From Sandy Alderson’s conference call with bloggers last night. Special thanks to Ean Bauer for asking the question, and to Eric Simon for the full transcript. Ean Bauer: Sandy, I’m hoping you can clarify something. You’ve described the 2013 outfield as “not a strength,” among other things you also told… Read More →
We’re at the point where the team’s own general manager is complaining on WFAN about the state of the team, and his own winter progress in improving it. We’re at the point where ZIPS projects four Mets to produce even league average offense, measured by OPS+. Of those four, one… Read More →
I wanted to discuss Bobby Parnell today. but I think it’s important to set the parameters, as set out by Sandy Alderson, for retaining David Wright and R.A. Dickey this winter. First: he made it clear payroll will remain the same. What that statement alone means for 2013 is enormous…. Read More →
Sandy Alderson spoke to Mike Francesa for a half-hour yesterday, and revealed the new plan to add talent this offseason: trades. Alderson acknowledged that the Mets need to get better in 2013, “and not incrementally”. He spoke of the prohibitive cost of adding power hitters via free agency, and while… Read More →
I really don’t get it. Not at all. The Mets talked it over, and decided on Monday to let Johan Santana keep pitching. They did this despite acknowledging that along with his ankle injury not being fully healed, and his you know, shoulder still recovering from massive surgery, that his… Read More →
So Sandy Alderson, speaking with reporters following Tuesday night’s loss to the Marlins, was quite definitive about Jason Bay. The Mets are mercifully planning to sit him against right-handed pitchers. But against lefties, he’ll get his shot. From a 2012 perspective, this makes some sense. They have Mike Baxter and… Read More →
Look, I’m not even going to bother pointing out in any detail that the all-homegrown Mets lineup is a function of ownership’s financial limitations. We all know, or should know, how we got here. The question is: what has this new, one-pronged approach brought the Mets? Adam Rubin pointed out… Read More →
You know, unless Johan Santana can’t start the season, and then he’s your fourth starter. Or there’s another injury as well, always possible with pitchers, and then he’s your third starter. That’s the only reasonable conclusion out of Sandy Alderson’s comments yesterday, when he pointed out something obvious- Johan Santana,... Read More →
To get a sense of what not having much money does to a team’s ability to compete, take a look at what’s going on at catcher for the Mets. (Try as I might to just write a piece about player acquisition, I think it’s an incomplete job at best if… Read More →
So the bad news is, Jose Reyes is property of the Miami Marlins. The good news? The earth hasn’t crashed into the sun? No, the good news (or, more appropriately, the somewhat silver lining) is that Sandy Alderson is in a position he’s familiar with. He needs to build a… Read More →
Last night at dinner, my wife and I were discussing the prospect of Theo Epstein going to the Cubs, and what precisely the value of a General Manager is. (She is as great as she sounds.) As my wife put it, “It’s just like putting money into player development, no?”... Read More →
In case you missed it, I had a piece in the Sunday New York Times discussing the myth of Citi Field hurting the New York Met hitters. But in a must-read Q & A GM Sandy Alderson did with Newsday’s Ken Davidoff, Alderson raised a different issue. “As [Mets pitching… Read More →
Terry Collins was officially introduced today as the Mets’ new manager. His contract is for two years, with a club option for 2013. Do you think Collins will do a good job as manager or do you think he’ll just be a puppet of general manager Sandy Alderson? Below is… Read More →
NEW YORK (AP) – A person with knowledge of the situation says the New York Mets have hired Terry Collins as their manager. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Sunday because the two sides were still working on terms of the contract. The person said… Read More →
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) – Terry Collins, Bob Melvin, Wally Backman and Chip Hale are the four finalists to become New York Mets manager. The team narrowed the field Tuesday night, assistant general manager John Ricco announced, and intends to complete second interviews by Friday. General manager Sandy Alderson hopes to… Read More →