Boik14 is the shiz
01-14-2005, 05:16 PM
This time a year ago, Omar Minaya was doing a dubious job of guiding the Montreal Expos to continued inconsequence.
Also...
<LI>Big Unit: I was 'unprofessional' (http://msn.foxsports.com/story/3279234)
<LI>Beltran joins 'the new Mets' (http://msn.foxsports.com/story/3307774)
<LI>Beltran contract breakdown (http://msn.foxsports.com/story/3315056)
<LI>Big Unit not in Phoenix anymore (http://msn.foxsports.com/story/3313270)
<LI>Latest baseball rumors (http://msn.foxsports.com/story/3313998)
ROSENTHAL: Beltran worth risk (http://msn.foxsports.com/story/3309208)
I say "dubious" because even once you account for their tightly circumscribed budget and lamentable "wards of the state" status, Minaya still made some highly questionable personnel moves. But things, of course, change.
Now Minaya is GM of the well-heeled New York Mets (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71607), and because of his deft touch on the free agent market this winter, enthusiasm is brimming among Met fans. He's already signed the two most coveted free agents on the market — Pedro Martinez (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player/84965) and Carlos Beltran (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player/85146) — and indications are that he's not done. You can quibble that he overpaid for both, but Martinez will provide a substantial rotation upgrade over Al Leiter (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player/85681), and Beltran, who is a very good player, has the potential for greatness.
Two other dynamics are also at work. One, Minaya's work this off-season in tandem with the Yankees (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71596)' largely clueless additions have positioned the Mets (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71607) to be the New York team for seasons to come. That'll show up in the bottom line. Second, Minaya is doing a masterly job of re-branding the Mets (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71607) as the desired destination for premium Latin talent.
Considering that the substantial Latin talent base figures only to get more substantial in the coming years, that's a wise organizational strategy. I'm saying this: no GM has done a better job this winter than Minaya (forgetting, for the moment, the thoroughly ill-considered Kris Benson (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player/85767) contract). But his work isn't done.
The Mets (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71607) are probably already the favorites in a down-cycled NL East. After 13 years, I'm loath to pick against the Braves (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71601) in the division, but I just don't see how the current Atlanta roster wins the flag. The Phillies (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71608) will be contenders, but the rotation and bottom half of the lineup concern me.
Florida should potentially be taken seriously, but they need to add an impact left-handed bat in the worst way (more on that in a moment). In other words, this is eminently winnable division for the Mets (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71607), but they're missing a few pieces. Here's how they need to play it the rest of the winter.
Sign Carlos Delgado (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player/85392)
You might glance at Delgado's numbers from a year ago and assume he's no longer a superstar-caliber player. You'd be wrong. A hip injury dampened his numbers in the first half, and after the break he hit a robust .305 AVG/.408 OBP/.625 — vintage Delgado. And that's exactly what the Mets (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71607) need: another fulcrum in the lineup.
http://msn.foxsports.com/id/3321534Carlos Delgado is exactly what the Mets need in their lineup. (Jed Jacobsohn / GettyImages)
With the addition of Beltran and a full season from the lavishly gifted David Wright, the Mets (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71607)' offense will already be improved, but adding Delgado to the fold makes it a fearsome heart of the order. He also fills a manifest need for the Mets (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71607). That is unless Minaya fancies the idea of opening the season with Jason Phillips (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player/104120) or, say, Travis Lee (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player/85715) at first base.
As I already mentioned, the Marlins (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71614) badly need a left-handed power bat, and they're rumored to be in the Delgado fray. This is further incentive for the Mets (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71607) to sign him. Keep him out of Florida's hands, and you thin the herd of division contenders. Let him ink with the Marlins (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71614), and suddenly you have three instead of two teams to worry about.
The Mets (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71607) have the money, they have the promise of contention and, as pointed out earlier, they offer an organizational environment that's rapidly becoming tailored to the Latin ballplayer. There's no excuse for not signing Delgado.
Keep Mike Cameron (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player/85343)
The wisest tack would be to move Beltran to right, since Cameron is a notably better defensive center fielder than Beltran. However, I understand that's not really a tenable idea. But Cameron most assuredly has a place on this team.
He's a tremendous fielder, and his offensive abilities have been obscured by the fact that he's spent much of his career in Safeco and Shea, two parks that are fairly brutal on right-handed power hitters. Cliff Floyd (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player/85924)'s glove in left is a liability, but two strong defenders like Beltran and Cameron in the outfield would more than compensate.
http://msn.foxsports.com/id/3321540Mike Cameron's dynamic abilities make him a valuable player on any almost team. (G. Newman Lowrance / GettyImages)
Moreover, the Mets (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71607)' rotation — especially Martinez, Benson and Steve Trachsel (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player/85664) — shows strong fly-ball tendencies. That means it would behoove the team to trot out a strong defensive outfield unit. Trading away a gold glove-caliber outfielder who can also hit a little isn't the way to do that.
I'm aware of the Sammy Sosa (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player/85474) rumors, but consider that Cameron's offense is undervalued, that his base-running and defensive abilities are twice as good as Sosa's on Cameron's worst day ever, that his glove skills dovetail nicely with the tendencies of the pitching staff and that his contract is far less onerous than Sosa's. I know which player I'd rather have.
Cameron isn't particularly happy about a move to right field, but I do believe he can be sold on the idea of playing for a team that, provided Delgado is added, can win the World Series. Minaya and manager Willie Randolph are widely regarded as "player" guys; put those skills to use in mollifying Cameron.
Worry about the bullpen later
The middle-relief corps is a source of concern, but signing Delgado and resisting the urge to jettison Cameron are far more critical. The Mets (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71607) have a pair of quality minor league lefty relievers in Blake McGinley and Royce Ring who are almost ready to pitch at the highest level.
See if the progress Mike DeJean (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player/85181) showed after being acquired is genuine. Determine whether
Also...
<LI>Big Unit: I was 'unprofessional' (http://msn.foxsports.com/story/3279234)
<LI>Beltran joins 'the new Mets' (http://msn.foxsports.com/story/3307774)
<LI>Beltran contract breakdown (http://msn.foxsports.com/story/3315056)
<LI>Big Unit not in Phoenix anymore (http://msn.foxsports.com/story/3313270)
<LI>Latest baseball rumors (http://msn.foxsports.com/story/3313998)
ROSENTHAL: Beltran worth risk (http://msn.foxsports.com/story/3309208)
I say "dubious" because even once you account for their tightly circumscribed budget and lamentable "wards of the state" status, Minaya still made some highly questionable personnel moves. But things, of course, change.
Now Minaya is GM of the well-heeled New York Mets (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71607), and because of his deft touch on the free agent market this winter, enthusiasm is brimming among Met fans. He's already signed the two most coveted free agents on the market — Pedro Martinez (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player/84965) and Carlos Beltran (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player/85146) — and indications are that he's not done. You can quibble that he overpaid for both, but Martinez will provide a substantial rotation upgrade over Al Leiter (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player/85681), and Beltran, who is a very good player, has the potential for greatness.
Two other dynamics are also at work. One, Minaya's work this off-season in tandem with the Yankees (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71596)' largely clueless additions have positioned the Mets (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71607) to be the New York team for seasons to come. That'll show up in the bottom line. Second, Minaya is doing a masterly job of re-branding the Mets (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71607) as the desired destination for premium Latin talent.
Considering that the substantial Latin talent base figures only to get more substantial in the coming years, that's a wise organizational strategy. I'm saying this: no GM has done a better job this winter than Minaya (forgetting, for the moment, the thoroughly ill-considered Kris Benson (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player/85767) contract). But his work isn't done.
The Mets (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71607) are probably already the favorites in a down-cycled NL East. After 13 years, I'm loath to pick against the Braves (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71601) in the division, but I just don't see how the current Atlanta roster wins the flag. The Phillies (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71608) will be contenders, but the rotation and bottom half of the lineup concern me.
Florida should potentially be taken seriously, but they need to add an impact left-handed bat in the worst way (more on that in a moment). In other words, this is eminently winnable division for the Mets (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71607), but they're missing a few pieces. Here's how they need to play it the rest of the winter.
Sign Carlos Delgado (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player/85392)
You might glance at Delgado's numbers from a year ago and assume he's no longer a superstar-caliber player. You'd be wrong. A hip injury dampened his numbers in the first half, and after the break he hit a robust .305 AVG/.408 OBP/.625 — vintage Delgado. And that's exactly what the Mets (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71607) need: another fulcrum in the lineup.
http://msn.foxsports.com/id/3321534Carlos Delgado is exactly what the Mets need in their lineup. (Jed Jacobsohn / GettyImages)
With the addition of Beltran and a full season from the lavishly gifted David Wright, the Mets (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71607)' offense will already be improved, but adding Delgado to the fold makes it a fearsome heart of the order. He also fills a manifest need for the Mets (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71607). That is unless Minaya fancies the idea of opening the season with Jason Phillips (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player/104120) or, say, Travis Lee (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player/85715) at first base.
As I already mentioned, the Marlins (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71614) badly need a left-handed power bat, and they're rumored to be in the Delgado fray. This is further incentive for the Mets (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71607) to sign him. Keep him out of Florida's hands, and you thin the herd of division contenders. Let him ink with the Marlins (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71614), and suddenly you have three instead of two teams to worry about.
The Mets (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71607) have the money, they have the promise of contention and, as pointed out earlier, they offer an organizational environment that's rapidly becoming tailored to the Latin ballplayer. There's no excuse for not signing Delgado.
Keep Mike Cameron (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player/85343)
The wisest tack would be to move Beltran to right, since Cameron is a notably better defensive center fielder than Beltran. However, I understand that's not really a tenable idea. But Cameron most assuredly has a place on this team.
He's a tremendous fielder, and his offensive abilities have been obscured by the fact that he's spent much of his career in Safeco and Shea, two parks that are fairly brutal on right-handed power hitters. Cliff Floyd (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player/85924)'s glove in left is a liability, but two strong defenders like Beltran and Cameron in the outfield would more than compensate.
http://msn.foxsports.com/id/3321540Mike Cameron's dynamic abilities make him a valuable player on any almost team. (G. Newman Lowrance / GettyImages)
Moreover, the Mets (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71607)' rotation — especially Martinez, Benson and Steve Trachsel (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player/85664) — shows strong fly-ball tendencies. That means it would behoove the team to trot out a strong defensive outfield unit. Trading away a gold glove-caliber outfielder who can also hit a little isn't the way to do that.
I'm aware of the Sammy Sosa (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player/85474) rumors, but consider that Cameron's offense is undervalued, that his base-running and defensive abilities are twice as good as Sosa's on Cameron's worst day ever, that his glove skills dovetail nicely with the tendencies of the pitching staff and that his contract is far less onerous than Sosa's. I know which player I'd rather have.
Cameron isn't particularly happy about a move to right field, but I do believe he can be sold on the idea of playing for a team that, provided Delgado is added, can win the World Series. Minaya and manager Willie Randolph are widely regarded as "player" guys; put those skills to use in mollifying Cameron.
Worry about the bullpen later
The middle-relief corps is a source of concern, but signing Delgado and resisting the urge to jettison Cameron are far more critical. The Mets (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/team/71607) have a pair of quality minor league lefty relievers in Blake McGinley and Royce Ring who are almost ready to pitch at the highest level.
See if the progress Mike DeJean (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player/85181) showed after being acquired is genuine. Determine whether