Spring Training Random Thoughts

[NAHSTE]

I get that there is an asterisk next to that due to the injuries to the highest paid guys, and I get that they are rebuilding, but this is a disgrace and i'd be outraged as a fan.

LOL. You want them to go back to the old model of dumping heaps of money on bums like Luis Castillo and Jason Bay? I'd say most fans should be smart enough by now to realize it's useless to spend money just to spend.

[Warner2BruceTD]

LOL. You want them to go back to the old model of dumping heaps of money on bums like Luis Castillo and Jason Bay? I'd say most fans should be smart enough by now to realize it's useless to spend money just to spend.

You can't operate a baseball team in New York and put a $30M product on the field. Just because you picked the wrong ways to spend money in the past doesn't mean you shouldn't spend any money in the future. That's completely illogical.

[MVPete]

LOL. You want them to go back to the old model of dumping heaps of money on bums like Luis Castillo and Jason Bay? I'd say most fans should be smart enough by now to realize it's useless to spend money just to spend.

Teams are moving towards locking up young talent early now so they can keep them around till at least their late 20's early 30's, so going to that model you are going to be severely limited on what you can get on the open market going forward. Teams should be more inclined to invest heavily in scouting here and internationally and doing whatever they can to stock pile their farm systems, not only to fill holes in house but to use as trade chips to bring in better talent than what you can find on the open market.

[MVPete]

You can't operate a baseball team in New York and put a $30M product on the field. Just because you picked the wrong ways to spend money in the past doesn't mean you shouldn't spend any money in the future. That's completely illogical.

I think what happened to the Mets is happening to the Yankees, and you're going to see them in a playoff drought for a 3-4 years. They are littered with old players with long expensive contracts, and they are trying to get under the luxury tax number.

[Warner2BruceTD]

Teams are moving towards locking up young talent early now so they can keep them around till at least their late 20's early 30's, so going to that model you are going to be severely limited on what you can get on the open market going forward. Teams should be more inclined to invest heavily in scouting here and internationally and doing whatever they can to stock pile their farm systems, not only to fill holes in house but to use as trade chips to bring in better talent than what you can find on the open market.

That's great, I agree that's how teams should approach things, and I think everybody agrees with that, but the Mets did literally NOTHING this offseason to improve the team. I'm not asking them to put a $200M payroll on the table, but to open up the season with a $30M team, in New York, is nothing short of embarrassing. Especially with two wild cards where unless you are truly terrible, you have a realistic shot at hanging around the playoff chase. This isn't Pittsburgh or Oakland or San Diego where the fans understand the market and accept tossing a year or two in the trash to start over. You don't have to do that in New York, and fans see through it if you do. BUT...

It starts with the ownership situation, which is a complete abomination. But there were values on the table this offseason, guys like Michael Bourn who got something like $47M guaranteed for 4 years (with an option I believe on a 5th year) from CLE, and Bourn was waiting around for the Mets for weeks. If they didn't sign him based solely on losing that #12 draft pick, that's a joke. This was a guy targeting a potential $80M+ deal.

But forget Bourn. The Mets did nothing. Not a thing. I'd be irate. You have to at least pretend to try, especially in that market.

[NAHSTE]

Teams are moving towards locking up young talent early now so they can keep them around till at least their late 20's early 30's, so going to that model you are going to be severely limited on what you can get on the open market going forward. Teams should be more inclined to invest heavily in scouting here and internationally and doing whatever they can to stock pile their farm systems, not only to fill holes in house but to use as trade chips to bring in better talent than what you can find on the open market.

Free agent signings were already a poor way to build your club, and it's become even more the case now that the free agent talent pool has dried up this much.

The Mets got the ball rolling on this with the Dickey and Beltran trades. I think the fact that D'Arnaud and Wheeler immediately jumped to the top of their top 10 prospects lists shows you how far they have to go.

It's not "embarrassing" that the Mets are trotting out a $30mm payroll because there's actually a sound reason for it. What was embarrassing was when they were spending 100 million each year only to still be mediocre.

[Swarley]

Lester was perfect in his 6 innings of work today.

[Villain]

Brad Ziegler never gives up home runs. Especially to righties.

 

And Matt Kemp's achilles' heel is pitches down and in.

 

And that ball is dead.

[Guest]

It's not "embarrassing" that the Mets are trotting out a $30mm payroll because there's actually a sound reason for it. What was embarrassing was when they were spending 100 million each year only to still be mediocre.

You bank that money to spend at a later date once those younger guys are playing well in the majors. I'd rather have a few less wins at the expense of $70 million, as that makes it easier to stomach overspending for a FA or two in three years when my team is ready to compete again.

[NAHSTE]

[Warner2BruceTD]

You bank that money to spend at a later date once those younger guys are playing well in the majors. I'd rather have a few less wins at the expense of $70 million, as that makes it easier to stomach overspending for a FA or two in three years when my team is ready to compete again.

Again, nowhere in my posts did I advocate "overspending" or adding $70M to the payroll.

The Mets did nothing to add to the current team. Zero. Zilch. Nothing.

If you recall, I was in support of moving Dickey while his value was highest, I had no problem with that move. But you can restock the farm and add pieces to the current team. There were bargains to be had this offseason, Michael Bourn was one example, and he was reportedly waiting for the Mets to shit or get off the pot for a couple of weeks before he moved on and signed with the Indians.

There is no "sound reason" to open up with a $30M payroll on opening day. Especially with two wild cards where just about everybody has hope unless you are truly terrible. My gripe with the Mets isnt that they aren't running with the Yankees & Dodgers payroll wise, or that they've traded veterans, my gripe is they haven't done a thing to improve the current product. I'm not saying they should have signed Josh Hamilton. But at least throw the fans a bone and add some cheap pieces and act like you're trying to compete.

[Villain]

I've got it! The Mets should trade for Juan Uribe, Tony Gwynn Jr, and Ted Lilly! Then they'll be adding payroll and veterans who stink.

[Warner2BruceTD]

Is Gwynn really still a Dodger?

[Villain]

Yea he's in the minors. Gets 1.5 million this year, I believe.

[Warner2BruceTD]

Is Gwynn really still a Dodger?

Yea he's in the minors. Gets 1.5 million this year, I believe.

https://twitter.com/Dodgers/status/313693739530981378