Mets writing same story from years past
If I slip up one time, I would expect to get a mulligan.
If I slip up a second time, chances are I would not be so lucky.
But what happens if I slip up a third time?
Perhaps the problem is not with anyone else, but rather me and only me.
This brings us to the story of the New York Mets.
Early in 2009, the team that believed it only needed a tune-up to its car finds itself with a blown tire and soon may be facing a complete engine failure.
Sports Illustrated picked them to win the World Series this year and even the most intelligent of baseball fans had to scratch their heads when they saw the cover. Was this team, a squad with good talent, but questionable makeup and sensitive personalities, as good as some thought? Or, were they just pretty enough to tease you into thinking that it is?
After over two years of seeing some of the same results, it is hard not to ask that question. The author, GM Omar Minaya thought after 2007, he only needed a top-flight pitcher. This turned in getting more bullpen help after 2008. Somehow, throughout all this, a belief existed that the everyday players were not a problem. It was as if they were suggesting that not one of them seemed to be the problem.
Even now, after all of this time, perhaps Minaya and his brass are finding out what their rivals and even their own fans have been saying for a long time as they stare at a 10-13 record going into a two game series in Atlanta.
Perhaps they are “soft”.
If I slip up one time, I would expect to get a mulligan.
If I slip up a second time, chances are I would not be so lucky.
But what happens if I slip up a third time?
Perhaps the problem is not with anyone else, but rather me and only me.
This brings us to the story of the New York Mets.
Early in 2009, the team that believed it only needed a tune-up to its car finds itself with a blown tire and soon may be facing a complete engine failure.
Sports Illustrated picked them to win the World Series this year and even the most intelligent of baseball fans had to scratch their heads when they saw the cover. Was this team, a squad with good talent, but questionable makeup and sensitive personalities, as good as some thought? Or, were they just pretty enough to tease you into thinking that it is?
After over two years of seeing some of the same results, it is hard not to ask that question. The author, GM Omar Minaya thought after 2007, he only needed a top-flight pitcher. This turned in getting more bullpen help after 2008. Somehow, throughout all this, a belief existed that the everyday players were not a problem. It was as if they were suggesting that not one of them seemed to be the problem.
Even now, after all of this time, perhaps Minaya and his brass are finding out what their rivals and even their own fans have been saying for a long time as they stare at a 10-13 record going into a two game series in Atlanta.
Perhaps they are “soft”.
That then brings up this: He created this team and brought in all of these personalities. No one else but him should take the fall if in the end, this seemingly incompatible brand of misfits cannot get the job done.
After being one win way from going to the World Series in 2006, the Mets choked away a seven game lead with 17 games remaining to the Philadelphia Phillies and ended out of the playoffs.
Last season, the team got off to a struggling start, bringing back the exact same team under the thinking that it was nothing more than a bad two and a half week stretch looked at as nothing more than an aberration.
In June, nothing was going right. Jose Reyes mysteriously couldn’t get on base. Carlos Delgado appeared to be an old man who had seen his better days. Worst of all, their newly acquired ace Johan Santana, was not given any support in terms of runs by his offense, or his bullpen, that had blown numerous games that turned into losses.
The blame unfairly was put on manager Willie Randolph, who was forced to take the fall for these shortcomings. Mets management was under the false belief that a new leader could change all of the problems. Unfortunately, this was like a faucet that was leaking in all directions. Covering up one hole always seemed to open up another.
Jerry Manuel took the reigns and though the team improved over the second half of the season, it seemed like fools gold.
Mysteriously, and by coincidence, Reyes and Delgado learned how to hit again. Oliver Perez figured out where the strike zone was, and Johan Santana threw like the best pitcher in baseball.
The bullpen was terrible and their 29 blown saves (9-20 in those games) were going to come back to haunt. The time bomb had exploded and the Mets could do nothing to protect themselves from it. Shuffling relievers and mixing in new ones from all walks of life were not going to do the trick when no one of legitimate quality was available in July. With Billy Wagner (who had done his part to light the match to this fire in the first three months of the season) out in need of Tommy John Surgery and Bobby Ayala replacing him, it was a recipe for impending disaster that would eventually takes it toll on the entire roster.
In September, holding a five game lead, they saw it slip away in combination of bad pitching and poor hitting in high-leverage situations.
On the last day of the season, they closed out Shea Stadium with a whimper, losing for the second year in a row to the Florida Marlins to end their season. It was not the fault of one, rather a collective failure from a team always talking the big game at the card table while always seeming to come up short when it is time to go “All in”.
Randolph oversaw it in 2007, now Manuel would oversee it in 2008. After two successive breakdowns, perhaps it was not the manager’s fault as some knuckleheads wanted to declare as such several months prior.
What was the solution this time? Get better bullpen arms. Hell, the offense was not so bad (it was second in the National League – which is dubious at best when you watched the games) unless you watched closely and noticed that there was a front running nature to the way they scored. It would get out in front early with runs and then take the equivalent of a nap for the remaining innings of the game.
And when it became time for its best players to get big hits when the game is on the line, they were nowhere to be found. This becomes magnified when their division rival Phillies come back, catch them and eventually pass them. Last year they did it and went on to become World Champions.
But now at the start of 2009, they have the look and feel of team that has no real direction. They do not have a surplus of youth that they can infuse and they do not have quality pitching reinforcements to offset the current awfulness of a rotation outside of Johan Santana.
The face of that collapse is Oliver Perez, who in many ways encapsulates the Mets as a team. A terrific talent who can mesmerize you with his incredible gifts as long as it’s harnessed properly, yet consistently unreliable when you most need it.
It’s like a 1967 Mustang not kept in tip-top shape. Pretty to look at, but ready to break your heart at a moments notice by having a complete breakdown.
Santana continues to pitch as the best in the league. The rest? Well, cover your eyes and hope for the best.
The offense is hitting, but just not enough. David Wright’s at bats have a similar theme: strikeouts and/or booing.
They have five outfielders for three spots and do not know how to best utilize playing time. They sit their best defensive right fielder (Ryan Church) in place of a terrible defender (Gary Sheffield) who could not hit enough at the age of 40 to where the Detroit Tigers were willing to pay him $14 million to NOT be on the team.
When runners are in scoring position, just change the channel. You can write down a list of negative outcomes, pick one of them out of a hat, and the percentage chance of you being correct is highly probable.
This year looks somewhat like last year, which looks a little different from the year before. Yet, the same familiar script is being writer. Some of the characters may have changed, but the stars of the show still exist.
Soon, if the Mets do not make the playoffs for the third straight year, perhaps the Mets front office might want to seek out a completely new cast.
Last season, the team got off to a struggling start, bringing back the exact same team under the thinking that it was nothing more than a bad two and a half week stretch looked at as nothing more than an aberration.
In June, nothing was going right. Jose Reyes mysteriously couldn’t get on base. Carlos Delgado appeared to be an old man who had seen his better days. Worst of all, their newly acquired ace Johan Santana, was not given any support in terms of runs by his offense, or his bullpen, that had blown numerous games that turned into losses.
The blame unfairly was put on manager Willie Randolph, who was forced to take the fall for these shortcomings. Mets management was under the false belief that a new leader could change all of the problems. Unfortunately, this was like a faucet that was leaking in all directions. Covering up one hole always seemed to open up another.
Jerry Manuel took the reigns and though the team improved over the second half of the season, it seemed like fools gold.
Mysteriously, and by coincidence, Reyes and Delgado learned how to hit again. Oliver Perez figured out where the strike zone was, and Johan Santana threw like the best pitcher in baseball.
The bullpen was terrible and their 29 blown saves (9-20 in those games) were going to come back to haunt. The time bomb had exploded and the Mets could do nothing to protect themselves from it. Shuffling relievers and mixing in new ones from all walks of life were not going to do the trick when no one of legitimate quality was available in July. With Billy Wagner (who had done his part to light the match to this fire in the first three months of the season) out in need of Tommy John Surgery and Bobby Ayala replacing him, it was a recipe for impending disaster that would eventually takes it toll on the entire roster.
In September, holding a five game lead, they saw it slip away in combination of bad pitching and poor hitting in high-leverage situations.
On the last day of the season, they closed out Shea Stadium with a whimper, losing for the second year in a row to the Florida Marlins to end their season. It was not the fault of one, rather a collective failure from a team always talking the big game at the card table while always seeming to come up short when it is time to go “All in”.
Randolph oversaw it in 2007, now Manuel would oversee it in 2008. After two successive breakdowns, perhaps it was not the manager’s fault as some knuckleheads wanted to declare as such several months prior.
What was the solution this time? Get better bullpen arms. Hell, the offense was not so bad (it was second in the National League – which is dubious at best when you watched the games) unless you watched closely and noticed that there was a front running nature to the way they scored. It would get out in front early with runs and then take the equivalent of a nap for the remaining innings of the game.
And when it became time for its best players to get big hits when the game is on the line, they were nowhere to be found. This becomes magnified when their division rival Phillies come back, catch them and eventually pass them. Last year they did it and went on to become World Champions.
But now at the start of 2009, they have the look and feel of team that has no real direction. They do not have a surplus of youth that they can infuse and they do not have quality pitching reinforcements to offset the current awfulness of a rotation outside of Johan Santana.
The face of that collapse is Oliver Perez, who in many ways encapsulates the Mets as a team. A terrific talent who can mesmerize you with his incredible gifts as long as it’s harnessed properly, yet consistently unreliable when you most need it.
It’s like a 1967 Mustang not kept in tip-top shape. Pretty to look at, but ready to break your heart at a moments notice by having a complete breakdown.
Santana continues to pitch as the best in the league. The rest? Well, cover your eyes and hope for the best.
The offense is hitting, but just not enough. David Wright’s at bats have a similar theme: strikeouts and/or booing.
They have five outfielders for three spots and do not know how to best utilize playing time. They sit their best defensive right fielder (Ryan Church) in place of a terrible defender (Gary Sheffield) who could not hit enough at the age of 40 to where the Detroit Tigers were willing to pay him $14 million to NOT be on the team.
When runners are in scoring position, just change the channel. You can write down a list of negative outcomes, pick one of them out of a hat, and the percentage chance of you being correct is highly probable.
This year looks somewhat like last year, which looks a little different from the year before. Yet, the same familiar script is being writer. Some of the characters may have changed, but the stars of the show still exist.
Soon, if the Mets do not make the playoffs for the third straight year, perhaps the Mets front office might want to seek out a completely new cast.
And at the same time, completely rewrite the script.
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