‘I think I’ve been pretty clear… This is the team we’re going with, I think we’ve made improvements and I look forward to spring training.”
This morning, Omar Minaya said those words when asked about Manny Ramirez. Really Omar? Dude, really? Why? Why? The Mets have spent the last 3 years looking for a right handed bat with pop to balance out a lefty leaning lineup. Who is the best person available to fit that description? Manny. I have rehashed the numbers over and over. I am not going to do that here. I am just going to make one last effort to convey how shortsighted this is.
Fred Wilpon conveyed to Mets fans back in 2005, after 4 years of garbage, that he wanted to play meaningful games in September. That right there shows you the B+ effort this franchise puts out on a day in day out basis. I want to play meaningful games in October. We have been playing meaningful games in September and you see how well that played out. Manny gets the Mets to October. With the fixed bullpen and pretty good starting rotation led by the best pitcher in baseball, the Mets are contenders. With Manny they are favorites.
The lineup as constructed now is top heavy. Sure, they will score runs but after Delgado you have to beat Schneider, Church, Castillo and the Pitcher. If the top of the lineup struggles forget it. Johan could be All-World, they will still lose. Manny extends that lineup. Manny takes the pressure off David Wright. Why do you think David asked for him?
Omar mentioned yesterday that this team was going to win based on speed, defense and pitching. He said this at the Oliver Perez Press Conference. I love the irony. The pitching is not terrible but Maine is coming back from injury. Oliver is a pea brain and they have 3 guys competing for the 5th spot all of whom are OK, with Niese having the biggest upside. I love Mike Pelfrey but he is coming off his first good season. I think he will progress but nothing is certain. The bullpen should be better but it can’t be worse.
As for defense, this team plans on playing Carlos Delgado, Daniel Murphy or Fernando Tatis and old Luis Castillo in the field everyday. Please don’t preach defense if that is what you are putting out there. They are good defensively in center and on the left side of the infield. Schneider is overrated as a catcher. In the speed department, they are good so Omar did do OK there. But what does all that speed matter when we have to rely on Brain Schneider to drive them in?
The Mets are $20 million below the Luxury Cap threshold. They want payroll flexibility going into the season. I am going to leave the Bernie Madoff stuff out of it. I am sure it is a reason, but if the Mets are saying they are operating business as usual, I have to make my argument based on what they tell me. Why do the Mets want so much flexibility? The last few years they were trying to score a right handed bat. Well, sign Manny and that need goes away. The payroll only remains tight this year anyway. The Tax threshold bumps up to $172 million next year. Billy Wagner’s $10 million and Carlos Delgado’s $12 million come off the book. If they sign Manny they are hugging the threshold this year but will be breathing fine next year. Matt Holliday will be the big player available next year and they will have to compete with the Yankees and Red Sox to get him. Enjoy that.
Manny is here for the taking. Just like Johan Santana last year. In this case, he only costs money. He allows you to develop Fernando Martinez (who hit a bomb in the Caribbean World Series last night). The kid is 20. I need to see him play one healthy minor league year first. Manny gives you time. I am excited by Daniel Murphy but who is to say he is a guaranteed thing? He could be the Mets’ future First baseman. I hope he is. I love homegrown talent. At the end of the day, I am sure Manny’s bat will be 3 times more significant that Murphy’s. And Murphy is young too.
This team is built to win now. Johan is in his prime. K-Rod and Putz together as the back end of the bullpen, have a one year shelf life. Beltran is at the end of his prime. Wright and Reyes are entering their primes and Delgado has one last day in the sun. They have good young pieces but the important ones are here to win now. Manny helps you win now. The Mets play in the same division as the World Champions. They play in the same town as the Yankees. Right now, that team is competitive with them. Manny makes the Mets better. One signing changes the balance of power in the division (which is most important to everyone with a brain) and the Yankees (which is most important to ownership and media assholes). Please reconsider this Omar, Fred and Jeff. If you come out and tell us a really good reason why it can’t happen, Met fans are willing to listen. The reason you are going to have to deal with fan led rallies on Thursday and Saturday is because you have not. There has not been one good reason to come out of any one their mouths. Tell us why. If you can’t then you need to get Manny.
Manny’s a clubhouse cancer. You don’t want that showboater.
/Sox fan’d
you’re being very greedy Roman. the Mets got 2 very good relievers. be happy with that.
Clubhouse cancer is kind of harsh. Does his mere presence require radiation treatments or chemo? Does he damage DNA or cause cell division? Doubtful. Only Sammy Sosa is capable of that.
eat shit stigs
/you made the playoffs
Roman, what kind of deal would you be content with the Mets giving him? Do you think he is going to take less than 3 years?
you’re being very greedy Roman. the Mets got
2 very good relieversrid of Aaron Heilman. be happy with that.Happy, fine. Clubhouse common cold?
It’s funny to listen to DC radio where they actually ponder if the Nationals should go after Manny, like there is a chance in hell he would ever play there.
cbh..I would do 3 years…he would be 39 at the end of it and it is not like he was some great defender anyway so I will deal with his fielding
That works. Or clubhouse broken arm.
Mante Teo to Notre Dame. Fuck, now I have to hate him.
They’ve got all that taxpayer money to use, they might as well win with it. Either way, the money’s gone. Thanks US Government!
cbh, i think Manny would play in DC. i don’t understand why they don’t go after him. they were willing to pay an inferior Tex $160M+, why not give Manny $75M? he would put butts in the seats and love it in a city that doesn’t eat, sleep and shit baseball.
wait, what? How is Tex inferior to Manny?
Tex (including defense) isn’t inferior. Plus he’s younger.
You are right about that Stigs, he would be perfect for DC in the sense that he is a star and DC loves stars but once the team was 25 games under .500 in July Manny wouldn’t give a fuck anymore and it would end badly.
I don’t think Manny would do anything to help the Nationals turn a corner, with him they might lose 90 games instead of 100, they have way too many issues. At the end of the day winning brings people out.
Tex made more sense because of his age and the fact that you could point to him as the guy you were building your team around. Manny is too old for anyone to believe that.
Manny to the Mets makes sense because he could actually push them over the top.
i know he’s younger, but Manny doesn’t seem to be on a decline. I’m talking about a 2-3 year deal for the money he wants.
i understand he’s not going to help them win a pennant, but neither would Tex. no one is going to help them win with the pieces they had. i guess Tex would have been there longer giving them more time to build around him.
manny has 2 rings. i’m not sure if he cares about winning as much as you think. i think he just wants to play, and be left alone.
I’m surprised the Nats haven’t signed Dunn, Bowden is in love with the guy from what I’ve heard, I guess maybe he doesn’t want to be there.
He has a contract offer on the table, but he hasn’t signed it yet.
The Nats would be wise to shelve all that money for Dunn, sign Zimmerman, and actually sign their draft picks this year.
Can’t believe TBL is now commenting on politcs. Wish I could stop by and harass his fag ass.
Isn’t that like an sales clerk commenting on Brain Surgery?
buy gold and canned goods, a reader passed on this info to me, head my advice as I once worked for EWeekly.
/
tbl’d
Rick,
What did you do to warrant the ban stick from TBL?
my favorite Big Leed twitter thus far.
For one I constantly pointed out his mistakes. Secondly, Tampa called him a “brother” so I called him an uncle tom, he them sent me an email saying “tbl isnt black, you are banned.”
he emailed in the third person? stigs thinks this is lame.
Ouch. So much for free speech.
He does use the term “we” a lot, so it wouldn’t surprise me.
oh yeah, he also took the time to link to wikipedia about what the definition of “uncle tom” is, while letting people with names such as “tar baby” comment.
What does that say?
/blocked at work
Have you pointed out this amazingness to him
Here’s a dirty little secret: We sometimes don’t wash our hands after we strangle a hobo.
I like the way this Minaya character thinks … for the Mets!