Manuel Will Focus on Pitching and Defense
Pitchers and catchers have yet to report, yet we’re already being treated to “Manuel Being Manuel”.
A few weeks ago on MetsBlog, it was reported that Jerry Manuel will be focusing on pitching and defense this year:
“Pitching and defense, that’s going to be the game plan. We spent a lot of time last spring on the hitting program. We think we have that in place. It probably needs some tweaking here and there, but we have to play better interior defense. And if we can do that, we feel it will make our pitchers better. That’s going to be the big emphasis.”
First off, what in the world is “interior defense”? Does that mean “infield defense”? Some kind of self-defense (such as karate or tae-kwon-do) in the clubhouse? And, if there is “interior defense”, is there also “exterior defense” ?
Also concerning is Manuel reminding us all of the special focus put on developing offensive skills last spring. For those who forgot, it was centered around Manuel’s inane and exhausting “100-swing drill”, and an emphasis on hitting to the opposite field.
Anyone recall how that offensive strategy worked out last summer? Perhaps you can ask David Wright … or simply check out the Mets’ final hitting stats.
After seeing the results of last spring’s “focus on offense”, I can’t wait to witness how the “pitching and defense focus” works out in 2010.
Talk Is Cheap
I had hoped to shelve the “Manuel Being Manuel” category until at least spring training. Unfortunately, everyone’s favorite zen master couldn’t contain himself through the winter months.
Jerry Manuel spoke with reporters in Indianapolis today, and Brian Costa provides the “highlights” of the conversation.
Among them:
- Manuel claims Read more
Tim Lincecum Busted for Marijuana
You may have missed the news that San Francisco Giant superstar Tim Lincecum was busted for marijuana possession — heck, I’m about a week late in hearing about it. Which brings up the obvious question posted originally by my pal Ted Berg: Does anyone care? Read more
8 Reasons Sammy Sosa is Fading
For a brief time early in his career, Sammy Sosa was a “Palehose” — meaning, a member of the White Sox. Now, he’s a “pale face” — meaning, literally, his face has paled.
The picture here is a recent one of Sammy Sosa — yes, THAT Sammy Sosa (is there any other?) — taken on November 4th during the Latin Grammys at the Mandaly Bay Casino and Resort in Las Vegas. His skin is now frighteningly white, his eyes are green, his hair unkinked. How and why is Sosa suddenly so pale? Here are some explanations: Read more
Five Reasons Mets Fans Should Root for the Phillies
It’s a Mets fan’s worst nightmare: Phillies vs. Yankees in the World Series. Many will simply avoid the Fall Classic altogether. The rest will begrudgingly watch — but it’s darn near impossible to invest yourself in a ballgame without pulling for one of the teams. Which to choose? Simple: the Phillies. Here’s why: Read more
The Mets and Milton Bradley
Ken Rosenthal’s recent column reports that the Mets, among other teams, have been inquiring about the Cubs’ outfielder Milton Bradley.
Wow … where do we start?
Never mind Bradley’s troubled past. We’ve already learned that nice guys finish second-to-last, so stirring up the pot with a perennial malcontent won’t necessarily make things any worse. Let’s pretend Bradley is a model citizen and analyze him only according to the numbers.
Doing that, what you have is a 10-year veteran of MLB who managed 400 at-bats or more in a season only twice. Despite the fact that he supposedly has (or had) a world of talent with a rare combination of speed and power, he’s hit as many as 20 HRs in a season only once — as a Texas Ranger — and has never stolen more than 17 bases (in fact he hasn’t stolen more than 5 since 2006). His career batting average is a ho-hum .277. The statheads like his career OBP (.371) and his OPS (.821) and I have to agree he does have an ability to get on base. His fielding was at one time a strength, but as he’s aged that facet of his game has regressed (due in part to injuries collected over the years).
Now add in the fact that he is owed $21M over the next two years of a back-loaded contract. Is that money worth a guy who likely will play as often as Moises Alou, be a liability in the field, and hit like Dan Murphy (but with more walks) ? Wouldn’t the Mets be better off picking up someone like Eric Hinske or Austin Kearns on a one-year, $600,000 deal instead?
If you’re on the fence, then it’s time to consider the intangible issues. The old-school crowd likes his passion and enthusiasm, but shakes its head at his well-publicized temper tantrums, arguments with umpires, occasional lapses in focus, and similar bouts of self-destruction. You may be OK with taking on all that baggage if you believed that Bradley was the type of guy who was a game-changer, or could carry a team on his back. There might have been a time in his career when that was true, but if so those days are long gone. And again, even if you’re OK with the baggage because you think you need what he can provide offensively, why wouldn’t you just rescue Carl Everett from independent ball? He’d probably play for the league minimum, and give you a similar package. Or bring back Gary Sheffield, who actually WAS a model citizen in 2009 (and has appeared in more games over the past three years).
The only thing that could justify the Mets talking to the Cubs about Milton Bradley is a more elaborate, diabolical plan to drastically change the current roster. For example, perhaps Bradley is necessary part of a salary dumping deal that would also send Carlos Zambrano and Derrek Lee to Flushing, in return for a package that includes one of the Mets’ underperforming but comparatively inexpensive starting pitchers and Luis Castillo — which in turn would clear the way for Orlando Hudson to sign on as a free agent. If nothing else, it would be a splash, and proof the Mets were committed to making significant changes to their ballclub.
But if the buzz between the teams is a simpler matter of Bradley heading to New York by himself, I’m not sure what sense it makes.
Can the Mets Use a Mental Coach?
If you are a Mets fan, you are all-too-familiar with:
- Mike Pelfrey’s “yips”
- Oliver Perez’s “Jekyll and Hyde” routine
- Frequent mental lapses on the bases and in the field
- Team-wide choking that led to late-season collapses in 2007 and 2008
- Finger-pointing and under-the-bus throwing by players
These issues were running through my mind while having a conversation with Jim Fannin, a “mental coach” whose client list includes MLBers such as Manny Ramirez, Alex Rodriguez, Casey Blake, Alex Cora, Carlos Delgado, Barry Zito, and many others. You can listen to the published podcast of this conversation at my baseball instruction website, OnBaseball.com. Could the Mets benefit from hiring someone to help with their mental preparation?
Download the podcast, give it a listen, and post your comments back here.
Is MLB Killing Its Future Fan Base?
Many Major League Baseball fans can trace their allegiance to fond memories from their childhood — visiting a big league stadium and falling in love with the drama on the field. It was those early trips to the ballpark that instilled fanaticism on impressionable young children — and created passionate, lifelong baseball fans.
But what happens if Read more
Mets: Who’s the Boss?
If we’ve learned nothing else from the 2009 season, we learned that the Mets have no clear plan, a lack integrity, and operate under questionable leadership.
That last issue has become even more muddied, if we are to believe Peter Gammons — who stated on the Michael Kay Show that Jeff Wilpon is the real Mets GM, while Omar Minaya is “the one who’s out there to take the heat” (follow this link and skip ahead to the 13:20 minute mark to hear that part of the conversation).
If true, that would certainly explain a number of the mysteries surrounding this futile franchise. Perhaps it now makes sense to re-evaluate whether Jeff Wilpon is qualified to be a Major League GM. As we know, the sum total of his baseball background is limited to the time he’s spent as COO of the Mets, a bullpen session with Tom Seaver and a shady “professional” stint.
BTW, Gammons also hinted that all is not well in Dodgerland — so perhaps the news of the McCourts breakup is just the tip of the iceberg.
Deja Vu All Over Again
This past Mets season was a failure, and the brass made several public appearances to apologize and explain it away, while also announcing the beginning of changes that were coming in the offseason.
Sound familiar?
As Yogi Berra said, “it’s deja vu all over again”.
Around this time last year, Jerry Manuel and his coaching staff were under evaluation. Click that link and read MetsToday’s take on the situation one year ago. In particular, note this comment:
By the way, Jerry Manuel has made a public statement regarding his goal to stress fundamentals with the ‘09 club.
If you dare, follow that link to the MLB.com article in which Manuel expounds on his plans for better fundamentals, “team over individual”, and “a more mature approach”.
The best-laid plans of mice and men …
And speaking of plans, you may want to go back to this post from October 23, 2008, which breaks down Jeff Wilpon’s interview with Mike Francesa. Feel free to compare and contrast to the most recent meeting between Wilpon and Francesa.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
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