Posted on October 18, 2011 by Paul Festa

The World Series is starting, and the offseason is young.  But despite the fact that the Mets didn’t play baseball this October, there’s still plenty to talk about.

And the Blogs are talking:

  • Mack’s Mets has an early preview of the 2012 draft.
  • Patrick Flood illustrates the risks of signing pitchers to long-term contracts.
  • Mets360 crunches some numbers and finds the Mets’ 2012 payroll may not be as limiting as it seems.
  • Metstradamus wants you to decide who’s more hatable: Tony Bernazard or Yadier Molina?
  • The Happy Recap Sunday radio show featured special guest, Ted Berg from SNY.
  • LoHud Mets examines the trade that sent Nelson Cruz away from the Mets.  That’s right: the 2011 ALCS MVP was once in the Mets’ organization.

The offseason is just getting warmed up, and so is Mets Today.

Posted in Around the Blogs | 5 Comments

The Future of Wally Backman

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Paul Festa

This didn't go so well.

On Saturday, Wally Backman told WFAN he’d like to stay with the Mets.  “Not only did the Wilpons give me a second chance to get back in to baseball,” Backman said, “but there is some unfinished business – so to speak – the organization is going in the right direction.”

Depending on which Mets fan you talk to, this is either the greatest news in team history, or the death knell of the organization.  Yes, it seems when it comes to opining about the Mets’ former second baseman, there is no middle ground.  The very mention of Wally’s name sets off in-fighting the likes of which haven’t been seen since the 1860s.

So, putting emotion aside, what kind of future does Backman have with the Mets, or with another organization in Major League Baseball?

Most Mets fans remember Backman fondly as the grinding, contact-hitting, uniform-dirtying second baseman from the winning Mets teams of the 1980s.  After Backman retired, he began his managerial career in 2002 with the Birmingham Barons.  That year, the Barons went 79-61.  He continued his winning ways into 2004, when he won Sporting News “Minor League Manager of the Year”.  That year, he managed the Arizona Diamondbacks’ High-A team to an 86-54 record.  That November, Backman was named manager of the big club in Scottsdale.

In a surreal turn of events, just a day later, on HBO’s Real Sports, Bryant Gumbel (making yet another stellar contribution to sports) reported that Backman had been arrested in 1999 for DUI.  It was also reported that Backman had filed for bankruptcy to avoid paying the IRS and other creditors (Seems Backman and Lenny Dykstra had more in common than just setting the table for the 80s Mets).  The Diamondbacks stood by him for exactly three days before firing him for lying about his past.  This turn of events has marred Backman’s reputation to this day.

However, like in his playing days, Backman has pressed on despite the odds.  He’s attempted to rebuild his career, managing at any level to try to reach his goal of managing in the big leagues.  His turn with the independent South Georgia Peanuts produced a 59-28 record and a viral video (WARNING: NSFW Language).

He has since returned to the Mets organization, managing at Class A Brooklyn and Class AA Binghamton.  With Tim Teufel now filling the role of 3rd Base Coach for the big club, Backman would likely be the manager of AAA Buffalo, should he stay with the organization.

While in the Mets organization, he has reportedly connected with his players.  Record-wise, the B-Mets got off to a rough start this year, but came on strong at the end of the season (with a boost from the promotions of Matt Harvey and Jeurys Familia).

Backman was considered a candidate for the Mets’ 2012 bench coach job, but the Mets decided to go with Bob Geren.  Backman’s critics took this to mean the Mets would rather have Wally from Leave it to Beaver in their organization than Wally Backman.  Before hiring Geren, however, the Mets stated that they were looking for an experienced Major League bench coach.  Geren, a former Major League manager, fit that bill.  Backman, despite technically being a big league manager for four days, did not.

So, at best, the Mets will further evaluate Backman as manager of the Buffalo Bisons.  If he does leave the organization, he will likely get a good, hard look from another team.  But can he manage in the Major Leagues?

To his critics, he would be the worst manager since Bill Lumbergh.  To his supporters, he’d be a great motivator, and teach his players how to play like he did back in ’86.  The truth is, as a minor league manger, he has garnered little criticism from his players.  The question is, will his aggressive style and bold personality wear out its welcome with Major League players?  And the largest concern seems to be with his off-the-field issues.  Backman wouldn’t be the first manager with off-the-field issues.  Ron Washington has tested positive for cocaine, and has admitted using the substance.  Has it hurt his on-the-field performance?  Yesterday he led his Texas Rangers to their second consecutive AL pennant.

So, can Wally Backman be a Major League manager?  Yes.  Can he be a good Major League manager?  Everyone can speculate, but the plain truth is, nobody knows.  The fact that the Mets haven’t given up on him is a good sign.  The fact that he has connected with his players at the minor league level is a good sign.  But his volatility on and off the field is a legitimate strike against him.  No matter how successful he is, he will be entertaining and he will be controversial.  In the context of the sports business as entertainment, that’s often a winning combination.

Posted in Hot Stove, Mets Yesterday, WallyBall | 6 Comments

Mets Grab Geren – But Who is in Charge?

Posted on October 15, 2011 by Joe Janish

Big news in Flushing — the Mets have hired former Oakland Athletics manager Bob Geren to be their 2012 bench coach.

The hiring comes as a surprise, since Bud Selig / MLB generally ask that teams hold off on huge announcements at this time of year, so that focus does not waver from the excitement of the postseason. But those brash and defiant Mets — who once almost wore illegal hats in a baseball game — laughed off such policy and came out with the news anyway.

What? The hiring of Geren isn’t big news to you? Maybe because you’re still on the edge of your seat waiting to hear who the first-base coach will be. Or, maybe you’re more focused on whether the Mets will take advantage of their exclusive negotiating window and talk to the agent of a certain switch-hitting shortstop.

In all seriousness, I find the hiring of Geren interesting, in that it smacks of a Sandy Alderson move. Whether that’s good or bad is hard to measure — it all depends on your perspective, which we can argue in the comments. To set up the discussion, consider these factors:

1. Terry Collins‘ choice for bench coach was his good friend Jim Riggleman. So, you could look at this as Alderson making a power play — though, not necessarily as an ego thing. I’m sure that Alderson genuinely prefers Geren for valid reasons, but the point is that ultimately, the Mets hired Alderson’s guy and not Collins’ guy — even though Collins is the one who will work most closely with the new employee.

2. The hiring of Geren comes off the heels of Chip Hale‘s move to Oakland, and the firing of Ken Oberkfell. Both Obie and Hale were leftovers from the “previous regime”, and rather than promote from within, Alderson chose someone outside the organization. At the same time, though, Alderson DID promote Tim Teufel to third-base coach. Which brings me to the third consideration …

3. Was Bob Geren really Alderson’s hire, or was it Jeff Wilpon’s? Further, was the hiring of a bench coach given to Alderson because Jeff had dibs on the hiring of a third base coach? Teufel is a longtime friend and trusted soldier of the Wilpons, and as such this promotion could be interpreted as a personal reward as much as it was one for performance.

I know a lot of Mets fans would like to believe that Sandy Alderson holds the Mets future in his hands. Those of you who have that belief probably also think that Omar Minaya singlehandedly “destroyed” the organization. Maybe you’re right, but I have my own conspiracy theories, and would just like to point out little things here and there that could support my silly ideas (hey, with no Mets games going on, there’s a lot more time to dream up this stuff).

There have been rumblings from “those in the know” that Alderson is already growing tired of “arrangement” that looms above him — and by that I mean the owners’ exercising their right to have a say in what happens with their company. A year ago, ownership was in a precarious position: they were in financial straits, were coming off two consecutive poor seasons, and had the Irving Picard suit looming. They were down, and they needed help. In response, Bud Selig sent Alderson in to Flushing on a white horse carrying a sack of secret cash to help turn things around. A year later, things are looking just a bit brighter for Mets ownership. For one, the Picard suit looks like it will cost them almost a billion dollars less than they thought. Further, Alderson has and is continuing to slash payroll. And, ownership seems to feel confident they can pull in a few investors over the winter. Those three developments have made the future look a bit brighter, and perhaps injected the Wilpons with just a bit of chutzpah. Why is this important? Because if they feel as though they’re “in the clear”, Fred and Jeff Wilpon are likely to go right back to doing what they’ve always done — which is, run the Mets. Again, that’s their prerogative — it IS their company, after all. For those who forgot, the Mets have been the Wilpons’ company exclusively since 2002, when they purchased the other 50% of the franchise from Nelson Doubleday (ironically, with some help from their good buddy Selig’s accountant, who Doubleday felt was “cooking the books”).

The Mets record since the Wilpons took over complete ownership in 2002? 795-823, for a .491 winning percentage. In those ten seasons, the Mets won the NL East once, reaching the postseason once. They’ve been through 5 managers and 4 GMs in those 10 seasons.

What do you think about this hiring of Bob Geren? Is it a clue to the beginnings of a behind-the-scenes power struggle? Or am I off my rocker creating conspiracy theories for lack of better content? Looking forward to your thoughts in the comments.

Posted in 11-12 Offseason, Latest Mets News, Opinion and Analysis | Tagged , , , , | 12 Comments

Exclusive Negotiating Windows Are Made to Be Broken

Posted on October 12, 2011 by Corey Gorey

As of this moment there is basically only one looming Mets story: the re-signing of Jose Reyes. I suppose the lowering of the Citi Field walls have run a distant second, but essentially, next year’s shortstop has become one of the only things that matter as the remaining two teams in each league pummel each other for glory.

On the surface, you might not think there weren’t many ways to conjecture about this issue; either the guy signs or he doesn’t. But as probability and sports radio would have it, there are enduring questions of money, the amount of years to be offered, the level of interest and identities of other possible suitors, Reyes’ health and endurance for the following five to seven seasons, the length of time it will take for his decision to come, among other things. These issues have grown as points of anguish and interest because no one speculating professionally or as an armchair executive believes the Mets’ exclusive negotiating window will produce any contract with Jose. And that’s sad. But it’s also business. With the National League Batting Title in his back pocket, most have concluded Reyes will very likely test the free agent market to listen to, if not heed the lucrative siren call of other franchises singing bewitchingly of his heavily incentive-laden worth.

With Sandy Alderson concerned with payroll flexibility and the entire fan base overwrought about never having a reason to watch a game for the next few seasons, there is a great deal at stake. The paranoid drawing of parallels to Strawberry’s career has raised the ever-threatening specter of Bronx pinstripes, while other fingers already point toward possible landing spots in Milwaukee and San Francisco, where Reyes might rejoin forces with other big-named, jettisoned ex-Mets. As a result of our collective growing anxiety, many have already blogged and spilled ink over the reasons why Flushing should simply do whatever it takes to retain #7—one of the only bright spots in an otherwise difficult past five years of frustrating baseball.

Is there really nothing Sandy can do during those precious moments after the World Series to convince Jose to just stay put?

Here are some unconventional options he might wish to consider during the first round of negotiations:

#1.) Get Terry Collins to drug Jose’s water or knock him out with an unexpected blow to the head A-Team style—like B. A. Baracus before getting on a plane. Photocopy his signature onto the new contract. When he wakes up, tell him he blacked out. During spring training, Jose will complain about headaches and go on the DL. He won’t rejoin the team until July when he injures his left hamstring stealing third, but he’ll be all ours to complain about incessantly.

#2.) Offer to re-sign him for 150 years at $8.33 billion per year. When he starts receiving 2012’s paychecks and asking questions, just have Fred and Saul “categorically reject” any accusations of fraud and tell Jose his English still needs work as they unleash an eye-glazing, drool-inducing team of suits to point out over the course of hours that the contract specifically stated his new deal was for 150 months at $8.33 per hour (with a club option after 20 months). Sit back and watch the ensuing courtroom drama unfold, and the Post for their brand of daily indecorous word play headlines, which they will no doubt vomit reliably across the back page.

#3.) Maneuver the most base and shameless among the negotiating staff to work tirelessly to produce a secondary agreement, which, once in place, simultaneously locks Reyes in for the next five seasons through outside revenue streams. By signing a distribution deal to make his EL7 Music a subsidiary of Universal Music Latin Entertainment with an accompanying 8-year, 5-album deal worth $120 million, Jose will agree to the annual league minimum of $414,500 from the ball club during the duration.

Other ideas:

–         Paint his face on the Home Run Apple, or better yet, purchase the years remaining on the naming rights and change the stadium to Jose Field

–         Call Reyes into the Acela Club where Jay Horwitz will shoot Ruben Tejada execution-style–the wall of glass backdrop will make the killing very dramatic. Afterward, have Jeff Wilpon open a suitcase of cash and say, “That’s how positive we are that you’ll just relax…and get yourself nice and comfortable. Stay in Queens, Jose”

–         Broker a deal with the Town of North Hempstead to convince Manhasset to officially observe June 11th as Jose Day, complete with parade, closed libraries, and a public flogging of fellow resident Bill O’Reilly by the masked Mr. Met. When the press raises an eyebrow and S&M jokes start to surface, sell Zack Wheeler’s contract to Washington for a huge sum of money to buy every newspaper off

–         On a moonless night, move the Mets to the Dominican Republic and don’t look back

Posted in Page Two Tuesday | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

Wally Backman To Nationals?

Posted on October 11, 2011 by Joe Janish

According to Mike Puma of The New York Post, Wally Backman may be moving on to the Washington Nationals to join Davey Johnson’s coaching staff in 2012.

Per Puma’s “source”, Johnson would groom Backman to be his heir apparent, and eventually take over as manager of the Nats.

If indeed there is truth to this rumor, it would explain why Sandy Alderson stepped around the question of where Backman would be in the Mets organization next year. When asked whether Backman would be back in Binghamton or in Buffalo, or as part of Terry Collin’s big-league staff, the GM was non-committal.

It would make perfect sense for Wally to move on from the Mets, considering that his ultimate goal is to be a Major League manager, he’s not getting any younger, and it does not appear as though he’ll have the opportunity to be a manager in Flushing anytime soon — since the Mets picked up Collins’ option to continue managing through 2013. Additionally, Backman is not seen as in the running for the coveted positions of bench coach nor third-base coach for Collins in 2012; generally speaking, those are the two roles often used as stepping stones toward managing.

What do you think? Should Wally move on to DC? Post your thoughts in the comments.

Posted in 11-12 Offseason, Rumors | Tagged , , , | 14 Comments

How The A’s Won Before Billy Beane

Posted on October 9, 2011 by Joe Janish

If didn’t see Saturday Night Live this past weekend, no worries, as you didn’t miss anything, it was dreadful — one of the worst SNL episodes ever.

But, there was one funny segment, which was a parody of the TV commercials currently running for the movie Moneyball:

Some might argue that this commercial parody is more historically correct than the movie starring Brad Pitt.

BTW I’m stunned that Jose Canseco wasn’t available for a cameo.

Posted in Off Topic | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

The Mets Break Out Their Season Ticket Pricing Plans For 2012

Posted on October 6, 2011 by Marc Hofstatter

Let the offseason moves begin! The New York Mets opened the floodgates yesterday by announcing their new season ticket packages and detailing the numerous changes that they will be implementing in an effort to retain season ticket holders as well as to incentivize new would-be buyers for the 2012 season. The biggest announcement coming out of Flushing since the end of game 162, so far, is that no season ticket holder will be seeing an increase in their invoices for the upcoming season. In implementing these changes the Mets also are moving their ticket issuing services to Tickets.com and introducing Dynamic Pricing, a system currently employed by the Arizona Diamondbacks, St. Louis Cardinals, and Oakland A’s among other MLB, NBA and NHL teams. Single game tickets go on sale in March, but until then it’s important to examine just what all of these changes mean to the average Mets fan.

Under greater analysis and in speaking with Dave Howard, Mets executive vice president for business operations, the team was quick to assert to Mets Today that by passing these increased savings onto the fans they took into account three things, “the economy, disposable income and the team’s performance.” Ticket holders will see some of the following price reductions depending on their seat location:

·         80% of seats will have a reduction of approximately 5% or greater

·         57% of seats will have a reduction of 10% or greater

·         35% will have a cut of 20% or more

·         18% will have a drop of 30% or more

Looking solely at the numbers, the Mets have done their homework and delivered to their faithful a season ticket offer that would entice even the financially strapped to fork over their hard earned or in many cases, saved, cash. Nearly 15,000 of the 41,800 seats will be available on any given day for less than $25, and a limited amount of full-season packages will be retailing for less than $1,000. What does, however, float to the surface are the other changes that the Mets have made to accommodate these additional box office savings.

Upon restructuring their seat pricing for a third year in a row, the Mets have also moved up their deadline for their various “early bird” incentives.  The Major League Baseball Winter Meetings do not begin until December 5th, presumably around the same time that the free agency market begins to rear its head; most specifically for the Mets, the free agency of a certain Dominican shortstop and 2011 NL Batting Title holder. This date lags nearly a month behind the Metroplitans announced November 7th deadline for season package renewal and due payment in order to participate in the Amazin’ Mets Perks Program, which will be expanding in 2012 with additional benefits and exclusive experiences yet to be fully detailed and outlined. To clarify, before you even begin to gain an understanding of where Sandy Alderson and Team Collins will be taking the Mets in 2012, you need to decide if you’re on board with their agenda. It’s important to remember that as a loyal fan you’re there to support your team through thick and thin, but as Alderson has already announced that the payroll for next season might drop as much as $40 million dollars, you begin to wonder if perhaps all these discounts are at the detriment of the 2012 season.

The biggest change facing the Mets and their ticketing system is that of the newly introduced Dynamic Pricing for single game tickets. When these tickets go on sale early this Spring, they will initially be offered at prices at or below 2011 cost. These prices will then be adjusted on a real-time basis before and during the season, either upward or downward, purely based on market demand. Powered by Qcue, Inc. the system is meant to provide all fans with a variety of pricing options, but in reality it borders on ticket brokering. The seats have a floor price that will never dip below what season ticket holders have paid for equal seats, however, making matters incredibly difficult for your average fan is the fact that there is “no ceiling” on the cost of the tickets and they will rise based upon “what the market can bear.” In other words, if you and your family of four are looking to attend that Mets vs. Phillies matchup or Grandpa wants to watch his beloved Cubbies square off his adopted Boys from Queens, and both teams are presently in a pennant crunch or just perhaps marginally above .500, then be well prepared to pay through the roof for the opportunity to do so.

In introducing Dynamic Pricing — a system that seems to be spreading consistently throughout organized sports — it seems that the Mets are either betting on, or against, themselves. Which of the two it is remains most unclear. When pushed on what the team would be doing for families in the hopes of bringing more of them back to the ballpark amidst a potential price gouge, Howard offered no specific details. He acknowledged certain promotions from the 2011 season including kids getting in for free and student rush tickets, but either couldn’t or wouldn’t speculate or detail what was on tap for 2012, deciding to focus more on the larger revenue based season ticket holders until the other packages go on sale next year.

Like much in the world, the 2012 season for the Mets is full of uncertainty. Battling back from another crushing season filled with injuries and a high level of financial uncertainty, the Mets do seem eager to make it up to the fans. Are they delivering all that they can and more? Perhaps not, or at least not at this point in the early post-season/off-season. As the Boys of October hang up their hats and the winter months roll in, we’ll gain a greater appreciation for what’s in store for the team, until then we will all have some hard decisions to make and Mets Today will be here to keep you company. As always be sure to follow us on Facebook for all the latest New York Mets news and updates.

Posted in Latest Mets News | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

The Conclusion Jumper: Black Facts

Posted on October 5, 2011 by Corey Gorey

The year was a bust and the next might be tougher. We’re all dying to hold on to Jose until his legs fall off and on top of that, the NL East competition promises to get even stiffer next season.

But before the debate rages about how our Mets will look in 2012 personnel-wise, let’s take a moment during these playoff games we have no part of to talk about fashion. Surely, the traditionalist pinstripe lovers (closet Yankee fans) and snow-white purists will blow their horns for the eradication of all things black and drop shadow, while others will extol the virtues of this year’s new but rarely seen cheesy bright blue Los Mets getups. But let’s consider the facts.

During the 2011 campaign the Mets couldn’t get out of their own way and came in eight games under .500. Do you know why? You can mention the rough start, Pelfrey’s inconsistencies, Ike and Murphy’s injuries (among others), or stretch and say the off-field Madoff business really cast doubt over the year. But you would be wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

The reason the 2011 Mets didn’t perform better was because they didn’t wear the black uniforms enough.

You want statistics? You love statistics, don’t ya?  Here you go:

2011 games played in black jerseys:              53
2011 games won in black jerseys:                  28
2011 games lost in black jerseys:                   25

2011 winning percentage in games played in black jerseys: .528%

 

Conclusion: For 2012 wear BLACK for the majority of the games and put drop shadow everywhere: layer it beneath the “TM” on the Mets baseball logo, use dark dirt under the bases, draw some across the players’ foreheads with eyeblack, and for good luck, slap a little Just For Men Mustache & Beard jet-black brush-in color gel on Keith’s upper lip. And fine—I’ll concede white unis on Friday nights only. And if it feels more old school for you, tear the names off the back; the way things are headed, I won’t know or care to know exactly who it is fumbling around out there anyway.

P.S. – I just realized how happy I am that I never have to listen to Fran Healy call a Met game ever again. Same goes for Seaver. He sure did like to say “big boy” a lot, didn’t he?

Posted in Page Two Tuesday | 6 Comments