A Season Gone Horribly Wrong...

After last season, Mets' fans couldn't be blamed if we were skiddish, angry, disappointed...add any adjective that equates to "loss" and, well, you'd be right. Two years in a row seeing our dreams dashed was a lot to put up with, but even that would have been okay...IF the 2008 season, the last in our beloved (and reviled) Shea Stadium played out in better fashion then its' two predecessors. Sadly, with more than a third of the season complete, that looks to be as impossible as Josh Hamilton coming back from rehab and looking like a triple-crown player...okay, scratch that one...it's as impossible as Ryan Ludwick reaching near Pujols-like status as a slugger...again, not the best example...it's as impossible as the Giants winning the 2008 Super Bowl! Not a great example? Okay- it's as impossible to think that this Mets' team is going to win a World Series, or, heck, even make the playoffs, as it would be to see the Islanders make it to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2009!! THERE- finally, a good analogy...and NOT one that I'm happy about, either...

I don't want to say "what else can go wrong" as "Mr. Murphy" just might be listening, and might add something else to that crazy "law" of his. Instead, let's look at the three main areas that haven't exactly gone "right" for us so far:

1.) Willie Randolph's job is twisting in the wind.
Not to be a hypocrite, I've said many, many times during the past 3 years that a.) Willie Randolph is a great person, a charitable man, a proud graduate of Tilden High, and my favorite Yankee of all time, and b.) he is the wrong man for the job of Mets' manager. Neither of those things have changed. However, keeping Willie hanging in the wind while the Mets decide what to do about his job status is more than I can bare watching. Yes, our site has posted many complaints against the job Willie has done as a manager, but we've always greatly respected the man that Willie is. He's being treated in a fashion that no one deserves when their livelyhood is on the line, and if it came to a choice as to keep Willie for the rest of season or continue to watch his job status twist in the wind for the next few weeks, I'd opt for keeping Willie until the end of the season; that's the least they can do after giving Art Howe until the end of his final season, even when he didn't want to stay anymore. Willie's been a far better manager and New Yorker than Howe ever was, and deserves at least the same treatment that Howe received.

2.) The team's reliance upon older players.

Granted, if Pedro's return to health hadn't been interrupted during the second game of the season, this entire post might have been rendered moot. Unfortunately, it did happen (and Jon and I were there), as did Moises Alou's coming apart at the seams on 3 occasions (so far), Luis Castillo and Carlos Delgado aging 10 years practically overnight, in addition to injuries to Jose Valentin, Orlando Hernandez and Marlon Anderson. I understand why Omar has assembled the team he has, in the way that he has, but he also has to take the blame for his reliance on older players. As I said in a post a few days ago, I still believe that Omar deserves a chance to reassemble this roster, and I hope he gets the chance to do so. I also hope that our roster next season will feature the names "Carp," "Murphy," "Davis," "Havens," "Kunz" and "Niese." I'd rather go through a season of rebuilding and focusing on what Omar originally promised, a team built on pitching, defense and youth, then have another season of older parts jammed in for a one-season run, which so far has fallen short twice.

3.) Injuries - need we say more?
From Ryan Church and Moises Alou, to Orlando Hernandez and Pedro Martinez in the rotation, this season has been all about injuries. On a team where a.) older players are the norm, and b.) injuries are not exactly handled all that well (both as it pertains to media communication and, more importantly, how players injuries are actually handled), this season has been a complete disaster. In Alou's (first) absence, journeyman Angel Pagan becomes a more than able replacement, only to disappear with an injury, his current status barely known (I think I saw his face on a milk carton, but I'm not sure); Ryan Church proves to be one of Minaya's best acquistions, and then he's asked to travel across the country while battling his second concussion in less than 3 months- needless to say, if we're lucky, he'll be off the DL by early next week- whether he's the same player again remains to be seen; first baseman Carlos Delgado can't move on fastballs the way he used to, certainly not against lefties, and on a game by game basis, we can't tell which Delgado will show up- he has no single injury pressing at the moment, but his hips have proven to be a problem in the past and we're not entirely sure that he's ever completely recovered yet; centerfielder Carlos Beltran probably needs 15 days off so that his knees can catch up to the rest of his body, but that's not going to happen with the manager's job on the line, nor would Beltran agree to sit out any length of time, so we have to be content with Beltran at around 85% functionality; finally, in Pedro and O-Hern's absence, we tried out the likes of Nelson Figueroa, Claudio Vargas and Mike Pelfrey in their stead- Figs was a great early season story, but he's gone back to AAA- Vargas has become a long reliever, and Pelf is still in the rotation, although he could really use another season of development at the AAA level.

Without young, athletic players able to step in to replace injured vets, we've seen the likes of Robinson Cancel (his hit on Sunday notwithstanding) and Raul Casanova become parts of our bench, as well as youngster Nick Evans (who still needs seasoning in the minors), and none of them have been the RX for what ails us. Hope has arrived for next season in the form of draft picks Reese Havens and Ike Davis, as well as the rejuvinated Mike Carp, but next season is a long, long, LONG way away with nearly one-hundred games left to play this season.

I barely watched the games this weekend, not just because it was Father's Day, but because truly they have not exactly been a "joy" to watch. There was a difference this weekend, perhaps a small ray of hope; a classic-style win on Friday, a well-pitched victory by Pedro in game 2 on Sunday, and, although we lost in game one, for a change, we rallied back and actually scored a bunch of runs in the 8th and 9th innings, falling one run short in an 8-7 loss. Granted, while the Rangers have an amazing offense, their pitching leaves a lot to be desired, but they are still a tough team and taking 2 of 3 was the least we could have hoped for.

Facing the Angels for three games with the team at a crossroads might just be the right challenge to see what mettle this team has; I will be at the game on Wednesday, my last live game until coming to see Shea in September, and a game in which I get to see Oliver Perez yet again. I am praying we take another 2 of 3 and storm into Colorado on a high note- in this, the worst season under Omar's guidance so far, one is scared to hope for too much, as in a sweep- and that is truly sad, coming on the heals of two seasons where hope was the main ingredient for our fans.

So far, 2008 is, indeed, a season gone horribly wrong...it's still not too late to get that bad taste out of our mouths...I pray this happens very, very soon - for all of our sakes!!!

Castillo to DL? Not Yet...

Adam Rubin at The Daily News writes about Luis Castillo and how he might find himself on the DL:

Willie Randolph suggested Luis Castillo could land on the DL if his strained left quadriceps, which has sidelined him since he left Sunday's game, doesn't improve soon. Castillo said he didn't need to go on the DL.

This might be the best thing for Castillo and the team as he has just been a sporadic player since the season started.

Is Church The New 2 Hole Hitter?

Adam Rubin at Surfing the Mets writes about Willie Randolph’s decision to bat Church in the 2 hole and Castillo 8th:

Randolph gave more insight into why he’s batting Church second and Luis Castillo eighth. Aside from the obvious fact Church is hotter (.340 vs. .257), Randolph believed Church would benefit from seeing fastballs ahead of David Wright, particularly as opposed to the changeups he would otherwise see from the Nats all-lefty rotation this series. Randolph added that Castillo is a “perfect” No. 8 hitter because he doesn’t swing at many pitches out of the zone, and because he’s still quick enough to get to second base on sacrifice bunts.

Castillo Leaves With Sore Knee

Anthony DiComo at Mets.com writes about Luis Castillo leaving today’s game after the fourth inning with a sore right knee:

Second baseman Luis Castillo left Tuesday's Mets home opener against the Phillies after four innings with right knee soreness.

Though there was no immediate indication of exactly how Castillo aggravated the knee, he appeared to run gingerly while chasing a foul ball in the first inning. He remained in the game for three more innings, however, taking two at-bats.

I just can’t believe this. Are the Mets the most unlucky team in baseball or what? What else can happen this season with injuries? So if you aren’t counting that makes 5 players that are on or soon to be on the Disabled List (Orlando Hernandez, Pedro Martinez, Ramon Castro, Matt Wise, and Luis Castillo).

I'm Starting To Freak Out A Little

With Spring Training nearing to a close and the season starting in a little less than two weeks, maybe it’s time that I start to get a little worried about some of the key players who still haven’t made their debut yet. I was reassuring myself when all of the injuries rose to the top that it was still early in ST to start freaking out, but it’s gone on for too long.

How is Duaner Sanchez still not ready to make a complete comeback? I understand that he had two surgeries since that fateful night in Miami, but I thought that he was in phenomenal shape and wouldn’t have a problem anymore? He’s sporting an ERA in the upper six’s and he needs frequent rest between appearances. This doesn’t exactly exemplify an elite set up man or any kind of reliever for that matter.

Carlos Delgado can’t win, can he? The guy goes through his worst season, has a balky hip, broke his hand in the last day of the season and now he gets brutalized by a broken bat. Besides this, he’s hitting on the Mendoza line. Can someone please give him an umbrella to protect him from that rain cloud that seems to be over his head?

Where in God’s green earth is Luis Castillo? He had his knees cleaned out over the off season like Carlos Beltran, but Beltran has found his way back into the lineup. If he doesn’t put a rush on it, he may be having Spring Training in the first month of the season and that’s never a good thing for the team.

The next thing we are going to hear about El Duque is that he needs to be put on a dialysis machine or in an iron lung with the way he’s going. So let me get this straight. You have surgery on your foot, but you don’t get the bunion removed? I don’t get it. Now because of the bunion he has to alter his delivery, which means no more almost kneeing himself in the face. And I know everyone has been beating this point like a piñata, but when a pitcher has to alter his delivery at the end of his career it can hardly ever end up being a good thing.

Both Brian Schneider and Ramon Castro are out with leg injuries and I’m about to have a freaking heart attack. First of all, Schneider has to get used to this bunch of pitchers. Especially with three of them (maybe) being the accomplished gamers that they are, need him to be able to know how they like to go about attacking the batters. The Mets can’t afford for Castro to be on the shelf if Schneider is already there. Who are we going to see come up from the minors to replace them then? There is no Alomar Jr. or Di Felice anymore and no matter how atrocious their hitting was, they were pretty decent defensive catchers.

With all of this going on, I don’t know what to think. Hopefully they can pull it all together before the beginning o the season. But if they don’t, this team is going to resemble the Padres in a hurry. All pitchingandnobats.

No Castillo Yet

As reported on numerous sites, Luis Castillo will not be playing in today’s game against the Orioles.

Does this scare me? Not really.

But this always does (from David Lennon at On the Mets Beat):

Castillo always looks like he's limping, and has the knees of a 70-year-old, so it's hard to know how badly he's injured when you see him. Willie Randolph will likely address the issue after the game and not say anything particularly revealing. My guess is Castillo knows his body very well and will be ready for Opening Day.

I guess we should all trust Castillo to know how long he will need to get back on that baseball horse. But if this goes on beyond Friday, I’m going to start the dash to Valentin’s locker and plead for him to be ready for opening day.

Castillo On Santana

John Harper at The Daily News writes about Luis Castillo and Johan Santana being reunited and how Castillo thinks Santana will handle New York:

"When I got traded," Castillo said on a conference call yesterday from the Dominican Republic, "I remember Johan, in the locker room, we talked for 20 minutes. He told me he wanted to play for the Mets.

"So when I got over there I told (GM Omar) Minaya that Johan liked the Mets. I told him, 'I know he'll make a lot of money, but he's a great pitcher, and we need him here.' "

"The day Johan got traded, he called me," Castillo said. "I felt so happy about it. He's a great guy and, for me, I think he's the best pitcher in the big leagues.

"I don't see any problem coming to New York. He works hard every day. He just needs to keep doing what he's doing, and he'll be fine."

Castillo Is Back

At Mets.com they write about Luis Castillo coming back to the Mets for four years:

Second baseman Luis Castillo decided to stay with the New York Mets, reaching a preliminary agreement Sunday night on a $25 million, four-year contract, according to the Associated Press.

Castillo also won three Gold Gloves and provided steady defense up the middle with shortstop Jose Reyes despite playing on a sore knee that limited his speed. The 32-year-old hit .316 in September, one of the few Mets who came through as the team collapsed and blew a seven-game lead.

Castillo On Top Of Astros' List

At Rotoworld they write about Luis Castillo and how he is the Astros' most coveted free agent:

According to the Houston Chronicle, the Astros' top targets in free agency are Luis Castillo, Scott Linebrink and Randy Wolf.

The team is also said to be interested in Tadahito Iguchi, Kaz Matsui, Jon Lieber, Tom Glavine, Jeremy Affeldt, Francisco Cordero and Troy Percival, with the goal clearly being to fill spots at second base, in the rotation and in the bullpen. "We've got plenty of payroll flexibility to do the right things in the market," general manager Ed Wade said. "That's key in my mind."

Castillo's Requests Too Steep For Mets?

Ben Shpigel at The New York Times writes about Luis Castillo and the Mets interest in re-signing him:

The Mets are confident that Luis Castillo’s right knee, which required surgery, will not affect him much next season, but they intend to test the trade market before re-signing him. Castillo, who batted .296 and committed two errors in 50 games, could receive a four-year deal, which may be too steep for the Mets.

Sporting News: Top 50 Free Agents

At the Sporting News they give their predictions on where they think the top 50 free agents will land in the Off Season:

4. Jorge Posada- Mets. This is a bit of a limb, but I think he leaves and eventually moves to 1st base. Somewhere around 4 years 70 million from the Mets.

11. Carlos Silva- Mets. They are going to spend the money, and Silva is the best young pitcher on the market. he wont be tied down for more than 4, so 4 years 65 mil. gets it done.

15. Tadahito Ighuci- Mets. They need a replacement for Castillo who is a FA and Iguchi fits in nicely with the speed at the top of the Mets line-up.

Where Castillo will land:

29. Luis Castillo- Cardinals. He provides some insurance to the middle of the IF with the loss of Eckstein. Is still a nice option on the bases. 2 years 8 million

Mets Trying To Re-Sign Castillo

At Rotoworld they write about the Mets and them trying to get Luis Castilo back to play Second Base:

General manager Omar Minaya said Tuesday that the Mets "are going to do the best we can" to re-sign free agent Luis Castillo.They'll face competition from the Astros, among other teams.

Castillo has previously said that he'd like to remain in New York after coming over in a midseason trade from Minnesota.

Three Predicted Met Signings

At MLB Trade Rumors they run through the top 50 free agents and where he thinks they will sign. The Mets have thre of them:

9. Carlos Silva - Mets. Silva is going to have tons of suitors. The Mets will come up with a reliable starter one way or another, and Silva might fit. I was originally going to put Livan Hernandez in Queens. But if you're the Mets, why not tack on another year and $11MM to get the superior, younger guy?

33. Luis Castillo - Mets. I think the Mets will sign him for lack of a better option. He did a nice job for them and wants to stay.

41. Yorvit Torrealba - Mets. I don't see the Mets being crazy enough to give Posada five years. Torrealba seems sufficient, no worse than the other options. A Ramon Hernandez trade seems to be a popular alternative.

Castillo's Surgery

At Rotoworld they write about Luis Castillo and his surgery to clean out his knees:

Luis Castillo had his right knee cleaned out during a recent surgery and should be 100 percent by Jan. 1.

Castillo is eligible to be a free agent after the World Series, but the Mets are expected to make a strong effort to re-sign him.

Iguchi Won't Resign With Phillies

From Ed Ryan at Mets Fever (network member):

The free agent market for second baseman is very thin. Easley and Valentin, if healthy are more role players at best and can't be considered everyday players. Kaz isn't returning and Giles, if the Pads don't pickup his option can't hit(.229) anymore. Loretta would be interesting due to his bat (.287) and his versatility, played all four infield positions this year, but his age might be a deterrent.

I still think Luis Castillo is the best option, but I can understand his balky knees being a consideration. David Eckstein is also being considered, since it doesn't appear negotiations are going well with St Louis and he has said he would move back to second.

The person I've heard the least about maybe one of the best candidates for the position. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, 33 y/o second baseman Tadahito Iguchi has told the Phils that he will not be returning, so that he can pursue a full time second baseman's job with another team. In three full seasons he has played in at least 135 gms, with a BA of .276, OBP .347 and a FA .985. Another thing to take into consideration is if the team does acquire player/s from Japan, Iguchi could help them with the transition.

Sources say the Phillies reached out to Tadahito Iguchi about re-signing toplay third base. Iguchi told the team he preferred to sign elsewhere as a secondbaseman

Could Hudson Be Had?

Ed Ryan over at Mets Fever (Network Member) writes about the possibility of the Mets obtaining Orlando Hudson from the Diamondbacks in the Off Season due to their incredible depth of Infield talent.

Hudson is famous for his excellent fielding. Making those diving catches at smokers and ground balls have won him two Gold Gloves (one with the Blue Jays and one with the Diamondbacks). Receiving the Gold Glove in the American and National leagues earned him a spot with only five other Major Leaguers to do so.

As Ed states in his article, Hudson is a career .278 hitter. However, don’t let this fool you, because ever since 2003, his average has been on a steady increase as his hitting ability catches up with his fielding (’03 - .268, ’04 - .270, ’05 - .271, ’06 - .287; ’07 - .294).

Hudson is everything that Manager Willie Randolph stands for in his Second Basemen and would be a great addition if they decide not to bring Luis Castillo back for next season.

The only potential problem would be where would he bat? For the Diamondbacks, Orlando Hudson has been their leadoff hitter and as we all know, the Mets already have such a player. The only potential place to put him, would be in Castillo’s spot.

Castillo Still Wants To Return

At Rotoworld they write about Luis Castillo and him still wanting to return to the Mets:

Free agent Luis Castillo is hoping to return to the Mets, though he says they haven't made him an offer since acquiring him from the Twins at the trade deadline.

"I don't know if I'm here or not," Castillo said. "I want to come back here. I want to play here." Castillo just finished a three-year, $16 million contract. Something like $10 million-$12 million for two years would be fair for him now. There's a good chance the Mets will bid to retain him.

My List Of Demands To Willie Randolph

from MetsLifer.com

Ok, Willie. Now you can go take a vacation since Omar has announced that you're not going to be fired (yet). But don't think that you can go manage this team the same way you did this year.

Nope. Some changes need to be made. There's no negotiating these points. It's my way or the highway. So read them carefully. Memorize them. Tattoo them on your body if that's what it takes. I want these points to roll off your tongue as if you were naming your children.

Here are my demands:

1. Bunt more - You have possibly the fastest team in baseball next year if Reyes, Gomez, & Chavez are all back on the team. And them with Wright, Beltran and possibly Gotay and you have 6 guys who can steal 20 bases. Don't be afraid to bunt, especially if Chavez/Gomez/Reyes are on 3rd base and there's only 1 out. You'll add more runs and avoid more double plays. You'll thank me for this later when you win manager of the year.

2. Erase Guillermo Mota from your memory - Guillermo who? That's right. Never heard of him. Is he a hot shot second baseman? No? Then I'm not interested.

3. Demand bullpen help from Omar - Omar preaches pitching but come the trading deadline we got Jeff Conine. You've got to let Omar what you need to win. Sometimes he gets his own ideas. Speak up, be heard.

4. Bring back Luis Castillo - The guy's legs are going to fall off at any second, but he'd still bat .300 for this team. He's the kind of no nonsense, get the job done while sacrificing yourself type of player that New York loves, and needs. Think Mark Bavaro at second base. He's the only guy who consistently came through down the stretch outside of Wright & Beltran.

5. Defend your guys - Willie you're always quick to say that Mota's "your guy" or these are "my guys" and I'm sticking with them. Well show them some support from time to time on the field. Marlon Anderson & Paul Lo Duca are getting hosed by the umpires and you lally gag out on the field and don't even put up an argument. Get tossed from a game once in a while. The fans will love you for it. I know this against every fiber of your being, but we need to see your passion in more than words in a post game interview.

6. Bring back Marlon Anderson - This guy is our modern day Rusty Staub. He doesn't have to start a game the whole year and he'd come through in the clutch for us. Must have.

7. Have faith in your young studs - Milledge can play. Gomez has got talent. Gotay has got skills. Don't be afraid to let them play. Milledge was leading the team in batting with runners in scoring position and you buried him in the 8th spot or made him platoon with Damion Easley in right. If they show they can play, let them. I want you to protect them and not force them into the spotlight too early, but please let them help us win ball games. We don't want any more Julio Franco's or Jeff Conine's, old veterans who are supposed to add help but end up just hurting. Youth movement my friend. Remember these youths turn into pretty good veterans.

8. Tell Mike and the Mad Dog No More Interviews - Tell WFAN you'll do all your interviews with Steve Sommers or Joe Baningo. Until Mike and the Mad Dog become decent radio personalities again, you're cutting them off. They want to hate the Mets, let them. But you don't have to feed their fury.

Those are my demands, Mr. Randolph. You've got all offseason to work on them.

Castillo Ready For Tomorrow

Adam Rubin at Surfing The Mets writes about Luis Castillo and how Willie Randolph says the he is ready for tomorrow:

Luis Castillo, in yesterday’s original lineup, was scratched and Ruben Gotay started at second base. Willie Randolph suggested Castillo hadn’t experienced a setback with the balky right knee that troubled him even before he arrived in a July 30 trade, although it was bad enough to be pulled. “He’ll be ready to go on Friday,” Randolph predicted, referring to the Mets' return to Shea after today's off-day.

Issues Down The Stretch

Obviously wrapping up and securing the division title and home field through round 1 and 2 are the priorities here. But after that, here are some pending issues.

Jose Reyes NEEDS Rest:
Can we get A Hernandez to play some short? With each new view of a pop up flying off of his bat, it's become over-obvious that he is tired. The 48 hours off ending the Cinci series, followed by the scheduled team day off, will be a nice rest period for Reyes. But a little more may actually be in order.

Keeping Castillo Healthy:
Like Reyes, Castillo needs rest. With Gotay as a solid backup, it should not kill the appearance of the offensive lineup. Defense suffers, but Castillo lightening the workload on his knees and Gotay getting at bats is a good thing; gain a bit of pop and keep the valuable, aging, number two hitter fresher for the postseason. Its a symbiotic relationship that helps the team exponentially because in addition to the rest and health benefits of Castillo, Gotay keeps a nice bat on point.

Pedro:
* Building arm strength.
* Properly evaluating his status for the postseason and how he should be used. Bullpen? Starting? If in the rotation is he your number one, two, three, or four starter?

Sorting Out the Rotation for the Playoffs:
'Nuff said for now. See who has it going down the stretch. Clearly the toughest evaluation the team will need to make heading into round one. And of course this impacts......

The Bullpen:
Which starter or starters will go to the pen? The Mets win games the Duke starts at a high rate. He has big stage moxy. On the flip side however, he may be the most adaptable for the pen, an area where the Mets desperately need improvement. El Duque has pitched out of the pen in the postseason before (2005 WS Champion White Sox).

I've been vocal since last November about the temptation and logic behind Pedro being used in the pen. But its apparent that isn't a popular thought and highly unlikely due to ego. Some say his arm wouldn't be capable of getting loose on short notice. But being used an inning a night might be easier on the arm than the workload of 6 at a time. I'm no doctor though.

If he takes a step back in performance over the next and final 3 starts of the regular season, it would be a major risk to let him start a playoff game. So this final stretch will determine a lot.

The team will also need to decide how many bullpen guys they carry as their bench is extremely strong and one impacts the other. And where is Joe Smith? Is he coming back soon or what? What is his chance of being on the postseason roster?

Can Mota restore our confidence in him? Can Willie resist the temptation to burn out Sosa's arm? So far he has severley overused him and I fear for his effectiveness dropping off.

The Bench:
Conine needs some ABs. In addition to the chance Delgado's hip issue lingers, Conine is one of the few attractive righty bat options off the bench. It is dominated by sweet lefty options. But other than Milledge, who starts 50% of the time anyway, Conine is the main righty pinch-hitter late in a game. He needs to get AB's in September for his timing come October.

In blowout games or games that seem to not matter (should the Mets build a more than comfortable lead in the NL east), Chavez should be in there relieving the old and fragile, but important to the postseason, Mosies Alou. Let him come off the bench late in the games like Willie has been doing, or get him more frequent starts in place of Moises.

Regarding the rest of the bench, roster decisions will have to be made and the pitching roster will determine how many bench players are carried. As always it all begins with the pitching.

Catchers:
Getting Castro healthy is number one priority here. All the Mets can do is sit back and wait, hoping he heals. He's on the postseason roster even if he only heals by Septembet 30 and gets no MLB ABs before the first round. Will the Mets carry 3 catchers or will they prefer to carry an extra arm in the bullpen or give that spot to a non-catching bench player?