I posted a new poll about Carlos Delgado’s offensive funk, which is no longer on the mere slump stage. It’s on your right. Tell me what you’re thinking about Delgado qne then cast your vote in the poll. Thanks.
I posted a new poll about Carlos Delgado’s offensive funk, which is no longer on the mere slump stage. It’s on your right. Tell me what you’re thinking about Delgado qne then cast your vote in the poll. Thanks.
14 Comments
His fielding skills are terrible. Balls running up his arm, so if he truly is losing his touch as a hitter—and I think he is, the Mets need to stop playing favorites and trade for a first baseman who has a bat and make Delgado a bench player. At the same time, let’s not continue with this ridiculous experiment of Julio Franco’s playing until he’s fifty and release him as a player and make him a coach. If he can’t handle this…say thanks and goodbye.
I keep reading Teixeira’s name in other Mets blogs as a player the Mets should consider trying to trade for.
How many more years is Delgado signed with the Mets?
Jeff, Thank you. I have only been preaching this about smellgado for awhile now. I get beat up oh he’s in a slump hes in a slump. But they are all ready to rail the pitching staff. Listen when an everyday player goes the entire season sucking , ala piazza, its time to rethink.
I was all over Green as well along with Gotay. I still dont like Gotay all that much. but i had warmed to easley and Gomez because he is a very decent fielder and will get better later on.. Green, is a new man after the DL. yeah still lanky and a wee bit slow. but he’s been jumping after the ball and been hitting and running the bases. so i have to sit back and see if he continues to impress or goes back to sucking.
The only person on the Team to STILL really be sucking is DELGOTTOGO. I rather him sit down and get some rest. maybe he’s hurt. and Blaming it on being a dad and then rail a pitcher who pitches every other year?! come on….
He’s still in his 30’s? so i dont think its his age.
It looks like he has come down with a case of the “Alomars”. Suddenly all his skills are declining in a blink.
The way I see it is Omar must address 3 issues:
a) Julio Franco can no longer hit a fastball. Yet, Willie uses him in the big spot every game. Either, make him the LAST guy off the bench or release him/make him a coach and bring up or acquire a more capable bat on the bench.
b) We need a power bat. I am not necessarily saying a cleanup hitter as many blogs have said. But a power bat. If that has to be Alou fine…But, the problem is, we can’t acquire someone without knowing what is going to happen with Alou.
c) We need another reliever. Not a closer, just a nice capable arm. This goes hand in hand with figuring out what to do with Schoenweis. DL him? Release him? Trade him? (maybe a problem for a problem trade with the Yanks for Farsnworth?) or make him the long long man (ala Sele) and release Sele. He is worthless out there. He has pitched 4 times this month, the last time being 8 days ago!
Hi John,
Carlos Delgado has just turned 35. Much like other sluggers like Jeff Bagwell,Glenn Davis, and Jack Clark, he has experienced a very sharp decline. The players I mentioned played the same position and were similar sluggers, and each of them became shells of their former selves at 35.
Delgado’s situation is compounded further more by two things,
1. He is trying to return from off season surgery. He insists it is not a problem, but he is also jocketing for an extension. believe me, two surgeries are a problem.
2. He missed considerable time physically and mentally in the spring due to the birth of his child.
Delgado takes things to heart and is a proud guy. You may remember his stance on standing for God Bless America, and the US vs Puerto Rico case. Guys like him the hardest to convince that they are finished. Unfortunately for the Mets, he is not going to get any better than what we now see.
His defense is also taking a hit. He never was great defensively to begin with, but he was never as bad as he appears to be now. The slump is beginning to weigh heavy on him, and pretty soon the boo birds at Shea will certainly dehumanize him further.
Willie Randolph could probably help his cause by hitting him lower in the lineup, but is reluctant to do so.
So, we are all left with a situation that will only get worse and maybe even ugly.
On a side note, I’d love to do a Q&A with you for our site. I love your column and would love to talk more with you about the Mets.
Have a great day!
Joe D
I just looked up his birthday – he turned 35 this week. Is he the kind of person who lets things like that bother him?
Delgado needs to start trying and hit the ball the other way, get him back in the groove and stop pulling everything, if you see an outside pitch, go along with it.
To Joe D ….
I would be happy to do Q&A with you. Send me email as how to get in touch with you.-JD
MetsMerized mentioned the rather abrupt decline of a few other sluggers the same age as Delgado is now. Steve, 35 is pretty old for a ballplayer. That may be what it is. I’m inclined to think that he is just struggling with his confidence. I see it all over his face and his body language. A little bit of doubt is enought to delay your swing just enough to miss those good fastballs. And as Keith continues to point out, his hips are opening up too soon. From my experience playing baseball that happens when you are over-focused on not allowing the ball to be thrown by you. You swing late on a few good fastballs and your pride kicks in. You wonder if you just can’t catch up to it and you start to commit too early and alter your swing to avoid being late. I think that is some of it.
By the way….Bye Bye Buerhle?
670 AM The Score in Chicago is reporting that Buehrle is “likely” to sign an extension for four years and “around” $50MM.
50mm? that is cheap considering numbers/age/this past offseason
if 35 is old. then i am ancient. and Franco is methuesalah (sic?) and should be buried. But he’s playing better than delgado.
So ok I will buy into its his injuries and he isnt healed and not man enough to sit. he should sit and get better.
See John D – we should petition “Keith” to be hitting coach.
There are many faults that Delgado has, yet they were put aside when his bat was working for him. And when it is working it was so good that every fault that he had, does get melted away.
His fielding is below average so it is obvious that he is not a good fielder to be in the majors.
His speed is so slow that he could be one of the slowest players playing the game. Which means that when he is on first it is so hard to get him to third after a single is hit to RF that most of the other players can do. And he clogs up the bases if another player hit’s a shot that could end up being stretched into a double, because he will not make it to third.
But now that he is getting closer, and closer to batting 200, and with out enough long balls, then there is trouble in River City.
But on top of that the manager has not got a clue about where to bat him. He keeps putting him up in important parts of the line up (4th or 5th). But that is being done by Willie the Sillies fault.
If only they put him up at 7th, or 8th in the order, while hoping that he improves it may not be so damaging.
But with the combination of Willie and CD working it out, I do not believe that will happen.
Your right about this one.
Julio Franco can no longer hit a fastball. Yet, Willie uses him in the big spot every game.
And make him NO MAN off the bench just release him, and if Willie keeps using him, then release Willie the Sillie along with Franco.
John- I voted for “confidence” but that’s not exactly it. In my opinion, it’s not his age and while his injury is affecting him, that’s not the whole story. It seems to me that he’s just thinking too hard and guessing what pitch is coming, making him late on fastballs, early on changeups, just swinging and missing a whole lot. Lately he is seeing the ball a little better (he had me literally thinking he needed glasses) but he’s still not getting the results.
He’s also opening up his entire hip before swinging, making that outside strike seem a mile away. I hear he has fixed it in batting practice, but he can’t translate that into a game. To me that’s between the ears, not age or injury. I’m thinking that it has to be really hard for a veteran to try to defeat a bad habit, especially one who strikes out a lot to begin with.
It actually reminds me of Ollie Perez and his problems with opening up too much and lack of confidence. Maybe Rick Peterson has a twin brother that is a hitting coach and can cure him?