Archive for new york mets
Pitchers and Catchers Report: National League
Posted by: | CommentsIf you missed last week’s American League preview, click here to catch up.
Ever since the Yankees and Red Sox engaged in an arms race of epic proportions to dominate their league, the National League has received a bit less love and mainstream attention. But unlike its counterpart, the National League has fostered a bit more parity over the years, and features far more teams with a chance to contend. This is not to say that the league doesn’t have some serious big market teams, with the Mets, Cubs and Phillies sporting payrolls near the $140 million mark lately. But when you look at the first two on that list, it’s clear that the investment doesn’t necessarily result in a trip to the playoffs.
Because this division has a lot more contenders and possibilities, we’ll go by division.
National League West
This is not the National League West you used to look down on. It seems like only yesterday when our local San Diego Padres made the playoffs with a mere 82-80 record in 2005, but those days are long gone. In 2010, this will be the most competitive division in the league, bar none. To be more specific, the Padres are the only team that doesn’t have a realistic shot at winning it (and they’re at least rebuilding properly).
The Dodgers haven’t added much over the winter thanks to the financial issues caused by the ownership couple getting divorced. However, they still have one of the best young cores in the game featuring Kemp, Ethier, Broxton, Billingsley and Kershaw. They’re down Randy Wolf and would probably like a bit more help in the rotation; they still have a solid chance to win the division again, but it won’t be as easy as 2009.
If I had to name a favorite at this moment to win the division, it would have to be the Rockies. We saw the run they went on last year, reminiscent of their legendary late season tear en route to the 2007 World Series. I have to say, even without Matt Holliday, this 2010 Rockies team is better than three years ago. In fact, it was Holliday who netted the Rockies Huston Street and Carlos Gonzales in a trade, setting them up with a reliable closer and a very talented young outfielder for years to come (at age 23, he already started to live up to his prospect hype). The rest of the diamond is filled with some of the top young talent in the game: Dexter Fowler gives the team a legit speedster, Ian Stewart is another player who looks to finally be living up to his potential, Seth Smith has great OBP and power, while veterans Hawpe and Helton round it out. And of course, the Rockies have the immensely talented Troy Tulowitzki, who may be the most underrated player in the game today.
Unlike past Rockies teams that were all bats and no arms, this incarnation has a formidable rotation. Ubaldo Jimenez has emerged as an ace who produces serious strikeouts, and #2 starter Jorge de la Rosa does the same. Jason Hammel provided solid innings you’d want to see from a #3 style starter, while Aaron Cook also provides steady innings to go along with his experience. Jeff Francis had been the ace of this team in their 2007 World Series run, and is coming back from injury. The minor league roster is stocked with arms too, featuring Greg Smith, who was the third player to come over from Oakland in the Holliday trade.
Where pitching is concerned, it’s of course hard to beat the Giants and their 1-2 combination of Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain. Jonathan Sanchez harnessed a bit more control in 2009 to go along with his strikeout talent, and it’ll be interesting to see if he can build on last season’s accomplishments (highlighted by a no-hitter). If Giants fans have been spoiled by their nucleus of talented young pitching, things are about to get even more ridiculous once top prospect Madison Bumgarner joins the mix. If Bumgarner lives up to the hype, Lincecum and Cain continue to put up great seasons and Sanchez can put it all together, we may be looking at one of the best top-to-bottom rotations in recent memory (one where veteran Barry Zito is a #4-5 starter).
Of course, the issue for the Giants remains offense. They did add Aubrey Huff and Mark DeRosa this winter, but are still lacking some serious bats to build up what has been an anemic offense at best. Top prospect Buster Posey is waiting in the wings, but I have a feeling Giants fans will look at the line scores and lament missing out on free agents like Holliday and Bay by the time the summer rolls around.
Rounding out the division is another team with serious frontline pitching talent in the Arizona Diamondbacks. If Brandon Webb can come back from last year’s injury and regain some of his Cy Young form, he’ll combine with Dan Haren to give the team the 1-2 punch it envisioned when it traded for the latter a few seasons ago. Edwin Jackson comes over from Detroit (at the expense of the departed Max Scherzer) to give the team a legit #3. Offense has also been an issue for the Diamondbacks in recent years, but things are looking up for 2010: Justin Upton and Mark Reynolds have emerged as premium talent, while additions in Adam LaRoche and Kelly Johnson should provide the team with more ways to get runs on the board.
While Reynolds and Upton have come into their own as major league players, the jury is still out on Stephen Drew and Chris Young. The former has at least shown the ability to hit and field well at times, but Young provides negative value in the field, and has yet to learn how to take a walk at the plate. For this team to really take a step forward and provide offense to supplement the rotation, these two guys are going to need to put it all together. Based on past performance, I think Drew will get there, but I’m not convinced at all by Young. He’s clearly a great athlete, but I’m not sure he’s a great baseball player.
National League Central
As has been the case for the last few years, this division will be all about the Cardinals, Cubs and Brewers. After locking up Holliday, and knowing Chris Carpenter is back and healthy to form a strong tandem with Wainwright, St. Louis is looking strong. Top prospect Colby Rasmus showed some value with his glove immediately, and scouts expect his bat will follow. The main issue with the Cardinals though is the same one that hurt them down the stretch, and made their playoff run short lived: a lack of depth on offense beyond their superstars. Pujols and Holliday are always intimidating, but the supporting cast doesn’t have a ton of depth. The question for 2010 then, is whether or not the likes of Ludwick, Schumaker and Lugo can provide adequate support to get the job done again.
The core for the Cubs is getting older, and time is running out on this team before the veterans start to age and under-perform while being overpaid. Specifically, Soriano is locked up through 2014, Zmbarano through 2012, and Aramis Ramirez is on the team for another two seasons. These are all players who can still contribute, but one has to wonder how much longer they can do so at a high level; the team is also stuck with Carlos Silva for the next two years, the price that was paid to get the unpopular Milton Bradley out of town.
Their only major moves this winter involved upgrading the outfield with the likes of Marlon Byrd and Xavier Nady; not exactly marquee names, but solid players who you can more or less count on (assuming Nady returns to form following last year’s injury). The rotation has veteran depth, but also features players who have had their share of injuries, and ups and downs. If Lilly can come back from injuries and Dempster can put together another reliable 200 IP season while Zambrano, Soriano and Ramirez stay on the field, the Cubs will take the division back and make one more run at that World Series championship Chicago so desperately wants.
The third contender in this division is the Brewers. Unlike past seasons where the offense wasn’t a question, but defense and pitching were, this is the most well-rounded Milwaukee team we’ve seen in a while. Taking advantage of a slower free agent market than in years past, the Brewers brought Doug Davis back to Milwaukee, while signing the underrated Randy Wolf to round out the rotation. Last year’s rotation was more or less “Gallardo + a bunch of guys putting up 5.00-6.00 ERAs”. It was pretty ugly, and while I don’t expect Wolf and Davis to be All-Stars, they’ll give the Brewers quality innings and a chance to win when they take the ball.
Helping matters will be Alcides Escobar at shortstop, and Carlos Gomez in center (who was obtained for J.J. Hardy to make room for the former). These two players don’t hit much, but bring some great defensive skills to the field in the two positions you want them most. Whereas Brewer teams a few years ago had some serious issues defensively, this year’s incarnation is taking a step in the right direction, while still getting power contributions from Braun and Fielder.
National League East
As a Mets fan I hate to say it, but the Phillies are clearly the top team in the NL. This time around, they’ll have a true ace in Roy Halladay for the entire season, and I expect Cole Hamels to bounce back to what we saw from him in 2008 (he threw a ton of innings that year for a guy his age, and was due for some regression in 2009 as a result). The only major change to the lineup is Placido Polanco returning to Philly to man third base, giving the team a good contact hitter to supplement an offense that gets on base and hits for lots of power, but is prone to strikeouts. Aside from catcher, this team has a premium offensive player at each position; to give you an idea, Chase Utley is the best of them all, and should contend for his first MVP title this season. Teammates Howard and Rollins already have their own from past years.
Philly’s only weakness is their bullpen, and the closer situation. Brad Lidge was remarkably perfect in 2008, but followed that with a horrible 2009 campaign. The team is hoping he can bounce back, but the rest of the bullpen isn’t looking terribly strong either. It remains to be seen if the Phils will be able to consistently win close games.
The Braves have rebuilt with pitching strong #1-5, and have young ace Tommy Hanson front and center. The 22 year old posted a 2.89 ERA last season, and there’s plenty of reasons to think he’ll be a dominant starter for years to come. Follow that with Hudson, Lowe, Kawakami, and you’ve got guys who will take the ball and give you a chance to win each day (and often enough, will put the team on their shoulders). Jair Jurrjens is the key at the moment; he’s fighting through some injury issues, but outlook is positive.
As has been standard for the Braves since Teixeira left, the lineup is where the weakness lies. There isn’t much to be intimidated by when it comes to their bats, making phenom prospect Jason Heyward’s transition to the majors even more critical.
Unlike the past few years when the Mets entered the spring considered favorites (Sports Illustrated famously picked them to win the World Series this time last year), the 2009 disaster has brought down expectations considerably. The team did sign Jason Bay to add a power bat, but they failed to sign a reliable starter to back up Johan Santana. The result is that Maine, Perez and Pelfrey will need to all perform up to career bests for the Mets to contend. Of course, last year’s injured squadron of position players like Beltran and Reyes will need to bounce back to form as well.
Don’t count out the Marlins either. The low payroll wonder-franchise is set to contend again, featuring the game’s best young player in Hanley Ramirez. The rotation, bullpen and lineup are stacked with young, hungry players who have grown up in the big leagues together, and this time around it looks like the top talent will stay in Florida: Ramirez and staff ace Josh Johnson have multi-year extensions in hand.
Finally, I expect the Nationals to surprise a lot of fans this year. While I don’t have any expectations that they’ll be contenders, they’re much improved from past incarnations, and have a plan in place. They have a solid core lineup, and their pitching is vastly improved. They’ve also taken some low risk chances on guys like Chien-Ming Wang, Matt Capps and Brian Bruney, who could be significant arms for the team. I don’t think this is quite their year (that’ll happen once Strasburg and Storen are big league ready), but 2010 is when they finally take a strong step forward.
It’s going to be another great season, and I can’t wait for Opening Day. On a side note, I think it’s about time they just make it a national holiday. Most years it’s on a weekday anyway, and every stadium is still sold out. That tells me enough people are skipping out on work that we might as well add it to the national calendar; I know I’ve taken a vacation day to fully celebrate and enjoy past Opening Days, and plan to do the same this year too.
Here’s to the spring, and the promise and optimism it brings to every baseball fan.
Popularity: 20% [?]
Baseball’s Winter Meetings Making the Rumor Mill Spin
Posted by: | CommentsOn November 4th 2009, the New York Yankees captured their 27th World Championship against the Philadelphia Phillies. Since then, if you’re a fan of the other 28 teams, it’s been a slow, uneventful winter.
If you’ve been bored by the lack of activity on the baseball front, no need to worry: big things are going to start happening over the next few days. The Winter Meetings started today in Indianapolis, where General Managers meet with each other to talk trades, and agents come looking to get contracts for their available players. It’s a whirlwind of activity, and being in the age of Twitter, all it takes is one guy to spot two executives talking in the lobby, send a Tweet, and get the rumors rolling.
The possibilities are endless and there are thirty different agendas at play. Here are the big stories to track over the next few days:
Halladay Sweepstakes 2.0
When this summer’s trade deadline rolled around, Roy Halladay was the center of attention throughout sports talk radio and the blogosphere. Any fan of a contending team wanted to grab him to solidify a championship run, and the Blue Jays knew they could get back a ton of prospects in return to help revitalize the franchise down the road.
Unfortunately for Blue Jays fans who were looking forward to starting a much needed overhaul, the asking price in prospects was too high. The deadline passed, Halladay stayed in Toronto, and the decision proved to be the final nail in the coffin for General Manager J.P. Ricciardi’s run. The Jays had asked for too much, lost an opportunity, and now had nothing to show for their star pitcher with only one year left on his contract.
And so we’ve come to the subsequent winter, where the Blue Jays more or less need to trade Halladay. If they thought it was tough to maximize their value for him this summer, they’re going to find it’s even more difficult now. A trade this summer would have meant his new team got him for the stretch run to the playoffs, had his services in the postseason, and would get to bring him back for the final year on his contract in 2010. Now, a trade partner is only getting one year back.
This is creating a situation similar to what we saw with Johan Santana and the Mets in 2008. Santana had one year left and a no-trade clause: so while the Twins were looking to get prospects back before he departed, Santana was able to use his leverage to pick a landing spot that would give him a hefty contract extension. The end result was four prospects going to Minnesota, while Santana got a six year, $137.5 million extension to get his big payday.
It’s now about two years later, and Halladay is the one with one year left on his contract, and no-trade control. Whereas Santana more or less demanded an extension, thereby narrowing the Twins partners to the major market teams would could afford that contract, Halladay isn’t necessarily against the idea of pitching somewhere for one year, riding out his contract and becoming a free agent. But the Blue Jays are going to ask for top prospects in return, and if you’re the trade partner, you’re going to want a bit more than the one year of service in return.
Making this more complicated is the fact that Halladay will turn 33 years old next season . . . which means that you’ll be hard pressed to find a team willing to give up the level of prospects the Jays are asking for, plus a contract extension that would keep him employed at a high price through something like age 38 or 39. Ricciardi really painted them into a corner here.
The easy money bet is that he ends up on a major market team that could absorb the cost of his extension and hope for the best in his late 30s: this means the usual suspects like the Red Sox, Yankees, Angels and Dodgers (though there is a strong feeling in the rumor mill that Halladay does not want to play on the west coast long term). My guess is that Boston will be his most likely destination, though we shouldn’t rule out a possibility for a team to roll the dice, trade for Halladay’s services for one year and make a run for it, then let him hit the open market.
The Big Three: Holliday, Bay and Lackey
Since the winter started, Matt Holliday, Jason Bay and John Lackey have been getting most of the attention as the top prizes in this year’s free agent market. Holliday and Bay are both professional hitters who play left field, which actually gives teams with that need an option between two very good players. Bay is slightly older and hits for slightly less average, and is considered the worse defender of the two (though this is still a matter of debate in some circles). However, Bay has “proven” himself in Boston’s large market, while Holliday has only played in Colorado, St. Louis and Oakland (where he got off to a very slow start in his only American League experience). At the end of the day, Holliday will get a slightly longer and bigger contract, as the perception is that he’s a player you can build around and commit 6-7 years to. However, Bay is no slouch, and will give whatever team trades for him a reliable hitter in the middle of their lineup.
Lackey is the only clear cut “ace” of this free agent crop, though he’s fought minor injuries the last two years, and projects slightly below a #1 starter. Still, he’s earned his reputation as a tough, fiery competitor, and should be a welcome addition to any pitching staff. Lackey’s agent has used A.J. Burnett’s five year, $82.5 million contract as a benchmark his client should be able to eclipse (though I believe Burnett’s contract is more an example of the Yankees overspending, rather than his actual value). Still, many around baseball seem convinced Lackey will get a $100 million contract, and I think he’ll get close. Unlike the competition for Holliday and Lackey, many contending teams could use a reliable, playoff tested starter like Lackey and will make a play for him: including the Yankees themselves.
Seattle Building a Contender
It’s easy to forget that the Mariners operate like a big market team, with a payroll hovering around the $100 million mark the last few years. It’s just that they haven’t spent that money wisely.
This winter, the mistakes of past management start to come off the books, as the hefty contracts for Richie Sexson, Adrian Beltre, Miguel Batista and others clear off (sadly, they are still stuck with Carlos Silva at $23 million for the next two years). New GM Jack Zduriencik impressed in his first year on the job in 2009, and now that he made the right steps to build the team back up, he may be seeing a prime opportunity to get back into the playoffs. He’s already stolen the division rival Angels’ longtime leadoff man Chone Figgins to take over at third base. Combine his skills with Ichiro’s, and now you’ve got what might be one of the best 1-2 punches of average, speed and on-base skills this side of Jeter and Damon. Combine with Jack Wilson at shortstop, and the left side of the infield isn’t going to let much through.
With all the money they now have to spend, the Mariners aren’t done at Figgins. Seattle will need some power to bring in those baserunners, and nearby British Columbia is where native Canadian Jason Bay was born and raised. The team also doesn’t have a commitment at DH, a position that is likely to have more players than open jobs for the second year in a row. Hideki Matsui is considered the most likely player to fill this role, thanks to Seattle’s close ties to Japan. If you saw the World Series, you know Matsui still has something left in the tank, though his next employer will want to keep him away from the outfield.
Oh, and if they’re not done there, the team has also been rumored to be going after John Lackey. The Mariners may very well snap the Angels’ run of winning the division five of the last six years, using their own former players against them.
Meet the Mess
If you’re a Mets fan, the 2009 season began with high hopes from Putz and K-Rod reinforcing the bullpen . . . but things quickly deteriorated as injuries stacked up, and team morale sinked to new lows. Reyes, Beltran and Santana are all expected to show up at Spring Training healthy and ready to compete, but expectations are lower this time around (especially with the already strong Phillies starting 2010 with Cliff Lee as their ace).
It’s not all doom and gloom, however. The Mets still have some of the top premiere players in the game in David Wright, Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes, Johan Santana and Frankie Rodriguez. Unfortunately, it’s the supporting cast that needs some serious work. With a brand new stadium asking top New York prices for tickets, and the juggernaut in the Bronx overshadowing the team from Queens, the pressure will be on General Manager Omar Minaya and Manager Jerry Manuel to perform. If not, both will find themselves out of a job by this time next year.
The Mets have been linked to Matt Holliday and John Lackey before the World Series even ended, but it seems more likely that the team will spread around their money instead: bringing in players like Joel Pinero, Randy Wolf and Orlando Hudson. In past years, the Mets always looked to make the “big splash” in the free agent market to show commitment to fans when they fell short. And while the public relations department would probably like a distraction to wash away the memories of 2009, the strategy of building around their talented core with a higher quantity of support talent as opposed to another expensive star or two makes far more sense.
Quick Hits
The Braves’ crowded rotation could mean a new bat. Atlanta didn’t wait until the meetings to fortify their bullpen, signing veteran relievers Billy Wagner and Takashi Saito to close out their games. Between Tommy Hanson, Tim Hudson, Kenshin Kawakami, Derek Lowe, Javier Vasquez and Jair Jurrjens, they have one quality pitcher too many in their rotation. Most expect them to move Javier Vasquez, who had a fantastic 2009, has a reasonable contract and could net a big bat.
Tigers looking to deal. Management swears they’re not trying to slash payroll, but the Tigers have been very loud about their desire to trade both Edwin Jackson and Curtis Granderson this winter. The Central is winnable as always, but pay close attention to what the team gets in return. The Tigers insist they have no desire to trade Miguel Cabrera, but if they go younger and look to rebuild, he can’t factor into their future plans. If Detroit is out of the running this summer, expect the Red Sox to come calling for the consistent Cabrera.
A-Gone staying home? It made all the sense in the world for the Padres to trade Adrian Gonzalez this past summer. When it didn’t happen, the common perception was that he’d be dealt come winter. However, if you believe the buzz coming out of San Diego, the star first baseman is going to stay put . . . at least through the summer trade deadline, when the rumor mill will start all over again. Gonzalez would fit the Red Sox so well that a trade seems inevitable, but it may take a while longer to happen.
Who wants to play with Milton Bradley? When the troubled outfielder got a big contract from the Cubs following a tremendous 2008 season, many within baseball were skeptical. Well, here we are one year later, and the Cubs have made it clear that come hell or high water, Bradley has seen his last days in a Cub uniform (with two years to go on his contract). The Rangers and Rays seem to be the most likely destinations, with Chicago picking up much of the tab.
We’re in the age of new media, so enjoy the Winter Meetings as they happen. Root for your team to make solid decisions, but try not to get too wrapped up in every rumor Tweet you see. And expect the unexpected: every year, there seems to be at least one major move no one sees coming.
Popularity: 19% [?]
O-Pee-Chee Baseball 2009 New York Mets Checklist!
Posted by: | CommentsThanks to this here blog, and the fact that my cube has plenty of orange and blue memorabilia, I’m known as “the Mets guy” here at Upper Deck. Which is pretty cool: whenever there’s a Mets item around, someone is often nice enough to drop it off at my desk to keep.
Earlier last week, the 2009 O-Pee-Chee Baseball team checklist for the Mets was dropped off here, and I always appreciate the gesture. With this particular item though, I couldn’t help but feel that something was fundamentally wrong. I mean, if you’ve followed baseball this year, you’re aware of the many injuries that have plagued the Mets. So I decided to touch up the card a bit:
There. That’s more like it.
Popularity: unranked [?]
Do Not Fear Injuries, For They Shall Renew Your Fandom
Posted by: | CommentsI’m sure the following is an experience most sports fans can relate to, but it’s never hit me personally more than this 2009 Mets team: sometimes, it’s more fun to watch your B-Squad than your stars. In this case, some of my strongest beliefs as a fan are being challenged, but I couldn’t be happier about it. Allow me to explain.
Following the 2000 Subway Series (where the Mets went up against the Yankees), things more or less went downhill for New York’s National League team. Mo Vaughn and Robbie Alomar are often cited as the two biggest failures of this Steve Phillips administration, symptomatic of a larger problem. The talent on the field couldn’t win, despite the team’s fairly substantial payroll. This all came to a head in 2004, when the team was sniffing an unlikely playoff berth and decided to “go all in”, trading top prospects for Kris Benson and Victor Zambrano: notoriously, fireballing lefty Scott Kazmir was traded for the latter. It didn’t work, and by the end of the season, it was decided that a massive change was needed.
Enter General Manager Omar Minaya, and he decided to rebrand the franchise immediately, signing Pedro Martinez to a four year deal. Carlos Beltran followed a few months later. Most fans knew the team wouldn’t contend in 2005, but a winning record was a step in the right direction. 2006 featured more top talent coming in with Carlos Delgado, a legit closer in Billy Wagner, and a still productive Paul Lo Duca. That season ended in a NLCS Game 7 that’s too painful to describe here.
In 2007 the team brought in . . . Moises Alou and Luis Castillo? Still wasn’t enough, as we endured the first “collapse”, where a playoff berth was denied on the last day of the season. And in 2008, Uncle Omar brought us all Johan Santana for Christmas, but there were no playoffs to be had for the second year in a row (again, decided on the last day). So in 2009, we wisely threw more money at fixing the bullpen in the form of Frankie Rodriguez and J.J. Putz.
Here’s what I’m getting at- in the last five years, the following All Star talent has come to the Mets from elsewhere: Pedro, Beltran, Delgado, Wagner, Lo Duca, Alou, Castillo, Santana, Rodriguez, Putz. And to show for it? One playoff appearance.
Now I’m not a spoiled fan, and if you ask me what I want from my team, I’ll flatly tell you: to at least contend every year, and let the chips fall where they may. I have no issues with paying top dollar for the best players, especially if you’re a big market team with needs at a position, and tickets to sell. That’s the way it goes. But the interesting thing about 2009 is that it seems as if every day, another player is going on the shelf: Reyes, Delgado, Putz, Oliver Perez, John Maine, Beltran, not to mention prior injuries to guys like Church. The star power of the team has been more or less decimated, and we trotted out this lineup yesterday:
1. Alex Cora SS
2. Daniel Murphy 1B
3. David Wright 3B
4. Fernando Tatis LF
5. Ryan Church RF
6. Omir Santos C
7. Jeremy Reed CF
8. Luis Castillo 2B
9. Tim Redding P
Does this look like the lineup for a baseball team with a $149 million payroll? I think not. They won though, clawing and scratching to score runs and prevent them. But here’s the best part: fans are loving this team. After months of lamenting the injuries and the team’s fate, it seems we’ve finally conceded that what happens will happen. There’s no longer any expectation or feeling that a playoff berth is obligated. It’s actually kind of freeing, in a way: the sort of “cheer and simply have fun watching the team” vibe that Yankees fans will never get to experience.
What helps the most though, and I’m trying to say this without sounding cliche- this B-Squad version of the team plays with heart. It actually hurts me to say this, because I’m the kind of fan who likes to see cold, hard facts. Give me a player with a high OBP any day, and you can keep your intangibles. Generally speaking, if I can’t see a trait a player has in a quantifiable way, I dismiss it. Given the choice between Albert Pujols’ amazing talent or David Eckstein’s legendary “scrappiness”, I’ll take the former over the latter. Every. Single. Time.
If you hit lots of home runs, get on base and can play adequate defense, I could care less about your attitude, unless you’re making life miserable for the players and fans around you. For example, Adam Dunn was the scapegoat for many years in Cincinnati, because he “didn’t play with enough heart” and struck out too much, all while routinely hitting 40 monster home runs and getting on base at a .380ish clip. As if we expect stolen bases and small ball from a 6′ 6”, 240 pound player? On the other side of the coin, when fans or journalists talk about how a certain player is worth a lot because he’s a “leader” or “plays the game the right way”, I scoff.
But this B-Squad Mets team is changing my perspective, at least a little. While I love Jose Reyes’ talent, Alex Cora’s leadership and positive attitude are helping keep morale high (and hey, a .387 OBP doesn’t hurt). I miss Carlos Delgado’s ability to get hot and hit game changing home runs, but Daniel Murphy’s obsessive relationship with the batting cages and improving his game helps ease the sting. Luis Castillo may have dropped that pop-up a short while ago and contributed to one of the most embarrassing losses I’ve seen, but he’s now playing with added drive and fire, and has made a number of spectacular plays in the field since. Gary Sheffield, after being released by the Tigers right before the season started, is now playing with a chip on his shoulder to prove them wrong at age 40, all for minimum league salary. Omir Santos? Not even a blip on our radar in Spring Training, and now a fan favorite who keeps coming up with clutch hits. And David Wright, the only active position player “star” left on this team is finally assuming the leadership role he couldn’t grab while the veteran stars were in the clubhouse.
So there’s absolutely no way the level of talent on this Mets squad is equal to their massive payroll. And while I won’t go so far as to spout a cliche that might make both of us cringe like, “But you can’t measure the level of heart on that field”, there’s something to be said for how they’ve changed my perspective. The guys with less natural ability are getting it done by working that much harder, and it’s a blast to watch. And hopefully, when the stars do come back from their injuries, that approach will remain intact.
Popularity: unranked [?]
A Tale of Two Teams, New York Style
Posted by: | CommentsLike most New York baseball fans, I watched this weekend’s Subway Series with far more passion than your average game. In case you’re not a New Yorker and want to understand a bit better, the psychology goes something like this: Mets fans feel the Yankees are more or less “evil”, and want to see the “good guys” triumph. If you’re the Yankees, you see the Mets as beneath you, a second class team not worthy of competing with the legendary Bronx Bombers: so a loss is seen as nothing less than an embarrassment. Throw into the mix some minor common ground of “We all share this city at the end of the day”, and you’ve got a stadium filled with passionate, screaming New Yorkers, while many more shout at TV screens in bars and apartments across the city. This very well may be the most intense, fun cross-city rivalry in American sports.
The details of the three games have been nearly beaten to death at this point, but if you were focused on this past weekend’s NBA or NHL Finals (who could blame you? Congrats to Kobe and Lakers, Sidney and the Penguins!), here’s the summary:
In game one, K-Rod comes into the 9th with a one run lead, gets two outs, and is one more away from continuing his perfect streak of saves. That is, until Luis Castillo (who already wasn’t the most popular guy among Mets fans) drops a simple, routine infield pop-up. It goes into his glove, and pops right out. The kind of play most Little Leaguers make with little effort. The Yankees win, Mets fans bury their heads in shame. Easily the most embarrassing Mets loss I’ve ever seen, and that’s saying something.- To their credit, the Mets rally around Castillo and support him. And on Saturday, thanks to home runs by Sheffield and new fan favorite Omir Santos, the Mets take a decisive victory in Game 2.
- Mets ace Johan Santana, The Best Pitcher on the Planet, has the worst start of his career, giving up nine runs in three innings. The Yankees pad the score 15-0, and as usual, their fans think the blowout counts for something extra.
With these details out of the way, I wanted to touch on a subject I’ve thought about quite a bit this season: for the first time in a while, the contrast between the two teams, in terms of strategy, is massive.
Here are some stats to ponder. Rankings are for all thirty teams in the league.
New York Yankees
Hitting
Runs: 2nd
Home Runs: 1st
Total Bases: 1st
OBP: 5th
Batting Average: 5th
Stolen Bases: 10th
Pitching
ERA: 27th
Defense
Defensive Efficiency Ratio: 16th
New York Mets
Hitting
Runs: 16th
Home Runs: 28th
Total Bases: 20th
OBP: 1st
Batting Average: 3rd (more or less a three way tie for first at the moment, in third by a fraction of a percentage)
Stolen Bases: 3rd
Pitching
ERA: 10th
Defense
Defensive Efficiency Ratio: 10th
Wow. Talk about polar opposites: these two teams actually couldn’t be more different this year. Let’s take a deeper look.
“The key to winning baseball games is pitching, fundamentals, and three run homers.”- Earl Weaver
Traditionally, the American League is about getting on base, and more or less waiting for home runs. With the DH in place, there are no weak spots in the lineup (especially if you’re the Yankees), so the need for base stealing, small ball, bunting runners over and such isn’t as important. And unlike traditionalists, I’ll acknowledge this makes sense: if Damon is on first and Teixeira is at the plate, why send him to steal a base? It’s far smarter to not take the risk of giving up the out. Your team is built on slugging and home runs, so the steal and other tools of manufacturing runs become far less important, and in most situations, counterproductive. And it’s hard to argue with success: it’s not a stretch to say that the Yankees, once again, have the most intimidating and productive offense in the league this season.
The Mets however, at least this year, don’t have this luxury. They don’t have many home run hitters, and even the guys who can put one over the fence (Beltran, Wright), aren’t built in the mold of your prototypical home run slugger: they’re not the types you can count on to hit 40 by any means, but they also hit for average, draw walks, play defense, steal bags, and so on. Because of the way the team is built (and with Carlos Delgado on the shelf), the team is “manufacturing” runs this year whenever possible. As a bit of a Moneyball disciple, I have to admit I pull my hair out when the team makes a play like bunting a runner over to second with one out, but given the team’s lack of firepower, I concede the need to put runs up on the board as dictated by the situation.
For more contrast, look at both new stadiums. So much has been written about the new Yankee Stadium’s propensity for enabling home runs, so I won’t throw one more post onto the redundancy pile. Though I will say, it’s telling when the Phillies, who play in one of the most notorious bandboxes in the league, say that Yankee Stadium makes their home look like Petco by comparison.
And speaking of Petco, CitiField is playing like an east coast version of the home run suppressor. Stats aren’t even necessary for this one: even a casual look at the field with its deep, large walls tells you that you’re going to need to hit one pretty hard to get it over the fence. It’s also critical to note here that despite the lack of power, the Mets are leading the league in OBP, and are more or less in a three way tie for first in Batting Average. The fundamentals are there, just not the ability to clear the bases once they’re loaded up.
The rest of the facts lay themselves out pretty easily after this. The Yankees hitters thrive, while their pitchers are giving up many home runs, with the end result being a poor 27th rank in ERA (admittedly, this could be even worse if they didn’t have strikeout pitchers on their staff who are better tailored to succeed in this harsh environment). Meanwhile, the Mets claw and scratch for every run they can get, but their pitching is doing well enough, despite a lack of consistency or overwhelming talent behind Santana. Even Livan Hernandez, whose career was more or less left for dead years ago, is having a productive, if not unspectacular year.
I have to say, I’m really enjoying this. It’s one thing to have two teams with passionate fanbases sharing the same city, but it’s even better when the differences between them are so notable. In terms of history, there’s a whole different vibe between the Yankees and their tradition/pride/history/insert your favorite cliche here, and the Mets, whose fanbase grew from the beaten down, but intensely dedicated Dodgers fans, and their more accomplished rival New York Giants (this subject is a post in itself).
The future outlook for this is great too. I can think of nothing more fitting than the average game in the Bronx consisting of guys hanging around the bases, waiting for the next home run to clear the wall, while pitchers on both sides struggle (and fans pay top dollar to see the marquee stars hit home runs, nevermind the details of the game). And meanwhile, in Queens, the game will be all about pitching, defense, doubles in the gap, going from first to third on a hit, and making things happen on the basepaths. Hopefully, both teams will build around their respective stadiums for years to come, and provide these stark differences between the American and National Leagues. A city as big and passionate about the sport as New York deserves two completely different brands of baseball (deeply entrenched in history), allowing fans choose which one they prefer to watch.
Not to mention, it’ll make the Subway Series even more entertaining. I know I can’t wait to see how the Yankees’ home run prowess fares when they visit CitiField next weekend, while the Mets should be able to make more out of their pitching and baserunning. Home field advantage, indeed.
Popularity: unranked [?]
