alderson was an overly cautious GM whose recent record indicated he had trouble evaluating major league talent but was adept at drafting and obtaining minor league talent. On July 24th a windfall in the form of David Wright insurance money came in and he realized that the major league team could finally afford some upgrades. If not for that money he could not afford the upgrades no matter how many minor leaguers he was willing to trade.
I agree that there were passed on opportunities in the past and the main goal has been to have the Wilpon’s keep the team no matter how crappy the team was. This makeover took too long but now that it is here I am enjoying it immensly.
I like to see Alderson get credit for the job he did. But one thing I cannot agree with is that the 2015 Mets were better off with Flores than having Reyes play SS.
While it’s true that Reyes is just a shadow of the player he was in 2011, I’d still take my chances with him at SS for this team.
Jose Reyes vs. Wilmer Flores: based on the Colorado series as well as what has been generally reported, I think the two players’ respective values might be closer than longtime Mets fans would care to admit. Factor in that ever-fungible factor, the gulf between their respective salaries, and I see zero reason why we would want Jose back for more than a reunion bash. The legs that made him special ain’t there no more.
Exactly!
Obviously the salaries are monumentally different and having Reyes means not having something else. But I didn’t get that vibe from Charlie’s article. If he indeed was taking salaries into account then I withdraw my statement.
But if you think the drag of being traded from a playoff contender to last-place Colorado wasn’t weighing on Reyes when the Mets and Rockies played, I guess I don’t know what to say. Even though it’s not 2011 anymore, I believe that the electricity of being in a pennant race for the org he grew up in would have invigorated Reyes to the point where he would have been easily preferable to Flores. Just my two cents.
Yes, salary was at play in my thought. I just didn’t articulate it very well in the post.
i still never got past him taking himself out of the last game of the year in the 1st inning after reaching base in 2010. to me, it was a classless act. i know i’m probably being petty, but it still bugs me to this day.
Also, Jeff Wilpon will continue to stain the efforts of the front office. Did anyone catch this? Perfect symbol of his competence (or lack thereof.)
LOL! Who can possibly be surprised? Definitely the leader all should follow. Jefferey, where are the Underdog shirts?