After what has been a roller coaster of a season and after the Mets played horrible baseball last night in their most important game of the year, I've come up with these 4 ways to fix the Mets.
1. Bring in new GM - It is time for the Wilpon's to put their love affair with Omar Minaya aside and do what is best for the organization. The Mets need to bring in new leadership, and that starts with a new GM. I have always been a fan of Minaya. I wanted the Mets to bring him back when they did. He is a fantastic talent evaluator, but when it comes to running a baseball team and handing out millions of dollars, he seems to always make the wrong decisions. I would not be opposed to reassigning him within the organization, however I don't think he would be interested in that and would most likely decline.
Suggestions to fill the position - The Mets need to bring in a GM with experience and success. They need to use the lure of New York City and their financial flexibility to bring in someone who knows how to play the free-agent game. Obviously someone like Theo Epstein would be a great choice, but there is no way he is leaving the Red Sox. There are two guys that come to mind that I would love to see take over as GM. The first person is Jon Daniels of the Texas Rangers. Look at what he has done with that team. He has built them into a first place club. Under Daniels, that organization has developed a lot of home grown talent. Michael Young, Ian Kinsler, Neftali Perez, and I can keep going. Then, when he knew his team was close he went out and got the best pitcher available in trade market in Cliff Lee. He really knows how to build a club. The second person I recommend would be to try and pry Kenny Williams away from the Chicago White Sox. This is another person who knows how to build a club. He knows who to give the big money to. Take Alex Rios for example. He was put on waivers by the Blue Jays. Even though he had a huge price tag, Williams went out and claimed him off waivers, and now look at how important Rios is to that club.
2. Jerry Manuel must go as well. He came bursting on to the scene in 2008 when the Mets let Willie Randolph go. He filled in and saved the Mets season. He got them to that oh so familiar 1 game left to win to force a 1 game playoff, and just like 2007, the team failed to win on that final day of the year. The Mets bought into Manuel and his "we are gangsta’s" personality and gave him a contract to be the full time Manager. I even think most of us fans and the media bought into it too. That personality disappeared very quickly however. Jerry now looks soft, not very motivational, and seems to have lost this club. This team needs some fire. Manuel no longer provides that for them.
Suggestions to fill the position – Many fans and media suggest Wally Backman should be the person to replace Manuel. He is a fiery no nonsense guy who many people feel will inject that type of personality into the club. The only problem I have with Backman is that he has no Major League managerial experience. I think the person who takes this job needs to have experienced the pressure of the Major Leagues. This job is not a walk in the park and I am just not quite sure that Backman is the right guy. Another guy that a lot of fans are calling for is to bring back Bobby Valentine. I would be very supportive of this move, except there is a problem. Valentine and the Wilpons do not particularly care for one another after Valentines departure in 2004.
The guy I would target would be Joe Maddon. This guy knows how to win and is not scared to sit down a player for being selfish (hence B.J. Upton). I understand that he has a very good team down in Tampa, and people question why he would want to leave, but maybe the challenge of New York, the cross town Yankees, and the stability with a constant roster would be enough to lure him to the Mets.
3. Dump the Garbage – This team MUST cut ties with Oliver Perez, Luis Castillo, Jeff Francoeur, and John Maine. None of these players are productive on the field anymore. Perez is one of the most selfish players I have ever seen. Refusing to be sent to the minors considering how terrible he has been is a farce. Perez and Luis Castillo are rotten eggs in the clubhouse. They need to release them from this team. As much as I love Jeff Francoeur for his clubhouse presence, he is just not productive enough to start on a daily basis and he is not the type of player that can come off the bench. He needs to be let go. John Maine’s story is sad. He was so promising at the start of his Mets career. I thought he was going to be part of their rotation for a long time. Shoulder injuries are tough injuries to bounce back from, and he just was not able to do it.
4. Build the Team Around The Ballpark You Play in – What does this mean? This mean pitching and speed. Power is not going to get it done in this ballpark. There are only a few players in the game that can hit the ball out of this park on a consistent basis (Albert Pujols, Mark Reynolds). This team is going to win by using their legs and the size of the ballpark.
These are three moves that I feel the Mets should make:
1. Trade Carlos Beltran. As much as I love Carlos Beltran as a player, I don’t think he will be the same after his surgery. I also think he blocks the maturation process of Angel Pagan. Pagan is ready to be an everyday player in this league and he is a lot less expensive. Moving Beltran for a middle of the rotation starter makes sense both for the team that acquires him and for the Mets. He will still be able to produce in this league, but the fact that Angel Pagan is waiting to be this team’s starting CF, it makes sense to move Beltran and clear the way for Pagan.
2. Sign Carl Crawford. He is the prototypical player that should be playing at CitiField. With Crawford, Reyes, and Pagan at the top of the lineup, havoc would be caused all over the base paths. This would make David Wright and Jason Bay very happy as they would both drive in a ton of runs.
3. Break the bank for Cliff Lee. I understand it is tough to give a pitcher approaching 3o yrs of age a 6 year deal, but if that’s what it takes to get the job done so be it. The Mets need another top of the rotation guy and Lee will be out there for the taking. This is the move that will excite Mets fans for 2011 and bring people back to CitiField after a rough 2 years.
Hopefully the Wilpon’s understand the need for a massive overhaul after this season. If they don’t, 2011 will be filled with a lot of empty seats. Make it happen Jeff and Fred!
No comments:
Post a Comment