I’m not going to go into detail about this point in this 2011 season. If you’re reading this, it’s already painfully obvious to you what’s transpired. Base running gaffes, lousy pitching, over-eagerness at the plate and a general, overall malaise are the marks of this year. It all seems very Polo Grounds-ish, without charm, or goodwill emanating back to the team from the stands. Let’s face it: it’s a godawful time to be a fan of this team.
In the wake of their second straight loss to Houston this past Wednesday, I seethingly left a message on another blog’s board, advocating the following “plan” for the future:
Extend Jose Reyes’ contract.
Extend David Wright’s.
Extend Ike Davis’s.
Extend Josh Thole’s.
Keep Johan Santana
Run everybody else out of town on a rail & bring up some kids and AAAA guys from Buffalo and Binghamton.
My thinking was, if you’re gonna lose a hundred anyway, you may as well do it cheaply. That might be music to Wilponian ears, though, and I’d much rather see this team get sold. I don’t want Fred & Jeff Wilpon to hang on by their fingernails and we as fans endure a Chinese water-torture kind of existence. I pine for Stuart Sternberg — presently owner of the Tampa Bay Rays – to leave Florida in a huff since he won’t be getting a new ballpark. Oh, and PS: he’s a Met fan/season ticket holder. I think he would “get” us, as the Wilpons don’t. Lately, I’m seeing Fred & Jeff as real villains and we, the fans, are the old ladies they’re tying to the railroad tracks. It makes me chuckle to thing of Jeff Wilpon twirling a Rollie Fingers-style moustache. NYA-HA-HA…
It could be worse: they COULD be the Dodgers. Maybe Fred – with his blatant Dodger-love – has gotten what he wanted all along…
Just an idea or two to light a fire under some of these underachievers:
A-Designate OF Scott Hairston for assignment.
B-Recall OF Kirk Neiuwenhuis from AAA Buffalo.
C-Use Neiuwenhuis in CF, challenging incumbent Angel Pagan to up his game, he could also be used in RF on the days regular RF Carlos Beltran needs rest. Normally, I’d prefer top prospects to play everyday in the minors rather than come off the bench in the majors. But I think Kirk would get enough AB’s while lighting a fire under Pagan. I would hope this would be a temporary situation and once Pagan starts playing to his ability Kirk could go back to AAA with valuable Major League experience. Sometimes it takes losing PT to a hungry minor league prospect to stoke the fire in a Major League veteran.
D-Option RP Ryota Igarishi to AAA and recall one of LHP Taylor Tankersley or Justin Hampson. The Mets need another LH in the bullpen anyway, and, as with Pagan, maybe the inclusion of a minor leaguer will push veteran Tim Byrdak to sharpen his game as the primary LOOGY. Although, to be fair, he has been allowed to face TOO many RH hitters, who historically KILL Byrdak. Adding another LH RP would allow Collins to use Byrdak more appropriately, i.e., vs. LH hitters only.
I’m no GM but it seems this team could use a little prodding from guys who would love a chance to play in the Major Leagues. Plus, the addition of an exciting top prospect, such as Neiuwenhuis might actually get a few disenchanted fans back to Citi Field. Granted it wouldn’t cause a string of sell out crowds, but it certainly couldn’t hurt attendance and might be a solid PR move on the Mets part to show their trying to change a culture of losing in the Mets clubhouse.
Why do the Mets need to sacrifice a general use pitcher for a lefty specialist? Isn’t there already an issue with a lack of quality bullpen arms, hence the 13 pitchers on staff until yesterday?
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