Ok, I've been caught as a lazy blogger once again. Time to write one.
I normally try and avoid talking about the Mets, to avoid bias, but when Johan AND Oliver Perez hit the DL, it's time to address the issues.
First, the Mets have around $105 million on the DL right now. If you want to count up how much payroll has been on the DL all season, that's around $120-$125 million.
I can't imagine in the history of the MLB has a team had 8 of the 9 members of the opening day lineup spend time on the DL for a significant length of time. A lot of analysts have cited the Mets struggles as not having the organizational depth to survive these injuries. But a realist would argue that only a select few organizations have the depth to field a competitive team, let alone a good one, if they sustained these types of injuries.
Second, beyond the catastrophe, is the consideration of how much this is a fluke, and if anything's wrong with the Met's training/medical staff, as Ken Rosenthal has recently suggested. The Mets need to address that situation immediately, to see if it's a problem, or not anything.
Thirdly, if I were the Mets I'd be working harder at developing and drafting high end talent, that's major league ready, or close to it so they can fill in if needed. They have developed some depth in the lower ranks, but it's all far from major league ready. When the Mets reached down for help this season, all they had that wasn't aging veterans were Niese (who got hurt) and Fernando Martinez (also hurt!)
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Thoughts on being a lazy blogger
Between vacation and a lull in interesting baseball news, I haven't blogged in basically two weeks. So this might be a rather long blog.
First up is the 5 spot in the Phillies rotation. Signing Pedro was a dumb move for the Phillies. At best, the difference between him and Jamie Moyer is a wash. And all they did was anger a clubhouse leader, cause a controversy where there didn't need to be one, and insert a pitcher who can potentially maybe have a sub-5 ERA. It's not as if they added Doug Davis, or Aaron Haraang.
Now considering the luck of the Phillies, and the lack of luck by the Mets, Pedro regains his form and proves to be a middle of the rotation starter the Mets so desperately needed. I mean, they added an above average outfielder to replace there, well, nearly identical outfielder, and he turns into Jason Bay. They got J.C. Romero for basically nothing. They got Cliff Lee without giving up one of their 4 best young guys.
And as far as Moyer's reaction is concerned, I'm quite divided on it. On one hand, he should of just shut up and not been a distraction, like he said he didn't want to be. On the other hand, he has something along the lines of 25 years of MLB service time, and has sort of earned the right to say what he wants. I'm completely split-brained on this, and can't make up my mind. Personally, if I was in his situation I would of pitched a fit, but that's me.
Moving on to the Rick Porcello vs. Kevin Youkilis fight. First of all, I'm dumbfounded as to whether Porcello hit him on purpose or accident. The extensive conversation between Jim Leyland and Terry Francona after the fight would indicate that it was most likely on accident. On the other hand, the way the ball was thrown, it looked as if he was trying to nail him. However, he already threw a pitch high and tight clearly intending to hit Youkilis.
Regardless of intent, everything to that point went down as it should've. They hit the Tigers key hitters, they should be throwing back at the Sox.
But Youkilis is a fool for charging the mound. Are you kidding me? Take your lumps like everyone else. And then throwing your helmet? Maybe Porcello looked scared as he moved away from you, but throwing a helmet is just as cowardly, and those things are hard, and can actually hurt a player (crack a kneecap?). Odds are Porcello just didn't want to fight, at risk of suspension. Because the way he threw Youkilis to the ground, (and the fact that he's 6'5") indicates that he knew he could take Youkilis. And if he was throwing at him intentionally, kudos for already proving to be a good teammate at age 19.
Alex Rios got traded about a week ago. Simple salary dump. I don't know this for sure, but J.P. Ricciardi may be an idiot. He failed to get max value for Roy Halladay, he gave a big contract to Vernon Wells, who's since tanked, and Rios, who's done mostly the same. He also gave a big contract to B.J. Ryan, who basically has spent the last 2 years injured, as well as A.J. Burnett, who proved to be just above average, and also spent decent time on the DL. Ricciardi seems to have an eye for young talent (the young starting rotation, Travis Snider, Aaron Hill, etc.), especially young pitching, but lacks an eye for players who can stay healthy.
The Yankees officially transformed themselves into the version of themselves that lost to the D-backs in the World Series a few years back. Only Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Pettite, and Rivera, etc are all around five years older. This team seems built to win in the regular season, but not for the postseason. Seriously, they have the third worst collection of talent in their own division, and yet they have the best record in baseball. Their catcher sucks behind the dish, Cano's average, and they got very little in the outfield. And their rotation is ok, and the bullpen is average too. Seriously, when teams like the Yankees win it drives me crazy. The Dodgers should win, they are as deep as anyone in the lineup, can play defense, and also have four solid starters. The Yankees are mostly average, and win anyways. Proves to show that I don't understand everything about the game I guess.
First up is the 5 spot in the Phillies rotation. Signing Pedro was a dumb move for the Phillies. At best, the difference between him and Jamie Moyer is a wash. And all they did was anger a clubhouse leader, cause a controversy where there didn't need to be one, and insert a pitcher who can potentially maybe have a sub-5 ERA. It's not as if they added Doug Davis, or Aaron Haraang.
Now considering the luck of the Phillies, and the lack of luck by the Mets, Pedro regains his form and proves to be a middle of the rotation starter the Mets so desperately needed. I mean, they added an above average outfielder to replace there, well, nearly identical outfielder, and he turns into Jason Bay. They got J.C. Romero for basically nothing. They got Cliff Lee without giving up one of their 4 best young guys.
And as far as Moyer's reaction is concerned, I'm quite divided on it. On one hand, he should of just shut up and not been a distraction, like he said he didn't want to be. On the other hand, he has something along the lines of 25 years of MLB service time, and has sort of earned the right to say what he wants. I'm completely split-brained on this, and can't make up my mind. Personally, if I was in his situation I would of pitched a fit, but that's me.
Moving on to the Rick Porcello vs. Kevin Youkilis fight. First of all, I'm dumbfounded as to whether Porcello hit him on purpose or accident. The extensive conversation between Jim Leyland and Terry Francona after the fight would indicate that it was most likely on accident. On the other hand, the way the ball was thrown, it looked as if he was trying to nail him. However, he already threw a pitch high and tight clearly intending to hit Youkilis.
Regardless of intent, everything to that point went down as it should've. They hit the Tigers key hitters, they should be throwing back at the Sox.
But Youkilis is a fool for charging the mound. Are you kidding me? Take your lumps like everyone else. And then throwing your helmet? Maybe Porcello looked scared as he moved away from you, but throwing a helmet is just as cowardly, and those things are hard, and can actually hurt a player (crack a kneecap?). Odds are Porcello just didn't want to fight, at risk of suspension. Because the way he threw Youkilis to the ground, (and the fact that he's 6'5") indicates that he knew he could take Youkilis. And if he was throwing at him intentionally, kudos for already proving to be a good teammate at age 19.
Alex Rios got traded about a week ago. Simple salary dump. I don't know this for sure, but J.P. Ricciardi may be an idiot. He failed to get max value for Roy Halladay, he gave a big contract to Vernon Wells, who's since tanked, and Rios, who's done mostly the same. He also gave a big contract to B.J. Ryan, who basically has spent the last 2 years injured, as well as A.J. Burnett, who proved to be just above average, and also spent decent time on the DL. Ricciardi seems to have an eye for young talent (the young starting rotation, Travis Snider, Aaron Hill, etc.), especially young pitching, but lacks an eye for players who can stay healthy.
The Yankees officially transformed themselves into the version of themselves that lost to the D-backs in the World Series a few years back. Only Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Pettite, and Rivera, etc are all around five years older. This team seems built to win in the regular season, but not for the postseason. Seriously, they have the third worst collection of talent in their own division, and yet they have the best record in baseball. Their catcher sucks behind the dish, Cano's average, and they got very little in the outfield. And their rotation is ok, and the bullpen is average too. Seriously, when teams like the Yankees win it drives me crazy. The Dodgers should win, they are as deep as anyone in the lineup, can play defense, and also have four solid starters. The Yankees are mostly average, and win anyways. Proves to show that I don't understand everything about the game I guess.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Thoughts on the Trade Deadline
The trade deadline's past, and now it's time to examine the impact.
First off, all that hubub of a slow deadline because of the economy proved for naught, it might have actually forced a few deals that might have otherwise not happened (Jake Peavy? Word is that the Padres had to move some salary, and Peavy was the only significant money with value).
Second, it felt as if everyone undersold their biggest assets. The biggest crimes were that Victor Martinez and Cliff Lee were both stolen from the Indians for not much at all. Unless you're one of those people who think that the 4th through 7th ranked prospects of the Phillies are all going to be All Stars. (If you believe the hype of some of these analysts, the Phillies have 7 guys who would be the best, or at worst, 2nd best, prospects in any teams minor league systems). Boston has similar hype, as Bucholz, Masteron, Bowden, and Hagadone are all called future aces by various analysts. Really? Victor Martinez is consistently one of the best catchers in baseball, and he got sold for $.75 on the dollar.
Thirdly, all the bad contracts that had any value (Washburn, Rolen, etc) also moved, so those type of guys aren't moving in August (although some bad contract will undoubtedly move). So this idea that Brian Cashman and a few others mentioned of the month as not actually a trade deadline may prove false also.
First off, all that hubub of a slow deadline because of the economy proved for naught, it might have actually forced a few deals that might have otherwise not happened (Jake Peavy? Word is that the Padres had to move some salary, and Peavy was the only significant money with value).
Second, it felt as if everyone undersold their biggest assets. The biggest crimes were that Victor Martinez and Cliff Lee were both stolen from the Indians for not much at all. Unless you're one of those people who think that the 4th through 7th ranked prospects of the Phillies are all going to be All Stars. (If you believe the hype of some of these analysts, the Phillies have 7 guys who would be the best, or at worst, 2nd best, prospects in any teams minor league systems). Boston has similar hype, as Bucholz, Masteron, Bowden, and Hagadone are all called future aces by various analysts. Really? Victor Martinez is consistently one of the best catchers in baseball, and he got sold for $.75 on the dollar.
Thirdly, all the bad contracts that had any value (Washburn, Rolen, etc) also moved, so those type of guys aren't moving in August (although some bad contract will undoubtedly move). So this idea that Brian Cashman and a few others mentioned of the month as not actually a trade deadline may prove false also.
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