Let’s see:
-David Wright and Carlos Delgado were figments of our imagination for over a month each.
-Pedro Martinez hasn’t thrown a pitch all season.
-Orlando Hernandez was out a little over three weeks.
-There have been concerns about the bullpen.
-Jose Valentin and Moises Alou have been on the DL, and Shawn Green could end up there later this week.
All this, and the Mets, not being a surprise team anymore, have the National League’s best record and second best in the sport. I would say that’s reason to be optimistic.
Take a break some time over the holiday to share your thoughts on why you like this team, and if you like it better than last year’s edition. Happy Holiday all.
24 Comments
By the numbers the Metropolitans are where I hoped they would be atop the NL East and moving away from the pack. I do have some worries about the reoccurence of last years bugaboo – inability to get RSIP home consistently.
I do like the pitching staff, especially the fact that they have been able to reach down to the farm and get a Sosa and a Vargas to perform some well.
I’m still waiting for Beltran to put together the MVP year I was looking for, but maybe after his legs get better.
Surprised by the season that Green has put together so far.
The Mets are in first place and all is well in baseball land.
Man…I couldn’t be happier…they just WIN!!!!
Two games better’n last year
4+ up on da Braves
They sweep while the Yanks are swept
Sweet – sweet – sweet.
George
And I remember Jay Hook and Carlton Willey – 1963
Willie Montanez – 1979
The Worst team that Money Could Buy – 1992
The Art Howe Error – 2003
We haven’t seen everyone clicking and yet they are still winning, it feels good. Pedro’s comments bring on two different feelings….as a life long Mets fan I get nervous over any sort of promise or potential. But on the other hand it is the Mets…the fans are crushed by the cruelest of fortunes….but we are also witness to miracles. Maybe, just maybe, we will see the Pedro of old, which as not only a Mets fan, but a baseball fan, would be amazing.
I don’t want to get my hopes up, and yet I cannot help it. Pedro (of old), Glavine, Perez, Maine and El Duque out of the pen for the playoffs. I don’t dare dream…or do I?
hey, long time no post…my short hiatus has brought lots of rumblings through my mind…here are a few of my concerns, regardless of the teams’ success:
1. aaron heilman – although notorious for poor first half starts, batters seem to really be picking up on his changeup. i’m not sure what the dropoff in speed (or differential in fastball-changeup speed) is but i have a hunch they’re picking something up on his delivery. i did see that he was throwing in the mid 90s in the last game but who knows how reliable that radar gun is? he may also be pressing since this is his walk year and i really do want him back (sanchez, heilman, feliciano, smith, wagner, and a surprise throw in of el duque/sosa of whomever will leave to let pedro in)
2. anychance F-Mart will be called up? not for long obviously, but for a taste of the majors? possible if green goes down and johnson doesn’t meet the call?
3. shoenweiss- i dont care to spell his name correctly. why did omar sign him again? on the plus, bradford isn’t doing so well either
4. is gotay quenching your second base thirst? willie sees something in him and obviously so does the team in keeping him up.
5. tradebait in sosa? but what do the mets need?
6. whats up with the amateur draft? mets? picks? what up?
thats all i have for now…i’m tired…good luck
Bradford isn’t doing too well either?
Lets see—here are Bradford’s stats vs. Schoeneweis
ERA 2.57/6.16
WHIP 1.38/1.79
HOLDS 9/6
HRs 0/4
And Bradford pitches in a tougher AL East in much tougher ballparks. Not only that but Schoeneweis makes more money!
Bradford is pitching way better than this piece of junk who remains one of Minaya’s most incomprehensible signings to date.
Relief pitchers, especially middle inning ones, are tough to figure out. They have good years and then bad years, things change all the time with them. If they are consistent they become closers…and even then there’s no guarntee of continued success.
A sidearmer like Bradford benefits from changing leagues, since his motion is half of his success….wait until year 3 of Bradford’s deal, he will be in mop up.
Schoenweis….I think he has been hurt by inconsistent work. With the good starts we are getting, Smith/Heilman/Feliciano/Wagner are more than enough most days. The walks Schoenweis is giving up seem to be the bigest indicator that he doesn’t have the control he needs. Hopefully that turns around.
Bradford came from the AL where he’s spent most of his career, so he gets no benefit from switching back over.
Not all consistent middle relievers become closers. They either remain consistent middle relievers, turn into consistent late inning relievers, or become closers.
Bradford HAS been consistent throughout his career. And even if that weren’t the case, surely he has a much better career record than Schoeneweis.
If Bradford is a mop up by year 3, Schoeneweis will surely be with the LI Ducks by then, or maybe coaching a little league team.
Any way you cut it, Bradford is a much better reliever than Shoeneweis and Omar made a mistake. A big one.
Ha, everything is going right for the Mets in the Win column, if not everywhere else. I mean, they are flat out winning games despite injuries, slumps, inability to get the clutch hit. Why? They are capitalizing on the weaknesses of other teams, like errors.
I love this team for about 1000 reasons on and off the field. But most of all it is because they are the most exciting team to watch. I love watching the younger guys fly around the bases and the older guys dominate on the mound. I love watching the smile on Delgado’s face when he finally breaks out. Hard to say if I like it more than last year’s edition – I always liked Cliff but I’m more confident in Alou (when he’s playing). The team misses Duaner and Pedro but I dont see Bradford as a big loss because Joe Smith is just better. And I’ll take Sosa over Lima Time ANY DAY! I also think Newhan will improve – he was great in spring training and I think he will be this year’s Woodward. This team is equal or a little better than last year’s.
Oh and the biggest difference? The resurgence of Oliver Perez!
While the starting pitching is stronger this year, I miss last year’s trio of Heilman-Sanchez-Wagner, which were arguably the most formidable group since Charlton-Dibble-Myers.
I think the offense, when healthy, is a lot stronger this year.
I think our 07 Mets are a more solid team than 06, especially the pitching. The starters have been a pleasent surprise and the Smith-Feliciano-Wagner group has excelled.
I really liked them picking up Moises Alou, but not especially happy with Green in right. Stash looked better than ever at 2b. I’d like more outfield depth on the bench. I don’t know the time frame of Sanchez’s or Pedro’s return, But we get Mota back next week.
We are beginning to play west coast teams and some of them (Padres & Dodgers) are tough. I think we can make the series, but don’t know how we will beat Boston, unless they revert to their choking ways.
Jim
John-
Do you think the Mets will make a bid for Luis Castillo for 2B, either at the deadline or after the season? No power anymore, but a high avg/high OBP guy, and a good 2-hole hitter….As good as Valentin has been, I don´t see them taking the chance on him as a starter for another year at his age. Your thoughts?
Its amazing how people are so fast to find a reason to blast Omar. Green, now he’s hitting 300. Perez, now he looks like an ace, Wagner over Ryan now Ryan is long gone and Wagner is perfect. e was blasted for Valentin and then for Easley.We’ll see where these middle men are in 3 years and the Mets didn’t need to spend millions on Bradford with Joe Smith coming up. Two of them on the same team won’t work.
As for liking a team better, the one area I don’t like this year’s team is in left field, last year a damaged Floyd and this year a damaged Alow but Floyd always wanted to play while Alou always seems to want to get better first.
What I like about the Mets this season is that they have quality depth.
If somebody goes down there is somebody who is good to step in. Last season brought cameo’s from Jose Lima and Geremi Gonzalez. This season its Jason Vargas, Jorge Sosa, Pelfrey, and Park, now sure the last two weren’t very productive but I’d MUCH rather see them two than Lima TIME! and Geremi Gonzalez.
The outfield is just stacked, unfortunately everybody went down at the same time but its still quality players on the depth chart.
The only problem is the infield but the Mets just have to hope nothing happens in the infield.
But overall the quality of the depth is soo much better than last season.
I’d rather have an alou who wants to get better then come back to stay, than a Floyd who always pushed himself too early, reinjured himself, & went out when we needed him most. As long as we keep winning, & he’s ready for October, Alou should definitely take his time coming back. We can always throw someone out there in a corner outfield position.
1. Starting pitching better in early 06 vs. 07 – particularly if Maine & Perez are for real vs. a short term thing. Hopefully Sosa is just a bonus till Pedro returns (Mets are taking the “Rocket-plan” path w/ Pedro IMO, which is smart given the lack of urgency).
2. More injuries in 07 but weathering them well – which is possible w/ consistently good pitching and great bench (is Easley kdding us – another Valentin reincarnation?). Have to hope the key players stay healthy w/ only one outfielder out at a time (excepting Beltran who anchors the OF).
3. Bullpen…Wagner obviously a big improvement so far…the rest about the same…maybe a touch weaker w/ Schoenweis pitching generally poor and Oliver gone. Bradford and Joe Smith about a wash so far. Overall, better pen this year w/ Wagner being lights out even if the sum of the rest isn’t quite as good (which is debatable).
4. Delgado looks to be in early phases of washed-up. He’s not yet…but heading there soon.
5. Someone tell D. Wright to quit taking Jim Tome cuts every at bat. Go back to consistently hitting doubles and the HRs will follow.
6. Only bugaboo I see right now is a relapse into an inability to beat the Braves. I thought we were done w/ that but apparently not.
Barring a slew of major injuries, Mets appear to be in good shape for at least a Wild Card but we’re at the point where just getting there is maybe not quite enough. Let’s hope we don’t get Bronx-like expectations going though…and just enjoy the ride.
Doh! typo on point 1 – ‘07 SP better than ‘06 at this point of season.
I’m most worried about Heilman and Wright, as neither seem to be where they were last year. Heilman looks snakebit since serving up the Molina dinger, and Wright has been beating up on poor pitching but struggling against the good ones.
This team is better than last for many reasons, but most of all the starting pitching. This year is stronger because some have grown up and learned how to pitch, the old guys for the most part are strong and we have more options in the minors.
The relievers are a wash. I like Smith and think Wagner is better this year, but over all the pen is the same.
The bench players are deeper with the young guys a year older and wiser and the team able to weather the loss of our all star 1b and 3b players.
I have a better feeling about this year because over all we seem stronger and deeper and able to weather the bumps in the road.
The kicker is when/if Pedro comes back as well as Mota/Sanchez for later this year. That and hopefully Milledge will be a useful bench player when he gets called up later this year.
Dave
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