The Cody Ross Rumors and The Winter Of Met Fans’ Discontent

So this is what we’ve been reduced to, apparently. So starved for some good news on the acquisition front are we fans, that more than a few of us got excited at the prospect of acquiring a 31-year-old journeyman outfielder. Another right-hander hitter, I might add, so friendlier fences in right and right-center would do him no good. And then, he turned down some rare Wilponic gold for greener pastures – and walls – in Boston. I was surprised to find myself disappointed.

This is Cody Ross, we’re talking about, not Willie Mays. Not even Cleon Jones. This is the definition of a “journeyman outfielder.” According to Baseball-Reference.com, his nearest historically comparable players are Kevin Mench, Walt Moryn, Ryan Ludwick, Jason Kubel and Craig Monroe. He has a career OPS+ of 105 and an eight-season bWAR of 10.1. To your intrepid columnist, this screams mediocrity. If we want to be complimentary, we’d call Ross “steady.” Would he be a valuable bench piece on a championship team? Of course; in fact, he has been, coming out of the wings to deliver some big hits for the 2010 World Champion San Francisco Giants, even winning the NLCS MVP. Would he be a valuable starter on a lousy team like the Mets? No way. That’s why the Marlins let him walk to the Giants on waivers in ’10 to begin with. And he spurned us.

I don’t envy Sandy Alderson’s job at the moment, hamstrung by tight purse-strings from above and hammered by sarcasm and snark from the MSM and bleating from the fan base, myself included. If he can pull off a move or two and coax this bunch of culls and castoffs to over 80 wins, he will be more of a miracle worker than even I – one of Alderson’s staunchest supporters – figured.

I wouldn’t bank on it, though.