Why You Shouldn’t Be Mad at Mets Inactivity
By Mike Silva ~ July 30th, 2010. Filed under: Mike Silva, New York Mets.
I get the sense Mets fans want to see a move, any move, from Omar Minaya just to feel like they are “part” of the trade deadline experience. In reality, the big fish that made sense for them – Cliff Lee and Dan Haren – weren’t feasible. Yes, they could have matched the Texas/Yankees offers, but not without robbing one part of the roster for another. Perhaps fans have more of a gripe with Dan Haren, but we have no idea what the parameters of a deal, if any, with the Mets would look like.
You have to remember the following:
1. Most executives have felt the demands for contenders have been “ludicrous” throughout most of the process. The reported request of Jesus Montero or Joba Chamberlain for Scott Downs is a great example of the insanity. Jon Heyman said on WFAN today the Mets would be looking at Kirk Nieuwenhuis plus prospects for someone like Downs. I see no reason why other players like Octavio Dotel, Ted Lilly, or Tom Gorzelanny would cost any less.
2. New York teams always have to give up more. This is more the case for the Yankees than the Mets, but don’t think for a second that teams are looking to save Omar Minaya’s job. The fact of the matter remains that you have to pay more than other teams for similar return when you reside in this market.
3. Money, Money, and more money. There were reports that many of the teams that negotiated with Houston for Oswalt had no idea the Drayton McLane was willing to eat $11 million dollars. Again, this goes back to my previous point: do you honestly believe the small market Astros are doing a financial favor for the Mets? Hell might very well freeze over- literally.
4. Is this team for real? After a 2-9 road trip I have my doubts. I also know there is a ceiling on this team’s potential as long as the current manager and coaching staff reside at Citi Field. I have more thoughts about this that I will share this weekend, but I think we all agree the opposing teams gets a check mark in the advantage column when managers are matched up. Let’s see the current group prove they are serious about winning before acquiring help in the process. Do you want to feel good on the deadline only to have another Scott Kazmir/Victor Zambrano scenario? Worst case scenario you get to say the Mets developed some of the younger players this season. It’s not like the roster is littered with Vance Wilson, Jason Phillips, or Gerald Williams.
Remember, just because the Mets don’t do anything this weekend doesn’t mean all hope is lost. Perhaps they sweep Arizona, then take 4 of 6 from the Phils/Braves and things change. The positions they need help in (fifth starter, reliever, bench bat) can be filled in August. The bigger question should be are the Mets going to be relevant then? That is why the conservative approach is the right move for management.
July 30th, 2010 at 4:46 pm
I may be in a minority since you bothered to write this post but I am not mad at the Mets inactivity for precisely the reasons you note.
The real difference makers that have been rumored to be available have already changed hands and the reported demands from the Mets for them were untenable. The Mets minor league system, while on the upswing, is not yet deep enough to compete for those big names.
Expectations play a part and mine for the 2010 Mets did not include a post season berth without many things breaking the right way and by now it’s clear that not enough of them did break the right way.
Making a trade just for the sake of making one now is just as likely to be counterproductive as productive. The team should hold onto what assets it does have now and focus on moves this off season which will better help support the core in place than the current supporting cast does.
July 30th, 2010 at 5:49 pm
My expectations coming into the season was; the Mets are better than what they showed last year…they have a shot to contend, but odds are they’d be a 85+/- win team.
My hopes was that the master plan was to let guys like Davis, Thole and Neise develop into MLB caliper players and focus on making a run in 2011.
Omar gets bashed a lot, some deserved, but Mets have always seemed to be one or two players away every off-season. Because of this, Omar’s gone hard to get that missing piece and let the farm system suffer for it. Unfortunately, injuries (and relying on injury pron players) did a lot to sabotage the past three seasons.
This is the first year that O is doing what he said he was going to do in 2005…build a team around young players with speed and defense. I’d hate to see him crack under the pressure now and waste our future…
BTW, I don’t care how creative you are, nobody can trade Perez and Castillo for anything, let alone an ace like Lee or Oswalt.