The Mets have an identity crisis. Right now 29 other teams view them as a dysfunctional joke. A recent report by Murray Chass cited agent frustration with how the club manages their business, and we all know how bad the Carlos Beltran knee fiasco looks to prospective players. The two faces of the franchise, Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel, don’t give anyone reason to exude confidence when pitchers and catchers report in less than two weeks. Minaya appears to be “dead GM walking” and Manuel’s “Uncle Jerry” act may just have a short term effect after the dour Willie Randolph era. These guys are salesmen who pitched an empty product, and now have a legacy of lemons. Who can trust them, or better yet, the team which they represent?

Where does the franchise turn? Everyone has been clamoring for Bobby Valentine since the day it was announced he was leaving Japanese baseball. I am not someone who supports the “back to the future” approach to hiring managers, but the Mets are in desperate times. There brand is so damaged they are in danger of turning off long time fans. I believe irrelevance is not out of the possibility. Couldn’t you see the Mets becoming the baseball version of the Islanders? That is why Valentine might be the right man to take this job, again, and turn the franchise around, just as he did in 1997.

The Mets were in a similar scenario when Valentine was hired in August of 1996. They were “the worst team money could buy” that destroyed their meal ticket, “Generation K”, within a calendar year. Some pegged the 97′ Mets to lose 100 games and predicted that Bobby V. would be a memory come the end of that season. The Mets would surprise, winning 88, and nearly taking the Wild Card over the free spending Florida Marlins. The next year, 98′, they would land Mike Piazza and the rest is history. Valentine would take a decent, yet flawed, team to two Wild Cards and a pennant in 2000.

Valentine wasn’t perfect, things did turn sour and eventually he would be fired in 2002. He never embraced himself to many of the veterans and couldn’t keep away from controversy. Whether it was his classic feud with Mike Francesa, Whartongate, or tweaking the opposition, the team became more about him than the players on the field. The fact of the matter is the Mets grew old fast in 2002. Ownerships decision to pass on Alex Rodriguez, and go for aging over the hill veterans led to their demise. The real problem, as Bob Klapisch noted, was probably general manager Steve Phillips, instead of Valentine. It’s no secret that Phillips and Valentine had a love/hate relationship that bordered more on hate.

These Mets are sorely in need of someone to take the heat off the team. I have my concerns about a core of Beltran, Wright, Bay, Reyes, and Santana handling the inevitable scrutiny this season. The Mets have flaws, but still could contend for a Wild Card if they stay healthy. That would require someone at the helm that could maximize their talent, not exactly what Jerry Manuel is known to do. How many skippers can claim they went to the World Series with an outfield of Timo Perez, Jay Payton, and Benny Agbayani? Look at the 98′ club that should have made the playoffs. They had Brian McRae as the number five hitter. The 2010 Mets don’t look so bad in comparison.

These Mets have some very good players, but really need a leader to bring them together. I am afraid no one in that locker room, at least someone that matters, is capable of that task. Just like the Mike Piazza/Edgardo Alfonzo Mets, these guys want to play ball and go home. There is nothing wrong with that, but sometimes more is necessary. That is where Bobby Valentine comes in.

Valentine could be the face of the franchise. Someone who is successful enough to tell Jeff Wilpon to do what he is good at – managing a real estate company. Someone that has something that Omar Minaya doesn’t: a championship. He is also someone that doesn’t need the Mets, unlike his last stint, as his track record speaks for himself. He took a substandard Mets team within 3 games of a title. He took one of the worst franchises in the NPB and made them successful on and off the field. He created his own brand, like it or not, which is more than what I could say for the group that currently runs around Citi Field. The Mets need someone to be a positive face of their franchise. Bobby Valentine was that man a decade ago, and should be it again.

How often does a player like the Yankees’ Robinson Cano, a man who hit .320 (204-for-637), hit 25 home runs and drove in 85 runs in 2009, draw this much criticism?

Is it because he sometimes fails in the clutch? Is he not as selective at the plate – walking just 30 times in 674 plate appearances?  Is it because so much is expected of him?

Say this about Cano. The man has always been quite confident in his abilities.  Back in his Double-A seasons in Trenton, several fans and scouts felt he looked and played like the game came to him much too easily.

Is it his .217 (23-for-106) postseason average, punctuated by his .136 (3-for-22) effort vs. the Phillies in the 2009 World Series thr brings derision?

Then there are the scouts who constantly debate Cano’s performance:

“Do you like him?’’ said the first.

“Yeah, I like him,’’ answered the secomd.

“But do you love him?’’ the first quips back.

“No,’’ answered the second. “I like him, but I don’t love him.’’

A third observer joins the conversation.  “Well, then,’’ he adds. “What would it take for you to love him?’’

“OK,’’ said the detracting scout, “when I see him swing at, and hit, strikes, I love him. On the other hand, I ask, why can’t he do that all the time?’’

So there is real criticism of Cano not being selective, falling victim to slop, becoming careless in the way he controls the plate. When this happens in the clutch, when he swings at a pitch three feet from the strike zone with runners on second and third with one out, both fans and scouts scream.

As an “old school’’guy, I’m not as much into the new numbers of baseball as much as basing opinions on what I actually see, but, whether the judgment is made with OPS+ or the naked eye, watching Cano, who will play the 2010 season at 27, can be frustrating.

Yet, he is a .306 (875-for-2,855) career hitter, has averaged just under 16 homers a season and nearly 80 RBIs a campaign and is a legitimate force in a powerful Yankees lineup.

Defensively, he has his moments, but what really is there to complain about?  Maybe  we all yearn for that one season in which he proves impossible to keep off the bases.  This is a man who has hit 40 or more doubles three of the last five seasons.

Will there be a year –perhaps 2010 – in which he harnesses all of his offensive talent, takes a key walk every once in awhile, really makes a good opposing pitcher work, then spoil his best out pitch by slamming it in into the gap?

Cano, in all seriousness, could win a triple crown if all went right.

My friend the scout is correct on two fronts. We “like’’Cano, like him a lot.’’ But do we love him? Naaah!

The scout also has the right advice for him. Swing at, and hit strikes.

Would that ever be scary in Yankee Stadium.

The 2010 MLB Draft is four months away in June with the Mets holding the rights to the seventh overall pick.

Jon Morosi of FoxSports.com talked to scout who thinks Bryce Harper won’t be higher than No. 5 pick this spring.

If Harper falls in the draft, could the Mets draft Harper with the seventh overall pick?

Harper, 17, graduated high school two years early and enrolled at the College of Southern Nevada, so he could be eligible for the 2010 First-Year Player Draft.

Scouts like his approach at the plate, and his raw power, especially towards the opposite field. However, some questions remain mechanically in Harper’s swing, according to scouts. As Harper gets out on his front foot way too early and drags his bat through the zone. If you watch video of him, he seemingly jumps at the ball.

Defensively, scouts don’t question his arm, but where he will play. Some scouts like him at his natural position at catcher, while others like Harper at third.

Watching video of Harper on YouTube and being a catcher myself, he has a very long throwing motion to second base.

“I think he’s going to be a good catcher,” a scout said. “He’s a little rough from a technique standpoint. But from a tools standpoint, he’s got a good chance to be above-average. His problems catching are correctable.”

However, a talent evaluator told ESPN.com’s Buster Olney that he’s worried about Harper’s size at 6-3, 205 pounds:

“You worry that if he gets too big, his swing just won’t be quick enough when he starts facing guys who throw harder… [Joe Mauer is the prototypical big catcher], but the thing about Mauer is that he’s so athletic. Nothing is forced. Harper has a strong arm, but there is not nearly the fluidity that Mauer has.”

I would love to see the Mets pick Harper in the draft. A young left-handed hitting catcher, who is very raw, and who has unlimited potential, I believe is something you can’t pass up. My only concern is that with all the hype and pressure surrounding him, will he turn into a bust? What happens to his mind set when he starts to struggle for the first time? But it seems like Harper hasn’t let the media or pressure get into his head yet.

By the way, Harper’s agent is Scott Boras. I wonder how much Boras is going to ask for?

So far this season at the CSN, Harper is hitting .323 (10-for-31) with 3 doubles, a triple, 2 HR and 9 RBI. He has team-leading slugging percentage of .677 with 5 BB and 4 K.

Still very early with the draft four months away. Anything can happen within that time, but it’s never to early to think about the Mets potential future with Harper.

Matt Pignataro is a writer for SevenTraintoShea.com and a regular contributor to NYBD. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here. Pirates Prospect Jarek Cunningham joins us on the show Sunday Feb. 14 at 7 PM, click here to listen live.

The signing of Marcus Thames to a 900k deal could become a steal for the Yankees. Not only is Thames a possible platoon partner for Brett Gardner in left, but he could replace Nick Johnson at DH if he gets hurt.

For his career Thames has put up an OPS+ of 104, slightly above league average, but the story against left handers is where his real value lies.

His career splits against lefties is .256/.323/.453 for an OPS of .845

His OPS+ against left handers is 113.

It will be hard for Thames to crack the Yankees roster with Randy Winn already in the fold. Johnson, although left handed, fares well against lefties for his career. Personally the Yankees already have a pretty decent defensive outfield with Gardner, Granderson, and Swisher. If Thames shows that he can mash the ball, specifically against lefties, in spring training I wouldn’t mind giving him a shot as the fourth outfielder. This will be Thames second stint with the club as he was part of the Yankees system from 1997-2003.

Good signing for Brian Cashman who continues to have a solid offseason.

Great piece by Joshua Fisher of the Hardball Times. The Twins have been one of this off-season’s “winners”, putting together a club that is the hands on favorite to win the AL Central.

Overlooked through all this is Minnesota is projected to have a $96 million dollar payroll come opening day. This is $31 million more than last year and a far cry from their $15.7 million dollar payroll in 2000. Fisher points out that over a ten year period Minnesota has increased their payroll by $90 million, while the Yankees have done so by $103 million over the same period of time. Minnesota has won five divisions since 2000. More importantly, they are moving into a new ballpark, Target Field, and appear to be financially healthy as ever. Remember the days when Carl Pohlad was going to sell the Twins to the league with the intent of contraction? Or how close he was to selling them to a North Carolina businessman who wanted to move the team.

This is a testament to good management by Terry Ryan and Bill Smith over the last decade. They have been able to compete through good player development and having an outstanding manager in Ron Gardenhire. They only mistake you can point to is the trade of Johan Santana, which to be fair, the team was painted into a corner.

Now comes the hard part: keeping hometown star Joe Mauer. The current payroll does not include a possible Mauer extension, which should raise it somewhere in the vicinity of $20 million dollars. With the new ballpark and added revenues that come from it, will the Twins be able to pay someone who will take up almost 25% of their total payroll? It appears they are willing to do so, as rumors of a 10 year contract between Mauer and the team circulated last week.

This is a great example of how a team puts together a plan, sticks to it, invests in player development and realizes success. It’s an indictment on some of the poor management we have seen locally from the Mets, and also the fallacies of revenue sharing. As late as 2005, Minnesota received $22 million dollars from the revenue sharing pool. That year their payroll was over $50 million, was it necessary to subsidize about 40% of it? I really don’t correlate the Twins success having anything to do with revenue sharing, but more because of solid business principals. That is a question for Bud Selig and the owners to answer, specifically the habitual payers, like the Yankees to discuss for the next CBA. The success of the Twins shows that Tampa, Florida, and others have no excuse to not do the same.

I can see the Minnesota market taking a positive baseball turn just like San Francisco did when they opened up Pac Bell. Even when the Giants were successful they had trouble drawing at a high level in gloomy Candlestick. After the new ballpark they were in the top 10 in attendance yearly. The Twins will undoubtedly see great attendance this year regardless if the club lives up to expectations. Hopefully the team will build on this solid foundation so they don’t have to return to the MLB welfare line.

Are the Yankees ruining the game? Depends on whose perspective, but the Twins spending isn’t that far behind. Low and behold you invest in your product and you see a return. How ironic is that?

Sometimes it’s easy to look at the game on paper and declare teams victorious before the season even begins. If a team has a great reputation, like the Yankees, clear obstacles to winning a title are overlooked since, well, they are the Yankees. It’s as if the uniform of a perennial winner takes over and makes the task that much easier. There is something to be said about players elevating their game, specifically with pinstripes, but the chore of winning a title in modern sports is harder than ever.

Look back at the game when the Yankees had their dynasties in the twenties, thirties, forties, and fifties. They had to beat eight teams in order to win the pennant. At that point it was a best of seven matchup against the National League, which the Yankees won 20 out of 29 series – an amazing 69% success rate. Today, you have 162 games, interleague play, two rounds before the Series, including a wild five game division series. Free agency, amateur draft, and expansion have all worked in the Yankees favor, but made it harder to achieve the ultimate goal. When you add in the enormous salaries that ballplayers earn (average of $3 million according to the MLBPA), the “hunger” to conquer the MLB grind isn’t the same as the days of Willie, Mickey, and the Duke.

Joe Torre was quoted during last year’s postseason that the “remarkable run” by his nineties Yankees dynasty was a result of luck and dedication. I would add that one is not independent of another. For all the criticism Torre received on the X’s and O’s portion of managing, he has the uncanny ability to get his ballclub’s to harness their potential and dedicate themselves to a common goal. He has appeared in the postseason 14 consecutive seasons. Granted, he always has enjoyed the support of a good roster, something he didn’t have with the Mets, Atlanta, and St. Louis, but not every one of Torre’s postseason appearances were givens. His final 2-3 years with the Yankees were filled with poor starts, lousy starting pitching, and injuries. To his credit, he kept the squad focused and believing in the ultimate goal.

Luck is a whole other discussion. It’s completely intangible and probably will be dismissed by those wanting cold hard statistical analysis. Primarily I believe luck can be a product of good design, but even the great Yankees teams of the nineties shared incredible good fortune. Jeffrey Maier in 96’, numerous acquisitions that panned out for the better and quirky plays such as Jeter’s “flip” in 2001. The fact that the nineties dynasty didn’t suffer one debilitating injury may be the ultimate fortuitous bounce any team can receive.

The Yankees are the only team to repeat as champions the since the implementation of the Wild Card. Sure, Atlanta and Philadelphia have made consecutive World Series appearances, but were unable to seal the deal.  When specifically speaking about the Phillies, ESPN’s Andy Martino said that “distracted by ceremonies, endorsement opportunities, and the attention received after a hard-earned achievement, they were unavoidably changed. The psychology of already having won a World Series was naturally different from that of pursuing the unknown.” There is a lot of hard work that comes with being a World Series champion. The spoils of that accomplishment often take precedence over the work needed to repeat the feat. Even the best the game has to offer is not immune to the natural temptations that come with being human.

That is why Joe Girardi has his work cut out for him this season. Luckily veterans such as Jeter, Posada, Pettitte, and Rivera have been in this position before. It’s hard to imagine they will waste an opportunity to win another one in the twilight of their careers. Can the same be said for first timers such as Alex Rodriguez, CC Sabathia, and Nick Swisher? Will key acquisitions like Nick Johnson and Curtis Granderson make up for the losses? Look at Javier Vazquez’s Chicago team that fell to third place in 2006 just a year after winning it all. Their manager, Ozzie Guillen, was a genius the year before, found himself embroiled in controversy just twelve months later. It’s easy being the hunter, especially if you don’t have expectations, but when you are the hunted the mind can start to play tricks with you. The stakes change, people notice you, and inevitably the pressure mounts.

Fortunately, the Yankees have put themselves in a great position to be “lucky”, but even that may not be enough. The American League, overrated for its strength in previous years, has teams in Seattle, Minnesota, and Boston that some believe have improved. In the case of Seattle they may have enough pitching to stand up to the Yankees. Don’t forget penny pinching Tampa, who still has the talent to make life difficult. This won’t be a cake run, and even if they do get through the AL, a winner take seven game series is no guarantee. Ask the 2001 and 2003 Bronx Bombers about that.

Forget the 56 game hitting streak, back to back no hitters, or perfect game. The hardest task in sports is repeating. Ask any coach in any sport their thoughts on that. Great feats take only one day, repeating requires daily focus, determination, and luck. That combination is in short supply in life, much less the game of baseball.

Two very interesting articles involving the Mets came out over the last week. One by former newspaper writer turned blogger Murray Chass, and another by the Joel Sherman of the NY Post.

While reading Chass’s piece, something I wasn’t sure I was allowed to do because of my qualifications, I came across this nugget:

Even closer to the organization, a Mets’ employee has observed to a friend from outside the baseball operations department that “Minaya is a ‘puppet,’ a ‘figurehead’ as he put it – for Jeff Wilpon and John Ricco,” the assistant general manager. “Wilpon and Ricco are making decisions and running the show. Further, the real decision-making authority on baseball operations rests with Jeff Wilpon. My college buddy feels that Jeff thinks he knows a lot more about running a baseball organization than he actually does, and ‘it’s just not working out for him.’”

Wow. Nelson Doubleday does look like a prophet. The Mets have been obsessed with creating a “GM by committee”, initially offering Minaya the job in 2003, but having him serve as co-GM with Jim Duquette. Rightfully, Minaya turned it down, but I found out while interviewing former GM Al Harazin the Mets tried to do the same thing with him and Joe McIlvaine in 1993. Doesn’t Mets ownership watch NBC’s The Office? Can’t they see the problems “co-management” creates in the Dunder Mifflin hierarchy? Maybe Michael Scott and Jim Halpert are next on the Mets GM short list. They amazing part of all this is the Mets are guilty of simple management sins. This type of structure doesn’t work for a fictional paper company in Scranton, much less a big league ballclub.

Joel Sherman delves into even touchier territory. His reasons for why Minaya shouldn’t be a general manager- deficits in areas of communication, organization and ability to creatively multi-task- are right on the money. Essentially Minaya is a scout in GM’s clothing, who got lucky with a blessed 2006 season. Give him credit for recruiting Carlos Beltran, but even that team was sorely short on complementary pieces.

But even more interesting is Sherman’s quote from an AL executive who believes the Madoff government payday is really holding the Mets back. If that is the case, the Wilpon’s ownership of the team could be in jeopardy and, in my opinion, could lead to a messy situation. Remember, if the government wants restitution of those that made profits with Madoff, the Mets and their profits could be part of that if capital was invested. Of course, the Mets have denied this, but do you really believe anything they say anymore? I sure don’t.

Ask yourself this question. If you invested the amount of money that reportedly the Wilpon’s did, wouldn’t you have been curious how Madoff did it? This was a guy routinely achieving 12-15% returns, even promising up to 50% in little over a month! Wouldn’t that raise an eyebrow? Remember, Madoff has yet to implicate anyone he dealt with. He went down with the scheme just like Captain Smith and the Titanic. All I know is I would want to know how Madoff did it if I were a big investor- wouldn’t you?

Obviously, there is no proof of any wrongdoing regarding the Wilpon’s and Madoff. Even reports of them making, or not making, profits are allegations. You are innocent until proven guilty in this country and the Wilpon’s should be treated no different. However, where there is smoke, there usually is a fire, and I see an awful lot of smoke billowing from the offices of Citi Field.

Perhaps all the grandstanding the team has done with Bud Selig will pay off. As Sherman notes, the Mets made competitive offers to free agent without breaking the bank. They routinely play nice in the amateur draft and don’t go over slot. Perhaps all that equity will help if the government comes calling regarding Madoff. Regardless, one thing is for sure, the Mets are on the verge of collapsing, just like the banking system did in 2008. There are warning signs, even those with blue and orange sunglasses have to admit it, of a major catastrophe about to happen. This might not just be on the field, but off it, as well. The Mets version of a Wall Street meltdown very well could become the theme of the summer of 2010.

June 12 was probably one of the worst nights for a Mets fan in their history. Sure, this was just one loss in a season where they would experience 92 in total, but it was against the Yankees during a time where the team still held out hope they could hang around till the cavalry returns. It, of course, was the night that Luis Castillo dropped Alex Rodriguez’s towering popup, giving the Yankees an improbable win, and snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

Castillo would never live that moment down, getting mock cheers from the Citi Field crowd the remainder of the season on similar popup’s. This despite the fact he put up the best offensive season since his days in Florida, basically serving as the Mets offensive MVP in a lost season. Although it makes a world of sense to trade the 2 years/$12 million remaining on Castillo’s contract, you get the sense that Mets fan believe he will produce more like Argenis Reyes in 2010. Not only do I think they are overly negative on Castillo- something that is easy to do in Metsville these days- but they may be underrating the offensive impact he could have in a lineup with some suspects.

Castillo’s game clearly has warts. First, defensively he was prone to mental lapses and has diminished range because of injuries to his knee. I don’t believe he is as bad as fielding metrics make him out to be, but Howard has legitimate concerns about possible age regression. I don’t agree, however, that Castillo is the worst defensive second baseman in the NL East (Dan Uggla holds that distinction), much less the entire league.

Offensively Castillo is one dimensional, but can be valuable in the number two hole. He gets on base, is extremely patient, sometimes to a fault, and rarely strikes out. In short, he is the prototypical number two hitter. Even in an injury plagued 2008 he was on base 35% of the time. Remember, the Mets lineup will feature Jeff Francoeur and possibly Omir Santos, both who are not OBP machines. You could even argue that Castillo is better at leadoff, as one reader pointed out, where he can work the count and allow Jose Reyes to slide into a run producing spot.

I believe my view on Castillo is pragmatic. We are in an era that any age beggining with three immediately screams regression. I thought life just begins at 30! There is nothing wrong with expressing concerns with Luis Castillo, but I think sometimes they are exaggerated because of that faithful night at Yankee Stadium. If Castillo doesn’t drops that popup would he be so vilified? Right now he is the Mets second baseman, for better or worse, and I could think of far worse to man the position. Maybe the fans need to move on and give him a chance to fail before they run him out of town.

Moshe Mandel over at TYU did a great job earlier this week discussing Robinson Cano in the clutch. The premise of his piece is just because Cano hasn’t done well in the clutch throughout his career doesn’t mean the trend will continue. I would agree with Mandel if this was a one year scenario, but even advanced metrics doesn’t paint a pretty picture.

Over at Fangraphs they have a “Clutch” stat, which I talked about before the playoffs, that evaluates how much better or worse a player does in high leverage situations than he would have done in a context neutral environment. For his career Cano has been on the negative side, except 2008, where he was a 0.32. Ironically, 08′ was perhaps his worst year as a pro where he put up below league average offensive numbers.

How reliable is this number? Well, Derek Jeter, always Mr. Clutch, has 8 seasons in his career where he below average, including a negative total for the postseason. Since I don’t know much about the “engine” behind this number I can only take it at face value.

The issue with Cano in the clutch becomes huge because of the Yankees susceptibility against left handed pitching, and the lack of a true #5 hitter to protect Alex Rodriguez. Cano would be the perfect fit to protect A-Rod. He has great platoon splits, power, and hits for a high average. The issue has always been his ability to hit with runners on base. For his career he has an OPS of .689 with runners in scoring position, as well as decreased performance as the game gets closer. His career splits just don’t lie in this category.

We can cite small sample size, but if something is a yearly occurrence is it really a small sample anymore? Jorge Posada should do just fine in the #5 hole, but age regression is inevitable. That leaves Curtis Granderson as an option, but those lefty splits will make sure A-Rod tops his career high in walks come August. Again, Cano would be a perfect fit if not for the issues with run production. It looks like the Yankees will have to hope that Posada can be the first catcher since Carlton Fisk to produce at a high level at age 38 or older.

Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long has been working with Cano this winter. Perhaps some of the reasons for his struggles cited in the article, such as trying to pull the ball, are happening when there are runners on base. I am not saying this is just pressure, although that is a factor, but more along the mechanical lines.

Anyway, this Yankees lineup, filled with age, and a question mark in the outfield, needs Cano to have a similar season to what he produced in 2009. That includes improving his ability to hit with runners in scoring position.

Oh, and one last thing, the most clutch hitter on the 2009 Yankees was Johnny Damon. I know you’re sick of hearing about him, but I wanted to throw that out there.

Back in December I raised a stir questioning some of the saturation of advanced metrics that were coming into the marketplace. Obviously I believe some are more valuable than others, but my philosophy is, and will always be, one of diverse opinion. I have been on record saying that some of the individuals who are at the top of the class in this subject may be creating stats to “outsmart” the competition, thus creating a profitable market. After some dialogue with Tom Tango, I came to appreciate the work of said individuals, who undoubtedly, are very gifted in the science portion of the game. I have never been “anti stat”, as my detractors claim, but certainly am not about to create the next revolutionary advanced metric. Through it all I am just a communicator, who embraces the storytelling aspect of the game.

There is no doubt in my mind that stats and advanced metrics are about to become a big business. It really always was, despite what some of the sabermetricans claim, even Bill James showed frustration in “Moneyball” with the Elias Sports Bureau, the big fish in the stats game at the time, accusing them of “being out to make money, steal his ideas, and make disparaging comments about him.” It sounds like James had a legitimate claim, after all, he was the same type of startup that most new media types are today. Big companies are always trying to cut off the air supply of the entrepreneur types because they know their arrogance and bureaucracy can’t compete, but their money can.

This brings me to my point. I love the Bloomberg Software and applaud the work of the company. Incorporating someone like Jonah Keri only will give them more credibility within the blogosphere. Not many large companies embrace the thoughts of independent media, which they clearly did last Sunday. With that, the burning question that went unanswered is the engine behind their “B-Rank” system for players. Bloomberg, obviously, will not reveal the formula behind it. This would be equivalent to a consumer goods company telling its competitors what exactly is in the “special sauce” their customers enjoy so much. All we know, according to the companies latest press communication, is that it’s a “mathematical algorithm where they weigh a player’s performance in the key categories – homers, saves, etc. – over the past four years, with greater weight accorded to the most recent season, and so on down the line.” This ranking is used more for fantasy purposes, but isn’t the true value the profit behind it? To credit Bloomberg they have stood their ground, but embraced the demands by giving out enough information. They didn’t slander the critic who asked the question. They didn’t even behave like an arrogant Fortune 500 company. Wow what a concept!

As a veteran of the consumer goods industry, I have seen variations of the same product repackaged for, low and behold, the almightily dollar. There is nothing wrong with it because this is how we value work. Bill James eventually got a job with the Boston Red Sox. His work did lead to profit, wasn’t that his motivation all along? It seems that he, and many who follow, wants to believe the altruistic ideals that work is just for the public consumption. All of us, including me, wouldn’t turn down an opportunity to be compensated for the work we do.

I am not accusing any entity or individual of wrongdoing in this matter. I applaud anyone who puts together an idea, builds it, and then profits from the fruits of that labor. What we, as consumers, need to do is hold these entities accountable. I believe Bloomberg will have a difficult time gaining credibility with their B-Rank because fans won’t know exactly the bias behind the engine. They know the concept, but what are the baseball values of the person behind it? This criticism is no different than some of the skepticism I expressed about many of the new advanced metrics thrown at baseball consumers. The best part about all this is that it will create more discourse, not less, and if it remains civil the advanced metric community will be better off in the long run. I have more respect for some of their work since my dialogue with Tom Tango, he engaged in the kind of debate I like. However, I find that to be the exception, not the rule, when questioning an unpopular belief. The disciples of James are sometimes behaving just like the entity that James himself criticized. How ironic is that?

Did Bill James receive scorn for accusing Elias about being about money? Remember, they, not James, were the mainstream at the time. Probably not, but since the beginning of time, way before sabermetrics existed, people wanted to profit from their ideas. That is why I will continue to challenge everyone, big and small, when they claim absolute knowledge on a particular front because, to quote Bill James, “it’s about the money.”

I thought this was pretty funny (assist to Mets Police), as it appears good old Shea Stadium is back from the dead to host the annuel “Puppy Bowl” on Animal Planet.

As Shannon from Mets Police also points out HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbal” also has Shea as the background. Seems like the old stadium is getting the love it deserves in the afterlife.

Buster Olney reported that San Diego Padres announcer Jerry Coleman will have his role reduced this coming season. During the last weekend of the 2008 regular season I had a chance to catch up with the Hall of Fame broadcaster.

Of course, longtime Yankees fans know that Coleman started his career in New York starring for the Bombers from 1949-1957. He was the 1950 World Series MVP and appeared in the All Star Game that season. He sacrificed his career leaving baseball to serve in the Korean War, and postponing his entry into professional baseball in World War II.

After his playing days, Coleman was the broadcaster for CBS, the Yankees, and California Angels before moving over to San Diego in 1972. During his time broadcasting the Yankees he had the distincion of calling Mickey Mantle’s 500th homer. He has served as the Padres lead radio announcer every season, except 1980, when he actually managed the team.

He has been inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame and recieved the Ford C. Frick Award of the National Baseball Hall of Fame for broadcasting excellence.

I spoke with Jerry Coleman about his playing career, military service, and his one season on the bench.

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In a world of Nintendo, Wii, and Playstation lets take a look at some of the original “video games” of a generation: Roger Maris Action Baseball.

Jon Morosi of Fox Sports believes that free agent lefty Jarrod Washburn might consider retirement if he doesn’t get an enticing one year offer. Right now there are rumors of Minnesota and Seattle willing to go one year at about $5 million dollars. Washburn is 35, and despite struggling in Detroit last season, still can be a productive pitcher. He has spent his career in the American League and put up an ERA+ of 109, not shabby at all. He does rely on his defense, which would make either destination desirable. The key phrase is “desire” and how some players today are not willing put the time in at a discount rate.

Kim Jones made a great point with Mike Francesa on WFAN the other day: Ego and the locker room have has much to do with these negotiations than anything. Someone, like Johnny Damon, will take a discount to go to another team, but doesn’t want to walk into his own locker room having sold himself off to ownership. Sounds silly, but players have egos, all of them (yes even Derek Jeter), and money gives a certain status. In the case of Damon he doesn’t want to admit his age has limited his earning potential. Again, that ego thing.

There is a great deal of time and effort required to compete at a high level. Ballplayers are away from their family from the age of 18. After seventeen seasons of the “grind” they often need something extra to make it worthwhile. Washburn made a shade under $10 million last year, if he signs for $5 million that would be a 50% pay cut coming off a season where he had an ERA+ of 116. It was his best season in four years and teams are asking him to take a significant drop in salary. Remember, Washburn has made $54 million dollars for his career, another $5 million, if he was responsible with his capital, won’t make a dent in the quality of life. It comes down to ego and what a player believes is a worthwhile price to put forth the physical effort to compete on a higher level.

With the depressed economy and possible ownership collusion, we may see many more cases like Johnny Damon and Jarrod Washburn in the future. “Regular Joe’s” like us can’t hold out over our employers. You have to take your 2 to 4 percent raise, thank them for the pittance, and move on. That is why I don’t blame the players for their mentality. Sure, the ego can be disgusting, but don’t you think that is part of being successful in a sport where failure is so prevalent? It isn’t easy to turn that off outside the diamond. There is a balance, however, between ego and business acumen. You could argue that Damon has hugged that line, possibly going over, many times this offseason. That is for the player and his agent to live with, not us.

We are in difficult economic times, baseball is no different, and players are faced with pay cuts in excess of 50%. Many might be willing to continue playing until things turn around. Others, like Jarrod Washburn, have better things to do with their life. Probably enjoying the $54 million he has earned is one of them.

Well, at the time the Mets signed Alex Cora for $2 million, much of the pushback against those upset with the deal centered on the following arguments:

1. That money won’t keep the Mets from spending elsewhere.

2. The Mets couldn’t fill their biggest holes for that price, anyway.

Well, it’s less than two weeks to spring training, and we’re starting to get a pretty good idea of just how untrue both those arguments are.

Orlando Hudson signed for one year, $5 million last night with the Twins. Indisputably, that is more money than Alex Cora will make in 2010. I’d certainly make the argument that Hudson’s is money far better spent, as he is able to provide a strong bat and glove for a team this coming season, while there is ample reason to doubt both from Cora.

I don’t understand how the Mets are unwilling to simply acknowledge Luis Castillo as a sunk cost- since they and the other 29 MLB teams know Castillo can’t field the position adequately at this point. Nor do I understand why the money that would have gone to Bengie Molina couldn’t simply be used to massively upgrade at 2B instead. But okay, that’s their position, upgrading at catcher is an entirely segmented process from upgrading at second base. Makes no sense, but fine.

But Adam Kennedy signed last night for $1.25 million. $1.25 million! Or put another way, for $750,000 less than Alex Cora. $1.25 million less than what the Mets will pay Gary Matthews Jr. over the next two years.

Kennedy hit .289/.348/.410 in 2009, good for an OPS+ of 101. Castillo was at 98. Cora? 69. The UZR numbers were’nt kind to Kennedy in 2009, but unlike Castillo, whose three-year drop has been precipitous and consistent, Kennedy’s are all over the place. At the very least, Kennedy represents a likely improvement over Castillo, and a Plan B far superior to that of Cora.

Of course, there is still a durable second baseman on the market likely to be superior to Castillo offensively and vastly so defensively-Felipe Lopez. The teams looking for a 2B have dwindled to a precious few, and he likely wouldn’t cost very much to bring in on a one-year deal- somewhere between Hudson and Kennedy.

Now, anytime you hear that it means the Mets will be spending, say, $9 million on the position should they bring in Lopez for $3 million, it is worth pointing out- Castillo is a sunk cost. He cannot field the position of 2B adequately, the entire league knows it, and by deploying him at the position, the Mets are actively hurting their 2010 pitchers and the 2010 outlook in general.

Put it another way: would you like to spend $9 million on second base for average-or-better production? Or is it better to spend $6 million, already committed, for a certain problem? It’s as if the Mets are too caught up in the idea that $6 million should buy them a reasonable alternative at second base to deal with the reality that in this case, it hasn’t.