It seems there are quite a few fans who saw this coming. Perhaps even a majority of them. Yet some are still surprised at what has transpired with this team, even though they have been like this for the past five years. Some decided to remain optimistic and give the 2011 New York Mets the benefit of the doubt. The Mets have rewarded them with failure once again.
On paper this team is better than what they have shown the baseball world. Just look at the line-up. A person should be hard pressed to say that a line-up containing players like Jason Bay, Carlos Beltran, Ike Davis, Jose Reyes as a leadoff man, and David Wright, is a set up for underachieving. It certainly is enough to be in second place in the standings. However, misplays, poor hitting, poor pitching performances and the continued haunting of injuries to key players, have driven this team nearly down to the cellar once again after starting the season strong.
Wednesday’s game was the last straw for Mets manager, Terry Collins. Following that game, the manager showed just how angry and disgusted he was in his players, telling them exactly what they needed to hear. Was the tirade necessary? Yes it was. When your players are underperforming, you have to try shock therapy. Willie Harris stated he had never seen Collins so mad and “when the manager comes in here and he gives it to you like that, it’s almost like you upset your mother“. Players have gone on to tell reporters that it was a wake up call. A wake-up call should not have been an option if you truly want to win games.
Collins has stated the Mets would play fundamental baseball this year. While we have seen glimpses of that, we have also seen the poor fundamentals that seems to have carried over from the Jerry Manuel era. There is no excuse not to play the game the way it is supposed to be played. These guys need to go out there and “execute”. While it does seem easier said than done, it still needs to get done.
One thing that was interesting was Collins felt the absence of Davis, Reyes, and Wright should not be a factor. There is a reason why there are utility and bench players. They go out there and play the game should another player be out. Players like Harris have not done that. In my opinion, this was a crucial statement. It gives Mets GM Sandy Alderson a chance to see what a game would be like without Reyes and Wright should the idea to trade both continue to run through his mind.
So what options does Collins have other than quitting and allowing Wally Backman to come up now? Even he has said he is running out of ideas. There are none. At least not in a role he can have outside of pleading with his GM to get help. Alderson has yet to make any moves. Maybe now is the time he should start placing phone calls and get the help this team needs rather than looking at putting the players up for sale.
Good point about how this is what the team would look like if they trade Reyes and Wright.
This is starting to feel like the team with Robbi Alomar, Mo Vaughn and Mike Piazza. It’s just not understandable. Initially we got rid of our ‘problem children’ Castillo and Perez.. what gives now?
Why would you mention Mike Piazza’s name in the same sentence with those two dogs?
The problem is now — as it was in the very early Frank Cashen era — that every other GM knows that Sandy is ready to make a move. So ready n fact, that the other GMs are probably lying in the weeds to take advantage of an overeager bargainer. Thus GM from team X makes a ridiculous offer which Alderson has no choice but to turn down, thus appearing to be “doing nothing.” Sometiomes, there’s just nothing to be done, unfortunately…
I think we’re all disgusted by this recent stretch, but here’s a thought.
Replacing superstars (or very good players like Wright 😉 is hard and requires a lot of trade material/$$. Replacing the bench requires next to nothing and although these guys may be starting right now, there is ZERO reason Willie Harris and Jerry Hairston are still on the team. Can we really not find anyone else on the waiver wire, AAAA stars toiling on someone else’s roster or even someone in our farm system?
I have always believed if a player is released, cut or traded from a different teams numerous time then that player either Sucks or his age is starting to show well this applies to both hairston and harris why not let them go or trade them to a team who likes these type of players, even though omar is gone the Mets are still using bandaids to fix their problems. They should start trading the likes of Johan, beltran, wright and rodriquez for other teams major league ready players who are atleast rank top dogs in their position in the minors. The ripping apart should start now its not like they going anywhere anytime soon.