Comments on: Your Morning Paper: My story in today's Journal News

By: scoopcoop

scoopcoop — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 17:00:56 +0000

Dare I say pagan is on the team unless he gets hurt? Clark might if he can show that he can play 1B.

By: Mike C.

Mike C. — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:04:40 +0000

I could see Pagan and Clark both being good bench pieces if there's room on the roster but… what I've heard of Clark's defense is borderline Anderson-esque and the Mets already have Endy Chavez when he's healthy.

Still, Pagan is young enough and untested enough to perhaps have a little more upside left in him… if he legitimately shows the ability to field and hit for average with more consistent playing time, perhaps his lack of power could be worth it.

Seems a bit unrealistic to hope anything of Clark other than being a solid pinch-hitter, though. Which… if the Mets stay this ridiculously injured, isn't a bad thing… it's just a thing.

By: JK

JK — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 15:02:37 +0000

I'm really pulling for Pagan. He won't hit anywhere near Alou, but he'll field better and do a decent job with the bat.

The Mets rotation is so much better than last year's, and the BP improved, that I think they can withstand the Alou injury and mediocre stats from Delgado and still win the NL East handily.

By: dave

dave — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 14:56:33 +0000

Nice article. Scanning the box scores and catching highlights they both seem to be productive right now. I wonder how safe players like Easley are? These two and Endy are the only OF subs we have.

By: JK

JK — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 14:56:30 +0000

Above post was meant for the "Chat" thread.

By: JK

JK — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 14:55:29 +0000

DC, I feel bad for you. I really do. You root for a team that has not only has a dismal history but one of the worst GMs in the game. Just google "worst general managers baseball" and you'll get lists that feature Bowden prominently like this one:

http://baseballevolution.com/guest/prattgms.html

That guy ranks Bowden as the #1 Bozo GM in the majors, lol.

By: Kyle

Kyle — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 14:32:29 +0000

Nice Article John. However, you mention his meager 36 career home runs, but not the 183 hits he had three seasons ago.

By: Alban

Alban — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 13:21:41 +0000

Give the job to the guys who are hungriest and can stay hungry through the year. That is how championships teams play.

(Of course, it should go without saying that they have to back up their hunger with performance.)

By: Andrew V.

Andrew V. — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 13:19:32 +0000

Great piece.

Can't we have both? lol

I want to see what Clark can do at first base…

By: sloppy

sloppy — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 12:59:45 +0000

nice article. I would prefer Pagan for a couple reasons. He's younger, and he has worked with HoJo in the past and HoJo's done a pretty fair job with D Wright. I also always prefer switch hitters to regular hitters if all else is equal. They both have a little pop, with little being the key word, and can steal a few bases, I would guess Pagan can steal a tad more. This team has no speed right now after Wright's spot and a little speed is gonna be necessary to score any runs at the back end of this punch and judy back end of the line-up.

What I expect however is for Minaya to give the job to Clarke becaue he is older. But I definitley don't want Lofton, Bonds, sosa etc. And I don';t want to trade a top prospect for some average journeyman. Any average journeyman wouldn't be more than a tad better than what's fighting for the job now. If Chavez is ever good and ready to play he is still no more than a platoon guy with Pagan/Clarke.