Blame...Everyone

[jranieli]

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/mets/2008...e-everyone.html

May 22, 2008

Blame ... everyone

 

With nearly $140 million invested in this year’s payroll, and with the Mets now below .500, changes will be made if it’s apparent the team isn’t going to compete for the NL East crown. Assigning blame isn’t simple, however.

 

Certainly Omar Minaya deserves his share. And it’s too simplistic just to scapegoat Willie Randolph.

 

The Mets’ rotation has two reliable starters, Johan Santana and John Maine, followed by an erratic Oliver Perez and two voids currently filled by Mike Pelfrey and Claudio Vargas. It was Minaya who handed Orlando Hernandez a two-year, $12 million contract that has yet to yield an inning this season, and the GM who counted on Pedro Martinez contributing.

 

As for the bullpen, Billy Wagner has excelled, but Duaner Sanchez and Aaron Heilman – the two key cogs in the ‘06 NLCS run – have been shells of their former selves. Then there’s the underachieving lineup, which is overly dependent on aging players. Given Moises Alou’s injury history, is it any wonder he’s already on the DL for a second time this season? And who, exactly, were the Mets bidding against when they handed Luis Castillo a four-year, $25 million contract this winter as the second baseman was returning from dual knee surgeries?

 

Minaya’s reputation through GM stints in Montreal and Flushing has been to clean out farm systems. He had the excuse of threatened contraction to explain away the trades of prospects including Grady Sizemore while with the Expos, but what impact has the farm system made during the GM’s four years at the helm in Flushing? Yes, Carlos Gomez was sent to Minnesota for Santana, but it’s a severe indictment that Raul Casanova was promoted Thursday to replace Alou, who landed on the DL with a strained left calf. The starting outfield at Triple-A New Orleans includes Chris Aguila, Valentino Pascucci and Jesus Feliciano, which explains how few options the Mets had to replace Alou.

 

A pipeline of Latin American talent was supposed to infuse a farm system partially depleted by forfeited top draft picks, the penalty for signing free agents such as Wagner and Alou. Where are they? Aside from 19-year-old outfielder Fernando Martinez, who is injured for the third straight season, this time with a hamstring strain, there’s no foreseeable help within proximity of the majors. The organization’s high-A St. Lucie team in the Florida State League team is 9-38. And while team officials like to suggest inferior minor-league records are a result of placing young kids at high levels to challenge them, even minimal talent should translate to a better record than that.

 

I am not sure if he purposely did not mention some of the players on the Binghamton Mets.

 

3B Dan Murphy who has played 1B/OF is batting .341 with 5 HR/ 30 RBI

1B Mike Carp who has also played the OF is batting .331 with 6 HR/ 25 RBI

1B Nick Evans who has also played the OF is batting .287 with 8HR/ 31 RBI

 

We might see one of these guys before the season ends. If not in the majors, all three might be in AAA by the seasons end. We have to use this draft to restock the organization and the Mets have stated that they wont go by MLB standards and draft players who rated at their draft position but draft the best player available.

 

It is a shame FMart was put on the DL. He was really starting to come along after the slump he was in for the first month. I think he will be okay.

[gateb]

9-38 are you kidding me? All I've been hearing is how at least we have a bunch of talent coming upward from the Single A.

 

This team needs big time rejuvenation in the farm. I really have no mind at all if it comes at the expense of our current roster.