Michael Bourn

I'm really baffled as to why it took so long to start the process of finding out about the pick though.  Was there some date that you had to wait for to bring up something like that?  Otherwise they knew the free agents out there and the draft pick situation a long time ago.  Why wait until just recently to make a move on it?

Otherwise they knew the free agents out there and the draft pick situation a long time ago.  Why wait until just recently to make a move on it?

If I was an Alderson detractor, I'd probably argue that it was Mets gamesmenship to show they did everything they could, but were spurned by the league's slow feet.

If I was an Alderson supporter, I'd probably argue the league refused to become involved until the Mets forced their hand with an offer and a appeal which couldn't be done until they found someone they were willing to sign at a price they liked, and that opportunity didn't present itself until February.

I'll let you decide which side of the coin you fall on. 

Yeah, I think the issue here is that we'll probably never know (and by the time the season starts won't even care much).  It's all very nebulous.  I was going to say "shady" but I'm not sure it's quite that negative.  

It's possible of course that they just never figured on Bourn being available that late and then made the inquiries.  This is kind of how it's been portrayed and maybe that's the truth.

What I'm getting at is the Mets could have easily matched this offer from Cleveland before any agreement if they really wanted him, $12 mil a year for Bourn is not overpaying

I disagree $12M for Bourn is to much, maybe that's just me though.

Wait until (Boras client)Matt Harvey becomes a free agent, I'm telling you guys we're gonna lose him. Just hope we start competing before then.

I disagree $12M for Bourn is to much, maybe that's just me though.

Even the Mets disagree with you on that one.  Alderson actually offered 4 yrs/$48 mil, the difference was that the Indians offered 4 yrs/$48 mil plus a 5th year vesting option for another $12 mil. 

But get this... Cleveland's contract to Bourn is backloaded, they are only paying him $7 mil in 2013.  

Again, Mets could have done this, and offered the same backloaded contract. 

This isn't just the worst OF in baseball this year, it's the worst I can ever remember.  It's 100% question marks, and it's seriously possible all four main players out there could hit .200 with no real power or speed....thomasam

Everyone should read this 3 times as it is the bare knuckles truth...

My only hope is that there will be at least one team with a surprise player in camp that pushes an OF out of a job and makes him expendable for a trade before the season starts...Who will it be?  WHO KNOWS?

Again, Mets could have done this, and offered the same backloaded contract.

The Mets did! At least from what I'm reading.

Yogi I usually read your post and deliberate on it for wisdom but you really hate Valdespin. Sorry Yogi but Valdespin has more range and is 200% better at turning the DP then Murphy.

Murphy: strengths are his low K rate, contact ability and ability to his doubles. His weakness are no speed, no power, streaky for a contact hitter and probably the worst at turning the DP but he has been better overall defensively then originally thought but still subpar.

Valdespin: Strengths are speed, above average middle infield power (owns Mets record for pinch hit HRs), strong arm, range at second and reckless attitude. His weakness are high K rate, lack of overall contact ability for a guy with his skill set, loses focus both at bat and in the field which creates the perception he is a poor fielder and his attitude which helps drive him to be successful but hinders him in the fine nuances of the game.

Both players have a future in MLB.

Idk, the thing I like about Alderson is at least he's stocking up the farm and not making any dumb trades.  Yes, he's overly cautious about signing free agents but look at the contracts we had to endure under the last GM that still linger and cripple our budget even today, and then look at the Wilpons financial problems due to corruption. Can't put all the blame on Alderson.

I still believe very strongly that Alderson needs to be fired. I know the Wilpons have a whole lot of financial problems and I would be absolutely elated if they were to sell the team. But as I have pointed out in the past, I'm convinced that even if Alderson had money to spend on free agents, he wouldn't spend it. And yes he may be building up the farm system and not handing out any big contracts, but that doesn't mean he isn't doing irreparable harm to the team and organization, especially since the team is getting worse and more irrelevant, which is resulting in more empty seats at Citi Field and less revenue. Not to mention other teams in the division are constantly making moves to improve, which means the Mets have that much more work to do to catch up to them now and in the future. In your opinion, do you think there is anyway Alderson will be fired if the Mets lose about 95 games this year and finish in last place? What do you think has to happen in order for him not to have as much job security? And do you at least slightly feel that maybe, just maybe the team and organization would be better off if whatever will lead to Sandy being fired, actually occurs?

But as I have pointed out in the past, I'm convinced that even if Alderson had money to spend on free agents, he wouldn't spend it. 

Well this is true, he even admitted it himself this offseason.  The man is overly cautious about spending. 

In your opinion, do you think there is anyway Alderson will be fired if the Mets lose about 95 games this year and finish in last place? What do you think has to happen in order for him not to have as much job security? And do you at least slightly feel that maybe, just maybe the team and organization would be better off if whatever will lead to Sandy being fired, actually occurs?

If the Mets lose 95 games this year, which in my opinion it's likely that they lose around 90, then the first one to take the fall will be Terry Collins. Mainly because Collins contract runs out at the end of this season anyway, so they just will hire and try someone new in the dugout.  Alderson got a 5 year contract and a good payday for a GM, he's on his 3rd year so I doubt the Wilpons will fire him (yet)  The Wilpons are the ones who would not allow Alderson to spend at all in the first 2 years. This year Alderson had some flexibitly to spend a little but chose to save some $ for next year, most likely he didn't feel any of the free agents this year were worth paying up for and he knew the Mets had way too many holes and rookies to contend yet anyway. But either way this was the first year that Alderson was the one who chose to save $ and stand pat.

Here's the big issue though, the Wilpons want the seats to be filled. So that's gonna be the game that Alderson's gonna be forced to deal with.  

Let's say the Mets sell a decent amount of tickets for the first month, but have a 9-18 record at the end of April. Obviously a lot of fans are gonna get a bad first impression of the 2013 Mets and be turned off to going to games and ticket sales are gonna go way down. So Alderson will probably respond by bringing up Wheeler or D'arnaud to see if that excites the fanbase a little and boosts ticket sales.  If that doesn't work well enough to keep things interesting in the standings then you'll see another big trade of some sort at the trade deadline and/or a washed out season for ticket sales. Then in the offseason the Wilpons will basically force Alderson to make a big FA signing or 2 out of desperation to sell more tickets. With Santana's monster payday coming off the books, I'd say if Alderson doesn't manage to make at least 1 or 2 big FA signings next Winter with some of the money freed up then he'll definitely be on the hotseat going into the 2014 season.

But realistically, if things go real bad this year we're gonna see a new manager before a new GM. 

But realistically, if things go real bad this year we're gonna see a new manager before a new GM.

Yeah, I agree that Collins will be fired before Alderson. However, even though I don't like Collins too much and feel he should be let go, I don't appreciate that he is most likely going to be the fall guy for the team's shortcomings. At what point do people start blaming Alderson for what is wrong with this team? Because as I have pointed out, I feel he is much more to blame for the problems that the team has than Collins. And if I were the Wilpons, I would be more inclined to fire Alderson than Collins given the current situation. They have to start realizing that maybe the GM they hired is not the right GM to lead the team forward, especially if they want attendance to increase at Citi Field again and make more revenue. As I have written on here before, I truly believe Sandy Alderson will never overpay for a free agent and given the type of season the Mets are most likely going to have in 2013, they are going to have to overpay a free agent to play for them in 2014 and beyond. Hence why if the Wilpons really are interested in adding free agents to the team in 2014, I think that both Alderson and Collins need to be fired by the end of the 2013 season, not just Collins. Firing Collins, but not Alderson, will really do nothing to solve their problems, even if they do hire Backman to replace Collins.

Yeah, no way the GM takes the fall before the first manager does though.  Remember when weak Willie got fired? I thought Minaya should have gotten the boot at that same moment as well, but it took another couple years.  Same thing here, Collins will likely be let go first or not have his contract renewed and Alderson will have another shot with a new manager next year. 

Anyway I took a look at the Mets schedule in April to guess what kind of start they could potentially get off to, as you can see other than 3 games against the Dodgers and 3 against the Nats, we are playing some pretty lousy or mediocre teams for the rest of the month. Which means the Mets may actually get off to a decent start creating a somewhat false illusion that they'll be good this year. It might help in selling a few tickets early on though.

April Schedule

Mon, 4/1 Padres
Wed, 4/3 Padres
Thu, 4/4 Padres

Fri, 4/5 Marlins
Sat, 4/6 Marlins
Sun, 4/7 Marlins

Mon, 4/8 @ Phillies
Tue, 4/9 @ Phillies
Wed, 4/10 @ Phillies

Fri, 4/12 @ Twins
Sat, 4/13 @ Twins
Sun, 4/14 @ Twins

Mon, 4/15 @ Rockies
Tue, 4/16 @ Rockies[
]Wed, 4/17 @ Rockies
Thu, 4/18 @ Rockies

Fri, 4/19 Nationals
Sat, 4/20 Nationals
Sun, 4/21 Nationals

Tue, 4/23 Dodgers
Wed, 4/24 Dodgers 
Thu, 4/25 Dodgers

Fri, 4/26 Phillies
Sat, 4/27 Phillies
Sun, 4/28 Phillies

Mon, 4/29 @ Marlins[
]Tue, 4/30 @ Marlins

Yeah, I remember when Willie Randolph got fired. To this day, I think that had less to do with Omar and more to do with Jeff Wilpon. Jeff Wilpon's handprints were all over the Willie firing if you ask me. Anyway, Omar had 3 winning seasons underneath his watch by that point in time, so I can understand why he was kept around as GM and given the chance to hire another manager. The 2013 season, however, will most likely be Alderson's 3rd losing season in a row, the team will probably have a worse record than they did in 2012 and it doesn't seem as if the team is going to be much better anytime soon. So I could envision the Wilpons giving at least some consideration to firing Alderson before the 2013-2014 off-season. I still think you're right though and that he will be retained as the GM, unfortunately.

And thanks for posting the team's schedule in April. Sure, their games may be against a lot of mediocre to less than mediocre teams in the first month. But remember, the Mets are pretty much less than mediocre too these days, so I am not sure if they will get off to as good of a start as they have gotten off to in previous years. I just have a feeling they are going to be bad right from the start this year.

I'm really baffled as to why it took so long to start the process of finding out about the pick though.

I thought the same thing too. This gives the appearance that the Mets really had no intentions of signing a free agent.

Was there some date that you had to wait for to bring up something like that?

I don't know, but even still the Mets front office should have done their due diligence so they would have or could have picked tenth in the upcoming draft regardless of their intent to acquire free agents.

Otherwise they knew the free agents out there and the draft pick situation a long time ago.

Exactly.

Why wait until just recently to make a move on it?

This was a whiff by the Mets front office.

cj, unless Valdespin used PEDs I don't hate him, but watching him last season I saw his lackluster effort.  Couple that with the advance warning about his attitude and unless he were a all star caliber player I wouldn't want him on the team.  The perception of him being a poor fielder is driven by a .966 Fld % at 2B in the minors and 2B was his primary position.  By example Murphy has a .974 % at a position he has learned at the MLB level and his dWAR is less than a neg 1. 

Unless Valdespin displaces Murphy at second he will be hard pressed to bump any of the other OF candidates out of a platoon because of his overall weakness against both R and LHP.   

Well, I don't think anyone is safe in the OF, especially Baxter and Nieuwenhuis.  I'd be surprised if there aren't players out there that weren't expected including Valdespin.  He's an adventure anywhere he plays but at least he's got some speed.  

It would be a complete shock if the starting OF configuration is the same was the All-Star break configuration. 

ATW, kru  nice exchange about Collins and Alderson, well stated and though out. 

I believe that both are safe for this year.  Alderson has done his job of decontructing better than adequately, he did get returns of Wheeler, d'arnaud and Synderguaad.  He has also brought up and assessed a number of our farm players and that will continue again this year.  However, this phase of the process is now complete.  Rebuilding is next and for that he will need the ability to spend money, given that he will be judged by his additions of players in years 2014 & 15. 

Collins can only be held responsible for meeting expectations.  He has maintained a high level of enthusiam on a club that has headed into the AS break in each of the last two years as contenders and collapsed to fall into the bottom dwellers level by seasons end.  None of Aldersons additions this off season promise to make Collin's job easier this year.  What he will be judged upon is consistant play, another post AS collapse will send the "lost the clubhouse" message whether its true or not.  With this years expectations, 90-95 loses will not cost him his job. The players hold the pink slip, if the team plays with intensity, focus and effort Collins returns.  

Valdespin: Strengths are speed, above average middle infield power (owns Mets record for pinch hit HRs), strong arm, range at second and reckless attitude. His weakness are high K rate, lack of overall contact ability for a guy with his skill set, loses focus both at bat and in the field which creates the perception he is a poor fielder and his attitude which helps drive him to be successful but hinders him in the fine nuances of the game.JoeD

I wonder if the same opinion was given regarding a young Kevin Mitchell in 1984...

Valdespin does have some power, but I'd be hesitant listing the record for pinch-hit HR as a strength.  It was great and the HRs came at exciting times last year, but a lot of that is just luck and a statistical outlier.  You keep going to that well and it's going to dry up fast.

It's an interesting comparison to Mitchell because he did have a similar knock, but there was always something...suspicious about Mitchell's sudden breakout.